Abstract:Scope
and Content Note:
The first issue of The Southern Presbyterian Journal appeared
in May of 1942. Dr. L. Nelson Bell, Dr. Henry B. Dendy and a handful of
like-minded men had founded the magazine to combat the liberalism that was
beginning to influence the Southern Presbyterian Church [the Presbyterian
Church in the U.S., or PCUS]. The Journal began in Weaverville,
North Carolina, but later moved to Asheville, North Carolina. The magazine
continued under the name The Southern Presbyterian Journal until
1959, at which time the name was changed to The Presbyterian Journal. This name change coincided with a change of editors. Henry B. Dendy
had originally signed on as editor at Bell's urging. As he stated at his
resignation, "the temporary position stretched out to over seventeen
years." Dendy continued to serve as managing editor and business manager
as the post of Editor was handed over to the Rev. G. Aiken Taylor. That
change was effective with the October 7, 1959 issue (Vol. 18, No. 23). Taylor
was committed to continuing Nelson Bell’s agenda of awakening Southern
Presbyterians to the decline of their church. However, Taylor had a different
result in mind. He despaired of reforming the PCUS and worked toward a
large, non-regional, conservative Presbyterian denomination.
No one was more instrumental in organizing the
Presbyterian Church in America, and making it a national denomination, than
Aiken Taylor. Ironically, the formation of the PCA—the Journal’s
main goal as far as Taylor was concerned—caused the beginning of a
long decline in circulation. As more and more Journal readers became
PCA members, there was decreasing need for a periodical designed to warn
of liberalism in the PCUS. Dr. Taylor left the Journal in 1983 [to
serve as president of the Biblical Seminary of Hatfield, PA] , and he died
shortly after his departure. Dr. William S. Barker became editor, but the Journal continued for only a few more years. Its last issue was
that of March 18, 1987.
This collection consists primarily of G. Aiken
Taylor’s Journal files. Many other people are represented,
however, in the extensive correspondence, in the personal files, and even
in the subject files. There is also a small amount of material from William
Barker and from editors Arthur Matthews and Joel Belz. The collection covers
the period from 1959 to 1985, but most of it dates from the 1960s and early
1970s.
The Journal Collection is divided into
five sections: Correspondence, Subject Files (by far the largest section,
containing diverse material, including more correspondence), Letters to
the Editor (mainly from the period after Dr. Taylor left), Personal Files
(information mostly about people), and Photograph Files.
Several comments concerning the value of the Journal Collection should be made:
- These papers are valuable as a reflection of the attitudes
of conservative Protestants of all denominations—and conservative
politically as well as theologically—toward liberalizing tendencies
in mainline Protestant denominations (primarily the PCUSA and UPCUSA)
and in American culture.
- The provide extensive documentation of these liberalizing
trends.
- They show the complex relationships between political,
social, and theological alignment.
- They provide extensive, first-hand documentation of
attitudes and movements that led to the formation of the PCA.
- They provide documentation of cooperation among conservative
denominations (as in NAPARC and NPRF, for example)
- They deal with the church as a whole. Correspondence
is from clergy and laymen alike; material collected is equally wide
in focus. This collection is not necessarily scholarly, and its subject
matter is not limited.
Processing: David Allen Calhoun,
then a student at Covenant Theological Seminary, was responsible for the
processing of the bulk of the Presbyterian Journal records. He
completed this work in August of 1990, with the preparation of the Scope
and Content Note which is reproduced above. His biographical sketch of
G. Aiken Taylor is also provided here.
Finding aids, originally prepared by Mr. Calhoun, have been modified slightly
and migrated into PDF format by Mr. Wayne Sparkman.
Related Collections: Presbyterian Journal magazine, May
2, 1942 - March 18, 1987 (individual issues and bound volumes); G. Aiken Taylor
Papers; L. Nelson Bell Papers (at the Billy Graham Center Archives)
Series Inventory for the
Presbyterian Journal Collection:
| Series |
Dates |
Boxes |
| I. Correspondence |
1959 - 1983 |
043.1 - 044.7 |
| II. Subject Files |
1942 - 1983 |
045.1 - 055.1 |
| III. Letters to the Editor |
1984 - 1985 |
055.2 - 055.3 |
| IV. Personal Files (i.e., Biographical Files) |
1959 - 1983 |
055.4 - 057.1 |
| V. Photograph Files |
1959 - 1983 |
057.2 - 058.2 |
| VI. Audio-visual Files |
|
072.3 - 072.4 |
| VII. Closing Records |
|
262-2 - 264.3 |
Please note that the items in series VI and VII have yet to be arranged and described.
I. Correspondence
Box 043.4 — Adams, Jay- Cover, Lester
Box 044.1 — Crawford, Mrs. Vernon A.- Erwin, W. Clark
Box 044.2 — Evans, G. Russell - Herring, Wayne C.
Box 044.3 — Higgs, William R. - McClure, Hugh W., III
Box 044.4 — McGowan, Matthew - Morgan, Mr. & Mrs. Charles
Box 044.5 — Mosley, Mrs. I.J. - Scott, Jack B.
Box 044.6 — Settle, Paul G. - Watson, Loren
Box 044.7 — Watson, Richard H. - Young, Patricia
II. Subject Files
Box 045.1 — Abortion - American Bible Society
Box 045.2 — American Civil Liberties Union - Barth, Karl
Box 045.3 — Beacon Press - Black Panthers
Box 045.4 — Black Power - Cartoons, Editorial
Box 045.5 — Catholic-Presbyterian Apartments, Inc. - Christian Faith and Life Community
Box 045.6 — Christian Faith and Life Community - Christian Studies Center
Box 045.7 — Christian Symbols - Churches, Conservative
Box 046.1 — Circle Bible Studies - Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
Box 046.2 — Congress On The Bible - Consultation on Church Union (COCU)
Box 046.3 — Consultation on Church Union (COCU) - Demonstrations
Box 046.4 — "The Deputy" (German play) - Educational Institutions: Bryan College
Box 046.5 — Educational Institutions: California, University of — Hampden Sydney College
Box 046.6 — Educational Institutions: Harvard University — Southeastern Bible College
Box 046.7 — Educational Institutions: So. Baptist Theol. Seminary - Ellisville Presbyterian Church
Box 047.1 — Ellisville Presbyterian Church - Every Member Canvass Guide (PCUS)
Box 047.2 — Evolution - Hartford Declaration
Box 047.3 — Healing - Human Rights
Box 047.4 — Humanism - Ireland Presbyterian Church
Box 047.5 — Israel, 1967-1971 - Joint Strategy and Action Committee (JSAC)
Box 047.6 — Journal: "Across the Editor's Desk - Journal: Criticism of the Journal, 1964-1971
Box 047.7 — Journal: Criticism of the Journal, 1962-1963 - Journal: Journal Day, 1967
Box 048.1 — Journal: Journal Day, 1968 - Journal: Letters to the Editor, 1968-1970
Box 048.2 — Journal: Letters to the Editor, 1968-1970 - Journal: Twenty-Fifth Anniversary, 1967
Box 048.3 — Journal: Youth Programs, 1959-1977 - LatinAmerica Press, 1969
Box 048.4 — Laymen's National Bible Committee, 1969-1971 - Methodist Church, United, 1977
Box 048.5 — Methodist Church, United, 1968 - Motsu Project (Military Ocean Terminal, Sunnypoint
Box 048.6 — Mountain Retreat Association - National Council of Churches
Box 048.7 — National Council of Churches, 1960-1962 - National Council of Churches, 1971
Box 049.1 — National Council of Churches, 1960-1971, Correspondence regarding
Box 049.2 — National Council of Churches, 1958-1983, Original sources - Investigations
Box 049.3 — National Council of Churches,: Overseas Ministries - Religion in Communist Countries
Box 049.4 — National Council of Churches, 1962-1969 —The National Observer, 1965
Box 049.5 — National Presbyterian and Reformed Fellowship (NPRF), 1970-1982
Box 049.6 — National Presbyterian and Reformed Fellowship (NPRF), 1868-1973 — New Books, 1968-1970
Box 049.7 — New Churches, 1977 — Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, 1974
Box 050.1 — Planned Parenthood, 1982 — PCA: Churches, as listed under Presbyteries, 1974-1975
Box 050.2 — PCA: Continuing Presbyterian Church — Ninth General Assembly (1981)
Box 050.3 — PCA: Tenth General Assembly (1982) — Presbyteries, list of (1973)
Box 050.4 — PCA Presbyteries & Ministers — PCUS Basic Objectives in the 1980's
Box 050.5 — PCUS, Black Caucus — PCUS, Board of Christian Education
Box 050.6 — PCUS, Board of Christian Education — Covenant Life Curriculum
Box 050.7 — Covenant Life Curriculum, 1960-1967 — PCUS, Board of Christian Education, 1964-1969
Box 051.1 — PCUS, Christian Education, 1968 — PCUS/UPCUSA General Assembly, Houston, TX (1981)
Box 051.2 — PCUS, General Assembly, 120th, Myrtle Beach, SC, 1980 — PCUS, 1963-1964, Montreat Players
Box 051.3 — PCUS, National Ministries, Board of — PCUS, "One Mission Under God"
Box 051.4 — PCUS, 1972, Organization & Structure — PCUS, 1968, Quadrennial Youth Conference, 1968
Box 051.5 — PCUS, "Reconciliation" — PCUS, Florida Synod
Box 051.6 — PCUS Synods, Florida — Texas
Box 051.7 — PCUS Synods, Texas — PCUS/RCA Plan of Union
Box 052.1 — PCUS, Union of Synods — PCUS, Women's Work
Box 052.2 — PCUS, Women's Work — PCU, Declaration of Commitment
Box 052.3 — Presbyterian Churchmen United — Presbyterian News
Box 052.4 — Presbyterian Outlook — Property, Church
Box 052.5 — Property, Church, Albany — Property, Church, Decisions
Box 052.6 — Property, Church : Covenant Presbyterian Church — Hillcrest Presbyterian Church
Box 052.7 — Property, Church : Hillview Presbyterian Church — Meadowview Presbyterian Church
Box 053.1 — Propetry, Church : Memorial Presbyterian Church — Savannah Churches
Box 053.2 — Property, Church : Savannah Churches — Trinity Presbyterian Church
Box 053.3 — Property, Church : Trinity Presbyterian Church — "Rangers" (gang)
Box 053.4 — "New Religion" Conference — The New Remnant Newsletter
Box 053.5 — Renaissance — SALT II
Box 053.6 — Satan worship — Student Riots
Box 053.7 — Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) — "Truly Reformed" article (23 March 1977)
Box 054.1 — Trinity Christian Community — United Ministries of Higher Education
Box 054.2 — United Nations — UPCUSA, Fellowship of Free and Continuing Presbyterians
Box 054.3 — UPCUSA, First Presbyterian Church, Fort Worth, TX — UPCUSA, Presbyterian Lay Committee
Box 054.4 — UPCUSA, Presbyters, Survey of — University Christian Movement, folder 1 of 4
Box 054.5 — University Christian Movement, folder 2 of 4 — University Christian Movement, Advance Study
Box 054.6 — University Christian Movement, Advance Study Materials — World Conference on Religion and Peace
Box 054.7 — World Council of Churches : Information — World Council of Churches, Grants Opposed or Refused
Box 055.1 — World Council of Churches : Salvation Today Conferences — Zoning Code, Atlanta, City of
III. Letters to the Editor
Box 055.2 — "A" — "Mc"
Box 055.3 — "M" — "Z"
IV. Personal Files (Biographical)
Box 055.4 — Acheson, Dean — Bell, Frank
Box 055.5 — Bell, L. Nelson — Carmichael, Stokely
Box 055.6 — Carter, Jimmy — Dendy, James S.
Box 055.7 — Dendy, Marshall C. — Fuhrman, Paul
Box 056.1 — Fuller, Charles E. — Hall, Chester B.
Box 056.2 — Hall, John Gregory — Jumper, Andrew A.
Box 056.3 — "K" Miscellaneous — Lindbeck, George A.
Box 056.4 — Lingle, Walter A., Jr. — Metcalf, Robert M.
Box 056.5 — Metcalf, Robert M. — Renne, Evan W.
Box 056.6 — Reynolds, E.J. — Smith, Vasco A.
Box 056.7 — Smoot, Robert C. — Taylor, John Randolph
Box 057.1 — Taylor, Mildred E. — Zeluff, J. Daniel
V. Photograph Files
Box 057.2 — Group photos; Miscellaneous pictures; South Pacific Congress on Evangelism; Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; Chaplain Corps, U.S. Navy
Box 057.3 — Church buildings; Continuing Presbyterian Church; Covenant College; Journal Day; Missionaries
Box 057.4 — National Association of Evangelicals; National Council of Churches; PCA & PCUS General Assemblies
Box 057.5 — PCUS General Assemblies, 1966-1973
Box 057.6 — PCUS General Assemblies, 1974-1981; Presbyterian Men's Convention; Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod, 1980-1981; Women of the Church; General photo files
Box 057.7 — General photo files
Box 058.1 — General photo files
Box 058.2 —
VI. Audio-visual Files
Box 072.3 —
Box 072.4 —
VII. Closing Records
Box 262.2 —
Box 262.3 —
Box 263.1 —
Box 263.2 —
Box 263.3 —
Box 264.1 —
Box 264.2 —
Box 264.3
—
Please note that the items in series VI and VII have yet to be arranged and described.
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