bMS 101
Parker, Theodore. Papers, 1836-1862.
Summary Information:
- Call Number: bMS 101
- Title: Parker, Theodore. Papers, 1836-1862.
- Repository: Andover-Harvard Theological Library, Harvard Divinity School, 45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-1911
- Quantity: 25 boxes
Administrative Information:
- Acquisition Information: Gift of the Unitarian Universalist Association, 1971.
- Access: There are no restrictions on access to this collection.
Biographical Note:
Theodore Parker (1810-1860) graduated from Harvard Divinity School in 1836 and was ordained to the West Roxbury, Massachusetts, Unitarian Church in 1837. He played a pivotal role in moving Unitarianism away from a Bible-centered faith, and in 1841, when he gave an ordination sermon entitled "A Discourse on the Transient and Permanent in Christianity," he emerged as a major figure in the Transcendentalist movement. Following the sermon, Parker was barred from the majority of Unitarian pulpits because a majority of Unitarian lay people and clergy found his ideas to be non-Christian. He continued his speaking engagements and became more and more controversial. In 1845, his followers, known as Parker-ites, established the Twenty-Eighth Congregational Society (Boston) and Parker became the pastor of this church. He was also a major figure in the abolitionist movement, leading the Boston opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, and serving as minister-at-large to fugitive slaves in Boston. He was also the chairman of the executive committee of the Vigilance Committee, a fugitive slave aid society. Parker's aid to fugitive slaves led to a federal indictment in 1854 which was dismissed on a technicality in 1855. Parker was also a proponent of women's suffrage and delivered a well-known sermon, "On the Public Function of Woman," in 1853. He served as the editor of the Massachusetts Quarterly Review from 1848 to 1851, and published many works, including Theism, Atheism, and the Popular Theology (1853), A False and True Revival of Religion (1858), and The Revival of Religion Which We Need (1858). He died in 1860 and was buried in Florence, Italy.
Scope and Content Note:
This collection is divided into eight series. The first series consists of journals, arranged chronologically. Series II is sermons delivered by Parker, also arranged chronologically. Series III contains letters written by Parker copied by another hand. Series IV is miscellaneous material, including an unidentified fragment. Series V is additional Parker material in the form of a notebook that includes sermons and addresses. Series VI consists of correspondence, arranged by correspondent. Series VII contains a manuscript translation by Parker of a work by Christoph Friedrich von Ammon. Series VIII is biographical material on Parker.
For related collection, please see bMS 102.
Container List:
- bMS 101/1 (1) Hudson, H.E. "Catalogue of Theodore Parker Papers Deposited with the American Unitarian Association," October 30, 1958. The catalogue should be used in connection with this register.
Series I. Journals
- bMS 101/1 (2) Journal, Volume One, July 13, 1838-December 31, 1840.
- bMS 101/2 (1) Journal, Volume Two, January 1, 1841-October 26, 1843.
- bMS 101/3 (1) Journal, Volume Three, May 19, 1851-October 4, 1856.
- bMS 101/3 (2) Journal, Volume Four, March 3, 1859-August 16, 1859. This volume is a combination of scrapbook and journal.
- For other journal volumes by Parker, consult the Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.
Series II. Sermons
- bMS 101/4 (1) Theodore Parker's Sermon Record Book, 1836-1860.
A. Manuscript Sermons
- bMS 101/4 (2) Volume 1, 1836, sermons 1-23.
- bMS 101/5 (1) Volume 2, 1837, sermons 24-67.
- bMS 101/6 (1) Volume 3, 1838, sermons 68-114.
- bMS 101/7 (1) Volume 4, 1839, sermons 115-172.
- bMS 101/8 (1) Volume 5, 1840, sermons 173-219.
- bMS 101/8 (2) Volume 6, 1841, sermons 220-263.
- bMS 101/9 (1) Volume 7, 1842, sermons 264-310.
- bMS 101/9 (2) Volume 8, 1843-1844, sermons 311-360.
- bMS 101/10 (1) Volume 9, 1845, sermons 361-407.
- bMS 101/10 (2) Volume 10, 1846, sermons 408-451.
- bMS 101/11 (1) Volume 12, 1848, sermons 490-529.
- bMS 101/12 (1) Volume 18, 1854, sermons 730-769.
- bMS 101/13 (1) Volume 19, 1855, sermons 770-809.
- bMS 101/14 (1) Volume 20, 1856, sermons 810-852.
- bMS 101/15 (1) Volume 21, 1857, sermons 853-887.
- bMS 101/16 (1) Volume 22, 1858, sermons 888-926.
B. Copied Sermons
- bMS 101/16 (2-26) Volume I. Unpublished West Roxbury Sermons, 1836-38, numbers 6-103.
- bMS 101/17 (1-27) Volume II, Miscellaneous copies. Some are in Parker's hand; some dittoed; many typed. 1840-1858, numbers 207-889.
- bMS 101/18 (1-4) Volume II continued, 1858, numbers 890-924.
Series III. Letters
- bMS 101/18 (5) Volume I, 1845-1860. All letters are written by Theodore Parker and are copied by another hand. For contents see Hudson's listing.
- bMS 101/18 (6) Volume II, 1836-1860. All letters are written by Theodore Parker and are copied by another hand. For contents see Hudson's listing.
- bMS 101/19 (1-4) Volume III, 1850-1859. Parker's letters to Sarah Hunt.
Series IV. Miscellaneous Materials
- For index to the miscellaneous material consult Hudson's catalogue. The numbering used here is his.
- bMS 101/19 (5-8) Miscellaneous material, number 1-4.
- bMS 101/20 (1-4) Miscellaneous material, number 5-8.
- bMS 101/21 (1-7) Miscellaneous material, number 9-15.
- bMS 101/22 (1-13) Miscellaneous material, number 16-28.
- bMS 101/23 (1-16) Miscellaneous material, number 29-44.
- bMS 101/24 (1-3) Miscellaneous material, number 45-46.
- bMS 101/24 (4) Unidentified fragment.
Series V. Additional Parker Material
- The following items are not listed in Hudson's catalogue but were a part of the American Unitarian Association collection of Parker manuscripts.
- bMS 101/24 (5) Notebook. Includes items on Kansas, thoughts on Trinity, slavery, sermons, addresses.
Series VI. Parker Correspondence
A. Letters Written by Parker
- bMS 101/24 (6) Allen, Joseph Henry, September 27, 1847.
- bMS 101/24 (7) May, Samuel Joseph, 1797-1871, October 27, 1853. (Not a gift of the UUA, source unknown.)
- bMS 101/24 (8) Newell, January 28, 1845.
- bMS 101/24 (9) Silsbee, William, August 13, 1836.
B. Letter Addressed to Parker
- bMS 101/24 (10) Sidney, Homer, November 17, 1832.
C. Letter Addressed to Mrs. Parker
- bMS 101/24 (11) Leighton, Rufus, November 25, 1862.
D. Xerox Letters by Parker
- These three letters are in the possession of Dr. C. Conrad Wright of the Harvard Divinity School, December, 1971.
- bMS 101/24 (12) Letters to John Manley, November 18, 1854; February 4, 1859; and April 14, 1860.
Series VII. Manuscript Translation
- bMS 101/25 (1-30) A manuscript translation by Theodore Parker of Die fortbildung des christenthums zur welt-religion by Christoph Friedrich von Ammon (1766-1850). (Not a gift of the UUA, source unknown.)
Series VIII. Biographical Material
- bMS 101/25 (31) General Parker material.