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Digital Collections

bMS 179

Cole, Alfred Storer. Papers, 1926-1977.

Summary Information:

Call Number: bMS 179
Title: Alfred Storer Cole. Papers, 1926-1977.
Repository: Andover-Harvard Theological Library, Harvard Divinity School, 45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-1911
Quantity: 5 boxes

Administrative Information:

Acquisition Information: Gifts of Universalist Historical Society, 1976; Seaburg correspondence donated by Alan Seaburg, 1977; Cole correspondence donated by Barbara Cole, 1977.
Access: There are no restrictions on access to this collection.

Biographical Note:

Alfred Storer Cole (1893-1977) graduated from Tufts College in 1919 and entered the Universalist ministry in New England. From 1931 to 1954, he taught homiletics at Tufts. Following his time on the Tufts faculty, he was pastor of a Unitarian church in Lebanon, New Hampshire, from 1955 to 1966, and was later an affiliate minister at the church in West Brattleboro, Vermont. He was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree from St. Lawrence University in 1964. Cole is the author of numerous publications, including A Short History of Tufts College School of Religion (1947), Our Liberal Heritage (1957), and Great Possessions! (1960).

Scope and Content Note:

This collection is divided into four series. Series I consists of Cole's writings, including sermons, addresses, lectures, and publications. Series II contains correspondence, arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Series III is subject files, much of which is related to Cole's ministerial life and worship. Series IV consists of biographical material on Cole, and includes clippings and photographs.

Container List:

Series I. Writings, 1930-1977

bMS 179/1 (1) Sermons, 1930.
bMS 179/1 (2) Sermon, 1941.
bMS 179/1 (3) Sermons, 1944.
bMS 179/1 (4) Sermon, 1949.
bMS 179/1 (5) Sermon, 1950.
bMS 179/1 (6) Sermon, 1951.
bMS 179/1 (7) Sermons, 1953.
bMS 179/1 (8) Sermon, 1954.
bMS 179/1 (9) Sermon, 1955.
bMS 179/1 (10) Sermons, 1957.
bMS 179/1 (11) Sermon, 1958.
bMS 179/1 (12) Sermons, 1959.
bMS 179/1 (13) Sermons, 1960.
bMS 179/1 (14) Sermons, 1961.
bMS 179/1 (15) Sermons, 1962.
bMS 179/1 (16) Sermons, 1963.
bMS 179/1 (17) Sermons, 1964.
bMS 179/1 (18) Sermons, 1965.
bMS 179/1 (19) Sermons, January-June, 1966.
bMS 179/1 (20) Sermons, September-December, 1966.
bMS 179/1 (21) Sermons, January-June, 1967.
bMS 179/2 (1) Sermons, July-November, 1967.
bMS 179/2 (2) Sermons, 1968.
bMS 179/2 (3) Sermons, 1969.
bMS 179/2 (4) Sermons, 1970.
bMS 179/2 (5) Sermons, 1971.
bMS 179/2 (6) Sermons, 1972.
bMS 179/2 (7) Sermons, 1973.
bMS 179/2 (8) Sermons, 1974.
bMS 179/2 (9) Sermons, 1975.
bMS 179/2 (10) Sermons, 1976.
bMS 179/2 (11) Last sermon, January 2, 1977.
bMS 179/2 (12) Sermon fragments.
bMS 179/2 (13) Printed sermons, 1936, 1955, 1959, 1961.
bMS 179/2 (14) "A Mother-Hubbard sermon." This is a sermon parody, possibly by Cole.
bMS 179/2 (15) "The First Hundred Years Are the Hardest!" An address delivered at the 100th anniversary of the Universalist Church in Cavendish, Vermont, August 13, 1944.
"Poetic Readings for Our Edification Inspiration and Stimulation to Better Living!" Mother's Club, Lebanon, N.H., January 21, 1960.
"Address." New Hampshire and Vermont Ministerial Association, January 26, 1965.
"The One Hundredth Anniversary of Evening Star Lodge, No. 147, Buckfield, Maine." May 5, 1969.
Reminiscences of the Youthful Days of John Holmes. 1967.
bMS 179/2 (16) Radio addresses, 1966.
bMS 179/2 (17) Lectures on the history of Universalism. General material. The lectures which follow seem to be two series of lectures intermixed. One was given in 1937, the other in 1948.
bMS 179/2 (18) History of Universalism. Lecture I, 1937.
bMS 179/2 (19) History of Universalism. Lecture II, n.d.
bMS 179/2 (20) History of Universalism. Lecture III, 1937.
bMS 179/2 (21) History of Universalism. Lecture III, 1948.
bMS 179/2 (22) History of Universalism. Lecture IV, n.d.
bMS 179/3 (1) History of Universalism. Lecture V, 1937.
bMS 179/3 (2) History of Universalism. Lecture VI, n.d.
bMS 179/3 (3) History of Universalism. Lecture VI, 1948.
bMS 179/3 (4) History of Universalism. Lecture VII, 1948.
bMS 179/3 (5) Lecture: "John Murray, The Man, Preachers and Prophet." n.d.
bMS 179/3 (6) Typed manuscript of essay entitled "Short History of Tufts College School of Religion," June 1947.

Series II. Correspondence, 1945-1976

bMS 179/3 (7) Letters from Edmund Palmer Clarke, 1976.
bMS 179/3 (8) Letters from John Holmes, 1950-1958.
bMS 179/3 (9) Letters to Alan Seaburg, 1956-1958.
bMS 179/3 (10) Letters to Alan Seaburg, 1961-1966.
bMS 179/3 (11) Letters to Alan Seaburg, 1967-1970.
bMS 179/3 (12) Letters to Alan Seaburg, 1971.
bMS 179/3 (13) Letters to Alan Seaburg, 1972-1973, 1975-1976.
bMS 179/3 (14) Letter to Eva Seaburg, 1959.
bMS 179/3 (15) Letters from Rolland Emerson Wolfe, 1976.
bMS 179/3 (16) Letters from Bruce and Barbara Cole (son and wife of A. S. Cole) to Alan Seaburg
bMS 179/3 (17) Miscellaneous letters, 1945-1976

Series III. Subject Files

bMS 179/4 (1) Christmas (includes Alfred Cole's Christmas letters).
bMS 179/4 (2) Naming service, dedication service.
bMS 179/4 (3) Funeral, memorial service.
bMS 179/4 (4) "Poetic and Prose Selections (Ancient and Modern) for use in Funeral Services." Compiled by Alfred S. Cole. Lebanon, N.H., 1959.
bMS 179/4 (5) Worship material, poetry and prose, collected by Alfred S. Cole.
bMS 179/4 (6) Programs of ordination and installation services in which Dr. Cole took part.
bMS 179/4 (7) Services of worship compiled by Alfred S. Cole.
bMS 179/5 (1) Church order of worship, Woburn Unitarian Church, 1951.
bMS 179/5 (2) Church orders of worship, Lebanon Unitarian Church, 1955-1962.
bMS 179/5 (3) Memorial services performed by Cole, 1964-1971.
bMS 179/5 (4) Communion services.
bMS 179/5 (5) Church order of worship, Cavendish Universalist Church, 1956.
bMS 179/5 (6) Prayer meditations, invocations, benedictions by Dr. Cole.
bMS 179/5 (7) "Public Worship" by Alfred S. Cole, 1952.
bMS 179/5 (8) "Materials for Modern Worship" by Alfred S. Cole, 1959.
bMS 179/5 (9) "Give Me No Finished Chart." Correspondence about the publication of this manuscript, 1959-1966.
bMS 179/5 (10) "Give Me No Finished Chart (Materials for Modern Worship)" by Alfred S. Cole. Published by the Universalist Historical Society, 1968.
bMS 179/5 (11) A Wedding service, 1961.
bMS 179/5 (12) "My Little House on Dream Street." by Alfred S. Cole, 1926.

Series IV. Biographical File

bMS 179/5 (13) Biographical materials, 1933-1968.
bMS 179/5 (14) Newspaper clippings.
bMS 179/5 (15) Essay written by Mrs. Barbara Cole showing the family's interest in animals.
bMS 179/5 (16) Death of Dr. Cole (includes his memorial service).
bMS 179/5 (17) Tributes to Alfred Cole.
bMS 179/5 (18) Photographs.