Guide to the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America Deputy General Secretary Records

The papers of the Deputy General Secretary, 1947-1975, detail the history, organization, and activities of the National Council of Churches and its various divisions. The papers date primarily from 1951 to 1974.

The papers are organized in four series according to the four deputy general secretaries who served from 1951 to 1974. In each series the papers are arranged alphabetically by subject category. Items within the subject files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day. Partially dated documents are placed at the end of the month or year; undated items are placed after all dated material. Enclosures are placed after their letter of transmittal. Newspaper clippings, unless enclosed with correspondence, are placed at the end of subject files.

The papers of the Deputy General Secretary, 1947-1975, are arranged in the following series:

Series I: Roy G. Ross, 1947-1954
Series II: Roswell P. Barnes, 1954-1957
Series III: R.H. Edwin Espy, 1953-1963
Series IV: David R. Hunter, 1948-1975

The files of Roy G. Ross, 1947-1954, date primarily from 1951 to 1952. The files are arranged alphabetically by subject, name of organization, or name of individual. A general file for each letter of the alphabet precedes subject files of the same letter of the alphabet (i.e., "A" precedes "Accounting and Auditing Committee"). Items within the files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day; undated documents are placed after all dated material.

The files consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda, minutes, agenda, reports, constitutions, bylaws, budgets, financial statements, press releases, pamphlets, leaflets, and newspaper clippings. The files concern the activities of the various divisions, departments, and committees of the NCC such as the Division of Christian Education, Church World Service, the National Lay Committee, United Church Men, and the Evangelism Department. There are a number of files concerning the publication of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

The files of Roswell P. Barnes, 1954-1957, are extremely sparse. The files are arranged alphabetically by subject, name of organization, or name of individual. In some instances a general file for a letter of the alphabet precedes subject files for the same letter of the alphabet (i.e., "R" precedes "Radio and Television"). Items within the files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day; undated items are placed after all dated material.

The files consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda, minutes, agenda, reports, speeches, press releases, itineraries, financial statements, pamphlets, leaflets, and newspaper clippings. The majority of the files concern the visit of United States churchmen to Russia in March 1956 and the return visit of Russian clergymen the following June. The files contain correspondence, press releases, printed matter, and clippings detailing this exchange.

The files of R.H. Edwin Espy, 1953-1963, date primarily from 1958 to 1962. The files are arranged alphabetically by subject, name of organization, or name of individual. Items within the files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day; undated documents are placed after all dated material.

The files consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda, minutes, agenda, reports, speeches, press releases, reprints, pamphlets, leaflets, and newspaper clippings. The files relate to various subjects including religion and mass media, clergy compensation, church-state relations, long range planning of the NCC, overseas laymen, Sunday observance laws, worship and the arts, and the laity.

The files of David R. Hunter, 1948-1975, date primarily from 1965 to 1974. The files are arranged alphabetically by subject, name of organization, or name of individual. Items within the files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day; undated documents are placed after all dated material.

The files consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda, minutes, agenda, reports, budgets, financial statements, press releases, newsletters, membership lists, pamphlets, leaflets, broadsides, and newspaper clippings.

A number of files within this series concern the organization and activities of the divisions and departments of the NCC. These include the Division of Christian Education, the Division of Christian Life and Mission, the Division of Christian Unity, the Division of Church and Society, and the Division of Overseas Ministries. There are a number of files relating to the Committee on Future Ecumenical Structure which was responsible for planning and coordinating the massive reorganization of the NCC in 1972. The files detail both Hunter's and the National Council's relationships with various organizations including the American Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born, the American Council for Judaism, Clergy and Laymen Concerned, the Institute for Advanced Pastoral Studies, the National Committee on United States China Relations, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the World Council of Christian Education, and the World Council of Churches. The files concern a wide variety of subjects such as abortion, Bangladesh, the Black Manifesto, the Vietnam War, the draft and draft resistance, Haitian refugees, genocide, race relations, Jewish - Christian relations, the Middle East, federal aid to education, South Africa, farm workers, and Roman Catholic-Protestant relations.