Guide to the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Office of the Stated Clerk Records
Title
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Office of the Stated Clerk Records
Inclusive Dates
1935-1952
Call Number
RG 122
Creator(s)
Creator110
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Office of the Stated Clerk.
Quantity
30.00 cubic feet (30 boxes)
Restrictions on Access
Open for research.
Repository
Presbyterian Historical Society, 425 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516 USA
Biographical Note
The General Assembly was the highest judicatory of the Presbyterian Church in the USA. The Stated Clerk was the chief permanent executive officer of the Church. By designation of the General Assembly, he was the executive head of the Office of the General Assembly and its several departments. Among his important duties were editing the official church law books and giving legal opinions on the meaning of the Constitution of the Church in its relation to problems which arose in the life of the judicatories, particular churches and individuals.
William Barrow Pugh graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1913. During World War I he was a chaplain in the American army in France, and during the Second World War he became Chairman of the General Commission on Army and Navy Chaplains. He was elected Stated Clerk of the PCUSA in 1938, and served for several years as a delegate to and executive committee member of the Federal Council of Churches. Pugh was especially noted for his contributions to ecumenism in America and for his strong interest in the military chaplaincy. Pugh held the post of Stated Clerk until his death in 1950.
Record Group 122 consists of correspondence and files from the office of Stated Clerk Pugh, 1935-52.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY FILES, 1935-52 Box 1
SUBJECT FILES, 1936-52 Boxes 2-3, Box 30
COMMITTEE FILES, 1938-52 Boxes 4-6
CORRESPONDENCE WITH PCUSA BOARDS, 1938-50 Boxes 7-8
GENERAL COUNCIL, 1937-50 Boxes 9-10
DECISION LETTERS, 1938-51 Boxes 11-18
CORRESPONDENCE WITH SYNODS AND Boxes19-20
PRESBYTERIES, 1938-52
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS, 1940-53 Boxes 21-22
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1939-50 Boxes 23-24
DEPARTMENT OF CHURCH COOPERATION AND Boxes 25-26
UNION, 1940-51
WORLD ALLIANCE OF REFORMED CHURCHES-- Box 27
WESTERN SECTION, 1938-52
REUNION WITH PCUS, 1942-50 Box 28
FEDERAL AND WORLD COUNCILS OF CHURCHES, Box 29
1938-50
The researcher should be advised that subject files in boxes 2-3 and 30 are in no apparent order.
Processing Information
The researcher will note that these records go beyond 1950, the year of Pugh's death. The Rev. Eugene Carson Blake was elected Stated Clerk in 1951 and held the post until 1966.
Collection processed and container list prepared: July 1976
Jane Ramsay, Assistant Records Researcher
Notes added to finding aid and series headings created: January 1992
Stephanie Muntone, Processing Archivist
Corporate Subject
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Office of the General Assembly.
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. General Council.
Alliance of the Reformed Churches Throughout the World Holding the Presbyterian System.
Topical Subject
Christian union--Presbyterian Church in the U.S.
Conscientious objectors.
Ecclesiastical law--Interpretation and construction.
Genre-form
Correspondence. aat
Subject files. local
Personal Added Name
Pugh, William Barrow, 1881-1950.
Blake, Eugene Carson, 1906-1985.
Corporate Added Name
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. General Assembly Stated Clerk (1938-1950 : Pugh)
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. General Assembly Stated Clerk (1951-1958 : Blake)
| Box | Folder | Description | |
| 1 | 1 | Finding Aid to Record Group 122 | |
| GENERAL ASSEMBLY FILES, 1935-52 | |||
| 1 | 2 | General Assembly Information, 1935-39 | |
| 3 | General Assembly Docket, 1939-40 | ||
| 4 | Fraternal Delegates to General Assembly, 1940 | ||
| 5-7 | General Assembly, 1941 | ||
| 8 | General Assembly Arrangements, 1942 | ||
| 9 | General Assembly Arrangements, 1943 | ||
| 10 | Suggestions for Next General Assembly, 1945-50 | ||
| 11 | General Assembly Arrangements, 1951 | ||
| 12 | Moderator's Itinerary, 1942-43 | ||
| 13 | On the Nomination of a Moderator, 1945 | ||
| 14 | Moderator's Itinerary, 1945-46 | ||
| 15 | Moderator's Itinerary, 1949-50 | ||
| 16-19 | Moderator's Itinerary, 1950-51 | ||
| 20 | Moderator's Itinerary, 1951-52 | ||
| SUBJECT FILES, 1936-52 | |||
| 2 | 1 | Files of Department of Vacancy and Supply, Seminaries and Bible Schools, 1936-50 | |
| 2 | Ministers Available for Pulpit Supply, 1940-50 | ||
| 3 | Miscellaneous, 1940-50 | ||
| 4 | Members of Other Denominations Seeking Entrance into USA, 1942-49 | ||
| 5 | Applicants from Other Countries, 1943-50 | ||
| 6 | Colored | ||
| 7 | Correspondence re Vacancy and Supply Matters in Synods of Baltimore, CA, CO, FL, ID, IL, IN and KS | ||
| 8 | Correspondence, MI-NE | ||
| 9 | Correspondence, New England-NM | ||
| 10-11 | Correspondence, NY Synod | ||
| 12 | Correspondence, Philadelphia Presbytery | ||
| 13 | Correspondence, PA-WV | ||
| 14 | Forms and Pamphlets | ||
| 15 | The Canadian Plan - Settlement Committee; Church of Scotland - Plan for Relocation | ||
| 16 | Miscellaneous Form for Pastoral Committees | ||
| 17 | Department of Vacancy & Supply, 1948-49 | ||
| 18 | New Committee on Pastoral Relocation--Department of Ministerial Relations, 1948-49 | ||
| 19-21 | Department of Ministerial Relations, 1948-52 | ||
| 22-23 | Pugh Visit to Chaplains Overseas—Publicity 1943 | ||
| 3 | 1-3 | National Council of Presbyterian Men, 1948-50 | |
| 4-6 | Women's Meetings and National Council of Women's Organizations, 1940-50 | ||
| 7-9 | National Presbyterian Church, 1948-51 | ||
| 10-12 | Permanent Judicial Commission, 1937-45 | ||
| 13 | Hladky Appeal–Synod Correspondence, Minutes of Judicial Commission, 1946-48 | ||
| 14 | Permanent Judicial Commission, 1948-50 | ||
| 15 | MacVey Judicial Case, 1950-51 | ||
| 16-18 | Theological Seminaries, 1940-51 | ||
| 19 | Treasurer of the General Assembly, 1949-50 | ||
| 20-21 | Trustees of the General Assembly, 1949-52 | ||
| COMMITTEE FILES, 1938-52 | |||
| 4 | 1 | Special Committees--Committee on a Church Paper, 1938-41 | |
| 2 | Committee of General Council Re Social Security Act, 1939 | ||
| 3 | Social Security Act--Re Inclusion of Lay Employees, 1940-41 | ||
| 4 | Committee on Church Boards of Trustees, 1939-40 | ||
| 5 | Committee on Overtures 13 & 14, 1940 | ||
| 6 | Committee to Study Administrative Expenses of the Boards, 1940-42 | ||
| 7 | Committee to Study Work of George Dowey in Fund Raising, 1941-42 | ||
| 8 | Committee on the Study of Closer Relationships Of General Denominational Agencies, 1941-45 | ||
| 9 | Committee on a Further Procedure, 1942-48 | ||
| 10 | Committee on a Just and Righteous Peace, 1942-43 | ||
| 11 | Laymen's Committee, 1944-45 | ||
| 12 | Committee on Intermediate Catechism, 1944-48 | ||
| 13 | A Recommendation of Special Committee on Pensions, 1945 | ||
| 14-16 | Committee on Pastoral Relocation, 1945-48 | ||
| 5 | 1 | Committee of Laymen, 1945-46 | |
| 2 | Committee on Communication 27--Re Qualified Men and Women in the Church, 1945-46 | ||
| 3 | Committee to Study the Entire Structure of the Church, 1947 | ||
| 4-5 | Lay Committee, 1947-48 | ||
| 6 | Committee on "Presbyterian Life", 1947-48 | ||
| 7 | Committee on 250th Anniversary of First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, 1948 | ||
| 8 | Committee on Overtures 5 and 6, 1948 | ||
| 9-10 | Committee on Religious Radio, 1948-50 | ||
| 11 | Committee on Dixon Case, 1949-51 | ||
| 12-13 | Committee on Marriage and Divorce, 1949-52 | ||
| 14 | Committees to Nominate a Stated Clerk and a Secretary of General Council, 1950 | ||
| 15 | Committee on Nominations, 1950-51 | ||
| 16 | Committee on Capital Fund Needs, 1950-51 | ||
| 17 | Committee to Study Offices of the Stated Clerk and Secretary of General Council, 1950-51 | ||
| 18 | Laymen's Committee on Theological Seminaries, 1950-51 | ||
| 6 | 1 | Special Committee on Theological Seminaries, 1938-40 | |
| 2-11 | Special Committee on Education, 1939-45 | ||
| 7 | 1-2 | Candidates for the Ministry--Replies to Questionnaires, 1945 | |
| 3-4 | Presbytery Rules for Electing Commissioners to General Assembly– Correspondence, Reports, 1948-49 | ||
| CORRESPONDENCE--BOARDS OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION, FOREIGN AND NATIONAL MISSIONS, AND PENSIONS | |||
| 7 | 5 | Letters to Boards, 1938-41 | |
| 6-13 | 1938-40 | ||
| 14-17 | 1941 | ||
| 8 | 1-4 | 1942-43 | |
| 5-8 | 1944 | ||
| 9-12 | 1945 | ||
| 13-16 | 1946 | ||
| 17-20 | 1947 | ||
| 21-24 | 1948 | ||
| 25-28 | 1950 | ||
| 29-31 | Correspondence--Lincoln University, 1948-50 | ||
| 32-33 | Correspondence--Maryville College, 1949-50 | ||
| GENERAL COUNCIL | |||
| 9 | 1 | Dockets, 1937-41 | |
| 2 | Meetings, 1939 | ||
| 3 | Correspondence, 1940 | ||
| 4 | Administrative Committee Minutes, 1940 | ||
| 5 | Secretary of Finance, 1940 | ||
| 6 | Next Meeting, May 1940 | ||
| 7 | Budget and Finance, 1940-41 | ||
| 8 | Meeting, May 1940 | ||
| 9 | Meeting, March 1941 | ||
| 10 | Minutes of May 1941 Meeting | ||
| 11 | Docket, 1941-42 | ||
| 12 | Next Meeting, October 1942 | ||
| 13 | May 1942 | ||
| 14 | Next Meeting, March 1943 | ||
| 15-16 | Budget and Finance, 1944-47 | ||
| 17 | Reports to General Council, 1946 | ||
| 18 | Subcommittee on the word "Property," 1946 | ||
| 19 | Every Member Canvass; Youth Budget, 1939-41 | ||
| 20 | United Promotion, 1940 | ||
| 10 | 1 | Budget and Finance Committee--Secretary of Finance, 1947 | |
| 2 | General Correspondence, 1947 | ||
| 3 | United Promotion; Youth Budget, 1947 | ||
| 4 | Meeting, March 1948 | ||
| 5 | Meeting, May 1948 | ||
| 6 | Next Meeting, March 1949 | ||
| 7 | General Correspondence, 1949-50 | ||
| 8-9 | Various Committees, 1949-50 | ||
| 10 | Budget and Finance Committee--Secretary of Finance, 1950 | ||
| 11 | Committee on United Promotion; Youth Budget; Every Member Canvass, 1950 | ||
| DECISION LETTERS | |||
| 11 | 1-10 | 1938-43, A-G | |
| 12 | 1-11 | 1938-43, H-MO | |
| 13 | 1-11 | 1938-43, N-Z | |
| 12 | 1939, Letters re Electing Commissioners | ||
| 14 | 1-13 | 1944-48, A-HEA | |
| 15 | 1-8 | 1944-48, HER-N | |
| 16 | 1-8 | 1944-48, O-Z | |
| 9 | 1947 | ||
| 10 | 1948 | ||
| 17 | 1 | 1949-51, A | |
| 2 | 1949-51, B | ||
| 3 | 1949-51, C | ||
| 4 | 1937-50, Letters re Overture 10, status of Commissioned Church Worker | ||
| 5-12 | 1949-51, COO-L | ||
| 18 | 1-10 | M-Z | |
| 11-13 | Examples | ||
| SYNOD AND PRESBYTERY CORRESPONDENCE | |||
| 19 | 1 | Stated Clerks of Synods and Presbyteries, 1939-41 | |
| 2 | Presbyteries--Reduction in size of General Assembly, 1943-45 | ||
| 3 | Stated Clerks of Synods and Presbyteries, 1945-50 | ||
| 4 | Synods and Presbyteries, AZ-Baltimore, 1938-50 | ||
| 5 | Synods and Presbyteries, Blue Ridge-CA, 1938-50 | ||
| 6 | Synods and Presbyteries, Cameroun-ID, 1938-50 | ||
| 7 | Synods and Presbyteries, IL, 1938-50 | ||
| 8 | Synods and Presbyteries, IN-IA, 1938-50 | ||
| 9 | Synods and Presbyteries, KS-KY, 1938-50 | ||
| 10 | Synods and Presbyteries, MI-Mid South, 1938-50 | ||
| 11 | Synods and Presbyteries, MN-MT, 1938-50 | ||
| 20 | 1 | Synods and Presbyteries, NE, 1938-50 | |
| 2 | Synods and Presbyteries, New England-NJ, 1938-51 | ||
| 3 | Synods and Presbyteries, NM-NY, 1938-51 | ||
| 4 | Synods and Presbyteries, NY, 1938-50 | ||
| 5 | Synods and Presbyteries, ND-OH, 1938-51 | ||
| 6 | Synods and Presbyteries, OK-OR, 1938-51 | ||
| 7 | Synods and Presbyteries, PA, 1938-51 | ||
| 8 | Synods and Presbyteries, PA-- Beaver-Erie, 1938-52 | ||
| 9 | Synods and Presbyteries, PA-- Huntingdon-Washington, 1938-52 | ||
| 10 | Synods and Presbyteries, SD-TX, 1938-52 | ||
| 11 | Synods and Presbyteries, WA, 1938-52 | ||
| 12 | Synods and Presbyteries, WI-WY, 1938-52 | ||
| CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS | |||
| 21 | 1 | Official Correspondence, 1940-49 | |
| 2 | Correspondence, 1940-41 | ||
| 3 | Correspondence, 1941-42 | ||
| 4 | Finances, 1941-42 | ||
| 5 | Correspondence, 1941-42 | ||
| 6 | Correspondence, 1941-46 | ||
| 22 | 1 | Presbyterian Public Service Camps--Contributions,1941-48 | |
| 2 | Information and Correspondence, 1941 | ||
| 3 | Committee on Conscientious Objectors, 1945-48 | ||
| 4-5 | 1945-53 | ||
| 6 | 1949 | ||
| 7 | Laymen | ||
| 8 | Ministers | ||
| 9 | Women | ||
| 10 | Church not Designated | ||
| CORRESPONDENCE | |||
| 23 | 1 | 1939-43 | |
| 2 | 1941-42, B | ||
| 3 | 1941-42, C-D | ||
| 4 | 1941-42, E-F | ||
| 5 | 1941-42, G-H | ||
| 6 | 1941-42, I-L | ||
| 7 | 1941-42, M-N | ||
| 8 | 1941-42, O-R | ||
| 9 | 1941-42, S | ||
| 10 | 1941-42, T-V | ||
| 11 | 1941-42, W-Z | ||
| 12 | Lewis S. Mudge, Acting Stated Clerk, 1943 | ||
| 13 | 1948, A-D | ||
| 14 | 1948, E-K | ||
| 15 | 1948, L-Q | ||
| 16 | 1948, R-V | ||
| 17 | 1948, W-Z | ||
| 24 | 1 | 1949, A-C | |
| 2 | 1949, D-K | ||
| 3 | 1949, L-P | ||
| 4 | 1949, R-Z | ||
| 5 | 1950, A-D | ||
| 6 | 1950, E-M | ||
| 7 | 1950, N-S | ||
| 8 | 1950, T-Z | ||
| DEPARTMENT OF CHURCH COOPERATION AND UNION | |||
| 25 | 1-2 | Administrative Committee, 1940 | |
| 3 | 1941 | ||
| 4 | Correspondence, Drafts of Minutes, 1942 | ||
| 5 | Joint Ordination, 1942-43 | ||
| 6 | Correspondence, Drafts of Minutes, 1942-43 | ||
| 7 | 1943 | ||
| 8 | 1944 | ||
| 9 | Next Meeting, November 1945 | ||
| 10 | 1947 | ||
| 11 | November 1947 | ||
| 12 | Meeting, May 1948 | ||
| 13 | Meeting, 1948 | ||
| 14 | Next Meeting, November 1949 | ||
| 15 | Next Meeting, March 1950 | ||
| 26 | 1 | Committee on Church Union, 1948-50 | |
| 2 | Conference on Church Union, 1949-51 | ||
| 3 | Church Union--Printed Materials | ||
| 4-7 | Permanent Commission on InterChurch Relations, 1950-51 | ||
| WORLD ALLIANCE OF REFORMED CHURCHES--WESTERN SECTION | |||
| 26 | 8 | 1938-52 | |
| 9 | 1938-53 | ||
| 10 | Meetings--July 1938, March 1939 | ||
| 11 | Draft of Minutes, February 1939 | ||
| 12 | Meetings, February and March 1939 | ||
| 13 | Meetings, April and September 1939 | ||
| 14 | Next Meetings, September and February 1939 | ||
| 15 | 1940 | ||
| 27 | 1 | Correspondence, 1940 | |
| 2 | Manuscripts, Meeting, 1940 | ||
| 3 | Next Meeting, 1944 | ||
| 4 | Executive Committee, 1946-47 | ||
| 5 | Meeting, February 1947 | ||
| 6 | Meeting, February 1948 | ||
| 7 | Constitution (revised), 1949 | ||
| 8 | Meeting, February 1949 | ||
| 9 | 1949 | ||
| 10 | Executive Committee, 1949-50 | ||
| 11 | Report at Conference of Reformed Leaders of Europe, 1950; Program, Meeting, February 1950 | ||
| 12 | February 1950 | ||
| 13 | Executive Committee, 1950-51 | ||
| 14 | 1950-51 | ||
| 15 | Executive Committee 1951 | ||
| 16 | Docket, 1951 | ||
| REUNION WITH PCUS | |||
| 28 | 1 | Drafting Committee on Reunion with PCUS, 1942-47 | |
| 2 | Joint Drafting Committee, 1945-46 | ||
| 3 | Drafting Committee--PCUS, 1945-46 | ||
| 4 | Next Meeting--PCUS, 1946-48 | ||
| 5 | Next Meeting--Joint Drafting Committee, 1947-48 | ||
| 6 | Correspondence with Presbyteries re Reunion, 1948 | ||
| 7 | Joint Drafting Committee on a Plan of Reunion, 1948-49 | ||
| 8 | Permanent Committee on Cooperation and Union of PCUS, 1950 | ||
| 9-17 | Negotiations with Episcopal Church, 1938-48 | ||
| 29 | 1 | World Conference on Faith and Order, 1938-40 | |
| 2 | FCC--Commission for the Study of Christian Unity, 1938-41 | ||
| 3 | Universal Christian Council for Life and Work, 1939-44 | ||
| 4 | FCC--Biennial Meeting, 1940 | ||
| 5 | FCC--1940 | ||
| 6 | Faith and Order--Joint Committee, 1940-41 | ||
| 7 | FCC--1942-43 | ||
| 8 | WCC--Constitution (draft) | ||
| 9 | WCC--1942-44 | ||
| 10 | WCC--1945-46 | ||
| 11 | FCC--Advisory Committee, 1945-47 | ||
| 12 | WCC--1946-48 | ||
| 13 | WCC--Geneva, 1946-49 | ||
| 14 | WCC--USA Members--Central Committee, 1948-49 | ||
| 15 | WCC--1948-49 | ||
| 16 | FCC--Executive Committee, 1949-50 | ||
| 17 | FCC--1949-50 | ||
| 30 | 1 | American Bible Society, 1940 | |
| 2 | American Tract Society, 1940-41 | ||
| 3 | American Bible and Tract Societies, 1947 | ||
| 4 | American Bible Society, 1950 | ||
| 5 | "Christianity Today," 1936 | ||
| 6 | Hubbard Press, 1940-41 | ||
| 7 | Hubbard Press, 1950 | ||
| 8 | "The Presbyterian Tribune," 1934-47 | ||
| 9 | Tabor Church, Philadelphia, 1940=-43 | ||
| 10 | National Study Conference on the Churches and the International Situation, 1940 | ||
| 11 | National Commission on Evangelism, 1949-50 | ||
| 12 | Department of Publication, 1942-50 | ||
| 13 | Social Education and Action, 1946-48 | ||
| 14 | Social Education and Action, 1949-50 | ||
| 15 | Lord's Supper at Summer Conferences, 1941-44 | ||
| 16 | "Monday Morning," 1940-47 | ||
| 17 | Non-Judicial Cases 1 and 2--Wright--Synod of CA, 1950-51 | ||
| 18 | Transportation, 1936-50 | ||
| 19 | Production and Shipping--General Assembly Minutes, 1939-48 | ||
| 20 | Preliminary Reports and Board Reports, 1938-50 | ||
| 21 | Railroad Clergy Correspondence, 1945-50 | ||
| 22 | Overture 4--Department of Public Relations, 1946-47 | ||
| 23 | National Capital Commission, 1940-47 | ||
| 24 | Presbyterian Ministers' Fund, 1939 | ||
| 25 | Presbyterian Ministers' Fund, 1949 | ||
| 26 | Presbyterian Digest, 1932-40 | ||
| 27 | Pugh Memorial Marker, 1951-52 | ||
| 28 | Estate of George Pentacost, 1938-39 | ||
| 29 | Compulsory Retirement--Correspondence, 1939 | ||
| 30 | D. Evor Roberts--Swarthmore Church, Philadelphia, 1966 | ||
| 31 | Overture 15--Relation of Ministers to Selective Service Act, 1941 | ||
| 32 | Affiliate Church Membership, 1941-42 | ||
| 33 | Federated Churches, 1940-42 | ||
| 34 | Spokane Church Case, 1941-43 | ||
| 35 | Communication 24--Auburn Seminary, 1946 | ||
| 36 | Revised Statement on Restoration Fund Budget Items, 1946 | ||
| 37 | Constitutional Revisions, 1935-50 | ||
| 38 | Board of Pensions, Men in Secular Employment, 1948 |