Sermons on Martin Luther King Jr.

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On Monday, January 16, we celebrate the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was an activist and leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Known for his use of nonviolent disobedience, Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Today we honor him and his advancement in civil rights that has provided the freedoms we have today.

The Seminary Archives contains two sermons from the collections of Rev. Robert W. Koons and Rev. Herman G. Stuempfle that address the tragic event that unfolded on April 4, 1968. These are available to read and download in PDF format in our Seminary Archives Digital Collections which can be found by clicking here under "Sermons."

Rev. Koons addresses the Holy Trinity Church in Lynchburg, VA with the question, "Do you think there is racism in Lynchburg?" and praises Dr. King as an "advocate of non-violence, and of human rights, and of reverence for the truth of God's Word which makes free."
Rev. Koons sermon, "The Church That Makes God Sick" can be read in full here.

Rev. Stuempfle mentions that "we live in a scarred world. And a scarred world is no place for an unscarred God. But whatever else He may be, our God is not unscarred."
Rev. Stuempfle's sermon, "Isaiah 53" can be read in full here.

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As we take this day to remember Dr. King, it's important to honor his accomplishments and apply his principals in the present day.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
-Martin Luther King Jr.

Want to learn more about Seminary Archives holdings or Gettysburg Seminary History? Contact Assistant Archivist Sheila Joy by email at sjoy@ltsg.edu or by phone at 717- 339-1317.

New Archives Exhibit: Signed Mother Teresa Biography

The Seminary Archives has a new exhibit up featuring our newest acquisition! On September 9th, 2016 Rev. Richard Englund donated a biography signed by Mother Teresa during a special Morning Prayer service in commemoration of her canonization. Mother Teresa was canonized, "St. Teresa of Calcutta" on September 5, 2016 by the Roman Catholic Church. Rev. Englund also donated a photograph of St. Teresa with Alice DeGama Brown, whom is the connection between Rev. Englund and the biography written by Navin Chawla.

An important figure to all Christians around the world, the Seminary Archives is delighted to have this signed biography and photograph. We welcome anyone who would like to view them in the A.R. Wentz Library lobby.

Want to learn more about Seminary Archives holdings or Gettysburg Seminary History? Contact Assistant Archivist Sheila Joy by email at sjoy@ltsg.edu or by phone at 717- 339-1317.

New Archives Exhibit: Impact of the Civil War on the Seminary Archives

There is a new exhibit on display in the Library Lobby! Continuing with the theme of the Civil War in honor of the 153rd anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, the new exhibit is entitled, "The Impact of the Civil War on the Seminary Archives." This exhibit complements the previous post on the A.R. Wentz Library Blog, The Civil War's Impact on the Seminary Archives. On display you will find materials from the Samuel Simon Schmucker Collection that predate the Civil War, withstanding the Confederate attack on July 1, 1863.

Want to learn more about Samuel Simon Schmucker and Gettysburg Seminary History? Contact Assistant Archivist Sheila Joy by email at sjoy@ltsg.edu or by phone at 717- 339-1317.

The Civil War's Impact on the Seminary Archives

153 years ago the grounds of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (LTSG) were quite different than today. On the morning of July 1, 1863 the campus was filled with union troops. Soon thereafter, three buildings (pictured above) were occupied by confederate soldiers and became sites of refuge for the wounded and dying: Schmucker Hall or "Old Dorm" (center), the Schmucker House (right), and the Krauth House (left). The Battle of Gettysburg was underway.

The devastation of war is highly examined in academia, literature, and entertainment, yet the effect that war has on archival repositories is not widely discussed. Although the act of keeping items of value has been around since the beginning of humankind, the concept of security measures or a disaster plan did not exist until the second half of the twentieth century. LTSG had been collecting seminary-related documents of importance since its founding in 1826. Housed in founder Dr. Samuel Simon Schmucker's own home which stood on seminary grounds, the morning of July 1, 1863 had a devastating impact on what is available for research today. Keep on reading to learn more.

New Archives Exhibit: Commencement Over Time Exhibit

Each month the Seminary Archives features an exhibit featuring material from our collections. Currently on exhibit is "Commencement Over Time," a visual depiction of Gettysburg Seminary's past graduation commencements ceremonies and traditions. On display is an 1883 diploma, class of 1928 photograph, and various commencement programs, the oldest in our collection dating back to 1889. We invite you to stop by the Library lobby to take a look!

Want to learn more about Gettysburg Seminary History? Contact Assistant Archivist Sheila Joy by email at sjoy@ltsg.edu or by phone at 717- 339-1317.