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News, events, updates, and tidbits from the Presbyterian Historical Society. Use tags to read related articles or sort by author for similar posts written by PHS staff members and volunteers.

The Forgotten Prophets--Found!

June 5, 2012

In December 2011, I wrote in this blog about the original Witherspoon Building and the mystery surrounding its lost prophet statues (see the original post here). The Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. placed statues of ten prophets on the sixth floor of the building during its construction around 1896. When the church sold the building in the late 1960s, the statues were separated. The Philadelphia Memorial Park Cemetery in Frazer, Pennsylvania, bought eight of the prophet...

Tags: 
American History, News and Events
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Marching Toward the Dream

May 10, 2012

Join us for

MARCHING TOWARD THE DREAM

Four Presbyterians share their stories of activism in the Civil Rights Movement

 50 years ago, a movement of committed citizens fought to end racial...

Author: 
Kate
Tags: 
News and Events, American History, African American History, Civil Rights
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Flora MacDonald in the Old and New Worlds

May 4, 2012

Flora MacDonald was born in 1722 to a prominent Presbyterian family of the MacDonald Clan in Scotland. She is known primarily for her support of both the Jacobite cause in Scotland, and the Loyalist cause in America during the Revolutionary War. Flora is credited with helping Bonnie Prince Charlie escape from Scotland in 1746 disguised as her maid.

While Flora was growing up, many Highland clans—both Catholic and Protestant—...

Tags: 
Foundations of the Faith, Scotland, Womens History, American History
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PHS: 160 Years and Counting

April 17, 2012

Shortly after celebrating its 60th anniversary in 1912, PHS president Henry Van Dyke articulated his vision for a future Presbyterian Historical Society.

The Society, he noted, “should have a home of its own [in Philadelphia], designed and fitted for its special use…ready to welcome all visitors and guests.” Van Dyke added, “Such a house would surely become…a meeting place for people of good will and loyal memories who do not forget the faith and deeds of their forefathers.”

It would take another 55 years for Van Dyke’s...

Tags: 
American History, News and Events, Archives, Presbyterian Historical Society
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Fun Fact: Communion Tokens!

February 29, 2012

Did you know that the Society has one of the largest collections of communion tokens in the world?

We hold thousands of communion tokens from the United States, Scotland, Ireland, and other European countries. Communion tokens originated with John Calvin and were used by worshipers in the Reformed faith beginning around 1560. The token system addressed early church irregularities regarding who could observe the Lord's Supper. Without a token, a person would not be admitted to the Lord’s Supper. The church elders typically collected the tokens using small wooden trays....

Tags: 
Foundations of the Faith, American History
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