Guide to the Robert P. Farris Papers

Descriptive Summary

Title

Robert P. Farris Papers

Inclusive Dates

1850-1882

Call Number

RG 445

Creator(s)

Farris, Robert P. (Robert Perry), 1826-1903.

Quantity

3.00 cubic feet (6 boxes)

Language

Materials in English

Restrictions on Access

Collection open for research

Repository

Presbyterian Historical Society, 425 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516 USA

Biographical Note / Administrative History

Biographical Note

Robert P. Farris was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1826. He attended St. Louis University and earned an A.B. degree in 1844 from St. Xavier’s College. He then attended Yale College, from which he graduated in 1847. He began to study law but changed his mind and entered Princeton Theological Seminary in 1848. After completing two years of study at Princeton, he did his third year of theological training at Lane Seminary in Cincinnati.

After the completion of his studies, Farris was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of St. Louis in June 1851. He was ordained in November 1852. His first appointment was as stated supply for Second Presbyterian Church, St. Louis. In 1853, he was invited to Peoria, Illinois, where he organized the Second Presbyterian Church and became its first pastor. After serving in that post for six years, Farris took leave from the pulpit for health reasons and was subsequently employed by the Presbyterian Theological Seminary of the Northwest in Chicago. In 1860, he was called to a pastorate in St. Charles, Missouri.

In 1868, Farris became editor of the Missouri Presbyterian, a paper whose name was later changed to the St. Louis Presbyterian. Elected as moderator of the 1881 Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS) General Assembly, Farris presided over the meeting of that body in Staunton, Virginia. In 1885, he was chosen Permanent Clerk of the General Assembly, a position he held until his death. In 1895, Farris retired from his editorial duties. He died on August 28, 1903.

Collection Overview

The bulk of the collection consists of handwritten sermons first preached by Farris in the 1850s when he served as pastor of Second Presbyterian Church (Peoria, Ill.). There is neither documentation of Farris’s journalistic career nor of his service as PCUS General Assembly moderator.

Sermons in Series I have titles provided by the processor. Sermons in Series II are arranged by biblical text. The date listed in the finding aid is the earliest date written on the sermon.

Organization and Arrangement

The collection is arranged as follows:

SERIES I: SUBJECT FILES AND UNTITLED SERMONS, 1850-1882 and undated

SERIES II: SERMONS, 1851-1871 and undated

Related Material

Administrative Information

Processing Information

Collection processed and guide prepared by the staff of the Presbyterian Historical Society-Montreat. Guide revised in 2009 by Jennifer Barr, Archives Intern, and in 2010 by Nancy Taylor, Records Archivist.

Preferred Citation

Robert P. Farris Papers, RG 445, Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Catalog Headings

The following headings have been used to index the description of this collection in the society’s electronic catalog.

Personal Name Subject

Farris, Robert P. (Robert Perry), 1826-1903.

Corporate Subject

Second Presbyterian Church (Peoria, Ill.)

Topical Subject

Sermons, American--19th century.

Thanksgiving Day addresses.

Presbyterian Church--Middle West--Clergy--19th century.

Genre-form

Sermons. aat

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description

		SERIES I: SUBJECT FILES AND UNTITLED SERMONS, 1850-1882 and undated

1	1	Address to Presbyterian Theological Seminary of the Northwest, circa 1860
1	2	Address to Presbyterian Theological Seminary of the Northwest
1	3	“An Address on the Temperance Cause ... by W.G. Eliot,” 1882
1	4	Age of Progress
1	5	The Atonement
1	6	The Character of God
1	7	Church History Outline
1	8	Confessing Sins and Thanking God—Thanksgiving Day Sermon, 1863 Nov.
1	9	Depravity of Mankind
1	10	Exegetical Exercise—Galatians 3:15-19, circa 1851
1	11	The Family Relation
1	12	Fastday Sermon, Close of Buchanan’s Administration
1	13	Fear and Rejoice in the Lord
1	14	5th Commandment
1	15	(Beverly Tucker?) Lacy’s Installation, circa 1865 Mar.
1	16	Licensure Sermon, Lecture, and Latin Examination, 1851
1	17	The Lord Reigneth
1	18	The Office of Minister
1	19	Poem for 50th Anniversary of Marriage with Eliza S. Bowen
1	20	Repentance, 1850 Oct. 25
1	21	Sabbath-School Appeal
1	22-23	Sermon Fragments
1	24	To be Born Again
1	25	True Wisdom, 1856 Jan. 6
1	26	Unbelief (Fragment), 1863
1	27	Witness of the Holy Spirit

		SERIES II: SERMONS, 1851-1871 and undated

2	1	Genesis 28:17 [Dedication of Church], 1855 July 1
2	2	Exodus 25:2, 1855 Dec. 16
2	3	Numbers 10:29, 1851 Dec.
2	4	Numbers 11:23, 1858 June 13
2	5	Deuteronomy 6:6-7, 1852 June 6
2	6	Deuteronomy 30:19, 1855 May 6
2	7	Deuteronomy 32:47, 1852 Sept. 19
2	8	Joshua 24:15, 1858 Jan.
2	9	II Samuel 18:29
2	10	II Samuel 18:29
2	11	II Samuel 19:4
2	12	I Kings 18:21, 1856 Dec.
2	13	Nehemiah 6:3
2	14	Job 5:3, 1855 June 17
2	15	Job 14:10, 1857 July 26
2	16	Job 22:21
2	17	Psalm 14:1
2	18	Psalm 14:1
2	19	Psalm 14:1; Psalm 139:14, 1860
2	20	Psalm 16:11, 1858 Mar. 28
2	21	Psalm 20:5, 1853 Dec. 11
2	22	Psalm 23:1, 1863
2	23	Psalm 31:14, 1856 Dec. 14
2	24	Psalm 34:8, 1854 Sept. 17
2	25	Psalm 40:17, 1855 Aug. 5
2	26	Psalm 68:19, 1854 May 21
2	27	Psalm 73:28, 1851 July 13
2	28	Psalm 76:11, 1852 Dec. 19
2	29	Psalm 81:10
2	30	Psalm 84:11, 1855 June 10
2	31	Psalm 85:6
2	32	Psalm 85:10, 1851 Oct. 19
2	33	Psalm 90:12, 1852 Aug. 29
2	34	Psalm 97:1; James 1:17 [Thanksgiving Sermon], 1855 Nov. 29
2	35	Psalm 107:2-3, 1865 Aug.
2	36	Psalm 107:8, 1851 Nov. 23
2	37	Psalm 119:9

3	1	Proverbs 2:7; Genesis 18:19
3	2	Proverbs 2:10-11; 16:16; 19:18; 24:5; Eccles 7:12, 19; 2:13 [On Philanthropy]
3	3	Proverbs 14:9, 1863 May
3	4	Proverbs 14:12, 1852 Sept. 12
3	5	Proverbs 14:34
3	6	Proverbs 14:34 [3rd anniv. of church building], 1858 July 4
3	7	Proverbs 16:31, 1852 Oct. 3
3	8	Proverbs 22:6, 1854 Oct. 15
3	9	Proverbs 23:29-32
3	10	Ecclesiastes 5:1, 1855 July 1
3	11	Ecclesiastes 8:8
3	12	Ecclesiastes 11:3, 1857 July 12
3	13	Isaiah 29:15, 1856 Sept. 7
3	14	Isaiah 32:2, 1854 Apr. 2
3	15	Isaiah 44:22, 1854 Apr. 16
3	16	Isaiah 53:5, 1854 Apr. 30
3	17	Isaiah 55:6, 1858 Jan.
3	18	Isaiah 55:11, 1853
3	19	Isaiah 56:7
3	20	Isaiah 64:6, 1857 Oct.
3	21	Jeremiah 2:12-13, 1857 Nov. 1
3	22	Jeremiah 3:4, 1852 Sept. 26
3	23	Jeremiah 5:22, 1851 Nov. 2
3	24	Jeremiah 8:20, 1855 Mar. 25
3	25	Jeremiah 13:27
3	26	Jeremiah 28:16; Job 14:14, 1853 Jan. 2
3	27	Ezekiel 18:4, 1851 June 29
3	28	Ezekiel 18:4; 33:10; Acts 16:31; Galatians 3:13; 2:21 [On the Atonement]
3	29	Ezekiel 18:31, 1852 Aug. 22
3	30	Ezekiel 34:31, 1863
3	31	Hosea 5:13, 1858 Oct.
3	32	Hosea 14:1, 1851 Aug. 17
3	33	Amos 4:12, 185? June 13
3	34	Micah 6:3, 1855 Jan. 7
3	35	Micah 6:9, 1852 Apr. 18
3	36	Micah 6:9; Philippians 1:21
3	37	Haggai 1:5, 1857 Sept. 13
3	38	Zechariah 7:11-12; Luke 18:17, 1856 Feb. 24
3	39	Zechariah 13:1, 1856 June 22

4	1	Matthew 5:47; 7:21; Luke 6:46; 16:31; Acts 9:6; Rev 14:13
4	2	Matthew 6:10
4	3	Matthew 6:10
4	4	Matthew 6:20-21, 1857 Nov.
4	5	Matthew 6:33, 1851 July 27
4	6	Matthew 7:14, 1852 Apr. 4
4	7	Matthew 9:13
4	8	Matthew 10:8, 1858 Jan.
4	9	Matthew 11:12, 1855 July 22
4	10	Matthew 11:26
4	11	Matthew 11:30, 1870 Oct.
4	12	Matthew 22:40, 1852 Oct. 24
4	13	Matthew 26:14-16
4	14	Matthew 26:26, 1858 Mar.
4	15	Mark 2:1-12, 1858
4	16	Mark 4:24; Luke 8:18, 1869 June
4	17	Mark 5:25-34, 1869 March
4	18	Mark 16:12
4	19	Mark 16:15-16, 1852 June 16
4	20	Mark 16:16, 1855 Feb. 25
4	21	Luke 1:77-79, 1851 Nov. 16
4	22	Luke 2:13-14, 1852 Aug. 1
4	23	Luke 7:42, 1866
4	24	Luke 8:14, 1857 Mar. 22
4	25	Luke 9:61, 1855 Feb. 4
4	26	Luke 10:42
4	27	Luke 11:13, 1854 Nov. 26
4	28	Luke 12:15; I Timothy 6:&, 1854 Jan. 15
4	29	Luke 13:24, 1856 Feb. 17
4	30	Luke 14:17; John 5:40, 1854 Jan. 8
4	31	Luke 17:32, 1851 Oct. 5
4	32	Luke 18:28-30, 1855 Dec. 23
4	33	Luke 19:41-42, 1854 May 6
4	34	John 1:10-12, 1854 July 23
4	35	John 2:1-11, 1857 Oct.
4	36	John 3:7, 1854 Dec. 10
4	37	John 3:14, 1854 June 18
4	38	John 3:16, 1854 Sept. 24
4	39	John 3:33, 1867
4	40	John 4:13-14, 1857 June 28
4	41	John 5:40, 1858 Jan. 31
4	42	John 6:37, 1858 Sept.
4	43	John 6:67, 1855 Mar. 4
4	44	John 11:25-26
4	45	John 11:35, 1855 Feb. 11
4	46	John 12:47-48, 1857 Nov.
4	47	John 13:18-20
4	48	John 14:6, 1854 Mar. 19
4	49	John 14:6; 6:37, 44
4	50	John 14:27, 1871 Oct.
4	51	John 16:24, 1856 Aug. 10
4	52	John 17:9, 1855 Sept. 15
4	53	John 18:38; John 17:17, 1864
4	54	John 21:16; I John 3:18

5	1	Acts 16:30, 1855 May 27
5	2	Acts 17:30, 1856 Jan. 27
5	3	Acts 17:30-31, 1857 Jan. 11
5	4	Acts 20:21, 1853 Jan. 30
5	5	Acts 24:16, 1854 July 30
5	6	Acts 26:28, 1856 July 27
5	7	Romans 5:5, 1854 July 9
5	8	Romans 8:15, 1854 Oct. 29
5	9	Romans 8:17, 1858 Oct. 24
5	10	Romans 8:31, 33-34, 1858 Mar. 28
5	11	Romans 10:13, 1858 Feb. 21
5	12	Romans 12:1, 1853 Nov. 4
5	13	Romans 12:1; Job 21:15, 1858 June 6
5	14	Romans 14:12, 1855 Sept. 16
5	15	Romans 14:17
5	16	I Corinthians 2:2, 1855 July 15
5	17	I Corinthians 3:22
5	18	I Corinthians 5:7, 1852 Nov. 21
5	19	I Corinthians 10:16, 1857 Aug.
5	20	I Corinthians 10:31, 1855 Jan. 28
5	21	I Corinthians 10:31, 1857 July 19
5	22	I Corinthians 11:24, 1869
5	23	I Corinthians 12:28, 1851 Mar. 14
5	24	I Corinthians 14:26
5	25	I Corinthians 16:13, 1863 May
5	26	I Corinthians 16:22, 1852 Aug. 15
5	27	II Corinthians 1:20, 1856 Feb. 10
5	28	II Corinthians 1:30, 1858 Oct.
5	29	II Corinthians 5:7, 1857 Sept.
5	30	II Corinthians 5:14-15, 1854 Nov. 12
5	31	II Corinthians 7:10, 1855 Aug. 5
5	32	Galatians 2:16, 1858 Sept.
5	33	Galatians 2:21, 1855 Mar. 4
5	34	Galatians 3:13, 1854 Apr. 16
5	35	Galatians 3:13; Acts 16:31, 1852 Nov. 7
5	36	Galatians 3:24, 1851 Aug. 24
5	37	Galatians 3:28, 1866 Jan.
5	38	Galatians 4:28, 1854 Dec. 10
5	39	Galatians 4:28, 1854 Dec. 17
5	40	Ephesians 1:6, 1858 Mar.
5	41	Ephesians 2:13, 1857 Sept.
5	42	Ephesians 3:21, 1853 Nov.
5	43	Ephesians 5:14, 1855 Jan. 12

6	1	Philippians 1:21, 1854 Jan. 29
6	2	Philippians 3:8, 1851 Dec. 7
6	3	Colossians 3:3-4, 1855
6	4	Colossians 3:11
6	5	Colossians 3:14, 1869 Jan.
6	6	I Thessalonians 5:9-10, 1854 July 16
6	7	I Thessalonians 5:19, 1855 Mar. 25
6	8	I Thessalonians 5:24, 1855 Nov. 18
6	9	I Timothy 2:4, 1858 Feb. 7
6	10	I Timothy 1:15
6	11	I Timothy 4:8, 1854 Jan. 22
6	12	II Timothy 3:15, 1853 Feb. 6
6	13	Titus 2:14, 1851 Nov. 30
6	14	Titus 3:7, 1857 Aug. 2
6	15	Hebrews 3: 7-8, 1856 Mar. 16
6	16	Hebrews 6:18, 1854 Dec. 24
6	17	Hebrews 6:19-20, 1856 Feb. 17
6	18	Hebrews 9:22, 1854 Jan.
6	19	Hebrews 10:28-29, 1852 Mar. 1
6	20	Hebrews 11:1, 1853 Jan. 23
6	21	Hebrews 12:1, 1855 Sept. 23
6	22	Hebrews 12:7, 1851 Aug. 31
6	23	James 2:8, 1855 July 29
6	24	James 2:23, 1856 July 13
6	25	James 3:17, 1855 Nov. 25
6	26	I Peter 2:9, 1855 Aug. 26
6	27	I Peter 4:18, 1852 Jan. 4
6	28	I Peter 5:8, 1852 June 13
6	29	II Peter 1:10, 1866 Jan
6	30	II Peter 1:21, 1863 Sept. 6
6	31	II Peter 1:21; II Timothy 3:15-16
6	32	II Peter 3:9, 1854 July 9
6	33	I John 2:6, 1855 Dec. 2
6	34	I John 3:2, 1860 May
6	35	I John 3:4; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 5:12, 1852 Oct. 31
6	36	Jude 16
6	37	Revelations 3:5, 1855 June 24
6	38	Revelations 3:20, 1856 Feb. 3
6	39	Revelations 14:13, 1853 Nov.

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Guide to the Robert P. Farris Papers

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