Guide to the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Office of the Stated Clerk Records

Descriptive Summary

Title

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Office of the Stated Clerk Records

Inclusive Dates

1935-1952

Bulk Dates

1938-1950

Call Number

RG 122

Creator(s)

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Office of the Stated Clerk.

Quantity

30.00 cubic feet

Restrictions on Access

Open for research. Medical, educational, and psychological records of living people are closed.

Repository

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

Biographical Note / Administrative History

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.

Collection Overview

Record Group 122 consists of correspondence and files from the office of Stated Clerk Pugh, 1935-52.

Organization and Arrangement

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.

Administrative Information

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

Catalog Headings

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

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.

Personal Added Name

Pugh, William Barrow, 1881-1950.

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)

Collection Inventory

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

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Guide to the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Office of the Stated Clerk Records

Creator(s)