Guide to the Ira Franklin Bergstresser Papers
Prepared by Scott Kisker, Student Archivist and Mark C. Shenise, Associate Archivist
United Methodist Archives and History Center
General Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church
2016-02-05
Overview of Collection
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| Record Creator: |
Bergstresser, Ira Franklin |
| Title: |
Ira Franklin Bergstresser Papers |
| Date Span: |
1897-1942 |
| Abstract: |
Ira Franklin Bergstresser was an Evangelical Church pastor in the East Pennsylvania Conference. The collection is made up
of material relating to his ministry.
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| Extent: |
0.89 cubic feet |
| Resource ID: |
gcah.ms.2328 |
Biographical Note
Ira Franklin Bergstresser (1872 - 1942) was an Evangelical Church pastor in the East Pennsylvania Conference.
He was born December 1, 1872 in Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. to Abrahm T. and Susannah L. Bergstresser.
In 1900, he married Carrie Grace Newhart. They had four children. Carrie Bergstresser died in 1926, and Franklin married
Katie B. Marxen in 1928.
His education was first in the public schools and later at the Academy at Springtown. He attended the Normal School in Kutztown,
Pennsylvania, after which he taught school. Later, he received a B.S. from Illinois Wesleyan University, and in 1941 received
the doctor of divinity degree from Albright College.
Bergstresser was licensed to preach in 1896 by the East Pennsylvania Conference. In 1898 he was ordained Deacon and later
Elder by Bishop Thomas Bowman, and served the following appointments: Berlinsville Circuit, Hegins and Reiner City, Pottsville,
Slatington, Allentown (Ebenezer), Bangor, Lebanon, Pen Argyl, Allentown (Salem), Bethlehem (St. John), and Mohnton.
He also served the conference in various other capacities. He was a member of the Board of Examiners; served as assistant
secretary of the conference; and later as its secretary. He was president of the Conference Missionary Society for eight
years, and served as a member of the Conference Church Extension Society. He was secretary of the Forward Movement in his
conference. In 1933 he was elected District Superintendent and stationed on the Eastern district. In 1935, his conference
elected him to membership on the Board of Trustees of Albright College, and in this connection he served as member of the
Committee on Administration for the Evangelical School of Theology.
From 1920 to 1928 he was the delegate from his conference to the General Board of Missions. He was a delegate to the General
Conferences of 1919, 1922, 1926, 1930, 1934, and 1938. For twelve years he was a member of the executive committee of the
Board of Church Extension. In 1926, he was appointed to the Commission on Church Merger, and served as secretary of the Commission.
In 1934 and 1938 he was elected secretary of the General Conference of the Evangelical Church. His writings include a series
of articles on "The Great Religions of the World," which appeared in the Sunday school publications. He also wrote Expositions
of the Sunday School Lessons for Teachers' and pupils' materials. He died February 26, 1942.
Scope Note
This collection contains sermons, notes, news clippings, articles, speeches, and photographs which document the ministerial
career of I. F. Bergstresser. The bulk of this collection is comprised of sermons. A few sermons are in German. Articles
Bergstressed used in preparing the sermons are included. Topics in his sermons include temperance, patriotism, Labor Day,
Easter, Thanksgiving, Rally Days, Sunday School, and missions. In addition, there are several funeral sermons including those
given on the deaths of Matilda A. Yeager, Lewis D. Krause, Louise E. Wentz, and Mrs. Wesley Bowman. Some of the addresses
Bergstresser gave while he was a minister are included in this collection. Other items in this collection are mission materials
(including two booklets by Walter Haller), a book on the first commemorative historical marker in the Evangelical Church,
religious tracts, and a pastor's funeral book. There are also several large black and white panoramic photographs of conference
meetings and conventions held in the Evangelical Church.
Arrangement
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
This collection is arranged by record type beginning with sermons and sermon notes. Notebooks follow and are ordered chronologically
where a date could be determined. Then various essays, tracts, and newspaper articles, etc. are listed. The majority of
the material is labeled and organized as Bergstresser himself labeled and organized it.
Preferred Citation
When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder,
Ira Franklin Bergstresser Papers, United Methodist Church Archives - GCAH, Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the items'
call number as that is not a stable descriptor.
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions regarding this collection.
Related Material
Records of the Commission on Federation and Union of the Evangelical Church.
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Subject Terms
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Additional Creators - Personal |
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Haller, Walter |
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Lyman-Wheaton, H. P. |
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Subject Names - Personal |
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Bowman, Mrs. Wesley. |
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Crosby, Fanny |
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Livingstone, David |
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Wentz, Louise E |
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Yeager, Matilda A |
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Subject Topics |
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Easter sermons. |
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Funeral sermons |
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Missions |
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Thanksgiving Day sermons |
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Theology |
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Subject Geographic |
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Pennsylvania. |
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Genre |
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Clippings |
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Manuscripts |
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Prayers. |
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Sermons |
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Speeches |
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Tracts |
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Occupations |
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Minister. |
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1584-5-1:
1
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Sermons |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
2
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Sermons for General Occasions #1 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
3
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Sermons for General Occasions #2 |
1908-1914 |
| 1584-5-1:
4
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Sermons for General Occasions #3 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
5
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Sermons for General Occasions #4 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
6
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Sermons for General Occasions #5 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
7
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Sermons for General Occasions #6 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
8
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Sermons for Special Occasions #1 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
9
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Sermons for Special Occasions #2 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
10
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Revival Sermon Sketches #1 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
11
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Revival Sermon Sketches #2 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
12
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Revival Sermon Sketches #3 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
13
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Revival Sermon Sketches #4 |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
14
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Sermons on Old Testament Texts |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
15
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Sermons on Old Testament Texts |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
16
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Sermons on New Testament Texts |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
17
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Sermons on New Testament Texts (the Gospels) |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
18
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Sermons on New Testament Texts (Acts and Epistles) |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
19
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Topical Sermons |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
20
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Missionary and Prayer Sermons |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
21
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Sermons for General Occasions (nos. 1 - 50) |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
22
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Sermons for General Occasions (nos. 51 - 100) |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
23
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Sermons for General Occasions (nos. 101 - 150) |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
24
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Sermon Notes (Old Testament) |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
25
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Sermon Notes (New Testament I) |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
26
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Sermon Notes (New Testament II) |
Undated |
| 1584-5-1:
27
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Funeral Sermons |
Undated |
| 1584-5-2:
1
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Record of Sermons Preached and Texts Used Since District Service |
1933 |
| 1584-5-2:
2
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Notebook: Sermon Notes and Outlines of Themes (Funeral) |
1897 |
| 1584-5-2:
3
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Notebook: Sermon Notes and Outlines of Themes |
1900 |
| 1584-5-2:
4
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Notebook: Suggested Texts and Themes for Sermons |
1928 |
| 1584-5-2:
5
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Notebook: Sermons, Sermon Material, Addresses |
1942 |
| 1584-5-2:
6
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Notebook Fragment: Addresses, Illustrations |
Undated |
| 1584-5-2:
7
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Notebook: Material, Notes, Addresses, Sermons |
Undated |
| 1584-5-2:
8
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Notebook: Sermons, Sermon Notes |
Undated |
| 1584-5-2:
9
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Notebook: Sermons, Sermon Material |
Undated |
| 1584-5-2:
10
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Address: Centennial Session (Eastern PA Conference) |
1940 |
| 1584-5-2:
11
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Essays, Treatises, Sermons, etc. |
Undated |
| 1584-5-2:
12
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Address: "David Livingstone: Missionary Explorer" |
1913 |
| 1584-5-2:
13
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David Livingstone Material |
1913 |
| 1584-5-2:
14
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"Autumn Leaves: A Sermon by Rev. H. P. Lyman-Wheaton" |
Undated |
| 1584-5-2:
15
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Missing Materials of the Evangelical Church |
1903-1929 |
| 1584-5-2:
16
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Memorial Booklet Commemorating the Unveiling of the Marker on the Site of the First Evangelical Church |
1927 |
| 1584-5-2:
17
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Tracts |
Undated |
| 1584-5-2:
18
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News clippings |
1912-1916 |
| 1584-5-2:
19
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Pastor's Ideal Funeral Book |
1910 |
| 1644-6-1:
2
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The 76th East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical, Park Church, Reading, PA |
1915 |
| 1644-6-1:
3
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27th General Conference - Evangelical Association, Cedar Falls, IA |
1919 |
| 1644-6-1:
4
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Sunday School and Young Peoples Alliance Convention |
1919 |
| 1644-6-1:
5
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Salem Evangelical Church November 20 - 23 |
1919 |
| 1644-6-1:
6
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The General Conference - Evangelical Church Detroit, MI October |
1922 |
| 1644-6-1:
7
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Evangelical Conference - Williamsport, PA |
Undated |
| 1644-6-1:
8
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East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical Church Ebenezer Evangelical Church, Allentown, PA February 24 - March 1 |
1937 |
| 1644-6-1:
9
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Eastern PA - 101st Annual Evangelical Conference, Ebenezer Church Allentown, PA April 24 - 29 |
1940 |
| 1644-6-1:
10
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Young People's Meeting - Highland Park Camp Meeting Grounds July 31 |
1940 |
| 1644-6-1:
11
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District Superintendent's Council - Evangelical Church Naperville, IL September 4 |
1941 |
