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Overview

Biographical Note

Scope and Content

Arrangement

Preferred Citation

Restrictions on Access

Restrictions on Use

Subject Terms

Container List [ + ]

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Guide to the Cyrus Kephart Papers

Prepared by Mike Montalbano, Archival Intern; Myong Shin Jeon, Student Assistant and Mark C. Shenise, Associate Archivist

United Methodist Archives and History Center
General Commission on Archives and History, Madison, New Jersey

5/15/2008


Overview of Records

Record Creator: Kephart, Cyrus
Title: Cyrus Kephart Papers
Dates: 1903- 1923
Abstract: Cyrus Jeffries Kephart, United Brethren in Christ Bishop and educator. His papers includes sermons, teachings, addresses, writings, notebooks, and accounting records.
Extent: 4.75 cu. feet
Resource ID: gcah. ms. 4219



Biographical Note

Cyrus Jeffries Kephart (1852-1932), American Bishop was born in Decatur, Pennsylvania on February 23, 1852 to Reverend Henry and Sarah Kephart. He attended Western College from 1869 to 1874 where he graduated the valedictorian. During his time at Western he entered the ministry in 1871 and married, Sarah Perry, in 1873. He began his ministry in Toledo, Iowa but quickly moved to Dayton, Ohio where he entered Union Biblical Seminary. During this period of his ministry he served as pastor of the Ludlow Street United Brethren Church in Dayton. He graduated Union Biblical Seminary in 1878 and was ordained by Bishop Milton Wright the following year.

Following his completion of training at Union Biblical Seminary he became the principal, and later president, of Avalon Academy (College) in Avalon, Missouri. He remained here until 1885, when after a sabbatical, he and his family returned to Toledo, where he became employed by Western College. For the next twenty years Cyrus Kephart moved back and forth between the clergy and academe. During this time he served as pastor of the East Side United Brethren Church, Summit Park United Brethren Church, in Des Moines, Iowa and in Lisbon, Iowa. He also served as the General Secretary of the Pennsylvania State Sabbath School Association from 1894 to 1897. In academe, Kephart for a second time was president of Avalon College and Western College, which during his time became Leander Clark College in 1905.

In 1908, Cyrus Kephart became the pastor of the First United Brethren Church in Dayton, Ohio. Serving with distinction, he was elected to the office of Bishop in 1913 by the United Brethren General Conference, held in Decatur, Illinois. Afterward he was supervisor of the Southwest District from 1913 to 1925. He retired from active ministry in 1825 and continued to live in Kansas City, Missouri until his death on July 20, 1932.

His published works include: Jesus the Nazarene (1894), The Life of Jesus for Children, The Public Life of Christ, What is a Christian? (1910), Jesus Lord and Teacher (1913), Christianity and the Social Weal (1914), with Dr. W.R. Funk, The Life of Isaiah L. Kephart (1909), and numerous other articles.

*Biographical Information from:

Koontz, Paul Rodes and Roush, Walter Edwin. The Bishops: Church of the United Brethren in Christ. Dayton: Otterbein Press, 1950.


Scope Note

This collection includes the sermons, teachings, addresses, writings, notebooks, and accounting records of United Brethren Bishop Cyrus J. Kephart. The bulk of the collection are his sermons, that while undated, may have come from during the period when he served as pastor in Iowa and Ohio, 1878-1913.. His teachings and addresses, due to the subjects and audiences being addressed, appear to have been written while serving as Bishop of the United Brethren Church�s Southwestern District from 1913 to 1925. Other writings include his studies and possible drafts of his publications.


Arrangement

Materials have been arranged in the following manner.

Series: Sermons
subseries: Books of the Bible
subseries: Notebooks
subseries: Titled
Series: Other Writings
subseries: Teachings
subseries: Addresses
subseries: Drafts and Studies
Series: Miscellaneous

Preferred Citation

When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Cyrus Kephart Papers, United Methodist Church Archives - GCAH, Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the item's call number as that is not a stable descriptor.


Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding this collection.


Restrictions on Use

Detailed use restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a formal request for permission to publish is expected and required.


Subject Terms

Subject Names - Corporate
Church of the United Brethren in Christ (New constitution)
Subject Topics
Bishops
Child care
Children
Christian education
Christian life
Church and education
Church and industry
Church and labor
Church and social problems
Church and state
Church and the world
Church colleges
Church finance
Church work with abused women
Church work with alcoholics
Church work with families
Church work with young adults
Church work with youth
Church youth workers
City and town life
Civil War
Commitment to the church
Disaster victims
Drug abuse
Education
Education, Higher
Faith
Family
Lord's Supper
Marriage
Ministry
Missions
Poverty
Prayer
Preaching
Progressive Era
Public welfare
Religion
Religious education
Sacraments
Sacraments and Christian union
Sanctification
Social action
Social ethics
Social Gospel
Social justice
Social reformers
Socialism
Stewardship, Christian
Temperance
Theology
Theology -Study and teaching
War
Women
Women's rights and spiritualism
World War, 1914-1918.
Youth
Youth - Religious life
Bible-Commentaries
Subject Geographic
Ohio.
Iowa
Genre
Addresses
Clippings
Commentaries
Episcopal Addresses
Essays
Financial records
Histories
Lectures
Manuscripts
Notebooks
Poetry
Sermons.
Account books
Occupations
Bishop.
Minister


Container List


Series: Sermons
Sub-series: Books of the Bible
Call Number Folder Title Date(s)
1603-2-1: 1 Genesis Undated
1603-2-1: 2 Exodus Undated
1603-2-1: 3 Leviticus Undated
1603-2-1: 4 Numbers Undated
1603-2-1: 5 Deuteronomy Undated
1603-2-1: 6 Joshua Undated
1603-2-1: 7 Judges Undated
1603-2-1: 8 I Kings Undated
1603-2-1: 9 I Chronicles Undated
1603-2-1: 10 Nehemiah Undated
1603-2-1: 11 Psalms Undated
1603-2-1: 12 Proverbs Undated
1603-2-1: 13 Isaiah I Undated
1603-2-1: 14 Isaiah II Undated
1603-2-1: 15 Ezekial Undated
1603-2-1: 16 Daniel Undated
1603-2-1: 17 Hosea Undated
1603-2-1: 18 Jonah Undated
1603-2-1: 19 Micah Undated
1603-2-1: 20 Zechariah Undated
1603-2-2: 1 Matthew I Undated
1603-2-2: 2 Matthew II Undated
1603-2-2: 3 Matthew III Undated
1603-2-2: 4 Mark Undated
1603-2-2: 5 Luke Undated
1603-2-2: 6 John I Undated
1603-2-2: 7 John II Undated
1603-2-2: 8 John III Undated
1603-2-2: 9 John IV Undated
1603-2-3: 1 Acts I Undated
1603-2-3: 2 Acts II Undated
1603-2-3: 3 Acts III Undated
1603-2-3: 4 Romans Undated
1603-2-3: 5 I Corinthians I Undated
1603-2-3: 6 I Corinthians II Undated
1603-2-3: 7 II Corinthians Undated
1603-2-3: 8 Galatians Undated
1603-2-3: 9 Ephesians Undated
1603-2-3: 10 Colossians Undated
1603-2-3: 11 I Thessalonians Undated
1603-2-3: 12 I Timothy Undated
1603-2-3: 13 II Timothy Undated
1603-2-3: 14 Philemon Undated
1603-2-3: 15 Hebrews Undated
1603-2-3: 16 James Undated
1603-2-3: 17 I Peter Undated
1603-2-3: 18 II Peter Undated
1603-2-3: 19 I John Undated
1603-2-3: 20 Jude Undated
1603-2-3: 21 Revelation Undated
Sub-series: Notebooks
Call Number Folder Title Date(s)
1603-2-4: 1 Des Moines: Volume 1-3 1903
1603-2-4: 3 Lisbon: Volume 11-13 1904-1905
1603-2-4: 4 Lisbon: Volume 16-18 1904-1905
1603-2-4: 5 Lisbon: Volume 19-21 1905
1603-2-4: 6 Lisbon: Volume 22-24 1905
1603-2-5: 1 Lisbon(1905): Volume 25-26 / Dayton (1908/1909): Volume 27 Undated
1603-2-5: 2 Dayton: Volume 28-30 Undated
1603-2-5: 3 Volume 31, 33 Undated
1603-2-5: 4 Volume 36-39 Undated
1603-2-5: 5 Volume 40-42 Undated
1603-2-5: 6 Bound: Titled Sermons Undated
Sub-series: Titled
Call Number Folder Title Date(s)
1603-2-6: 1 Able to Save Perfectly Undated
1603-2-6: 2 Abram, Blessed and Blessing Undated
1603-2-6: 3 Abram, the Faith of the Father Undated
1603-2-6: 4 American and the World Weal Undated
1603-2-6: 5 The Announcement of a Great Lord Undated
1603-2-6: 6 Behold I Make all My Needs Undated
1603-2-6: 7 Behold! I Make All Things New Undated
1603-2-6: 8 “Behold I Stand at the Door and Knock” Undated
1603-2-6: 9 Building of the Wall Undated
1603-2-6: 10 Call His Name Jesus Undated
1603-2-6: 11 The Call to Action Undated
1603-2-6: 12 The Call to the Heroic Undated
1603-2-6: 13 Caring for Our Own Undated
1603-2-6: 14 The Challenge Undated
1603-2-6: 15 The Children’s Hosanna Undated
1603-2-6: 16 Christ in the Home Undated
1603-2-6: 17 The Christian’s Duty in the Present World Crisis Undated
1603-2-6: 18 Christianity True Undated
1603-2-6: 19 Christianity Ultimate Undated
1603-2-6: 20 The Church for the Times Undated
1603-2-6: 21 Church Seen as Field Undated
1603-2-6: 22 The Church and the Social Weal Undated
1603-2-6: 23 The Communion Undated
1603-2-6: 24 Complete in Him Undated
1603-2-6: 25 Conditions of Effective Prayer Undated
1603-2-6: 26 Conditions and Needs of the Christless Millions Undated
1603-2-6: 27 Consider the Lilies of the Field, How they grow Undated
1603-2-6: 28 Convictions on Humanity Undated
1603-2-6: 29 Convinicing Evidence of Doctrine Undated
1603-2-6: 30 Crusading for Christ Undated
1603-2-6: 31 The Days of Herod the King Undated
1603-2-6: 32 The Defeat at Ai Undated
1603-2-6: 33 The Development of the Kingdom Idea in the New Testament Undated
1603-2-6: 34 Disaffection Undated
1603-2-6: 35 Disappointment Undated
1603-2-6: 36 The Divine Today Undated
1603-2-6: 37 The Duty of the Church to Children Undated
1603-2-6: 38 Elah - Valley of Undated
1603-2-6: 39 The Essential Content of the Gospel Undated
1603-2-6: 40 Every Believer a Witness Undated
1603-2-6: 41 Ezekial Waiting Undated
1603-2-6: 42 The Fact and Reality of the Resurrection of Jesus Undated
1603-2-6: 43 The Father Abraham Undated
1603-2-6: 44 For He So Loved the World Undated
1603-2-6: 45 For I am not Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Undated
1603-2-6: 46 From Prison to the Throne Undated
1603-2-6: 47 From Ramses to the Sea Undated
1603-2-6: 48 Full of the Spirit Undated
1603-2-6: 49 Fundamentals in Christianity Undated
1603-2-6: 50 Fundamentals in Christian Living Undated
1603-2-7: 1 Gamaliel's Advice Undated
1603-2-7: 2 Gates Left Open Undated
1603-2-7: 3 God’s Achievements Undated
1603-2-7: 4 God’s Agencies Undated
1603-2-7: 5 God’s Making in the Mulberry Tree Undated
1603-2-7: 6 God’s Plan Undated
1603-2-7: 7 God’s Purpose Undated
1603-2-7: 8 He is Able Undated
1603-2-7: 9 The Holy Authority to Teach Undated
1603-2-7: 10 A Holy Retreat - The Transfiguration Undated
1603-2-7: 11 The Holy Spirit - 2/13/1908 1908
1603-2-7: 12 How May a Revival be Had Undated
1603-2-7: 13 How Shall I Be Most Successful? Undated
1603-2-7: 14 Human Possibilities in Christ Jesus Undated
1603-2-7: 15 Immortality Undated
1603-2-7: 16 Isaac and Jacob Undated
1603-2-7: 17 Is Christianity Divine? Undated
1603-2-7: 18 Is Christianity Efficient? Undated
1603-2-7: 19 Is Christianity True? Undated
1603-2-7: 20 Is Christianity Ultimate? Undated
1603-2-7: 21 Is the Gospel Record Reliable? Undated
1603-2-7: 22 Is the World Getting Better? Undated
1603-2-7: 23 Is it Worthwhile? Undated
1603-2-7: 24 It Fell Not Undated
1603-2-7: 25 It is Finished Undated
1603-2-7: 26 At Jacob’s Well Undated
1603-2-7: 27 Jesus After Resurrection Undated
1603-2-7: 28 Jesus and the Family Undated
1603-2-7: 29 John (the) Baptist – Execution of Undated
1603-2-7: 30 Just What Does God Expect of His People? Undated
1603-2-7: 31 Thy Kingdom Come. The Will be Done. Undated
1603-2-7: 32 The Kingdom - its’ Nature and Form, or What is the Kingdom? Undated
1603-2-7: 33 The Kingdom and its’ Purpose Undated
1603-2-7: 34 The Kings of the Jews Undated
1603-2-7: 35 Life Spiritual and Service Social Undated
1603-2-7: 36 Lift Up Your Eyes and Look Upon the Father Undated
1603-2-7: 37 The Living Bread Undated
1603-2-7: 38 “ord, what wilt thou have me do? Parts I and II Undated
1603-2-7: 39 Lower than me Undated
1603-2-7: 40 The Magnificent Purpose of Our King Undated
1603-2-7: 41 The Master’s Call for Workers Undated
1604-2-1: 1 New Testament Doctrine and Christian Living Undated
1604-2-1: 2 The New Testament a Textbook in Practical Christian Living Undated
1604-2-1: 3 Office and Work of the Holy Spirit Undated
1604-2-1: 4 Our Age and Its Demands Undated
1604-2-1: 5 Our Ground of Hope Undated
1604-2-1: 6 Outbreak of War Undated
1604-2-1: 7 Paul in Mission Letters Undated
1604-2-1: 8 Pleasure in Being Here Undated
1604-2-1: 9 The Present Day Challenge Undated
1604-2-1: 10 The Price of Power Undated
1604-2-1: 11 Principles and Promotion of the Kingdom Undated
1604-2-1: 12 Prophets of Hebrews Undated
1604-2-1: 13 The Purpose or End of Spiritual Growth Undated
1604-2-1: 14 A Rustic Cradle Undated
1604-2-1: 15 Sanctification Undated
1604-2-1: 16 Saved though Unseen Undated
1604-2-1: 17 Seeming Order of Transfiguration Undated
1604-2-1: 18 Sermon Fragments I Undated
1604-2-1: 19 Sermon Fragments II Undated
1604-2-1: 20 Sermon Fragments III Undated
1604-2-1: 21 Sermon Indexes Vol. I-III Undated
1604-2-1: 22 Sermon Outlines 1923
1604-2-1: 23 Self-Denial, Why Undated
1604-2-1: 24 The Servants Vision Undated
1604-2-1: 25 The Significance of the Death of Christ Undated
1604-2-1: 26 The Significance of the Resurrection of Christ Undated
1604-2-1: 27 Sin – Relief from Undated
1604-2-1: 28 Sinai Undated
1604-2-1: 29 Social Teachings of Jesus Undated
1604-2-1: 30 Sodom Aflame Undated
1604-2-1: 31 Solemnity and the Significance of Statements Undated
1604-2-1: 32 Spiritual Growth Undated
1604-2-1: 33 Standard Americanism Undated
1604-2-1: 34 Stewardship of Life Undated
1604-2-1: 35 Stewardship of Money Undated
1604-2-1: 36 Stewardship Texts Undated
1604-2-1: 37 Stewardship of Time Undated
1604-2-1: 38 Suffer Little Children to Come Unto Me... Undated
1604-2-1: 39 The Transfiguration Undated
1604-2-1: 40 The Triumphant Faith Undated
1604-2-1: 41 Three Great Truths Undated
1604-2-1: 42 Till He comes Undated
1604-2-1: 43 This is My Blood of the Covenant Undated
1604-2-1: 44 This One Thing I Do Undated
1604-2-2: 1 Untitled – Dayton 1/9/1910 1910
1604-2-2: 2 Untitled – Calvary Undated
1604-2-2: 3 Untitled – Christian Character Undated
1604-2-2: 4 Untitled – Communion Undated
1604-2-2: 5 Untitled – The Flood Undated
1604-2-2: 6 Untitled – The Last Supper Undated
1604-2-2: 7 Untitled – Requirements of Salvation Undated
1604-2-2: 8 Untitled – A Sermon to Sunday School Undated
1604-2-2: 9 Victory Undated
1604-2-2: 10 The Vision of the Law Undated
1604-2-2: 11 Was Jesus a broken man? Undated
1604-2-2: 12 Wednesday. A Day of Quiet Undated
1604-2-2: 13 We Shall be like Him Undated
1604-2-2: 14 What Does God Expect of a Believer as to His Own Life? Undated
1604-2-2: 15 What Does God Expect of a Believer, in the Home? Undated
1604-2-2: 16 What God Expects the Believer to Expect of God Undated
1604-2-2: 17 What was Jesus Doing? Undated
1604-2-2: 18 What is Meant by the Church? Undated
1604-2-2: 19 What is Meant by World Crisis? Undated
1604-2-2: 20 What Religion Is Undated
1604-2-2: 21 What Shall Profit a Man... Undated
1604-2-2: 22 What Should the Church Expect of its’ Young People? Undated
1604-2-2: 23 What think you of the Christ, whose son is he? Undated
1604-2-2: 24 What Would Paul do at the Palace? Undated
1604-2-2: 25 What are You Worth? Undated
1604-2-2: 26 Who is Sufficient? Undated
1604-2-2: 27 Why Accept Christ? Undated
1604-2-2: 28 Why are not all Saved? Undated
1604-2-2: 29 Why Did He Come Undated
1604-2-2: 30 Why Then Did He Say It? Undated
1604-2-2: 31 Why do We need Jesus Christ Undated
1604-2-2: 32 World Gone After Him, The Undated
1604-2-2: 33 Worth and Worthiness Undated
1604-2-2: 34 Ye Ask and Receive not, Because Ye Ask Amiss. Undated
1604-2-2: 35 Ye are the Light of the World Undated
1604-2-2: 36 Young People and Social Obligations of Church Undated
1603-1-4: 1 The Fundamental Representation of the Christian System Undated
1603-1-4: 2 Golden Rule Undated
1603-1-4: 3 Luke 7:18-29 Undated
1603-1-4: 4 Newspaper Clipping: Hell is not a superstition... Undated

Series: Other Writings
Sub-series: Teachings
Call Number Folder Title Date(s)
1604-2-3: 1 1911 and What? Undated
1604-2-3: 2 Authority and Scope of Christian Missionary Enterprise Undated
1604-2-3: 3 Bebel, German Socialist “Woman Under Socialism” Undated
1604-2-3: 4 The Bible Method of Mission No. 2 Undated
1604-2-3: 5 Bottles or Boys? Undated
1604-2-3: 7 Chautauqua 1920 - Kingdom Lectures 1920
1604-2-3: 8 Christian Missions - Some Conditions of Real Inspirational Activity Undated
1604-2-3: 9 Commercial Value of Religion Undated
1604-2-3: 10 Conditions of a Stable and Permanent Character Undated
1604-2-3: 11 Constructive Evangelism Undated
1604-2-3: 12 Contributions of the Civil War to Human Progress Undated
1604-2-3: 13 David Livingstone: A Character Study Undated
1604-2-3: 14 The Day – 140th Anniversary of U.S.A. Undated
1604-2-3: 15 Doing the Work of an Evangelist Undated
1604-2-3: 16 Guarding the Doors Undated
1604-2-3: 17 How is Revival to be had? Undated
1604-2-3: 18 Inter-Testament Period Undated
1604-2-3: 19 The Justification of the Missionary Effort Undated
1604-2-3: 20 The Last Supper - Tradition of the Painting of Undated
1604-2-3: 21 Lord Teach Us to Pray Undated
1604-2-3: 22 The Making of a Man Undated
1604-2-3: 23 A Message to Men Undated
1604-2-3: 24 Ministerial Equipment – Spiritual Side Undated
1604-2-3: 25 Ministerial Ethics Undated
1604-2-3: 26 The Mission of America Undated
1604-2-3: 27 The Missionary Enterprise - Is It Justified? Undated
1604-2-3: 28 Mountain Top Revelation Undated
1604-2-3: 29 Our Denominational Tasks - Their Unity and Interdependence Undated
1604-2-3: 30 The Place of Prayer in the Minister’s Life Undated
1604-2-3: 31 Playing Square Undated
1604-2-3: 32 Preaching the Word Undated
1604-2-3: 33 Present Day Call to the Church and the Ministry Undated
1604-2-3: 34 The Purpose of Culture Undated
1604-2-3: 35 Relation and Duty of the Y.P.S.C.E. Undated
1604-2-3: 36 Sheparding the Flock Undated
1604-2-3: 37 Social Aspects of Christianity Undated
1604-2-3: 38 Sunday School and the Church Undated
1604-2-3: 39 The Value of Present Sunday School Methods in Building Character Undated
1604-2-3: 40 What is a Revival? Undated
1604-2-3: 41 The Whiskey Traffic Does It Pay? Undated
1604-2-3: 42 When is Revival needed? Undated
1604-2-3: 43 Why this Increased and Growing Opposition to the Liquor Traffic? Undated
1604-2-3: 44 Why Self-Denial Education? Undated
1604-2-3: 45 Why Should the Church Provide Facilities for Education Undated
1604-2-3: 46 Women of the Bible Undated
1604-2-3: 47 Worth and Worthiness Undated
Sub-series: Addresses
Call Number Folder Title Date(s)
1604-2-4: 1 Address to the Congregational Club Undated
1604-2-4: 2 The Call for Laborers Undated
1604-2-4: 3 To Campbell College Undated
1604-2-4: 4 Character an Asset Undated
1604-2-4: 5 Character: the Supreme Asset Undated
1604-2-4: 6 The College Professor and the Gospel Ministry Undated
1604-2-4: 7 Commercial Value of Christianity Undated
1604-2-4: 8 Doing Our Share Undated
1604-2-4: 9 The Duty of the Hour Undated
1604-2-4: 10 The Neglected Factor in the Public School Undated
1604-2-4: 11 The Problem of the College Undated
1604-2-4: 12 The Problem of the Preacher Undated
1604-2-4: 13 The Problem of the Sunday School Undated
1604-2-4: 14 The Relation of the Sunday School to Biblical Education Undated
1604-2-4: 15 Shall Women have Protection – In Dayton? Undated
1604-2-4: 16 The Value of Interdenominational Sunday School Work ... Undated
Sub-series: Drafts and Studies
Call Number Folder Title Date(s)
1604-2-4: 17 The Acts Undated
1604-2-4: 18 Analytical Studies in the Land of our Lord Undated
1604-2-4: 19 Ancient Egypt Undated
1604-2-4: 20 Authority - Power Undated
1604-2-4: 21 The Story of the Babe and Others Undated
1604-2-4: 22 Incomplete Undated
1604-2-4: 23 Millennium (Originals in Oversize Box 10) Undated
1604-2-5: 1 Outline: The Life of Our Lord Undated
1604-2-5: 2 Reformed [Jonah] Undated
1604-2-5: 3 The Second Coming: A Study Undated
1604-2-5: 4 Studies in Prayer Undated
1604-2-5: 5 Studies in Revelation Undated

Series: Miscellaneous
Call Number Folder Title Date(s)
1604-2-5: 6 Account Books - 1913-1915 1913-1915
1604-2-5: 7 Clippings 1913-1915
1604-2-5: 8 Near East Relief 1913-1915
1604-2-5: 9 Notebooks 1913-1915