This Day In History August 29 - September 4
(changes weekly; click on title above or on the month navigation link for previous entries on Presbyterian history)
On August 29, 1979, the Board of the Presbyterian Guardian, a 44-year-old publication of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, voted to stop the magazine and merge it with the Presbyterian Church of America's Presbyterian Journal, in anticipation of a denominational merger which would never occur. Previously known as The Southern Presbyterian Journal and started in 1942, the Presbyterian Journal would get rename in 1959. It ceased publication in 1987.
On September 1, 1536, 27-year-old John Calvin (Jean Cauvin, July 10, 1509 - May 27, 1564) preached his first sermon in Geneva at St. Peter's Cathedral. Reportedly a sermon on the leters of Paul, Calvin's preaching was immediately noted in the town council's minutes of Sept. 5th. Earlier in 1536, Calvin (shown in a painting) had published his Institutes of the Christian Religion, a work destined to expand the momentum of the Reformation.
On September 3, 1939, evangelist William Edward Biederwolf died. Trained at Princeton Univiersity and the Princeton Theological Seminary, Presbyterian minister Biederwolf served at the Broadway Presbyterian Church in Loganport, Indiana, in 1897. In 1898, he joined the 131st Indiana Volunteer Regiment of the 13th Calvary. He served as chaplain to this group during the Spanish-American War. He would become one of outstanding Presbyterian evangelists in the early decades of the 20th century, leading three worldwide evangelism tours. He served for 20 years as director of the Winona Lake Bible Conference, as well as organizing the Winona Lake School of Theology. Biederwolf was born on September 27, 1867.
Oral Histories
Audio-visual oral histories have been and are being recorded by the Presbyterian Heritage Center. So far, we have interviewed more than 60 people ranging from missionaries to important Presbyterian leaders, as well as those with special memories of Montreat. Video segments soon will be available both on our onsite multimedia kiosks.
Research
Our research library offers onsite and online access to original rare books and documents. Anyone having documents, photos and artifacts are encouraged to contact us.
Presbyterian Heritage Center
The Word: History of the English Language Bible
A rare Bible exhibit is now open at the Presbyterian Heritage Center in Montreat. The exhibit traces the history of the English language Bible from early Anglo-Saxon translations circa 930 A.D. through the Reformation and to modern translations.
Among the rare 16th century Bibles are: Mathews (John Rogers) Bible,
Great Bible,
Geneva Bible,
Bishops Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible and others.Among other 17th century Bibles are two first editions of the 1611 King James Bible in both the He and She variations as well as later KVJ editions.
There also are early editions of Tyndale's New Testament (originally published in 1526), illustrations and many other works from Wyclif, Eramus, etc.
Other current exhibits: Religion, Rebellions & Revival: American Presbyterian Missions to China and Taiwan
Rare photos, letters, unique mission and cultural artifacts, early film footage and interactive technology all bring to life the American Presbyterian missions to China and Taiwan, from 1837 to the present.
Qing-ling and Mei-ling Soong summered in Montreat circa 1907 and went on to become first ladies of the Republic of China (Qing-ling, top left, married President Sun Yat-sen and Mei-ling, top right, married Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.
Special Presentation: The Church in China Today by Rev. Dr. John Akers, special assistant to Billy Graham and member of the PHC Chairman's Advisory Council. Working with the local Huaiyin Church to open a missionary museum this past June in China, John Akers will report on the Chinese Christian church today in this lecture and video presentation to be held on October 16 (Saturday), 2:30 pm at the Presbyterian Heritage Center Library. Refreshments provided.
Special Presentation:Presbyterian Missions to China by Mary Brown Bullock, former president Agnes Scott College and currently professor of China Studies, Emory University. Cosponsored by Presbyterian College/Confucius Institute and the Presbyterian Heritage Center, this lecture will be held on October 23 (Saturday) 2:00 pm at the Presbyterian Heritage Center Library. Refreshments provided.
The Land of the Southern Cross: Sesquicentennial (150th) of the Presbyterian Mission to Brazil
Private Land in a Public Place: The Development of Montreat 1897 - 1929
Presbyterian Missionaries and Ministers Databases
are
being uploaded to this site, under Bios tab above. You also can click here. These databases are starting with early ministers and missionaries (pre-1860)
and are being researched by teams of volunteers and staff at the Presbyterian Heritage Center. We will be adding names and additional information of later ministers and missionaries every week during 2010 and 2011. Our database will eventually include all Presbyterian missionaries and ministers (not listing active individuals within the past 25 years for privacy reasons) from all of the various Presbyterian denominations. If you have biographical information on ministers and misionaries, and especially photos, please email us. Thank you.
E-Flip Online Books and Reference Sources
(allow popups on your browser;
click on image above or one of three e-book links below) The Ministerial Directory (1898)
Latest News/Future Events
Special Rare Bible Lectures
Sunday P.M. Sept. 5th
There will be two lectures on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 5th (Labor Day Weekend) at the Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat.
At 1:30 pm, PHC Advisory Council member and Bible Collector Michael Morgan will offer "The English Bible in Two Acts: Act One The Reformation Generation:
John Wycliffe through the King James Bible"
This is an encore of his June 27th lecture which explores the movements and martyrs through the first two centuries in the colorful history of the English Bible.
At 3 pm, Mike Morgan will talk about
"Act Two The Next Generation: In the Footsteps of the King," which looks at some of the unusual versions, private translations, and
rare association copies of later English Bibles.
See information about two special presentations on China during October, listed in the middle column of this page.
Call for Civil War and Chaplain photos, letters, diaries and artifacts
The Presbyterian Heritage Center is developing an exhibit to recognize the sesquicentennial
of the Civil War. We are looking at chaplains during the war - especially Presbyterians, how the conflict affected Presbyterian congregations both North and South, the religious revival during the war and more! Pictured right is Rev. David H. Porter, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Savannah and chaplain to Fifth Infantry, Georgia.
If you have a photo of your church circa 1861 - 1865, or photos and materials from Civil War chaplains, soldiers or civilians that you can loan or donate for this special exhibit, please send us an email. Thanks. Click here.
Shown below are chaplains in the Union 9th Corps during October 1864 near Portsmouth, Virginia (Library of Congress). Click on image to see a larger photo in pop-up window.
Montreat & Evangelists
Opens January 2011
As the oldest religious conference center in the Southeast, Montreat has always attracted nationally and internationally known preachers and evangelists — Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists and others, who have preached or lived in Montreat. This exhibit looks at some of these noteworthies — through rare audio tapes, film and photographs. Among the people covered will be: J. Wilbur Chapman
Billy Sunday
R. A. Torrey A. C. Dixon
Rodney "Gypsy" Smith
Peter Marshall (below)
Billy Graham and more!
If you have photographs, documents, letters or artifacts that might be included in this exhibit, please contact the PHC at 828.669.6556 or collections@phcmontreat.org.
Princeton Univiersity and the Princeton Theological Seminary, Presbyterian minister Biederwolf served at the Broadway Presbyterian Church in Loganport, Indiana, in 1897. In 1898, he joined the 131st Indiana Volunteer Regiment of the 13th Calvary. He served as chaplain to this group during the Spanish-American War. He would become one of outstanding Presbyterian evangelists in the early decades of the 20th century, leading three worldwide evangelism tours. He served for 20 years as director of the Winona Lake Bible Conference, as well as organizing the Winona Lake School of Theology. Biederwolf was born on September 27, 1867. 
Among other 17th century Bibles are two first editions of the 
Qing-ling and Mei-ling Soong summered in Montreat circa 1907 and went on to become first ladies of the Republic of China (Qing-ling, top left, married President Sun Yat-sen and Mei-ling, top right, married Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.
Rev. Dr. John Akers
China by Mary Brown Bullock
war and more! Pictured right is 
