Guide to the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Special Committee on Forms and Services Records

Descriptive Summary

Title

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Special Committee on Forms and Services Records

Inclusive Dates

circa 1897-1910

Bulk Dates

1903-1906

Call Number

RG 65

Creator(s)

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Special Committee on Forms and Services

Quantity

0.50 cu.ft.

Restrictions on Access

Collection open for research

Digital Content

To browse this collection's digital content visit Pearl.

This collection has been digitized in its entirety.

Repository

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

Biographical Note / Administrative History

Administrative History

In 1902, various presbyteries adapted overtures relating to the standardization of the forms of such services as marriage, baptism, and communion. The overtures spoke of "a great diversion of practice amongst the ministers of our Church" and requested that the General Assembly (PCUSA) "prepare and authorize a manual or book of forms for the use of the ministers of our Church." The 115th General Assembly (1903) appointed the Special Committee on Forms of Service (also known as the Committee on Forms and Services and the Special Committee on Forms and Services) to write such a manual.

Henry Jackson Van Dyke, Jr. (1852-1933) chaired the eleven-member committee, which included Louis FitzGerald Benson. The committee met for the first time in October of 1903. They agreed upon those services requiring standard forms: these included infant and adult baptism, first communion, regular communion, marriages, funerals, ordination, dedication of churches, special services such as Thanksgiving, and regular services on weekdays and Sundays.

During 1904 and 1905, the committee members worked on compiling material for the manual, for which they had chosen the title The Book of Common Worship. It was completed in 1906 and remained in use until a committee for its revision was appointed in 1928.

Collection Overview

Record Group 65 primarily contains minutes, reports, publications, correspondence (including letters to Louis FitzGerald Benson), manuscripts, and other assorted material relating to the work of the committee. Folders 1, 6, and 10 include some pre-committee material.

Alternative Formats

To browse this collection's digitized content visit Pearl.

This collection has been digitized in its entirety.

Administrative Information

Processing Information

Collection processed: 1970
Frederick M. Schalow, Records Researcher

Collection revised and finding aid prepared: 1979
Jane Ramsay

Collection rehoused and notes added to finding aid: September 1991
Stephanie Muntone, Processing Archivist

Collection refolded, folder descriptions and inclusive dates revised, and finding aid edited: March 2018
Bill Brock, Collection Management Archivist, and Cecilia Figliuolo, Archives Technician

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.--Liturgy.

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Special Committee on Forms and Services.

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Book of common worship (1906)

Topical Subject

Worship programs.

Public worship.

Presbyterian Church--Liturgy.

Genre-form

Manuscripts. aat

Minutes. aat

Correspondence. aat

Personal Added Name

Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933.

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description	Alternative Formats

1	1	Typescript and carbon copy of Overture from Presbytery of Denver on Manual or Book of Forms for use of Ministers, 1902	Digital
1	1	Typescript and carbon copy of Overture from The Synod of New York on Tentative forms of Worship, 1903	Digital
1	2	Minutes - Special Committee on Forms of Service/Committee on Forms and Services, 1903-1905	Digital
1	3	Published report to General Assembly with annotations by chairman Van Dyke, 1904	Digital
1	3	Published report to General Assembly with annotations by chairman Van Dyke, 1905	Digital
1	3	Published report to General Assembly with annotations by chairman Van Dyke, 1905	Digital
1	3	Published report to General Assembly with annotations by chairman Van Dyke, 1905	Digital
1	3	Published report to General Assembly with annotations by chairman Van Dyke, 1906	Digital
1	4	Draft reports to General Assembly, circa 1905-1906 and undated	Digital
1	5	The Book of Common Worship manuscript by Henry Van Dyke, 1904	Digital
1	5	Forms and Services (partial report of the Special Committee on Forms and Services) with annotations, 1904	Digital
1	6	Correspondence to Louis FitzGerald Benson, 1898?, and Henry Van Dyke, 1902	Digital
1	6	Articles by Henry Van Dyke on the Brief Statement of the Reformed Faith, 1902 and undated.	Digital
1	6	Correspondence to Henry Van Dyke regarding his election as Moderator to the General Assembly, 1902	Digital
1	6	Brief Statement of the Reformed Faith, 1902	Digital
1	6	Article by Henry Van Dyke, circa 1903	Digital
1	6	"A Confidence," poem by G.A. Warburton, undated	Digital
1	7	Correspondence and printed materials re work of the committee, 1903-1905 and undated	Digital
1	8	Correspondence and printed materials re work of the committee, 1904-1906 and undated	Digital
1	9	Correspondence re work of the committee and of The Book of Common Worship, 1904-1906 and undated	Digital
1	9	The Book of Common Worship, 1906	Digital
1	9	The Message, December 1904	Digital
1	9	The Church Eclectic, August 1906	Digital
1	10	Church Service Society report, 1899	Digital
1	10	Church Service Society provisional constitution, ca. 1897	Digital
1	10	Church Service Society constitution, ca. 1897	Digital
1	10	Statistical reports (Tabulation and the Treasury of Prayers), 1903	Digital
1	10	Committee on Forms of Service - Questionnaire and analyses of results, 1904 and undated	Digital
1	11	Orders of services (manuscript), undated	Digital
1	12	Revised copy of Forms and Services, 1904	Digital
1	12	Proofs re Forms and Services, and related assorted material, 1903-1906 and undated	Digital
1	13	Letter from Sandford Fleming to Henry Van Dyke, 1909	Digital
1	13	Letter from George Hodges to Henry Van Dyke, 1910	Digital

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Guide to the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Special Committee on Forms and Services Records

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