Description
Rare original pamphlet titled Minutes of the Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the General Association of Congregational Churches of Missouri, held at the Third Church, St. Louis, November 7th and 8th, 1883. Published by Perrin & Smith, Book and Job Printers, 210 Olive Street, St. Louis, this pamphlet serves as the official printed record of the proceedings, documenting organizational reports, church statistics, resolutions, and key decisions made during the meeting.
Inside the cover is a printed notice about Drury College of Springfield, Missouri, an institution founded by Congregationalists in 1873, highlighting the deep connection between the churches and educational efforts of the era. Adding further historical significance, the cover bears an embossed stamp from Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine, indicating this copy was preserved within a prestigious academic collection.
Original distribution of the pamphlet was intentionally limited-one copy per every five church members-making surviving examples exceedingly rare. This piece offers a valuable glimpse into the religious development and expansion of Congregational Churches in the Midwest during the post-Reconstruction era. It captures a formative period of American Protestantism as the denomination extended its reach beyond New England into Missouri and surrounding states.
A fascinating artifact with strong ties to two historic institutions, this 1883 pamphlet is a vital document for religious historians, Missouri history researchers, and collectors of 19th-century American church records.
