For many decades, items of historical significance to Reformed Presbyterians have found their way to the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS) in Pittsburgh, Pa. It is a logical depository for such items. But it was not until a few years ago that a room within the seminary building was dedicated to a Reformed Presbyterian archive. For the last five years, three volunteer archivists—David Carson, Ralph Joseph, and John Mitchell—have been working to organize the collection.

The initiative for establishing Covenanter archives originated with Synod’s Church History Committee and remains under their supervision. Present members of this committee are David Weir, Phil Pockras, and Tom Reid.

When items are received, files are created to organize the information. To date, there are approximately 200 files for RPCNA congregations, some of which have long been officially disorganized, and about 300 files for ministers and missionaries. Other files are topical in nature, such as seminary graduating classes, yearly Synods, and various RPCNA committees, boards, and organizations.

The following list may help the reader to understand the extensiveness of the collection. There are:

• Photos of Synods over the years. The earliest Synod photo is in 1863; fortunately, the ministers are identified.

• Photos of seminary classes over the years, including a number of classes before 1900. Topical photo albums that have been thoughtfully organized. Examples include the Indian Mission, Chinese Mission, Syrian Mission, and Cyprus Mission.

• The tabernacle that Rev. Thomas J. Allen used to illustrate his lectures widely, both here and abroad. Following Rev. Allen’s death in 1924, his props were donated to RPTS.

• Sermon notes and tape recordings, both cassette and reel-to-reel, from a number of ministers. In some cases, the collection is quite extensive.

• A dinner menu for the graduates of the seminary in 1868.

• Anniversary souvenir plates from several congregations.

• Records and files of several RPCNA boards and committees.

• Records and files of the Women’s Synodical and presbyterials.

• Cemetery and family genealogical information.

• Diaries.

• Oil paintings.

• Communion tokens from a number of congregations.

• Artifacts, such as china, textiles, and metal items, from mission fields in China, Syria, and Cyprus, and from Native Americans.

• Photographic slides of different topics.

• Photos of presbytery youth conferences.

• National conference photos and memorabilia.

• Silver communion serving pieces, including pitchers, bread plates, and the “common cup.”

• Record books from a number of congregations: Sabbath school, missionary societies, youth groups, minutes of congregational meetings, deacons, trustees, treasurer, session minutes are currently located in the stated clerk’s office, in a neighboring building.

• An extensive and catalogued collection of diaries, photos, and various documents and other memorabilia of four generations of the Willson ministers in the RPCNA.

• Samples of congregational bulletins.

• Props, cassette tapes, vinyl recordings, and records of the Christian Amendment Movement.

• Records of the National Reform Association.

• A collection of vinyl records, reel-to-reel tapes, and cassettes of a number of groups and events.

A sampling of the above is on display in the upper hall of RPTS, with the hope that more displays will eventually be available so visitors to the archives can have access to more wonderful historical objects than presently is the case.

There are challenges in filing these items. One such challenge, for example, is, Where should a tract on tithing written by Dr. Delber H. Elliott on behalf of the Forward Movement be filed? Should it be placed in the file on tithing, the Forward Movement, or Dr. Elliott? In cases where there are enough copies of tracts or pictures, they could be placed in all three files. A second challenge is identifying photos: Who is in them? When and where were they taken?

Progress is slow and the work seems never-ending, but the results are rewarding, because the records provide a link to the past. Much more needs to be done to preserve memories of the past for future generations, including cataloging what already is in the collection by listing description, source of the gift, and provenance, along with a photo of the object, and establishing a method of preserving the collection using archival-approved methods. Other important and necessary projects include continuing with the microfilming or otherwise copying precious and older session records, updating the older index to the Covenanter Witness (now the Reformed Presbyterian Witness), and the transcribing of diaries and journals.

Consider sending records, photos, objects, artifacts, etc., that surface from congregations and homes, to the archives. Often when homes are dismantled or congregations disorganized, questions arise as to what to do with the older materials. Making such items available to the archives is often more advantageous than destroying them. Anyone who thinks they may have something appropriate for the archives should send an e-mail either to John Mitchell at jmitchell@ztrain.com or to Ralph Joseph at slipperyrockrprev@zoominternet.net