Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from N.D. Pendleton to Bishop William F. Pendleton. Pendleton thanks W.F.P. for the appointment and announces the birth of his and Beatrice’s new baby. He discusses Alfred Stroh’s article, “The Natural Sun and Its Three Atmospheres,” which was published in the April issue of New Church Life; Pendleton has previously argued in favor of the position Stroh puts forth in this article, and he believes this view aligns with what is said in the Writings and the Principia....

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from N.D. Pendleton to Bishop William F. Pendleton. “Dear Brother, I find that I have the 'Posthumous Tracts.' Have read them with great pleasure. Certainly the “Animal Spirits” of the P.T. is not identical with the Spirituous Fluid of the 'Economy.' The one appears to be manufactured in the Cortical gland, the other in the Simple Cortex or fibers which construct the gland(?). From a comparison of the teachings it strikes me that the Animal Spirits is a volume of the...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from N.D. Pendleton to Bishop William F. Pendleton. Pendleton has been considering the feasibility of attending the Canada Assembly as both W.F.P. and the people of the Pittsburgh Society are in favor of it. Pendleton has recently begun teaching another class; On Tuesday afternoons, he reads Miss Beekman’s letters aloud to approximately 20 society ladies, including the three Macbeth women. Regarding the class, Pendleton comments, “Daily, as I perceive the working of the...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from N.D. Pendleton to Bishop William F. Pendleton. Pendleton was quite surprised by the news that Mr. Gladish had consulted with a psychic woman. He theorizes that perhaps the loss of his boy or some other “secret trouble” drove Gladish to seek supernatural guidance. Regarding psychic communication with the spiritual world, Pendleton writes, “It may be that open converse with spirits, even at this day, will be given to some who are ‘in faith’ and do them no harm. Yet we...

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Handwritten letter from N.D. Pendleton to Bishop William F. Pendleton. Pendleton thanks W.F.P. for his note regarding the time of the rehearing of the Kramph Will case. Pendleton will not be able to attend, but he hopes someone will give him an idea of the line of argument used by Mr. Hensel regarding the teachings concerning fornication and concubinage. Names mentioned: (Frederick J.) Kramph, Mr. Hensel (Honorable W. U. Hensel)

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from N.D. Pendleton to Bishop William F. Pendleton. Pendleton understands from W.F.P.’s last letter, and from other Bryn Athyn Council members, that it has been decided to appeal the Orphan Court’s ruling on the Kramph Will case. Pendleton comments, “While there are several prudential consideration which might suggest our nesting in the hope of preserving our charter rights undisturbed, yet if there is any hope on rational grounds, it would be certainly be a weakness to...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from N.D. Pendleton to Bishop William F. Pendleton. Pendleton discusses the Kramph Will case, and the possibility of appealing Judge Smith’s decision. He worries that an unsuccessful appeal may bring more negative attention on the Church. He writes, “I am not unmindful of the fact that Judge Smith decided the case on the ground that the will itself was void because its devise was to a body teaching the doctrines as laid down in the Writings of the Honorable Emanuel...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from N.D. Pendleton to Bishop William F. Pendleton. Pendleton has spoken with Harvey Lechner regarding the Church’s legal standing in the Kramph Will case. Lechner has examined the relevant laws and is concerned that the Church and the Academy are legally vulnerable. Any form of fornication and adultery is against the law, as is the teaching of these ideas. As Pendleton understands from Lechner, “Any institution which holds and teaches things against public policy is...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from N.D. Pendleton to Bishop William F. Pendleton. Pendleton requests that W.F.P. notify him when the time for the Pittsburgh District Assembly is determined so that they may begin preparations. Pendleton asks for advice on how best to announce the General Office. They have begun work on the first General Office and find it very interesting. Pendleton wishes they had a board for making announcements, but they will have to get along without one for now. Pendleton has been...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from N.D. Pendleton to Bishop William F. Pendleton. Pendleton informs W.F.P. that the program prepared for the upcoming annual meetings in Bryn Athyn does not leave an opening for Pendleton’s rebuttal of Rev. C. T. Odhner’s paper. Pendleton is glad that Miss Beekman is also writing on the subject, and that she too disagrees with Rev. Odhner’s denial of the Angelic Human. However, he is concerned that some of his statements in the sermon referred to in Odhner’s original...