Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from G. R. Starkey to Gertrude Starkey Pitcairn. Seal pressed into upper left corner. Written “Sunday after Church.” With Gertrude’s 19th birthday approaching, G. R. Starkey notes that they have walked through life together for the last 18 years. As she enters adulthood, Gertrude is now approaching the final and most important stage of life, and Starkey feels it is his fatherly duty to give her a clear idea of what this last stage entails. He begins with a lesson on the...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from G. R. Starkey in Washington to Gertrude Starkey Pitcairn. Seal pressed into upper left corner. Starkey has received Gertrude’s reply to a previous letter. In response to her comment that she “does not know herself,” he writes that it will be many years at least before she is satisfied with her perception of her own spiritual state. He notes that she feels she is more selfish and worldly-minded than she used to be. He assures her that this is normal; It is the result...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from G. R. Starkey in Washington to “Chere Baby” Gertrude Starkey Pitcairn. Seal pressed into upper left corner. Starkey has received Gerturde’s letter of January 31st. He wonders if her sore foot has kept her at home, and he notes that the foot corresponds spiritually to the proprium, or selfhood. He believes that keeping the natural body healthy is essential for spiritual development, and that self-love is good when it is in its proper place. He can’t see any good reason...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Fedor Goerwitz in NY (?) to John Pitcairn, Jr. in Pittsburgh. “The price for the regular edition of Amor Conjug. is $15.- cheap at that Mr. Mittnacht says. He recently paid thirty pound sterling for an original edition of the Arcana. Your latin works are ordered and may as likely be sent you by mail (?) of Mr. M. on calculating charges (illegible word; found?) that you do not lose thereby. I note (?) below however you are not in a hurry and the lot many be sent...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Leonard Tafel in New Brighton, NY to John Pitcairn, Jr. L Talel thanks J Pitcairn for the “liberal renumeration” in exchange for tuition in Greek. Mr. de Charms has arrived and is boarding in the post office house (?) for $8/week. He wants to study Hebrew after Greek, but a chronic headache, which has affected him since last year, may prevent this. The second part of the Hebrew interlinear has been printed and is on its way from overseas. Tafel has also received...

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)