Guide to Edgar White Burrill scrapbooks, 1934-1945 ARC Mss 81

Finding aid prepared by Beaudry Allen
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Collections
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California, 93106-9010
Phone: (805) 893-3062
Email: special@library.ucsb.edu; URL: http://www.library.ucsb.edu/special-collections
2016 August 26


Title: Edgar White Burrill scrapbooks
Identifier/Call Number: ARC Mss 81
Contributing Institution: UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Collections
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 4.7 linear feet (4 flat oversize boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1934-1945
Abstract: Four scrapbooks that consist of newspaper clippings, photographs, pamphlets, correspondence and related material of Minister Edgar White Burrill's activites within the New Thought movement.
Language of Materials: The collection is in English.
Physical Location: Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara
creator: Burrill, Edgar White, 1883-1958

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of Item], Edgar White Burrill scrapbooks, 1934-1945, ARC Mss 81. Department of Special Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Related Material

American Religions Collection, ARC Mss 1, Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Acquisition information

Purchased by Special Research Collections, 2016.

Biographical note

Edgar White Burrill (1883-1958) prior to the 1930s was known for his literary endeavors, which included teaching at Columbia and Northwestern Universities, publishing book reviews and plays, and running the Literary Vesper series of lectures held at New York City's Town Hall. Burrill also gave dramatic readings on radio. By the 1930s, however, Burrill became interested in the principles of Divine Science epoused by Emmet Fox and other New Thought ministers. Attracted to the New Thought beliefs, Burrill traveled to Denver, Colorado to study and eventually become ordained to the ministery.
In 1934, while traveling and lecturing, Burill became the acting minister of the First Divine Church in Denver. By 1937 Burrill had moved to Buffalo, New York, and became leader of the Buffalo Unity Society. In early 1942, a schism occurred, and Burrill left the Unity Society to found the Buffalo Truth Center/Church of the New Age.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of four scrapbooks, dating from 1934 to 1945, pertaining to Edgar White Burrill's role in the Church of Divine Science as well as the activities and philosophies of the New Thought movement. The scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings, photographs, correspondence, programs, pamphlets, and other ephemera.

Arrangement

The scrapbooks are arranged in chronological order.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Fox, Emmet, 1886-1951
Church records
Divine Science Church (U.S.)
New Thought--Relations--Christianity.
Scrapbooks

Box 1

The First Divine Church scrapbook, 1934-1935

Box 2

Buffalo Unity Society scrapbook, 1937-1938

Box 3

Buffalo Truth Center/ Church of the New Age scrapbook, 1941-1942

Box 4

"45" scrapbook, 1945