Detailed Collection Information

Biography Note

Rev. J. L. Link, Presiding Elder of the Wilmington District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, raised funds to pay the $13,000.00 debt on the Mt. Hebron African Methodist Episcopal Church in Linwood, Pennsylvania, first organized in 1837, known then as Hebron African Methodist Church, in a log cabin on the road from Dutton's crossroads to Upper Chichester Township. Rev. J.L. Link was appointed Presiding Elder of the Wilmington District by Bishop W.H. Heard in 1933. In 1938, the Rt. Rev. David Henry Sims merged the two districts into one, to be known as the Penn-Del District, and appointed Rev. J.L. Link to preside over the whole Delaware Conference

In 1923 Rev. J.L. Link, Pastor of Campbell Methodist Episcopal Church, Media, Pennsylvania, was among the chief organizers of the Media, Pennsylvania’s first NAACP branch (formally named, Colored Protection Society), following the aftermath of an incident in which a white high school girl told the Media police she had been beaten and knocked unconscious by a black man. As it turned out, the guilty party was a mentally challenged Native American boy from the Elwyn School. However, before that was determined, in a knee-jerk reaction, black homes were invaded, crosses were burned and a serious Klan presence began. Link’s five page speech, "Elements That Retard Self" delivered before the resulting NAACP local is in the collection, along with numerous sermons and other talks and articles such as “Is suicide ever justifiable?” and a seven page address on the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The John L. Link Collection mainly consists of hundreds of pages of typed and handwritten sermons from the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Also included are minutes to the church elders and meetings, certificates, reports, flyers, clippings, obituaries and other printed materials. The collection also includes an unpublished manuscript “Brief Summary of the Origin and History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.”

Description of Collection

The collection mainly consists of hundreds of pages of typed and handwritten sermons from the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Also included are minutes to the church elders and meetings, certificates, reports, flyers, clippings, obituaries and other printed materials.  The collection also includes an unpublished manuscript “Brief Summary of the Origin and History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.”

Detailed Collection Information

Organization and Arrangement

Series 1: Sermons A-T. Box 1

Series 2: Sermons T – Y. Box 2

Series 3: Columns, Correspondences, Certificates, Reports, Obituaries, Flyers, Misc.

Patron Information

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Diamond, Temple University’s online library catalog:

[URL]

Research Access

Collection is open for research.

Collections Stored Off-Site

This collection may be housed off-site at the Library Depository and require up to two business days to retrieve.  Please review the finding aid and be prepared to identify specific materials to be retrieved. Contact the Charles L. Blockson Afro American Collection in advance of your visit so that materials may be relocated to the reading room for research.

Publication and Copyright Information    

All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on Reproduction.

Information on copyright (literary rights) available from repository.

Preferred Citation    

[Identification of item(s)], John L. Link Collection, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Temple University Libraries.

Administrative Information

Processing Information

Collection processed and finding aid prepared in 2012 by Dhruv Thakker; Supervised by Leslie Willis-Lowry.

Inventory

Series 1: Sermons A-T

Box   Folder   Content

1          1          Abiding with Christ

1          2          A Comparison of Luther and Zwingli’s theology

1          3          A Good Grip

1          4          Allen the Hero of the Race

1          5          And hereby have do know that are know him: Christian Certainty

1          6          Annual Meeting of Presiding Elder of the Pennsylvania-Delaware

1          7          A Reflection on the important events in the rise & the progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

1          8          As it began to dawn towards the day

1          9          A Sketch of the Life, Character & achievements of Increase and Cotton Mather

1          10        As you go, Preach

1          11        A wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight

1          12        Betthe

1          13        Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled

1          14        Board of Church Extension

1          15        Building Material

1          16        Chickens will come home to roost

1          17        Christian’s hidden sources of Delight

1          18        Christian Stability: Psalms 10:1 “My heart is fixed”

1          19        Christmas Choral Reading

1          20        Community Betterment

1          21        Co-operation

1          22        District Convention

1          23        Easy Terms of Mercy

1          24        Enlarge the place of thy tent

1          25        Election in the office of Bishop

1          26        Episcopal Districts and Assignments

1          27        Essential Problem of Christianity

Series 1: Sermons A-T

Box   Folder   Content

1          28        Foot and Mouth Disease

1          29        Four Cherubim and Wheels

1          30        Four men carrying him

1          31        Gardens lost and found

1          32        Grace to make all men see

1          33        Heroes of Faith

1          34        Individual Leadership

1          35        In the Field of Human Rights

1          36        Is Church going worthwhile?

1          37        Jesus stood on the shore

1          38        Kicking the Devil out

1          39        King

1          40        Lift Every Voice and Sing

1          41        Life’s Sunsets Sunrise

1          42        Living Religions in India and China

1          43        Lost Contentment

1          44        Lost Contentment

1          45        Millions now living are already dead

1          46        Minutes

1          47        Murphy A.M.E Church

1          48        Nothing safe but the Church

1          49        Now Saints may help the Devil

1          50        Origin and History

1          51        1939 April 13

1          52        Outline of Christianity

1          53        1939 April 5

1          54        Problem of Evil

1          55        Psychology of Religion

1          56        Preaching Values – Historical                                                                                           Mar. 22, 1939

Series 1: Sermons A-T

Box   Folder   Content

1          57        Public Offerings

1          58        Romano 1:17

1          59        Sales of Drugs

1          60        Seeking a Man

1          61        Self Concentrations: Quit your Meanness

1          62        Sermons

1          63        Short Beds and Narrow Covering

1          64        Songs of Salvation

1          65        Spiritual Weapons

1          66        Stickers, Prickers, Strickers, Drifter

1          67        Take Heed

1          68        Thanksgiving Sermon

1          69        The achievement of Clovis in interest of Christianity

1          70        The achievement of Clovis in interest of Christianity

1          71        The Associated Press: by Frank Lobby Stanton

1          72        The Church door opened for the Gentiles

Series 2: Sermons T – Y

Box   Folder   Content

2          73        The Bible teaching of Hell

2          74        The Copy-desk

2          75        The Characterization of the Apostolic Church

2          76        The Feast of Harvest, and Feast of Tabernacles or ungathering

2          77        The Frontier of Accord: by Isaac F. Marcosson

2          78        The God when you serve

2          79        The Greeks gone to the world; the philosophy know thyself; the Roman philosophy control thyself

2          80        The Heavenly Footman

2          81        The Mathematics of Religion

Series 2: Sermons T – Y

Box   Folder   Content

2          82        The need of awakening of our decaying sense of sin

2          83        The Opportunity of bringing our young people to Christ through the Sunday School

2          84        The Power of thought

2          85        The Psychology of Denomination

2          86        The Psychology of Religious Adjustment: by E. S. Conklin

2          87        The rise of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

2          88        The Sociology & Psychology situations that give rise to revivals

2          89        The Source of True Satisfaction

2          90        The Value of Record

2          91        Theological differences, Reformation Walker

2          92        Think of these things

2          93        Think of these things

2          94        Think of these things

2          95        Think of these things

2          96        Things Passing & Things Permanent

2          97        Thirsting for the old wells

2          98        Tongues of fire

2          99        Transition Periods & its effect upon the Church

2          100      To an unknown God

2          101      To make men see

2          102      Until Christ be formed in you

2          103      Value to the Negro Race

2          104      Watch

2          105      Who was Richard Allen

2          106      Why ‘Abe’ Lincoln

2          107      Why Abraham Lincoln never joined Church

2          108      Why God lead us the Round about Way

2          109      Why I deserved to attend Neff’s College

2          110      Yom Kippur

Series 2: Sermons T – Y

Box   Folder   Content

2          111      Unidentified

2          112      Unidentified

2          113      Unidentified

2          114      Unidentified

2          115      Unidentified

2          116      Unidentified

2          117      Unidentified

2          118      Unidentified

2          119      Unidentified

2          120      Unidentified

2          121      Unidentified

2          122      Unidentified

2          123      Unidentified

2          124      Unidentified

2          125      Unidentified

2          126      Unidentified

Series 3: Columns, Correspondences, Certificates, Reports, Obituaries, Flyers, Misc.

Columns

Box   Folder   Content

3          127      The Protector

3          128      Moses Rod                                                                                                       1952

3          129      Afro-American Newspaper                                                                                 Jul. 3, 1943

3          130      The Southern Christian Recorder

3          131      The Christian Recorder                                                                                     Mar. 27, 1941

3          132      Infant Certificate of Baptism

3          133      Certificate of Election, Ministerial Delegate                                                         May 17, 1923

3          134      Certificate of Pastor’s Appointment

Flyers

Box   Folder   Content

3          135      Opening Reconsecration

3          136      Dedication of New Pipe Organ                                                                           Apr. 19, 1931

3          137      8th Annual Session                                                                                           Jul. 26, 1957

3          138      District Conference                                                                                           Oct. 15/16, 1919

3          139      Annual Camp Meeting                                                                                       Oct. 6, 1929

3          140      Annual Men’s day                                                                                             Apr. 25, 1943

3          141      District Conference                                                                                           Oct. 27, 1960

Reports

Box   Folder   Content

3          142      Why was he great? – Abraham Lincoln

3          143      The Aftermath of the Election

3          144      Allen Christian Endeavor League, 10th Quadrennial Report                                  May 1, 1940

3          145      Is suicide ever justifiable?

3          146      Brief of Origin and History

3          147      Security Linen: Finance Committee Report

3          148      Partial Report of Committee on the revision of discipline

3          149      NAACP Media Branch

3          150      Lincoln Newsletter, “Building tomorrow’s church today”                                        Dec. 1951

3          151      Short Historical Sketch of the Delaware Conference                                             May 19, 1953

3          152      Milton Delaware

3          153      “The Association Press”, Frank Lebby Stanton

3          154      Additional Reporter

3          155      Procedure, facts, & final decision relative to Mrs. Anna E. Noble’s License

3          156      Christian Theology                                                                                             Mar. 21, 1939

3          157      Should the African Methodist Episcopal Church have an age limit at which

                        their Bishops should retire?

3          158      Unidentified Report

Correspondence

Box   Folder   Content

3          159      Letter to Rev. J.L. Link from Chester Real Estate Company                                      Apr. 27, 1939

3          160      Letter from Rev. J. L. Link to?

3          161      Letter to Members of Health & Welfare Council from Rev. J. L. Link                          Oct. 26, 1949

3          162      Letter to First Episcopal District from Rev. J. L. Link                                                Sep. 2, 1924

3          163      Letter to Brother from Rev. J. L. Link

3          164      Letter to Prof R.R. Editor of Christian Recorder from Rev. J. L. Link

3          165      Letter to Jorgenson from Mrs. Nora Link                                                                  Jun. 13, 1934

3          166      Letter to Senator John Beillure from Rev J. L. Link                                                    Jan. 2, 1936

3          167      Letter to Rev. J. L. link from Charles J. Kraus Jr.                                                       May 4, 1962

3          168      Letter to Mrs. William Pickens from L.S. Moore                                                         Mar. 9, 1927

3          169      Letter to R. R. Wright Jr.                                                                                        Mar. 1, 1945

3          170      Letter to Dr. Harkness from Rev. J. L. Link                                                              May 20, 1939

3          171      Admonition and Affirmation

Miscellaneous

Box   Folder   Content

3          172      Schedule Report

3          173      Unidentified

3          174      The Philadelphia Concert Artists Club                                                                     Nov. 12, 1931

3          175      Proposed Pension bill for A.M.E.C

3          176      W. M. W 144 Special Composition Book

3          177      Attendance Sheet

3          178      Unidentified

3          179      Bibliography

3          180      Announcements

3          181      Unidentified

3          182      The book of a Million Names

3          183      A short sketch of life of Rev. Williams Murphy

3          184      Unidentified

Obituaries

Box   Folder   Content

3          185      Nichols, Bishop D. Ward

3          186      Witten, Rev John Luther, 1867-1927

3          187      Wright, Rev. Raymond Ferris                                                                               May 2, 1927

3          188      Napper-Bertha Rebecca, 1890-1940

3          189      Bishop John Albert Johnson