The Dickinson Papers include the correspondence, minutes, and reports of the Plymouth Congregational Church of Milwaukee's study committee on the merger of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church, the source materials used in the study, Edward Dickinson's notes as a member of the committee, many publications pertaining to the merger, and a number of papers concerning other church-related matters of interest to Dickinson. The collection is arranged in two series: MERGER and OTHER CHURCH-RELATED ACTIVITIES.
An overview of the merger is provided in the MERGER series by a chronological listing of merger-related events in the history of the Congregational Church, and by a graduate term paper, “Imperfect Union,” by John N. Dickinson, donor of the collection and son of Edward A. Dickinson. The chronological list, produced by a Congregationalist opposed to the merger, was used by the committee as a resource on the background of the movement. The booklet, “The Basis of Union” (1947), a rationale and plan for merger, is not included in the collection, nor is “An Analysis of 'The Basis of Union'” (1947), published by the pro-merger group to meet Congregationalist criticism of “The Basis of Union.” However, the committee studied Joseph Diehl Fackenthall's critical response, “Some Comments Upon 'The Basis of Union'” (1947); and the revision of the first work, “The Basis of Union with Interpretations,” (1949). Both booklets are found in the Merger series. The latter treatise was the point of departure for the renewed merger efforts in 1954; it formed the basis of most of the discussion, both favoring and opposing the merger, until the merger was effected.
The Plymouth Congregational Church Merger Study file contains correspondence, minutes, reports, and resource materials which indicate that the merger was highly controversial. A variety of groups organized in opposition to it, produced rebuttals to the promerger publications, and a quantity of anti-merger literature. The action taken by those opposed to the merger is represented by the literature of the League to Uphold Congregational Principles, the Committee for the Continuation of Congregational Christian Principles, the Committee for the Continuation of Congregational Christian Churches, and the anti-merger papers of various other sources. Despite intense opposition, the leaders of both denominations continued to work toward realization of the merger; the action of those favoring the merger is represented by a small file of material emanating chiefly from the executive bodies of the two denominations. By the time the merger was put to a vote the merger was certain to occur. The question for individual congregations became, “Should we join the merged church?” The Plymouth Congregation voted against joining it. The Wisconsin Congregational Conference attempted to maintain its Congregationalist identity while simultaneously developing a cooperative relationship (but not union) with the Evangelical and Reformed Church in Wisconsin. The response of those opposed to merger and not disposed to compromise is in the files of the Wisconsin Congregational Council and the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. Reference materials include publications pertaining to the history and religious beliefs of both denominations; the catechisms and constitutions of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, and materials pertaining to the United Church of Christ from 1955 to 1960.
The series OTHER CHURCH-RELATED ACTIVITIES consists of those church-related papers collected by Dickinson which are not related to the merger. Other papers, not directly dealing with the merger issue, remain in the Merger series filed with other papers of the organization that created them because it was not possible to separate these latter materials readily from merger papers of the organization they represent.
