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  Theology I: Borden P. Brown's Philosophy of Theism

  Earl Clement Davis

  This is from a collection of manuscripts—mostly class papers— written while Davis was a student at Harvard Divinity School, 1902-1904. This manuscript is clearly for the Theology I class he took during the 1902-03 academic year.

  An abstract of Borden Bown's 1887 book Philosophy of Theism which develops various arguments for the nature of god, 'world-ground,' and provides a short critique. Borden P. Bowne (1847-1910) was an American Christian philosopher—on the faculty at Boston University—and a Methodist minister and theologian. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature nine times.

  Date refers to Date Given.

  The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

  Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

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  Philosophy V: The Country Manufacturing Plant: A Solution to One Aspect of Housing the Poor

  Earl Clement Davis

  This is from a collection of manuscripts—mostly class papers— written while Davis was a student at Harvard Divinity School, 1902-1904. This manuscript was for his Philosophy V class taken during the Fall 1902 semester.

  This paper discusses the problematic conditions of tenement housing in cities, with a proposal to relieve congestion by moving manufacturing -- and housing -- to the country. There is detailed discussion of the CP Talbot Woolen Mills in North Billerica, Massachuesetts, along with extensive discussion of company-provided housing. Davis sees much benefit in this country location, and the housing opportunities it affords, over urban locations.

  The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

  Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

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  History 6: Saint Columbanus

  Earl Clement Davis

  This is from a collection of manuscripts—mostly class papers— written while Davis was a student at Harvard Divinity School, 1902-1904. This manuscript is clearly for the History 6 class he took during the 1902-03 academic year. On the cover page the professor has written “A.

  A lengthy discussion of the Irish Saint Columbanus (543-615).

  The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

  Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

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  Theology I: Being of God

  Earl Clement Davis

  This is from a collection of manuscripts — mostly class papers — written while Davis was a student at Harvard Divinity School, 1902-1904. This manuscript is clearly for the Theology I class he took during the 1902-03 academic year.

  In this paper, Davis first dismisses "materialistic philosophy" because it cannot account for ideals. He develops in some detail what he calls "the method of postulates." Here he sets out several postulates about God (colloquially, truth, goodness and beauty) and argues that they account for the evidence. He considers and dismisses the various arguments for God in the historical literature -- Anselm's ontological argument, Descartes' cosmological argument, and Kant's teleological argument. While none prove the existence of God, all support his postulate.

  The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

  Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

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  Sermons I: The Leadership of Jesus

  Earl Clement Davis

  This is from a collection of manuscripts—mostly class papers— written while Davis was a student at Harvard Divinity School, 1902-1904. This manuscript has “Sermons I (14)” on the top of the first page. On the back side of the last page: “Read before the Harvard Unitarian Club meeting at the home of Wm. Liffany, Feb. 19, 1903

  Earl Davis confronts one of Unitarianism's challenges -- that people want a personal relationship with God, something most Christian religions can supply through Jesus, but which Unitarianism cannot. Davis calls this need, "the Christ Idea.", arguing that by speaking of God's immanence in every person's soul -- as opposed to God's transcendence, Unitarians can solve the need for "the Christ Idea" without thinking of Jesus as more than a man. The "Leadership of Jesus" refers to his exemplary life as a moral ideal.

  The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

  Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

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  Church History VI: Suppression of the English Monasteries

  Earl Clement Davis

  This is from a collection of manuscripts—mostly class papers— written while Davis was a student at Harvard Divinity School, 1902-1904. This manuscript is clearly for the Church History VI class he took during the 1902-03 academic year.

  A lengthy discussion of the suppression -- virtual elimination -- of the English monasteries during the Reign of Henry VIII. It concludes that this work was not done so much in support of religious progress, but in support of Henry's interests -- to divorce Catherine and to gain wealth and revenue. Includes a long bibliography.

  The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

  Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

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  A Prophet of Democracy (Commencement Address)

  Earl Clement Davis

  Earl Davis' commencement address in the 1904 Harvard Commencement program on his thesis "A Prophet of Democracy". The subject of his thesis was John Wise (1652-1725), a minister in Ipswich who fought for the principle of no taxation without representation. This speaks to Davis' early interest in government and the role of the people's voice in being governed.

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  Diploma, Harvard University, S.T.B, 1904

  Harvard University

  Earl Clement Davis earned his Bachelor of Sacred Theology, or S.T.B., degree from Harvard in 1904. The S.T.B. degree was the principle degree preparation for persons pursuing ministerial careers

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  Homiletics II: The Conquest of Unconscious Sin

  Earl Clement Davis

  This is from a collection of manuscripts—mostly class papers— written while Davis was a student at Harvard Divinity School, 1902-1904. This manuscript is clearly for the Homiletics II class he took during the 1903-04 academic year.

  A sermon, "The Conquest of Unconscious Sin," that served as Davis's class paper for Homiletics II. It starts with a story from Quebec, "Le Chien d'Or" or "The Golden Dog." The story is a kind of "what goes around comes around" story about the silent triumph of a wronged person, Philibert, over his tormentors. The point of the sermon is that we must make an effort to have a clean heart and a right spirit, otherwise we will succumb to unconscious sin.

  The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

  Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

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  New Testament II: Greek: Final Exam

  Earl Clement Davis

  This is from a collection of manuscripts — mostly class papers — written while Davis was a student at Harvard Divinity School, 1902-1904. This manuscript — which is what was once called a “blue book”— is clearly for the New Testament II class he took during the 1903-04 academic year. 2 concerning their authorship, audience, purpose, etc.

  The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

  Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

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  Harvard University Commencement Program, 1904

  Harvard University

  One page program from Harvard University for the 1904 Commencement program. This document is entirely in Latin.

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  An Unknown Sacrifice

  Earl Clement Davis

  A seemingly unfinished bit of story about a son leaving home.

  This is from a collection of manuscripts—mostly class papers— written while Davis was a student at Harvard Divinity School, 1902-1904. This manuscript is undated and not obviously connected to any specific class.

  The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.
  
  Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.