Religion and civil society

Overview of the Catholic Church in the United States and the potential effects of its growing “moral influence.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-08

The growth of Methodism has been a distinctive feature of the United States and has been a social and political blessing. President Roosevelt congratulates Dr. Levi Gilbert on the long service performed by his paper, The Western Christian Advocate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-10

Reverend Brine invites Theodore Roosevelt to speak at his Sunday service of Thanksgiving in commemoration of the first Thanksgiving. Brine wishes Roosevelt will accept and speak on matters of reason and international peace. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-16

Ambassador Meyer tells Senator Lodge that St. Petersburg, Russia, has been perfectly quiet since he arrived, due to extraordinary precautions taken by Governor-General Trepov to put down any troubles. Meyer thinks the disturbances in Warsaw, Poland, were a smaller scale repetition of those in St. Petersburg on January 22, 1905, and he notes that both could have been avoided by an able police. The stories Meyer has heard about corruption in some of the departments in St. Petersburg are astounding. Meyer thinks the ukaz issued by Emperor Nicholas II giving religious liberty to practically all sects except the Jewish people, if honestly and efficiently carried out, will be beneficial to the country. Representatives of Russian zemstvos, local municipalities, met recently at Moscow and blocked out a scheme of representative government. Meyer thinks the idea of a representative government is permeating all classes of society and that reforms are sure to come about, but the Russian government is currently “in a comatose state,” awaiting the result of the naval conflict and the next battle near Harbin, Manchuria.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-06

Stephen R. Fox takes a wide angle lens approach to American history in the twentieth century with an emphasis on the years 1950 to 1997 by identifying the trends, movements, and undercurrents found in this period among five topics: politics, technology, religion, race, and sex. Fox notes the turn against the strong executive that was in vogue until the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal, and he rails against the conservatism and policies of President Ronald Reagan. Fox highlights the rise of the environmental movement, and he says that changes in technology are eroding community and increasing social isolation. Fox identifies five trends in religious practice and notes the resilience of religious belief in American society.

Fox’s look at race focuses on the changes in leadership among African-Americans from the days of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, and he notes how the views and attitudes of African-Americans are often markedly different from their contemporary leaders. Fox concludes his survey with a look at the evolution of sexual mores away from Victorian standards to a more permissive stance on issues such as premarital sex.

Three photographs, including one of Fox, and all from the Theodore Roosevelt Association luncheon at Harvard’s Pusey Library, supplement the text.

Report on the cordial reception of Bishop Hendrick at Cebu City, Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-18

Acting Governor General of the Philippines Wright has received the complaints about the friars inhabiting the Pueblo of Jimenez. The friars are not breaking any law and have the right to live wherever they like. It is unfortunate that they insist on remaining in a community that does not desire their presence or services. Inhabitants do not need to visit the friars’ church or contribute to their maintenance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-12-12