Scope and arrangement
The Father Divine collection, 1932-1992, consists primarily of material related to the broadcasting of Father Divine's sermons and messages over two radio stations in Washington State in the 1950s, and their publication in The New Day, the organization's weekly newspaper (1936-1992).
The collection contains the church discipline, constitution, and by-laws for Father Divine's Circle Mission, 1941, as well as correspondence between Father Divine and one of his disciples in the Peace Mission Extension in Seattle, who made arrangements for broadcasting his sermons and messages on radio station KRKL. The correspondence, 1947-1961, discusses the radio scripts and spiritual matters. A significant portion of the collection is comprised of sermons and messages, 1932-1959. Some are original transcripts; others were retyped and published in The New Day in the 1970s-1990s. The collection also includes broadcast schedules along with openings remarks and prologues to sermons and testimonials given during Father Divine's sermons and messages on radio station KRKL, Kirkland, Washington, and other broadcasts from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in the 1950s. Printed material includes booklets describing the beliefs and proper behavior expected of the membership.