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Collection 378 Ephemera of the Railroad Evangelistic Association

 Collection
Identifier: CN 378

Scope and Contents

Correspondence, photograph, constitutions relating to the work of the Railroad Evangelistic Association, an organization created by railroad workers for fellowship and evangelism. Only a very few items in this collection, describing the structure of the organization and a little information about its purpose.

The collection consists of a few miscellaneous items of the REA, all in folder 1-1. There is correspondence about the Association's tax exempt status, which includes information on its purpose and goals. Also in the folder are copies of the group's constitution, showing how it was revised over the years. Of special interest are the tracts put out by the REA for railroad workers, which contain the testimonies of varies REA members.

Dates

  • Created: 1941-1985

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Historical Information

The Railroad Evangelistic Association, formed in 1941, grew out of the work of L. S. Harkey. He began putting out a publication entitled The Railroad Evangelist and it was his desire to start a fellowship organization for Christians in the train industry and their families, an organization that would help arrange Sunday services for train workers who could not go to church, distribute literature, and evangelize other train workers. After a couple ofyears of effort, the REA was formally organized at a meeting in Sanford, FL, in January 1941. The Railroad Evangelist, with Harkey continuing as editor, became the official magazine of the group. Herman Rose, an Indiana realtor and train buff, soon became an important member of the group and for most of the REA's existance was its secretary-treasurer and editor of the magazine. His home in Indiana became the center of the organization. The main activities of the group included putting out the magazine, holding annual conventions for fellowship and Christian nurture, printing tracts and supporting field evangelists who worked among unsaved railroad men and women. Membership was open to any Protestant who could sign the statement of faith. Eventually membership was opened to Catholics as well.

Extent

1 Box

1 Photograph File

Language of Materials

English

Accruals and Additions

The material in this collection was given to the Billy Graham Center Archives by Herman Rose in August 1987.

Accession #87-103

August 21, 1987

Robert Shuster

J. Nasgowitz

Related Materials

The following items have been given to the Evangelism & Missions Collection, Buswell Library unless otherwise noted:

Two china plates, with a black and white photographic image of Luther S. Hankey in the center and the text, "Railroad Evangelistic Association/TWENTY-FIFTH Anniversary 1941-1966/Luther S. Hankey/ Railroad Engineer/Founder," 10 inches in diameter.

The following items have been given to the BGC LIBRARY unless otherwise noted:

The Railroad Evangelist Vol. 2, #10-12 (photocopies) Vol. 3, #1-12 Vol. 4, #2-12 Vol. 5 - Vol. 47 (1986) Vol. 48, #1-4 (1987)

Title
Collection 378 Ephemera of the Railroad Evangelistic Association
Author
Bob Shuster
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Roman Script

Repository Details

Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository

Contact:
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630-752-5910