Merrill Dunlop Collection

Collection

Identifier: CN 050

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Oral history interviews, photographs, and a video recordings relating to the ministry of Merrill Dunlop (1905-2002).

The oral history interviews with Merrill Dunlop cover his association with evangelist Paul Rader, early religious radio programming in Chicago, the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle, Youth for Christ, Christian evangelism and Christian music work. Merrill Dunlop was interviewed by Robert Shuster on November 21, 1978 and June 1, 1979, at Dunlop's home in Oak Park, Illinois.

Photographs contained in this collection include images of Dunlop, Billy Graham, Luke Rader, Homer Rodeheaver, and T. W. Wilson.

The video recording is a documentary on Dunlop’s life titled Merrill Dunlop: A Man and His Music, produced by WCFC in Chicago in 1988.

Dates

Created: 1978-1988

Creator

Dunlop, Merrill. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Biographical or Historical Information

Merrill Dunlop was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1905. From his teenage years, he had a deep interest in music, both performance and composition. He served as pianist for the churches he attended--Madison Street Bible Church and Moody Tabernacle. After graduating from the Moody Bible Institute, he became director of music at the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle, then under the leadership of Paul Rader. He worked closely with Rader and Rader's successor, Clarence Erickson, both during the Tabernacle service and on the many radio broadcasts the Tabernacle sponsored in the 1920s and 1930s. It was during his stay at the Tabernacle that Dunlop married his wife Lenore. They had three children: Wayne Leonard, Donna, and David.

Dunlop gradually became involved in crusade evangelism. Besides the nine years he spent with Youth for Christ traveling to South America, Europe, and other continents, he also preached independently and in association with evangelists such as Jimmie Johnson, John Haggai, and Ford Philpot. He was also featured on many Bible conference programs and became staff organist of the Bibletown Conference Center in Florida. He published more than nine volumes of his hymns. Mr. Dunlop died at his home in Oak Park, Illinois on June 15, 2002.

Extent

3 Audio Tapes

243 Minutes

2 other formats (Photographs, Video Tape)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Accruals and Additions

Materials in this collection were given to the Billy Graham Center Archives in November 1978, June 1979, and October 1983.

Accession 78-45, 79-58, 79-59, 83-118, 88-56

November 27, 1978

Robert Shuster

Revised, January 8, 1980

Revised, May 12, 1987

J. Nasgowitz

Reformatted, March 15, 1989

J. Nasgowitz

Separated Materials

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

Accession 79-58, 83-118

Dunlop, Merrill. MERRILL DUNLOP FAVORITES (Grand Rapids, MI: Singspiration, 1972).

_____. MERRILL DUNLOP FAVORITES: VOLUME 2. (Grand Rapids, MI: Singspiration, 1974).

_____. MERRILL DUNLOP'S NEW GOSPEL SONGS: VOLUME 1 (Grand Rapids, MI: Singspiration, 1956).

_____. MERRILL DUNLOP'S NEW GOSPEL SONGS: VOLUME 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Singspiration, 1959).

_____. MERRILL DUNLOP ORGAN SPECIALS (Grand Rapids, MI: Singspiration, 1975).

_____. SONGS OF A CHRISTIAN: A COMPILATION OF ORIGINAL SONG COMPOSITIONS (Chicago: Chicago Gospel Tabernacle, 1936).

_____. SONGS OF A CHRISTIAN: A COMPILATION OF ORIGINAL SONG COMPOSITIONS New, enl. ed. (Chicago: Chicago Gospel Tabernacle, 1941).

_____. SONGS OF A CHRISTIAN: A COMPILATION OF ORIGINAL SONG COMPOSITIONS New, rev. ed. (Chicago: Van Kampen Press, 1946).

_____. SONGS OF A CHRISTIAN: VOLUME 3: A COLLECTION OF ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS (Grand Rapids, MI: Singspiration, N.D.)