Digital Commons Network^™

Labor And Brotherly Love, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1902-1904

In this sermon, given the day before Labor Day, Davis provides an interesting analysis of Jean-Francois Millet's painting "L'homme à la houe" ("Man with a Hoe") and Edwin Markham's poem, "The Man with the Hoe," using them to argue the importance of having a job with purpose. He posits that purposive work is essential for a healthy soul, and it is part of our interdependence, both with all persons in common purpose and with God for the development of human souls.

Davis also delivered this sermon at Barnstable, MA on September 4, 1904.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary …

Feed The Whole Man, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1902-1904

This sermon is about the dangers of indolence and laxity -- at both the individual and national/global levels. The fall of Rome is used as an example of the danger to nations while a wasted life is cited for individuals. The cure is to "feed the fire", i.e our physical selves, mental selves and spiritual selves. Davis recommends the early New England custom of morning family prayer for the latter, careful reading for feeding our brains, and eating and exercising for our physical selves.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the …

Church History Vi: Suppression Of The English Monasteries, Earl Clement Davis

Education

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 …

The Motive Power Of Vision, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1902-1904

This sermon is about the importance of a vision to motivate action and positive change. Examples mentioned include, Moses, Jesus, Booker T. Washington, and Jacob Riis. The final vision discussed is that of Jesus and his vision for eternal life.

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.

Sermons I: The Leadership Of Jesus, Earl Clement Davis

Education

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 …

Theology I: Being Of God, Earl Clement Davis

Education

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 -- …

History 6: Saint Columbanus, Earl Clement Davis

Education

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.

The Renewal Of The Spirit, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1902-1904

This sermon sees Earl Clement Davis encouraging every individual to connect directly and deeply with God, and to nourish their spiritual needs. It contains an interesting real-life metaphor regarding a scientist who thought he solved the problem of perpetual motion. His attempt, which involved connecting an electric dynamo with a electric motor, worked initially but eventually ran down. Davis equates this attempt with what happens to spiritual nourishment based only on human connection. He states that while the habit of doing good has become fixed, its spiritual power has waned.

Date refers to Date Given. There is no date for …