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Thomas R. Kelly papers
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Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]370 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Thomas Raymond Kelly (1893-1941) was born on a farm near Chillicothe, Ohio, the son of Carlton W. Kelly and Madora Kersey Kelly. Thomas Kelly received a B.S. in chemistry from Wilmington College in 1913, then became a science student at Haverford College. He began a teaching career at Pickering College in Canada in 1914, and received a B.D. in 1919 and a Ph.D. in 1924 from Hartford Theological Seminary. In 1919, Kelly married Lael Macy. A Quaker, Kelly was head of Friends' work in Berlin, Germany, after World War I, and continued to teach philosophy at several colleges, including Haverford College in 1936, and returned to Germany in 1938 to again perform work under the auspices of the American Friends Service Committee. Kelly was an author of several works, perhaps his most famous, Testament of Devotion, was published posthumously.
Biographical information from the Dictionary of Quaker Biography, biographical sketches in typescript, Special Collections, Haverford College.
The papers of Thomas R. Kelly consist of correspondence, studies, sermons, photographs, miscellaneous, and posthumous collections of some of his writings, as well as a biography written by Richard Kelly and his correspondence concerning the book Thomas Kelly, a biography.
Thomas Kelly's correspondents include Mary Farquhar, Rufus Jones, Lael Macy Kelly, Clarence Lewis, Legh Reid, Merrill Root, and Douglas Steere. There are peaks in the correspondence in the year 1917, when Thomas Kelly was in England with the Y.M.C.A., in the years 1924 and 1925, and the summer of 1938, when he was in Germany as a representative of the American Friends Service Committee. On his first mission, Kelly worked in an army canteen and with German prisoners of war. His second mission was to bring the Quaker message to Germany, as well as to nurture the young German Quaker movement. In 1938, he met with German Friends bringing support in a time of crisis. In between these "peaks", his correspondence reveals a drive for academic achievement.
Kelly's field was philosophy (he was also an ordained minister), and he made his greatest contributions in the field of mysticism. Studies include drafts and copies of speeches, sermons, reviews, and papers which he wrote. Philosophy course materials include class notes on Indian and Buddist philosophy.
Sermons, photographs, and miscellaneous materials includes sermons, personal and family photographs, and a diary and daybook.
Eternal Promise and Testament of Devotion inlcude various drafts and versions of these two works.
Biographical materials include drafts and versions of a biography by Thomas Kelly's son Richard. Richard Kelly's correspondents included Moses Bailey, Howard Brinton, Senator O. Vincent Esposito, Eugene Exman, Mary Farquhar, Dean Freiday, T. Canby Jones, Clarence Lewis, Herbert Nicholson, Clarence Pickett, Merrill Root, Douglas Steere, and Elizabeth Yarnall. Also included are biographical sketches by others, including Lois Stabler and B. Burns Brodhead.
A 1992 additional donation includes additional letters, drafts of works, and the outline and manuscript for Holy Obedience.
- Correspondence
- Studies
- Philosophy sources
- Sermons, photographs, miscellaneous
- Eternal Promise and Testament of Devotion
- Biographical Materials
- 1992 addition
Majority of the collection donated in the mid-1970s by Richard Kelly. The donor of the 1992 addition is unknown.
Processed by Diana Franzusoff Peterson. Reboxed and finding aid updated October 2021 by Hannah Kolzer.
Several printed items on Thomas Kelly and on his biography have been removed to the pamphlet collection.
- Publisher
- Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
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Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).
Collection Inventory
Postcards from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada addressed to mother, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Linton, Francis H. Farqubar; handwritten and typewritten letters to mother and father, brother and sister, Frank and Mary written from Ontario. Correspondence adresses his teaching career at Pickering College, a Quaker prep School in Ontario, his desire to teach in Japan, his involvement with the Y.M.C.A. Letter to Rufus Jones about Quakerism 7/18/1916. Letters to family written in Hartford Connecticut, discussing his studies in Seminary school and classmates, up until winter break and final exams.
Postcards from Hartford Theoloical Seminary, typed letters to family about studies and activities with classmates; YMCA work; new relationship/love; family ties.
Handwritten letters to mother (he will go to England with Y.M.C.A.); personal letters to Lael Macy; letters to family about engagement to Lael; letters t ofamily and Lael about trip abroad, to Mr. Macy about entering the warzone; daily letters to Lael throughout June; some letters to mother.
Handwriten letters and post cards to Lael Macy (he writes her every day), mother and father, Mary, about arrival and stay at camp at Blackpool, England and duties/activities of the Y.M.C.A there; Letter from Lael to Mrs. Linton about receiving mail; lettter to Kelly from classmate;
Near-daily handwritten letters to Lael; letter to Kelly from sister Aug. 11; Letters to family; discuss Frank's enlisting, unreliable mail, daily realities of wartime England, faith, Kelly's transfer to canteen at Barrow camp,
Lael Macy's letters to Tom Kelly--responding to his descriptions of his activities, discussing things at home and other family members. She writes him almost daily.
Letters to mother, discussing life in England, money; letters to Lael Macy about daily happenings, hopes for the future, travel to London, George Fox, views on Quakerism, working with prisoners. Letter from "Nicholson"
Letters to Mary, Lael--discuss Frank's situation and Mary's feelings, money issues, debbating patriotism v. Christianity.
Letter from "Fred" updating Kelly on his transfer from Barrow to Blackpool; Letters to Lael describing war conditions (air raids, uncertain news, food rations), his position on the war, the Christian character of his work, P.O.W. conditions, language study; love letters to Lael; Letters to Mother, sister, Mrs. Macy, speaking of faith, his work, conditions in London, atrocities of war,
Letters to Lael, sister, mother, discussing air raids, trips to Wales, feeling isolated, Christmas, work with the YMCA; Christmas card from Kelly and Lael to Kelly's sister; telegram to Mrs. Linton announcing Kelly is enroute home from C.V. Hibbard 12/17/1917; letters after this date discuss packing to return home, sea voyage onboard the R.M.S Baltic.
Letters written at Hartford to Lael, mother, sister, family: difficulties around Conscientious Objectors in England contributed to his coming home; being back at Seminary, reply 3/18/1918 to President J. Edwin Jay of Wilmington College re: job offer--later accepts this job; travels around New York visiting Friends; worries about Influenza
Letters to father, mother, family, about beginning of the new term at Seminary, planning wedding, sermons, graduation from Seminary (5/28/1919); wedding (5/29/1919); beginning of Kelly's work at Wilmington College; Letters Lael to her sister Miriam about worries and loneliness, Tom being in a car crash, her parents' health.
Letters to Lael discussing travel to Wilmington, Lael needing to be with her family because bad health of her parents; setting up their new house; seeing his family; his work at Wilmington College; finances; student progress in his courses; contemplating resignation; Lael trouble with family; growth of socialism; letter of resignation from Wilmington College.
Letters to family regarding move to Hartford; pursuing his Ph.D.; accepting a pastorship at Wilson; Lael's mother's health declining; Lael's mother's passing 12/18/1921; Letters by Lael and Tom to family regarding summer trip there, Christmas 1922
Letters to Mother, sister, family, discussing talks over a new radio, work at Seminary and with Wilson Church,
Postcard from Philadelphia--stayed at Haverford with Rufus Jones--1/10/1924; Correspondence between Kelly, Rufus Jones, and President David M. Edwards of Earlham College regarding Kelly's placement there as Chair of Philosophy to begin fall 1925 and Clyde Milner's placement in the interim; letters from Kelly and Lael to family; The Kellys will be with American Friends Service Committee in Germany in 1924; Kelly's resignation from Wilson Church; letters written on sea voyage to Europe
Letters from Kelly and Lael to family, "Bob"; President Edwards of Earlham College, Rufus Jones, Lael's sister Miriam, regarding arrival in Germany; work of Friends--English, German, and American--there; economic conditions; formation of International Committee; World's Peace Congress; travels through Germany with American Friends Service Committee; holidays
Letters from Kelly and Lael to Lael's sister, the family, President Jay of Earlham College, regarding travels around Germany; work with the American Friends Service Committee; tariffs; Kelly giving sermons at local churches; travels throughout Europe; preparations to begin teaching at Earlham in the Fall; preparations to return home; Quaker meetings in England and Germany
Letters to family about happenings at Earlham; 9/30/1927 Report of Farewell Exercises for Wilfred Jones from Earlham College to be an envoy to Japan; letters about faith and Quakerism; letters to President Edwards of Earlham College about enrollment
Letters to Eddie Thompson discussing plans to study at Harvard, learning French, married life, books; studies at Harvard; Letters to and from President Dennis of Earlham re: extended leave of absence 1931-2; thinking about teaching positions outside of Earlham.
Letters to Professor Gillett; Edie Thompson discussing philosophy; coursework at Harvard; teaching work at Wellesly College; preaching work; correspondence with Harvard faculty about Kelly's becoming a Doctoral candidate in Philosophy there;
Letters from Clarence Lewis about potential job prospects for Kelly (in Honolulu); Letters to Professor Gillett and President Dennis of Earlham about working to finish thesis work at Harvard
Letters from Clarence Lewis; Letters to mother, Rufus Jones, Eddie Thompson, Professor Gillett--and some to/from other Harvard faculty--about Kelly's accepting the position in Honolulu; Kelly's bad health; finishing the thesis; deciding whether to take oral exams; moving to Hawaii; publishing his thesis as a book; life in Hawaii
Letters to/from Professor Gillett, Rufus Jones, Merill Root, Eddie Thompson, Mary and Frank, family, discussing Kelly's accepting the offer of a position at Haverford College; children; travels from Hawaii; summary of his thesis; first year at Haverford and teaching philosophy, Indian philosophy
Letters (near-daily) to Lael, children, family about sea voyage to Europe and summer travels there, mostly in England and Germany--discussed German economic conditions and his seeing and working with the American Friends Service Committee there.
Letters to Kelly from various German friends, Merrill Root, Bob Whitehead, from Kelly to family, discussing return from Germany; letters in reply to his lectures; letters to students
Letters from Kelly discussing buying land/house in Maine; to/from Friends regarding German occuppation of France; from Howard Conn, asking Kelly to speak at Lenten Observances in Stamford, Connecticut; Letter Lael to Mary about Tom's death 1/17/1941; letters of condolence from Merill to Lael; memorials and tributes including by Rufus Jones
Printed copy of Kelly's Bachelor's thesis from Hartford Theological Seminary: "St. Paul's Doctrine of the Atonement"
Printed copy and photocopy of term paper for "Professor Wells" (Hartford Theological Seminary) "The Body-Mind Relation according to Some Philosophical Thinkers of Modern Times"--for Seminar on Philosophical Problems of Psychology--date unclear but probably 1919
Printed copy and photocopy of draft essay "What is the Mystic's Experience?" not dated, but maybe 1925?
Typed notes not dated but estimated around 1919. Summary and quotes from Edward Fitzgerald's account of Omar Khayyam and Kelly's notes about the Rubaiyat. Probably written in conjunction with work at Hartford Theological Seminary.
8-page manuscript review of Fritz Bamberger's Untersuchen zur Entstehung der Wertproblems in der Philosophie des 1. Jahrhunderts (The Origon of the Problem of Values in the Philosophy of the 19th Century); Attached 2-page manuscript titled "Errors of Valuation".
8 typed pages: essay analysing Central European views of American Christianity, or Anglo-Saxon Religion, with written marginal notes and edits.
24 typed pages of essay titled " Systems and System-Forms" with som marginal comments and typographical edits. 16 manuscript pages of logic systems. Probably in conjunction with Kelly's studies at Harvard.
20 typed pages of notes titled "The Quest for Reality," written for Pendle Hill Summer School, 1934. And photocopy of the original.
15 typed pages of essay titled "Emile Meyerson and the Philosophy of Science." 6 typed pages "Summary of Explanation and Reality in the Philosophy of Emile Meyerson." Kelly wrote his doctoral thesis at Harvard on Emile Meyerson and later published it as a book titled Explanation and Reality in the Philosophy of Emile Meyerson.
Typed text of a speech titled "Confucianism a Drug to China," about Japanese occupation of China, opium trade, and the philosophy of Confucianism as a "drug" to the people which encourages "submission to those above." 5 pages; not dated but estimated as 1936.
7 manuscript pages of an address to incoming summer workers with the American Friends Service Committe--written on reverse side of copies of final examination (6/5/1937) for Philosophy 10b at Haverford College. 8 pages handwritten notes about the history of the American Friends Service Committee.
Three typewritten versions of a speech titled "Eternal Presence and Temporal Guidance"--17, 20, and 25 pages respectively. The same text translated into German, 26 pages.
Versions of a speech or sermon about "the Eternal breaking into time and the resulting transformation of life into a miracle of faith." typewritten version, 8 pgs; handwritten version, 21 pgs; partial typewritten version, 5 pgs.
12 typewritten pages about the trial of Martin Niemoller and prison conditions in Germany, the position of the Catholic church and Christianity at large in Germay. Subtitle on first page says "Chrinocle February-May 1938: this might have been published.
Manuscript, 21 pages, and typewritten transcript, 7 pages (incomplete) made by Richard Kelly. Address by Thomas Kelly to Landsdowne meeting.
Typewritten transcripts of speeches/sermons Kelly gave in German. 5 unique texts and one fragmentary text.
19 manuscript pages of a speech titled "The Nature of History." Written on reverse side of typewritten copies of mid-year examinations for Kelly's philosophy classes at Haverford College, pages dated Jan.27-31, 1938.
2 typewritten book reviews: first 150 words on Alfons Faquet's Amerika unter des Regenbogen; second a one-page fragment of a longer review of a book by Walter Emerson.
Progressive versions of a work, including partial versions and notes on revision. Some typed and some written--multiple partial versions of the same text. Final version in this folder still looks incomplete.These writings probably would have been part of speeches or sermons.
15 manuscript pages of a speech about simplicity of life (especially for women). Title and date written in another hand: "Simplification of Life" ca. 1939.
3 drafts all titled "Blessed Community": manuscript, 5 pgs; typewritten copy with handwritten edits, 9 pgs; typewritten copy without edits, 9 pgs. Note in Kelly's hand says "Written as possible chapter to be included with "Holy Obedience," but later decided it should not be included. Now it is to appear as a small pamphlet published by the Fellowship Council."
Printed text of Introduction to Annual Report of the Wider Quaker Fellowship, 1940, "Have you Ever Seen a Miracle?" from a preciously-unpublished manuscript of Kelly.
9 manuscript pages torn from a lined notebook with text discussing probable existence of modern Quaker "seekers." typed copy of manuscript, 5 pages.
2 typewritten copies of text "The Light Within," 18 pages each.
1962 Print of "Children of the Light" for dedication of the T.R.K. Religious Center at Wilmington College. 2 typewritten drafts of that text. Printed forewords from meetings of the Wider Quaker Fellowship 1939-40 (seems to be edited version of "Have you ever seen a miracle?") and 1940-41 (which is an edited version of "Children of the Light")
various undated studies. "Dollars and Desires"; "Serpents and Doves"; "Personality and the Absolute"; "Margaret Fell" (biography); Review of Professor Whitehead's book "Adventures of Ideas"
Syllabus, exams, and detailed daily lecture plans for year-long course on Indian philosophy. Lecture notes handwritten.
Letters exchanged between Robert Byrd, J. Calvin Keene, Lael Kelly, Eugene Exman discussing plans to have the lecture notes from Kelly's Indian Philosophy course at Haverford published as a book.
Reading lists in philosophy and miscellaneous notes
Typewritten lecture plan for course on Buddhist Philosophy, 240 pages. long-page chart titled "The One Hundred Dharmas in Five Categories". Long-page chart titled "The Seventy-Five Elements of Existence of the Kusha School"
Mix of photos--Kelly through the years, his children, his family and friends.
Texts of sermons--most have lists of dates and places of delivery written on back.
Texts of sermons. Some not dated.
Diary Oct.-Nov. 1917 (While Kelly is with A.F.S.C. in Germany.) Datebook for 1937.
Articles of memebersip for "Cave" club; limericks; sketches of Kelly house in Maine; life insurance policy
"A Little Story-Book" written by Kelly as a child. Autograph book possibly belonging to his parents (dates starting in 1874). Copy of New Testament. Kelly's sixth grade report card. Genealogical sketch of Kelly family.
Typed draft of "Religion for this Distraught World" with some handwritten corrections.
Typed draft of "The Publishers of Truth" with a few handwritten corrections.
Typed draft of "The Eternal Promise" (third part of the book later retitled "Room for the Infinite").
Typed draft of "The Eternal Promise: A Thomas Kelly Anthology" compiled and edited by Richard M. Kelly. Contains editor's preface and 5 sections: The Life, The Reality of the Spiritual World, To The Society of Friends, Religion for this Distraught World, The Eternal Promise.
Edited publisher's draft of "The Eternal Promise" with notes about formatting, preparing to print. 264 pages. Also excerpts from "Friends Intelligencer"and "The Friend" with copies of articles to be included in The Eternal Promise.
Correspondence re: "A Testament of Devotion"--reviews; and letters Harper & Bros publishers to Lael Kelly re: royalties from book.
Typewritten draft with handwritten edits. 7 pages.
Typed draft of The Eternal Promise with edits containing Biography of TRK (By Richard Kelly-edited "third draft, 1963"), Religion for this Distraught World, The Publishers of Truth. 182 pages.
Typed draft of The Eternal Promise, with edits, containing Biography of TRK (By Richard Kelly-edited "third draft, 1963"), Religion for this Distraught World, The Publishers of Truth. 182 pages. Same typescript as above but different edits throughout.
Typed draft of the Eternal Promise with edits containing Biography of TRK (By Richard Kelly-edited "third draft, 1963"), Religion for this Distraught World, The Publishers of Truth. Different state from other two copies. 264 pages.
Typed very early draft of Biography of Thomas Kelly, 13 pages. Typed collection of material for inclusion in biography: excerpts of sermons, letters. All edited.
Typed draft of biography of Thomas Kelly. Here titled "Biographical Sketch of Thomas R. Kelly. Marked as "First Draught, January 1963. Edited. 41 pages.
Typed draft of biography of Thomas Kelly. Second draft, January 1963. Edited. 62 pages.
Typed draft of biography of Thomas Kelly. Second draft, January 1963. Edited and with accompanying note to Richard M. Kelly by Douglas Steere 2/25/1963
Edited publisher's draft--text as sent to printers--of Thomas Kelly: A Biography, by Richard M. Kelly. Copyright 1966.
Letters manuscript and typescript to/from Richard Kelly and correspondents with last names A-K. Mostly concerned with gathering material for the Biograpy of Thomas Kelly and getting permission to print letters and articles. Correspondence with Eugene Exman re: royalties and publishing.
Letters manuscript and typescript between Richard Kelly and correspondents with last names L-Z. Mostly concerned with gathering material for Biography of Thomas Kelly and getting permission to print letters and articles.
Typescript of biography written by Lois Kelly Stabler about her father Thomas Kelly. Revision of same by Elizabeth Yarnall, 1953.
Letters from Eugene Exman to Thomas Kelly re: Holy Obedience; Letter Hans Albrecht to Clarence Pickett re: English Friends; copies of letters by Thomas Kelly; Letters to Lael Kelly re: royalties and sales of Testament of Devotion.
Holograph manuscript; manuscript "A miraculous living" and letter re. (this is quoted in the opening of the biography by RMK); Typescript "In on a Secret" re-titled "Secret Seekers" and included in The Eternal Promise; Typescript "Where are the Springs of Hope?"
Outline; manuscript; typescript of "Holy Obedience"
Typescript of "Holy Obedience" inscribed to daughter Lois and read as a sermon at Yearly Meeting in 1940. William Penn Lecture. 19 pages but the last page is incomplete.