E. C. Thomas collection

Collection

Identifier: M0011

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection is not fully entered into the ArchivesSpace system yet. Click on the External Documents link below for a draft finding aid.

The materials in this collection consist of Church of God memorabilia, articles, church assembly and other event programs, which E.C. Thomas collected. There are several state papers and Church of God Evangel articles by or about E. C. Thomas. The collection includes Thomas’ exhorter’s certificate from 1942, and other articles and reports. Boxes 3 and 4 consist of restricted financial records of both church matters and Lee College. These are part of a primary set of General Study Commission reports.

Dates

1942–1984

Creator

Thomas, E. C. (Elver Clayton), 1920-1989 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Boxes 3, 4, and 5 are restricted. For information regarding accessibility to this collection, please contact the Director of The Dixon Pentecostal Research Center.

Conditions Governing Use

This material may be protected under U. S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code) which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials. You may use any digitized or otherwise copied material from our holdings for private study, scholarship, or research. Though the Dixon Pentecostal Research Center has physical ownership of the material in its collections, in some cases we may not own the copyright to the material. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in our collections.

Biographical / Historical

Elver Clayton Thomas was born on December 13, 1920 in Lake City, Florida. After being educated in the public schools of Florida, he continued his studies at Queens College, Lee College and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He was awarded a Doctor of Literature from American Divinity School and a Doctor of Divinity from Lee College.

Rev. Thomas became ordained in the Church of God in 1945 and served as a pastor in Florida and in North Carolina. The positions he held include: Sunday School and Youth Director of North Carolina, 1947-1952; publisher for Church of God Publishing House, 1955 -1970; State Overseer for Virginia, 1970 -1974; Alabama, 1974 -1976; and North Carolina, 1976-1978. He served as General Secretary-Treasurer, 1978 –1982, and as General Overseer 1982 -1986.

During his lifetime he was chosen to several boards, namely, the North Carolina Home for Children, 1948-1954; Chairman of the General Board of Trustees, 1956-1962; Study Commission of General Church Finance Structure, 1970-1972; and the General Executive Council, 1972-1974. He also served on the Church of God Home for Children Benevolence Board. He also served on the General Study Commission.

Rev. Thomas was well known in the community as well as the church for having a strong administrative ability and for his business knowledge. He was the founder of North Carolina Bible School (later called East Coast Bible College), Pathway Book Stores and Pathway Mutual Insurance Company. He was sales manger of the Church of God Publishing House in 1954, became publisher from 1955-1970 and established Pathway Press. He was an organizer and director at the Bank of Cleveland.

His interdenominational activities included President of the National Sunday School Association, 1964-1966; Vice-President of the National Sunday School Association, 1962-1963; Executive Committee National Sunday School Association, 1962-1966; Board of Administration of the National Association of Evangelicals, 1965-1967; and the First Vice-Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America in 1981. Additionally, Rev. Thomas was involved in several civic organizations while living in Cleveland, Tennessee and was the Lee College Distinguished Alumnus for 1982.

He married Alice Douglas, and they had two daughters: Charmaine (Robinson) and Cheryl (Love). Rev. Thomas died September 22, 1989 and a scholarship endowment was established in the names of E. C. and Alice Thomas, which enabled students to receive financial assistance for their education at Lee University.

Extent

1.75 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Metadata Rights Declarations

License: This record is made available under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Creative Commons license.

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The materials for this collection were received by the Dixon Research Center in 2000, from Cheryl Thomas Love, daughter of E. C. Thomas. The arranger has ordered the files.

Separated Materials

These items were processed as duplicates and de-accessioned from the collection: Lawson, Boyd C.; Church Manual Hargrave, Vessie D.; The Church and World Missions McCracken, Horace; History of Church of God Missions Reynolds, E. J.; Hawk, Ray; Holy Ghost Baptism Debate Church of God; Into the Harvest [Church Of God Intl. Training Conference] Church of God World Missions; Meet Your Missionaries Pope, Liston; Mill Hands and Preachers Grogan, C. S.; My Best To You [Songbook]; Grogan, C. S. Black, Daniel L.; Never a Day Too Much; Black, Daniel L. East Coast Bible College Academic Catalog, 1978-1979

These items were added to the DRC Holdings: Stone, Perry; “Acts 29” Lindberg, Carter; Charismatic Renewal and the Lutheran Tradition Constitution and By-Laws of the Full Gospel Church Of God in Southern Africa Church of God; Your Guide: Church of God Ladies Auxiliary Manual Holy Bible King James Version, Church of God Centennial Edition

These items were added to the Pamphlet Collection: King, Glenna and Ronald; Does God Heal Today and Religion Without a Cross Francis, R. E. and Vandeman, George E.; God Believes In Jewelry

This items was added to the Church of God General Assembly Collection: The Fifty-Sixth Church of God General Assembly Program, August 17-23, 1976; Dallas, TX

These items were added to the Church of God General Council Collection: Ordained Ministers Directory, 56th General Council General Council Agenda, 1976 General Council Agenda, 1968

This item was added to the DRC Archival Book Collection (signed by author): Reynolds, E. J.; Covenant With God

These items were de-accessioned from the collection and added to Squire’s holdings: Arn, Win and Charles; The Master’s Plan For Making Disciples Holy Bible King James Version, Church of God Centennial Edition

The following items were de-accessioned from the collection. Duplicates were added to the General Assembly Collection, or processed as duplicate copies:

Minutes of the General Assembly of the Church of God: [Year and copies available] 1946 [1 copy] 1972 [2 copies] 1954 [1 copy] 1974 [2 copies] 1960 [5 copies] 1976 [3 copies] 1962 [3 copies] 1978 [3 copies] 1964 [7 copies] 1980 [1 copy] 1966 [6 copies] 1982 [2 copies] 1968 [3 copies] 1984 [3 copies] 1970 [4 copies]