Collections

The Marston Historical Center houses a variety of collections, all of which relate to some aspect of Free Methodism or the Wesleyan movement. The Center houses some material from the late 1700s, but the bulk of the collection dates from 1860 and the founding of the denomination. As a repository for the Free Methodist Church of North America, the Historical Center also houses material produced as recently as yesterday. Free Methodist origins were deeply rooted in abolition and social justice as well as evangelism. Material in the Historical Center supports each of these impulses.

Library

The Library holds approximately 10,000 volumes. These include books related to the denomination but not exclusive to it. Among these volumes are books published by Free Methodists and the Free Methodist Publishing House, later Light and Life Publishing. The library maintains a collection of periodical publications related to the Free Methodist Church, too. Such titles as the Earnest Christian, Free Methodist, Light and Life, Missionary Tidings are found here. Library books and serial publications may be used only in the Historical Center Library.

Institutional Holdings

Education has always been vital to the Free Methodist enterprise. The Historical Center is home to a host of material documenting its relationship to FM-affiliated schools. There is also a wealth of educational material produced by the denomination’s publishing house. As well as Sunday school literature, manuals, tracts, and Bible Quiz guides, this material includes badges, awards, and promotional material from the Christian Education division.

For many decades the Free Methodist Publishing House produced books that dealt with the many facets of the denomination. They published biographies, theological texts, testimonies, missionary stories, polity manuals, and a variety of study aids. These materials are housed in the Marston Memorial Historical Center.

World Mission

The Historical Center is rich in collections that document life on the foreign and domestic mission fields (Asia, China, Africa, Central America, and the rural United States). These collections comprise photographs, scrapbooks, journals and artifacts and date from the 1880s to the present.

Race and Ethnicity

From their earliest days Free Methodists have worked to correct the ravages of prejudice at home and abroad. Documents housed in the Center detail the denomination’s relationships with African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and the rural and urban poor.

Social Justice

The first Free Methodists felt called to preach to the poor and work strenuously to improve their situation. Shelters, hospitals, city missions, and relief for unwed mothers are some of the ministries begun in the late 19th century and continued through to the present. Deaconess Hospital, Olive Branch, Gerry Homes, Oakdale Christian Academy, all have their roots in the early church.