AINSWORTH, WILLIAM, NEWMAN, BP., 1872-1942.
Bishop William Newman Ainsworth papers, 1893-1942

Restrictions on Access

Unrestricted access.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

Citation

[after identification of item(s)], Bishop William Newman Ainsworth Papers, Archives and Manuscript Dept., Pitts Theology Library, Emory University.

Processing

Processed by Courtney Williams, 2004.

Biographical Note

William Newman Ainsworth was born in Camilla, Georgia on February 10, 1872. Ainsworth graduated from Emory College in 1891 and was admitted into the South Georgia Conference. At the age of 37 he accepted the position as President of Wesleyan College, where he served for three years. He was elected a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1918 and he served until 1938. During this time he represented the church in many national and international conferences. His Episcopal duties covered Conferences and Missions in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Cuba, China, Japan, and Korea.

Ainsworth was married to Miss Mary Nicholson in 1893, and together they had two sons. Bishop Ainsworth died on July 7, 1942.

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of clippings, correspondence, sermons, and papers from throughout the life and work of Bishop Ainsworth. Included are items from his presidency at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia, as well as from his time as Bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The clippings cover much of Bishop Ainsworth’s work on prohibition, including a major run-in with Mayor James L. Key of Atlanta, as well as many articles published in Christian Advocates throughout the southeast. There is a scrapbook included that mostly consists of items relating to his appointment as Bishop. The bulk of the collection consists of sermons, most of which are untitled and undated. Topics covered in the sermons include prohibition, evangelism, John Wesley, the state of the country/world, and evolution. There are also a multitude of special occasion sermons delivered at commencements, annual conferences, and various holidays. Also, included in the collection are memoirs for Bishop Ainsworth after his passing.