Archive
1945 · Michigan
by [Rev. John Adam Fahling]
Michigan: n/, 1945. Archive. Good. An Archive Relating to the Life, Work, and Death of Reverend J. Adam Fahling
Born in Conklin, Michigan, educated at the Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, Adam Fahling (June 19, 1892–November 28, 1945) was best known for his Life of Christ(which remains in print, and was issued in a revised 3rd edition in 2017 -- see below for excerpts from the Foreword), but also authored A Harmony of the Gospels; Behold the Savior in Sacred Art; and German Gospel Sermons with English Outlines, as well as numerous articles for Lutheran publications. He served as Pastor in McAlester and Wellston, Oklahoma, from 1914 to '20; in Sawyer, Michigan, from 1920 to '24; in Hamtramck, Michigan, from 1924 to '39; and finally in Milan, Michigan, until his death in 1945. In addition, he served as Executive Secretary of the Detroit (Michigan) Lutheran Center from 1939 to 1945.
An energetic, dedicated minister to his community (which was heavily German and German-American through the end of WWI, becoming less German-centric as the decades went by), he was no less invested in the life of the mind. Both sides of him are well-represented in this small but fascinating archive, which consists of a journal, dozens of letters (both written and received), clippings, columns, photographs, programmes, inscribed first editions, and more.
The star of the archive is perhaps the journal (item #3) in which we witness Fahling beginning to work out what will become major themes in his later publications. Written predominantly (60-70%) in German, the journal records Fahling's course of reading and his mental dialogue with the ideas therein. Here, too, we receive glimpses into his daily life, courtship, travel, and more.
No less fascinating, though, is the collection of letters/notes (item #23) relating to the Ypsilanti State (mental) Hospital, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where Fahling was attempting, with varying degrees of success, to minister at the time of his death. Of note, as well, is the method -- and timing -- of Fahling's death itself, which is documented herein with newspaper as well as personal accounts; hospital bills and receipts; letters and correspondence; and obituaries (items #23-33).Also of interest is the small collection (item #17) of posthumous royalty statements/payments issued to Mrs. Clara Fahling by Zondervan in 1948/49. A complete list of the archive's contents is listed below.
_______________________________________________
Addendum
Foreword to the third edition (2017) of The Life of Christ:
In 1936, Concordia Publishing House published Adam Fahling’s The Life of Christ. An updated second edition was published in 1946. It included improvements and revisions that Fahling had suggested before his death in November 1945. From the time it was first printed, this book has been a great resource for pastors, Sunday School and Bible class teachers, and lay students of the Bible. It gives the reader an inside look into the life of Jesus and the era in which He graced the world by His life, death, and resurrection. This new edition has updated Fahling’s language and included insights from more recent scholarship. We pray this third edition of Adam Fahling’s great work will exalt Jesus Christ, our Savior, in your heart and life.
About the Author/Synopsis
Like Jesus of Nazareth, Adam Fahling (1892–1945) taught the Scriptures and cared for souls, serving as a parish pastor in Oklahoma and Michigan (1914-45). His research into the life of Christ led to requests that he prepare this book based on history, archaeology, geography, chronology, and Greek philology. Rejecting the quest for the “historical Jesus,” which was popular in his day, Fahling focused on the traditional accounts of Jesus’ life. The result is an unparalleled, readable biography and commentary on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The Life of Christtakes us on a fascinating journey into the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. You’ll learn what Palestine was like in the days of Jesus Christ, why His enemies so vehemently opposed Him, what impact He made on the people around Him, and what drove Him to lay down His life for us.
Walk with the God-man through His life on earth, as told by the writers of the Gospels. Using the Bible as his primary resource, Fahling connects the four accounts of Jesus’ life in one narrative to provide an accurate picture of Christ’s time here on earth. Other notable scholarly sources supplement the Gospels and Fahling’s own writing, resulting in a comprehensive work that shows Christ as both true God and true man and, more important, as our Savior. --Concordia Publishing House.
Archive Collection consists of 31 separate items:
1. Cabinet card photograph approx. 4.5" x 6.5". no date. Circa early 1900's. Printed by W.E. Kinsman of Sparta, Mich. Possibly a confirmation class portrait? Participants unidentified, including the woman (teacher?) at the center of the grouping.
2. Diary/Journal 8.5 x 7", unpaginated but approx. 125 leaves, handwritten in ink and pencil on recto and verso, with several laid in typed and or handwritten. Mostly dated 1913-20 with a few later items. Approx. 2/3 in German, 1/3 in English, what begins as a diary listing daily events, journeys, and activities, as well as detailing Fahling's reading, quickly evolves into a dialogue with that reading, which ranges from Francis Bacon to works on Islam. A fascinating dive into the mind of the young scholar as he struggles to clarify his thinking on religion, morality, ethics, social mores, and more, all of which would culminate in his later published writings. Also many personal details, including visits to/with "Clara" (later Mrs. Adam Fahling), etc.
3. Photo postcard. Approx. 5" x 3". 1914. Postcard addressed to Miss Clara Kraft, from "Mike," featuring two young men on the recto, one of whom is Adam Fahling. (The other is presumably Mike!)
4. Fest Program zur Feier des Fuenfzigjuliaeums der ev. Luth. Trinitatisgemeinde. Approx. 9.5" x 5..5", tri fold, 1915.
Program of services for the 50th anniversary of the Ev. Lutheran Church, Chester Township, Ottawa County, Mich. Among the participants, Reverend A. Fahling of McAlester, Oklahoma. Text in German and English.
5. Gedenkbuchlein zur Erinnerund an da Funfzigjahrige Jubilaum der E.-Lth.Trinitatisgeminde. Approx. 9.5" x 6.25", 1915. Keepsake booklet for the 50th anniversary of the Ev. Lutheran Church, Chester Township, Ottawa County, Mich, in gold-stamped black cardstock wraps, illustrated throughout with b/w photographs. Text entirely in German.
6. Studio Photograph. Approx. 7.5" x 5"., no date Studio Photograph of Adam Fahling as a young man.
7. Panoramic photograph. Rolled. Approx. 8" x 36", 1922. Group portrait of the Biennial Convention of the Luther League of America held at York, Pennsylvania, Sept. 21-22, 1922. With an ink notation indicating Fahling in the middle of the pack.
8. Official Programme Fifteenth Convention, Luther League of America. Approx. 8.5" x 5.5", September 19-21, 1922. 23 pages in printed wraps. With the metal-encased name-pin of Miss B.E. Mauney of Kings Mountain, N.C. affixed to the upper wrap, and her pencil notations regarding the convention's proceedings, throughout.
9. Magazine Fur Ev.-Luth. Homiletik Und Pastoraltheologie. Vol. 46, No. 7. Approx. 9" x 6", July 1922. Pages [193]-224 in peach wraps, amateurly rebacked with white paper, obscuring a significant portion of the wraps. Text in German and English, published by Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo.
10. 2 issues of "Lehre und Mehre". Approx. 9" x 6", September 1924 and June 1927. Variously paginated in pale green-blue wraps, chipped and stained. Text primarily in German with some English, published by Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo.
11. Fahling, Adam - German Sermons with English Outline. St. Louis, Mo., Concordia Publishing House, 1928. Octavo. Gilt-stamped pebbled cloth, with Fahling's ownership inscription on the FFEP dated "May 17, 1928 | Ascension Day." Light spotting to the front cover. Laid-in are two devotional portraits of Jesus, a newspaper clipping featuring a recipe for "husband's cake," an illustration of a house on a wind-swept lake, a news clipping relating Fahling's installation at St. Paul's in Milan, Mich., and 2 clippings pertaining to Fahling's to-be-fatal car accident.
12. Business card. Approx. 2" x 3.5", no date. Adam Fahling, Ev. Lutheran Pastor, 602 North Third Street, McAlester, Okla.
13. Business card. Approx. 2" x 3.5", no date. Adam Fahling, Pastor, Martini Lutheran Church, 3925 Leuschner Ave., Detroit (Hamtramck), Mich.
14. 5 large "Confirmation Class Portraits. Various sizes ranging from 8" x 10" to 11" x 14". Dates range from 1932 - 1938 with one undate. Martini Lutheran Church confirmation class portraits, each with Fahling (as pastor) at the center of the grouping of both boys and girls.
15. Fahling, Adam The Life of Christ. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1936. First edition. Octavo. 742 pages. Affectionately inscribed by Fahling to his daughter Margareta, dated Oct. 2, 1936. With pieces of the dust-wrapper laid in. Very good condition.
16. Fahling, Adam. Behold the Saviors in Sacred Art. Grand Rapid, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1940. Octavo. Hardcover with dust jacket. 114 pages. Blue cloth hardcover. Edge and shelf wear and edge chips to the dust jacket. With Fahling's ownership inscription dated February 26, 1940. Laid in are 4 royalty statements from Zondervan to Mrs. Clara Fahling for 1948 and 1949, indicating 143 copies sold, for which she was paid $13.85. Also laid in: An ad for "Books for the Lenten Season" (including this one); a newspaper clipping, undated, with a portrait of Rev. Fahling; Clara Fahling's voter registration card, dated Jan. 7, 1941; A card declaring Clara Fahling served as a juror in the Wayne County Court in January of 1941; and a Frank & Seder discount card in Adam Fahling's name, good for 1943-44.
17. Fahling, Adam. Behold the Saviors in Sacred Art. Grand Rapid, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1940. Octavo. Hardcover with dust jacket. 114 pages. Blue cloth hardcover. Edge and shelf wear and chips to the dust jacket. A second copy, with a gift inscription from Fahling to his daughter Margareta, "from her father who loves her and tries to understand her," dated Feb. 26, 1940.
18. "At Eventide" Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 1. Approx. 10.75" x 8.25". 1940. 8 pages, cyan-printed circular, "Published in the interest of the Evangelical Lutheran Old Folks Home, Monroe, Michigan."
19. Newspaper clippings. Various sizes. Circa 1940's. "Old Folks at Home" columns from the Detroit Lutheran (newspaper) by Adam Fahling. Topics range from the banal (enumations of contributions to the Home) to the heartstring-pulling (a series of exchanges with inmates which reveal their despair and loneliness).
20. Newspaper clippings. Various sizes. Circa 1940's. "Centerpieces" columns from the Detroit Lutheran (biweekly newspaper, est. 1941), all but one by Adam Fahling.
21. News clipping. Approx. 3.5" x 2". Circa 1945. Schedule of Sunday service, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Milan (Mich.), Adam Fahling, Pastor.
22. Three-Ring black binder collection of ephemera. relating to Ypsilanti State Hospital in Michigan. The approx. 10" x 6.5" binder contains approx. 35 letters, both typed and handwritten, plus approx. a dozen pages of notes. Also includes a bound in envelope of clippings regarding Fahling's accident and several loose handwritten notes laid inside. A remarkable collection of more than 30 letters to and from the relatives of patients at the Ypsilanti, Michigan state mental hospital, with additional notes on visits to these patients, and letters to and from Fahling's superiors regarding his ministry to the inmates of "Ypsi State Hospital" as well as to the nearby Federal prison, wherein were housed several dozen prisoners of war. Ypsilanti State Hospital operated from 1931 to 1991, almost from its inception at over-capacity, with almost 4,000 patients (including, per one of the letters here, "a rather large number of Conscientious Objectors whose exact number I have not been able to determine") in residence by the end of WWII. The hospital employed hydro- and physio-therapy, including needle showers, jet douches, diathermy, and electric shock therapy. Fahling's notes include general observations ("...all you can do is scratch the surface ... with some you can hardly talk at all ... others seem to have been placed in the institution and ... then promptly forgotten") as well as minutiae ("Herb Reindel: Had one of the most amazing demonstrations on mental arithmetic I ever saw in my life -- Prime numbers ... 40th power of 2, 1099511627776 ... "). Several sets of correspondence pertain to efforts to get patients released from the hospital. The final few letters from Fahling, dated November 14, 1945, reference his automobile accident and hospital stays, expressing his hope that he will soon be strong enough to resume his visits to the hospital; the final letter, addressed to Edmund Gunther at Ypsilanti, is from Mrs. Fahling, informing Gunther of Fahling's death and telling him "Pastor Fahling always enjoyed his visits with you... and had high hopes of seeing you all again."
23. Hospital bill. Approx. 6.75" x 7.5", dated November 1945. Record of charges for Fahling Rev. Adam of Milan, Michigan, for inpatient services from Nov. 5, 1945 to Nov. 13, 1945. Daily room rate is $5.50; lab work, medicines, and X-rays range from $.05 to $15.00. The total bill for 9 days in the hospital, including treatment but excluding nursing (see next item) is just under $100.00
24. 2 receipts for nursing services, approx. 3.5" x 5.75", dated between November 5-7, 1945. Paid in full receipts for "Practical Nursing Services" for the nights of November 5, 6, and 7 from two nurses, Vera McCully, R.N., and Grace De Rushia. McCully's rate was $5.00/night; De Rushia charged $5.50 per night.
25. 2 receipts for hospital services dated November 11 and 13, 1945. Payments against Rev. Fahling's hospital bill (see above).
26. Carbon-copy typed letter, approx. 10.5" x 7.25", dated November 14, 1945. Letter from Fahling to John Weisel, enclosing copy for the next issue of "At Eventide," excusing its lateness due to his recent hospital stay, and requesting both his (late) paycheck and reimbursement for expenses.
27. 1 newspaper clipping relating to Fahling's car accident consisting of 4 paragraphs. The clipping is not dated but late fall 1945. Laid-in to the above item. This one, a simple announcement: "Rev. Adam Fahling … is a patient in St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital … for the first time in his life…. Last week he was a really sick man … but now he seems to be on the good old recovery road again. A visit to him ... or a friendly greeting by mail ... we know will be appreciated."
Laid-in to the above. This one with a description of the accident: "Fahling … met with an accident while driving his vehicle from Grand Rapids during the last part of August. He still suffers from shock. He had spent a week's vacation with his father… While returning with his wife and granddaughter, Barbara Meyer, the steering knuckle of his car gave way. The car crossed to the other side of the road and upset in the ditch.... Each suffered slight wounds from which all have recovered. Rev. Fahling, however, still is under doctor's care, suffering from shock and in a weak condition." The piece goes on to mention his "Old Folks" column, his books, and his service in the Lutheran Church.
28. 3 page manuscript letter, signed. Approx. 6.75" x 5.25". Dated December 10, 1945. Letter from Harold Maas to Mrs. Fahling, expressing surprise and grief at the news of Adam Fahling's death.
29. Library card. Approx. 2" x 4". "Expires Oct. 29, 1946. Detroit Public Library card for Rev. Adam Fahling, 712 Hollywood W. 3.
30. News Clipping, approx. 3" x 2.5". December, 1945. Obituary for Rev. John Adams Fahling.
31. Photocopy bifolio. Approx. 8.5" 5.5", December, 1945. Funeral Sermon, John 12, 26, by Rev. John M Hieber. (Inventory #: 21791)
Born in Conklin, Michigan, educated at the Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, Adam Fahling (June 19, 1892–November 28, 1945) was best known for his Life of Christ(which remains in print, and was issued in a revised 3rd edition in 2017 -- see below for excerpts from the Foreword), but also authored A Harmony of the Gospels; Behold the Savior in Sacred Art; and German Gospel Sermons with English Outlines, as well as numerous articles for Lutheran publications. He served as Pastor in McAlester and Wellston, Oklahoma, from 1914 to '20; in Sawyer, Michigan, from 1920 to '24; in Hamtramck, Michigan, from 1924 to '39; and finally in Milan, Michigan, until his death in 1945. In addition, he served as Executive Secretary of the Detroit (Michigan) Lutheran Center from 1939 to 1945.
An energetic, dedicated minister to his community (which was heavily German and German-American through the end of WWI, becoming less German-centric as the decades went by), he was no less invested in the life of the mind. Both sides of him are well-represented in this small but fascinating archive, which consists of a journal, dozens of letters (both written and received), clippings, columns, photographs, programmes, inscribed first editions, and more.
The star of the archive is perhaps the journal (item #3) in which we witness Fahling beginning to work out what will become major themes in his later publications. Written predominantly (60-70%) in German, the journal records Fahling's course of reading and his mental dialogue with the ideas therein. Here, too, we receive glimpses into his daily life, courtship, travel, and more.
No less fascinating, though, is the collection of letters/notes (item #23) relating to the Ypsilanti State (mental) Hospital, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where Fahling was attempting, with varying degrees of success, to minister at the time of his death. Of note, as well, is the method -- and timing -- of Fahling's death itself, which is documented herein with newspaper as well as personal accounts; hospital bills and receipts; letters and correspondence; and obituaries (items #23-33).Also of interest is the small collection (item #17) of posthumous royalty statements/payments issued to Mrs. Clara Fahling by Zondervan in 1948/49. A complete list of the archive's contents is listed below.
_______________________________________________
Addendum
Foreword to the third edition (2017) of The Life of Christ:
In 1936, Concordia Publishing House published Adam Fahling’s The Life of Christ. An updated second edition was published in 1946. It included improvements and revisions that Fahling had suggested before his death in November 1945. From the time it was first printed, this book has been a great resource for pastors, Sunday School and Bible class teachers, and lay students of the Bible. It gives the reader an inside look into the life of Jesus and the era in which He graced the world by His life, death, and resurrection. This new edition has updated Fahling’s language and included insights from more recent scholarship. We pray this third edition of Adam Fahling’s great work will exalt Jesus Christ, our Savior, in your heart and life.
About the Author/Synopsis
Like Jesus of Nazareth, Adam Fahling (1892–1945) taught the Scriptures and cared for souls, serving as a parish pastor in Oklahoma and Michigan (1914-45). His research into the life of Christ led to requests that he prepare this book based on history, archaeology, geography, chronology, and Greek philology. Rejecting the quest for the “historical Jesus,” which was popular in his day, Fahling focused on the traditional accounts of Jesus’ life. The result is an unparalleled, readable biography and commentary on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The Life of Christtakes us on a fascinating journey into the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. You’ll learn what Palestine was like in the days of Jesus Christ, why His enemies so vehemently opposed Him, what impact He made on the people around Him, and what drove Him to lay down His life for us.
Walk with the God-man through His life on earth, as told by the writers of the Gospels. Using the Bible as his primary resource, Fahling connects the four accounts of Jesus’ life in one narrative to provide an accurate picture of Christ’s time here on earth. Other notable scholarly sources supplement the Gospels and Fahling’s own writing, resulting in a comprehensive work that shows Christ as both true God and true man and, more important, as our Savior. --Concordia Publishing House.
Archive Collection consists of 31 separate items:
1. Cabinet card photograph approx. 4.5" x 6.5". no date. Circa early 1900's. Printed by W.E. Kinsman of Sparta, Mich. Possibly a confirmation class portrait? Participants unidentified, including the woman (teacher?) at the center of the grouping.
2. Diary/Journal 8.5 x 7", unpaginated but approx. 125 leaves, handwritten in ink and pencil on recto and verso, with several laid in typed and or handwritten. Mostly dated 1913-20 with a few later items. Approx. 2/3 in German, 1/3 in English, what begins as a diary listing daily events, journeys, and activities, as well as detailing Fahling's reading, quickly evolves into a dialogue with that reading, which ranges from Francis Bacon to works on Islam. A fascinating dive into the mind of the young scholar as he struggles to clarify his thinking on religion, morality, ethics, social mores, and more, all of which would culminate in his later published writings. Also many personal details, including visits to/with "Clara" (later Mrs. Adam Fahling), etc.
3. Photo postcard. Approx. 5" x 3". 1914. Postcard addressed to Miss Clara Kraft, from "Mike," featuring two young men on the recto, one of whom is Adam Fahling. (The other is presumably Mike!)
4. Fest Program zur Feier des Fuenfzigjuliaeums der ev. Luth. Trinitatisgemeinde. Approx. 9.5" x 5..5", tri fold, 1915.
Program of services for the 50th anniversary of the Ev. Lutheran Church, Chester Township, Ottawa County, Mich. Among the participants, Reverend A. Fahling of McAlester, Oklahoma. Text in German and English.
5. Gedenkbuchlein zur Erinnerund an da Funfzigjahrige Jubilaum der E.-Lth.Trinitatisgeminde. Approx. 9.5" x 6.25", 1915. Keepsake booklet for the 50th anniversary of the Ev. Lutheran Church, Chester Township, Ottawa County, Mich, in gold-stamped black cardstock wraps, illustrated throughout with b/w photographs. Text entirely in German.
6. Studio Photograph. Approx. 7.5" x 5"., no date Studio Photograph of Adam Fahling as a young man.
7. Panoramic photograph. Rolled. Approx. 8" x 36", 1922. Group portrait of the Biennial Convention of the Luther League of America held at York, Pennsylvania, Sept. 21-22, 1922. With an ink notation indicating Fahling in the middle of the pack.
8. Official Programme Fifteenth Convention, Luther League of America. Approx. 8.5" x 5.5", September 19-21, 1922. 23 pages in printed wraps. With the metal-encased name-pin of Miss B.E. Mauney of Kings Mountain, N.C. affixed to the upper wrap, and her pencil notations regarding the convention's proceedings, throughout.
9. Magazine Fur Ev.-Luth. Homiletik Und Pastoraltheologie. Vol. 46, No. 7. Approx. 9" x 6", July 1922. Pages [193]-224 in peach wraps, amateurly rebacked with white paper, obscuring a significant portion of the wraps. Text in German and English, published by Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo.
10. 2 issues of "Lehre und Mehre". Approx. 9" x 6", September 1924 and June 1927. Variously paginated in pale green-blue wraps, chipped and stained. Text primarily in German with some English, published by Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo.
11. Fahling, Adam - German Sermons with English Outline. St. Louis, Mo., Concordia Publishing House, 1928. Octavo. Gilt-stamped pebbled cloth, with Fahling's ownership inscription on the FFEP dated "May 17, 1928 | Ascension Day." Light spotting to the front cover. Laid-in are two devotional portraits of Jesus, a newspaper clipping featuring a recipe for "husband's cake," an illustration of a house on a wind-swept lake, a news clipping relating Fahling's installation at St. Paul's in Milan, Mich., and 2 clippings pertaining to Fahling's to-be-fatal car accident.
12. Business card. Approx. 2" x 3.5", no date. Adam Fahling, Ev. Lutheran Pastor, 602 North Third Street, McAlester, Okla.
13. Business card. Approx. 2" x 3.5", no date. Adam Fahling, Pastor, Martini Lutheran Church, 3925 Leuschner Ave., Detroit (Hamtramck), Mich.
14. 5 large "Confirmation Class Portraits. Various sizes ranging from 8" x 10" to 11" x 14". Dates range from 1932 - 1938 with one undate. Martini Lutheran Church confirmation class portraits, each with Fahling (as pastor) at the center of the grouping of both boys and girls.
15. Fahling, Adam The Life of Christ. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1936. First edition. Octavo. 742 pages. Affectionately inscribed by Fahling to his daughter Margareta, dated Oct. 2, 1936. With pieces of the dust-wrapper laid in. Very good condition.
16. Fahling, Adam. Behold the Saviors in Sacred Art. Grand Rapid, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1940. Octavo. Hardcover with dust jacket. 114 pages. Blue cloth hardcover. Edge and shelf wear and edge chips to the dust jacket. With Fahling's ownership inscription dated February 26, 1940. Laid in are 4 royalty statements from Zondervan to Mrs. Clara Fahling for 1948 and 1949, indicating 143 copies sold, for which she was paid $13.85. Also laid in: An ad for "Books for the Lenten Season" (including this one); a newspaper clipping, undated, with a portrait of Rev. Fahling; Clara Fahling's voter registration card, dated Jan. 7, 1941; A card declaring Clara Fahling served as a juror in the Wayne County Court in January of 1941; and a Frank & Seder discount card in Adam Fahling's name, good for 1943-44.
17. Fahling, Adam. Behold the Saviors in Sacred Art. Grand Rapid, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1940. Octavo. Hardcover with dust jacket. 114 pages. Blue cloth hardcover. Edge and shelf wear and chips to the dust jacket. A second copy, with a gift inscription from Fahling to his daughter Margareta, "from her father who loves her and tries to understand her," dated Feb. 26, 1940.
18. "At Eventide" Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 1. Approx. 10.75" x 8.25". 1940. 8 pages, cyan-printed circular, "Published in the interest of the Evangelical Lutheran Old Folks Home, Monroe, Michigan."
19. Newspaper clippings. Various sizes. Circa 1940's. "Old Folks at Home" columns from the Detroit Lutheran (newspaper) by Adam Fahling. Topics range from the banal (enumations of contributions to the Home) to the heartstring-pulling (a series of exchanges with inmates which reveal their despair and loneliness).
20. Newspaper clippings. Various sizes. Circa 1940's. "Centerpieces" columns from the Detroit Lutheran (biweekly newspaper, est. 1941), all but one by Adam Fahling.
21. News clipping. Approx. 3.5" x 2". Circa 1945. Schedule of Sunday service, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Milan (Mich.), Adam Fahling, Pastor.
22. Three-Ring black binder collection of ephemera. relating to Ypsilanti State Hospital in Michigan. The approx. 10" x 6.5" binder contains approx. 35 letters, both typed and handwritten, plus approx. a dozen pages of notes. Also includes a bound in envelope of clippings regarding Fahling's accident and several loose handwritten notes laid inside. A remarkable collection of more than 30 letters to and from the relatives of patients at the Ypsilanti, Michigan state mental hospital, with additional notes on visits to these patients, and letters to and from Fahling's superiors regarding his ministry to the inmates of "Ypsi State Hospital" as well as to the nearby Federal prison, wherein were housed several dozen prisoners of war. Ypsilanti State Hospital operated from 1931 to 1991, almost from its inception at over-capacity, with almost 4,000 patients (including, per one of the letters here, "a rather large number of Conscientious Objectors whose exact number I have not been able to determine") in residence by the end of WWII. The hospital employed hydro- and physio-therapy, including needle showers, jet douches, diathermy, and electric shock therapy. Fahling's notes include general observations ("...all you can do is scratch the surface ... with some you can hardly talk at all ... others seem to have been placed in the institution and ... then promptly forgotten") as well as minutiae ("Herb Reindel: Had one of the most amazing demonstrations on mental arithmetic I ever saw in my life -- Prime numbers ... 40th power of 2, 1099511627776 ... "). Several sets of correspondence pertain to efforts to get patients released from the hospital. The final few letters from Fahling, dated November 14, 1945, reference his automobile accident and hospital stays, expressing his hope that he will soon be strong enough to resume his visits to the hospital; the final letter, addressed to Edmund Gunther at Ypsilanti, is from Mrs. Fahling, informing Gunther of Fahling's death and telling him "Pastor Fahling always enjoyed his visits with you... and had high hopes of seeing you all again."
23. Hospital bill. Approx. 6.75" x 7.5", dated November 1945. Record of charges for Fahling Rev. Adam of Milan, Michigan, for inpatient services from Nov. 5, 1945 to Nov. 13, 1945. Daily room rate is $5.50; lab work, medicines, and X-rays range from $.05 to $15.00. The total bill for 9 days in the hospital, including treatment but excluding nursing (see next item) is just under $100.00
24. 2 receipts for nursing services, approx. 3.5" x 5.75", dated between November 5-7, 1945. Paid in full receipts for "Practical Nursing Services" for the nights of November 5, 6, and 7 from two nurses, Vera McCully, R.N., and Grace De Rushia. McCully's rate was $5.00/night; De Rushia charged $5.50 per night.
25. 2 receipts for hospital services dated November 11 and 13, 1945. Payments against Rev. Fahling's hospital bill (see above).
26. Carbon-copy typed letter, approx. 10.5" x 7.25", dated November 14, 1945. Letter from Fahling to John Weisel, enclosing copy for the next issue of "At Eventide," excusing its lateness due to his recent hospital stay, and requesting both his (late) paycheck and reimbursement for expenses.
27. 1 newspaper clipping relating to Fahling's car accident consisting of 4 paragraphs. The clipping is not dated but late fall 1945. Laid-in to the above item. This one, a simple announcement: "Rev. Adam Fahling … is a patient in St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital … for the first time in his life…. Last week he was a really sick man … but now he seems to be on the good old recovery road again. A visit to him ... or a friendly greeting by mail ... we know will be appreciated."
Laid-in to the above. This one with a description of the accident: "Fahling … met with an accident while driving his vehicle from Grand Rapids during the last part of August. He still suffers from shock. He had spent a week's vacation with his father… While returning with his wife and granddaughter, Barbara Meyer, the steering knuckle of his car gave way. The car crossed to the other side of the road and upset in the ditch.... Each suffered slight wounds from which all have recovered. Rev. Fahling, however, still is under doctor's care, suffering from shock and in a weak condition." The piece goes on to mention his "Old Folks" column, his books, and his service in the Lutheran Church.
28. 3 page manuscript letter, signed. Approx. 6.75" x 5.25". Dated December 10, 1945. Letter from Harold Maas to Mrs. Fahling, expressing surprise and grief at the news of Adam Fahling's death.
29. Library card. Approx. 2" x 4". "Expires Oct. 29, 1946. Detroit Public Library card for Rev. Adam Fahling, 712 Hollywood W. 3.
30. News Clipping, approx. 3" x 2.5". December, 1945. Obituary for Rev. John Adams Fahling.
31. Photocopy bifolio. Approx. 8.5" 5.5", December, 1945. Funeral Sermon, John 12, 26, by Rev. John M Hieber. (Inventory #: 21791)
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