Laurentine Hamilton collection

The collection consists of 551 manuscripts and 4 pieces of correspondence, which are arranged in chronological order by type. The majority of the manuscripts consist of sermons written by Laurentine Hamilton between 1858 and 1882. The sermons are ordered by the date they were first given, but Hamilton often reused his sermons. These dates are usually written on the manuscript or on the bindings that Hamilton used to hold together the loose pages of many of his sermons. One sermon which illustrates Hamilton's arguments for posthumous salvation was given on May 16, 1869 and is titled, "The Judgment." Hamilton also gave sermons incorporating the theories of Darwinian Evolution into Christianity beginning in 1878. There is also a seven- page biography of his life, which was read at Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship at UC Berkeley on December 17, 1956. It is unclear who wrote the speech. It may have been the donor, Clark Edward. The speech itself is a brief overview of Hamilton's life and then a short analysis of the events triggered by his controversial sermons regarding posthumous salvation.

The ephemera, consisting of 25 items, are arranged by type. The ephemera consists of issues of the Oakland Daily News with Hamilton's printed sermons, from 1874 to 1875, issues of the Oakland Daily Evening Tribune with an article by Hamilton and his obituary, and an issue of the Sunday Chronicle from 1882 with Hamilton's obituary. Also included are three lists of Hamilton's sermons, a copy of one of Hamilton's sermons, his academic diplomas and certificates, notes by an unknown author, and a tract by Hamilton, titled The Future State and Free Discussion; Four Sermons Preached in the First Presbyterian Church dated 1869.

Subjects in the collection include: Assassination of Alexander II, Emperor of Russia; Asylum for the Insane of the State of California; Bank of California; J. Ross (John Ross) Browne; Influence of the Count Camillo Benso Cavour; Central Pacific Railroad Company; Christianity; Compulsory Education in United States; Evolution; First Unitarian Church of Oakland, California; Octavius Brooks Frothingham; Chicago Great Fire of 1871;Laurentine Hamilton; Judgment Day Sermons; Church history of San Jose, California; American Sermons in California American Presbyterian Sermons; Stockton State Hospital in California; and Religion and Science.