G. Campbell Morgan's Westminister Pulpit

Mike Childs
Mike Childs Member Posts: 3,122 ✭✭✭
edited November 20 in English Forum

Does anyone know if this is still under copyright?  I see it freely distributed by most of the free Bible Software programs, so I would not think it is still under copyright, but how does one find out for certain?

I would like to make a personal book, if it is public domain.  It is not sold by Logos.


"In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley

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  • Calvin Habig
    Calvin Habig Member Posts: 439 ✭✭

    Not sure.  My paper copy (1995 Baker Book House reprint) says

    "Originally Published by Hodder & Stoughton, London.  1906-1916. 

    This edition originally published by Fleming H. Revell, Westwood, NJ 1954-1955. 

    Reprinted through the courtesy of the heirs of G. Campbell Morgan."

    The first line (published 1906-1916) would indicate that it is in public domain.  (Published before 1923). The third line puzzles me, because the permission of the family shouldn't be necessary if it is out of copyright. 

    I would think that surely it is OK, but don't know about how long or how many times the copyright can be renewed.  Morgan died in 1945, which is 69 years ago. I think there are also rules about "70 years past the death of the author."

  • Mike Childs
    Mike Childs Member Posts: 3,122 ✭✭✭

    Thanks Calvin.  I would think it is okay, too.  I am going to proceed to make it a personal book.  Obviously, other software companies are freely distributing it as public domain.   

    If anyone has a real reason to know that the Westminster Pulpit is not public domain, just let me know, and I will delete my files.  I do not want to break the law.   But for now, I assume that it is public domain, and will work on it until informed otherwise by a credible source.

    I notice that even Amazon Kindle has a notice, "If anyone owns a copyright to this material, please contact us" on public domain material that they publish.  Seems a reasonable way to handle it, if you don't know.


    "In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley

  • Paul-C
    Paul-C Member Posts: 1,896

    Hi Michael, where can we get the source file for this work from?  Thanks [Y]

  • Mike Childs
    Mike Childs Member Posts: 3,122 ✭✭✭

    It is freely distributed by most of the free Bible software programs.  So I assume it must be available.  Or perhaps one or more of these programs would permit a transformation of their free file into a Word document. 

    Surely, it can be found.


    "In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley

  • David
    David Member Posts: 27

    I've been looking into this myself recently. From what I can figure out the sermons themselves are in the public domain. These were sermons by Campbell Morgan preached and printed at Westminster between 1906 and 1916. He died in 1946, so he is public domain in Canada and Europe too (as well as plenty of other places).

    The 10 volume set is copyrighted as far as the organization of the contents goes, but the actual raw contents is still public domain. So as long as you don't make an exact copy of the 50's edition by Revell you should be fine.

  • Mike Childs
    Mike Childs Member Posts: 3,122 ✭✭✭

    Obviously, my 3 volumes are not a copy of the 10 volume set format.  I decided myself that it made sense to put the Old Testament sermons in one volume.  The Gospel sermons in a second volume.  and the rest of the New Testament in a third volume.  I gathered the sermons from various free sources on the internet, and copied and pasted the sermon content into this work.

    I don't think I violated copyright, but if anyone can convince me otherwise, I will withdraw it.


    "In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley

  • Mattillo
    Mattillo Member Posts: 6,116 ✭✭✭