This collection contains a small body of correspondence and biographical material containing general information on Stearns. The bulk of the collection consists of Stearns's sermons in manuscript form.

The correspondence is mostly personal letters to and from members of Stearns's family, but there are some letters from Stearns to others, a group of anti-slavery letters and documents, and some religious documents pertaining to Stearns's ministry.

This collection is organized into three series:

• 1. General and Family Correspondence
• 2. Biographical Information
• 3. Sermons, chronologically arranged