Collections : [Yale University -Divinity School Library]

The collection consists of correspondence, writings, and printed material dating from 1908 to 1973, relating to Erickson's personal life and a number of aspects of Albanian history during this period. Letters document the Ericksons' journey to and life in Albania, and interactions with statesmen, presidents, senators and others regarding Albania's political situation. Charles Telford Erickson was born in Galesburg, Illinois in 1867. He served as a Congregational minister before and after his missionary service in Albania, which began in 1908. Erickson served for 12 years under the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and 14 years independently. From 1920 to 1921, he was Special Commissioner for Albania to the U.S. and from 1922 to 1923, he assisted American Legation staff in Albania. Following retirement, Erickson traveled widely, promoting the World Council of Churches and the International Missionary Council, and as a spokesman for Albania.

This record group documents Ranson's mission and ecumenical work, particularly providing insight on the development and operations of the International Missionary Council and Theological Education Fund. His work as a theological educator and administrator, and his latter years in a Congregational pastorate are also documented. Ranson served as an Irish Methodist missionary in South India, General Secretary of the International Missionary Council, Director of the Theological Education Fund and Dean of the Drew University Theological School.

Correspondence, writings, and collected material in the Charlotte B. DeForest Papers document her work in women's higher education in Japan, her literary efforts to translate Japanese poetry and children's books, and her work with Japanese-Americans. Charlotte Burgis DeForest was the daughter of ABCFM missionaries to Japan and a graduate of Smith College. She was a missionary educator in Japan from 1903 to 1940, serving on the faculty and as president of Kobe College. During World War II she was involved in work with Japanese-American detainees.

The papers consist primarily of the sermons from Booth's pastoral career in South Coventry, Connecticut from 1815 to 1844.

Letters, writings, collected material, and photos document religious work and political conditions in South China from 1905 to 1929. Chester Garfield and Phebe Meeker Fuson were American Presbyterian missionaries in South China from 1905 to 1929. Chester Fuson taught at Canton Christian College (later Lingnan University) from 1905 to 1917. Thereafter he was an administrator and educator for the South China Mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Controversial tracts written and illustrated in comic book format by Jack T. Chick since the early 1960s document a fringe element of American Christian fundamentalism and provide valuable insight into the reaction of evangelicalism to cultural upheavals in America society.

This collection contains documentation of schools for missionary children in China and the alumni associations of the schools. Records of the Kuling American School, North China American School, and Peking American School are included in this record group. For documentation of the Shanghai American School and American School Kikungshan, see separate record groups, RG 132 and RG 164.

The China Records Project Miscellaneous Personal Papers Collection is an open collection. It currently contains material from more than 325 individuals, primarily Protestant missionaries to China. The time period covered is approximately from 1834 to 1998. The China Records Project was initiated by the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A in 1968. The aim of the project was to insure the preservation of the personal records of former missionaries to China and to provide a central repository where these papers would be available to historians. The Yale Divinity School Library was chosen as this central repository in 1969 and has continued to solicit and accept China-related papers since that time.

The papers, though quite fragmentary, represent the most complete documentation available for the history of the Chinese Students' Christian Association, and provide a skeletal outline of its activities, policies and personnel. This collection is a noteworthy supplement to other record groups at the Divinity Library that document religious work among college and university students. The Chinese Students' Christian Association was organized in 1909 by four students from the universities of Yale, Columbia, Harvard and Michigan. The purpose of the Association was to foster Christian morals and friendships, and to unite Chinese Christian students living in American society. The Association provided practical services to Chinese students who were arriving from China, going to China or Europe, looking for homes or employment, needing to make purchases, or in need of other assistance.

These are the official archives of the Christian Conference of Asia, a regional ecumenical organization representing church councils and denominations in Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Thailand. The CCA began as the East Asia Christian Conference in 1957 and changed its name to Christian Conference of Asia in 1973.