The bulk of the papers relate to Brown's activities in the Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, and with the ecumenical and world missionary movements. Of special interest are Brown's travel diaries of tours of China and the Far East, 1901-1902 and 1909. Arthur Judson Brown was a Presbyterian clergyman, author and pioneer in the ecumenical and world missionary movements of the 20th century. The positions he held included administrative secretary of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions (1895-1929), charter trustee of the Church Peace Union (1914), organizer of several World War I relief committees, editor of Missionary Review of the World (1930), vice-president of the International World Alliance of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches (1933-1937).
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.
The collection consists of correspondence, writings, and source material related almost entirely to Shedd's professional involvement in religious work among college and university students. Clarence Prouty Shedd received the B.A. degree in 1909 and the M.A. degree in 1914, both from Clark University, and earned a B.D. in 1925 and a Ph.D. in 1932 from Yale University. He taught in the fields of Christian methods and religion in higher education at Yale University from 1923 to 1955.
The papers detail Wright's personal life and professional work. They are particularly useful for their documentation of his involvement in religious activity at Yale from 1894-1923 and in YMCA work during the first World War. Henry Burt Wright was born in New Haven, Connecticut on January 29, 1877. He received the B.A. (1898) and Ph.D. (1903) degrees from Yale University. He was a professor at Yale from 1903-1923. He was active in Christian work among university students and in the work of the YMCA during World War I. He died in Oakham, Massachusetts on December 27, 1923.
The papers document the multitude of activities and involvements pursued by John R. Mott in over seventy years of working life. General correspondence, 1886-1955, comprises nearly half the bulk of Mott's papers, and includes letters to and from prominent American governmental leaders, philanthropists, international political, social, and religious leaders. Family papers and correspondence provide valuable biographical and genealogical information as well as revealing another dimension of Mott's life, his role as a devoted son, brother, husband, and father. John R. Mott was born on May 25, 1865 in Sullivan County, New York. His higher education was pursued at Upper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa (1881-1885) and at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (Ph.B., 1888: Phi Beta Kappa). He received honorary degrees from Yale, Edinburgh, Princeton, Brown, Toronto, and other universities. He served as administrator and leader of various organizations including the Young Men's Christian Association, Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions, World Student Christian Federation, Foreign Missions Conference of North America, International Missionary Council, Interchurch World Movement, Institute of Social and Religious Research, and the World Council of Churches. In 1916, Mott was a member of the commission assigned to negotiate a settlement with Mexico. In 1917, he participated in a special diplomatic mission to Russia headed by Senator Elihu Root. Mott was co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946. During his career, he was officially honored by the governments of the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Poland, Greece, Jerusalem, Siam, Sweden, China, Czechoslovakia, Norway, Hungary, Estonia, Portugal, and Finland. Mott died in Orlando, Florida on January 31, 1955.
The papers contain extensive documentation of Latourette's personal life, scholarly activities, and involvement in various organizations. Latourette was a professor of missions and Oriental history at Yale University. He held leadership positions in the American Baptist Convention and Foreign Mission Society, American Historical Association, Far Eastern Association, International Committee of Y.M.C.A.'s, Japan International Christian University Foundation, United Board for Christian Colleges in China, World Council of Churches, and Yale-China Association.
The collection relates to the personal and professional life of Lyman Hoover. There is valuable documentation of the work of the YMCA in China from 1930 until the Communist takeover in 1950, including observations of Chinese social and political conditions. Lyman Hoover was a missionary in China under the auspices of the YMCA (1930-1949) and a consultant and representative of the Asia Foundation (formerly known as Committee for a Free Asia) in New York and Taiwan.
The papers document Morris's long professional career as head librarian of the Yale Divinity School Library and prominent leader in the field of theological librarianship. Raymond Philip Morris (1904-1990) was head librarian of the Yale Divinity School Library from 1932 to 1972.
Material documents the development of the Christian missionary movement among students in the United States and Europe, 1886-1938. Family correspondence documents the missionary work of Wilder's parents in India, 1846-1875, as well as his work in India, 1893-1902. Robert Parmelee Wilder was born in India of missionary parents in 1863. He earned the A.B. and A.M. degrees from Princeton University (1886, 1888) and the B.D. degree from UnionTheological Seminary (1891). He was a founder of the Student Volunteer Movement (1886), missionary in India (1893-1902), traveling secretary for Student Christian Movements in Europe (1903-1916), secretary of Religious Work Department, YMCA (1916-1919), General Secretary of the Student Volunteer Movement (1919-1927) and Executive Secretary of the Near East Christian Council (1927-1933). He died on March 27, 1938.
The papers document the activities of the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions and provide valuable information on various aspects of American religious life during the period 1886-1964. Religious conditions on American college and university campuses are documented. Vast files of student volunteer application, information and health examination blanks provide personal data on thousands of prospective missionaries which is of potential interest to genealogists, biographers and historians. The financial records and correspondence provide documentation related to philanthropic support of religious causes in America. The Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions was an organization that sought to recruit college and university students in the United States for missionary service abroad. It also publicized and encouraged the missionary enterprise in general.
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