Burke Library collection on Protestant women's missionary societies, 1849 -- 1933

Creator:

Young Ladies Missionary Society of Orono, Women's Foreign and Home Missionary Society, Women's Missionary Society, and Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

Abstract:

This artificial collection is composed of four minute books and a personal diary kept by women associated with early 20th century Protestant missionary societies across the United States.

Extent:

0.5 linear feet 0.5 linear feet; 1 box

Language:

English .

Scope and content:

This collection contains the minutes of the Young Ladies Missionary Society of Orono (Maine), as well as a small section of the personal diary of Hannah L.W. Penny, a member of the society and daughter of Deacon John Penny (1770-1846); a minute book of the Women's Foreign and Home Missionary Society of Fisk, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, recording its various social and missionary activities; a minute book of the Women's Foreign Missionary Society associated with the Hobart Memorial Methodist-Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, recording information about the membership of the society as well as meeting activities; and a minute book of the Women's Missionary Society of the First Baptist Church of Jamestown, New York, describing society activities and including detailed annual reports.

Biographical / historical:

The Young Ladies Missionary Society of Orono (Maine) was formed in 1849 by seven young women who met in the home of Deacon John Penny (1770-1846), after listening to remarks delivered by a Mr. Copland on "the wants of the heathen world." The object of the society was "to acquire missionary intelligence" and "to cultivate a deep and growing missionary spirit."

The Women's Foreign and Home Missionary Society of Fisk, Winnebago County, Wisconsin met at the homes of members, rather than at the local church, with activities including singing hymns, scriptural studies, and reading religious texts. The society emphasized worldwide church missionary work with some emphasis on China, and worked to disburse missionary periodicals.

The Women's Foreign Missionary Society associated with the Hobart Memorial Methodist-Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota held meetings at homes of members, with early meetings devoted to the organization of the society and recruitment of new members. Meetings consisted of scripture reading, hymn singing, and addresses made by women concerning the work of Protestant missionaries mostly in Asia and Africa. The society actively solicited and collected money for female missionaries in these countries.

The Women's Missionary Society of the First Baptist Church of Jamestown, New York was a very active society, sponsoring missionaries and their work in many countries, especially in Asia and in American Indian and African American communities in the United States. Activities included packing barrels of clothing to be sent to schools in the South, and sending supplies by ship for post-WWI relief in Europe, as well as to Baptist missions in the Philippine Islands, Puerto Rico, and Alaska. The society also sponsored a variety of social events in their homes as well as at the church in order to increase membership and amass funds for their projects. The society also worked in conjunction with other city religious and civic groups to promote common causes.

Acquisition information:: This collection was purchased and received in the spring of 2022, accession GEN-2022-007.
Processing information:: Materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes. The finding aid was created by Leah Edelman in 2022.
Arrangement:: This collection is arranged in one series in chronological order.
Other information:: General collections

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

The following boxes are located offsite: Box 1. Please note that requests for use of boxes held in offsite storage must be made three business days in advance.

Terms of access:

Some material in this collection may be protected by copyright and other rights. Information concerning copyright, fair use, and reproduction requests can be consulted at Columbia's Copyright Advisory Office.

Preferred citation:: Item description, Burke Library collection on Protestant women's missionary societies, 1849-1933, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.

Location of this collection:: Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

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Contact:: burke@library.columbia.edu

Collection