John R. Mott papers, 1904 -- 1955

Creator:: Mott, John R. (John Raleigh), 1865-1955
Abstract:: Methodist layman, ecumenist and missionary leader instrumental in many organizations including Student Volunteer Movement, World's Student Christian Federation, the World Missionary Conference, International Missionary Council and World Council of Churches. Collection contains papers and materials documenting his various associations. The collection contains records relating to the World Missionary Conference held in Edinburgh, Scotland June 14-23, 1910, Continuation Committees, International Missionary Council, biographical information, notes, photographs,printed material, and correspondence.
Extent:: 4.5 linear feet (4.5 linear feet; 10 boxes)
Language:: English
Scope and content:: This collection contains general records relating to the World Missionary Conference held in Edinburgh, Scotland June 14-23, 1910 as well as specific records Mott gained while Chair of the World Missionary Conference; records from the Continuation Committee, including handwritten notes and records from sectional conferences; records from the International Missionary Council, including correspondence, conference materials and other reports; biographical information, notes, and photographs; printed material such as articles, newspaper clippings and pamphlets; and correspondence related to Mott's career with a variety of organizations.
Biographical / historical:: John Raleigh Mott was born May 25, 1865 to parents John and Elmira (Dodge) Mott in Livingston Manor, New York. The family soon moved to Postville, Iowa. John attended the Methodist institution Upper Iowa University, and then transferred to Cornell University as a sophomore. While at Cornell, Mott was president of the University Christian Association. After graduation in 1888, he travelled for one year as secretary with the Inter-Collegiate Young Men's Christian Association. Mott married Leila Ada White in 1891. Together they would have two sons and two daughters. He founded the Student Volunteer Movement in 1888 and would establish SVM chapters throughout the world. In 1895, Mott organized the World's Student Christian Federation. The YMCA, WSCF and SVM allowed Mott to travel the world. He was present at the founding of the Foreign Missions Conference of North America in 1893, and it was through this organization where he met J. H. Oldham. Mott and Oldham together would plan and lead the World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh in 1910. Mott was Chairman of the WMC and Commission 1, as well as head of the Continuation Committee. During World War One, Mott worked to help German missions and missionaries functional. President Woodrow Wilson appointed Mott in 1917 on the Root Mission to Russia and was able to extend the ecumenical network to the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1920, Mott stepped down as leader of the Student Volunteer Movement and the World's Student Christian Federation, although he continued to remain involved with both organizations. In 1921, Mott chaired the International Missionary Council, and in 1926 became president of the World's Alliance of YMCAs. John Mott received the Nobel Peace Prize with Emily Greene Balch in 1946 for his "earnest and undiscourageable effort to weave together all nations, all races and all religious communions in friendliness, in fellowship and in cooperation." He was named an honorary chair at the founding of the World Council of Churches in 1948. John Mott was awarded several honorary degrees and various decorations from governments throughout the world during his lifetime. He wrote more than a dozen books focusing on topics such as missions and ecumenism. John passed away in Orlando, Florida on January 31, 1955 at the age of eighty-nine.

Catalog record:

Local call number:

/repositories/5/resources/317

Processing information:

Some letters, minutes, reports, memoranda, and articles were cataloged by Lynn A. Grove on 1988-08-03. Metal clips and staples were removed from materials and folded items were flattened. Materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes. Acidic items were separated from one another by interleaving with acid-free paper as needed. An item-level folder listing was created in 1981. Order was imposed and the collection was fully processed by Brigette Kamsler in January 2012. The finding aid was created by Brigette C. Kamsler in 2012 with the support of the Henry Luce Foundation, and edited by Leah Edelman in 2026.

Acquisition information:

Formerly part of the independent Missionary Research Library (MRL), these records were accessioned by the Burke Library at the time of the MRL's closure in 1976.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged in six series: Series 1: World Missionary Conference; Series 2: Continuation Committees; Series 3: International Missionary Council; Series 4: Biographical Documentation; Series 5: Source Files; and Series 6: General Correspondence.

Related material:

The finding aid for the John R. Mott Papers, Record Group No. 45, Special Collections, Yale Divinity School Library can be found online here: http://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/divinity.045.

Also available at Yale is the collection of the Archives of the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions, Record Group No. 42, Special Collections, Yale Divinity School Library: http://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/divinity.042.

Mott's papers in relation to the YMCA can be found at the University of Minnesota as part of the Kautz Family YMCA Archives. http://discover.lib.umn.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=umfa;cc=umfa;q1=mott;rgn=main;view=text;didno=yusa0013.

The Burke Library holds many collections with which Mott was associated, including MRL12: International Missionary Council; MRL12: World Missionary Conference: Edinburgh, 1910; MRL12: Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions; MRL12: Foreign Missions Conference of North America; and in the William Adams Brown Ecumenical Archives: World Council of Churches. There is also a folder on Mott in MRL12: Missionary Biographical Records in Box 4 Folder 20.

Other information:

Missionary Research Library Archives: MRL12, Ecumenical/World Mission

Rules or conventions:

appm

Preferred citation:

Item description, MRL12: John R. Mott papers, series #, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Onsite storage.

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.

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

Burke Home Page
Before you visit:: Researchers must book an appointment at least 5 business days in advance to view special collections material in the reading room. To make the most of your visit, be sure to request your desired materials before booking your appointment, as researchers are limited to one item per hour of appointment time.

Contact:: burke@library.columbia.edu

Collection