Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary
Committee on Cooperation in Latin America (CCLA) and Congress on Christian Work in Latin America (CCWLA) records
Congress on Christian Work in Latin America (1916 : Panama, Panama)
5950860
English
.
6 linear feet
6 linear feet; 13 boxes
1914 -- 1956
The Committee on Cooperation in Latin America began in 1913 as a result of the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference of 1910. The Committee held the Congress on missionary work in Latin America in Panama in 1916. Records include newspaper articles, questionnaires, field reports and final reports of the eight commissions, correspondence, and minutes.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Onsite storage.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
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 two series: Series 1: Committee on Cooperation in Latin America; and Series 2: Congress on Christian Work in Latin America.
Biographical / Historical
The Committee on Cooperation in Latin America (CCLA) began in 1913, an unanticipated outcome of World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh, 1910. The CCLA represented the missionary agencies at work in the West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America. It later became a Division of the Foreign Missions of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States. The CCLA organized and held the Congress on Christian Work in Latin America (CCWLA) first in 1916. Bulletins from this collection indicate that the Congress was called in response to the Edinburgh Conference's lack of discussion on Latin American issues. From 1910-1916, Rev. W.F. Oldham was chairman of the committees whose purpose was to determine topics for discussion and create corresponding commissions. The CCWLA was intentionally modeled on the Edinburgh Conference of 1910 and was held in Panama City from February 10-20, 1916. In correspondence it is referred to as the "Panama Conference." The attendees included officers and members of mission boards, missionaries, Latin American church leaders, Christian laypersons from North American and Europe, along with businessmen from Latin America in sympathy with the missionary's efforts. Each of the eight commissions' reports were presented and discussed during the daily sessions, while the night and Sunday sessions consisted of inspirational speeches and devotional services. Each commission's final report reflects a weighty collection of information from missionaries in Latin America. The eight commissions created separate questionnaires and sent these to correspondent missionaries in Latin America. The missionaries' responses were reviewed and incorporated into the final report of each commission. In order to implement the resolutions of the CCWLA, sectional conferences were later held in Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, and Mexico from March to April of 1916. These conferences were to serve two purposes. First, they allowed for a local discussion of the issues raised by the commissions' final reports. Secondly, they served to bring the resolutions of the conference into the mission churches operating at the local level.
Burke Library record group:
Missionary Research Library Archives: MRL9, Latin America
Preferred Citation
Item description, MRL 9: Committee on Cooperation in Latin America and Congress on Christian Work in Latin America Records, 1914-1956, series
#, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.
Processing Information
When the Burke Library acquired the Congress' papers, an attempt was made to maintain the original order imposed on the contents. Folded materials were flattened. Newspaper clippings were photocopied onto acid free paper. Staples, rubber bands, and metal clips were removed and replaced with plastic clips. All materials were placed in acid-free folders and boxes. The information relating to two former partial numbering sequences of folders is retained in this finding aid and these numbers, where available, are to be found at the end of each folder
description, in the form [14 / A. 920] or [A. 942]. In 2014, the collection was updated as part of the Henry Luce Foundation grant. It was also during this time that additions from a group of unprocessed and unorganized material were integrated. The original materials are now included in series 2: Congress on Christian Work in Latin America, along with a few additions. Series 1: Committee on Cooperation in Latin America is newly available and integrated into the collection. The finding aid was created by Miguel Escobar in 2006; reviewed and updated by Brigette C. Kamsler in 2014 with the support of the Henry Luce Foundation, and edited by Leah Edelman in 2024.
Related Materials
MRL 12: World Missionary Conference Records, 1883-2010, series #, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains information on the planning of the CCLA, correspondence, conferences, and other information relevant to the organization, setting the preliminary stages for the Congress on Christian Work in Latin America, as well as showing the continued work of the organization after 1916. This collection also contains reports, correspondence, minutes, publications, and other related administrative records of the congress, with the majority of the material being the commissions' questionnaires along with the reports received from Protestant missionaries in Latin America and final reports of the Commissions.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Congress on Christian Work in Latin America (1916 : Panama, Panama) -- : Archives
Series 1: Committee on Cooperation in Latin America (CCLA)1 linear feet1 linear foot; 2 boxes1915 -- 1956Conditions Governing AccessThis series is open for research.
ArrangementThis series is unarranged.
Scope and ContentsThis series contains information on the planning of the CCLA, correspondence, conferences and other information relevant to the organization. It sets the preliminary stages for the Congress on Christian Work in Latin America, as well as shows the continued work of the organization after 1916.
Surveys of Churches and Missions; Surveys and Programscirca 1918 -- 192011-3Conference on Cooperation in Venezuela192314Conference in the Caribbeancirca 1920 -- 192915Reports and Educational Bulletincirca 1920 -- 192916-7Research for Commissions: Indians, Education1915 -- 191618Proceedings of the Conference on an Adequate Five-Year Program for Latin American Missions192019-10Correspondence, Harry Wade Hicks1915111Correspondence, Samuel G. Inman1928112Mission Board Reports issued by CCLA1923 -- 1931113Conference of the Evangelical Association of Puerto Rico with Mission Board Representatives, Santurce, Puerto Rico1935114Newspaper Clippings1928115Reports and Correspondence1924 -- 192821Minutes and Reports1927 -- 194022-3Correspondence1928 -- 193824Bulletins and Bibliographies1928 -- 193025Education and Cooperation in Peru1927 -- 193226Committee on Cooperation in Brazil1927 -- 19302741st Annual Meeting, Reports195628Articlescirca 1920 -- 193929-10Series 2: Congress on Christian Work in Latin America (CCWLA)5 linear feet5 linear feet; 11 boxescirca 1914 -- 1916Conditions Governing AccessThis series is open for research.
ArrangementThis series is arranged numerically by commission number.
Scope and ContentsThis series contains reports, correspondence, publications, and other related administrative records of the congress, with the majority of the material being the commissions' questionnaires along with the reports received from Protestant missionaries in Latin America and final reports of the Commissions. This series also includes minutes from the congress, newspaper articles reflecting on the significance of the congress, along with some materials from the later sectional conferences. The themed commissions are: Commission I. Survey and Occupation: This entailed a survey of Latin America's physical, industrial, moral, social and religious conditions. It also gives a broad description of the occupation of Protestant missions in Latin America; Commission II. Message and Method: This examined problems facing missionaries in their presentation of the gospel in Latin America. It especially focuses on Protestant missionaries' potential contributions to Latin America's Roman Catholic and indigenous faith practicing populations; Commission III. Education: This evaluated the potential of mission schools as opposed to state and Roman Catholic institutions. Special focus is paid to religious education through Sunday schools, along with the potential for higher theological education: Commission IV. Literature: This analyzed the influence of evangelical literature in Latin America with the goal of expanding its circulation; Commission V. Women's Work: This tells of the position and influence of women in Latin America. It determines methods for helping Latin America in those social problems affecting the life and work of women; Commission VI. The Church in the Field: This analyzed the organization of Latin American mission churches. Attention is paid to membership, forms of financial support, the development of leaders, the spiritual life of these congregations, and the mission church's relationship to each country's respectivegovernments; Commission VII. The Home Base: This promoted interest and financial support for Latin America in the U.S. home base. Concerns about publicity, educational materials, and the promotion of mission work among U.S. Christian students are addressed; Commission VIII. Co-operation and Union: This studied the cooperation among Protestant denominations' missionaries in the areas of literature, education, and occupation of the territory. The problem of Christian union is addressed while hope is expressed for continuing cooperation as modeled by the congress.
Clippings, articles, and photocopies19163Commissions I-VIII: Lists of Members and Correspondents [1]circa 1914 -- 191641Regional Conferences: Peru, Argentina, Cuba, Chile, Brazilcirca 1914 -- 191642Attitude of North American Church to Missions in Latin Americacirca 1914 -- 191643Commission Resolutions and Related Materialscirca 1914 -- 191644Preparatory Studies and Materials1915 -- 191645Material of Different Commissionscirca 1914 -- 191646Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Waldensians in Latin America [3]circa 1914 -- 191647Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on General and Special Subjects [4 / A. 910]circa 1914 -- 191648Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Questions for Corresponding Members [5 / A. 911]circa 1914 -- 191649Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Argentina [6 / A. 912]circa 1914 -- 1916410Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Bolivia [7 / A. 913]circa 1914 -- 1916411Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Brazil [8 / A. 914]circa 1914 -- 1916412Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Brazil II [9 / A. 915]circa 1914 -- 1916413Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Chile I [10 / A. 916]circa 1914 -- 191651Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Colombia [12 / A. 918]circa 1914 -- 191652Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Cuba [13 / A. 919]circa 1914 -- 191653Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Answer of Dr. Nogueira, Paraguanacirca 1914 -- 191654Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Newspaper Articles on Congress1915 -- 191655Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Daily Bulletins of Congress, Feb 10-20, 1916. [A. 942]191656Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Bulletins on missionary congress [A. 943]circa 1914 -- 191657Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Ecuador [14 / A. 920]circa 1914 -- 191658Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Guatemala [15 / A. 921]circa 1914 -- 191659Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Haiti [16 / A. 922]circa 1914 -- 1916510Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Mexico I [17 / A. 923]circa 1914 -- 1916511Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Mexico II [17 / A. 924]circa 1914 -- 1916512Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Peru [18 / A. 925]circa 1914 -- 1916513Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Porto Rico [19 / A. 926]circa 1914 -- 1916514Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Santo Domingo [20 / A. 927]circa 1914 -- 1916515Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Surinam [21 / A. 928]circa 1914 -- 1916516Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Uruguay [22 / A. 929]circa 1914 -- 1916517Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Reports on Venezuela [23 / A. 930]circa 1914 -- 1916518Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Lists of Members and Excerpts1916519Commission I. Survey and Occupation: Final Report Proof Copy1916520Commission II. Message and Method: Questionnaire and Analysis of Replies [1 / A. 931]circa 1914 -- 191661Commission II. Message and Method: Preparatory Studies and Reports [2 / A. 932]circa 1914 -- 191662Commission II. Message and Method: Preparatory Correspondence191563Commission II. Message and Method: Message and Method of Final Reportcirca 1914 -- 191664Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Argentina [3 / A. 933]circa 1914 -- 191665Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Brazil [4 / A. 934]circa 1914 -- 191666Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Chile I [5 / A.934-936]circa 1914 -- 191667-9Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Colombia [8 / A. 937]circa 1914 -- 1916610Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Cuba [9 / A. 938]circa 1914 -- 1916611Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Guatemala [10 / A. 939]circa 1914 -- 1916612Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Mexico [11 / A. 940]circa 1914 -- 1916613Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Mexico [12 / A. 941]circa 1914 -- 1916614Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Panama [13 / A. 827]circa 1914 -- 191671Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Peru [14 / A. 828]circa 1914 -- 191672Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Puerto Rico [15 / A. 829]circa 1914 -- 191673Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Uruguay [16 / A. 830]circa 1914 -- 191674Commission II. Message and Method: Reports on Venezuela [17 / A. 831]circa 1914 -- 191675Commission II. Message and Method: Reports from Various Countriescirca 1914 -- 191676Commission II. Message and Method: Reports from Outside Latin America [18 / A. 832]-[21 / A. 835]circa 1914 -- 191677-10Commission III. Education: Directories and Notes191681Commission III. Education: Reports from Various Countriescirca 1914 -- 191682-6Commission III. Education: Reports on Mexicocirca 1914 -- 191687Commission III. Education: Browning Reply to and Treatise on Questionnaire, Chilecirca 1914 -- 191688-9Commission III. Education: Notes, Reports and Correspondence, Inman and Browning1915 -- 1916810Commission III. Education: Final Report Proof Copy1916811Commission III. Education: General Information on Surveyed Schoolscirca 1914 -- 1916812Commission IV. Literature: Reports on Literature and General Materialscirca 1914 -- 19169Commission V. Women's Work: Reports from Various Countries and Final Report Proof Copycirca 1914 -- 191610Commission VI. The Church in the Field: Reports and General Materials on Commissions VI-VIIcirca 1914 -- 191611Commission VII. The Home Base: Final Reportcirca 1914 -- 1916121Commission VII. The Home Base: General Materialscirca 1914 -- 1916122Commission VII. The Home Base: Analysis of Replies to Questions [A. 948]circa 1914 -- 1916123Commission VII. The Home Base: Correspondence, Reports, Studies and Outlinescirca 1914 -- 1916124-11Commission VII. The Home Base: Provisional List of Memberscirca 1914 -- 19161212Commission VIII. Cooperation and Union: Final reportcirca 1914 -- 1916131Commission VIII. Cooperation and Union: Replies to Questionnaire [A. 949]circa 1914 -- 1916132-3Commission VIII. Cooperation and Union: First Draft of Final Report [A. 950]circa 1914 -- 1916134Commission VIII. Cooperation and Union: Minutes of Congress1916135-13