American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions

Organized 1810; incorporated 1812; consists of members of National Council of Congregational Churches in the U.S., and 150 additional members elected by the board in biennial meetings; the foreign missionary arm of Congregational Christian Churches of the U.S.; headquartered in Boston, Mass.; also known as ABCFM.

From the description of Records, 1804-1964 (bulk 1900-1960). (American Congregational Association). WorldCat record id: 70927016

Organized 1810; incorporated in 1812.

From the description of Report, 1818. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70968928

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was organized in 1810 and served as the missionary arm of several major church denominations, particularly the Congregational, Presbyterian, and Dutch Reformed Churches. The Board operated missions in the Sandwich Islands and Oregon.

From the description of Records, 1821-1871. (Oregon Historical Society Research Library). WorldCat record id: 32811153

Society established in 1810 consisting of members of the National Council of Congregational Churches in the U.S. to preach Christianity.

From the description of Letters received, 1833. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122351617

From the guide to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions letters received, 1833, (L. Tom Perry Special Collections)

The CCSC was created in 1940 as an agency of the Congregational Christian Churches. It became a department of the ABCFM in 1949.

From the description of Congregational Christian Service Committee records, 1949-1960. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 612787458

Africa came later than other parts of the world into the work of the ABCFM, the "Zulu mission" in South Africa being the first to be established, in 1834. A mission in Gabon in west Africa was added in 1843, but was transferred to the Presbyterian Church in 1870. The "West Central Africa mission" in Angola and the East Africa mission (originally the "East Central Africa mission", a branch of the Zulu mission) in Rhodesia were organized in 1880.

From the description of African missions records , 1834-1960. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 79458299

The American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions was founded in 1810 to support foreign missionary efforts. The 61st annual meeting of the Board was held in Brooklyn, N.Y. in October of 1870.

From the guide to the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions annual meeting book, 1870, (Brooklyn Historical Society)

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was founded in 1810 and, by the end of the 19th century, its mission work had spread all over the world. Many of the ABCFM missionaries established the first United States contact with these countries. The missionaries provided medical service, education, agriculture and social services as a means of spreading the gospel. In the United States, the missionaries worked extensively with the American Indians. They spread an awareness of life in other countries in which they had worked. They initiated United States ties with China.

From the description of Papers of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, 1811-1919 (inclusive) [microform]. (Graduate Theological Union). WorldCat record id: 122646367

From the guide to the Papers of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, [microform], 1811-1919 (inclusive), (Yale University Divinity School Library)

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was organized in 1810 and was the first missionarty society in the United States. Headquartered in Boston, it served as the missionary arm of several major church denominations, particularly the Congregational, Presbyterian, and Dutch Reformed Churches. The Board operated missions in the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii) and Oregon, among other locales.

From the guide to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions records, 1821-1871, (Oregon Historical Society)

For a general note on the history of the Board and the importance of its archives, see the finding aid to the main collection. The Hawaiian Islands mission (originally the "Sandwich Islands Mission") was one of the earliest of the Board's enterprises, beginning in 1819. By 1850 the church in Hawaii was well established, and was reckoned to include a quarter of the islands' population. The Board handed over its business in Hawaii to the native Hawaiian Evangelical Association in 1863. The Micronesian Mission began in 1852 and was worked in cooperation between the Board and the Hawaiian Evangelical Association. Mission stations were established in the Caroline Islands (at Kusaie and Ponape), the Gilberts (at Apaiang) and Marshalls (at Ebon), and were served by ships belonging to the Board. The Philippines mission began in 1903 after the islands became a U. S. possession. By agreement with other missionary societies the Board was allocated the island of Mindanao.

From the description of Pacific Islands missions records, 1819-1960. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 79458305

For a general note on the history of the Board and the importance of its archives, see the finding aid to the main collection. Missions to American Indians began in 1817 with a mission station in Brainerd, Tennessee, to serve the Cherokees. Other tribes were added to the Board's deployment up to 1836, but the work met many obstacles, including the dispersal of tribes by the U.S. government, and the Civil War put an end to almost all mission activity.

From the description of North American Indian missions records, 1803-1883. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 79458302

Organized in 1810 to support overseas missionaries.

Its 61st annual meeting was held in Brooklyn in October 1870.

From the description of Attendees at 61st annual meeting, 1870. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155459199

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was founded in 1810, the first organized missionary society in the United States. By the time of its centenary in 1910, the Board was responsible for 102 mission stations and a missionary staff of 600 in India, Ceylon, West Central Africa (Angola), South Africa and Rhodesia, Asiatic and European Turkey, four different regions in China, Japan, Micronesia, and the "Papal lands" of Mexico, Spain and Austria. Missions to American Indians had come and gone; likewise a mission to Hawaii, where the church had achieved independence from the Board. The Philippines were added in 1903. The Board's archives have an importance transcending ecclesiastical or missionary concerns. In particular, the voluminous letters of the missionaries from the field (amounting to 1500 sheets per year already in 1838) are often fundamental sources for the history of the various places where the Board operated. The ABCFM began as an inter-denominational society, including Presbyterian and Reformed churches, besides its core of Congregationalists. After some secessions due to the slavery issue and the formation by the Presbyterian Church of its own foreign mission board, the ABCFM was left as a Congregationalist body after 1870.

Woman's Boards of Missions were organized in association with the ABCFM in 1868 to promote work with women in the mission field. These continued as separate organizations until 1936. The ABCFM incorporated the Foreign Department of the Christian Church following the merger with that denomination in 1930. In 1957, the Congregational Christian Churches merged with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to form the United Church of Christ (UCC). On 29 June 1961 the ABCFM was formally concluded, becoming part of the United Church Board for World Ministries (UCBWM), an instrumentality of the new denomination. On 1 July 2000, the UCBWM became Wider Church Ministries, one of the four covenanted ministries of the UCC.

From the description of Archives, 1810-1961. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 122505848

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was founded in 1810, the first organized missionary society in the United States. By the time of its centenary in 1910, the Board was responsible for 102 mission stations and a missionary staff of 600 in India, Ceylon, West Central Africa (Angola), South Africa and Rhodesia, Asiatic and European Turkey, four different regions in China, Japan, Micronesia, the Philippines, and the "Papal lands" of Mexico, Spain and Austria. Missions to American Indians had come and gone; likewise a mission to Hawaii, where the church had achieved independence from the Board.

The Board's archives have an importance transcending ecclesiastical or missionary concerns. In particular, the voluminous letters of the missionaries from the field (amounting to 1500 sheets per year already in 1838) are often fundamental sources for the history of the various places where the Board operated. The ABCFM began as an inter-denominational society, including Presbyterian and Reformed churches, besides its core of Congregationalists. After some secessions due to the slavery issue and the formation by the Presbyterian Church of its own foreign mission board, the ABCFM was left as a Congregationalist body after 1870.

Woman's Boards of Missions were organized in association with the ABCFM in 1868 to promote work with women in the mission field. These continued as separate organizations until 1936. The ABCFM incorporated the Foreign Department of the Christian Church following the merger with that denomination in 1930. In 1957, the Congregational Christian Churches merged with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to form the United Church of Christ (UCC). On 29 June 1961 the ABCFM was formally concluded, becoming part of the United Church Board for World Ministries (UCBWM), an instrumentality of the new denomination. On 1 July 2000, the UCBWM became Wider Church Ministries, one of the four covenanted ministries of the UCC.

From the guide to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions archives, 1810-1961., (Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University.)