(Wesleyan) Methodist Missionary Society Archive

The collection records the work of the Methodist Missionary Society (from the Methodist Union of 1932), and the work of the different missionary societies prior to 1932 (including the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, Primitive Methodist Missionary Society and the missionary societies of the churches that formed the United Methodist Church). The main series for the (Wesleyan) Methodist Missionary Society includes material from the home organisation in London, which directed overseas missionary affairs, including committee minutes and papers, candidates' papers (1829-1869) finance papers (1817-1945) home (1803-1896) and outgoing correspondence (from 1816).

The main series for the (Wesleyan) Methodist Missionary Society includes material from the home organisation in London, which directed overseas missionary affairs, including committee minutes and papers, candidates' papers (1829-1869) finance papers (1817-1945) Home (1803-1896) and outgoing correspondence (from 1816). However, the bulk of the material comprises Synod minutes and correspondence sent to London from the overseas districts including Europe, North America, West Indies [Caribbean and Americas], West Africa, Central Africa, South Africa, Kenya, Ceylon [Sri Lanka], Southern India, Northern India, Burma [Mynamar], China & South East Asia, and Australasia/South Seas.

Papers of the Methodist Missionary Society form a continuous series with the papers of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society. They have been arranged with the 'Home' material first, followed by material coming into London from the overseas missionary districts. Overseas material has been divided in to the following geographical regions: North America, West Indies [Caribbean and Americas], Europe, West Africa, South Africa, Ceylon [Sri Lanka], Southern India, Northern India, Australasia/South Seas, China & South East Asia, Kenya, Burma [Mynamar] and Central Africa (principally Rhodesia). Material in each region is arranged by type of record (i.e. Synod minutes followed by correspondence, followed by photographs). Synod minutes have been arranged chronologically. Correspondence has been sub-divided by district and then usually arranged chronologically. Special series (including Biographical papers, Ships Papers and Notes and Transcripts) have been arranged at the end of this section.

Fully comprehensive collection of (Wesleyan) Methodist missionary Society archives on microfiche available from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London. SOAS also holds the Methodist Missionary Society Library, consisting of approximately 7,500 books and pamphlets. The Library includes annual reports, periodicals and lists of missionaries for the Methodist Missionary Society, and the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, Primitive Methodist Missionary Society, United Methodist Church and its member churches.

• Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society
• United Methodist Missionary Society
• Primitive Methodist Missionary Society
• Upon the Methodist Union of 1932, the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (WMMS) and the foreign missions of the United Methodist Church and the Primitive Methodist Church merged to form the Methodist Missionary Society (MMS). The formation of the United Methodist Church in 1907 had already brought together the foreign mission activities of the Methodist New Connexion, the Bible Christians and the United Methodist Free Churches. The MMS retained the general administrative structure of the WMMS, so the records of the WMMS and MMS form a continuous sequence.

The collection is only available for consultation on microfiche by special appointment. To arrange an appointment please email specialcollections@hope.ac.uk. Allow at least 24 hours notice. Please note that, in line with other archives and special collections, we require personal identification, and may, in some circumstances, ask you to provide references from your research supervisor or other suitable person or body. Please refer to the Access the Collections webpage for detailed information.

Upon the Methodist Union of 1932, the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (WMMS) and the foreign missions of the United Methodist Church and the Primitive Methodist Church merged to form the Methodist Missionary Society (MMS). The formation of the United Methodist Church in 1907 had already brought together the foreign mission activities of the Methodist New Connexion, the Bible Christians and the United Methodist Free Churches. The MMS retained the general administrative structure of the WMMS, so the records of the WMMS and MMS form a continuous sequence.

Wesleyan missions "among the heathen" began in 1786, when Thomas Coke, destined for Nova Scotia, was driven off course by a storm and landed at Antigua in the British West Indies. There he developed a successful mission of both slaves and landowners. Within a few years almost every British colony in the West Indies had been reached. Under Coke's instigation, a mission to West Africa was undertaken in 1811 and successfully established at Sierra Leone (the first scheme for the establishment of a mission to West Africa, devised by Coke in 1769, had proved a failure). In December 1813 Coke left England with six fellow Methodist missionaries to establish missions in Ceylon [Sri Lanka] (although Coke died on route) and subsequently elsewhere in the Indian sub-continent.

The Methodist Conference of 1804 established a 'Standing Committee of Finance and Advice' to act as an executive through which the Conference would control its foreign affairs, under the General Superintendence of Coke. Despite its name the WMMS was not a self-regulated 'Society', but rather the Methodist Church 'mobilised for foreign missionary service'. The Conference appointed a new Executive Committee, which in the intervals between the annual Conference was given superintendence of the collection and disbursement of funds from subscribing members and the management of foreign missions. The President of Conference acted as Chairman of the Committee, which included 48 members with equal numbers of ministers and laymen. It met monthly. The Committee included three Secretaries, ordained ministers whose job it was to receive correspondence from the field, and to draw up plans for the stationing of missionaries to be submitted to the Committee and ratified by Conference. By 1834 it was usual to have four Secretaries. In emergencies the Committee was empowered to fill vacancies and recall missionaries for disciplinary proceedings.

Abroad, the Conference and Executive Committee exercised control through the District Synod and District Chairman (General Superintendent). Missionaries from each District were required to meet in an annual Synod. Synod Minutes were sent home. By 1903 the functions of the Synod had been limited to the supervision of ministers and Circuits in the District, and 'Local Committees' had been established as the agents of the Executive Committee in the administration of funds. Local Committees comprised the missionaries of the district in addition to local 'gentlemen'. They met annually, received official letters of instruction from home and returned minutes of the meeting and letters reviewing the year's work. The District Chairman was responsible for the general welfare of the District and the progress of work in all Circuits. When the Local Committee was in session, its powers were paramount. In the intervals between its sessions, the District Chairman exercised these powers.

The first mission in Europe began in France in 1791. Subsequently, missions were established in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Sweden and Malta. Missionary work was also undertaken in the Channel Islands, Ireland, Gibraltar, Egypt and the Levant. The French Methodist Conference was established in 1852.

Missions in Canada were established in the 1780s in the Hudson Bay Territory, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward's Island and Newfoundland. The Canadian Methodist Missionary Society was established in 1824 and Canada gained its own independent Conference in 1854. After nearly a century of mission in the Caribbean and Americas the West Indies Conference (excluding the Bahamas and Honduras) was established in 1885 but, as a result of financial problems, it re-joined the British Conference in 1903.

Work in West Africa had begun in 1811 with Coke's mission to Sierra Leone. A second station was opened on the River Gambia in 1821, and on the Gold Coast [Ghana] in 1834. The first missionary to arrive in South Africa was John McKenny, followed by Barnabas Shaw who established a station at Namaqualand in 1816. The South African Conference was established in 1882, and assumed care of mission work in South Africa (with the exception of the Transvaal and Swaziland which did not join the South African Conference until 1932). The first Wesleyan Methodist missionary work in Rhodesia began in Mashonaland [Zimbabwe] in 1891, followed by Matabeleland [Zimbabwe] in 1895 and then Northern Rhodesia [Zambia] in 1913.

Work in Australia began in 1818 when Rev. Samuel Leigh arrived in Sydney to found a mission for convicts in New South Wales. Work began in Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania] in 1821, Victoria in 1838 and Queensland in 1850. The Australasian Methodist Missionary Society was organised as an auxiliary in 1822, and in 1855 as an independent society under an independent Conference. Missionaries were sent to New Zealand in 1822, a mission was established in the Friendly Islands [Tonga] in 1826 and in 1835, after some initial difficulties and false starts, in Fiji.

In China the first mission to be established was in Canton [Guangzhou] in 1851. In 1860 a new station was established at Fatshan [Foshan], and in 1862 a mission for Central China was established at Hankou [Wuhan], where the first medical missionary was appointed. By the early C20th missionary work had spread to, amongst other places, Wuchang [Wuhan], Hanyang [Wuhan], Suichou [Suizhou], Wusueh, Hunan and Changsha. In 1906 there were three districts: Hunan, Canton and Wuchang.

After the establishment in 1814 of missions on the island of Ceylon [Sri Lanka] the first Wesleyan Methodist mission in India was founded at Madras [Chennai] in 1817, albeit initially under the supervision of the Tamil District on Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. Further missions were founded in Southern India but missionary work did not reach Northern India until 1860. By 1903 work was underway in eight districts including Madras, Negapatam, Hyderabad, Mysore, Calcutta, Lucknow and Bombay. Methodists in the MMS districts of Southern India joined The Church of South India (a union of a number of Protestant churches) on its inception in 1947, but their brethren in Northern India did not create a similar union (The Church of North India) until 1970. A mission to Burma [Mynamar] began in 1887 in Mandalay.