Guide to the Baltic and Russian Methodism Collection
Prepared by Roger Clayton, Student Assistant and Mark C. Shenise, Associate
Archivist
United Methodist Archives and History Center
General
Commission on Archives and History, Madison, New Jersey
1/13/2009
Overview of Records
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| Record Creator: |
Kimbrough, S T, collector |
| Title: |
Baltic and Russian Methodism Collection |
| Dates: |
1887-
2008
|
| Abstract: |
Material collected and photocopied by S T
Kimbrough relating to the history of Methodism in the Baltic region and Russia. This includes
sveral books and newspapers. It also includes the papers of Bishop Nuelsen.
|
| Extent: |
6.3 cubic feet |
| Resource ID: |
gcah.ms.4831 |
History Note
The Methodist Episcopal
Church first entered Russia during the late 19th century. By 1874, a few Finnish men, who were
members of the Swedish Annual Conference, felt that the church needed to have a presence in both
Finland and Russia. It took ten years for Finland to get their first appointed pastor. Russian
Methodism had to wait another five years before any formal activity could be realized. Bishop Charles
H. Fowler with Helsinki minister, B. A Carlson, rented a house on Vasili Ostroff in St. Petersburg
to start the new mission. By November of that same year, the first Methodist congregation was
organized with seven members. All of the workers at that time came from Finland, including Sister
Anna Eklund, who aided George A. Simons as the officially appointed missionary to the St.
Petersburg work. By 1911, there were nineteen appointments to be filled in western Russia. Two
additional congregations were set up in Siberia as well.
During the First World War and
Russian Revolution, Methodist Episcopal charges had only six pastors. Simons left the field in
October 1918 to which Sister Eklund stepped in and filled the resultant leadership vacuum. Later
bishops John Nuelsen and Raymond Wade visited the work on a haphazard basis until 1939. Once the
Second World War really began taking its toll on the Soviet population, the Methodist Church faded
into obscurity. A small Methodist remnant survived and was later reinvigorated in 1989 with the
General Board of Global Ministries Russian Initiative.
Southern Methodism Mission to Russia
was divided between Harbin, Manchuria, Nikolsk, Siberia, in the east along with Klarysew, Poland,
in the west and whose work primarily focused on the White Russians. The Harbin work was an
outgrowth of the established mission work in Korea. When native Korean Southern Methodists
migrated north to flee from Japanese occupation, they tended to settle in the Harbin area where
many Russians lived as well. The mission was officially established in 1921 under the leadership
of Bishop Walter Lambuth. At that time he sent W.G. Cram, J. S. Ryang and Chung Chai Duk to
Manchuria as full time missionaries. Under their leadership the work flourished to a point that
in 1924 more than one thousand persons were members of the church with an additional five thousand
in regular attendance.
By 1927, Soviet officials barred the presiding bishop from visiting
the area to give episcopal oversight. All of the workers were now from Korea who focused their
efforts on Korean speaking congregations. The work in Siberia took off after Bishop Boaz sent
George Erwin to Vladivostok in 1921. Erwin later transferred to Harbin because of the same Soviet
pressure that faced the Manchurian mission. Here he ministered among the ethnic Russians with
great success until 1927 when it was dismantled. Korean congregations continued to struggle for
another ten years.
Polish work began as an extension of the 1918-1919 Centenary Commission's
effort to give relief to war ravaged eastern Poland through preaching and social missionand money
for Methodist missions. The mission was technically started on June 5, 1919 when the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, voted it an official mission work. Relief became the primary
objective of the mission due to deprivation from World War 1. Unlike its filial work in the east,
the Polish work survived and continues to this day.
Scope Note
The largest element of the
collection consists of Methodist newspapers from Estonia, Latvia and Russia. The time span for
these periodicals range from 1909 to 1940. Here the researcher will find a written record of the
church's main activities in these specific geographic areas. Many of the periodicals are not in
English but their native tongues. There are, however, some English language documents with the
most important being the index for the Russian Christian Advocate. General administration records
are the next section within the collection. Various minutes make up the bulk of these records.
Other documents include histories of the areas, one local church set of records, an Estonian Book
of Discipline (1927), and other ephemera. One of the unique aspects of this collection is Bishop
Nuelsen's records while serving as bishop for the Baltic-Russia area. These records were
separated out from the general administrative records in order to highlight Nuelsen's work for
these annual conferences during the turbulent times they both found themselves in. Most of the
documents found here are photocopies. The orginal records can be found at various institutions in
the Russian-Baltic region.
Arrangement
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
Series: Publications
Series: Administration
Series: Bishop John Nuelsen
Preferred Citation
When citing material
from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file
folder, Baltic and Russian Methodism Collection, United Methodist Church Archives - GCAH,
Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the item's call number as that is not a stable
descriptor.
Access Restrictions
There are no
restrictions regarding this collection.
Restrictions on Use
Detailed use
restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the
General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be
limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a
formal request for permission to publish is expected and required.
Related Material
Administrative
Files Series of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church
Administrative files of United
Methodist Communications
Nuelsen Family Papers
Mission Biographical Reference
Files
Records of the World Division of the General Board of Global
Ministries
Missionary correspondence of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Records of the Mission Education and Cultivation Program Department of the General
Board of Global Ministries
Missionary files series of the Board of Missions of the Methodist
Church
Bishop William Burt Collection
Mission Geographical Reference
Files
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Subject Terms
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|
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Additonal Creators - Personal |
|
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Nuelsen,
John Louis.
|
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Additional Creators - Corporate |
|
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Methodist Church (U.S.).
|
|
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Methodist Episcopal Church, South
|
|
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Methodist Episcopal Church |
|
Subject Topics |
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Church history |
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Church work |
|
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Churches, Methodist |
|
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Episcopacy |
|
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Missions |
|
Subject Geographic |
|
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Estonia |
|
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Finland |
|
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Latvia |
|
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Russia |
|
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Yugoslavia |
|
Genre |
|
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Newspapers
|
|
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Pamphlets.
|
|
|
Publications
|
|
|
Minutes |
Series: Publications
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1597-6-1:
1
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - 1923 |
1923 |
| 1597-6-1:
2
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - 1923 continued |
1923 |
| 1597-6-1:
3
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - 1923 continued |
1923 |
| 1597-6-1:
4
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - 1924 |
1924 |
| 1597-6-1:
5
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - 1924 continued |
1924 |
| 1597-6-1:
6
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - 1924 continued |
1924 |
| 1597-6-2:
1
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - 1925 |
1925 |
| 1597-6-2:
2
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - 1925 continued |
1925 |
| 1597-6-2:
3
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aizstavis) - Estonia - 1940 |
1940 |
| 1597-6-2:
4
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aizstavis) - Estonia - 1940 continued |
1940 |
| 1597-6-2:
5
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1925 |
1925 |
| 1597-6-2:
6
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1925 continued |
1925 |
| 1597-6-3:
1
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1926 |
1926 |
| 1597-6-3:
2
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1926 continued |
1926 |
| 1597-6-3:
3
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1927 |
1927 |
| 1597-6-3:
4
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1927 continued |
1927 |
| 1597-6-3:
5
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1928 |
1928 |
| 1597-6-3:
6
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1928 continued |
1928 |
| 1597-6-3:
7
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1928 continued |
1928 |
| 1597-6-4:
1
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1931 |
1931 |
| 1597-6-4:
2
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1931 continued |
1931 |
| 1597-6-4:
3
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1931 continued |
1931 |
| 1597-6-4:
4
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1932 |
1932 |
| 1597-6-4:
5
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1934 |
1934 |
| 1597-6-4:
6
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1934 continued |
1934 |
| 1597-6-5:
1
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kiristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1934 continued |
1934 |
| 1597-6-5:
2
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1922 |
1922 |
| 1597-6-5:
3
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1922 continued |
1922 |
| 1597-6-5:
4
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1923 |
1923 |
| 1597-6-5:
5
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1923continued |
1923 |
| 1597-6-5:
6
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1924 |
1924 |
| 1597-6-6:
1
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1924 continued |
1924 |
| 1597-6-6:
2
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1929 |
1929 |
| 1597-6-6:
3
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1929 continued |
1929 |
| 1597-6-6:
4
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1929 continued |
1929 |
| 1597-6-6:
5
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1930 |
1930 |
| 1597-6-6:
6
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1930 continued |
1930 |
| 1597-6-6:
7
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1930 continued |
1930 |
| 1597-6-7:
1
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1933 |
1933 |
| 1597-6-7:
2
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1933 continued |
1933 |
| 1597-6-7:
3
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1935 |
1935 |
| 1597-6-7:
4
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1935 continued |
1935 |
| 1597-6-7:
5
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1935 continued |
1935 |
| 1597-6-7:
6
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1936 |
1936 |
| 1597-6-8:
1
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1936 continued |
1936 |
| 1597-6-8:
2
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1936 continued |
1936 |
| 1597-6-8:
3
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1938 |
1938 |
| 1597-6-8:
4
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1938 continued |
1938 |
| 1597-6-8:
5
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1938 continued |
1938 |
| 1597-6-8:
6
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1939 |
1939 |
| 1597-6-8:
7
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1939 continued |
1939 |
| 1597-7-1:
1
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1939 continued |
1939 |
| 1597-7-1:
2
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1909 |
1909 |
| 1597-7-1:
3
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1909 continued |
1910 |
| 1597-7-1:
4
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1910 |
1910 |
| 1597-7-1:
5
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1910 continued |
1910 |
| 1597-7-1:
6
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1911 |
1911 |
| 1597-7-1:
7
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1912 |
1912 |
| 1597-7-1:
8
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1913 |
1913 |
| 1597-7-2:
1
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1914 |
1914 |
| 1597-7-2:
2
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1915 |
1915 |
| 1597-7-2:
3
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1915 continued |
1915 |
| 1597-7-2:
4
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1916 |
1916 |
| 1597-7-2:
5
|
The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1917 |
1917 |
| 1597-7-2:
6
|
The Missionary Voice - 1921 |
1921 |
| 1597-7-2:
7
|
Methodism in Europe - 1912 |
1912 |
| 1597-7-2:
8
|
Methodist quarterly magazine - Russia - 1927 |
1927 |
Series: Administration
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1597-7-3:
1
|
History of Methodism volume 1 - beginning to 1791 - Russia |
1887 |
| 1597-7-3:
2
|
History of Methodism volume 2 - 1791 to 1887 - Russia |
1887 |
| 1597-7-3:
3
|
Baltic and Slavic Bulletin of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia - 1925 to 1927 |
1925-1927 |
| 1597-7-3:
4
|
Minutes of the Finland and St. Petersburg Mission Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church - 1908 |
1908 |
| 1597-7-3:
5
|
Minutes of the third annual meeting of the Siberia-Manchuria Mission (Russian Department) of The Methodist Episcopal Church,
South
|
1924 |
| 1597-7-3:
6
|
Minutes of the fourth annual meeting of the Siberia-Manchuria Mission (Russian Department) of The Methodist Episcopal Church,
South
|
1925 |
| 1597-7-6:
2
|
Methodist Church in Kybartai - administrative documents - small copy |
1908 |
| 1597-7-6:
1
|
Methodist Church in Kybartai - administrative documents - large copy |
1908 |
| 1597-7-6:
3
|
Lithuania Church Records Protocol Birzai |
1923 |
| 1597-7-6:
4
|
Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - small copy -1930 |
1930 |
| 1597-7-6:
5
|
Christian Advocate Publishing record from 1910 - incomplete |
1910 |
| 1597-7-6:
6
|
The Romance of a Tract and Its Sequel - The story of an American Pioneer in Russia and the Baltic States |
1928 |
| 1597-7-6:
7
|
George Simons Pamphlet with English Translation |
Undated |
| 1597-7-6:
8
|
Estonian - First Discipline |
1927 |
| 1597-7-6:
10
|
Letter from Bishop Hartzell about appropriations to theAfrica Diamond Jubilee Commission of The Methodist Episcopal Church |
1909 |
| 1597-7-6:
11
|
George Simons - Reports of the Superintendent |
1910-1911 |
Series: Bishop John Nuelsen
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1597-7-3:
7
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Austria - 1919-1938 |
1919-1938 |
| 1597-7-3:
8
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Austria - 1919-1938 continued |
1919-1938 |
| 1597-7-3:
9
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Austria Hungary - 1912-1924 |
1912-1924 |
| 1597-7-3:
10
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Austria Hungary - 1912-1924 continued |
1912-1924 |
| 1597-7-4:
1
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Austria Hungary - 1912-1924 continued |
1912-1924 |
| 1597-7-4:
2
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Hungary - 1925-1929 |
1925-1929 |
| 1597-7-4:
3
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Hungary - 1925-1929 continued |
1925-1929 |
| 1597-7-4:
4
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Hungary - 1930-1940 |
1930-1940 |
| 1597-7-4:
5
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Hungary - 1930-1940 continued |
1930-1940 |
| 1597-7-4:
6
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Hungary - 1930-1940 continued |
1930-1940 |
| 1597-7-5:
1
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1919-1928 |
1919-1928 |
| 1597-7-5:
2
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1919-1928 continued |
1919-1928 |
| 1597-7-5:
3
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1919-1928 continued |
1919-1928 |
| 1597-7-5:
4
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1929-1940 |
1929-1940 |
| 1597-7-5:
5
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1929-1940 continued |
1929-1940 |
| 1597-7-5:
6
|
Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1929-1940 continued |
1929-1940 |
| 1597-7-6:
9
|
Bishop John Nuelsen - General |
Undated |
