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Record Creator: | Methodist Episcopal Church Centenary Committee |
Title: | Guide to the Methodist Episcopal Church Centernary Celebration |
Date Span: | 1918-1919 |
Abstract: | The Centenary Celebration of American Methodist Missions was held in June and July of 1919. The twenty-four day missionary world’s fair attracted over one million visitors to the Ohio State Fairgrounds complex in Columbus. The exposition was a joint effort of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The collection contains a 1786 page transcription, a published book of surveys and a bound volume contaning reports and other official documents with images |
Extent: | 1.05 cubic feet |
Identification: | gcah.rg.gcah5734 |
dbtext | 5734 |
The Centenary Celebration of American Methodist Missions was held in June and July of 1919. The twenty-four day missionary world’s fair attracted over one million visitors to the Ohio State Fairgrounds complex in Columbus. The exposition was a joint effort of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Other Methodist-related denominations invited to participate included the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Colored Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Church of Canada. The purpose of the fair was to bring attention to the history and progress of Methodist missions in the United States and around the world. As a result, Methodist missionaries functioned as cultural and religious experts and converted Christians from overseas were brought to the fairgrounds. The missionaries and those missionized spoke of their experiences while participating in a series of exhibits meant to recreate the conditions in their home lands.
The records contain the transcripts of public addresses given by Methodist bishops, ministers and missionaries as well as U.S. public officials from the armed forces and the office of the President. Additional voices included representatives from the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, the National Woman’s Party and the Young Women’s Christian Association. Prominent speakers include I. Garland Penn, James Cannon, William Oldham, Charles A. Tindley, Anna Gordon, Clarence True Wilson, Robert E. Jones, Lena L. Fisher, and John R. Mott. Additional voices included William Howard Taft, Alice Paul, William Jennings Bryan, William B. McAdoo, Alvin York and Josephus Daniels.
The Official Reports and Records bound volume traces the history of the Centenary Exposition from its conception, planning and implementation. Here we see not only reports but also the various schedules for each day with its focused emphasis. Images document the many programs, grounds maps, specific representative groups and theatrical productions such as the Wayfarer pageant. Each descriptive entry is authored by different individuals.
The Centenary Surveys was published by the Joint Centenary Committee through the Board of Home Missions and Church Extension of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1918. There is extensive statistical information related to the various work by the board. Topics include mission work to various ethnicity groups and geographic areas along with associated maps, financial data and various other important numeric tabulations.
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
The collection is arranged by folder title.
When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Records of the 1919 Centenary Celebration, 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.
There are no restrictions on this collection.
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.
Elmer T. Clark Papers
Badley Family Collection
Eben Samuel Johnson Collection
Administrative Files Series of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church
Records of the Mission Education and Cultivation Program Department of the General Board of Global Ministries
Administrative files series of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church
James Harrison Olmstead Papers
Edmund Pepperell Easterbrook Papers
Call Number | Folder Title | Date(s) |
1079-5-1: 1 | Centenary Celebration Transcript Volume 1, Pages 1-297 | 1919 |
1079-5-1: 2 | Centenary Celebration Transcript Volume 2, Pages 298-616 | 1919 |
1079-5-1: 3 | Centenary Celebration Transcript Volume 3, Pages 617-917 | 1919 |
1079-5-2: 1 | Centenary Celebration Transcript Volume 4, Pages 918-1218 | 1919 |
1079-5-2: 2 | Centenary Celebration Transcript Volume 5, Pages 1219-1529 | 1919 |
1079-5-2: 3 | Centenary Celebration Transcript Volume 6, Pages 1530-1786 | 1919 |
1079-5-3: 1 | Methodist Centenary Celebration Official Reports and Records | 1919 |
1079-5-3: 2 | The Centenary Surveys | 1918 |