Collection 204 Records of South America Mission

Collection

Identifier: CN 204

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Legal documents, reports, linguistic materials, correspondence, publications, organizational documents of SAM, chiefly 1921-1955.Materials document the mission's beginning as the Inland South America Missionary Union. In-depth reports cover all aspects of mission activities including missionary life and descriptions of their encounters with and observations of Indian tribes, methods of evangelizing, use of linguistic materials relating to Indian languages, personnel policies, social and economic conditions, origins of communist influence, church and state relations, and the Roman Catholic-Protestant territorial and doctrinal conflicts. Also includes preparatory materials for translation of Mark's Gospel into the Guarjira language. Microfilm consists of different records although similar in form and subject content; also includes correspondence and minutes from the time period preceding mission's division into two groups, on the debate over techniques of missionary operation in 20th century, effects of the Depression on funding, and merger of Jungle Air with SAM.

Dates

Created: 1905-1981
Other: Majority of material found in 1921-1955

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Biographical or Historical Information

Mission agency; developed out of Joseph A. Davis's work in the Paraguayan Missions (founded 1914) which joined the Scottish mission, Inland-South America Missionary Union in 1919; a division reestablished the Scottish and U.S. factions of the mission, the American side retaining the mission name Inland South America Missionary Union, 1932; primary activity was to evangelize Indian tribes and mixed races, primarily in the interiors of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru; also included literature distribution and operation of Bible institutes, medical dispensaries and clinics, Gospel day schools, a camp for disabled children, and a school for missionaries' children; expanded ministry included outreach in urban centers; changed organizational name to South America Indian Mission (1940) and South Smerica Mission, Inc. (1970); added Jungle Air as an aviation component, 1976; headquarters located in West Palm Beach (1939) and Lake Worth, FL (1981).

Extent

3 Boxes

10 Reels of microfilm

1 Oversize File

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Accruals and Additions

The materials for this collection were received by the Billy Graham Center Archives from South America Mission, Inc., in February, 1982.

Accession #82-29

May 20, 1982

Frances L. Brocker

J. Nasgowitz

Retyped, March 7, 1989

J. Nasgowitz

D. Reifsnyder

Separated Materials

The following item has been transferred to the Evangelism & Missions Collection, Buswell Library:

Accession: 82-29

Type of Material: Pamphlet

"List of Publications of the Bureau of American Ethnology, with Index to Authors and Titles, rev. 1937" (Washington, D.C.; United States Government Printing Office, 1937)