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World Alliance for International Friendship through the Churches Collected Records
Notifications
Held at: Swarthmore College Peace Collection [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore 19081-1399
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
This group was originally named the World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship Through the Churches. It had an International Committee, with its executive office in New York, New York. By 1920 its name had changed to the World Alliance for International Friendship Through the Churches, though its old name was still used at times, especially when referring to the international alliance. Though for a time there were national councils in 30 countries, it was mostly the British Council and the American Council that were active. It's general secretary for many years was Henry Atkinson. Other persons connected with the group were Frederick Lynch, Sidney Gulick, William Merrill, Laura Puffer Morgan, and William I. Hull and Benjamin Battin (both professors at Swarthmore College). The Alliance was created in August 1914 at a conference in Constance, Germany, as an international organization that would work primarily to help Christian churches in its member countries influence their people and governments for peace. Its stated purpose was "to organize the religious forces of the world so that the weight of all churches and Christians can be brought to bear upon the relations of governments and peoples to the end that the spirit of peace and goodwill may prevail, and that there may be substituted arbitration for war in the settlement of international disputes; friendship in place of suspicion and hate; co-operation instead of ruinous competition; and a spirit of service and sacrifice rather than that of greed and gain in all transactions between the nations." In consequence the Alliance worked on such issues as disarmament, racial and religious minorities, the League of Nations, conscientious objection, refugees, peace education and arms control. It is unclear from this collection when the Alliance was disbanded, though it did continue publishing a newsletter, in conjunction with the Church Peace Union, until 1956.
This collection includes correspondence, program work material (1914-1946), by-laws, meeting minutes, material from the British and German Councils, and publications. Correspondents include Frederick Lynch, Sidney Gulick, William Merrill, Laura Puffer Morgan, William I. Hull, and Benjamin Battin.
Collection processed by SCPC staff; checklist created by Anne M. Yoder, Archivist, 1998
- "News Letter" (1927-1940; April 1936-December 1940 issues published jointly with the Church Peace Union
- "World Alliance News Letter" (January 1941-June 1956; all issues were published jointly with the Church Peace Union)
Periodicals from this collection are available in the Periodical Collection:
Organization
- World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship Through the Churches
- World Alliance of Churches for Promoting International Friendship
Subject
- Publisher
- Swarthmore College Peace Collection
- Access Restrictions
-
None.
- Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
- Use Restrictions
-
None.
Collection Inventory
History and goals.
Box 1
Correspondence, 1917-1939.
Box 1
Program work: Churches and International Friendship conference, Constance, Germany, 5341.
Box 1
Program work: Report by Dr. Benjamin Battin, International Organizer, 1914-1915.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1914-1915.
Box 1
Program work: First annual conference of the National Council, Garden City, New York, April 25-27, 1916.
Box 1
Program work: First national conference of the American Council, Garden City, New York, April 25-27, 1916.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1916.
Box 1
Program work: "Helps for Leaders of Discussion Groups" by Sidney Gulick [for discussion of Gulick's book A New Era in Human History], approximately 1917.
Box 1
Program work: "The Peace Negotiations of the Nations: Suggestions for Adequate Guarantees for Lasting Peace", 1917.
Box 1
Program work: Report by Dr. Benjamin Battin, International Organizer, presented at the annual meeting of the Church Peace Union, 1917 (December).
Box 1
Program work: Annual survey, American Branch, 1917.
Box 1
Program work: "A Challenge to the Churches of America", American Council, 1917?.
Box 1
Program work: Bylaws, 1917.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1917.
Box 1
Program work: Reports by George Nasmyth to the International Committee: "The Roman Catholic Church and the League of Nations" and "The World Alliance and International Reconstruction", 1919.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1919.
Box 1
Program work: "History, Work, Plans and Programs", American Council, approximately 1920?.
Box 1
Program work: "Principles and Methods of the American Branch...", 1920-1921.
Box 1
Program work: "America's Asiatic Problem and Its Solution", 1920-1921.
Box 1
Program work: Meeting minutes of the Committee on Reduction of Armaments, January 19, 1921?.
Box 1
Program work: Minutes of the joint meeting with the Church Peace Union, 7803.
Box 1
Program work: Congress on Reduction of Armaments, and the 6th annual meeting, American Council, Chicago, Illinois, May 17-19, 1921.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1920-1921.
Box 1
Program work: Planning and meeting minutes of the International Committee, Copenhagen, Denmark, August 7-10, 1922.
Box 1
Program work: Seventh annual meeting of the American Branch, Cleveland, Ohio, May 16-18, 1922.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1922.
Box 1
Program work: Congress on America and the Permanent Court of International Justice, and 8th annual meeting, American Council, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 13-15, 1923.
Box 1
Program work: Call for the observance of World Court Week and World Court Sunday by American Council, November 5-11, 1923.
Box 1
Program work: Message from the Management Committee of the National Councils of the World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship Through the Churches re: the present situation, 1923.
Box 1
Program work: Minutes of the joint meeting with the Church Peace Union, 8678.
Box 1
Program work: "Information and Advice for People Migrating to America", 1923?.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1923.
Box 1
Program work: Reports by Rev. Dr. Alexander Ramsay, Organizing Secretary for Europe, re: his visits to the National Councils, 1924.
Box 1
Program work: Congress on World Peace and 9th annual meeting, American Council, Buffalo, New York, November 11-13, 1924.
Box 1
Program work: Meeting minutes of Nexus Committee of the Church Peace Union, World Alliance, and Federal Council of Churches, January 28 and October 31, 1924.
Box 1
Program work: "Welcome and Christian Fellowship By the Churches to Migrating People: Program of International Co-Operation Among Churches for Christian Ministration", 1924.
Box 1
Program work: "What Pastors and Churches Can Do in the Crusade for a Warless World", 1924.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1924.
Box 1
Meeting minutes of the International Committee, Stockholm, Sweden, August 6-8, 1925.
Box 1
Congress on Peace and Security and 10th annual meeting, American Council, Detroit, Michigan, November 10-12, 1925.
Box 1
National Study Conference on the Churches and World Peace, Washington, D.C., December 1-3, 1925.
Box 1
Letter from French National Committee to the Archbishop of Upsala, 9170.
Box 1
Minutes of the joint meeting with the Church Peace Union, 9441.
Box 1
Meeting minutes of the Nexus Committee, March 23 and May 14, 1925.
Box 1
Meeting minutes of the Executive Committee, 9466.
Box 1
Program work: "Full Text of the Locarno Treaties", 1925.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1925.
Box 1
Program work: Meeting minutes and reports of various committees, etc., 1926.
Box 1
Program work: Report by Sir Willoughby Dickenson re: his visits to the National Councils, 1926.
Box 1
Program work: Speakers' Conference, Chicago, Illinois, June 10-11, 1926.
Box 1
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 11th annual meeting, American Council, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, November 10-12, 1926.
Box 1
Program work: "Military Training in American High Schools and Colleges: The Case for and Against" by William I. Hull, 1926.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1926.
Box 1
Program work, 1927.
Box 1
Program work: Meeting minutes and reports of various committees, etc., 1927.
Box 1
Program work: Report by Sir Willoughby Dickenson re: his visits to the National Councils, 1927.
Box 1
Program work: Report of the Committee on Interchange of Speakers and Preachers Between American and Great Britain, American Section, 1927.
Box 1
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 12th annual meeting, American Council, St. Louis, Missouri, November 9-11, 1927.
Box 1
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1927.
Box 1
Program work: Meeting minutes and reports of various committees, etc., 1928.
Box 2
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 13th annual meeting, American Council, New York, New York, November 11-13, 1928.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1928.
Box 2
Program work: "Bigger Guns or Better Homes?" by Hon. William E. Borah, 1929.
Box 2
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 14th annual meeting, American Council, Nashville, Tennessee, November 10-12, 1929.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1929.
Box 2
Program work: "An Hour of Destiny", 1930.
Box 2
Program work: "The London Naval Treaty", 1930.
Box 2
Program work: "Hints for the Study of 'The Fight for Peace'", approximately 1930?.
Box 2
Program work: "Alternatives to School O.T.C.'s" by E.B. Castle, 1930.
Box 2
Program work: "Condensed Outline of the History and Objectives of the Programme...", 1930.
Box 2
Program work: "Armament: Expressions from Some Leaders of Public Thought in the United States", 1930.
Box 2
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 15th annual meeting, American Council, Washington, D.C., November 10-12, 1930.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1930.
Box 2
Program work: "Disarmament", 1931.
Box 2
Program work: "Outline of the History and Objectives and Annual Reports of Its Executive Officers", 1931.
Box 2
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 16th annual meeting, American Council, Chicago, Illinois, November 10-12, 1931.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1931.
Box 2
Program work: "Outline of the History and Objectives and Annual Reports of Its Executive Officers", 1932.
Box 2
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 17th annual meeting, American Council, New York, New York, November 10-12, 1932.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1932.
Box 2
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 18th annual meeting, American Council, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 10-11, 1933.
Box 2
Program work: Report from Henry Louis Henriod of the problems facing German Christians (such as the Communist Revolution, the boycott against the Jews, the National Socialist Revolution, etc.), 1933.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1933.
Box 2
Program work: "Program Suggestions for World Peace", 1934.
Box 2
Program work: Meeting minutes of the Executive Committee, 12520.
Box 2
Program work: Nineteenth annual meeting, American Council, New York, New York, 12737.
Box 2
Program work: "Why Don't They Fight? Open Letter to Friends of International Goodwill" by Fred B. Smith, 1934.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1934.
Box 2
Program work: "History and Objectives, Program and Methods, Organizations and Comments", 1935.
Box 2
Program work: "Handbook" [International Office, Geneva], 1931 (September).
Box 2
Program work, 1935 (August).
Box 2
Program work: Twentieth annual meeting, American Council, New York, New York, 13099.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1935.
Box 2
Program work: Meeting minutes of the Management Committee, Chamby, Switzerland, France, August 15-18, 1936.
Box 2
Program work: Twenty-first annual meeting, American Council, Denver, Colorado, November 7-11, 1936.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1936.
Box 2
Program work: Annual report, 1936-1937.
Box 2
Program work: Meeting minutes of Executive Committee, 13611.
Box 2
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 22nd annual meeting, American Council, Boston, Massachusetts, November 7-11, 1937.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1937.
Box 2
Program work: Meeting minutes of the International Council, Larvik, Norway, August 23-27, 1938.
Box 2
Program work: Meeting minutes of Executive Committee, January 24 and March 14, 1938.
Box 2
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 23rd annual meeting, American Council, San Francisco, California, November 6-11, 1938.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1938.
Box 2
Program work: Annual report, 1938-1939.
Box 2
Program work: International Goodwill Congress and 24th annual meeting, American Council, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, November 10-13, 1939.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1939.
Box 2
Program work: "Why Increased Armament?", 1940-1941.
Box 2
Program work: "A Ten-Point Program for Peace", 1940-1941.
Box 2
Program work: "A Ten-Point Program for Peace and How to Use It", 1940-1941.
Box 2
Program work: "Religious Proposals for World Order: An Analysis of Thirty-Four Statements" by Liston Pope, 1940-1941.
Box 2
Program work: "To Build a Better World: International Problems for Religious Young People" by Richard M. Fagley, 1940-1941.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1940-1941.
Box 2
Program work: "The Churches, the War and the Peace" by Henry Atkinson, 1942.
Box 2
Program work: "The Christian Church and World Order", 1942.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, 1942.
Box 2
Program work: "Win the War...Win the Peace", approximately 1943.
Box 2
Program work: "The Study of Peace Aims in the Local Church" by Richard M. Fagley, 1943.
Box 2
Program work: "The Challenge: One World or None" by Raymond Fosdick, approximately 1945.
Box 2
Program work: "Inside the United Nations: A Discussion Guide on Religion", 1947.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, approximately 1943-1946.
Box 2
Program work: Miscellaneous, undated.
Box 2
British Council: "The Christian Attitude on the War and International Relationships after the War", 1915.
Box 2
British Council: "Fourth Annual Report of The Executive Committee", 1920 (December).
Box 2
British Council: Fifth annual report of the Executive Committee, 1921 (December).
Box 2
British Council: "Recruiting for Peace: the World Alliance and Youth" by Rev. J.C. Bacon, 1931.
Box 2
British Council: "The Peace Witness of the Church", approximately 1935.
Box 2
British Council: "Education for Peace in the Sunday School and Bible Class", German Council, undated.
Box 2
British Council: "An Appeal of the Churches for the International Examination of the Question of War Guilt" by Dr. Walter Simons.
Box 2
Handbooks, 1921, 1923, 1926, 1929, 1935, 1938.
Box 3
Leaflets for Laymen: #1 "Working for a Peaceful World" by Frederick Fagley.
Box 3
Leaflets for Laymen: #2 "Cooperating with Latin America" by Samuel Inman.
Box 3
Outlines for study courses: "Outlines of the New Internationalism: Four Weeks Study of World Constructive Statesmanship", approximately 1917.
Box 3
Outlines for study courses: "A New Era in Human History: Four Weeks Study in the Outlines of World Constructive Statesmanship", approximately 1917.
Box 3
Scope and Contents
includes revised version
Outlines for study courses: "A Governed World Through a League of Nations: An Emergency Three-Week Study Course" by Sidney Gulick.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #1 "New Factors in the Problem of American Internationalism" by William Merrill, circa1924?, approximately 1924.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #2 "Economics and World Peace" by Samuel Inman.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #3 "Varieties of Pacifism" by Charles Jefferson.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #4 "Mobilizing for Peace" by Wiliam Merrill.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #5 "America's International Experiment" by William I. Hull, 1927.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #6 "The Next Step" by Charles Jefferson.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #7 "The Paris Peace Pact" by Hon. Frank B. Kellogg, 1928.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #8 "Fighting Fire With Fire" by Major General John O'Ryan, 1930.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #9 "Social and International Conflicts in Latin America" by Samuel Inman, 1933.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #10 "Liberty and World Peace" by Hon. Bernard Deutsch, 1935.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #11 "The International Crisis International Peace Pamphlet Series: Religion's Responsibility" by Rev. Joseph Sizoo, 1935.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #13 "What is Religion Doing to Stop War?" by Major General John O'Ryan, 1936.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #14 "The Churches Can make the Armistice a Permanent Peace" by Rev. G. Ashton Oldham, 1936.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #15 "Imperialism, Armaments, War, and Our American Solution" by William I. Hull, 1937?.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #16 "Keep War Out of the World" by Rev. G. Ashton Oldham, 1938.
Box 3
International Peace Pamphlet Series: #17 "The Third Hague Conference: Reasons Why It Should Be Held" by William I. Hull, 1938.
Box 3
Manuals for peace makers' committees by Samuel Gulick, approximately 1916-1917.
Box 3