Reformed Church. Board of Foreign Missions. Japan Mission.

Collection

Identifier: Ref. RG 2017.004

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collections contains minutes, reports, legal documents, financial records, correspondence, published histories, newsletters, schools, photographs, artifacts, and scrapbooks relating to the Japan Mission of the Reformed Church in the United States.

Dates

Creation: Majority of material found within 1896 - 1965

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Biographical / Historical

Members of the Foreign Board of the Reformed Church met on July 6, 1876, in Philadelphia and “resolved that a suitable man should at once be secured and sent to Japan and for the time being be in connection with the Board of the Reformed Church in America.” Rev. Ambrose D. Gring (1845-1935) was chosen by the Executive Committee and on October 25, 1878, Mr. Gring was ordained. Rev. Ambrose D. Gring and his wife Harriet (née McLean) (1853-1914), sailed from San Francisco, CA, in May, 1879, and reached Yokohama the following month. Rev. and Mrs. Gring remained in Japan until May 1887 and he formally resigned from foreign mission work on May 1, 1889.

Extent

1 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Japanese

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The bulk of the materials in this record group were donated in January 1962 when more than seven tons of material arrived from the Schaff Building, located at 1505 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA, from the E&R Board of International Missions, the Office of the President, and the Office of the Secretary. The Board of International Missions' materials included thirty-four steel, vertical files filled with primary source materials, reflecting the activities of all the Church's missionaries and mission fields from the beginning to present, and nine bookcases housing about 1,000 volumes on missions.