The Christian Mission Digital Collection

The Christian Mission Digital Collection is an online resource providing open access to periodicals and other documents produced by the Christian Mission (the predecessor organisation to The Salvation Army, active from 1865-1878). The core of the collection is a growing selection of digitised copies of the Christian Mission's two monthly magazines: the East London Evangelist (October 1868-December 1869) and the Christian Mission Magazine (January 1870-December 1878). The collection also includes copies of other records and literature produced by the Mission such as reports, leaflets, circuit plans, doctrines and rules, minutes, deeds and photographs.

The Christian Mission was an organisation established in the east end of London in 1865, which became the predecessor organisation to The Salvation Army. The Mission grew out of the East London Special Services Committee, a group of Christian businessmen who did evangelistic work in the east end of London. William Booth, a former Methodist turned independent evangelist, first had contact with this committee in June 1865, when he preached at a meeting organised by them at the Quaker Burial Ground in Whitechapel. Within a short time, Booth had been asked to give permanent leadership to their ministry. From early documents, the group seems to have been called the East London Christian Revival Union from about September 1865, before becoming the East London Christian Revival Society, some time before June 1866. From September 1867, it was known as the East London Christian Mission, but after the Mission opened its first stations outside East London in 1869, it was renamed The Christian Mission. Booth continued to lead what was a relatively democratic Mission as General Superintendent until a vote at the organisation's 1878 annual conference brought a change in the system of governance to a hierarchical, quasi-military structure. With this came a final change of name to The Salvation Army.

This is a description of an online resource . Online Resources are websites that describe, interpret and provide access to archives. They often provide access to digital content but they may also describe physical materials. They usually cover a theme or topic, such as an individual, a movement, or an important historical event.

Access this resource online: https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/about-us/international-heritage-centre/international-heritage-centre-resources/digital-collections/christian-mission

Records of the Christian Mission, predecessor organisation to The Salvation Army [GB 2133 CM]