World Alliance for International Friendship through the Churches Collected Records

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.