The Colonial Missionary Society was formed in May 1836 as a "distinct society for the Colonies" following the report of a deputation to Canada by representatives of Congregational churches from Britain. Its principal mission effort was directed towards promoting Congregationalist forms of Christianity among "British or other European settlers" rather than indigenous peoples.[1][2]
At first it functioned as part of the Congregational Union, which Andrew Reed, an early honorary secretary, described as 'a crippled and dependent existence'. In time it became an independent body.[3]
In 1901, in a printed souvenir of the Autumnal Meetings (14 to 18 October, 1901 in Manchester) of the Congregational Union of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, the object of the Society was stated as: "to promote Evangelical religion among British or other European Settlers and their descendants in the Colonies and Dependencies of Great Britain, and in other parts of the world, and among converts gathered into Christian Churches from heathenism, in accordance with the doctrine and the discipline of Congregational Churches". In accordance with this, Churches or Missions were being helped in: Cape Colony, Natal, The Transvaal, Rhodesia, Newfoundland, British Columbia, Manitoba, Jamaica, Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and New Zealand.[4]
^Bebbington, David. "A view from Britain", in Rawlyk, George A., Aspects of the Canadian evangelical experience. p.46. Montreal: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP, 1997. ISBN0-7735-1547-X, 9780773515475. 542 pages. Book preview on Google Books. Accessed August 15, 2008.
^"Souvenir of the Autumnal Meetings (October 1901, Manchester) of the Congregational Union of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland". Lancashire Faces & Places. 1 (10): 206–207. October 1901.