Where in the world were UCC missionaries? 19th-century world mission map is displayed

The late 19th century was a time of explosive missionary growth for Protestant denominations as the Great Commission call to “go and make disciples of all the nations” became a fervent rallying cry.

Today, the regions where United Church of Christ mission forebears served is on display as an 1884 cotton cloth world mission map, created by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, has been unfurled in Minnie’s Seaside Rest.

Minnie’s Seaside Rest is the in-house museum created in 2023 to commemorate the denomination’s rich mission legacy. The museum is located within the UCC national offices in Cleveland. (Take a tour of Minnie’s Seaside Rest, click YouTube video below.)

“I thought it was important that if were to have a museum for missions that we ought to have maps showing where the missionaries served,” said Edward C. Cade, UCC’s associate for historical preservation and archivist.

An ever-evolving exhibit

When Minnie’s Seaside Rest was completed three years ago, Cade knew his work was far from over. The exhibit would be always evolving, adding new artifacts that told another part of the mission story.

As the “what next” question rolled around in Cade’s head, the archivist came across several 19th century maps — all printed on cotton fabric. But it was the 1884 world mission map that excited him the most.

There was, however, a challenge.

The 8 feet by 4.5 feet map wouldn’t fit into a standard display case. Cade contacted the Intermuseum Conservation Association (ICA-Art Conservation) to customize a case for the map. Even then, there was the challenge of getting the case into Minnie’s, as the ride up the service elevator turned into an intricately, choregraphed dance, says Cade.

“It is really, really big,” he said of both case and cloth map.

Luckily, the second largest map that accompanies the 1884 world map was not as challenging to display. It dates from 1882 and shows where UCC missionaries served in the Middle East, then known as the Ottoman Empire.

Two other maps round out the “where is waldo-esque ?” missionary display, one highlighting missionary presence in China circa 1898 and the other displaying mission sites in 1888 Central and South Africa.

A flag with a story

Another addition to Minnie’s Seaside Rest is an American flag that was sewn by missionary, Mary Matthews, in 1917.

The 25-starred flag was created by Matthews in response to an outbreak of fighting in the Ottoman Empire, now North Macedonia. According to Cade, Matthews wanted to raise the flag over the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions station in Bitola, Serbia, to signify neutrality.

“She didn’t know that the United States had already joined the fighting,” said Cade.

Still, she believed the U.S. was a neutral nation and had hoped that the flag would offer protection from the fighting in the area. Not only did Matthew’s flag fly during the conflict. Mary Matthews herself was the sole missionary in the station when the city was under attack.

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