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The Missionary Society was organized on April 5, 1819 in New York, and became an official agency, through General Conference action, in 1820. The purpose of the organization was to enable the several Annual Conferences to more effectively spread the Gospel and to aid them in their benevolent and charitable work in both domestic and foreign missions. The society administered its work through a Board of Managers and its Corresponding Secretaries, subject to the General Missionary Committee, which met annually to make appropriations and to establish policy. The board had its headquarters in New York City.

The mission agency underwent several name changes and re- organizations from its creation in 1846, but finally settled on Board of Missions around 1910. The material in this sub-series represents administrative and financial concerns of the entire board. Much of the financial and administrative concerns where continued by the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church after merger in 1939.

Methodists United for Peace and Justice (MUPWJ) roots began with the Foundry United Methodist Church's Foundry Peace Mission (http://foundryumc.org/peace-justice-mission). In 1987, The group focused on creating a national organization to support The United Methodist Church's Council of Bishops pastoral letter In Defense of Creation: The Nuclear Crisis and a Just Peace. This document called for the end of the philosophy and policies supporting nuclear deterrence amongst nuclear armed countries. To replace idea of nuclear deterrence the bishops called for greater witness for peace and justice as a more permanent solution to the safety and security of global populations. MUPWJ became a staunch lobbying advocate on not only this issue but others such as ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and Chemical Weapons Convention, halting all research and development of nuclear weapons, enforcement of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as well as other related topics. Other peace and justice issues include cutting federal budget spending for the military, United States military action in the Middle East and Afghanistan, redirecting government funding to meet human needs in the US and the developing world as part of its ongoing mission.

MUPWJ education and advocacy work manifests itself in their Peace Leaf and Justice Alert publications as well as various seminars. They also would advocate government leaders and groups around the world but their primary focus is on United States government offices. The group originally focused on United Methodist members. Later it expanded to include other Methodist denominations and like minded ecumenical groups. Their headquarters is currently located in Washington, D.C.

Howard W. Hallman, Executive Director and Chair of MUPWJ, helped to establish and worked within the organization since its inception. Hallman has spent most of his adult working for peace with other organizations as well. He held various MUPWJ leadership roles while becoming the primary driving force for its global partnership with like organizations. It was his worldwide vision of peace and justice that drove MUPWJ to become a credible voice for the movement. Hallman is also a prolific author. His work has appeared in more than 250 articles and al least nine books. The collection is primarily Hallman's office and personal files which include several manuscripts, correspondence, plays, screen plays and novels whose primary plots involve aging, sports and interpersonal relationships.