Records of missionary organisations with which Mary Andrews was associated
- AU AU-MTC 093/13
- Série
- 1946-1996
This series contains correspondence, meeting minutes, and other records relating to the three missionary organisations with which Mary Andrews was most closely connected: The Church Missionary Society of Australia (CMS), CMS-UK, and the South American Missionary Service (SAMS).Mary Andrews was a missionary with CMS from 1938-1951, working primarily in
China but with a short role in India. She had a secondment agreement of sorts with CMS-UK, with which she was in regular contact while in the field. Following her return to Australia, she made inquiries with CMS-UK regarding the possibility of missionary work with them in South-East Asia. After this failed to eventuate, she remained in casual correspondence with staff at CMS-UK for some time. In addition to the paper records in this series there are two cassette recordings viz: CMS Prayer Weekend 1981 (Rev R.A. Cole) and CMS Summer School 1982 Dr and Mrs Coleman. These may be located in Series 29/4.
Due to her position as Principal of Deaconess House (and missionary experience), Mary was part of the CMS Candidates Committee, Training Committee, and General Committee. As a number of single female missionaries and missionary wives were trained at Deaconess House, Mary was responsible for providing candidate evaluation reports and occasionally conducted interviews with prospective missionaries (including missionary couples) on behalf of the Candidates Committee. She also regularly attended meetings of the above and made a number of recommendations on training policy. Mary ceased being a member of the Candidates Committee in 1976, following her retirement. She then resigned from the General Committee in 1987. Return correspondence suggests that she was dissatisfied with what she perceived as the narrow roles that CMS would allow female missionaries to fill. SAMS was founded in 1844 as a missionary society focused on evangelising Latin America. Mary Andrews served on their Candidates Committee and NSW General Committee from 1975 (at the latest; possibly as early as 1965) until her death in 1996. She also engaged in friendly correspondence with a number of SAMS missionaries and home staff.
Andrews, Mary Maria