John Mott

John Raleigh Mott (May 25, 1865 – January 31, 1955) was an American evangelist and a very important leader of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) and the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF). He worked hard to create and support groups that helped students around the world live together peacefully. For his efforts, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946, sharing it with Emily Greene Balch.

Mott served as the General Secretary of the WSCF from 1895 until 1920. He played a big role in starting important organizations, including the World Council of Churches in 1948. He was made an honorary President for life of this group. One of his well-known books, The Evangelization of the World in this Generation, inspired many people in the early 1900s. His work helped bring together people of different backgrounds to work for peace and understanding.

Biography

John Mott was born on May 25, 1865, in Livingston Manor, Sullivan County, New York. His family soon moved to Postville, Iowa. He studied history at Upper Iowa University and later earned a bachelor's degree from Cornell University in 1888.

In 1910, Mott helped lead an important meeting for Christian missionaries from around the world. He also turned down a trip on the famous ship Titanic, choosing a different ship instead. Later, he traveled across Asia, holding many meetings to bring different Christian groups together. He worked hard to support peace and friendship among people of different religions.

Personal life and legacy

John Mott married twice. His first wife was Leila Ada White, and they had four children together. After Leila passed away in 1952, John married Agnes Peter in 1953. John Mott passed away in 1955 in Orlando, Florida at the age of 89 and was buried in Washington National Cathedral. His papers are kept at the Yale Divinity School Library.

Veneration

In 2022, John Raleigh Mott was added to the special days celebrated by the Episcopal Church liturgical calendar on October 3.

A high school in Postville, Iowa, part of the Postville Community School District, is named in his honor.

Writings

John Mott wrote several important books about spreading good news and working together. Some of his books include The Evangelization of the World in This Generation from 1900 and The Decisive Hour of Christian Missions from 1910. He also wrote about helping others around the world, like in his book World Student Christian Federation from 1920 and Cooperation and the World Mission from 1935. His later works, such as Methodists United for Action in 1939 and The Larger Evangelism in 1945, talked about bringing people together for important causes.