First and only edition of an overview of all active missions around the world in 1820. It was possibly composed under the direction of Francois Gaussen (1790-1863), an ardent supporter of Reformed theology in Switzerland, who founded a society for the promotion of missionary activities. The first part of the work functions as an extensive preface, detailing the existence and nature of the different Christian missionary societies that organise missions all around the world. The second and also main part of the work starts with a short explanation of the method used to analyse and describe the numerous missions and their posts in Africa, the Arabian peninsula, the eastern Mediterranean, Turkey, Asia (with an extensive part on the missions in India, and including the Asian islands, Ceylon, Sri Lanka and Indonesia), Australia & New Zealand, French Polynesia and the Hawaiian Islands, the Americas and Greenland. Each mission station has its own short description which mentions for example the number of members of the local church and the names of the most prominent missionaries at that station. The map is coloured according to the (main) form of Christianity practiced in the different parts of the world. The letterpress tables surrounding the map list the most important mission stations per region.
The binding shows some slight signs of wear along the spine and the edges and corners of the boards, some slight water staining in the fore edge and top margins, very slightly foxed throughout. Otherwise in good condition. Ferguson 814; Gabler & Sallmann, Der Pietismus im neunzehnten und zwanzigsten Jahrhundert (2000), p. 48; not in Forbes; Kroepelien; O'Reilly & Reitman; Sabin; South African Bibliography; WorldCat 717638988, 34774942 (18 copies).