William Goudie, Born to Christian parents, Goudie cherished the Holy Bible right from his childhood days. The soul-stirring sermons of great preachers like D. L. Moody and Sankey made a significant impact on young Goudie, and soon he decided to carry the message of God’s love to remote corners of the world. One evening, at a revival meeting, Goudie dedicated his life to Jesus.

Biography:

Birth: 06-05-1857
Death: 09-04-1922
Native Place: Channerwick
Country: Scotland
Place of Vision: India

And to pursue God’s calling, he joined the Richmond Bible College in 1879. After his ordination in London, he received the call for missionary work in India which he gladly accepted.

Goudie arrived in Chennai in 1882 and began his ministry at George Town. He later served at the English Wesley Church in St. Thomas Mount. He learned the local language and ministered to the locals in their own language.

William Goudie ministry in India
In 1883, he moved to a town called Tiruvallur and ministered among the downtrodden in many ways. His compassion for the poor and untouchables reflect the love and ministry of Christ. He was concerned not just about their spiritual welfare but also about their economic and social well-being.

When he took up the cause of the untouchables and the lower castes, the higher castes rallied against him and threw stones and spoilt food at him. Goudie, however, responded in a Godly manner, blessing them, “You have rained stones on me, but God will shower rice on you.” During the great famine and deadly cholera epidemic between 1889 and 1891, Goudie strived for the poor and did all he could to feed them.

He also established schools, hospitals, a tailoring institute, and a lace industry in and around Ikkadu and Tiruvallur to help the poor and needy. After 25 years of tireless work in India, Goudie returned to England, where he passed away at 65. Rightly acclaimed as a ‘veritable apostle to Ikkadu,’ Goudie remained a faithful messenger of Christ all through his life. William Goudie