Josiah Goddard (1813–1854) was an American Baptist missionary in China.[1]
Rev. Josiah, Goddard was born in Wendell, Mass., Oct. 27, 1813, became a hopeful Christian in 1826, and was baptized in May, 1831. He graduated at Brown University in 1835, and at the Newton Theological Institution in 1838. Having been accepted as a missionary by the Board of the Missionary Union, he sailed, the December after he graduated at Newton, for the East, and landed at Singapore in June, 1839, and proceeded to the place of his destination, Bangkok, Siam, arriving there Oct. 16, 1840. He was to direct his special attention to the Chinese of that city, of whom there were many thousands. In 1842 he had so far made himself master of the language that he was able to take the pastoral charge of the church which had been gathered by Dr. Dean, where he was prospered in the work of preaching the gospel to the heathen. He also finished the translation of the Gospel of John, and it was printed. He prepared for the press some Christian tracts and an English and Chinese vocabulary. In 1848 he had a severe attack of bleeding at the lungs, and for some time his life was despaired of, but a change of climate, by his removal to Ningpo, arrested the progress of the disease, and he was able to resume his work. To do this he was obliged to learn an entirely new dialect of the Chinese language in order to be understood by the natives of Ningpo. For several years he was busily occupied with his missionary labors, and the Lord owned these efforts in the conversion of the heathen and the building up of his cause in the city where he had made his home. His work and life came to an end September 4, 1854.
Dr. Dean accords to Mr. Goddard traits of character which rank him among the ablest of our missionaries. "His native endowments were superior; his education had been extended and thorough; his study of the Chinese language had been patient and successful; his knowledge of the sacred languages and literature was accurate and familiar, and he brought to his work a large share of common sense and sound judgment, and a warm heart and high-toned Christian principles."
[From William Cathcart, editor, The Baptist Encyclopedia, 1881. - jrd]
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