What is the A.J. Gordon Heritage Project?
The A.J. Gordon Heritage Project was created in 2011 as a way to digitize and make available the writings of Adoniram Judson Gordon.
About A. J. Gordon
(1836-1895)
President 1889-1895
Adoniram Judson Gordon was born in tiny New Hampton, New Hampshire on April 19, 1836 to devout Christian parents. At about 15 years of age, A. J. had a conversion experience and was baptized in his father's mill stream. One year later, he openly confessed in a church meeting his desire and determination to prepare for Christian ministry.
In 1856, at age 20, he entered Brown University as a Classics major, where he met his future wife, Maria Hale. In 1860 he entered the Newton Theological Institution. Upon graduation in 1863, he accepted a call to become a pastor of the Jamaica Plain Baptist Church in Roxbury, MA and married Maria Hale. After six successful years in Roxbury, he accepted the pastorate of the Clarendon Street Baptist Church in Boston in 1869, the church where his ministry would have its broad impact. Gordon remained pastor of Clarendon Street Church for 26 years until his death on February 2, 1895 of influenza and bronchitis.
He wrote many books including, but not limited to: In Christ, The Two-Fold Life, The Ministry of the Spirit, and How Christ Came to the Church. He also spent Monday mornings working on publishing The Watchword. A. J. Gordon poured his heart and energy into the work of foreign missions. He traveled, preached, wrote, and served with the passion of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
A. J. Gordon also felt a call to provide education for people to work in the mission field. Gordon felt that all people, including women and people of color, should be able to receive a thorough education in matters of the Bible, theology, and church history if the potential student felt they had a true calling to serve God and the church. So, in response to the great number of individuals in his community who did not have the opportunity for advanced learning and were not able to attend college or seminary, Gordon founded the Boston Missionary Training School in 1889. On October 2, 1889, the school opened its doors to 19 students enrolled in full-time and partial courses, including six women. After Gordon's death, the school voted to change its name from the Boston Missionary Training School to the Gordon Missionary Training School.
Learn More
You can learn more about the life of A. J. Gordon by reading:
Adoniram Judson Gordon: A Biography by Ernest Barron Gordon
A. J. Gordon: An Epic Journey of Faith and Pioneering Vision by Kevin Belmonte
Many of A. J. Gordon's original works are available in the Gordon College Archives located in Jenks Library at Gordon College in Wenham, MA. For more information, email archives@gordon.edu.
Books by A. J. Gordon
Congregational Worship
Ecce Venit: Behold He Cometh
The First Thing in the World, or, The Primacy of Faith
The Holy Spirit in Missions
How Christ Came to Church
In Christ, or, The Believer's Union with His Lord
Journal of Our Journey
Ministry of Healing, or, Miracles of Cure in All Ages
The Ministry of the Spirit
The Ministry of Women
The Twofold Life, or, Christ's Work for Us and Christ's Work in Us
Yet Speaking: A Collection of Addresses
Books about A. J. Gordon and Gordon College
A Faithful Past; An Expectant Future by Tom and Jean Askew
Adoniram Judson Gordon: A Biography by Ernest Barron Gordon
Fifty Eight A. J. Gordon Quotations
A School of Christ by Nathan R. Wood
Shaping a Heritage edited by Ann Ferguson
Hymns by A. J. Gordon
The Coronation Hymnal
Hymns by A. J. Gordon
Service of Song
Service of Song Supplement
The Vestry Hymn and Tune Book
Sermons
Indexes
A. J. Gordon Titles in Watchword: By Number
A. J. Gordon Titles in Watchword: By Title
Articles
The Watchword, Vol. I: 1878-1879
The Watchword, Vol. II: 1879-80
The Watchword, Vol. III: 1880-81
The Watchword, Vol. IV: 1881-82
The Watchword, Vol. V: 1882-83
The Watchword, Vol. VI: 1883-84
The Watchword, Vol. VII: 1885-86
The Watchword, Vol. VIII: 1886-87
The Watchword, Vol. IX: 1887-88
The Watchword, Vol. X: 1888
The Watchword, Vol. XI: 1889
The Watchword, Vol. XII: 1890
The Watchword, Vol. XIII: 1891
The Watchword, Vol. XIV: 1892
The Watchword, Vol. XV: 1893
The Watchword, Vol. XVI: 1894
The Watchword, Vol. XVII: 1895
The Watchword, Vol. XVIII: 1896
The Watchword, Vol. XIX: 1897
Gordon College is New England’s top Christian college, located on the North Shore of Boston in Wenham, MA.
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