James Mudge (1844–1918) was an American Methodist Episcopal clergyman and writer, nephew of Zachariah Mudge, Methodist missionary in India during the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He authored many works centered around religion and spirituality during his missionary career.
Mudge was born at West Springfield, Mass., and during his infancy was baptized. At the age of twelve, Mudge became a firm believer in Christianity. On his thirteenth birthday, April 5, 1857, he joined the old Common Street Church in Lynn, Massachusetts where he prepared for college.[1]
Immediately after graduating, Mudge entered the ministry, joining the New England conference. While a missionaryinIndia from 1873 to 1883 he edited the LucknowWitness. After his return he was pastor of churches in Massachusetts until 1908, serving also as lecturer on missions at the Boston University School of Theology. In 1889 he became secretary of the New England conference. From 1908 to 1912 he was book editor of Zion's Herald.[3] Mudge aspired to missionary service in India after receiving a specific request from James Mills Thoburn, of Lucknow, India who exclaimed that they needed a "first class, scholarly young man of literary turn" to perform missionary work and act as editor of books and periodicals.[2]
Mudge, along with his father James, were members of the New England Conference, of the Methodist Episcopal Church.[1] Mudge was sent out by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions to become the editor of a weekly newspaper, The Lucknow Witness, a non-denominational but Christian publication. He had assumed its editorship after Reverends J.H. Messmore and James Mills Thoburn. The editorship was then passed back to Thoburn, who renamed it The India Witness.[4]
In 1896, a book written by Mudge, Growth in Holiness Toward Perfection, published in 1895, received criticism from Daniel Steele, who alleged, " But many loyal Methodists are convinced that he [Mudge] is in great error, overturning our doctrinal foundations."[5][6]
Mudge died in Maden, Massachusetts on May 7, 1918, and was buried next to his father in Pine Grove Cemetery in Lynn, Massachusetts.[2]
Media related to James Mudge at Wikimedia Commons
