Jonathan Goforth (1859-1936) was a Canadian Presbyterian missionary. He studied at Knox College near his home in Western Ontario. While in school he began working among the inner-city poor. After graduation, he married Florence Bell-Smith and the two went to Honan, China, near the East China Sea, as missionaries. They later settled in Changteh in central China. Goforth’s unique approach was to evangelize the educated and upper classes as well as the poor. Sadly their work in Changteh was cut short during the Boxer rebellion of 1900, an effort by Chinese nationalists to rid the country of Christian missionaries by murdering them and destroying their churches. The Goforth’s barely escaped with their lives. For a time they worked in safer regions of China and eventually were able to return to Changteh, where their efforts resulted in a regional revival. Goforth spent the last two years of his life traveling around Canada preaching and promoting the cause of missions. He remained in China after the Boxer uprising, unlike many missionaries, and was able to plant about 50 native evangelists in local churches.
