John Everett Clough was born in New York July 16, 1836, Died November 24, 1910.
John Clough went to India with his wife Harriet Clough in 1864. He established the Baptist Mission in Ongole.
John Clough baptizes 2,222 in one day in Ongole in the Gundlakamma River which was of the Madras Presidency, July 1878 and 9,000 within six weeks. This happened after many non-productive years, when only a few people favored continuing the “Lone Star Mission” in South India.
The American Baptists began work among the then neglected Telugu in 1840 in Nellore. The first believer was baptized in 1841 and a church organized in 1844. Fruitless years followed and in 1846 and later in 1855 the Nellore mission was in danger of being closed.
A speech by the corresponding secretary and a poem on the “Lone Star Mission” turned the scale and the mission continued. Again in 1862 comparative non-success of the mission put the mission in jeopardy.
One missionary Dr. Lyman Jewett said, “You can give up the Telugu mission, but I will never abandon the Telugus. I will go back to India and die there.” After this one of the secretaries said, “well brother, if you return to die in India, we must send somebody to give you Christian burial.” The mission was continued, but some felt continuing was unwise.
At first John Clough worked with the high caste Brahmins. If outcasts were received the work with the Brahmins would be finished. Clough did not hesitate long to work among the Madigas. While turning the matter over in his mind, he opened a new copy of the Telugu New Testament and his eyes fell on the verse, 1 Corinthians 1:26 “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many are wise after flesh, not many mighty, not many noble.”
Dr. Clough made great advances in 1878 following a famine, and Clough took a contract for a portion of one of the canals that were dug. He gave employment to thousands of Telugus who may have otherwise starved. This practical demonstration won the hearts of the Telugus.
Clough’s Tomb reads: Be Still and Know that I am the Lord.
John Clough was known as: “The Apostle to the Telugu.”
References:
Click to read: Understanding Church Growth by Donald McGavran, C. Peter Wagner Page 10-12
Click to read: Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions by Gerald H. Anderson
Jayaraj, Franklynn. Moses of 19th Century John Everett Clough Published by Centre for Contemporary Christianity. India, 2006
Clough, J. E. Social Christianity in the Orient To Read on-line click here Macmillan Company 1914
