Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
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In 1917, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Gordon Holdcraft paid us a visit after spending several years in Korea as a Missionary. We enjoyed his visit very much.” Moses was referring to Rev. Dr. J. Gordon Holdcroft. In 1917, Holdcroft returned to the United States from Korea, boarding the Empress of Japan in Shanghai and arriving at Port of Vancouver on August 8, 1917.
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Holdcroft resided in Korea from 1903-1905, 1909-1917 and 1918-1921. In 1922, Rev. J. Gordon Holdcraft was the acting pastor of First Presbyterian Church (Passaic Daily News, NJ, 11 Feb. 1922, page 2). However, by 1923, he left again for missionary work, traveling to Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Manchuria and China; he was working for the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions. In 1925, Rev. J. Gordon Holdcroft, D.D., was listed as a Presbyterian missionary in Seoul Korea, and was secretary (of Korea) for the World’s Sunday School Association.
James Gordon Holdcroft was born in Chicago on 31 Aug 1878. His father, George Nisbitt Holdcroft, was an Irish immigrant who entered the United States by way of Canada in 1875.
J. Gordon married Nellie Cowan (b. May 30, 1880) in Hobart New York, on Oct. 24, 1909. Holdcroft’s passport application in 1909 described him as 5’-8” tall with blue eyes, dark brown hair and a ruddy complexion.
Holdcraft spoke on his experiences in Korea for the remained of his life. In 1932, The Passaic “Daily News” reported that Holdcroft spoke at a Presbyterian Church Society program. The discussion was part of the Women’s Missionary Meeting” (Passaic, NJ, 2 March 1932, page 11). The article commented, “There were also messages from Dr. J. Gordon Holdcraft and Mrs. Holdcraft, who have been associated with the work in Korea for many years.” That was his topic. In 1940, Holdcraft was mentioned in the section Church News and Activities in Minneapolis and St. Paul in “The Minneapolis Star” (30 Nov. 1940, page 16). He spoke on “Christian Progress in Korea” and “Faithfulness and Betrayal in the Far East.” He was again speaking about his missionary experience in Korea to Presbyterian congregation. By 1942, Holdcroft became the general secretary of the Presbyterian Independent Foreign Mission Board.
Holdcroft eventually settled in Philadelphia, becoming the president of The Associated Missions of the International Council of Christian Churches (ICCC). He became integral in discussions concerning ecclesiastical separation and representation before governments in the 1950s. Holdcroft was also involved in forming the Associated Mission of the ICCC in 1952 and became an officer in the organization in 1962.
In 1972 Holdcraft wrote “Into All The World.” The Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions published his work. That June he passed away.
To be continued…
