E. Stanley Jones (1884-1973) - Brother Stanley

Dr. Eli Stanley Jones was an American 20th century Methodist missionary and theologian. For more than 50 years he proclaimed the Gospel of Christ. He was probably the world’s best known and longest tested Christian missionary and evangelist. In 1959 he was named Missionary Extraordinary by World Outlook.

Eli was educated in Baltimore schools and studied law at City College before graduating from Asbury College, Wilmore, Kentucky. in 1907. He was on the Asbury faculty when he was called to the missionary service in India in 1907.
He was ordained in 1908 as both a deacon and elder. He worked as district missionary superintendent and revival preacher

In India he worked with the lowest castes , including Dalits. He also made friends with many of the leaders and became known for his inter faith work. He spent time with Mohandas K. Gandhi and the Nehru family.He is remembered for his 1000s of inter-religious lectures to the educated classes.

In 1925, while home on furlough, he wrote a report of his years of service - what he had taught and learned in India. The published result was The Christ of the Indian Road - sales reached over one million copies world wide.He wrote other books which became ‘required’ reading at theological colleges.( See long list)

He helped to reconstruct the Indian 'Ashram ’ - forest retreat using the Christian principle of indigenization. He founded a Christian Ashram at Sat Tal in the Himalayas (1930). He went on to preach and hold them in almost every country in the world.

1n 1941 he was a confidant of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Japanese leaders trying to avert war.

After WW11 he launched in the USA the Crusade for a Federal Union of Churches. He held mass meetings from coast to coast and spoke in nearly 500 cities, towns and churches

In 1950 he provided funds for India’s first Christian psychiatric centre and clinic.

He pre-dated the United Nations by 30 years, by his Round Table of Nations.
He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Peace Prize. for his reconciliation work in Asia, Africa and between Japan and the USA. In 1963 he received the Gandhi Peace award.

He travelled among the people’s of the earth, speaking 3 times a day. The years did not weary him, for he was blessed with physical stamina, mental vigor, and God’s grace to sustain him for the rugged schedule he imposed on himself.

December 1971, aged 88, and leading the Oklahoma Christian Ashram he suffered a stroke which seriously impaired him physically but not mentally. He dictated onto tape his last book The Divine Yes. June,1972 he gave from his wheel chair, in Jerusalem, a moving message to the First Christian Ashram World Congress. He died in India on 25th January 1973.

He was truly a* Missionary Extraordinary* I hope reading about Eli Stanley Jones -,’ Brother Stanley’ to his friends, will inspire and encourage you to go the extra mile for our Lord.

Sources used
History of Missiology
United Christian Ashrams
wikipedia