James, Judson Spray (1879–1965) and Minnie Louise (Smith) (1874–1969)

Judson and Minnie James were the first Adventist missionary in South India.

Early Years and Education

Judson Spray James was born on October 9, 1879, in Indianola, Iowa, U.S.A. His father, Otey James (1814–1907), was a Campbellite before he accepted the Adventist message in 1843.¹ He moved from Virginia to Indianola in 1854, where he met and married Catherine Nicola sometime in the 1870s. Catherine had several children from a previous marriage.² Otey was of Welsh descent, and Catherine came from a German and Baptist background.³ Born and raised in an Adventist home, James gave his heart to Jesus in his late teens and credited his mother and a Sabbath School teacher for his conversion.⁴ He was baptized by Henry Nicole at the Battle Creek Tabernacle in May 1897.⁵

James studied in public schools in Iowa, completing his secondary education at what was known as a Commercial High School in 1896. Immediately after high school Judson went to live with his mother in Lincoln, Nebraska, and there he spent a year studying at Union College. In 1897 he went to Battle Creek Sanitarium, where he worked and studied nursing for a year. However, he abandoned nursing and did canvassing in 1898.⁶ He returned to Union College in 1899 for another term of specialized study.⁷

Marriage and Family

While at Battle Creek, James met Minnie Louise Smith, a nursing student. She was the daughter of Enos Mapes Smith and Dorcas Sarah Ayers and was born on November 20, 1874, in Scotchtown, New York. Minnie was converted at a series of meetings by Elder H. G. Thurston in May 1894 and was baptized by Elder W. W. Wheeler in July 1895 at State Hill, New York. She joined the Battle Creek School for the nursing program in 1896. Upon completion of her studies, she and James were married on August 27, 1898, by Pastor C. S. Dudley at Beatrice, about forty miles from Union College in Nebraska. After their marriage Minnie suspended her career to take care of the home until she and James moved as missionaries to India in 1906.⁸

In India, Minnie worked in the dispensary from 1906 to 1917. While on furlough at College View in Nebraska from 1918 to 1920, she took care of the home. From 1920 to 1926, she worked at the Review and Herald office.⁹

The couple had two boys. Wilbur S. was born in College View, Nebraska, on September 14, 1899, and Russell Boyd was born on September 4, 1902, in Decatur, Illinois. Both sons entered denominational employment, Wilbur in the Nebraska Conference and Russell in the East Pennsylvania Conference. They also served in the mission field, Wilbur as education and MV secretary in the Austral Union and Russell as a teacher at Vincent Hill School and College in Mussoorie, India, from 1932 to 1934.¹⁰

Early Career

From 1898 to 1901,¹¹ James did canvassing in Nebraska and for the last four months in Texas. He spent most of 1902 working in the Illinois Conference and then close to two years in the Southern Illinois Conference of what was then the Central Union (now Mid-American Union).¹² In 1905 he served as the state agent of the West Virginia Conference in the Northern Union, where he was given charge of literature work. In a few years he was elected Field (Missionary) secretary of the Union.¹³

Missionary Service in India

The General Conference commissioned James to promote the publishing work in the India Mission.¹⁴ Judson and Minnie, with their sons, Wilbur and Russell, landed in Bombay on December 23, 1906, and headed straight to Calcutta for the first biennial conference, which began on December 28 and continued till January 12, 1907. In response to G. K. Owen’s favorable report of his work among the Tamil Sabbath keepers in Ceylon,¹⁵ it was decided to station James in South India, where he would first learn the language and then work among the Sabbath keepers in the Tinnevelly (today Tirunelveli) district.¹⁶

Following the 1907 biennial conference, James remained in Calcutta for another two months to participate in the campaign to promote the Oriental Watchman, while his wife and sons went ahead with other missionaries to Bangalore.¹⁷ James reached Bangalore on March 15, 1907.¹⁸ During the year of language study in Bangalore, James was asked to also involve in evangelism among the English-speaking population.¹⁹ Overwhelming work left James little time to study Tamil, and so he had to depend on translators, which in turn helped him increase the involvement of local workers in the Adventist mission work.²⁰ In Bangalore, his Tamil tutor was from Tinnevelly, and James obtained valuable contact information of the Sabbath keepers from him.²¹

In December 1907 J. L Shaw accompanied Judson James and George Enoch on the first visit to the Tamil Sabbath keepers. They spent ten days there and formulated plans for James to move to Tinnevelly.²²

Superintendent of the South India Mission, 1908-1915

James and his family moved to Tinnevelly in March 1908 and began their ministry by improvising a clinic on their back verandah. In May of the same year, James began giving Bible studies.²³ On January 2, 1909, at the biennial conference in Lucknow, James was ordained to the gospel ministry.²⁴

In 1909, the James’ dispensary occupied half of the rented dwelling home, and Belle Shryock was hired to assist as a nurse.²⁵ That year James completed the first Adventist building in India, and the building was dedicated on October 14. A week later a group of twenty-five Tamil Sabbath keepers separated themselves from their local church and joined the Adventist Church. The group met initially on the large verandah of the new building that James built.²⁶ In November 1909, James started an Adventist school with 47 students.²⁷

James started regular Bible studies on January 1, 1910, and at a service on April 2, 1910, twenty new members were baptized.²⁸ The Adventists had received two acres of land as a gift, and to this was added more land through a purchase in 1911 for a school and the church. James baptized twenty-five more people in 1910, and another group of twenty-one members in 1913.²⁹

James organized the first colporteur institute in July 1912, which ran for three weeks. He started a 24-page quarterly The Present Truth.³⁰ He also published Steps to Christ and Fundamental Principles of SDA. At first, Judson started his colporteurs on a salary, but then changed it to a 75 percent commission. James established mission stations at Nazareth, Trichinopoly, and Pondichery. Within a couple of years, the South India mission had one day school, one boarding school and orphanage, and 29 workers, out of which 21 were natives.³¹

During the family’s first furlough in 1913, James stayed in St. Helena with Ellen White and worked with her on an abridgment of her writings for foreign publications. James and Minnie left the boys in the United States for their education.³²

James is credited with the opening of the work in Andhra and Kerala. He conducted the first colporteur training at Rajahmundry September 4-16, 1916, for fourteen young men, who formed the workforce for the mission work there.³³ James also sent the colporteur Ponniah and his wife to South Travancore (Kerala) to establish the work in the deep south.³⁴

Development as a Senior Leader

In 1913 James briefly oversaw the work of the India Union Mission between the departure of J. L. Shaw and the arrival of H. R. Salisbury.³⁵

At the 1914 biennial conference, with General Conference President A. G. Daniels in attendance, James was appointed the India Union vice president and the South India Mission superintendent.³⁶ During the absence of Salisbury in 1915, when he went to Shanghai and to attend the General Conference session, James served as the Division Committee chairman.³⁷ When it became clear in January 1916 that Salisbury was among the torpedoed boat passengers who lost their life at sea in December 1915, James continued leading the India Union³⁸ for the remainder of the year, until the arrival of W. W. Fletcher.³⁹

In 1917 the India Union Mission was merged with the Australian Union Conference to form the Asiatic Division Conference with headquarters in Shanghai. James was surprised when he was elected vice president of this large division conference. He was asked to remain in Shanghai, while his wife disposed of their household goods and traveled from India to join him in China.⁴⁰ In 1919, when the India Union was reorganized as the Southern Asia Division, the brethren in India asked the General Conference that J. S. James not be sent back to India as an administrator. At that time, James, who left China in 1918, was in the United States on a five-year furlough for the educational needs of his children.⁴¹

In North America

At the beginning of his furlough in 1918, James was appointed Missionary (Field) secretary of the Central Union to strengthen the colporteur work.⁴² James held the first union colporteur convention from February 17 to 20, 1918, and conducted several more during the next two years.⁴³ In 1920 James was elected associate secretary of the Sabbath School Department of the General Conference,⁴⁴ and he proceeded to conduct a number of Sabbath School conventions.⁴⁵ He was known for his stereopticon and lantern lectures at many conventions.⁴⁶

Back in India

In 1926 the General Conference sent James back to India with the belief that his years of experience in India would be an asset to the workers there.⁴⁷ For the next four years James served as the Oriental Watchman Publishing House manager and the Eastern Tidings editor.⁴⁸ Minnie worked as proofreader.⁴⁹ The following year, James was also appointed secretary of the Ministerial Association secretary.⁵⁰ James busied himself in the work of the Salisbury Park local church, conducting baptisms and performing marriages.⁵¹

In 1930 the James family returned to North America, as Minnie required urgent medical attention, which included a series of operations for breast cancer.⁵² No decision on their permanent return was made, with the hope they would be able to return in a few months. When Minnie recovered,⁵³ the Jameses could return for another full term of mission service in India. Since Judson’s position in the publishing house had been filled, he was appointed the Western India Mission superintendent at the 1930-1931 Division Council.⁵⁴ The Jameses arrived to take up the new responsibility in June 1931.⁵⁵

When it was officially confirmed that Homer Salisbury had perished at sea, the decision was taken to construct a church in his memory. The church was finally erected on the campus of Salisbury Park, which also bore his name. The church was dedicated by Judson James and G. F. Enoch on December 31, 1932, at the Division Council.⁵⁶ At that 1931-1932 Council, as superintendent of the Western India Union, James reported that a new mission station had been established at Kolhapur with possibly the best bungalow in the Division, which had a garage, a well, and servants quarters.⁵⁷

Due to the economic depression, the Western India Union was one of several units downgraded to mission status to reduce administrative expenses in 1933. James was elected the mission superintendent, and Minnie served as secretary-treasurer.⁵⁸ Unfortunately, in 1936, James became very ill, and the Jameses had to return permanently to the United States.⁵⁹ Judson James died March 21, 1965, in San Diego, California. Minnie James died August 3, 1969.⁶⁰

Legacy

The James family will be best remembered as the first Adventist missionaries to pioneer the Adventist mission work in South India. James Memorial High School in Prakasapuram remains a tribute to their ministry there. James had an excellent camera and photographic skills, which he used to produce invaluable photographs of the Adventist work in India. Many of his photographs appeared in the Eastern Tidings and the Review and Herald from 1906 to 1916 and from 1926 to 1936. The loving memory of James is also kept alive through many Adventists in south India who were named “James” after him.

Sources

“Actions of the Spring Council of the General Conference Committee.” ARH, April 29, 1920.

“Biennial Council Report.” Eastern Tidings, February 1, 1933.

Beddoe, B. E. “Transfer of Workers, En Route to the Mission Field.” ARH, November 18, 1926.

Cormack, A. W. “Ministerial Association.” Eastern Tidings, January 1, 1927.

“Directory.” Eastern Tidings -Biennial Conference Number, December 15, 1914.

“Distribution of Labour.” Eastern Tidings, February 1907.

“Division Committee Recommendations.” Eastern Tidings, February 15, 1926.

“Division Notes.” Eastern Tidings, February 1, 1928.

“Division Notes.” Eastern Tidings, Sept 1, 1926.

“Emergency Passport Application,” May 14, 1916. Selected Passports. National Archives, Washington, D.C.. Ancestry.com. U.S., Passport Applications, 1795-1925 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007. Accessed July 25, 2024.

James, J. S. “The Tamils of South India.” ARH, June 20, 1907.

James, J. S. Letter to Matilda Andross, April 9, 1923. General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Archives, Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A.

James, Judson Spray. Biographical Information Blank (filled on August 27, 1905). General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Archives, Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A.

James, J. S. “South India First Fruits.” Eastern Tidings, April 1910.

James, J. S. “South India Mission.” Eastern Tidings, January 1915.

James, J. S. “South India.” Eastern Tidings, August 1908.

James, J. S. “Southern India.” Eastern Tidings, December 1909.

James, J. S. “Tamil Sabbath Keepers of South India.” ARH, March 5, 1908.

James, J. S. “The Beginning of the Work in South India.” Eastern Tidings, May 8, 1941.

James, J. S., Geo. F Enoch, and J. L. Shaw. “A Tour Among the Sabbath Keepers of South India.” ARH, April 2, 1908.

James, Judson S, and Mrs. Minnie James. “A Word of Farewell.” India Union Tidings, July 15, 1917.

“James, Judson S.” Obituary, ARH, June 3, 1965.

James, Minnie Louise. Biographical Information Blank (filled on July 12, 1910, and January 22, 1926). General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Archives, Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A.

James, Mr and Mrs J. S. and Belle Shryock. “Southern India.” Eastern Tidings, March 1909.

James, J. S. “Report of the Bombay Presidency Mission.” Eastern Tidings, February 1, 1933.

Kelso, A. R. and Bessie J. “Obituary-James,” Workers Bulletin, March 26, 1907.

Knight, A. W. “With the Literature.” Eastern Tidings, October 15, 1916.

McEachern, J. H. “A New Union Field Missionary Secretary.” Central Union Outlook, April 23, 1918.

Miller, W. W. “A Visit to Our Tamil Mission.” Eastern Tidings, February 1910.

Minutes of the India Union Committee, January 13, 1916; November 8, 1915; November 20, 1916; September 21, 1919. The Southern Asia Division archives, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu, India.

Minutes of the India Union Mission, February 4, 1912. The Southern Asia Division archives, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu, India.

Minutes of the Southern Asia Division Committee, March 20, 1930. The Southern Asia Division archives, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu, India.

Minutes of the Southern Asia Division Committee, January 1, 1931. The Southern Asia Division archives, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu, India.

Mookerjee, L. G. “Comprehensive Survey of the Early Work.” Eastern Tidings, May 8, 1941.

“Montana Conference Items.” North Pacific Union Gleaner, April 9, 1925.

“New Address of the Bombay Union Mission, Eastern Tidings. June 1, 1931.

“News From Pastor J. S. James.” Eastern Tidings, November 15, 1930.

“Notices and Appointments.” ARH, October 17, 1907.

“Recommendations.” Northern Union Reaper, April 3, 1906.

State of California. California Death Index, 1940-1997. Sacramento, CA, USA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics. Ancestry.com, California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Accessed July 25, 2024.

“Some Veterans to Depart.” Eastern Tidings, January 1, 1936.

Solomon, Margaret. Interview with Edith Moor (granddaughter of Judson James) on March 22. Cited in Solomon, Margaret and Samuel Raj, Sustained by God’s Grace (Amazon.com, May 2016).

Shaw, J. L. “Biennial Conference of the India Mission Field.” Eastern Tidings, January 1, 1909.

“Southern Idaho Conference Notes.” North Pacific Union Gleaner, November 11, 1920.

Thomas, E. D. “South Travancore.” Eastern Tidings, July 15, 1916.

Thompson, G. B. “The Needs of India Considered at the General Meeting.” ARH, March 21, 1907.

Underwood, R. A. “Home Missionary Convention.” Central Union Outlook, February 25, 1918.

Willess, N. V. “Some Interesting Conventions.” Central Union Outlook, January 27, 1920.

Wilson, N. C. “Sketch of the Labours of Pastor and Mrs J. S. James in India.” Eastern Tidings, February 15, 1936.

Notes

1. A.R. and Bessie J Kelso, “Obituary-James,” Workers Bulletin, March 26, 1907, 150.↩

2. Margaret Solomon, interview with Edith Moor (granddaughter of Judson James) on March 22, 2005, Portland, Oregon, cited in Margaret Solomon and Samuel Raj, Sustained by God’s Grace (Amazon.com, May 2016), 49. Much information supplied by Edith Moor does not match the details filled in by Judson James on his Biographical Information Blank submitted to the General Conference office or with the published obituary of Otey James. According to Moor, Otey disappeared soon after Judson’s birth and was never seen again. Judson was placed in an “orphanage” from ages twelve to eighteen.↩

3. Judson Spray James, Biographical Information Blank (filled on August 27, 1905), General Conference Archives.↩

4. J. S. James, Letter to Matilda Andross at the General Conference, April 9, 1923. General Conference Archives.↩

5. James, Biographical Information Blank.↩

6. J. S. James, Letter to Matilda Andross at the General Conference, April 9, 1923. General Conference Archives.↩

7. James, Biographical Information Blank.↩

8. Biographical Information Blank for Minnie Louise James, filled July 12, 1912. The Biographical Information Blank for Minnie Louise James, which was filled January 22, 1926, has November 20, 1880, as the birth date and Middletown, New York, as the place of birth. General Conference Archives.↩

9. James, Biographical Information Blank.↩

10. N. C. Wilson, “Sketch of the Labours of Pastor and Mrs J. S. James in India,” Eastern Tidings, February 15, 1936, 2-3.↩

11. J. S. James, Letter to Matilda Andross at the General Conference, April 9, 1923. General Conference Archives.↩

12. James, Biographical Information, 1905.↩

13. “Recommendations,” Northern Union Reaper, April 3, 1906, 5. Cf. p. 6.↩

14. J. S. James, “The Beginning of the Work in South India,” Eastern Tidings, May 8, 1941, 11.↩

15. G. B. Thompson, “The Needs of India Considered at the General Meeting,” ARH, March 21, 1907, 14.↩

16. “Important Actions Taken by the Conference–Distribution of Labour,” Eastern Tidings, February 1907, 6.↩

17. N. C. Wilson, “Sketch of the Labours of Pastor and Mrs J. S. James in India,” Eastern Tidings, February 15, 1936, 2-3.↩

18. J. S. James, The Tamils of South India, ARH, June 20, 1907, 17.↩

19. “Notices and Appointments,” ARH, October 17, 1907, 24.↩

20. J. S. James, “The Beginning of the Work in South India,” Eastern Tidings, May 8, 1941, 11.↩

21. ARH, April 2, 1908.↩

22. J. S. James, “Tamil Keepers of South India, ARH, March 5, 1908, 15; and J. S. James, Geo. F Enoch, J. L. Shaw, A Tour Among the Sabbath Keepers of South India,” ARH, April 2, 1908, 14-16.↩

23. J. S. James, “South India,” Eastern Tidings, August 1908, 1-2.↩

24. J. L. Shaw, “Biennial Conference of the India Mission Field,” Eastern Tidings, January 1909, 2,4.↩

25. Mr. and Mrs. J. S. James and Belle Shryock, “Southern India,” Eastern Tidings, March 1909, 1.↩

26. J. S. James, “Southern India,” Eastern Tidings, December 1909, 3.↩

27. W. W. Miller, “A Visit to Our Tamil Mission,” Eastern Tidings, February 1910, 2.↩

28. J. S. James, “South India First Fruits,” Eastern Tidings, April 1910, 1.↩

29. J. S. James, “South India Mission,” Eastern Tidings, Jan 1915, 18-21.↩

30. These were published under the auspices of the International Tract Society, “Tinnevelly Questions,” Minutes of the India Union Mission, February 4, 1912.↩

31. J. S. James, “South India Mission,” Eastern Tidings, January 1915, 18-21.↩

32. N. C. Wilson, “Sketch of the Labours of Pastor and Mrs J. S. James in India,” Eastern Tidings, February 15, 1936, 2-3.↩

33. A. W. Knight, “With the Literature,” Eastern Tidings, October 15, 1916, 10.↩

34. E. D. Thomas, “South Travancore,” Eastern Tidings, July 15, 1916, 8.↩

35. L. G. Mookerjee, “Comprehensive Survey of the Early Work,” Eastern Tidings, May 8, 1941, 10.↩

36. “Directory,” Eastern Tidings -Biennial Conference Number, December 15, 1914, 2.↩

37. Minutes of the India Union Committee, November 8, 1915, 137.↩

38. “Signing of Commercial Papers,” Minutes of the India Union Committee, January 13, 1916, 138.↩

39. “Election of W. W. Fletcher as chairman,” Minutes of the India Union Committee, November 20, 1916, 157.↩

40. Judson S. James, Mrs Minnie James, “A Word of Farewell,” India Union Tidings, July 15, 1917, 3.↩

41. “J. S. James,” Minutes of the India Union Committee, September 21, 1919.↩

42. J. H. McEachern, “A New Union Field Missionary Secretary,” Central Union Outlook, April 23, 1918, 1.↩

43. R. A. Underwood, “Home Missionary Convention,” Central Union Outlook, February 25, 1918, 1; N. V. Willess, “Some Interesting Conventions,” Central Union Outlook, January 27, 1920, 2.↩

44. W. A. Spicer, “Actions of the Spring Council of the General Conference Committee, ARH, April 29, 1920, 5.↩

45. “Montana Conference Items,” North Pacific Union Gleaner, April 9, 1925, 2.↩

46. Southern Idaho Conference Notes, North Pacific Union Gleaner, November 11, 1920, 3.↩

47. B E Beddoe, “Transfer of Workers, En Route to the Mission Field,” ARH, November 18, 1926, 9.↩

48. “Division Committee Recommendations,” Eastern Tidings February 15, 1926, 4.↩

49. “Division Notes,” Eastern Tidings, Sept 1, 1926,8.↩

50. A. W. Cormack, “Ministerial Association,” Eastern Tidings, January 1, 1927, 8.↩

51. “Division Notes,” Eastern Tidings, February 1, 1928, 8.↩

52. “J. S. James Return to America,” Minutes of the Southern Asia Division Committee, # 2522, March 20, 1930, 766.↩

53. “News From Pastor J. S. James,” Eastern Tidings, November 15, 1930, 8.↩

54. “J. S. James,” Southern Asia Division Committee, January 1, 1931, #2602, 804, 805.↩

55. “New Address of the Bombay Union Mission,” Eastern Tidings June 1, 1931,8.↩

56. “Biennial Council Report,” Eastern Tidings, February 1, 1933, 2, 16.↩

57. JSJ, “Report of the Bombay Presidency Mission,” Eastern Tidings, February 1, 1933, 11.↩

58. N. C. Wilson, “Sketch of the Labours of Pastor and Mrs J. S. James in India,” Eastern Tidings, February 15, 1936, 2-3.↩

59. “Some Veterans to Depart,” Eastern Tidings, January 1, 1936, 7.↩

60. “James, Judson S.,” obituary, ARH, June 3, 1965, 3. The date of Minnie James' death and the following sources were provided by Ashlee Chism: “Emergency Passport Application,” May 14, 1916. Selected Passports. National Archives, Washington, D.C.. Ancestry.com. U.S., Passport Applications, 1795-1925 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007. Accessed July 25, 2024; State of California. California Death Index, 1940-1997. Sacramento, CA, USA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics. Ancestry.com, California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Accessed July 25, 2024.↩