Sherwood Eddy

Born in Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1871, Sherwood Eddy became one of the best-known Protestant missionary figures of his era. He studied at Yale and later at Union and Princeton seminaries, then began YMCA work in India in the 1890s.

Over the years, he traveled widely through Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States as a missionary, lecturer, and organizer. He wrote many books and spoke often to students and church audiences, gradually becoming known not just for evangelism but also for his interest in social reform, labor issues, interracial cooperation, and peace.

Eddy remained active as a public Christian thinker well into the twentieth century, and his long career reflected many of the major religious and social debates of his time. He died in 1963, leaving behind an autobiography and a large body of writing shaped by travel, activism, and conversation across cultures.