J. C. Bailey (1903–2001)

Gospel preacher listed in Preachers of Today, Vol. 1, 1952, 23. His father, Thomas Ward Bailey, was a preacher of the Gospel in Ontario, Canada. J C started preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in 1923. He also helped to organize and teach winter Bible schools during the thirties. In 1940 J. C. took over publication of the Gospel Herald, that had been started by Bob Sinclair. He was one of the first directors of Radville Christian College, and also served as treasurer and head of the Bible Department. At 60 years of age when many men are thinking of retiring - J.C. set foot on the soil of India for the first time At that time there were about 80 known members of churches of Christ in India, in what was then Assam. During the years that followed, the same knowledge of the Scriptures, dynamic preaching, and burning zeal for lost souls that had resulted in hundreds being baptized in all parts of Canada, was to result in thousands being baptized in India. Within five years, more than 20,000 had been baptized into Christ and hundreds of new congregations of the Lord's people had been established. J.C. and Myrtle resided in India for nine years. After that J.C. continued to make regular preaching trips to India. Many others have contributed to the work in India through the years. After fifteen years, the number of churches of Christ had grown to over 2,000 and 180,000 had been baptized. In November of 1988 J.C. made his 21st evangelistic trip to India at the age of 85. He went again in 1990. It is no longer possible to have any idea of how many are presently assembling in India, but the number is probably around half a million.

He has engaged in the Bailey-Snowden Debate on "Baptism" in 1931. Then in 1936, he participated in the Bailey-McGill Debate on the "Class Question." In 1953, he twice engaged in debate with Jas. B. Reesor on Divine Healing. In 1953 he participated in the Scherling-Bailey Debate on the propositions "The Conscience is Supreme in the Moral and Spiritual Realm" and many others.