BAKER, James Chamberlain 1879-1969

PERSONAL: Born June 2, 1879, in Sheldon, IL; died September 26, 1969, in Claremont, CA; son of Benjamin Webb and Martha Frances (Henry) Baker; married Lena Sarah Benson, 1901. Education: Illinois Wesleyan University, graduated, 1898; Boston University, S.T.B., 1905.

CAREER: Missouri Wesleyan University, teacher of Greek for three years; elder of Methodist Episcopal churches in McLean, IL, and Urbana, IL, until 1928; Methodist Episcopal Church (now United Methodist Church), elected bishop, 1928; supervisor of missions in Japan, Manchuria, and Korea, 1928-32; bishop for San Francisco, CA, 1932-c. 1946, and Los Angeles, CA, 1948-52; University of Southern California, Los Angeles, visiting professor, c. 1952-56. Temporary supervisor of Methodist Episcopal mission in Shanghai area of China, 1933-34. Wesley Foundation (college campus ministry), founder and leader; International Missionary Council, chair, 1941-47; World Council of Churches, founding member, member of central committee, 1948-54; United Methodist Council of Bishops, president, c. 1948; consultant to United Nations.

WRITINGS:

(With Ralph E. Diffendorfer) Church and Mission inJapan in January 1941, Board of Missions and Church Extension, Methodist Church (New York, NY), 1941.

The First Wesley Foundation: An Adventure inChristian High Education, foreword by Fred P. Corson, Parthenon, 1960.

Author of pamphlet "The Church in a World in Ferment," privately printed (Los Angeles, CA), 1947. Contributor to periodicals, including Methodist Review.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

other

General Commission on Archives and History of theUnited Methodist Church Web site,http://www.gcah.org/ (March 24, 2003), "Wesley Foundation, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Heritage Landmark of The United Methodist Church."*