Jonathan Going, D. D., eldest son of Jonathan and Sarah K. Going, was born in Reading, Vt., March 7, 1786. In 1803 he entered the academy at New Salem, Mass., at which place and also at Middleborough, Mass., he prepared for college. In 1805 he entered Brown University, and during his Freshman year was converted to God and baptized into the fellowship of the First church, Providence, by the pastor, Rev. Stephen Gano, April 6, 1806. During his college course he was a most faithful and active Christian. After his graduation, in 1809, he spent a season in studying theology with Dr. Messer, the president of the university.Returning to Vermont, he was ordained in May, 1811, pastor of the Baptist church at Cavendish. In December, 1815, he removed to Worcester, Mass., and remained pastor of the church in that city until 1832, a period of over sixteen years. This pastorate was one of the most successful and influential of that day. Sunday-schools, foreign missions, ministerial education, and reform movements had in Dr. Going a pronounced and able friend and advocate. During the later years of his ministry at Worcester he became profoundly interested in home missions, and in 1831 obtained leave of absence from his church to visit the Baptist churches in the Western States. May 25 of that year he attended the meeting of the Ohio State Convention at Lancaster, and gave great aid in the formation of the Ohio Baptist Education Society and the founding of Granville College.
As the result of this visit, Dr. Going was in 1832 made corresponding secretary of the Home Mission Society, a position which he held with signal ability and unwearied industry for five years. Much of the present prosperity and usefulness of the Home Mission Society is due to his wise plans and arduous toils.
In the autumn of 1837, Dr. Going accepted the presidency of Granville. College, O., and removed from Brooklyn to the West. In this position he remained to the entire satisfaction of all the friends of the college until his death, which occurred Nov. 9, 1844. While in Ohio his influence was felt in every good work. He was profoundly interested in the growth of the denomination throughout the State, and gave much time and strength to securing funds for the education of young men. His death was regarded as the greatest loss that had befallen Ohio Baptists, and to this day his name and work are held in grateful remembrance.
================ [From William Cathcart, editor, The Baptist Encyclopedia, 1881, reprint, 1988, p. 457. - jrd]
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