Missionary Biography
Full Name: Green Lawrence Wharton
Birthplace: Indiana, United States of America
Date of Birth: June 17, 1847
Date of Death: November 4, 1906
Personal Testimony:
Green Lawrence Wharton was one of the first pioneer missionaries from the “Disciples of Christ” organization to serve in India. He was born into a humble farming family in Indiana, with very few chances for formal education. Even as a young man, Wharton was deeply zealous for God. Before finishing college, he began to preach about Christ with great passion. Later, he joined Bethany College to receive ministry training and afterward served as a pastor in Buffalo.
During that time, two Christian mission societies — the Foreign Christian Missionary Society and the Christian Women’s Board of Missions — were planning to send missionaries to India. Wharton felt a deep burden for the people of India and offered himself to go as a missionary representing the “Disciples of Christ.”
In 1882, he and his wife arrived in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. Later, they moved to Harda, a town in central India, where they started their first mission station. They rented a small house to live in and spent their early days studying the local language. Wharton quickly learned Hindi and began preaching the Gospel in that language.
At first, many people came to him seeking medical help, which opened doors for evangelism. Wharton often went to busy market streets, loudly reading and explaining Bible verses, and sharing God’s love with the crowd that gathered around him. His preaching, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, touched many hearts, and several people turned to the true living God.
Wharton and his wife also distributed tracts in the local language and were very active in village evangelism. They started many Sunday Schools for children so that they too could learn about Jesus. As their ministry grew, new mission centers were established in Mungeli and Bilaspur.
Wharton also worked hard for the social development of the local people. He started schools for children and helped in establishing a hospital for leprosy patients. Wanting to train more local workers for ministry, he founded a Bible Training School in Harda in 1893 and later established a Christian Bible College in Jabalpur in 1905.
Green Lawrence Wharton lived as a true disciple of Christ. He faithfully served God with all his strength until his last breath, leaving behind a strong legacy of faith, love, and service in India.