William Pascoe Goard

Outside of Professor Edward Odlum, and the possible exception of J.W. Parker, Reverend Goard was the most important influence in the early development of this organization. On a world scene, his contribution to the movement was unequalled. Born in 1863 in England, he came to Canada as a young man and engaged in missionary work in the Methodist Church. When our good friend Reverend Merton Smith, also a believer in the Israel Truth, went overseas, Reverend Goard came to Vancouver to preach in his Congregationalist Church. He met Professor Odlum and the two of them worked closely together to strengthen and expand the work both here and abroad.

A great organizer, he was called back to England in 1921 to become Vice-President of the British-Israel-World Federation and remained so until the time of his death in 1937. In due time, he became the Editor of The National Magazine, a director of Covenant Publishing, the Principal of Garrison Bible College and President of World Council of the B.I.W.F. His writings, his radio broadcasts, his lectures, his willingness to travel to expound the message and his inspiration to others made him a key instrument for the tremendous growth of the Israel Truth in the early part of the century. When he died, accolades poured in from everywhere and just as Jefferson said of Washington, it was said of Goard, “Know ye not that there is a great man fallen this day in Israel.”

Reverend Goard wrote many articles, many of which we published and many published in other vehicles, primarily “The National Message.”