On September 13, 1860, Charles William Gordon, also known as Ralph Connor, was born in Glengarry County, Ontario. He was the fourth child of Mary Gordon (née Robertson; died in 1890) and Rev. Daniel Gordon (1822-1910). In Upper Canada, his father served as a missionary for the Free Church of Scotland. Gordon was motivated to pursue his summer mission work in the West after hearing Superintendent Robertson speak about its difficulties while he was a student at Knox College. Gordon ultimately dedicated the rest of his life to reform and mission work in Western Canada. Gordon's opinions were greatly influenced by Robertson, who thought that missionaries were the only people who could change the settlers' lackadaisical attitudes toward sporadic church services and tepid spirituality. He rose to prominence as a supporter of the unification of the churches and social change in the West. As a result, the United Church of Canada was established in the 1920s as a reaction to the rising liberalism and secularization.
