Introduction

Biography

James was the son of James Hen­ry Gil­key and Ma­ry Lot­tie John­son, and hus­band of Calma Wright Howe (mar­ried 1916).

He gra­du­at­ed from Har­vard Col­lege (1912) and Un­ion Theo­lo­gic­al Se­mi­na­ry, New York Ci­ty.

He was a teach­er and chap­lain at Am­herst Col­lege, then, start­ing in 1917, was pas­tor of the South Con­gre­ga­tion­al Church, Spring­field, Mas­sa­chu­setts, re­tir­ing in 1954.

In 1926, he was the com­mence­ment speak­er at the Uni­vers­ity of Con­nec­ti­cut.

Works

• A Faith for the New Ge­ne­ra­tion, 1926
• The Cer­tain­ty of God, 1928
• Secrets of Ef­fect­ive Liv­ing (New York: Mac­mil­lan, 1927)
• Solving Life’s Ev­ery­day Prob­lems, 1930
• Meeting the Chal­lenge of Mo­dern Doubt (New York: Mac­mil­lan, 1931)
• Managing One’s Self, 1932
• What Can We Be­lieve, 1933
• You Can Mas­ter Life, 1934
• Getting Help from Re­li­gion, 1936
• The Prob­lem of Fol­low­ing Je­sus, 1938
• A Faith to Af­firm, 1940
• How to Be Your Best
• God Will Help You, 1943
• When Life Gets Hard, 1945
• Gaining the Faith You Need, 1948