john w. gowdy (chinese: 高智約翰; pinyin: "gāozhì yuēhàn"; foochow romanized: "gŏ̤-dé iók-hâng"; 7 december 1869 – 1963) was a scottish american bishop of the methodist episcopal church and the methodist church, elected in 1930. he also distinguished himself as a missionary, an educator, and as a college and university president.