River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-12-30
THEREy. MR.. SMITHS VOW.
Fulfilled After Many Wears ny His
Election to Congress

Election to Congress.
Ny. sun.
The Rev. J. Hyatt Smith, the newly
elected congressman from the third
district N Brooklyn, who defeated ). b.
| Chittenden,is a popular Baptist preach
er, and is pastor Of the Lee Avenue
Baptise church in Brooklyn His
church withdrew from the Long Island
Baptist association some years ago. rs
a result of Il controversy over his right
to baptize converts by sprinkling rs
well as by immersion. Mr.. Smith is
90 years old has black hair, dark ewes.
brdnette complexion and clean
shaven face. He is affable in manner,
and is about as good story teller rs
Mr.. S. 5. Cox. He goes now and then
to the theatre, and is so much Of
mimic that he has had the reputation
of having once been an actor himself.
This, however, is not true Mr.. Smith
one nigl.t visited Booths Theatre 10
see Edwin Booth in Hamif On his
way 70 his seat with his daughter
he encountered one of the Strictest
members of his church in the same
aisle
"Oh, you sinner said Mr.. Smith,
prepare to be churched. | have
long time suspected that some OF my
church members were theatre gOers,
and determined to find ont for myself.
| brought my daughter along rs
witness, and the first one We see Is your
self"
The church member was sosurpriSed
to meet his pastor i'll the theatre that
ut first he believed himself in danger
of discipline, but when he saw the
minister clapping his hands and heard
him, while they were eating Saddle
Rock oysters afterward, enthusiastical-
~ praise Edwin Booth, his doubts
were all dissipated Mr. Smith is
great admirer of Joseph Jefferson. He
says he regards the elaboration of that
actors movements in Rip Tan lI'iakf,
as he goes out from the presence of his
termagant wife into the storm, as ono
of the masterpieces Of acting.
Mr.. Smith is the son of Il Yankee
schoolmaster. His fathers sister while
schoolmistress at Litchfield Mass,
taught Henry Ward Beecher to read.
He was born at Saratoga, n. y, in
1924. At 10 years of age lie became
an errand boy for a doctor in Albany.
He broke away from this employment
soon after and went to Michigan, where
he got clerkship in q store in De
troit. Arson Burlingame was then Il
boy III the same town, and he and
Hyatt Smith became fast friends. The
hearts of both We're filled with air
castles They took long walks and dis
cussed the future. One day, carrying
a Bible, they went far into the woods,
and placing their hands upon the book,
solemnly swore that they would some
day become members of congress.
Mr.. Burlingame was elected to congress
by the republicans of the fifth district
of Massachusetts in 1854. in 1886, and
again in 1858 He subsequently, was
appointed minister to China, and theu
he became ambassador from China to
the United States, and brought about
the famous Burlingame treaty, under
which the Chinese began to pour into
this country.
Zachariah Chandler took deep IN
terest in young Smith and volunteered
to pay the expenses of his education for
the ministry Chandler was unable
to keep his promise, but Mr..
come preacher, returned to
Albany, went back to the
doctors Office and began to study He
found more remuncrative position in
the Commercial Bank of Albany, and
after five years of study and work he
was licensed to preach by the Pearl
Street Baptist Church, in this city, in
1913. He went first to Poughkeepsie,
then to Cleveland, to Buffalo, and to
Philadelphia, where his church, during
the war, was known as the 4" Head
quarters of the Army" Under the
auspices of the Christian Commission
he went to the battletields of Gettys-
burgh and Fredericksburgh to care for
the Union soldiers Gen Grant per
sonally acknowledged his services, say
ing that Mr.. Smith was one of those
who fought the battles Of liberty ut
home while he fought upon the battle
field. Mr.. Smith became pastor of the
Lee Avenue Baptist Church fourteen
years ago. He has enjoyed much
popularity since. \ chance sermon in
opposition to prison labor attracted the
attention of the matters, whose trade
suffered by the system, and he became
their candidate for state senator last
fall for the Second district, but he with
drew from the race. The hatters put
him in the field for congress this fall,
and the independent republicans and
regular democrats endorsed his nomi-
nation. Mr.. Smith is a conservative
republican, and will probably act indie
pendently in congress. He is a hard
money man and thorough patriot
Mr.. Smith said yesterday that he was
surprised at the ungracious assaults up
on him by leading republican newspa
pers, some of which had referred TO
him as having "demagogic proclivi
ties" For my character as man
and as patriot" said Mr. Smith,
and as to my being the furthcst re-
moved from demagogue in pulpit or
on platform, | would refer to my life
long friond, who knows me through
and through--the venerable Thurlow
Weed"
Mr. Smith will not resign his pulpit,
his purpose being to secure a compe-
tent clergyman to do his parish work
while he is in congress.