San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-06-19
THOMAS HARRISON,
EMINENT EVANGELIST.

Thomas Harrison, usually known as
"the Boy Preacher" has been at work
the last five months in New York
City, where is about to be held day
of religious rejoicing on account of his
success. Two thousand persons have
''found religion under his ministry
within the short time covered by his
present visit to the metropolis. Mr..
Harrison will continue his prosperous
and happy toll some time longer in
New York. The middle of August he
will begin probably the most impor-
tant engagement of his life, when he
will take full charge of the far-famed
camp-meeting at Sing-Sing, New
York. His present labors will thus be
supplemented by what promises to be
much more productive ones, the con-
ditions of evangelical effort at camp
meeting, a fervid atmosphere and
teeming crowds of people, being espe-
cially favorable to the conversion of
sinners in large numbers.
The evangelist is an exceedingly in
teresting as he unquestiOnably is
useful man. 1t is observed that his
converts "stick" and great is the gain
to the community that his ministry is
effective i'm the making of good citi-
Zens. Believers and unbelievers alike
find cause for qualification in this fact.
His full name is John Thomas Harri-
son, but he is ordinarily called Thomas
or Tommy. He is a local preach
er of the Methodist Episco-
pal denomination belonging to the
Quarterly conference of the Boston
district in the New England confer
ence. His aged mother lives at the
Hub, and his home is with her, if, in
deed, a Methodist evangelist may be
said to have a home. Thomas was
born at Dorchester, Boston, in the
year of 1854. He is of English descent
on both sides, and is proud of Meth
odist ancestry. DR.. Matthew Richie,
for forty years leader of Canadian
Methodism and President of its Con-
ference was Mr.. Harrison's mothers
uncle. His grandfather was local
preacher of the Wesleyan Church, st.
Johns, New Brunswick. The connec-
ton of his family, on both sides, with
Methodism, dates back without break
for more than hundred years. Mr..
Harrison has been a member of the
church more than twenty years.
He was educated in the Grammar
School and at the Academy, Bos-
ton! In 1872 he went to Brooklyn
and entered the Rev. DIR. II. De
Witt Talmage's College, an insti-
tuition since defunct where he studied
theology, the Bible and methods of
preaching. While he was an inmate
of the college, Mr.. Harrison became
engaged in aggressive Christian work
in New England. The revival at
tending his ministry on this occasion
was of such extraordinary magnitude
that it led to his giving up everything
else in order to devote his whole time
to preaching as a travelling evange-
list. From that time his life has been
almost entirely given up to revival
work. In Philadelphia, Baltimore
and Washington, thousands have
protested conversion as the result of
his efforts. The same is also true of
Cincinnati and st. Louis. At Spring
field, Illinois, in 1866, twenty-five
hundred persons made profession of
religion in the seventeen weeks of his
preaching in that place. The whole
city of Indianapolis is described as
l:dNluS De6H ulON gu Ill 1901, SUCH was
the power of Mr.. Harrison's preach
ing. Now that of New York is added
to the list of his greatest successes.
Our picture makes it plain why it's
subject is called "the Boy Preacher"
While preserving very much the as
pect of youthfulness, Mr.. Harrison has
considerable quiet dignity. His man.
ner in social intercourse is almost re-
served, but he says bright and witty
things, and his eyes are singularly
expressive of the sense he entertains
of what is being said or done. In
public, while exceedingly animated,
Interesting and, as the word is, mag
netic," he maintains absolute self
possession. There is method even in
the physical intensity of his manner
of exhortation. His "set' sermons
have solid doctrinal instruction as
their basis; lively and energetic they
are not unstudied and incoherent.
Mr.. Harrison seldom breaches more
than half an hour, but he is ire
mendous "wOrker" in the prayer
meeting, and knows the secret of set
ting everybody else who can do it; to