, 1889-03-07
The Base Ball Preacher.

4 remarkable young preacher
coming to New York. He has &C
cepted call to the pastorate of th
Central Presbyterian church, one G
the oldest and most prominent in tn
city. He is to receive $1,000 a yeal
the largest salary ever paid q clergy
man just past his thirtleth year. Th
young mans name is Wilton Merl
Smith. He comes here from Cleve
land, Ohio, where he created quite i
furJre. Originally, however, Smitl
came from Elmira, in this state. H,
belongs to smart family. Hi:
father was for years one of the Su-
preme Court Judges. His brother
Walter, only few years older than
himself, occupies the place on the
Supreme Court bench that his faith
er occupied. He was appointed by
Governor Hill. The boys are two
of the brightest specimens of young
American manhood.
Smith graduated sfrom Princeton
College in the famous class OF 1887.
His brother was in the same class.
Wilton made his mark in Prince
ton. He was the best orator the
college turned out for a decade. He
was also q good scholar and fine
writer. But it was in base ball
Billy" Smith, as all Princeton
called him, made himself famous.
He was the second pitcher old Mas
sau had who could pitch a curved
ball. He was the class day orator
and graduated as one of the most
popular students the college ever
turned out.
From Princeton he went to Au
burn Theological Seminary. His
talents were Immediately recognized.
So we're his base ball profciencies.
He studied Hebrew and became
familiar with CalYin's Institute and
Hodges Theology while still twirl-
ing the ball and Winning the admir-
alton of all the small boys at Auburn.
During the summer he occupied
various Pulpits. His splendid elocu-
ton and the ability and earnestness
OF his discourses were in great de-
mand. One summer at his home in
EImira he was captain of crack ball
club. at the same time he was sup
plying the pulpit of the famous DR..
Thomas K. Beecher, brother of the
late Henry Ward Beecher. He drew
crowded houses on Sunday and
crowded the grand stand when he
pitched on Monday. There were
hard boys in the ball team, but they
all went to hear their captain on
Sundays. They sat in the front
pews and were as proud of Smiths
preaching as they were of his pitch
ing. -.
After he was a full -hedged clergy
man, Smith had several small charges.
The largest was at Canandaigus.
The fame of his pulpit talent began
to spread. He came to New York
one summer and preached for a
month in the magnificent Reformed
Dutch Church at the corner of Fifth
avenue and Forty eighth street, OF
which the Rev. DR., Edward B. Coe is
pastor. bis audiences were perfect>
ly delighted and from that time on
his services were sought by several
leading Presbyterian and Reformed
churches here in the metropolis. But
young Smith was modest and was
not ready as yet to assume the duties
of metropolitan pulpit. All he
wanted in New York at that time
was wife. He got one in the per-
son of the charming Miss Zaidee
Van SantVoord, daughter or Com
modore Van Ssntyoord, owner OF the
day line of steamers between New
York and Albany. From Oanandai-
qua Smith went to the First Presby-
terian Church in Cleveland. There
he has remained until his recent ac-
ceptance of the call from the Central
Church.