The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-01-09
GOSPEL UNION CAMPAIGN.
The Evangelistic Meetings Begin in Cen
tennial Hall Next Monday, Jan. "a.


The Evangelistic Meetings Begin in Cen
tennial Hall Next Monday, Jan. "a.
The union gospel meetings to begin
in Centennial Hall on Monday evening
OF next week, January 18th, under
the direction OF DR.. A. j. Smith,
evangelist OF New York City, and Prof.
Chester F. Harris, OF Cleveland, Ohio,
has awakened considerable interest In
Reynoldsville. inquiries have been
made about DR.. Smith and his work,
and in answer to such inquiries the
following statement is published
Rev. A. j. Smith was born in the
province Quebec, Canada, and came to
the United States when ten years old. /.
The drift OF his whole life seems to
have been preparatory to his particular
calling. Educated in Brattleboro, VT.
and Boston, and expecting to enter
business, he further prepared himself
by a commercial course at Eastman
college, Poughkeepsie. At 81 he went
on the road as a commercial traveller,
selling goods to the furniture trade. In
1885 he was led to give up business and
go into the work of the Y. M. G. A..
He served the association in Waterbury,
Conn, New York and Chicago. In
1889 he accepted an invitation to be-
come assistant pastor Of Bethany Pres
byterian church, Philadelphia, com
monty known as Wanamaker's church.
In this church DR.. Smith caught the
evangelistic spirit and after prayerful
consideration resigned to enter the gen.
eral work. After leaving Bethany
church DR.. Smith took special course
in the Dutch Reformed Theological
Seminary at New Brunswick, N j. DR..
Smith has been associated with
Mr.. Moody, B. Fay Mills, j. Wilbur
Chapman and many other leading re-
ligious workers of the day. All these
gentlemen, with Mr.. Wanamaker and
the session of the Bethany church, most
heartily commend Dr. Smith as a
christian gentlemen and singularly
successful winner OF souls. After six
years OF evangelistic work DR.. Smith
accepted an urgent call to the First
Presbyterian church of Savannah, Ca,
where labored from 1896 to the end of
1900. During his ministry there great
numbers were added to the church and
the building was entirely remodeled at
a cost OF 5000
Since leaving Savannah DR.. Smith
has de, oted his entire time to evangel-
istic work. He has been associated
with DR.. Chapman in some OF his
greatest evangelistic campaigns. He
organized and directed the preparatory
work in Atlanta Ca, where several
thousand confessed Christ. He was
associated with DR.. ]. P. Calhoun in the
great meetings in Kansas City and
Louisville, and has on many occasions
acted as special representative of the
Committee on Evangelistic work OF the
Presbyterian church.
DR.. Smith has been described as "a
man with message" and those who
know him intimately say that the secret
of his power lies in the fact that he is
filled with the Holy Ghost. He has
been influenced greatly by association
with men like Moody, but he earnestly
insists that the greatest influence in his
life has been the earnest, patient life of
his mother, who still lives In Boston
Mass He says that from his earliest
recollection she tried to lead him to
Jesus, and because Of her faithfulness
he was spared that sowing of wild oats
which is the bane of so many young
men.