“Gipsy” Smith – converted to Christ

ON THIS DATE

English-born Rodney “Gipsy” Smith, 16 was converted to Christ 11/17/1876.  He taught himself to read, became a Salvation Army officer (invited to the Army by Booth himself) and later was associated with the Methodist.  He traveled several times to America.  He sang (when younger known as the singing Gipsy boy) and preached, emphasizing the love of God.  His life was from 3/31/1860 to 8/4/1947.

Smith quotes:

“I’m God’s messenger from the gypsy tent. And it’s the message that’s important, not the messenger.”

“The way to Jesus is not by Cambridge and Oxford…Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Socrates…It is over an old-fashioned hill called Calvary.”

“I wonder what would happen if the preacher stopped in his sermon next Sunday morning and said, ‘Have you paid your debts this week?’  ‘In what sort of a temper did you come down to breakfast this morning?’”

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Billy Sunday – died

ON THIS DATE

William Ashley “Billy” Sunday died 11/6/1935 at Chicago.  He was orphaned during the Civil War (born 11/19/1862), played major league baseball at Chicago, Pittsburgh & Philadelphia (1883-1891), was converted to Christ (1886) at the Pacific Garden Mission.  He worked for the Chicago Y.M.C.A. 1891-1893.

In 1903 he was ordained by the Presbyterians and spent his remaining years as an evangelist.  “Fiery” “conservative” “dramatic” and “unconventional” are words used to describe his preaching.  It is believed that more than 100 million heard him and some 300,000 became Christians.

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Bob Jones – born

ON THIS DATE

Robert Reynolds “Bob” Jones was born 10/30/1883 at Shipperville, AL.  He was converted at 11, appointed Sunday school superintendent at 12 and ordained at 15 by the Methodists.  Bob, a fundamentalist Methodist, was a good speaker, fast thinker, and became a good debater. 

His ministry took him to every state in the Union and to thirty other countries.  In 1926 he founded Bob Jones College (now BJU) originally in Florida, but after two moves it settled in Greenville, South Carolina.  He died in 1968.

Jones Quotes:

The acid test of our love for God is obedience to His Word.

Trust God as if it all depends upon Him, and work as if it all depends upon you.

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This DATE – Tozer Born

ON-this-DATE   

 A. W. (Aiden Wilson) Tozer was born, 4/21/1897, at Newburg, PA (newer name).   Tozer was converted to Christ after hearing a street preacher in Akron, OH where Tozer worked making tires.  It is said that Tozer never owned a car nor learned to drive.  And that he made few pastoral calls.  He did pray, preach, and publish.  He and his wife Ada Cecelia (Pfautz) had six sons and a daughter.  Tozer wrote some forty books among which are God Tells the Man Who Cares, Keyes to the Deeper Life, The Knowledge of the Holy, The Pursuit of God,  The Root of Righteousness and Who Put Jesus on the Cross.  Tozer died 5/12/63 – his grave has this simple epitaph: “A W Tozer – A Man of God.”

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Explanation – marked “eab”

Explanation – my postings on fb and Separateholy.wordpress.com are marked with “eab” & a date (if known). The “eab” means it’s a thought God has given or allowed me to have. If you like them, “Give God the Glory” (from Jimmy Willis, original “Kingfish” of Amos & Andy, who was converted to Christ) and hit like ;). If you don’t like the “eab,” blame Bryan but at least you know, to my remembrance, they’re not plagiarized. These have come all hours of day & night. I try to have pen & pad available and would encourage you to do the same with YOUR random thoughts. – eab  

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Oswald J. Smith – birth, Nov. 8, 1889

1. Fairest of ten thousand is Jesus Christ, my Savior,
The Lily of the Valley, The Bright and Morning Star.
He is all my glory, and in this heart of mine
Forevermore I’m singing a song of love divine.

Refrain – ‘Tis the song of the soul set free,
            And its melody is ringing.
            ‘Tis the song of the soul set free;
            Joy and peace to me it’s bringing.
            ‘Tis the song of the soul set free;
            And my heart is ever singing,
            Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The song of the soul set free!

2. Once my heart was burdened, but now I am forgiven,
And with a song of gladness, I’m on my way to heav’n.
Christ is my Redeemer; my Song of Songs is He.
My Savior, Lord, and Master–to Him my praise shall be.

3. When He came to save me, He set the joybells ringing,
And now I’m ever singing, For Christ has ransomed me.
Once I lived in darkenss; the light I could not see.
But now I sing His praises, for He was set me free.

4. Angels cannot sing it–this song of joy and freedom,
For mortals only know it, the ransomed and the free.
Slaves were they in bondage and deepest misery;
But now they sing triumphant their songs of liberty.

Oswald J. Smith was born this date,11/8/1889, in Odessa, Ontario, Canada.  His dad was a telegraph operator for the Canadian Pacific Railway and Oswald was born in his parent’s home in Odessa.  He was converted to Christ (age 16) at a Torrey-Alexander campaign in Toronto(1/28/1906).  Smith (1934) formed the missionary-minded People’s Church of Toronto which funneled millions of dollars into missionary work.  Smith’s books (35 in number) have been translated into 70(+) languages, his preaching took him to 60(+) countries and he penned 1,200(+) songs including the above.  Oswald J. Smith died1/25/1986.

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William Ashley “Billy” Sunday – death, Nov. 6, 1935

William Ashley “Billy” Sunday died this date, 11/6/1935 at Chicago.  Billy was orphaned during the uncivil war then became a professial ball player (1883 to 1891) playing major league baseball for Chicago, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.  He was converted to Christ (1886) at the Pacific Garden Mission, quit baseball and worked for the Chicago Y.M.C.A. He was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry (1903) and spent his last years as a fiery, conservative preacher, dramatic and unconventional.  He is said to have spoken to 100 million.  Billy was born 11/19/1862, Ames, Iowa.

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Charles Grandison Finney – converted to Christ, Oct 10, 1821

Charles Grandison Finney was converted to Christ on this date, 10/10/1821.  Finney (then 29 years of age was at Adams, New Jersey when this new birth took place.  The next day he received “a mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost” was thus sanctified holy.  Quickly thereafter Charles gave up this law practice, became a minister and stayed one for the next 50 years.  He also taught and wrote.  See his Revival Lectures.

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Peter Cartwright – death, Sep. 25,1872

“The people crowded to this meeting from far and near. They came in their large wagons, with victuals mostly prepared. The women slept in the wagons, and the men under them. Many stayed on the ground night and day for a number of nights and days together. Others were provided for among the neighbors around. The power of God was wonderfully displayed; scores of sinners fell under the preaching, like men slain in mighty battle; Christians shouted aloud for joy.

 

“To this meeting I repaired, a guilty, wretched sinner. On the Saturday evening of said meeting, I went, with weeping multitudes, and bowed before the stand, and earnestly prayed for mercy. In the midst of a solemn struggle of soul, an impression was made on my mind, as though a voice said to me, “Thy sins are all forgiven thee.” Divine light flashed all round me, unspeakable joy sprung up in my soul. I rose to my feet, opened my eyes, and it really seemed as if I was in heaven; the trees, the leaves on them, and everything seemed, and I really thought were, praising God. My mother raised the shout, my Christian friends crowded around me and joined me in praising God; and though I have been since then, in many instances, unfaithful, yet I have never, for one moment, doubted that the Lord did, then and there, forgive my sins and give me religion.”

                                                                        – Cartwright’s account of his conversion

 

Peter Cartwright died this date,9/25/1872, in Illinois.   He was born 9/1/1785, in Amherst County,Virginia.  He came under Holy Ghost conviction at 16, and after several weeks (months?) of seeking was converted to Christ.  He was an ordained a Methodist minister, in Kentucky(1806) and married Frances Gaines (1808).

 

Cartwright was twice a member of the Illinois legislature.  He ran against A. Lincoln for seat in US Congress and was defeated (1846).  There was only one Peter Cartwright, frontier rough, limited in “book learning,” but willing to do what he felt God directed.  He spent over 50 years spreading the Gospel and reflects the same in his Fifty Years a Presiding Elder (1871).  He also produced Controversy with the Devil (1853) and his colorful Autobiography of Peter Cartwright (1856).

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They Are Nailed to the Cross

There was One Who was willing to die in my stead,
That a soul so unworthy might live;
And the path to the cross He was willing to tread,
All the sins of my life to forgive.

Refrain  They are nailed to the cross,
            They are nailed to the cross,
            O how much He was willing to bear!
            With what anguish and loss Jesus went to the cross!
            But He carried my sins with Him there.

2. He is tender and loving and patient with me,
While He cleanses my heart of the dross;
But “there’s no condemnation”—I know I am free,
For my sins are all nailed to the cross.

3. I will cling to my Savior and never depart—
I will joyfully journey each day,
With a song on my lips and a song in my heart,
That my sins have been taken away.

Grant Colfax Tullar was born this date 8/5/1869 at Bolton, Connecticut.  Ulysses Grant was president of the United States and Schuyler Colfax vice-president hence the high-sounding name. His mother died when he was two and he, raised by less than best relatives, was found working (age ten) at a woolen mill.  After a move toHartford, he worked in a shoe store.  When Tullar  was nineteen he was converted at a Methodist camp meeting near Waterbury, CT.

After a year as a pastor he turned music evangelist.  In 1893 he and Isaac H Meredith founded the Tullar-Meredith Publishing Co. (New York) publishing Sunday school literature and church music.  It is to Tuller’s music we sing “Face to Face with Christ My Savior,” “Every Work for Jesus Will Be Blest,” the above song, and others.  Tullar died 5/20/1950 at Ocean Grove, New Jer­sey.

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