p. 8 | Ministerial Experience by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 5, 1903

Ministerial Experience

By John Norton Loughborough

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH

“How ready is the man to go, That God hath never sent! How gentle, yet how slow, The truly eloquent!”

Those possessing real ability to stand in defense of the gospel are not often found pressing their claim to a position in the gospel work. It is after their brethren who have recognized the gift that is in them, and have urged them to improve it, that they are led to confess, “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”

This was truly so in the case of our lamented Brother Uriah Smith. Those who knew him personally are well aware of his retiring disposition, and consequent reluctance to anything that appeared like putting himself forward.

After his connection with the REVIEW AND HERALD, and especially after the removal of the Office to Battle Creek, Mich., his brethren in that church saw from his testimonies in the devotional meetings that he had talent qualifying him for ministerial service. When this was mentioned to him, he quickly replied, “I can not preach. I have no talent for that work.”

This position he maintained until about the year 1865, when, one day, a man came to the Review Office from Climax Prairie, about twelve miles from Battle Creek, to secure the services of a minister at a funeral. The woman whose funeral he was to attend had not belonged to any church, but requested that an Adventist minister preach her funeral sermon. It so happened that every Adventist minister was absent from the place that day. The man said that he could not return without an Adventist minister to attend the funeral service, because it was the dying request of the woman, and that must be carried out.

Finally the thought was expressed that Brother Uriah Smith could conduct the service. Hearing this, the man urged Brother Smith so earnestly that he at last consented to go, but said, “I am not a preacher; but under the circumstances I will go and read a few Scriptures, and excuse the matter.” He went. When the man brought him back, he reported to the brethren in the Office that the people were all highly pleased with the service, and said, “If that man’s talk is an excuse for a sermon, we don’t know what a sermon would be; for that excuse was the best funeral discourse we ever heard.” The man further stated, “The people instructed me to say, ‘If there is ever another call at Climax Prairie for one of your ministers to attend a funeral, we hope you will send the man that came to excuse the matter!’”

At the next session of the Michigan Conference Brother Smith was voted a license to preach. He still insisted that he was no preacher. He, however, took a little more time in talking in the devotional meetings of the church than he had previously done. At the conference in the spring of 1866, it was voted that he be ordained and receive credentials. This he would not consent to at that time.

Thank the Lord that this retiring and unassuming brother at last heeded the earnest entreaties of his brethren, and yielded to the evident call to the ministry. Glad are we that his voice has been heard in so many places, sounding forth the same precious truths that have flowed so fluently from his ready pen. Soon will the faithful hear that voice again, in the triumphant shout, “O, grave, where is thy victory?” May it be our happy lot to join with his ascriptions of praise to the Lamb on the other shore.