Fallen at His Post

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 25, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 12.

Fallen at His Post.

The sad news came to us by wire, and afterward by letter, that Pastor Uriah Smith, for many years—since July, 1854—editorially connected with the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, died the 6th instant, at 1:30 P. M. Uriah Smith was born in West Wilton, N. H., May 2, 1832. He graduated at Exeter Academy at the age of twenty, and began life as a public school-teacher. He gave himself to the Lord in early life, and his literary talent early brought him into close connection with the publishing work. He became a Sabbath-keeper in 1852. The first production printed from his pen in the Review and Herald began in its issue of March 15, 1853, a poem, entitled, “The Warning Voice of Time and Prophecy.” His name appears as editor in the issue of Nov. 16, 1855. He published, in book form, another poem, entitled, “The Sabbath.” Other works which he produced are “Here and Hereafter” (a revision of “Man’s Nature and Destiny”); “Looking Unto Jesus” (a revision of “The Sanctuary and 2300 Days”); “Daniel and the Revelation” (a combination and revision of two earlier volumes, “Thoughts on Daniel” and “Thoughts on the Revelation”); “The Marvel of Nations” (a revision of “The United States in Prophecy”), and a vast amount of smaller works, serial articles, tracts, and poems. For many years he was connected editorially with this paper, and has contributed many articles to its columns. He had rare facility in expressing his thoughts pleasantly, oftentimes eloquently and poetically, and always clearly. You could easily understand what he meant by what he said. Many have been brought to the truth by reading his works. The morning he died he expressed himself as feeling as well as he did twenty years ago; but crossing the street from the Review and Herald office to the tabernacle at 11:30 he was stricken with apoplexy, dying two hours later. The funeral services were held in the tabernacle March 8, conducted by Pastors A. G. Daniells, president of the General Conference, and W. W. Prescott, managing editor of the Review and Herald. The fruit of the union between himself and Miss Harriet N. Stevens, consummated by marriage June 7, 1857, were one daughter and four sons, all of whom are living, one of whom, Leon A. Smith, is on the editorial staff of the Review. With one of old we can say, “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?” For fifty years, almost, he has done noble service for God, and he comes to his end still harnessed for the battle, full of years and labors. May the truth which God has spoken through him do its work for souls until the end. The following poem, written to his memory, comes to us from the pen of Mrs. L. D. A. Stuttle, a friend of years:—

REST.

Sleep, warrior, sleep, thy battles all are done; Rest, calmly rest, The strife is o’er, the victory is won,— Ah, thou art blest. No more for thee the burdens of the way, Thou hast forgot the toils of yesterday.

The mother grieves not when her infant sleeps, But calm and mild, With smiling face her mother-watch she keeps Above her child; Content to watch, content to wait awhile,— She knows her darling will awake and smile.

Sleep, warrior, sleep, while we, thy comrades, toil; God gives thee sleep. Forever done earth’s tempest and turmoil,— Why should we weep? For soon the voice of God death’s seal shall break, And when the morning dawns, thou shalt awake.