Love Waxing Cold – Reverend Thomas Smyth Audio Book

Background

He was born on June 14, 1808 in Belfast, Ireland, one of twelve children. His father, Samuel Smyth, of English descent and a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church, was a successful business man who accumulated a considerable fortune but lost it all. His mother, Ann (Magee) Smyth, of Scotch descent, belonged to a rather remarkable family, one of whom founded the Magee College in Londonderry, Ireland. After his marriage the father changed the spelling of his name to Smith, but Thomas resumed the “y” in 1837.

Education

Thomas won many prizes in school. For five years he attended the Academic Institution of Belfast and in 1827 entered Belfast College, where he made a brilliant record. In 1829 he enrolled at Highbury College, London, continuing his classical course and at the same time beginning the study of theology. Because of financial reverses his family moved to the United States in 1830, and Smyth spent the year 1830-31 in Princeton Theological Seminary.

Career

On October 4, 1831, Smyth was ordained to the ministry by the Presbytery of Newark. Soon after his ordination he was called to supply the pulpit of the Second Presbyterian Church of Charleston, and on December 29, 1834, was installed as its pastor. When he came to Charleston he was a frail but scholarly young man of twenty-five.

He grew rapidly in scholarship and in power as a preacher and writer. In addition to his regular duties he was an omnivorous reader and a prolific writer. His writings were collected and edited by his son-in-law, Rev. J. William Flinn, D. D. , and his daughter Jean Adger Flinn, and published in ten volumes under the title Complete Works of Rev. Thomas Smyth (1908 – 12).

In 1850 Smyth suffered a stroke of paralysis from which he never fully recovered, but he toiled on for twenty years. In 1870 another stroke came and he resigned the pastorate of his church. He continued to work, however, sorting and arranging his manuscripts. From time to time he would say to his physician: “Not ready yet, Doctor. ” Finally all the manuscripts were arranged, and when the physician came again, Smyth said: “Doctor, I have finished, I am ready”. That afternoon the end came.