He was born in 1859 to a very poor family.
His father did manual
labor, for very little pay.
Smith himself went to work
at the age of six to help with the family income.
At six he was pulling
turnips and at seven he was working in a woolen mill twelve hours a day.
His parents did not know
God, but Smith hungered in his heart to know Him. Even as a youngster he would
pray in the fields.
His grandmother was the critical Christian in his life.
She was a Wesleyan Methodist and would take Smith to meetings with
her.
At one of these meetings
there was a song being sung about Jesus as the lamb and Smith came into the
realization of God’s love for him and his decision to believe Christ for his
salvation was decided that day.
He was immediately filled
with the desire to evangelize and led his own mother to Christ.
Smith has various church
experiences as he was growing up.
He first went to an
Episcopal church and then at thirteen a Wesleyan Methodist church. When he was
sixteen he became involved in the Salvation Army.
He felt deeply called to
fast and pray for lost souls.