Reuben Archer Torrey

Reuben Archer Torrey (28 January, 1856 – 26 October, 1928), was an American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer.

Biography

Torrey was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, on 28 January, 1856. He graduated from Yale University in 1875 and Yale Divinity School in 1878. Following graduation, Torrey became a Congregational minister in Garrettsville, Ohio in 1878, marrying Clara Smith there in October, 1879. From 1881 to 1893, the Torreys had five children.

After further studies of theology at Leipzig University and Erlangen University in 1882–1883, Torrey joined Dwight L. Moody in his evangelistic work in Chicago in 1889, and became superintendent of the Bible Institute of the Chicago Evangelization Society (now Moody Bible Institute). Five years later, he became pastor of the Chicago Avenue Church (now The Moody Church) in 1894. In 1898, Torrey served as a chaplain with the YMCA at Camp Chicamauga during the Spanish-American War. Later, during World War I, he performed similar service at Camp Bowie (a POW camp in Texas) and Camp Kearny.

In 1902–1903, he preached in nearly every part of the English-speaking world, and with song leader Charles McCallon Alexander conducted revival services in Great Britain in 1903–1905. During this period, he also visited China, Japan, Australia, and India. Torrey conducted a similar campaign in American and Canadian cities in 1906–1907. Throughout these campaigns, Torrey utilized a meeting style that he borrowed from Moody's campaigns of the 1870s.

On June 20, 1907, he was honored with a Doctorate degree from Wheaton College. In 1912, he served as Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles (now Biola University) and in 1915, pastor of the Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles.

His last evangelistic meeting was in Florida in 1927. Future planned meetings were cancelled due to his failing health. He died at home in Asheville, North Carolina on October 26, 1928, having preached the world over and having left a legacy of over forty books. Torrey Auditorium, for decades the main auditorium at Moody Bible Institute, was named in his honor.

Bibliography

*"How I Bring Men to Christ", (1893)
*"Baptism with the Holy Spirit", (1895)
*"How to Study the Bible with Greatest Profit", (1896)
*"How to Pray", ( [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/torrey/pray.html E-text] )
*"What the Bible Teaches", (1898)
*"Divine Origin of the Bible", (1899)
*"How to Promote and Conduct a Successful Revival", (1901)
*"How to Work for Christ", (1901)
*"Revival Addresses", (1903)
*"Studies in the Life and Teachings of our Lord", (1909)
*"The Fundamentals: a Testimony to the Truth" Editor, (four volumes) ISBN 0-8010-8809-7
*"The Person & Work of the Holy Spirit"
*"The Baptism with the Holy Spirit"
*"The Importance and Value of Proper Bible Study"
*"How to Succeed in the Christian Life"
*"Talks to Men About the Bible and the Christ of the Bible", (1904)
*"The Gospel for Today"
*"Real Salvation and Whole-Hearted Service"
*"The Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Faith"
*"Torrey's Topical Textbook"

References

*1911
* [http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/biorptorrey.html Short biographical info]
* [http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/Papers/Torrey/papers.html Wheaton College Library Torrey Collection]
* [http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/107.htm#3 Biographical chronology]
* [http://www.ccel.org/php/disp.php?authorID=schaff&bookID=encyc11&page=467 Entry in "New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge"]
*Martin, Roger: "R. A. Torrey: Apostle of Certainty". Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1976. ISBN 0-87398-829-9.

External links

* [http://www.freewebs.com/ratorrey R. A. Torrey Archive (sermons and writings)]
* R. A. Torrey hymn "Bless Thou Jehovah" with new melody by [http://www.freewebs.com/eric_m_pazdziora/songs.htm Eric M. Pazdziora]
* [http://www.verselink.org/ R. A. Torrey's New Topical Textbook]
* [http://www.biola.edu/academics/torrey/index.cfm/ Torrey Honors Institute]
* [http://www.verselink.org/topics/tenreasons/tenreasons1.html Ten Reasons Why I Believe The Bible Is The Word Of God] by R. A. Torrey
* " [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/6528/fundcont.htm The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth] ", edited by R.A. Torrey (1910-15)
* [http://www.verselink.org/topics/pray/pray11002.html/ How to Pray] by R. A. Torrey