Rodney (Gypsy) Smith, 1860-1947, was born in a tent, raised on a Gypsy camp,
never attended a school - not even for a day! g Nevertheless, he influenced the
lives of millions of people for God through his powerful preaching.[1] He once
made a statement saying, "I did not go through your colleges and seminaries.
They would not have me, but I have been to the feet of Jesus where the only true
scholarship is learned." Moreover, he learned it well"[2] Gipsy never wrote a
sermon out for preaching purposes. Only once did he use notes when he needed
some Prohibition facts.[3]
g g g g g g g Smith self-educated himself. He preached to the same audience week after
week, which made him realize the need for additional sermon material. Smith
search away from the Bible his reading consisted of Matthew Henry's
Commentaries, the lives of some early Methodists, the Rev. Charles Finney's
Lectures on Revival Sermons to Professing Christians, and The Way to Salvation.
[4] The purpose of Smith's readings was for ideas and a better grip of the English
language.
g g g g g g g Smith did not involve himself in the theological discussion; he did his best
to ignore them. Harold Murray wrote, "he was not a man who liked debate or
controversy, and did not go out of his way to talk about Fundamentalism or
Modernism, Christian Science, Spiritism or Second /coming of Christ."[5]
Modernism did not alter his appeal. He was not a person to insult people by
assuming they did not believe the truth. His purpose was to preach to them. He
was a fisher of men who were not trying to correct the world's theology. His goal
was urging Christians to focus on the message of the gospel. As you stated, "As
a result, his sermons were not "artfully constructed expositions, filled with points
and sub-points," the eloquence of words and oratory is not what he was seeking;
he preached the Word of Jesus in season and out of season.[6] Describing his
delivery style was a challenging endeavor. One writer lamented, "no adequate idea
of the sermons of Mr. Smith can be conveyed by liberal reports of his words,
which are apt in forcefulness, illustration, and analogy, for he preaches with
greater force, effectiveness by gesture, manners, and intonation of voice."[7]
[1] https://www.biblebelievers.com/gypsy_smith/
[2]Ed Reese. The Life and Ministry of Rodney (Gipsy) Smith. Reese Publications,
7801 Ember Crest Trail, Knoxville, TN 37938.
[3] Ibid,
[4] [Benjamin K Forrest (2019). A Legacy of Preaching, Volume Two:
Enlightenment to the Present Day. Retrieved from
https://app.wordsearchbible.lifeway.com, (p. 126).
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid,133
[7] Ibid,136
Bibliography
Forrest, Benjamin K. g A Legacy of Preaching, Volume Two: Enlightenment to the
Present Day. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.lifeway.com, (2019).
Reese Ed. The Life and Ministry of Rodney (Gipsy) Smith. Reese Publications,
7801 Ember Crest Trail, Knoxville, TN 37938
