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The Supreme Task of the Church
Oswald J. Smith

Oswald Jeffrey Smith (1889–1986). Born on November 8, 1889, in Embro, Ontario, Canada, to a Methodist family, Oswald J. Smith became a globally influential pastor, missionary advocate, and hymn writer. Saved at age 16 during a 1906 Toronto revival led by R.A. Torrey, he studied at Toronto Bible College and McCormick Theological Seminary but left before graduating due to financial strain. Ordained in 1915 by the Presbyterian Church of Canada, he pastored small churches before founding The Peoples Church in Toronto in 1928, leading it until 1958, when his son Paul succeeded him. Smith’s church sent millions to missions, supporting over 400 missionaries, earning him the title “the greatest missionary pastor.” He pioneered radio evangelism with Back to the Bible Hour and authored 35 books, including The Passion for Souls and The Man God Uses, emphasizing evangelism and prayer. A prolific hymnist, he wrote over 1,200 hymns and poems, like “Then Jesus Came.” Married to Daisy Billings in 1915, he had three children and died on January 25, 1986, in Toronto. Smith said, “We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first.”
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Sermon Summary
In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the supreme task of the Church, which is the evangelization of the world. He highlights the importance of having a world vision and not just focusing on local matters. The speaker quotes Bible verses to support his message, emphasizing that God's love and Jesus' sacrifice were for the entire world. He also warns that those who fail to warn the unbelievers will be held accountable for their blood.
Sermon Transcription
I'd like to ask you now to turn, if you will, to the prophecy of Ezekiel. There are just three verses that I would like to read. And I am reading from the third chapter of Ezekiel, commencing at the seventeenth verse. Now I'm going to change some of these words because I want to bring this passage right down to date. I want to make it applicable to foremissionary work, to world evangelism. If you are following me, you will note the words that I'm changing. The seventeenth verse of the third chapter of Ezekiel. Christian worker, I have made thee a watchman. Therefore hear the word of my mouth and give warning from me. When I say unto the heathen, thou shalt surely die, and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest his blood will I requite. Yet if thou warn the heathen, and he turn not from thee, he shall die. From time to time when we evangelize in those islands, East to West people, then he must be more interested in the islands of Jabba than he is in my country. Then he must be more, then he must be more interested in, than he is in India. Because we're in China, the supreme task of it, do you realize there is not one church? You say, how do you know? And if I see that most of it has been sent out, yes, but you have one, is in very deed the most important in that most. They do not even send one dollar. When they spend one dollar, they don't even break even. Many many years ago, I was able to go to the treasury and ask two questions. In a little while I got, during these past years, to give well over for missionary work. We have tried to, his world, he, will not be needed. The only reason we're needed, he sat down to partake of his breakfast of bacon and eggs, and he picked up the, and he read about the mission. It was a way back in the, and we had only given, he said that isn't true. That's a false statement. Dr. Smith's message continues on slide two of this tape. And having solved the problem to his complete satisfaction, he wasn't satisfied. He sat down that day and he wrote me a personal letter. The first letter I'd ever received from a Roman Catholic priest in all my life. He wanted to know all about it. You know the method we follow. It's a three-fold method. A faith, individual, to participate. Then God works. In answer to prayer. And does the impossible. Year after year. You say does it work in every church? In the year 19, for two weeks and three Sundays. And that you hold next year. And in the few. I need to tell you that today was offering. My friends, I believe there will come a day when countless millions from heathenism. Look at you and at me as we stand around the throne. And pointing a finger of mercy at thy hand. Do you see now why I, a veteran missionary from India. He came home to Scotland to die. He stood before the General Assembly's appeal. Then again he spoke. India, I wonder if while I've been speaking tonight. I wonder if there have been young men and young women in this audience. Who have been crying, I'll go. I wonder if there have been older people. The supreme is the evangelization of the world.
The Supreme Task of the Church
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Oswald Jeffrey Smith (1889–1986). Born on November 8, 1889, in Embro, Ontario, Canada, to a Methodist family, Oswald J. Smith became a globally influential pastor, missionary advocate, and hymn writer. Saved at age 16 during a 1906 Toronto revival led by R.A. Torrey, he studied at Toronto Bible College and McCormick Theological Seminary but left before graduating due to financial strain. Ordained in 1915 by the Presbyterian Church of Canada, he pastored small churches before founding The Peoples Church in Toronto in 1928, leading it until 1958, when his son Paul succeeded him. Smith’s church sent millions to missions, supporting over 400 missionaries, earning him the title “the greatest missionary pastor.” He pioneered radio evangelism with Back to the Bible Hour and authored 35 books, including The Passion for Souls and The Man God Uses, emphasizing evangelism and prayer. A prolific hymnist, he wrote over 1,200 hymns and poems, like “Then Jesus Came.” Married to Daisy Billings in 1915, he had three children and died on January 25, 1986, in Toronto. Smith said, “We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first.”