Florence Rosalind Bell-Smith (Goforth) (1864 to 1942)
She and Jonathan Were So Unalike and So Alike.
Birth of Florence Rosalind Bellsmith at Kensington Gardens, London. Moving with her parents to Canada at age three, she had a definite experience of conversion with the Lord at age 12. Returning to Canada from the Niagara-on-the-Lake Bible Conference on a ferry crossing Lake Ontario in 1885, she was introduced to a shabbily-dressed man who had been the speaker at the Conference. They were thrown together in the missionary work being done in the Toronto City Mission. She was from a fine, well-off family, and he was totally given over to the Lord, devoting every cent to missions. Yet, on Oct. 27, 1887, she became Mrs. Jonathan Goforth. He could not afford an engagement ring; and she soon learned that it was her part to adapt her life-style to his, giving and sacrificing for the cause of the Gospel. Together they gave their best years in self-denying labor to bring the Gospel to multitudes in China.
George Washington Truet (1868 to 1944)
Baptist
He Built the Biggest Church in the U.S.
George Washington Truet was born at Haysville, Clay County, N.C. Raised in a Christian family, he, as a child, was deeply concerned about salvation. Yet he never was soundly converted until age 19, during the annual two-week revival meetings in the little country church. The evidence of his new birth was so apparent, he was asked to give the invitation the following week, which he did, and God caused a great response from the congregation. This became, a basic part of his ministry. He became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas in 1897, when the membership stood at 700. Forty-seven years later he retired, and the membership was 7,800, the largest Church in the country at that time.