R.A. Torrey helps us grow spiritually
through his Bible teaching

Torrey teaches us about the Holy Spirit.

The Person and Work
of The Holy Spirit
by R.A. Torrey

Read this excellent book on this website!

Jump to Chapter One

R.A. (Reuben Archer) Torrey
1856-1928

He was a famous American evangelist (as famous in his day as Billy Graham is in our day), born on January 28, 1856 in Hoboken, New Jersey. After faithfully preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to millions of people around the world, he died on October 26, 1928, three months before his 73rd birthday.

Born into wealth, his father was an influential New York banker who also happened to be an attorney. Reuben Archer grew up in the lap of luxury in large homes with many servants. He enrolled in Yale University at the young age of fifteen and immediately joined the party crowd. For three years he studied and partied, ignoring the Christian teaching of his parents, resisting the call of God on his life. Eventually responding to the Holy Spirit's leading, he got saved and his life began to change for the better.

After graduation, he entered Yale Divinity School in 1875 and began intensive study of the Bible. In 1877 his parents died but he inherited almost nothing. His father suffered financial reversals and had lost his fortune a few years earlier.

The Christian who most influenced him to serve Christ was D.L. Moody. In 1878 the great evangelist and former Civil War chaplain preached in New Haven, Connecticut.

After the sermon R.A. introduced himself and began asking questions. "How can I serve God and How can I win people to Christ?"

Moody responded, "Go at it! Just start telling them about Jesus because doing it is the best way to learn."

He received his Bachelor of Divinity from Yale Divinity School in 1878 and a D.D. in 1889. Always a brilliant student, R.A. pastored churches for a while but was hungry for more education.

He moved his young family to Germany where he studied theology and higher criticism at universities in Leipzig and Erlangen. After his theological studies in Germany he became the first Superintendent of D.L. Moody's new Bible school, then called the Chicago Evangelization Society, which later became Moody Bible Institute. He served there from 1889 to 1908.

Along with teaching the Bible to thousands of students, Torrey was also a globe trotting evangelist and a prolific author, writing forty book and publishing hundreds of sermons, articles and Sunday School lessons.

Every Christian can profit and grow spiritually by reading his helpful book, The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, which we present here. First published by Fleming H. Revell Company in 1910, this excellent Christian book is in the public domain. Rick Brentlinger has edited and updated the text.

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