the great advantages of stature and The philanthropist was six foot tall and “possessed weight.” over two hundred pounds in weight. But the most distinctive feature of Gerrit Smith was his face, deep and, was large and brilliant; the voice was sonorous and rich, “expressive.” His, “eye remarkable for compass, musicalness and imposing figure had undertaken power.” Smith’s numerous endeavours throughout his career. The deeply religious man had been a leader in temperance and religious revival activities throughout Upstate New York. Susceptible to millennialism, Smith showed himself a self doubting believer in strict adherence to Christian principles. On reading that, world will end at three Smith wrote to his “the tomorrow morning,” wife in 1844 that he knew, my dear Nancy, that we shall meet in the The “not air.” philanthropist was sure that, upon Judgment, he must, myself on like the “cast [Christ’s] mercy, thief on the But piety was not to be scoffed at. He had once petitioned, in 1829, Cross.” Smith’s the United States as a biographer later observed it, laws regulating Congress, “praying that,” “the the post-office department might be so amended, as not to require the transmission of the mail and the opening of the post-offices on the the concept of Lord's Day.” Living Christ’s philanthropy was chief in life. One dinner guest recalled a night when Smith welcomed Smith’s into his home weary travelers from the road, all regardless of their political or moral stances. “I have seen eating in peace, at one time, at dinner, in his the friend recalled, Hicksite house,” “a Quakeress minister, a Calvinistic Presbyterian deacon of the Jonathan Edwards school, two abolition all paired with, Whig pro-slavery member of Congress, a Democratic lecturers,” “a a southern ex-slave holder and a runaway Smith, them all. Not one official…, slave.” “managed was And not only were they provided for, with Christian charity, but Smith neglected.” conversed, each in such a sweet way as to disarm all criticism, and making everyone feel “with that, if he could be other than himself, he would rather be Gerrit Smith than any other living
“possessed the great advantages of stature and weight.” The philanthropist was six foot tall and over two hundred pounds in weight. But the most distinctive feature of Gerrit Smith was his face, deep and, “expressive.” His, “eye was large and brilliant; the voice was sonorous and rich, remarkable for compass, musicalness and power.” Smith’s imposing figure had undertaken numerous endeavours throughout his career. The deeply religious man had been a leader in temperance and religious revival activities throughout Upstate New York. Susceptible to millennialism, Smith showed himself a self doubting believer in strict adherence to Christian principles. On reading that, “the world will end at three tomorrow morning,” Smith wrote to his wife in 1844 that he knew, “not my dear Nancy, that we shall meet in the air.” The philanthropist was sure that, upon Judgment, he must, “cast myself on [Christ’s] mercy, like the thief on the Cross.” But Smith’s piety was not to be scoffed at. He had once petitioned, in 1829, the United States Congress, “praying that,” as a biographer later observed it, “the laws regulating the post-office department might be so amended, as not to require the transmission of the mail and the opening of the post-offices on the Lord's Day.” Living the concept of Christ’s philanthropy was chief in Smith’s life. One dinner guest recalled a night when Smith welcomed into his home weary travelers from the road, all regardless of their political or moral stances. “I have seen eating in peace, at one time, at dinner, in his house,” the friend recalled, “a Hicksite Quakeress minister, a Calvinistic Presbyterian deacon of the Jonathan Edwards school, two abolition lecturers,” all paired with, “a Whig pro-slavery member of Congress, a Democratic official…, a southern ex-slave holder and a runaway slave.” Smith, “managed them all. Not one was neglected.” And not only were they provided for, with Christian charity, but Smith conversed, “with each in such a sweet way as to disarm all criticism, and making everyone feel that, if he could be other than himself, he would rather be Gerrit Smith than any other living