T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
January, 1936
a TEACHER
Dr. Torrey as
B y JOHN H. HUNTER
Having met Torrey and learned from him the necessity for and method of personal soul-winning, John H. Hunter went forth to spend his life especially among young people, winning many fo r the Lord Jesus Christ. Mr. Hunter is now the minister of the Mayflower Congregational Church, Pacific Grove, California. For several years, he was associated with the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles as teacher and registrar, and whenever his name is men tioned at Biola, it calls forth praise to God. I n asking me for an article on Dr. Torrey, the Editor of the K ing ’ s B usiness suggested that if I wished to make it rather personal and reminiscent, such a message would suit the purpose in view. With this explanation, I trust the-reader will understand the viewpoint o f the writer. As I think o f Dr. Torrey, my heart is deeply stirred with holy and happy memories o f a delightful friendship that lasted for nearly thirty years. A M an W ho K new My first sight o f Dr. Torrey was when, in 1893 or 1894, he came to New York to take part, with A . C. Dixon and others, in organizing the Open Air Workers Associa tion o f America. The meeting was held in the Twenty- third Street Young Men’s Christian Association. Being then in Association work, and my heart being burdened over my own failure to do personal work, and knowing that Dr. Torrey was at the head o f the Chicago Bible Institute (as it was then termed), I made it a point to attend the gathering, Dr. Torrey’s enthusiasm, earnest ness, and knowledge o f the Bible and of how to use it in winning men to Christ captured me. I felt that here was a man who knew what he was talking about, and who was doing what I was longing to be able to .do. Soon after wards, I got a dozen copies o f the “ Christian Life Card”-§ f Dr. Torrey’s simple summary o f the teaching of the Word as to the requirements for the new birth and for victory in Christian living— and the next Sunday afternoon I had the joy of leading two young men to Christ in our Y.M.C.A. meeting. I purchased a copy o f Torrey’s book, H ow to Bring Men to Christ, and began to study it, the result being that I decided to go to Chicago to take a year’s work under Dr. Torrey. ■ M eeting the S uperintendent None o f us, who went through it, will ever forget that first meeting with Dr. Torrey. We sat in the reception room wondering what was coming, for our letter o f ac ceptance had plainly stated that if for any reason we were found unfitted for Christian work, we would be told of that fact and would not be allowed to enter as students. In
came Dr. Torrey with a bunch o f papers in his hand. As our name was called, we arose and went forward. He glanced through the synopsis of our papers, held out his hand and spoke a word of kindly greeting, and looked us through and through with those steel-grey eyes of his. W e felt that he saw clear through to the soles o f our shoes, but we felt that he was our friend, because we were his brothers in Christ who had come to learn from him how to serve our Lord better. . 4-" R ecalling S tudents ’ N ames s How it used to startle a student who had no close con tact with Dr. Torrey, and who had been in the Institute only a few days or a week or two, to find himself stopped and addressed by name, and asked in a kindly tone as to how he was getting on ! The student little dreamed that his name was familiar because it was being spoken at the Throne in the prayers o f the faithful servant.4 What a "thrill it brought to that tired former student, just home on furlough from the heart o f Africa, or China, to hear his name called by Dr. Torrey as he met him in the hall on his way into the classroom, and especially when Dr. Torrey recalled some experience o f the old days, or re ferred to some bit o f news the student had written in his Jast mimeographed letter from the field! A P ersonal W orker Dr. Torrey practiced what he preached and taught re garding personal work. I saw him coming down the steps from the Institute one day and being stopped by a poor “ down and out.” Dr. Torrey was on his way home after dictating his next Sunday’s sermon, or perhaps answering letters, but he put down his satchel (did you ever see him without it?), talked earnestly with the man for a little time, and then both men knelt down on the sidewalk beside the steps. When they rot up, Dr. Torrey put his hand in his pocket, and then reached it to the man. True to the teach ing o f our Lord, he gave to him that asked o f him. 4 H is P unctuality Dr. Torrey had no time to waste. To him the classroom schedule meant what it said. “ Eleven o ’clock, Bible Doc trine,” did not mean 11:01. He must be on the platform, and the students must be in their seats, on the minute. At one o f our first Bible conferences, a missionary, founder of an independent mission, happened to come in. He had no place on the well-filled program, but Dr. Torrey gra ciously promised to give him ten minutes to speak o f his work. When the time came, the missionary was introduced
“One night of prayer will save us from many nights of insomnia.”— Torrey.
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