What others Have Said About Me!

    I’m a smaller than average fellow. I grew up on a small farm here near Marlow, Oklahoma.

My mother taught a country school for a few years. When she was expecting my little brother, she had to give up her position as a teacher. Expectant mothers were not to serve as public school teachers in those days.

For the next year or so I was her only pupil. There were no private schools in those days. I cannot remember when I could not read!

I recently attended the reunion of my college class at Oklahoma Baptist University. I was amazed at how that bunch has aged!

Since my college days I’ve conducted 50 two to three week revivals. I’ve spent 54 weeks in Home Mission Board "World Missionary Conferences," back in the days when we had them. I was an Associational Missionary in Oklahoma. We now call them Director’s of Missions. (I was only 22 at the time.) I pastored about 15 years. Part of that was in Oklahoma and New Mexico. In 1951 we moved to Utah and I pastored about six years. Then for 11½ years we traveled up to 322 days of the year, speaking in churches, colleges, and seminaries, from coast to coast.

Mormonism has been my life for more than 50 years!

I have letters and other proofs of the impact I made during the years.

At the risk of appearing boastful and vain, I want to mention some of the plaudits that I have received.

Here’s a letter from a California Baptist pastor written in 1965.

He wrote, "This letter is to give to you the highest recommendation of John L. Smith. I have been privileged to have Bro. Smith in my home and in my church and hold him in highest esteem."

Here’s an undated letter from an early Executive Secretary-Treasurer in Salt Lake City.

He wrote, "It is my pleasure to extend to you greetings from the newest convention….of our great denomination. It is also my pleasure not only to endorse Bro. John L. Smith our veteran preacher in the heart of Mormon culture, but to request your prayers for us as we labor here in this rather strange country.’

Here’s a letter written by the same man 1966. (It’s from the copy that he sent me.) "I have a letter about John L. Smith and hasten to reply. Bro. Smith is a fine man indeed, a fully cooperating, accredited Southern Baptist. He has served 16 years in Utah as a missionary, pastor and radio preacher and is held in highest esteem by the brethren and the convention. I have personally known John (L.) and his fine family for 22 years. He is perhaps the best informed person on Mormonism alive today having served 16 years, written much, studied ardently in the Mormon capital and has a message that should be heard.

"…..Brother Smith will never be an embarrassment to any church, association, college or convention who may which a presentation on Mormonism. He is a fine scholar and an excellent speaker."

A non-Southern Baptist wrote in 1967, "May I present John L. Smith of Utah, who is probably one of the most knowledgeable evangelicals we have in the West on the subject of Mormonism. He has spoken all over America to hundreds of churches and especially to Christian schools and colleges on the Nature of Mormonism and the proper approach to winning them….We have had John (L.) Smith in our church again during this tour."

The pastor of one of the largest churches in the Southern Baptist convention (in the Oklahoma City area), wrote in 1967, "Emergency! I need to talk to you. I need your help quickly. Please call me collect immediately. Keep trying until you get me."

Two of his best church members, a deacon and a lady had just become Mormons.

I spoke there in a few weeks and also in his church in Houston years later in a regular service.

In April of 1967 a pastor in Louisiana wrote, "One of the finest persons our church has had visit the pulpit is John L. Smith….(his) message is his mission. He speaks without bigotry or animosity, yet in honesty, frankness and love….We shall ever be indebted to John (L.) Smith for his help to our church…"

A professor at Western Baptist Bible College in October of 1967 wrote, "To Whom It May Concern: We had John L. Smith speak twice to our students. One of the meetings was crowded with standing room only. Mr. Smith held our young people in rapt attention as he related some of his experiences with Mormonism.

"…..I have read and heard a great deal of Mormonism for over forty years, and Mr. Smith’s approach was the most practical and pointed I have ever heard…."

In March of 1970 I received a letter from the Business Manager at Piedmont Bible College in Winston Salem, NC writing for a professor telling me of plans for me to be at Piedmont and a couple of nearby churches. I had been with the professor before.

I April of 1970 I received a letter from the President of the Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, KS.

He said, "I’ve heard a number of comments made concerning the appreciation of various of our students and faculty members for the insights which you gave on a subject which, as far as I know, has been completely neglected in our life and programs here at the Seminary."

In 1971 the Dean at Dallas Christian College wrote, "Mr. Smith has spoken twice in our chapel services and has been very well received. His presentation is very fair, inspirational and informative."

After I had appeared in chapel at the Southwestern Assemblies of God College in 1972 the Executive Dean wrote, "Your presentation on Mormonism was received with great enthusiasm by all those who heard you…I have just finished reading your book entitled Brigham Smith. It is a very fine book. It was difficult for me to put the book down before I finished it."

In 1973 I spoke in chapel at Bob Jones University. On January 25, 1973 the Director of Religious Activities on the campus wrote me about being on their campus for two chapel appearances.

I went later and appeared in chapel for a week. I recently found a couple of articles that I wrote in1977 on Bob Jones’ website (2003).

In 1974 I spoke in chapel at BIOLA in La Mirada, CA. The Director of the Chapel Committee wrote, "Our warmest appreciation and thanks are extended to you and your enlightening two-day session spent with us last week. Your knowledge of the topic of Mormonism gained by your experience and evaluation were a source of illumination to the students….One of the marks of an effective chapel is the amount of discussion it provokes once the chapel is over. By that criterion your presentations were highly successful…."

(I also spoke in chapel at Talbot Seminary while I was at BIOLA.)

Paige Patterson, the new President of Southwestern Baptist Theology Seminary was President of the Criswell Bible Institute in 1976. After I spoke there, he wrote, "It was such a pleasure to have you with us last week in chapel at Criswell Bible Institute. You ‘did us good.’"

He enclosed a check of appreciation and an order for more of my books.

In 1980 I spoke at "Ambucs in Duncan" and on April 22, 1980 I received a Certificate of Appreciation from the President of the Duncan chapter.

In 1987 I attended an annual meeting of the Associated Ministries of Capstone.

I was the first to receive the annual plaque for, "Recognition of his lifetime of tireless service in defense of the Fatih…."

In 1988 I received a nice letter from the editor of Contact, the official publication of the National Association of Freewill Baptists.

The editor wrote complimenting our April 1988 edition of our monthly publication. He wrote, "You know how to present the truth in love. You publish only what you can verify. You found your place in God’s work and have diligently persued it."

The pastor of our church here in Marlow on the occasion of my fiftieth wedding anniversary in 1990 (my wife of 50 years passed away in 1991.) Several years later I remarried.

The then pastor wrote, "Second, we want to express our gratitude for your faithfulness to Christ and his church. Many retired preachers grow old and critical and angry. Others create problems in the fellowship and some simply drop out. You two are shining examples of what God wants all his servants to be following retirement. You have a sweet spirit; you work hard in the life of the church and you are very supportive of the pastor’s leadership."

(He thought I was retiring! He was wrong.)

Our current pastor wrote on 2/25/02, "I have known John L. Smith for almost six years. For the last three I have had the distinct privilege of serving as his pastor. John L. Smith is a man of integrity and honor. I have reason to believe he is the kind of man he professes to be.

"Although John L. has dedicated his life to a very particular area of ministry, he has a very particular ministry, he has continued with dedicated service and support of the local church…."

I recently spent about 10 days in Spokane, Washington. I stayed with a fellow and his wife who’ve been friends and supporters for many years.

They used to help me at the Utah State Fair and they’ve visited us in Oklahoma. He has become a genuine authority on Mormonism.

May God continue to bless our ministry. Friends like those mentioned in this article have made out ministry memorable!