Uriah Smith was born on May 3, 1832 to Rebekah Spalding and Samuel Smith in West Wilton, New Hampshire. He, along with his family, had accepted the Advent message and joined the Millerite Movement, but the great disappointment struck a sharp blow to his faith, leaving him floundering spiritually. Uriah lost interest in religion and went to study at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. At the completion of his studies, he became a public school teacher.
In the year 1844, Uriah had his left leg amputated. Here is a description of that traumatic event:
“Lying on the kitchen table, 12-year-old Uriah could feel the panic rising up in his throat. He willed himself to stay still when every nerve and muscle in his body was screaming at him to stand up and run. He was glad for the strong arms that held him down. He would not trust himself alone on this kitchen table.
“Amos Twitchell fussed over his instruments, laying them carefully in a neat row. Uriah stole a furtive glance at the array before quickly averting his eyes and squeezing them shut. He could feel a cold bead of sweat making an icy track down his back.
“It’ll be over soon,” he told himself desperately, “Dr. Twitchell is one of the best surgeons in these parts.” And he was, mainly because he was quick and accurate. He had to be because in his line of work there was a very thin margin for error and even less room for second chances.
“‘Make sure you hold him still’ the doctor murmured absently, adjusting the apron he wore over his clothes.
“Uriah stiffened in panic, his eyes still tightly shut. The next moment he felt a sharp sting race through his leg and then he let out a blood-curdling scream.
“Dr. Twitchell had been summoned to amputate Uriah Smith’s leg.
“At the age of three, Uriah had contracted an infection which had caused his left leg to wither. Now at the age of twelve, it needed to come off. Dr. Twitchell had the dubious honor of detaching it, which he did, in 20 minutes, on the Smith kitchen table without the use of an anesthetic.
“Uriah would never forget that day or the weeks of recovery that followed. But neither the trauma of the surgery nor the disability it left him with deterred him from reaching his full potential. Uriah Smith completed his education with a serious physical disability and excelled.” https://www.lineagejourney.com/episodes-season-2/uriah-smith-a-life-of-service/
In 1852, Uriah Smith attended an Adventist Conference in Washington, New Hampshire and heard James and Ellen White speak. He listened carefully to their explanation of the great disappointment and it reignited his faith. He accepted the Sabbath and the three angel’s messages and reconsecrated his life to God. Later in the year, he was baptized. Six months later (in 1853), recognizing his literary skills, he was asked to join the staff of the Review and Herald office in Rochester, New York. He was 21 years old at the time and had turned down a job offer of about $1000 a year in order to do so.
He rose rapidly, rising to the position of editor by 1855 (at age 23). The publishing department then moved to Battle Creek, Michigan. Uriah held this position for most of the rest of his life (over 50 years—the longest serving editor). He is most well known for the book he wrote on Daniel and the Revelation, but he also wrote extensively on conditional immortality and other topics. As Review editor, Smith became “pastor” to many isolated Adventists who could not regularly attend church services. He wrote hundreds of articles and editorials providing guidance to thousands of Seventh-day Adventists scattered across the United States. He also authored more than 20 books and tracts during his lifetime.
In the first edition printed in Battle Creek he wrote: “I do not enter upon this position for ease, comfort, or worldly profit; for I have seen by my connection with the Review thus far, that neither of these is to be found here. The primitive equipment in use would have daunted a lesser spirit. In helping prepare the first tracts he used a straight-edge and a pocketknife to trim the edges. We blistered our hands in the operation, and often the tracts in form were not half so true and square as the doctrines they taught.” http://www.3asdchurch.org/hymns/602%20O%20Brother%20Be%20Faithful.htm
Uriah was also a talented artist and was responsible for the first illustrations in the Review and Herald as well as the first illustration in a book published by the Adventists.
In 1857 Uriah married Harriet Stevens, a coworker, the daughter of Cyprian and Almira Stevens. Together they had five children, four of whom survived into adulthood.
When the SDA church was organized in 1863, Smith served as the first secretary. This position he held five different times. He also was treasurer of the General Conference from 1876–1877.
Uriah Smith was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1874, in that same year he also helped co-found Battle Creek College. There he regularly taught Bible classes, held ministerial workshops, and chaired the college board. He was a Bible teacher there for the next eight years. His public speaking blessed many thousands.
Uriah Smith also travelled a lot but he still missed his family. This created a severe strain on his wife. Uriah’s greatest weakness was his inability to say “no” to church leaders who often pushed him into administrative positions where he was not comfortable.
In 1888 Smith opposed A.T. Jones and E.J. Waggoner when they brought the “Christ our Righteousness” message. His views regarding the law placed him in opposition to Waggoner, Jones and others at the Minneapolis Conference. After 1888 when Ellen White supported the new emphasis on righteousness by faith he refused to accept some of her counsels and reproofs that she gave to him. Uriah opposed this “new” message. He thought that the sanctity of the law of God was being imperiled by this new teaching of faith and grace. In 1891 though, Smith confessed his wrong and complete harmony was restored. He continuing to serve faithfully in the cause he loved so much.
In 1903 when the Review and Herald office was burned to the ground, the insurance only covered a fraction of what was needed to rebuild. The decision was made to relocate the publishing house to Washington D.C. During this time Uriah wrote “in the shadow of great calamity, we are of good courage.”
Uriah Smith also had other talents. He was a gifted poet and a hymn writer like his older sister, Annie.
Additionally, Smith was also an inventor. He accumulated eight patents during his life, one of which was an adjustable school desk with a folding seat which was a great improvement to those of his time. For this he received $3,000, which enabled him to build a new home for his family.
Because his artificial leg gave him insufficient freedom of movement, in 1863 he patented an improved version of the prosthetic leg with fully flexible knee and ankle joints.
On the 6th of March 1903, at the age of 71, Uriah Smith was walking to work in Battle Creek when he collapsed, having suffered a large stroke. He died hours later. A special front cover of the Review was printed in memoriam, bearing his picture and a poem by his sister Annie, which she had written about him before he died.
Smith was a handsome man of charming manner, more powerful in pen than in speech. The last words he ever wrote, directed to the General Conference in 1903, epitomized his lifelong purpose: “I am with you in the endeavour to send forth in this generation this gospel of the kingdom, for a witness to all nations. And when this is completed, it will be the signal for the coronation of our coming King.”
One of his most deeply touching hymns contains these words, which perhaps sums up the keynote of his life:
O Brother be faithful, soon Jesus will come
For whom we have waited so long
O soon we shall enter our glorious home
And join in the conqueror’s song.
O Brother be faithful, for why should we prove,
Unfaithful to Him who has shown?
Such deep such unbounded and infinite love
Who died to redeem us His own?