Smith, John M

Smith, John M., a Methodist Episcopal minister, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Oct. 10, 1795. He was converted in the spring of 1810, and immediately joined the Church; graduated at Columbia College in the city of New York; entered upon the study of medicine, but, becoming impressed that it was his duty to preach, relinquished that design and entered the itinerant ministry in 1817, and was stationed on Jamaica Circuit, L.I. He continued in this work until September, 1820, when he was elected by the New York Conference principal of the Wesleyan Seminary in New York city, in which he continued until that institution was removed to White Plains, of which he also took the oversight. From this he was transferred, in May, 1832, to the professorship of languages in the Wesleyan University. He entered upon the duties of his professorship with great ardor of mind and promising hopes of distinguished usefulness; but his days were soon cut off, and he died Dec. 27, 1832. Mr. Smith was a diligent and successful student; a fine classical scholar; sound and systematical as a preacher; meek, modest, and polished as a man. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 2, 216; Bangs, Hist. of the M.E. Church, 4, 146-151. (J.L.S.)