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R.A. Torrey

R.A. Torrey

R.A. Torrey (1856 - 1928)

An American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. Called by D. L. Moody to head Bible institute in Chicago (now Moody Bible Institute). Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Pastorates included Chicago Avenue Church (now Moody Memorial) and Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles. Worldwide evangelistic meetings with Charlie Alexander. Founded Montrose Bible Conference, PA. Wrote more than forty books.

Torrey held his last evangelistic meeting in Florida in 1927, additional meetings being canceled because of his failing health. He died at home in Asheville, North Carolina, on October 26, 1928, having preached throughout the world and written more than 40 books. Torrey-Gray Auditorium, the main auditorium at Moody, was named for Torrey and his successor, James M. Gray. At Biola, the Torrey Honors Institute honors him, as does the university's annual Bible conference.


Reuben Archer Torrey was an American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. Held evangelistic meetings around the world with song leader Charlie Alexander. Called by D.L. Moody to head the Bible Institute of the Chicago Evangelization Society (now Moody Bible Institute); Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles; pastorates included Chicago Avenue Church (now Moody Memorial Church) and Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles.

Besides his obvious gifts in all these areas, he was also a man of prayer, a student of the Bible, and an outstanding personal soul-winner. It is said that he daily read the Bible in four languages, having a good working knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. Some students of church history feel he did more to promote personal evangelism than any other one man since the days of the apostles. His prayer life has seldom been equaled in the annals of Christendom.

Reuben A. Torrey wrote some forty books and his practical writings on the Holy Spirit, prayer, salvation, soul-winning, and evangelism are still favorites of many Christians.
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R.A. Torrey

A CHRIST-LIKE MAN

THERE is one man who is pictured to us in the Bible who appears to be more like Christ than any other man of whose life we have an account. That man is Stephen, the first deacon in the Christian church, and the first Christian martyr. There is no fairer life recorded in history than that of Stephen,... Read More
R.A. Torrey

A Deacon Who Went Fishing on Sunday

One night when I arose to preach in the Chicago Avenue Church I saw sitting just to my left in the front seat underneath the gallery one of my deacons and side by side with him a flashily-dressed and hard-looking man. I at once concluded that he was a sporting man and I said to myself, “Deacon Young... Read More
R.A. Torrey

A Prophet Mighty in Word and Deed Before God and All the People.” Mark 1:21–35

(See also Matthew 8:14–17; Luke 4:31–41) DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. Jesus’ Power as a Teacher, vv. 21, 22 What do we find Jesus doing on the Sabbath, in the first verse of this lesson? Did He often do this? (Luke 4:16.) Was the synagogue worship very spiritual and inspiring? Ought He not then to have... Read More
R.A. Torrey

A Solemn Question for Those Who are Rejecting Christ That They May Obtain the World

“What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the world, and lose his own soul?” — Mark viii. 36 That question ought to set thinking every man and woman here tonight, who, because of love of the world is refusing Jesus Christ. I. Will you please notice in the first place the two things that are contr... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Abiding in Christ

"If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7) The whole secret of prayer is found in these words of our Lord. Here is prayer that has unbounded power: "Ask WHAT YE WILL, and it shall be done unto you." There is a way then of ask... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Always Praying and Not Fainting

In two parables in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches with great emphasis the lesson that men ought always to pray and not to faint. The first parable is found in Luke 11:5-8, and the other in Luke 18:1-8. "And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, an... Read More
R.A. Torrey

An Infidel Converted Beside a Coffin

A YOUNG lady in the Bible Institute, Chicago, started to call upon every family on a certain street in the poorer quarter of the city. One day she pushed open a door and found a man lying ill in bed, dying with consumption. When she began to speak to him, he told her crossly that he was an infidel a... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Anecdotes and Illustrations - Part 1

Do You Believe That, Sir? One night when I was speaking in a hall on the ground floor in Washington Avenue, there staggered into the room a man very much under the influence of liquor. He had once been prominent in his home town, postmaster of the town, but he had gone down through drink. He had dri... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Anecdotes and Illustrations - Part 2

First Sober Christmas in Ten Years One afternoon a wild looking Scandinavian rushed into the office in Minneapolis. My assistant, Mr. George Sanborn, was in the office. Mr. Saborn is not a large man, and the Scandinavian was a big, burly fellow. He rushed towards Mr. Sanborn as if he were going to d... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Anecdotes and Illustrations - Part 3

Won by a Smile As a Sunday-school worker hurried down the streets of Chicago one day on his way to Sunday-school, he noticed a little baby being held at the window by some one in the family. He turned towards the baby and smiled. The baby smiled back. The next Sunday the baby was there again and aga... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Anecdotes and Illustrations - Part 4

A Lost Diamond A QUAINT preacher of the olden days in our country, the Rev. Dan Baker, puts the danger of delay in the way of a story. He tells of a man who was crossing the ocean. He was leaning over the side of the vessel; it was a bright sunny day, and not a wave broke the surface of the water, j... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Are You Criticizing God?

THESE WORDS ought to awaken anyone who is not utterly beyond hope. Notice the first two words and the last word. "0 man" and "God." "0 man, who art thou that repliest against God?" Here God and man are put in sharpest contrast, God in His infinite greatness and wisdom and man in his infinitesimal sm... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Before Abraham Was, I Am.” John 8:48–59

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. “If a Man Keep My Word He Shall Never Taste of Death,” vv. 48–52 What two slanders against our Lord did the Jews utter in v. 48? To what extent was the word “Samaritan” a term of opprobrium in that day? (4:9.) Did they accuse Him of being possessed of a demon on any other o... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Beginning Right

There is nothing more important in the Christian life than beginning right. If we begin right, we can go on right. If we begin wrong, the whole life that follows is likely to be wrong. If anyone who reads these pages has begun wrong, it is a very simple matter to begin over again and begin right. Wh... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Christ Again Foretelling His Death and Resurrection and Discoursing on Humility Matthew 17:22 to 18:14

(Compare Mark 9:30–35; Luke 9:43–50) DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. The Shekel in the Fish’s Mouth, 17:22–27 What does our Lord now announce to His disciples (vv. 22, 23)? What was His purpose in telling them so often in these days of His coming death and resurrection? Did they comprehend what He was tal... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Christ Exposing the Scribes and Pharisees Matthew 23:1–36

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. Warning Against Seeking the Praise of Men, vv. 1–12 To whom were the words of the lesson spoken? Why not spoken to the Pharisees themselves? Why spoken to the multitudes? To His disciples? (1 Tim. 5:20.) Why was it necessary to warn even His disciples against Pharisaic sins... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Christ’s Teaching Concerning Civil Government Matthew 22:15–22

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. The Pharisees and Herodians Conspiring Against Christ, vv. 15–17 Who were the Pharisees? Who were the Herodians? Were they friends to one another? What had they in common? Was this the first occasion upon which these two parties conspired together against the object of thei... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Conditions of Discipleship Luke 14:25–35

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. The First Condition of Discipleship, vv. 25, 26 How was the popularity of our Lord at this time shown? Did the multitudes realize what was involved in a true following of Him? What did the sight of the multitudes and the realization of their motives lead Him to do? (John 6:... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Did I Miss God's Will for My Life?

I recently received a letter from one who is evidently an earnest Christian woman but who was in a condition of great depression because some years ago, when in college, she felt that perhaps she was called to go to China but did not want to go but became engaged to a Christian man, whom she married... Read More
R.A. Torrey

Discourse on the Bread of Life John 6:22–51

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. Seeking the Food that Perisheth, vv. 22–34 What is the multitude represented as doing in the opening verses of the lesson? Was it really Himself they were seeking? Is there any of that sort of seeking today? What noticeable change is made in the Revised Version in v. 26? Wh... Read More

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