Smith, Azariah, jM.D.. a minister of the Congre- gational Church, was born in iManlins, N. Y., Feb. IG, 1817. From a verj' early age he was kept at school, studying, in addition to the ordinary branches, algebra, Latin, and Greek. In the spring of ISo-l he entered the freshman class in Yale College. In 1835, during a revival, he was the subject of converting grace. Soon after his conversion he became interested in the subject of missions, and made his impressions known to Dr. Armstrong, one of the secretaries of the American Board. Immediately after graduation he went to (ie- neva, N. Y., where he pursued the study of medicine in the office of Prof. Spencer, attending six lectures a day. He engaged in Simday-school work and was secreta- ry of the village Tract Society. In 1839 he went to Philadelphia, where he spent three months, enjoying, imder the special favor of Prof. Hodge, access to the Pennsylvania Hospital and also to the dispensary and almshouse. In October he entered the Theological Sem- inary at New Haven. During the winter he kept up his medical as well as theological studies, and received from the medical school connected with the college the degree of M.D., Jan. 24, 1840. He also, day by day, at-
tended the lectures of the law-school on Blackstone's Commentaries. His was not a mere smattering, but his application was such that he thoroughly mastered what he undertook. Ou Aug. 30, 1842, he was ordained at Manlius, and he embarked for Western Asia in No- vember following, arriving at Smyrna after a voyage of fifty-three (lays. After residing at Brnsa and Con- stantinople for a few months, he proceeded to Trebi- zond, where he remained five months, spending the most of his time in studying Turkish and practicing medicine. In 1844 he visited Smyrna, Khodes, Cyprus, and Beirnt, and made a tour in the interior to Aleppo, Orfa, Diarbekir, and INIosul. He was at Mosul when Botta was disentombing one of the palaces of Nineveh ; he also travelled for a time with Mr. Layard. At Mo- sul it was his sorrowfid privilege to attend the dying couch of the excellent Dr. Grant. This year he made a trying and dangerous tour in the mountain Nestori- an districts of Kurdistan, going, through much peril, as far north as Julamerk, returning to jNIosul, and thence to Alexandretta. In 1845 he travelled exten- sively after visiting Constantinople, including a visit to Trebizond and Erzerum, where he remained a year and a half. This j-ear he was mobbed for affording protec- tion to an Armenian priest who had fled to his house, but by his determined courage and perseverance the offend- ers were punished and tlamages were recovered from the Turkish government. His travels were extensive, and he often went many miles out of his way to ad- minister medicine for the cholera at different missiona- ry stations. What was so widely known and exten- sively used in this country in 1849 as "Dwight's Chol- era ^Mixture" was his own preparation. Once he was attacked with this disease in the wilderness, his only attendant forsaking him through fear; but after two days' suffering he recovered sufficiently to proceed on his journey. At length, in 1848, he arrived at Aintab, seventy miles north of Aleppo, which he made his mis- sionary home. It had a popuLation of Armenian Chris- tians amounting to 12,000, twice that of the IMohamme- dan residents— a field large enough to wear out the most untiring energy. He returned to America the same year, was married, and went back to his field. Everything he knew, he knew thoroughly; and every- thing he did, it was with all his might. As the author of valuable papers on meteorology, Syrian antiquities, and natural history, published in the American Journal of Science, he at once took rank with the best scholars of his own land, thus confirming the declaration that '•none have made richer contributions to the material of the naturalist and geographer than are l)eing made by the missionaries of the Cross." He who lived and labored so faithfully for others was not forgotten by his Lord in the trying hour. When death came, June 3, 1851, it found him prepared. In the midst of painful struggles which amounted almost to agony, he uttered, in Turkish, his last words — "Jov, joy! praise, praise!'' (W. P. S.)
Smith, Bela, a Methodist Episcopal minister, was born in 1784, converted when about eighteen j'ears of age, and admitted on trial by the Ne^v York Conference iu 1809. In 1810 he was ordained deacon as a mission- ary to Canada; in 1811 admitted into full connection and appointed to Ulster Circuit. He was ordained, in 1812, elder, and appointed to Delaware Circuit; 1813, Newburg Circuit; 1814-15, New Windsor; 1816, Dela- ware; 1817, Schenectady; 1818, Albany; 1819, Pitts- field; 1820-21. Stratford. In 1822, owing to failing health, he took a superannuated relation, in which he continued to the termination of his life, July 2, 1848. He was a faithfid and successful amiiassador for Christ, and in all the relations of life he was highly valued and universally esteemed. See Minutes of Annual Confer- ences, iv, 223.
Smith, Benjamin A., a minister of the ^Sfethod- ist Episcopal Church, South, was born in Warren Co..
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Ga., in 1813. He embraced relifrion in his seventeenth year ami iiiiiuil with the Church. He was Ucenscd ill preacli in I«4«. ami in IXV.* was admitteil into the (ieorjiia Conference. His hrief ministry was closed hy tlcatii .Iinie I'-i. I'*.')'!. See .\/iiiiiti.i nf Aimuiil Coiijli- eitcr.i iif M. h:.Cli., Siiitl/i. lXi\. p. 304.