Harry A. Ironside, American Bible Teacher, Pastor, Author (2024)

Born: October 14, 1876, Toronto, Canada
Died: January 15, 1951, Cambridge, New Zealand
Life Span: 74 years, 3 months, 1 day

Ironside was one of the greatest Bible teachers the worldhas ever known. For some 50 years he went up and down Americateaching and preaching the Word of God. He was the ultimate in hisfield. Coupled with this was his successful ministry as pastor ofMoody Church from 1930 to 1948 which made him the most knownChristian leader of his era, outside of Billy Sunday whosefuneral he preached. He was affectionately known as "the archbishop ofFundamentalism."

John and Sophia (Stafford) Ironside were a godly couplewith his occupation being that of a bank teller. They were bothtremendous soul-winners. The father spent evenings at streetmeetings, in halls and in theaters, and on Sundays held services inthe park. His mother likewise testified everywhere. They wereidentified with the Plymouth Brethren. The father was known as "TheEternity Man," because every time he met someone he asked them,"Where will you spend eternity?" In the providence of God thisamazing soul-winner died at age 27 from typhoid when Henry was twoyears old.

Henry's birth was almost a casualty. The child was thoughtto be dead, so attention was given to the dangerously ill mother.Forty minutes later a nurse detected a pulse beat and at the doctor'sorder put the baby in a hot bath which soon produced a demonstrationof his vocal chords.

Following the death of the father, the 26-year old widow,who also had a new baby along with two-year old Henry, began to sewtrying to hold the family together.

Harry had religion but not Christ. He was memorizingScripture from three years of age and up, starting with Luke 19:10.Ironside read the Bible through 14 times by his 14th year. Twofrequent visitors were Scotch evangelists, Donald Munro and JohnSmith. They would always ask Harry "are you born again?" He alwaysreplied that he passed out tracts, memorized Scripture, went toSunday School. He was quite relieved when he heard his mother makeplans to go to Los Angeles in 1886 when he was ten years old. Atleast they would not be bugging him anymore, he mused.

A train ride from Toronto to Los Angeles was an adventurefor an adult, let alone a child of ten. They arrived on December 12,1886. Harry was surprised to find out there was no Sunday School inhis neighborhood, so at age 11 he started one. He called togetherboys and girls and talked to them about his purpose. He sent out theboys to collect sacks and burlap bags and he organized the girls intoa sewing club. They sewed the burlap together and soon a burlap tentwas made that could accommodate 100 people. There was no teacher, soHarry taught, and the average attendance was 60 including a fewadults. Harry would always revert to Isaiah 53 when he couldn't thinkof anything else to say. People would say, "God bless this littlepreacher" and Harry assumed himself saved. In 1888 Moody cameto Los Angeles for a campaign. Meetings were held in Hazzard's Pavilionwhich seated 8,000. Finding no seat he climbed up on a trough-likegirder that extended from the second gallery up to the apex of theroof. Moody excited Harry and he prayed, "Lord, help me some day topreach to crowds like these, and to lead souls to Christ." Forty-twoyears later he became pastor of the church Moody founded. In 1889 hismother said happily one day after school, "Guess who's here?" Harrythought it to be some lost relative, but it was evangelist DonaldMunro. As he arrived it was, "Well, well, Harry lad, how you havegrown! And are you born again yet, my boy?" His Uncle Allan, who wasin the room said, "Oh, Harry preaches himself, now." Undaunted Munrosaid, "You are preaching, and yet you don't know that you're bornagain! Go and get your Bible, lad." Young Ironside was reallychallenged. Within a few weeks Harry gave up his Sunday School, forhe felt he had no right to open his mouth for God if he were unsaved.For six months he battled this problem. Then in February, 1890, hewent to a party, and Proverbs 1:24-32 came to his mind. As soon as hecould, he hurried home. After midnight, he fell on his knees andsaid, "Lord, save me." He wondered about a lack of some new emotion,but soon claimed the promise, rose from his knees — saved at age13. He later said, "I rested on the Word of God and confessed Christas my Saviour."

Two nights later he attended a Salvation Army streetmeeting and could not wait for a chance to say something. He asked ifhe could testify and fire away he did. He preached from Isaiah 53:6for one-half hour forcing the Captain to pull his coattail, becausethey were late for the meeting at the hall. The next day he won hisfirst convert to the Lord — a 70-year old Negro. He was taunted atschool but held firm. In June he graduated from grammar school. Theyear 1890 also saw his mother, Sophia, marry William D. Watson, andyoung Ironside found a part-time job with a shoe-cobbler. Young Ironsidedecided he needed no more education, and never attended school again. His only eighth grade education was later regretted, but the Lord neverheld it against him. He took full time employment with the Lamson PhotoStudio, and every night would attend one of the Salvation Army meetings.He spoke so often he was called, "The Boy Preacher." He began to educatehimself with books. When not attending Army meetings, he would be givingout tracts or holding his own street meetings. Soon Ironside was identifiedwith the Salvation Army. His zeal matched theirs, and soon he was put in chargeof children's work. At age 16 he was urged to become a cadet, and hedecided to accept. He left the photography business for the preachingbusiness — full time.

He entered the Oakland (California) Training Garrisonpreparatory to becoming an officer in the Salvation Army. He finallywas commissioned and made a Lieutenant in the Army. He went forth toSan Bernardino, California, somewhat a believer of sinless perfectionin 1892. Ironside was switched around to several southern Californiacities to assist in the various Army outreaches. Soon he waspreaching over 500 sermons a year, dealing with countlessindividuals. So thoroughly did he enjoy his work and so busy did hekeep himself that it was not until he was [about] 19 that he had any realchance to analyze "the second blessing" doctrine. He soon began tosee this "holiness" teaching was leaving many a spiritual personderelict. He himself had to convince himself of his "holiness" beforehe went to a "holiness" meeting, and to tell himself upon leavingthat now, at last, he was ready to receive "the blessing." He soonbegan to see it was not the study of the Scriptures, but the lack ofknowledge of them that was causing many casualties. Now a captain atabout 18 he submitted his resignation to the SalvationArmy. He was sent to the Beulah Rest Home near Oakland, utterly wornout from five years of work. There were 14 others, broken in health,trying to regain strength while contemplating their futures.Counseling with others he soon discovered the problem. He was lookingwithin to the wrong person and wrong place for holiness, instead ofwithout.

Ironside had met a Charles Montgomery, a Brethren believerwho gave him living quarters and access to his own large library, inSan Francisco. Soon he was asked to address a meeting of theBrethren, and again he used Isaiah 53 which continued to evidently behis favorite preaching spot. In 1896 (now 20 years old) he began "tobreak bread" with the Brethren.

Henry Varley, British evangelist, came to San Francisco in1897 and Ironside helped in many ways during the campaign. He heldstreet meetings, ushered, ran the book table, and was a great help tothe campaign. The pianist for most of the services was anotherex-Salvation Army member, Helen Schofield, daughter of a Presbyterianpastor in Oakland. Love blossomed and on January 5, 1898, Ironsideand the young lady married. He was 21 and had been living by faithfor some years now. The cupboards were often bare in their smallapartment in San Francisco. His mother's death in 1898 also added tohis trials.

Joy came into their home on February 10, 1899, when thefirst child — a son, Edmund Henry was born. The Ironsides moved to ahome in Oakland in 1900 and Harry continued with his ministry asdoors were opened, speaking in some place nearly every night, andoften two or three times a day. He was beginning to be in greaterdemand among believers who were helped by his expository preaching.When he had no meetings, he would go to the street corners and preachto the passersby. Oakland became their headquarters until 1929. Hepreached in tents, Missions, Bible conferences and churches wheneverhe was invited. More than once the small family was without funds andhad to depend wholly upon God to do something for them.

It was in 1903 that he received his first invitation fromthe East, from believers in St. Cloud, Minnesota. On their way homethey only had funds to take them as far as Salt Lake City, Utah. Sothey disembarked, obtained accommodations in a very inexpensivehotel. For 10 days Harry spent every day and night visiting,distributing tracts from door to door and street preaching. Ironsidehad little response spiritually and none financially, so he sold aset of his books to a Baptist preacher to pay his hotel bill. The 40cents a day allotted for food ran out. Harry grabbed his wife's handand prayed, "O Lord, we claim this promise. We two agreed to ask forthis forty cents. If we do not receive it, I shall never believe thisverse again." He went into the streets, preached for forty minutes toa good crowd of 300. After the service, discouraged, he was on hisway to the hotel, when two men ran after him, asked him how he lived,was told he just trusted the Lord. They put coins in his palm andleft. He was going to return the coins when he found out they wereMormon elders, but they hurried off. He counted the coins — 40 cents.The next morning he got a letter with $15 from some who feltimpressed that they needed money. They could now go home toOakland.

In 1904 an unusual conversion happened as the family wastraveling through northwestern Canada on a train. A Franciscan priestjoined Ironside and the conversation began. It was a marvelousconversion before it was all over that Ironside often related.

A second son, John Schofield, was born on August 18, 1905,and thereafter the mother, and firstborn who had traveled with himalmost all the time, was confined to their home to rear thechildren.

He already was beginning to write: his first expositorynotes appeared in 1900, Notes on Esther. Noteson Jeremiah in 1902, Notes on the Minor Prophets in 1904 andNotes on the Book of Proverbs appeared in 1906. His writingswould make him one of the most prolific authors in the Christianfield in the 20th century.

Soon he was teaching at the Mount Hermon Bible Conferenceeach summer. Then in 1911 he began his annual summer ministry to theAmerican Indians — at the Southeast Missionary Bible Conference nearFlagstaff, Arizona.

He continued to write; in 1910 came his Notes on Ezra,Nehemiah, and Esther, in 1911 Lectures on Daniel theProphet came out and in 1912 his famous book — Holiness, theFalse and the True.

On June 1, 1914, he rented a store and started the WesternBook and Tract Company. His books were not being in much demand, andhe needed some sort of headquarters for them. This went well untilthe depression [in] the late 1920s.

From 1916 to 1929, Ironside was constantly on the move,preaching nearly 7,000 times to some 1¼ million people. Novacations, always busy, even in sickness and weariness. In 1918 hepreached at the Old Tent Evangel in New York City for GeorgeMcPherson, which opened up further doors of contact. In 1924 he beganto accept meetings under the direction of the Moody BibleInstitute.

This relationship deepened through the years. In his "free"months he was engaged by the Brethren assemblies or by other localcongregations. In 1926 Dallas Theological Seminary asked him to comefor seven months a year as a full-time faculty member, but it had tobe turned down, although he was visiting lecturer from 1925 to 1943.A daughter, Lillian, was born to Edmund [Ironside's son] in1920, but because of the illness of the mother who died oftuberculosis not long afterwards, was adopted by the grandparents— the Harry Ironsides. The father later remarried, served the Lord asSuperintendent of the Southern Bible Institute, a school for coloredpeople in Dallas. In December of 1929 Ironside held his third seriesof services at Moody Memorial Church, and after 11 months absencearrived home in Oakland on December 22nd to see his family. In twoweeks he was gone again. He now began his ministry at the MoodyFounder's Week Conference in February, 1930. On February 17th hisdiary states, "Then downtown for a conference with Thomas S. Smithand another elder of the Moody Church, relative to possibly beingcalled to be the minister there." He had preached there in 1925 and1926 plus the above mentioned time. He had already been approached in1929 since the resignation of Dr. P. Philpott. He finally agreed thatif he got an unanimous call he would come for a one-year trialperiod. On March 5, the call was unanimous. On March 8th he accepted.On March 16th he preached his first sermon there — his diaryspeaks:

My first Lord's Day as pastor of Moody Church
At 9:15 a.m. a few of us broke bread in the feast of remembrance in church study.
At 10:45 I preached on I Cor. 2:2. 3500 present and there was a serious impression.
Dinner with the Herrings
At 5:50 I spoke briefly to the C.C. Club in Torrey Hall, on "Life at Best."
At 7:30 I preached on "God's Salvation and the Scorner's Doom." 2 Kings 7, to about 3700 people.
Five confessed Christ.

He would wind up his affairs in Oakland in late August, andon December 31, 1930 Mrs. Ironside and Lillian were finally able tojoin him. They took up their residence in the Plaza Hotel, rightacross from the Church.

There was hardly a Sunday that went by from that time onthat did not have decisions or a capacity audience to hear Ironside.A pattern set that continued until he left the Church. Ironside wouldleave Chicago by train late Sunday night to minister in some othercity, returning usually on Saturday morning for the Sunday services atMoody Church. This would be 40 weeks a year, traveling 30,000 milesannually. Frequently Saturdays and whatever few other days in Chicagowere taken up with callers, committee meetings and correspondence.

In 1932 he took his first trip outside the USA as heministered on a boat cruise from Bermuda to Nova Scotia. In 1933there was a Century of Progress Campaign held in the summer. InNovember, 1935, Ironside preached the funeral of Billy Sunday atMoody Church. His sermon was, "Billy Sunday's Spiritual History — WithoutChrist; In Christ; For Christ; With Christ." InFebruary, 1936, he took his first overseas trip — to Palestine. Thirtydays were spent preaching in the British Isles, and the Ironsides arrivedback at New York on April 30th. Three more trips to the BritishIsles followed, in 1937, 1938 and 1939. Britain was participating inthe Moody Centennial in 1937, and Will Houghton, MBI President askedIronside and Mel Trotter to go to Europe. Leaving January 29, theyhad great meetings. On the night of their arrival of February 5th,Ironside preached on Romans 1:16 to 10,000 at Royal Albert Hall. Hewas to speak 62 times in his 32 days there. He arrived home on march14th.

Beginning with the first week of 1938, Ironside became thewriter of the International Sunday School Lessons, published in theSunday School Times. In the fall of 1938, he left again, thistime from Montreal on August 19th, accompanied by Stratton Shufelt,music director of Moody Church. This was a tour of Ireland, Scotland,and England. Ironside spoke 142 times. They were in Glasgow fornearly a month, with crowds averaging 3,000 per night, with manysaved. A ten-day series in London in Kingsway Hall finalized thestay. Crowds of 2,000 attended each night. He left for home onNovember 12th. In 1939 the purpose of the trip to England was 1½months of well needed rest, and then to be one of the speakers atEnglish Keswick. They left New York May 24th and returned August 1st.From 1939 to 1944 he continued his travels in every directionaveraging some 500 sermons per year. His son Edmund died July 25,1941, with the father preaching the funeral service. In 1942 hebecame president of the Africa Inland Mission.

When Ironside took the pastorate of the 4,000 member MoodyChurch in 1930, the indebtedness was $319,500. At the Watch NightService, December 31, 1943, the last note of indebtedness was burned,during which time the home outreach and foreign missions programsincreased — amazing for the fact that he was only home two days aweek. When he was gone on Sundays, the crowd would be down. Hisdaughter that he raised, Lillian, married Gilbert Koppin on June 10,1944. A crowning evangelistic campaign was held February 10-27, 1944,back "home" in Oakland, California. Services were held in the OaklandCivic Auditorium Theatre. Crowds started at 1,300 and ended with2,500 with many saved. Ironside was now beginning to tire as heapproached 70, not that the age was so great, but simply keep in mindthat he had been preaching continually since age 14 with hardly anybreak.

Pastor and Mrs. Ironside were able to celebrate theirGolden Wedding Anniversary together, January 5, 1948, to be soonfollowed by the death of Mrs. Ironside on May 1, 1948. Dr. Ironsideresigned as pastor on May 30,1948, and his farewell services wereheld at the church, October 27th and October 31st. During his first14 years there, only two Sundays went by without seeing somebodysaved. He had been a member of the faculty of Moody Bible Institutein later years as well.

He then retired to Winona Lake, Indiana. He married Mrs.Ann Hightower on October 9,1949, who became his constant companionand helper during his few remaining months of failing eyesight. Anoperation restored his vision and he set out for New Zealand onNovember 2, 1950. He visited with his sister, Mrs. Robert A. Laidlawand planned a preaching tour, but death claimed him and at his ownrequest was buried there. His other son John died January 19,1957.

His books poured forth through the years, too numerous tomention here. Over 80 volumes have come from his pen. A D.L. degreehad come from Wheaton in June 1930, and on June 3, 1942 Bob JonesUniversity granted him an honorary D.D. degree. Many pulpits wouldnot consider a boy with an 8th grade education, but little is much— when God is in it.

His writings included addresses or commentaries on theentire New Testament, all of the prophetic books of the OldTestament, and a great many volumes on specific Bible themes andsubjects. Some of his later titles include Things Seen andHeard in Bible Lands, Lamp of Prophecy, Changed by Beholding, The Way ofPeace, and The Great Parenthesis.

Almost lost in the seemingly more important phases of hisministry is the fact that he is the author of the well known hymn,Overshadowed.

Used with permission, 7/13/99. From one of 49 booklets by Ed Reese in his Christian Hall of Fame series.

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