Cerro Gordo County Iowa
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The Globe Gazette
CLIFFORD PABODY SMITH, Church Leader * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Basis in the
life of every man is religion - without it life becomes existence. And it is in this field of religion that the former
Mason Cityan has risen in the place of prominence and honor that he now holds. It is not surprising that Clifford P. Smith
should have chosen man's associations with his God for his sphere of life work, for the one-time judge comes of a long line
of persons outstanding in Christian history in this country. He was born in Geneva, Ind., in 1869, the son of Joseph B. Smith and Amelia Pabody Smith. His mother's family, the Pabodys, is well known to students of early American history for the prominent part it took in the American religious life of an earlier day. In addition, his father was a devout man. But religion was not at first Clifford Smith's chosen career. Reared and educated in the schools in Indiana, he at first decided to study law and it was with this thought in mind that he came to Mason City in 1889 to study in the law offices of James E. Blythe and J. E. E. Markley. Mrs. Blythe is his sister and it was through this connection that he came to the Blythe and Markley office. Studying here for a year, he then went to the University of Iowa to complete his legal training. This he did in another year, winning an LL.B. degree for outstanding work. For a short time following he practiced in Kalispell, Mont., and at Sioux City before returning to Mason City to become a member of the firm of Blythe, Markley and Smith in 1893. Quickly showing the keen mind and almost unlimited capabilities that have marked his career from the start, the young attorney soon became a leader in legal circles and earned the respect of all those who knew him. Always serious minded, he was deeply interested in the law, in philosophy and kindred matters, including, of course, religion. It was about this time that he first became interested in Christian Science, through the Markley family. Mr. Smith in a short time became a leader in local Christian Science work. In 1900 Judge John C. Sherwin, district court judge here, was named to the Iowa supreme court and Gov. Leslie M. Shaw appointed the then 31 year old Clifford Smith to Sherwin's place on the bench. Judge Smith was the second youngest man ever to serve in this capacity in this judicial district. It was also in 1900 that Judge Smith was married to Miss Myrtle Holm of Fort Dodge. He remained on the bench until 1908, proving himself an extremely able judge. Few of his decisions were ever reversed in the state's highest tribunal and he soon came to be regarded as having a very promisiong future in the field of law. But the judge's inclinations and interests were still strongly influenced by his work in Christian Science and in 1908 he was offered an opportunity to become first reader in The First Church of Christ, Scientists - the Mother church - at Boston. All other Christian Science churches are regarded as branches of the Mother church. He accepted and thereupon entered the threshold of a new career. He was then 39 years old. The step to the position of first reader, or pastor, was a considerable one and is a creditable reflection upon the esteem the church leaders had for the Mason Cityan, for the Mother church occupies a position of paramount importance in the Christian Science church. The fine and great ability which had stood him in such good stead at the bar or on the bench soon placed First Reader Smith in the ascendancy among the leaders of the church. He served the church in many capacities during the ensuring years and often took upon himself the task of representing the church in legal matters, which brought him into contact in the courts with many of the outstanding attorneys of the nation, including Charles Evans Hughes, present chief justice of the United States supreme court. When Mrs. Eddy, founder of Christian Science, died in 1910, it was Clifford P. Smith who conducted the funeral services. In the years intervening, the former Mason Cityan has been a trustee of the Christian Science publishing society, a member of the Christian Science board of lectureship, manager of committees on publications, editor of the Christian Science weekly and monthly periodicals, editor of the Mother church's bureau of history and records, counsel to the Christian Science board of dierctors and president of the Mother church. In addition he has written many articles on Christian Science and Mary Baker Eddy for various books and periodicals. Outstanding among the publications of the Christian Science church is its daily newspaper, The Christian Science Monitor, recognized by the public and journalism alike as one of the finest, cleanest and most impartial newspapers in the world. Unusually able in anything he does, Judge Smith was in his youth an outstanding amateur tennis player. Later, he took up golf and has proved himself no slouch on the links. He is a Mason and a Woodman. Judge and Mrs. Smith live in Waban, Mass. Their dauaghter, Mrs. Winter Dean, lives in St. Paul. Mrs. James E. Blythe, the judge's sister, lives i n Mason City. Now 70, the church leader is still active in Christian Science affairs. The 30 years of his service in the leadership of the church have seen Christian Science grow in prestige and membership, aided in no small part by Judge Clifford P. Smith. His is a record of which Mason City and North Iowa can be proud.
NOTE:
Books by Clifford Pabody Smith:
"Christian Science: Its Legal Status, A Defense of Human Rights." Christian Science Publishing Society (CSPS). Boston. 1913.
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Close upon the name of the late Mary Baker Eddy, which heads the list of those leaders who made the Christian Science
church outstanding in Christiandom, is that of Clifford P. Smith, one of America's finest religious figures.