Elias Smith (17 June 1769 – 29 June 1846) was a preacher, physician, journalist and clergyman. Smith, along with the preacher Abner Jones, founded a group of Christian Churches in New England that eventually merged with other like-minded, regional groups to become the denomination known as the Christian Connexion. Smith founded The Herald of Gospel Liberty in 1808, which he claimed (in his autobiography) to be "the world's first religious newspaper". It was not the first in the world, but may have been the first in the U.S. The Herald had two purposes: (1) reporting news of revivals and (2) promoting "religious liberty", by which he meant an end to tax supported churches. (Several states had official tax supported churches at the time.)
Born |
17 June 1769
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Died |
29 June 1846 (aged 77)
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Zodiac | Gemini |
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