1862–1945

Summary

Irwin Henry Evans was a Michigan farm boy who, by his early twenties, had begun preaching the third angel’s message; by sixty he had served as president of the Michigan Conference, treasurer of the General Conference (1903–1910), the first president of the North American Division (1914–1918), and superintendent of the Asiatic Division. He was a hymn writer and missionary administrator whose vision shaped Adventist mission work in Asia for the first generation of the twentieth century. He died in 1945 at the age of eighty-three.

Early Life and Conversion (1862–1882)

Per the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists (Michael W. Campbell), Irwin H. Evans was born April 10, 1862, in North Plains, Ionia County, Michigan, to William and Ruth Ann (née Locke) Evans. He was converted and baptized at the age of twelve. ESDA records the boyhood foretaste of his later ministry: from his youth “he held the ministry in view as his goal,” and he “used to go out and preach to the stumps on his father’s farm.” He began ministry as a licentiate in 1882, teaching school in the winter to support himself.

Ministry, Marriage, and Michigan Conference Presidency (1884–1900)

Evans participated in evangelistic meetings in Michigan in 1884 and received a ministerial license that year. He was transferred to Kentucky in 1885 and ordained at the 1886 Kentucky Camp Meeting. By 1887 he was back in Michigan, serving as president of the Michigan Sabbath School Association and secretary of the Michigan Health and Temperance Association.

In 1887 Evans married Emma Ferry. They had four children — Arthur Henry (1888), Edith (1890), Jessie Ruth (1892), and Jerome (1894). Emma died in 1903.

In 1891 Evans was elected president of the Michigan Conference. From March 15 to April 23, 1893 he organized a six-week canvassers’ institute — the largest gathering of its kind to that point, with at least 200 in attendance.

General Conference Treasurer (1903–1910) and the North American Division

In 1903 Evans was elected treasurer of the General Conference, a position he held until 1910. Ellen White, writing in 1904 of his ministry in Canada, kept his name in good standing among her trusted brethren: “I have received an excellent letter from Elder I. H. Evans, written from Canada, where he was attending a camp-meeting. I will send you a copy of the letter, that you may enjoy it with us” (Manuscript Releases, Letter 229, 1904, par. 7; refcode 19LtMs, Lt 229, 1904, par. 7).

In a 1905 testimony, Ellen White grouped Evans with Daniells, Prescott, and Washburn as one of “our leading brethren”: “I was instructed that I had a message to bear to our leading brethren: to Elder Daniells, Elder Prescott, Elder Washburn, and Elder Evans” (Manuscript Releases, Letter 205, 1905, par. 6; refcode 20LtMs, Lt 205, 1905, par. 6).

In 1910 Ellen White recorded a conversation with Evans on the church’s work in the cities: “During our conversation, Elder Evans called my attention to the fact that considerable means is now being used in bringing the message of present truth to the knowledge of those who are living in the cities. Something has been done, it is true; but God requires of His people a far greater work than anything that has been done in years past” (Manuscript Releases, Manuscript 25, 1910, par. 5; refcode 25LtMs, Ms 25, 1910, par. 5).

In 1914 Evans became the first president of the North American Division. He served in that role until 1918.

Asiatic Division Superintendent

After his term as North American Division president, Evans served as superintendent of the Asiatic Division of the General Conference. The 1913 General Conference Bulletin records the regard in which his work was held: “The first order of business will be the report from Elder Evans, superintendent of the Asiatic Division of the General Conference” (General Conference Bulletin, May 19, 1913, page 34.16; refcode GCB May 19, 1913, page 34.16). The same session continued: “Elder Evans then submitted the following report” (General Conference Bulletin, May 19, 1913, page 34.17; refcode GCB May 19, 1913, page 34.17). Speaking of an unreached company in the field, Evans is reported as saying: “It is wonderful to think that there is a company of thirty people keeping the Sabbath, without having had any effort made as yet to reach that field” (General Conference Bulletin, May 19, 1913, page 37.12; refcode GCB May 19, 1913, page 37.12).

Per ESDA, Evans served seventeen years as a missionary in Asia, building up the Adventist work in China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and India.

Death (1945)

Per the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists, Evans died in 1945 at the age of eighty-three, having outlived his first wife by more than four decades.