The Country and Pro-Life movement recently lost a hero! Dr. Donald S. Smith went home to his Lord.
Dr. Donald S. Smith, at 94 years old, went to be with the Lord on January 30 this year. He served His Lord and Savior as a Christian action advocate for almost 50 years, with special concern for America’s abortion crisis. In 1970, he founded Crusade for Life, now one of the oldest pro-life groups in America.
His Christian action efforts have resulted in several pro-life films, includingConceived in Liberty, Your Crisis Pregnancy, and The Right to Kill, a film on euthanasia. In a major contribution to the pro-life cause, Don produced the film titled Silent Scream, which featured ultrasound images of an actual suction abortion. The once-manager of the world’s largest abortion clinic in New York City Dr. Bernard N. Nathanson narrated the film. Dr. Nathanson became a pro-life advocate after studying a suction abortion presented on an ultrasound screen. On Lincoln’s birthday in 1985, The Reagan Whitehouse broadcast Silent Scream to the American public during a press conference. President Reagan suggested sending a copy to every member of Congress which Crusade for Life accomplished. With translations into many languages, Silent Scream has become the most viewed pro-life film in the world.
In addition, Dr. Smith originated the concept of the Presidential Proclamation of Personhood. Similar to Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, theProclamation of Personhood asserts that the pre-born child is a person from the single-cell stage forward. This new cell contains the entire critical seed of life, a complete DNA. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed such a proclamation.
Don graduated from the University of Chicago with degrees in philosophy and the physical sciences. Based upon his Christian action accomplishments, in 1999, Biola University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
He wrote two books. In one, the novel Innocent Blood, Dr. Smith wrote to re-establish in public opinion a commitment to the ‘unalienable right to life’ guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence, and to restore the legal protection of life, guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America. Dr. Smith’s other book The Power of Jesus Christ, specifically encourages pastors to urge their members to take a more active role in fighting against the immoral condition of the country, especially abortion.
For the last four years he had been deeply involved with the establishment of a constitutional life amendment which will protect unborn human life from the single cell stage. Such an amendment will end abortion in America forever.
His wife, Virginia of 55 years preceded Dr. Smith in death. His daughter Rebecca died last year. He is survived by 6 of his 7 children, Allen, Philip, Marcie, Andy, Pam, and Claudia and 18 grandchildren.
Service Sunday – February 17, 2019 – 3 PM
Rose Hills Memorial Park
3888 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601
562-699-0921
Memorial Chapel
Direction from Gate One
Proceed past info booth
Follow blue painted curb line
The Cielnickys are long time pro-life advocates. Beverly Cielnicky has served as with the Crusade for Life ministry for many decades. She serves there as president. Robert Cielnicky is a member of the Scholl Institute of Bioethics and founder and director of Life Priority Network.
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