Introduction

Biography

Dwight was the son of Chris­to­pher N. Spen­cer and Sal­ly Slate, and hus­band of Mar­tha Eli­za­beth Ho­vey.

In 1851, he moved to Brook­lyn, New York. He was a book­keep­er and Sun­day School work­er un­til or­di­na­tion in 1863.

During the Am­eri­can ci­vil war, Spen­cer was a de­le­gate for the Unit­ed States Chris­tian Com­mis­sion. Af­ter the war, he did ev­an­gel­is­tic work, and in 1869, be­came a pas­tor at Fair Ha­ven, Ver­mont.

In 1880 Spen­cer be­came su­per­in­ten­dent of mis­sions for the Roc­ky Mount­ain Dis­trict of the Am­eri­can Bap­tist Home Mis­sion So­ci­ety. His ter­ri­to­ry in­clud­ed Ut­ah, Ida­ho, Mon­ta­na, and Wy­om­ing. Dur­ing 10 years in this po­si­tion, he start­ed 30 church­es and 33 Sun­day schools, and built 25 meet­ing hous­es.

After his ten­ure in the West, Spen­cer be­came sec­re­ta­ry for the Wa­bash Dis­trict of the Bap­tist Home Mis­sion­ary So­ci­ety for south­ern Il­li­nois and In­di­ana, and lat­er for the New York Dis­trict. He held that post un­til re­sign­ing in 1901.