In 1889 Moody invited Torrey to be the first superintendent of the Moody Bible Institute. There his outstanding ability in organization and curriculum laid the foundation for the Institute’s remarkable development. In 1892 Torrey became pastor of the Chicago Avenue Church which flourished under his leadership, reaching a thousand membership before 1900. Following the Week of Prayer in 1898 Torrey and several associates began a nine to ten o’clock Saturday evening prayer meeting for a world-wide spiritual awakening. The attendance grew to hundreds. A few leaders stayed with Torrey for continued prayer afterwards. These meetings often lasted well into the Lord’s Day. After about three years Torrey felt led to ask that God would send him around the world to preach the gospel, seeking souls for Christ.

One evening at the close of a church prayer meeting two strangers, in the name of the United Churches of Melbourne, Australia, asked Torrey to come and conduct a revival mission there. He and other godly men felt this to be God’s direction. His church and the Institute gave him a leave of absence and, with Charles Alexander as song leader, they embarked for Australia by way of Japan and China, reaching Melbourne in April 1902. He spent six months in Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand and had an outstanding response. He then went around the world preaching, having many solid converts in every place.

Dr. Torrey’s body was returned to Montrose, and his funeral service was held October 31. He was buried on Conference Hill at the very spot where he and Dr. MacInnis stood at sunset in October 1907. When the conference directors met at Torrey Home following the interment, President Volney Kinne presented a memo found among Dr. Torrey’s papers giving a list of speakers engaged for 1929. This demonstrated his faithfulness to the very end. The directors then passed this minute: “Resolved that we…hereby record our purpose to continue the Bible Conference at Montrose, Pennsylvania, along the same lines observed by its founder, our beloved leader, the late Reuben Archer Torrey, D.D.” His passing brought out some significant observations, a few of which were: “He was always the Bible teacher … a personal soul winner.” “He was a balanced man in life and teaching.” “…an intense hatred for sham … intolerant of hypocrites.” “…He never received any money … for the large amount of time given but he gave very generously for the support of the (Montrose) work.” “He was a wonderful man…People thought him cold but he had very deep friendships…He was a true friend. I never saw an unChristlike thing in his home, or in the school. He loved his friends. He lived his faith, as I had lots of chances to observe.” (One who lived in his home) “Dr. Torrey looked great…a man of striking appearance…there was a look of immaculate cleanliness about him, fresh, invigorating…He always looked like a man in charge of the situation.”

Dr. Torrey seemed taller than he really was. In later life he was inclined to be heavy but solid and strong. He lived a completely disciplined life. There was energy in his step and a keenness in his serious, penetrating blue eyes which could also be kind. He never wasted words and in any self-reference he always gave glory to God who had endowed him with an unusually intelligent mind and strong body. Without the presentation of his body as a living sacrifice to God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit’s power within there would be no Montrose Bible Conference story.