A.G. Hobbs – The Prince of Tract Writers

A prominent writer and publisher referred to A.G. Hobbs as the Prince of Tract Writers. He began preaching in 1929 at age twenty. In addition to local church work in Florida, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, and Texas, he held evangelistic meetings in many states. For more than sixteen years, he also preached on a Dallas radio station.

As a young preacher in Borger, Texas, Brother Hobbs wrote his first tract and distributed copies from house to house in the community. This began his career of writing the “little blue booklets” for which he is known nationally and internationally. For more than five decades these tracts have been, and continue to be, distributed in many parts of the world — more than 25 million in English and many thousands in Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, in Braille for the blind, and soon to be printed in the Russian language.

Numerous examples could be cited to confirm the power of these booklets to teach God’s truth, such as the preacher in the Philippines who, after thoroughly studying just one tract Is Conscience a Safe Guide? not only embraced undenominational Christianity but led his entire congregation to do so.

A.G. Hobbs was born in Callahan County, Texas, about 40 miles from Abilene, the first son in a family of eight surviving children of A.G. Hobbs, Sr., and Sallie Sikes Hobbs. When A.G., Jr., was fourteen, his parents moved the family to Abilene, Texas for the sole purpose of giving their children the privilege of schools and churches in Abilene. This decision was made with the full knowledge by the parents that the father of the family would have to drive the 40 miles back to the farm and ranch, spending most of every week, to provide these spiritual and educational privileges for their children.

Prior to his death on May 28, 1991, Brother Hobbs spent three and one-half years in a nursing home because of a stroke. He remained mentally alert and ever interested in the welfare of the church. On his 79th birthday a Fort Worth Star Telegram reporter interviewed him in the nursing home and wrote, in part:

Tears came to Hobbs’ eyes when he talked about the strength he received from his pioneer parents… He said: ‘Daddy never took us out of school to help him. We worked on the farm every summer. If it had not been for our parents’ vision and sacrifice, none of us could have done what we have done.’

In addition to Brother A.G.’s work as a preacher and writer, three of his brothers have served as elders in the Lord’s church, and one of his sisters, Lottie Beth Hobbs, is well known as a writer of religious books which are likewise distributed in many languages.

Brother Hobbs received his B.A. degree from Abilene Christian College and his Masters degree from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He married Luceil Peterson in 1933, and they had one daughter, Carmanetta Houpt.

On his very last day of life on earth, Brother Hobbs commented: “I am so glad to know that publication of the tracts will be continued.” He was assured that this would be done for decades to come. Hobbs Publications is owned and operated by John Hobbs.

Hobbs Publications intends to keep the tracts available for future generations to study and enjoy.