Smith accepted a
curacy at St Thomas
Toxteth Park, 1883–1886. Between 1892 and 1902 he was vicar of
Calverley, and between 1902 and 1906 he was vicar of
Macclesfield. He had the
Canon Residentiary of
Ripon Cathedral from 1905 to 1921. On 27 December 1905 he began his 29-year stint as
Suffragan Bishop of Knaresborough. He was also
Archdeacon of Ripon during the same period, but his title was changed to
Archdeacon of Leeds (1921-1934). His last post from 1921 was rector of
Methley, where in those early days of telecommunications his telephone number was Methley 8. He resigned the Methley post around 1933 due to ill health, although he retained the archdeaconry of Leeds. Smith supported the
temperance movement, and organisations for overseas
missions. Alongside his ecumenical duties, he was concurrently president of the antiquarian
Thoresby Society. He was considered "an authority on architecture and archaeology," and produced various pamphlets and books, including
The Story of Ripon Minster, besides religious tracts such as
Penitence, Pardon and Progress and
When Thou Hast Shut Thy Door. devout patriot and historian, Lucius Smith died at Methley rectory on 31 December 1934. ==Published works==