Horace
McKinney
In
the death of Horace McKinney, pastor of First Church Punxsutawney, Pa.,
which occurred Dec. 31, 1911, Erie Conference lost one of her choicest
young men.
Horace
McKinney, son of Thomas M. and Frances A. McKinney, was born near
Franklin, Pa., Oct. 3, 1869. His early education was secured in the
public schools of Franklin and at the Birch School in Vernon township.
He was converted and united with the State Road Church, the Rev.
Manassas Miller pastor, in 1888, and the same year entered the
preparatory school of Allegheny College. The year following he was
licensed to preach, and during the latter part of his college course he
supplied Mount Pleasant and Guy’s Mills charges.
He
was graduated in 1895, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and was
admitted on trial into the Erie Annual Conference that Fall. In 1897 he
entered Boston University School of Theology, and was graduated with the
degree of Bachelor of Divinity, in 1899. While engaged in his studies in
Boston his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of Master of
Arts. In 1897 he was admitted into full connection in the Conference,
having been ordained deacon by Bishop Goodsell, in 1894, and in 1899 he
was ordained elder by Bishop Mallalieu. During his membership in the
Conference he held successful pastorates at Cooperstown, 1900-1;
Conneaut Lake, 1902; Westfield, 1903-5; Sharon, First Church, 1906-9;
and Punxsutawney, First Church, 1910-11.
Horace
McKinney was a true man in the highest sense of the word. He had
largeness of vision, depth of thought, tenderness of heart, and
consecration of soul. He
was indefatigable in labors, knowing not what it meant to spare himself.
To know him was to love and appreciate him. Jan. 1, 1895, he was united
in marriage with Miss Halcyon Mellen, of Burbank, Ohio, who with two
children, Clarence E., aged 16, and Dorothy, aged 12, survives him. He
is also survived by his parents, five sisters and two brothers one of
the latter being the Rev. Thompson W. McKinney, of Philadelphia.
During
the ten weeks of his fatal illness, all that medical science and care
could offer was done for him at Murray Sanitarium, Punxsutawney. At
times his sufferings were intense, but his Christian faith and character
shone more and more to the last. Many times he repeated those beautiful
lines beginning: “God’s plans, like lillies, pure and white,
unfold,” and also Elizabeth Porter Gould’s words:
“Why
shadow the beauty of sea or of land
With
a doubt or a fear?
God
holds all the swift rolling worlds in his hand,
And
sees what no man can as yet understand,
That
out of life here, -
With
its smile and its tear,
Comes
forth into light, from eternity planned,
The
soul of good cheer.
Don’t
worry—the end shall appear.”
Not
long before the end came he asked the little family to kneel around his
bed for a last season of family worship together, and commended them
with his church and all his interests, to the Heavenly Father, “Who
doeth all things well.” For him death was indeed a victory. Funeral
services were conducted in the church at Punxsutawney, by District
Superintendent Neff. Hymns of Christian faith were sung, and fitting
words were spoken by Superintendent Neff, Rev. C. H. Quick and the Rev.
T. W. McKinney. Services were also held January 3, at the home of the
parents, in Meadville. Many ministers were present; a large number of
his former parishioners, of Sharon, came in a specially chartered car,
and J. B. Neff, W. B. Irwin, S. C. Abriel, N. A. White, J. C. MacDonald,
C. E. McKinley and T. W. McKinney took part in the impressive services.
The interment was in Greendale cemetery. Meadville. “Servant of God,
well done,” thine is now the victor’s crown.
By
N.A.White, Journal and Yearbook, Erie Conference, 1912, pages 117-120
