Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

1861 Canada census: St. Lawrence's Ward, Hamilton, Barton Township, Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada. Religion: Wesleyan Methodist. Occupation: Minister.
1871 Canada census: St. Patrick's Ward, Hamilton, Barton Township, Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada. Religion: Wesleyan Methodist. Occupation: Minister.
1881 Canada census: Winnipeg City, Selkirk County, Manitoba, Canada. Religion: Wesleyan Methodist. Occupation: Clergyman.

MARRIAGE INFORMATION:

Married to Fanny L. Starr on June 14, 1844. Fanny L. Starr was born on July 17, 1819 and died on March 3, 1905.

DEATH INFORMATION:

Age at death 69 years, 3 months, 4 days.
Cause of death: Prostatic disease.
Burial site: Plot F, Section 6, Lot 13.

From "1884-1890 Obituaries from the Christian Guardian" by Donald A. McKenzie, page 354:

Rice, Rev. Dr. - The funeral of the late Dr. Rice, Senior Superintendent of the M. C. took place Wednesday afternoon from his late residence, 28 St. Mary St. Chief mourners were his four sons and his son-in-law, Rev. A. Cunningham. His body was taken to Mt. Pleasant cemetery. December 24, 1884, p. 430, NI.

Local news from the Globe (Toronto, York County, Ontario, Canada) on Friday, December 12, 1884, page 6:

REV. DR. RICE

The doctors say that the condition of the Rev. Dr. Rice, General Superintendent of the Methodist Conference, is about the same. If there is any change at all the pulse is a little stronger. The patient rests quietly, but is still unconscious.

Local news from the Globe (Toronto, York County, Ontario, Canada) on Monday, December 15, 1884, page 2:

REV. DR. RICE

At a late hour last night the Rev. Dr. Rice was very low. Mortification set in early in the evening, and the patient grew rapidly worse. It is not expected that he can live many hours.

Obituary from the Globe (Toronto, York County, Ontario, Canada) on Tuesday, December 16, 1884, page 5, column 2:

REVEREND DR. RICE

Decease of the General Superintendent of the Methodist Church.

SKETCH OF AN ACTIVE CAREER.

The Rev. Dr. Rice died at his residence, St. Mary street, yesterday afternoon at 3 o'clock. Dr. Rice was taken ill last April. He was to have preached in the Bloor street Church on the 20th of that month, but was unable to do so. His trouble was a painful internal one. From the 20th of April till the second week in June he was confined to the house. He rallied considerably about this time, and was able to attend the opening of the London, Guelph, and Toronto Conferences. About the middle of July he took a trip up to the Northern Lakes, and returned very much improved. On his return he had a good deal of exacting work, and under it he seemed to grow weaker. Two weeks ago today he was taken with violent ?, and became unconscious the next day, remaining so till the following Friday. He continued in a semi-conscious state until eleven o'clock yesterday morning. At noon yesterday he began to breathe hard and his respiration grew gradually weaker until about 3:30 p.m., when he passed quietly away. He was visited on Sunday afternoon by Revs. Hugh Johnston, Wm. Briggs, and W. H. Withrow. At the time of his death there were none present but the following members of his own family: Mrs. Joseph Campbell and two children, who arrived here from Winnipeg on Saturday; H. L. Rice and wife, St. Mary's; Rev. Andrew Cunningham and wife, St. Catharines; E. P. Rice, Medicine Hat; A. M. Rice and wife, and Misses Emma and Hattie Rice, Toronto.

SKETCH OF DR. RICE'S CAREER

Rev. Samuel Dwight Rice, D.D., was born in 1817. He was a native of Maine, but he was a New Brunswicker by education, his father having removed to that Province while the future preacher was yet a child. His sympathies were strongly British. He always spoke of himself as a "Bluenos." The early days of his life were spent in the town of Woodstock. While at school he was distinguished by hie natural aptness in study, but far more by his courage and his fondness for all manly sports. He received the ordinary education of the boys of that time and place, but when he grew too old for the schools at home he was sent to one of the academies of New England. He had no thought at that time of devoting himself to the ministry, and his studies were all intended to be of service to him in a mercantile career. But while in the United States his attention was directed to religious questions, and the reflection which he was there enabled to indulge in undoubtedly marked the turning point of his life. Returning to New Brunswick he accrued a position in a mercantile house in Fredericton, the capital of the Province. He proved himself faithful and capable in his duties. But while not neglecting these he made himself famous even at that early age as a local preacher and exhorter, besides taking the part of an enthusiast in connection with the Sunday School. In 1837 he entered the regular ministry, being then only twenty years of age. His earliest ministerial work was in St. John, but after a short time he was sent to the Miramichi district. His enthusiasm, his physical strength, and his courage, no less than his ability as a preacher, combined to make him successful in his work. Wonderful stories are related of his feats in fording rivers and making long journeys under great hardships in pursuit of his duty as itinerant preacher. Three years later he received another appointment in St. John, and at once adapting himself to city work, he became as successful there as he had been in the country. In 1847 came the re-union of the British and Canadian Conferences. Rev. Enoch Wood, Chairman for New Brunswick, was appointed to take charge of the missions of the British Conference in Canada West, but would consent to take the post only on condition that he should be allowed to take Mr. Rice with him. This was agreed to and Mr. Rice was set down for Toronto West, the first year as Dr. Evans' colleague, the second Superintendent of the circuit. He spent a short time as Principal of the Manual Labour School for Indians at Mount Elgin and afterwards went to Kingston, where he succeeded in building a large central church. Having taken an active part in relation to the newly projected scholarship scheme for Victoria College, he was made Treasurer, Steward, and Moral Governor of the College. His work in connection with this institution will long be held in grateful remembrance. Three years' pastoral work in Hamilton and two years of comparative rest brought him to the beginning of a long term of usefulness as Moral Governor and President of the Hamilton Ladies' College. He resigned this position in 1878, when he went to engage in pastoral work in St. Mary's and afterwards to Winnipeg, where he acted as Chairman of the Manitoba missionary district. Dr. Rice had much to do with Methodist union. He was Chairman of the Conference in 1874, when the union with the New Connexion Church took place. He was President also of the Conference of 1882 at Hamilton, when the resolutions were passed, and again he presided at Belleville in the following year, when the Union was ratified, and was appointed at that meeting Senior Superintendent of the United Methodist Church.

During the winter of 1883 he worked very hard attending anniversary and other church services in different parts of the country, and it is thought that in over-exerting himself in the pursuit of his duties he undermined his constitution. In the spring his health began to fail. For the past seven months he has not been able to do any work. During the summer he made a trip to Muskoka which benefited him for a time, but since his return he has been gradually sinking.

As might be inferred from his long, arduous, and successful labours, Dr. Rice was a man of great energy and force of character. His manner seemed brusque and magisterial, and strangers might be led to suppose that he was not easily approached. This however was not the case, as he was a man of quick sympathies. No man in the whole Methodist connexion commanded more fully the respect and love of all its members than did Dr. Rice.

Funeral notice from the Globe (Toronto, York County, Ontario, Canada) on Friday, December 19, 1884, page 6:

FUNERAL OF DR. RICE.

Soloman and Impressive Service at Metropolitan Church.

All the Methodist ministers in Toronto and a large number from all parts of the Province were present at the funeral of Rev. Dr. Rice on Wednesday. The funeral took place from the late residence of the deceased, 28 St. Mary street, where a brief service was held by Rev. Dr. Young, of Brantford. Among the numerous floral offerings were a cross from the Wesleyan Ladies' College, Hamilton, an anchor from the Alumni Association of Hamilton, and wreath bearing the word "Victory" from the book steward and editors. The following were the pall-bearers: - Rev. D. Sanderson, of Strathroy; Rev. Dr. Young, of Brantford; Rev. Dr. Carman, of Belleville; Rev. Dr. Rose, of Toronto; Rev. Dr. Nelles and Rev. Dr. Jones, of Cobourg. Among those present were Rev. Dr. Williams, of Baltimore, Md.; Rev. W. C. Henderson, President of the Guelph Conference; Rev. Dr. Williams, President of the Niagara Conference; Rev. J. J. Hare, of the Ladies' College, Whitby: Rev. Alexander Langteed, of Hamilton; Rev. W. S. Griffin, of Guelph; Rev. Dr. Bredin, of Brighton; Rev. Dr. Derwish, of Cobourg; also the following deputation representing Hamilton Wesleyan Ladies' College, of which the late Dr. Rice was for some years President: - Rev. Dr. Barus, Mr. S. F. Laing, Mr. W. E. Sudford, and Joseph Listor. The funeral cortege proceeded to the Metropolitan Church, where a service was held. Rev. Dr. Rose opened the service. Prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Sanderson, Rev. Dr. Nelles and Rev. Wm. Briggs read appropriate portions of Scripture. Rev. Dr. Carman spoke of Dr. Rice as a leader among men, a leader of religious thought, a bold leader in religious enterprise, and a man of majestic Christian character, of pious works and words, held in esteem, veneration, and love by a multitude of men. He gave a sketch of the life of the late Dr. Rice from the time he entered the ministry. Rev. Dr. Sutherland said that to men who lived for eternity death must always be a solemn thing, but it was never gloomy. They had suffered loss, but to their departed brother it was inconceivable gain. They rejoiced that that faithful soul had fought his last fight. His was a singularly blameless life. There was yet to be uttered a word that had ever sullied his reputation. He never slighted his work, and did everything cheerfully. As a counselor he was wise, and in his administration he was painstaking. He was pre-eminently loyal to the Church in which he was converted.

At the conclusion of the service the procession was re-formed, and proceeded to Mount Pleasant Cemetery, where the remains were buried.

Article from the Globe (Toronto, York County, Ontario, Canada) on Saturday, December 20, 1884, page 14:

METHODIST APPOINTMENTS.

Rev. Dr. Williams to Succeed the late Dr. Rice

The Special Committee of the General Conference of the Methodist Church has been in session Thursday and Friday. Considerable time was spent in considering the affairs of certain embarrassed church trusts and in devising means for their relief. The plan agreed upon will shortly be made public. The committee next considered the emergency which has arisen in consequence of the death of the Rev. Dr. Rice. They were unanimously of the opinion that the exigencies of the work would not permit the matter to lay over till the next general meeting of the Conference and that it was not expedient or necessary to involve the connexion in the heavy expense of calling a special session of the General Conference. The committee therefore proceeded to fill the vacancy by unanimous election of the Rev. Jas. A. Williams, D.D. This appointment will hold good till the next regular meeting of the Conference. The Rev. Dr. Sutherland was appointed to supply the place of the late Dr. Rice as delegate to the next session of the British Conference.

Notice from the Globe (Toronto, York County, Ontario, Canada) on Tuesday, December 23, 1884, page 6:

MEMORIAL SERVICES OF DR. RICE AND DR. CARROLL.

The memorial services in honour of the late Dr. Rice and Dr. Carroll will be held in the Metropolitan Church next Sunday morning. Addresses will be delivered by Rev. Dr. Williams, and Rev. Dr. Carman, General Superintendent.

Obituary from the Globe (Toronto, York County, Ontario, Canada) on Monday, December 29, 1884, page 6:

SPECIAL SERVICES.

Memorial Sermons of Late Rev. Drs. Rice and Carroll.

THE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIAN LIVES.

Eloquent Addresses by Rev. Drs. Carman and Williams.

A special service in memory of the late Rev. Dr. Rice and the late Rev. Dr. Carroll was held in the Metropolitan Church yesterday morning. The communion table was draped in black. On the platform were Rev. Hugh Johnston, pastor of the church, Rev. Dr. Carman and Rev. Dr. Williams, General Superintendents of the Methodist Church, Rev. Dr. Dewart, and Rev. Wm. Briggs. In his opening prayer Rev. Dr. Dewart gave special thanks for the great men that had been given to the Church, especially for those whose memory they honoured today. The anthem of the day was "Blessed forever are they that die trusting in God." The Scripture lesson was from 1 Cor., xv., beginning with the verse 35, "But some man will say, how are the dead rained up."

Rev.Dr. Carman, condjutar of the late Dr. Rice in the General Superintendency, preached the sermon of the day, taking for text the words in Rom, viii, 11, "But if the spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His spirit that dwellieth in you." They who read the bible with attention he said knew that every scripture doctrine was a promise and a proof of the doctrine that followed, not merely in logical sequence, but in the

DEPTH AND POWER OF EXPERIENCE.

All could understand the logical sequence, but only those who had entered upon an experience of them knew how they followed in spiritual sequences. This was true also of material religion. First came the belief in God, then the belief in moral government. If God was what nature showed Him to be, there must be rewards and punishments and so responsibility, and if there was a responsibility, there must be revelation. But take the doctrines within the range of revelation. First came the conviction of sin which naturally led men to look for forgiveness. Again in the forgiveness of sin they had a promise of the new birth. It was one thing to merely suspend or do away with the punishment of sin, but without a new heart they would fall back to sin again, and so came the doctrine of a new heart, which led to the doctrine of a clean heart. So when God came in His Sonship giving the clean heart, He gave an evidence of the power of the resurrection from the dead. That he understood to be the doctrine of the text. So they would have logically, spiritually, and experimentally the strong cord of evidence, which would lead them from Paganism to the great mountain top of faith. He directed attention specially to a few points. First, there was a resurrection of the dead. The Apostle hung the whole of Christianity upon this, for he said, "If Christ be not risen ye are still in your sins." Secondly, there must be a resurrection of all the dead. This was clear according to Scripture, not only by direct statement, but inferentially from many passages in the Bible. Third, while there was this resurrection of both just and unjust it was not simultaneous, nor had it the same results to both classes. This was plain in what the Apostle said to the Thessalonians, "And the in Christ shall rise first." It was plain also by the statement in Revelation respecting the "first resurrection." So, while not adopting the premillescarian views or desiring to do away with the preaching of the Gospel they saw that there were

TWO RESURRECTIONS

- First, for the children of God, and second, preparatory to the general judgment. The next point was that, though not simultaneous or resulting the same to all, the contrast was sharp and clear, not only in the external circumstances, but in the internal condition of the two classes spoken of in one part of the Bible as the sheep and the goats. In support of this he quoted passages to show that the spirit of God dwelt in His saints. There came across this straight line of argument, which he had sought to draw, currents of error. The first was that souls slept after death; others, that only the souls of bad men slept. But Scripture was clear on that point, for the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, whether it were a statement of fact or only a parable illustrating a fact or principle, was clear on that point - the poor man died and went to Abraham's bosom, and the rich man died and was buried, and at once the parable went on to speak of him as being in hell. Others contended that there was annihilation for the wicked, but Scripture said, "these (the wicked) shall go away into everlasting punishment." This doctrine of the resurrection was the doctrine of power in the ancient Church. What was the cause of weakness in the Church today? It was because Christians did not live up to their privilege - that of feeling always that, however unworthy, they were children of God. It was the doctrine of power to the mighty men just gone. What had they for their strength but this constant evidence that they were children of God? It took away all fear and gave them hope to face difficulties that others were appalled at. It was the basis of their philanthropy, the spirit of their sacrifice. This, also, was the great doctrine of consolation to those that mourned - not the logic of men, not the flourish of oratory, but the true feeling in the heart.

Rev. Dr. Williams, who succeeded Dr. Rice in the General Superintendency, then gave brief biographies of the honoured dead. One of them he had known, he said, for forty years, one he had heard preach while he was yet a boy and before he was converted. He was afraid that he could not command his feelings enough to say what he would like to say, but had placed before him a few facts concerning the great men the Church on earth had lost. He then entered upon

BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES

of Rev. Drs. Rice and Carroll, the main points of which have already been published in THE GLOBE. Speaking of Dr. Rice's character the speaker emphasized his devotion to his work, his wonderful power of administration, his ability as a preacher, and his pleasant, affable manners. The line of advancement in which he took most interest was the higher education of the young men entering the ministry. Young men found in him a true friend, and one who not only advised and encouraged, but led them forward in their work. His preaching was evangelical. He preached the doctrines of the Gospel not as speculations, but as vital elements of men's eternal well-being. The speaker referred to Dr. Rice's lingering illness and death, and of his trust to the last in Christ. Rev. Dr. Carroll he eulogized for his earnestness, his true love of his fellow men, and his devotion to the religion he had espoused. He (Dr. Williams) could testify that he preached with power. He saw 37 years of service, longer than any but one of the Methodist preachers of Canada. He preached the plain, simple Gospel, and his influence of life, tongue, and pen, was such that all Canada should be thankful that he had lived.

At the conclusion of the service and as the people were passing out, the dead march in "Saul" pealed forth grandly from the organ.

Surrogate Court Record: GS1, Reel 1003 Number 6172:

Will dated July 10, 1880.

Inventory and General Description of Property:

Leaseholds of Numbers 181 and 183 King Street, east, in the City of Toronto $3,500.00.

Bequeathed his entire estate to his wife, Fanny Lavina Rice.
He appointed his wife Fanny Lavina Rice and his son Arthur Morton Rice to be the executors his estate.

RELIGIOUS INFORMATION:

From Cyclopedia of Methodism in Canada, containing Historical, Educational and Statistical Information concerning the Work of the Church in the Several Provinces of the Dominion of Canada Newfoundland, Bermuda, Japan and China, Volume II 1881 to 1903 (1903), page 252:

RICE, SAMUEL DWIGHT,
D.D.

1837-1880, Vol. I., pp. 129, 395 and 653.
Toronto Conference.
1881-1882.......Winnipeg, Man.
1883..................Toronto, President of the Gen'l Conf.
1884..................Toronto, Senior General Superintendent.
1881-82............Ch. Winnipeg Dist.
1882, 1883, Deleg. to Gen'l Conf.
1882.................Frat. Del. to English Wesleyan Conf.

Died Dec. 15th, 1884, aged 69 years.

OTHER INFORMATION:

Dictionary of Hamilton Biography Hamilton, Barton Township, Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada) by Thomas Melville Bailey, published 1981, Vol I, page 170:

RICE, SAMUEL DWIGHT , Methodist Minister, educator; b. 1815 in Houlton, Maine; one son and two daughters; d. 1884 at Toronto, Ontario.

There is little information available concerning the early life of Samuel Dwight Rice. He moved to New Brunswick at an early age and in 1837 joined the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Rice evidently gave up a medical practice to work as a missionary in New Brunswick, but because he was not a British subject he was not allowed initially to perform marriages. He moved to Toronto where he remained for five years, before becoming pastor of Sydenham Church in Kingston. Rice came to Hamilton in 1857 to become pastor of First Methodist Church, remaining with it until 1864. He was the first trustee of the new stone church opened by the congregation in 1869.

Rice was also concerned with education; he had worked in that field at Mount Allison in New Brunswick and at Victoria University in Cobourg, where he served as treasurer in 1853 and governor from 1854 to 1856. At the Methodist Conference in Kingston in 1860, Edward JACKSON and Joseph LISTER of Hamilton proposed that a school for women be founded in the city. The elegant Anglo-American Hotel on King Street East was purchased for $25,000, and on 18 May 1861 Wesleyan Female College, the first such institution in Canada West, was incorporated by an act of parliament. Rice served from the beginning on the board of directors for the college, which offered the degrees mistress of liberal arts and mistress of English literature. In 1863 he became governor and chaplain and two years later began teaching natural theology, mental theology, and evidence of Christianity. In 1868 he was made principal of the college, a position he held until 1879. Rice was also on the board of directors of Dundas Wesleyan Collegiate Institute in 1874.

In 1879 Rice decided to return to the ministry. He left Hamilton for St. Mary's where he built a new church. He later moved to Grace Church in Winnipeg. In 1883 he was elected general superintendent of the Methodist Church and was made president of the General Conference.

HPL, Archives file, Wesleyan Ladies College; CF, Canada biog., Kathleen Rice; Hamilton biog., Rice family of Hamilton; Scrapbooks, M. Burkholder, 'Out of the storied past,' 1:95; 4:111; 6:100; History of education in Hamilton; C. R. McCullough, 'Famous people, landmarks, and events'; E. J. Reynolds 'One hundred years of Hamilton music, 1846-1946'; Spectator; Wesleyan Ladies College; PC, Hamilton hotels, Waldorf Hotel; Hamilton schools, Wesleyan Ladies College. Hamilton City Directory, 1877-80. Campbell, A mountain and a city (1966). C.Davis, Centennial souvenir of the First Methodist Church (Hamilton 1924). P. A. Davis, An adventure in faith (Hamilton 1949). Johnston, The Head of the Lake (1967). Norman MacDonald, The Barton Lodge (Toronto 1949). J. E. Sanderson, The first century of Methodism in Canada (Toronto 11908). Canadian Illustrated News, 27 June 1863. Hamilton Spectator, 29 Nov. 1930. Spectator, summer carnival edition (1889).