GEORGE WILLIAM GRIFFITH

"Ours is a universe where progress is secured in the fruits and grains through chemical reactions. Steel is iron plus fire; soil is rock plus fire, billow, and icy plow; statues are marble plus chisel and hammer strokes; linen is flax plus the oath that racks, the club that flails, the comb that separates, the acid that bleaches. "Manhood is birth-gift plus struggles, temptation, wrestling, and refusals to go downward, and determination to climb upward. The saint is a man who has been carried off the field on his shield, victorious over inbred sin and outside temptation. Men who drift are men who drown."—Newell Dwight Hillis.

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform.
He plants His footsteps in the sea;
He rides upon the storm.

In the providence of God a Dr. and Mrs. Stephens, who enjoyed the experience of holiness, moved into Shenandoah, Iowa, and organized an interdenominational holiness band. Cottage prayer meetings were held in the community, the Holy Spirit was outpoured and hungry souls were being saved and sanctified. A young high-school student, while attending these meetings with his parents, fell under deep conviction and sought the Lord several nights. On the way home one evening with his head covered over with blankets in the back of the bobsled which his father was driving, his faith reached through to God and he received the assurance that his sins were forgiven. On that wintry night the stars in the heavens beheld the casting of the die in the life of George William Griffith. From that night henceforth to the end of the long journey he was God's peculiar possession. [21]

He was born January 6, 1869, in a modest country home near Oneida, Illinois. His father, William Griffith, came from sturdy Welsh stock, while his mother, Lillias McSkimming, had the tang of Scotland's mountains in her veins, and the ruggedness of the theology of John Knox in her spiritual fiber. He not only had a goodly heritage but he had a godly heritage as well.

When George was two years old his parents moved to a farm in Iowa near Shenandoah. The country was new, and many covered wagons used to pass by en route to the West. A lasting impression was made. on the boy as he accompanied his devout mother to the immigrant's camp near by to tell them the story of Jesus. Here the shy, bashful lad finished the grades in the country school. Later he graduated as valedictorian at the high school in Shenandoah, walking back and forth three and a half miles each day in order to save his father the expense of board in town.

One week after his conversion he was sanctified and joined the Methodist Church as a probationer. In his early Christian life he was tempted to doubt his experience because he was not born amid great demonstration as many others were. But the Holy Spirit taught him not to seek the experience of others and led him into the place of rest and peace.

In the spring he heard Rev. E. N. Miller, the first Free Methodist preacher whom he had ever met. He held a revival in Shenandoah and organized a Free Methodist society. George, with his parents and sister, joined the new society on probation, since the mother church refused to give letters. In 1887, when he was eighteen years old, he was given an exhorter's license. He preached his first sermon in the front yard of his own home, using as a text, "And all the people said amen and praised the Lord." He was known in his home community as "the boy preacher." In 1888 he was received on trial in the West Iowa Conference by B. T. Roberts, was ordained deacon in 1890 by Bishop Coleman, elder in 1892 by Bishop Hart.

For a period of seven years he served as pastor upon the following circuits in the West Iowa Conference: Blair and Kennard; Red Oak, Essex and Imogene; Bingham and Coin; Bear Grove; Polk City and Churdan and Jefferson.

In 1890, while pastor of the Bingham and Coin circuit, he was married to Mary E. Fowler, a noble Christian, who shared his labors for sixteen years. Five children came to bless their household. With a growing family and frequent moves, he received on an average $230.66 per year during these seven years, part of which was in provisions. Yet he never turned aside to sidelines of secular work.

In 1895 he moved to California, serving as supply at San Jose, and in the following year transferred his membership to the California Conference. In 1897 he was sent to Alameda, serving a four-year term. In 1901 he entered upon a four-year term as district elder.

He transferred his membership to the Southern California Conference in 1905 and was sent to Hermon, serving three years. In 1908 he was appointed to Los Angeles First Church, but on the death of Rev. C. B. Ebey resigned to complete the year at Hermon. During his pastorate at Hermon, the seminary was founded and he delivered the first convocation address.

In 1909 he transferred to the Central Illinois Conference and went as pastor to Litchfield. During this year he was married to Lillian Bushnell, a capable and cultured woman, who labored with him for twenty-seven years and after his death published his life story, "Living Embers."

In 1910, after a pressing invitation, he accepted the presidency of Wessington Springs Seminary and joined the South Dakota Conference. For five years he continued as head of the school and for three years also acted as its pastor. In 1915 he returned to the Central Illinois Conference as pastor at Greenville, transferring his membership in 1917. In 1918 he was elected district elder on the Cowden district. During his pastorate at Greenville, he completed the work for graduation from Greenville College.

In 1919 he began a long period of service to the general church, serving as editor of the Sunday School publications from 1919 to 1923 as editor of the Free Methodist from 1923 to 1927; as bishop from 1927 to his death, February 13, 1936.

As a Christian Gentleman

One of the marvels of creation is the unlimited variety found in human life. Each person is cast in a distinct mold and then the mold is broken and never used again by the divine Architect. In the cluster of graces which distinguished the life of G. W. Griffith as a Christian man we would mention three -- his humility, his faithfulness, his loyalty.

He was a genuinely humble man, without any human strut or desire for ostentation. He was neither sentimental nor superficial. When he was elected district elder in his early years, he was so impressed with a sense of his unfitness that he privately suggested to the president of the conference that he resign. Wisely he was advised to hold the office to which the conference had elected him. He knew the truth of Berkeley's epigram, "Standing on one's dignity is the pinnacle of all absurdities." This was evidenced by his parting request regarding his funeral, "Let there be no eulogies. I have never done anything worthy." This characteristic was emphasized by Bishop Pearce.

"Brother Griffith's large gifts and graces were not shaded by a showing of pride, but were emphasized by an evident humility. I remember well the time of his election in California to the office of district elder as my successor when I was leaving the conference. So far was he from glorying in the event that he was greatly disturbed in spirit lest the task should prove too great. He could not be accused of "that vaulting ambition that o'erleaps itself," that bane of personality which is the guarantee of failure. His executive work was well carried out. The fruits of his ministry attest the value and genuineness of his work. He rests from his labors, and his works do follow him. The church that registered a gain by his election to the various offices and service will now experience a corresponding loss."

Faithfulness was one of the chief foundation stones of his life -- faithfulness to duty in the small things as well as the great. He never spared himself in patiently going to the root of his problems whether in writing an editorial, preparing a discourse, rendering a judicial decision, or advising an humble friend. He was accordingly a tremendous worker. Faithfulness was stamped upon his whole life and all his varied lines of work -- faithfulness to his fellows, to the church, and to God. He was a faithful steward. His motto upon his letterhead was typical of the man and of his high ideal of fidelity, "I am among you as one that serveth."

He was a loyal man -- loyal to his conscience, to principle, the cause of righteousness. "He never substituted fraternity for fidelity." He believed in the Wesleyan doctrine of holiness and defended it. He believed in the church of his choice and was loyal to it. The definition of a coward -- one who in danger thinks with his legs -- never applied to him. He was not afraid to take position with the minority. In the words of Oxenham, he chose the "high way."

To every one there openeth
A way and ways and a way,
And the high soul climbs the high way,
And the low soul gropes the low;
And in between on the misty flats
The rest drift to and fro;
But to every man there openeth
A high way and a low,
And every man decideth
The way his soul shall go.

As a Chief Steward

His service to the general church began in 1919 with his election as editor of Sunday school literature. Having written the column of Practical Applications for Arnold's Commentary for a period of time, and having been editor of the General Conference Daily in 1915 and 1919, he was not a novice. Rev. J. T. Logan, editor of the Free Methodist, wrote concerning him: "Much praise is justly due Rev. G. W. Griffith. He shows marked ability as manager and editor. He is a quiet, humble, earnest, capable man, as true as steel and as loyal as true." His four years as editor of the Sunday school publications were highly satisfactory to the denomination at large. Bishop Sellew in his pastoral address said, "The Sunday school publications have maintained their high standard of excellence under the able editorship of Rev. G. W. Griffith. [22] In them the great fundamentals of Christian doctrine are constantly and strongly emphasized in a manner which holds the interest while impressing the truth."

His election in 1923 as editor of the Free Methodist was felicitous. A student by natural instinct, a lover of good literature, a keen observer of the trend of the times, a faithful exponent of the spiritual objectives of the church, he gave a good account of his stewardship during this quadrennium. His editorials were of a high order and the paper was truly representative of the varied interests of the church.

It was during this period, 1923, that he also published "The Divine Program," at the request of the General Sunday School Board. This volume was one of the units in the Teacher Training Course and naturally had a wide circulation.

When the kings of Egypt died, their memory was enshrined in a gigantic pile of stone. It was a monument to the dead. The pyramids tell but one story -- the undying hope of immortality which springs eternal in the human breast. They stand as a stupendous marvel through the passing centuries; but the account given by the hieroglyphics is the story of oppression, of slaves toiling under the bludgeon of the cruel taskmaster. There is another type of immortality -- that monument which a writer leaves behind him to bless coming generations. Bishop Griffith left an enduring monument in his literary work.

In his writing, as in his preaching, he gave no place for anything light or sentimental. In process of thought he was philosophical rather than anecdotal; in style he was serious and grave. We give the following typical example from his pen, published in the Free Methodist, June 21, 1935:

The Reason for Free Methodism

Acceptance of the Holy Scriptures as the inspired Word of God postulates the fact of a sovereign personality, self-existent, omnipotent, and omniscient, who was before all things and by whom all things consist. "In the beginning, God."

The essential elements of personality are intellect, sensibility and will-reason, emotion and choice. God possesses these three elements of personality ultimated to the infinite degree. Knowledge -- "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world"; emotion -"God is love"; choice -- "Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?"

Hence, under revelation, the personality of God: His omniscience, His omnipotence, His sovereignty: is so infinite, so boundless, so specific, that every secret thing under heaven, every movement in the universe of being is transparent to His eye and never passes beyond the range of His vision. Facing this understanding of Jehovah, David exclaimed: "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea: even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."

Upon these facts, basic in the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, rests the doctrine of Divine Providence. On the one hand are opposing principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, wicked spirits, headed by the god of this world, the Prince of darkness; on the other is the Lord as a man of war, whose hand is glorious in power, overthrowing His enemies, recognizing no competitors, but "glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders" (Exod. 15:3-11).

Logically, in the realm of such contending forces, one omnipotent but respecting the boundary lines of volition in the creatures He has made; the other mighty in power and resources but restricted in scope of operation, there follows a tangled skein of conduct, the ebb and flow of mixed tides of life and being. There are wheels within wheels. The glass is often darkened. Wrong seems to be securely seated on the throne of power, flinging taunts at suffering Right writhing on the scaffold: but God the Omnipotent stands within the shadow, keeping watch above His own (Psalm 2:1-5).

In the light of these facts Dr. Joseph Parker wrote: "I accept the doctrine of Providence because the facts of my own daily life make such a doctrine essential; they demand it; they fall to pieces without it; they are lifted up into coherence and meaning and expectation by it."

The story of the birth and growth of the Christian church is a thrilling picture of the operations of Providence. From the hour of the utterance of the plan of the Divine Builder when He said, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it," until now these hell-tides have lashed and torn at Zion's towers and bulwarks. But His Word magnified even above His name -- The Eternal Logos -- is still the rock which shall never be moved. True, there have been losses. Judas, by his own hand, dropped into a starless night. Unnumbered disciples who professed obedience have followed Demas into captivity of the world, the flesh and the devil. Ecclesiastical bodies have become apostate, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. But according to the eternal purpose purposed in Christ Jesus, through all the struggle of twenty centuries the Holy Spirit, true to His mission, has from time to time moved upon the modern chaos and riot of unfaithfulness, disobedience, apostasy and Satanic domination, in revival power. Through these regenerative experiences and Spirit-bestowed purgings the authority of the Divine Word as the basis of sanctions, the reaffirmation of fundamental doctrines as the anchorage of faith, and the joy and power of a vital personal experience expressed in victorious living have been passed on from age to age.

Through the invention of printing and the spiritual renaissance of the Reformation came the restoration of the Bible as the basis of moral sanctions and the comfort of the doctrine of justification by faith. Through the warming of the heart of an Anglican clergyman by the Holy Spirit in a little chapel at Aldersgate Street in the heart of London came another rebirth of Pentecost in which Deism was throttled, English civilization purified, and the prayer of Jesus that His followers might be sanctified answered in the hearts and lives of unnumbered multitudes in the United Kingdom and around the world.

These illustrations are but examples of the many which might be cited wherein the Sovereign God has evidenced His sustaining, personal administration over the spiritual interests of His dominion. These crises come in the hour of need, of spiritual decadence, of human impotency, of moral darkness. In the rebirth which takes place in these visitations there is revived and brought back to its proper emphasis some neglected vital doctrine pertaining to saving truth; e. g., Pentecost -- atonement, resurrection and the bestowment of the Holy Spirit; reformation -justification: Wesleyan revival -- entire sanctification: Finney and Moody revivals -- conversion and the apostolic teaching and belief of the early church relative to the Lord's Second Coming.

It is a further significant fact that in tracing these providential visitations the ecclesiasticism which has departed from its original landmarks is not restored as an organization to its original spiritual power. Pentecost did not produce a restored Hebrew theocracy but the apostolic church. The Reformation did not revive and purify the Roman Catholic Church but produced Lutheran organizations. The Wesleyan revival did not vitalize and spiritualize the Church of England but gave to the world original Methodism in her power and glory. The Spirit-baptized ministry of Finney and Moody did not recover, to its original emphases, a single great denomination, however glorious and far-reaching their respective ministries in the reviving of local churches and conversion of individuals.

In 1866, Dr. John McClintock, the first president of Drew Theological Seminary, in a public address given in New York City said:

"Knowing exactly what I say, and taking the full responsibility of it, I repeat, we are the only church [Methodist] in history, from the apostles' time until now, which has put forward as its very elemental thought -- the great central, pervading idea of the whole Book of God from beginning to the end -- the holiness of the human soul, heart, mind and will. Go through all the confessions of all the churches, and you will find this in no other. You will find even some of them that blame us in their books and writings. It may be called fanaticism, but, dear friends, that is our mission. If we keep to that, the next century is ours; if we keep to that, the triumphs of the next century shall throw those that are past far into the shade. Our work is a moral work -- that is to say, the work of making men holy. Our preaching is for that, our church agencies are for that, our schools, colleges, universities, and theological seminaries are for that. There is our mission -there is our glory -- there is our power, and there shall be the ground of our triumph."

Yet seven and eight years prior to the very time these strong words were uttered, godly ministers and loyal laymen of the Methodist Church in western New York and northern Illinois had been expelled and read out of the church for preaching and testifying to that very experience -"holiness of the human soul, heart, mind and will." Failing to receive consideration through appeals to higher tribunals and dedicated to the Wesleyan conviction to spread holiness, after much prayer and great distress of heart because of the lapse of the church they loved and for which they had sacrificed, on August 23, 1860, these persecuted exiles organized the Free Methodist Church. Not through a revolt, not influenced by some disgruntled office-seeker, not led by some ambitious self-seeker, but through the working of that Providence which is an essential factor of the administration of the great Head of the Church, the Free Methodist Church exists.

At the next General Conference in 1927 he was elected bishop. It was fitting that the closing years of his life should be devoted to the pulpit. Preaching was his calling and his life. He had an exalted conception of the ministry and especially of the pastor, which in his estimation was the key position in the prosperity of the church. His office as bishop also gave him opportunity to employ his administrative talents in the advancement of the varied interests of the denomination.

Upon Bishop Griffith as a pulpiteer, Rev. J. T. Logan says: "Brother Griffith was a great preacher, a skilled sermon builder. His discourses were masterpieces, logically, homiletically arranged, Scriptural, spiritual, and were delivered with force. He was an able defender of the doctrines and issues of the Free Methodist Church, and was thoroughly capable of presenting these essential truths to the world in a manner that commanded attention and consideration and that reflected credit upon the church he so ably represented.

A Versatile Man

His interests covered every branch of the church activities. He had a keen interest in our schools, and along with his wife, who had formerly been a teacher in Evansville Seminary, spent five years as head of Wessington Springs Seminary. During the school year he taught classes, assumed responsibility as administrator and also business manager. In the summer he acted as financial agent. He thus had opportunity to know the school problem of the church.

The question of financial support offered a grave problem. He writes: [23] "_____ has picked, _____ has gathered up the fragments, so there is poor picking for me." His biographer continues, "One school's agent raised about $2,000.00 in Wessington Springs territory, securing it in three- and five-year pledges; the representative of another had followed, gleaning what was left. Other interests made their demands. It is little wonder that Mr. Griffith felt that there were too many schools and that there should be a general budget equitably distributing to each and incidentally protecting the layman from being exposed to so many calls."

Some years later as president of the board of education, when the problem of reducing the number of schools was discussed at the church headquarters in Chicago, he was one of a minority group of far-seeing men who saw that we have too many schools for the size of our small denomination to furnish the needed quota of students; that we are not financially able to equip them and support them; that the advancing scholastic standards as well as the increasing demand for school buildings and equipment as made by the state accrediting agencies, make it progressively difficult to secure accreditation; and that the situation has entirely changed from the days of our fathers, since we now have consolidation and township high schools over the rural sections of the country. He was an ardent supporter of our schools but he believed they should be fewer in number and better equipped and supported.

It is a fact that Bishop Hogue, in his later years, held the same opinion as privately expressed to the writer. His keen vision clearly perceived the social change that had been brought about in later times. It is unfortunate for the educational interests of the church that Bishop Hogue passed on before an official discussion of this question came up. He would have thrown the weight of his great influence on the side of the minority group.

Bishop Griffith was an apostle of stewardship. One of his worthwhile contributions to the church was his work in this field. His idea of stewardship was not merely money but a unification, correlation, and mobilization of all the forces of the church. For a number of years he not only wrote effectively on this theme in the Free Methodist but introduced the splendid literature of the Layman Company of Chicago. It was fitting that his last public address was a stewardship message, "Dealing Squarely with God."

He had a deep concern for missions. A careful study of the missionary enterprise had accurately informed him of both the fields and the missionaries upon them. In 1929 he became president of the Commission on Missions, and remained its head until his death. His visit to the Orient made him even more enthusiastic after being on the field in person.

It was a logical sequence that he should become president of the Y. P. M. S. Council. Not only did he have a deep interest in missions but for years he had had a vital concern for the youth of the church, fostered by experience in our schools and as editor of Sunday school literature. He presented the aims of the young people's work in the following terms:

"It is not an organization distinct and separate from the existing organizations of the church.

"It is not an organization in which the social and intellectual features are primary and the spiritual secondary.

"It is not an organization created arbitrarily out of new units but a healthful outgrowth of existing and growing spiritual activities.

"It is an organization which in place of making a special emphasis upon the social life, puts that emphasis upon the dispensing of life through obeying the command of Jesus to follow Him, recognizing that all legitimate social contacts will take care of themselves in devotion to this supreme challenge."

He, as president of the council, along with Mrs. Griffith who was then superintendent, had a large part in formulating the policy of the new movement.

The initiative characteristic of his administration is so well put by B. H. Gaddis, Publishing Agent, that we use his words:

"Among many fine qualities which Bishop Griffith possessed, two especially impressed me. One of these was the spirit of the pioneer, expressed in his administrative leadership of the church. He had much initiative and was not disturbed by new methods, if they gave promise of success. He was constantly striving for improvement and progress in church administration. His strong sponsorship and support of the new administrative organization adopted by the General Conference of 1931, and which has worked so admirably, is a typical instance of this aggressive leadership.

"Again and again have I marveled at the tremendous courage of the man. He never supinely followed the crowd, just to be with the majority. He was entirely fearless in expressing opinions and convictions, regardless of their popular acceptance. He had definite and positive ideas regarding both men and measures, and never hesitated to take his position regarding either, without thought of personal consequences."

The home-going of Bishop Griffith was triumphant. It seemed that he had fully recovered from an operation and hospital siege, but a few months later an attack of pneumonia ended his career. He was ready -- "My times are in thy hand." His mouth was filled with praise as he talked to Jesus as his intimate friend and the room was filled with glory. He saw the fore-gleams of another world as be met his Pilot face to face.

He made his own funeral arrangements. He chose the text, "By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain" (I Cor. 15:10).

In his sermon Bishop Warren said, "This great utterance of Paul is the passage which Bishop Griffith chose for the text for his funeral sermon. It is just the kind of a text that we would expect Bishop Griffith to choose. Not one that would suggest any laudation of self, not even of spiritual attainment, such as 'I have fought a good fight,' but one which puts God first and makes Him pre-eminent. It was characteristic of Bishop Griffith when preaching funeral sermons to make the occasion an opportunity for gospel preaching."

He requested no flowers and no eulogies in order that the message "the grace of God," might not be obstructed by anything. A plain black casket -- symbolical of mortality and the reign of sin. On it a cross; stem red, symbolical of the atonement; cross-piece white, symbolical of life and immortality. On the casket a Bible opened at I Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

Bishop Warren spoke on the subject, "Bishop Griffith, the Minister, by the Grace of God"; Bishop Marston, "The Servant of God, by the Grace of God"; and Rev. C. A. Watson, "The Christian Gentleman, by the Grace of God."

Thus came to a close the earthly career of one of the foremost servants of the church; and thus was stricken from the roll of the church militant and placed on the roll of the church triumphant the unsullied name of a faithful herald of the cross who never sounded a retreat during half a century of holy warfare.

Were a star quenched on high,
For ages would its light
Still traveling downward through the sky
Shine on our mortal sight.

So when a great man dies,
For years beyond our ken
The light he leaves behind him lies
Along the paths of men.

21 An extended life of Bishop Griffith containing 319 pages has been written by his wife, Mrs. Lillian Griffith, entitled "Living Embers." It goes into detail regarding his genealogy and entire career. It is well-written and well-balanced. We wish to express our appreciation of and our indebtedness to this volume. We are also indebted to the "Memorial Number" of the FREE METHODIST, March 20, 1936.

22 "Living Embers," p 61.

23 "Living Embers," p. 52.