Charles Francis Rice

Charles Francis Rice (1851–1927)^[1] was a prominent New England Methodist minister and author.

Early life and education

He was born April 14th, 1851 in the parsonage of the Walnut Street Church in Chelsea, Massachusetts to Rev. William Rice and Catherine Laura North. He attended Springfield High School and Wesleyan University, graduating with honor in 1872. He was a member of the Eclectic Society, and Phi Beta Kappa. He received an A.M. in 1875 and D.D. in 1893.

He taught classics at both Springfield High School (1872–73) and Wesleyan University (1874–77).^[2] He served on the committee on the Annual Examination, the committee on the Olin Prize, and as President of the General Alumni association at Wesleyan University, where his father Rev. William Rice was a trustee, and his brother William North Rice was a professor.^[3][4] Later, he and William North Rice would co-author William Rice: A Memorial, memorializing their father William Rice.

Ministry

C. F. Rice was a member of the New England Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He served as pastor at Appleton church, Neponset, Boston (1877–80); Wesley chapel, Salem, MA (1880–83; Webster, MA (1883–85), St. Paul's, Lowell, MA (1885–88), Leominster, MA (1888-93), Epworth Methodist Episcopal Church, now Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church in Cambridge, MA (1893–98).^{[2] [5]} He served at St. Lukes Church in Springfield (1898-1900), which became Wesley Church, Springfield (1900–05). He was then a presiding elder, Superintendent of the Cambridge District (1905-1910), and paster at Winthrop Street Church in Boston beginning in 1911.

He was a delegate to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1904 and 1908, the Inter-church Conference on Federation in 1905, the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America, 1912, and President of the Massachusetts Federation of Churches beginning in 1911. He was also director of the Federation of Churches and Religious Organizations of Greater Boston.^[6] He was also chairman of the conference board exam from 1897-1905, president of the New England Educational Society and a member of the board of Education of the M.E. Church from 1908-12.

He wrote History of Methodism in Webster, Mass., printed in the Webster Times in 1884. He also served on the visiting committee of the Boston University School of Theology. He was a trustee at Wilbraham Wesleyan Academy and president of the board from 1898-1912.

Family life

He married Miriam Owen Jacobs in 1875. She was the daughter of Dr. Horace Jacobs of Springfield, and was educated at Vassar College. They had five children, Laura Owen Rice, William Chauncy Rice, Horace Jacobs Rice, Paul North Rice, and Rachel Caroline Rice.^[7]

Genealogy

Charles Francis Rice was a direct descendant of Edmund Rice, an English immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony, as follows:^[8][9]

• Charles Francis Rice, son of

• William Rice (1821–1897), son of

• William Rice (1788–1863), son of
• Nathan Rice (1760–1838), son of
• John Rice (1704–1771), son of

• Ephraim Rice (1665–1732), son of
• Thomas Rice (1625–1681), son of

• Edmund Rice (1594–1663)

References