Posted By Norman Gasbarro on October 9, 2018
Few religious leaders spoke out against the Ku Klux Klan when it was at its height in the mid-1920s in the Lykens Valley area. One exception was the Rev. Dr. George W. Humphreys, who delivered a scathing sermon against the hooded order when he was the pastor of the Methodist Church at Shenandoah, Schuylkill County (1923-1928). See: George W. Humphreys.
This post is a continuation of the reporting on hate groups that were active in the Lykens Valley area in the years following the Civil War. It was a widely known fact that the third iteration of the Ku Klux Klan had a significant presence in the Lykens Valley and adjacent valleys during the early years of the 20th Century. This iteration of the Klan was strongly white supremacist and was opposed to equal rights for African Americans, Catholics, Jews, and immigrants.
The Rev. Dr. Humphrey died on 7 November 1949 in Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. His obituary appeared in the Pottsville Republican and Herald, 7 November 1949:
Heart Attack Fatal
Rev. Dr. G. W. Humphreys
Former Pastor Dies
Rev. Dr. George W. Humphreys, 74, of Schuylkill Haven, former pastor of the First Methodist Church, town [Shenandoah], died suddenly at 1:33 a.m. yesterday of a heart attack in the Warne Hospital, Pottsville.
The heart attack was brought on by a fall down the steps of his home Friday morning. He was admitted to the hospital Friday afternoon.
Born in Brighton, England, in 1875, he was graduated from Oxford University, Cambridge, England, and the Nottingham Seminary, now known as the Nottingham Congregational College. He came to this country at the age of 27 in 1902.
Ordained a Congregational minister, he later accepted a call to a church in Brooklyn, New York, and in 1912, while still in Brooklyn, he had his credentials transferred to the Methodist ministry, and served there for some years as a Methodist minister.
Came Here in 1923
He next served the Cumberland Church and the Centenary Church in Philadelphia. He went from Philadelphia to Schuylkill Haven, and came to the Shenandoah Methodist Episcopal Church, in 1923. He served here until 1928, when he accepted a call from St. Paul’s Church, Lancaster.
He later served the Methodist Congregation in Salisbury, Maryland, and was then moved to the Methodist Church in Danville. While at Danville, he was retired from the Methodist Ministry, and pensioned by four conferences: the New York, East; The Philadelphia Conference, of which the Shenandoah Church is a part; the Peninsula Conference; and the Central Pennsylvania Conference.
Rev. Humphreys was well known and extremely popular, and his fame as a lecturer and author preceded him wherever he went.
The author of more than four religious works, including To a Listening Heart, A Pastor Speaks Out, and the editor of an anthology of religious works, Rainbows, he was renowned as a writer and was in great demand as a lecturer.
Few are the Methodist churches or lecture halls throughout the East where his resonant voice was not heard at one time or another. He was called upon for lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, and often gave lectures to graduation audiences.
Ardent Sportsman
An ardent sportsman, he was tennis champion of the South of England in 1898 at the age of 23 years. He was a tennis enthusiast and many people in this country were taught the intricate points of the game under his hand. He played tennis ardently until a few years ago. He was also a great chess player, enjoying a close game with any and all comers.
For the past year, he had served the Congregational churches of Minersville and Fountain Springs, and since his retirement has served as supply pastor and special lecturer for the Methodist Philadelphia Conference.
he had made his home for the past five years with Mrs. Marian Coldren Anderson, Schuylkill Haven.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Lillian Humphreys, at home, and a son, Merlin Humphreys, of Chester.
The funeral will take place Wednesday from the Vincent Funeral Home, Danville, with services in the Minersville Congregational Church at 2 p.m. Interment will be in the Union Cemetery, Schuylkill Haven. Viewing will be Tuesday evening at the Vincent Funeral Parlor, Danville.
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Also appearing in the same newspaper was the following editorial:
REV. DR. GEORGE HUMPHREYS
Word of the passing of Reverend Doctor George W. Humphreys, distinguished clergyman, writer and lecturer, has occasioned many sincere expressions of sorrow throughout this area.
Doctor Humphreys endeared himself to the local Methodist congregation during the years of his pastorate (1923-1928), and won many warm friends and admirers here in all walks of life and faiths.
He was a man of great tolerance and was an implicit believer in The Golden Rule.
Doctor Humphrey’s departure from mortal life recalled one memorable example of his friendly dealings with those of other religious beliefs. When the local [Catholic] Annunciation Church burned down in 1925, Doctor Humphreys was the fist person to come forward with a check for $1,000 from his congregation toward the Annunciation’s rebuilding fund.
The check was accepted with sincere gratitude by Reverend John B. Dover, then rector of the Annunciation Church.
Them, when Doctor Humphreys departed from Shenandoah, he was given a substantial financial gift from his friends in the Annunciation Parish.
Doctor Humphreys was not forgotten after he left town for another charge. He frequently visited here and kept up established friendships.
He was a credit to his calling in the fullest sense of the word.
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News articles and photo from Newspapers.com.
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