Whitney, Silas Porter (Elder)

Passed: 1912-10-16

Age: 83

Source:

Death Notice: 1912-10-16

Obituary Date:

Information: Elder Silas Porter Whitney of Roane county, W. Va., fell asleep in Jesus Wednesday morning, Oct. 16, 1912, after a brief illness of pneumonia, in his eighty-third year.  We chronicle this with sadness.  Fellings of sorrow and emotions of grief are rushing through our being as we write.  Another one of our greatest and best Adventual preachers has gone to his rest.  His decease will be mourned by hundreds from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.  The deceased was born at Sand Hill, N. Y. in 1829, and was converted when a young man.  Soon after embracing the doctrine of the second advent, he became a preacher of the word and for fifty odd years he faithfully proclaimed the Savior's return.  Through his ministry, hundreds heard the glorious truth and were led to the Savior.      He was joined in marriage to the talented Molly Thomas, of Kanawha county, W. Va., and with her lived happily until his decease.  Elder Whitney did much pioneer work as an evangelist in New York, Indiana, West Virginia, Ohio and Virginia, besides he held many important pastorates for forty odd years--notable of which were those churches of W. Va.  Through his wise and helpful management, several houses of worship were erected and numerous important conventions were held.  He leaves a wife, two sons and three daughters to mourn.      Precious brother, we weep but not as the hopeless, we mourn but not as the heathen, we hope to greet thee and gladly clasp thy saintly hand ""in the Morning"".  His memory will ever be cherished by hundreds of Christians who knew him and who were cherished and helped by his ministry. The funeral service of the deceased was held at his home under the directions of Elder A. B. Pauley.  Our aged brother was buried Oct. 18 in the family cemetery, there he peacefully rests the ""little while"".  Soon he shall awaken and rise and be satisfied with beholding his Savior in whose likeness he shall appear.    W.S.D.   ELDER WHITNEY DEAD - Elder S. P. Whitney died at his home at Gandeeville, Wednesday morning, aged eighty-odd years.  Dr. Whitney might be termed the father of the Advent church in Jackson, Kanawha, Roane and adjoining counties. He came from New York state late in the sixties and at once attracted attention by his talent and zeal.  It was perhaps '70 or '71,, he and Dr. Zebadee Warner held their discussion of two or three days in Ripley.  Even the most loyal friends of Dr. Warner, then the ablest man in the U. B. church in this State, conceded that the Doctor had met his match or more.  Elder Whitney was married to Miss Thomas, a member of a talented family and sister to the late Dr. Fred Thomas, and an interesting family resulted from the union.  Elder Whitney had suffered many years from a stomach trouble, form which death probably resulted.  No minister in West Virginia enjoyed a higher degree of respect among acquaintances than Dr. Whitney, and his death will be learned with sorrow by all who ever met him.