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History -- Gerial Kinzer Flack

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Gerial Kinzer Flack, the son of Josiah and Sylvia Flack, was born at Adrian, Ohio, October 20, 1858. By his own industry he was able to attend Heidelburg College at Tiffin, Ohio, and Claverack College, New York.

Converted during a revival held in the Reformed Church at Adrian Ohio, in 1882, he was licensed to preach at Bloomfield, Ohio, in 1883. His first charge was at Sanborn Iowa, in January 1885. The church was in deplorable condition, materially and spiritually. A six weeks' revival was begun at once, which resulted in more than one hundred conversions. Prayer meeting was established and many improvements made on the church property.

He was received into the Northern Iowa Conference, at Weber City, in the fall of 1886. That fall he went to Evanston to attend Garret Biblical Institute, from which he graduated in 1890. He was transferred to River Rock conference and served the following charges: Wicker Park, where he built the church; Epworth, where he also built the church; Halstead Street; Fourth Street, Sterling; Wabash Avenue; Gary Memorial, Wheaton, where he built and dedicated his third church; Aurora; Garfield Park; Western Avenue; and Woolley Memorial. In 1920 he was appointed secretary and superintendent of the Chicago Tract Society and that position he held for six years. Failing health caused him to retire in 1926. After a winter in Florida, he returned to Chicago and served as field secretary of the Chicago Bible Society for eighteen months, when again his physical condition caused him to withdraw from all activities. After an illness of a few days, he died on July 3, 1931, at the Presbyterian Hospital, Chicago.

The funeral was held at First Church, Oak Park, on July 6, and was in charge of District Superintendent J. B. Martin. Bishop Hughes, Dr. H. V. Holt, Dr. T. R. Greene, Dr. J. L. McLaughlin of the Chicago Bible Society, and W. R. Wedderspoon took part in the service, which was attended by a large concourse of people. Nearly fifty of the ministerial brethren were present. Internment was at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Brother Flack was married on May 18, 1887 to Nellie Jane Schenck, at Dakota City, Iowa. There are five children, all living in or near Chicago, namely, Mrs. B. P. Bates, Mrs. L. J. Ballon, Mrs. F. A. Hill, Mr. Gene W. Flack, and Dr. C. E. Flack.

How greatly we miss our noble brother Flack, stalwart and majestic in form, strong in mind rich and tender in heart and soul. "His life was gentle and the elements so mixed in him that nature might stand up to all the world and say this was a man." Our translated brother was a faithful, efficient, and highly successful minister of the glorious Gospel because he kept God in all his thoughts. In his early years he entered into fine fellowship with his loving Lord and as a result of maintaining this intimacy his public addresses were always zeal inspiring and faith awakening. All ages and conditions of people were helped to larger and fuller life by his ministrations.

From vital contact with his adorable Lord he became greatly enriched and he imparted benediction and blessing everywhere. Once upon a cold wet night a poor woman besought Henry Drummond to visit her "man." "He is dying" said she "and Oh sir, I just want the breath of you upon him before he goes." The breath of Brother Flack's spirit and influence was mightily potential as many have proved by their experiences.

Throughout all of the years of a devoted ministry Brother Flack guarded well the sacred flame of love upon the alter of his hearth. He always kept his windows open toward Jerusalem by meditation, prayer and the Word. In the midst of all his goings through the years he could truthfully say with David of old, "I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God." Being finely equipped and developed, he grandly served his Lord and fellowmen.

"Silent the shades of evening
Gather round our lonely door,
Silently there comes before us
Faces we shall see no more,
Oh, the lost, the unforgotten,
Tough the world be all forgot,
Oh, the shrouded and the buried,
In our hearts they parish not."
                     W. R. Witherspoon

Obituary
The Journal of the Rock River Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1931
p. 31 - 32
Transcribed by B. Greene, June 2004

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