The following appeared in the "Editorial Jottings" of the

Evangelical Messenger in the issue of May 25, 1898...

The Dakota Conference met at Great Bend, North Dakota.

This place is near the head of the Red River Valley, famed

for its vast acreage of wheat, a veritable paradise with

favorable weather. Wheat fields, section after section,

stretch away to the horizon with neither fence nor hill to

intercept the vision in any direction. It is truly wonderful.

Scarcely anything is cultivated but wheat which only

needs sowing and harvesting, which is all done by

machinery. When the season is favorable, the yield is large.

The Dakota Conference is the farthest west and north this

side of the Rocky Mountains. It extends over both the

Dakotas and is now pressing its way northward into the

British Dominions...

The personnel of the Conference is typical of the great West.

Most of the men are stalwarts--not all of them six footers,

but most of them men with strong physique, large hearts,

clear heads, and lofty purpose.

The patriarch, I presume, of the Conference in age, though

not in years of service in this body is our old time Ohio

Presiding Elder and theological Nestor, Rev. Samuel Hoy,

whose bronzed face shines out benignly through a grey,

shaggy beard.  It was a great pleasure to meet him again.

Brother Hoy appointed me to preach my first sermon and

presided at the quarterly conference which forwarded

me a recommendation to the Annual Conference. He was

my examiner in the course of study and a great help

to me in many ways. He is still useful.

Death

of

Rev. Samuel Hoy

Rev. Samuel Hoy, the veteran preacher of the Dakota Conference,

and formerly prominent in the Ohio Conference, died in peace

Sunday, February 17, at his home in Spink, County, South Dakota.

His health had been failing for some time, and his body finally

succumbed to the ravages of disease. He was born in 1832

in Fairfield County, Ohio, near or at the place made

historic by the romantic courtship and marriage of Bishop

Joseph Long, whose wife was his aunt. Brother Hoy was

accordingly nearly 69 years of age.

The death of this man of God affects the writer most profoundly.

In his presence, and at his request, as Presiding Elder, the

writer made his first attempt to preach, at Lattasburgh, Ohio,

in the Summer of 1875. At a quarterly conference at Spencer

Mills, Ohio, at which Brother Hoy presided, we were given

permission to preach, with quarterly conference recommendation.

Later he was our Presiding Elder, and never can we forget

the kindness and wise counsel of this man of God. Indeed,

many a young man can testify that to associate with Samuel

Hoy was an education, for his conversation was always

instructive, and edifying. He was a profound theologian,

one of the best in our Church, -- indeed a high authority

among us has more than once declared him to have been the

greatest theologian in our Church, -- and he was pre-eminently

a teacher. Ask him questions upon theological matters, and

his knowledge flowed in a steady stream of clear, logical truth.

His mind was thoroughly imbued with the World of God, with

which he was very familiar.

In his preaching he was doctrinal, but not at all impractical.

He was a master of exposition. Under his treatment a text took

on new meaning, and especially was he able to divide it in orderly

arrangement of thought. He preached the cardinal doctrines of

salvation, from cardinal texts. He was a master in defending

the doctrines of our Church, as well as in elucidating them.

To hear Brother Hoy preach was to become established in the

faith, for he was able always to give a reason for the hope

that was in him. In debate or discussion, he was clear,

logical, incisive and Scriptural, as one taught of God, and

many a bold opponent was ignominiously routed by this knight

of the truth. He was jealous of the truth. He had no patience

and no quarter for heterodoxy.

His knowledge was self-acquired, not learned in the schools.

He was an indefatigable student. Samuel Hoy never complained

that he could get no time to study. He studied on horseback,

in the buggy, spent whole days in the fields with his books,

and nights in his study. He absorbed knowledge with keen

relish, and made it his own by careful and prolonged study.

He was never superficial, never rash to reach conclusions.

The processes of his mind were apparently slow, perhaps

laborious, but he was always searching for rock bottom,

never resting till he found it. These habits of study were

retained to the close of his life. He never lost his relish

for books, nor his desire to learn. Hence his mind was

fresh and vigorous to the last, as his frequent contributions

to the Evangelical Messenger, prove.

Brother Hoy was for a t least twelve years a Presiding Elder

in the Ohio Conference, and preached ever since the year

1854, a period of 46 years. He was a delegate at five or

six General Conferences. During the last fifteen years,

he was in the Dakota Conference, where he also did

excellent service. His brethren in that conference esteemed

him very highly, and he dies loved and respected by a

vast multitude who knew him on the earth.

obituary

of the

Rev. Samuel Hoy

Another of the fathers in the ranks of the ministry has laid

down his armor and gone home into eternal rest. Brother

Samuel Hoy, of Irving Mission, Dakota Conference,

formerly a preacher in the Ohio Conference, has

departed to be forever with the Lord.

Deceased was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, March 3, 1832.

He was a son of the sainted David and Hannah Hoy.

He was converted at 18 years of age under the ministry of

the Evangelical Association. Soon after his conversion, he

felt Divinely called to the holy office of the Gospel

Ministry and consecrated himself to that calling.

Brother Hoy was licensed to preach and received a

probationer's license in the Ohio Conference at its

session in Dayton, Ohio, in 1854, Bishop John Seybert

presiding. That year he was sent to Wyandot Circuit

under George Haley as preacher-in-charge. In 1855 he

served Miami Circuit, with P. Parr as preacher-in-charge.

In 1856 and 1857 he served Logan Mission. In 1858 he

was on the Lancaster Circuit, under J. Borkert as

Preacher-in-charge. In 1859 he was in charge of the

same Circuit with D. Heininger as junior preacher.

In 1860 he went back to Logan Mission; in 1861 he served

Hancock Circuit, and in 1862 and 1863, Fulton Circuit.

In 1864 he went to Seneca Circuit, with H. C. Rea as

junior preacher, and in 1865 and 1866 he served Wyandot

Circuit. In 1867 and 1868 Pickaway Circuit was his charge,

and Fairfield Circuit in 1869 and 1870.

In 1871, he was elected Presiding Elder and stationed on

Columbus District, serving that District for four years.

In 1875, he was reelected, and stationed on the Cleveland

District one year, when he was transferred to the Fremont

District, on which he served the rest of his term. In 1879

he was again reelected and served a fourth year on the

Fremont District. In 1880 he was stationed on the

Cleveland District; in 1881 on the Columbus District, and in

1882 again on the Fremont District. This was the last year

in the Ohio Conference.

Three times the Ohio Conference sent him as delegate to

General Conference, namely, in 1871 and 1875 and 1879.

The Dakota Conference afterward bestowed the same

honor upon him twice, namely, in 1891 and 1895.

In 1883, Brother Hoy having moved to Dakota, with his

large family, received his Credentials from the Ohio

Conference, and after a membership of one year in

the Minnesota Conference, he became a charter member of

the Dakota Conference.

The writer well remembers that Brother Hoy having presented

his  credentials to the Minnesota Conference at its session

at Yellow Bank, some of the brethren asked: "Who is this

Brother Hoy?" And the presiding Bishop replied: "This

Brother is sometimes called the Theologian of the Evangelical

Association."

In the Dakota Conference Brother Hoy served Frankfort

Mission, 4 years; Watertown Mission, 1 year; Redfield, 3 years;

Aberdeen, 1 year, Miller, 7 years; Irving, 6 years.

Here he died in the harness, February 17, 1901

The writer has no knowledge that the deceased ever located.

He perhaps would never severed his connections with the

Ohio Conference save for the sake of the family, believing

as he did that the great West offered better opportunities

for his children to gain a livelihood.

Brother Hoy departed from this life in great peace. The

writer holds in precious memory the seasons spent with this

Brother during his late illness. The Lord had filled his heart

with great joy and his mouth praise and laughter.

He seemed to dwell in the very courts of heaven. With great

joy he kept bearing testimony of Jesus and His Love.

Brother Hoy was beloved by all of the brethren on account

of his beautiful character. His intercourse with the brethren

was tender, sympathetic, Christ-like. To be with him meant

spiritual uplift and instruction in holy things.

Brother Hoy was a profound logical thinker and a good

preacher. He had a keen insight of the truth and remarkable

powers of analysis and presented the Truth in such

simplicity of speech and manner that a child could grasp

his meaning and understand his purpose.

Blessed in his memory among us.

He lived in holy wedlock with his beloved wife, Malinda,

nee Imler 45 years, who also survives him. Their union was

blessed with 8 sons and 3 daughters, all surviving him.

May the Lord comfort the dear family and grant them a

reunion before the eternal throne of bliss and glory.

The brethren C. A. Bremer, G. C. Carswell, A. Cartli,

J. J. Schaeffer, and the undersigned attended the funeral

and participated in the exercises. Rev. C. H. Dreisbach

of the Congregational Church, also came quite a distance

to pay his tribute of honor to a lifelong friend and brother.

--Wm. Suckow--

Evangelical Messenger

Obituary Courtesy of Louise Baden

Obituary

sister

Malinda Imler hOY

Malinda Imler Hoy, widow of the Rev. Samuel Hoy,

was born September 6, 1837, at Circleville,

Pickaway County, Ohio and died January 1, 1904,

at Irving, Spink County, South Dakota.

She was united in marriage with the Rev. Samuel Hoy

August 12, 1856, in Allen County, Ohio. Eight sons

and three daughters were born to them and remain to

mourn the loss of a loving mother.

Sister Hoy was converted when about fifteen years of age.

She joined our Church and was a faithful member

until her death. The family came to South Dakota in

1882, where Brother Hoy served in the itinerancy until

his death. Sister Hoy was in ill health during the last six

months and after an acute illness of thirteen weeks, she

passed away. In her conscious moments she was

praising God and singing the sweet hymns of old,

expecting soon to clasp the hand and greet loved ones

on the streets of gold.

The funeral services were conducted in the Bethel

Church January 4, 1904, by the pastor

Evangelical Messenger

Obituary Courtesy of Louise Baden