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McCarty, Floyd
3/1/1981
1904-1981 |
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| In Gray’s Elegy in a Country Church yard we read, “Full many a gem of purest ray In ocean’s deep unfathomed cave forbore Full many a flower is born to blush unseen And waste its fragrance on the desert air . . .” This may not tell the whole story of Floyd McCarty, but it intimates it. Here was one of God’s noblest who spent most of his life as a layman, only becoming a minister at about the ninth hour. Brother Mac, as he was affectionately known, was born August 30, 1904 in the village of Sikes. He and Ruth Davis were married on April 3, 1927, and they became a God fearing family from that day on. They both loved Christ and His Church, and all the days of their lives together, they pursued this way of life. Floyd worked at oil field work during his early years, but soon became a timber estimator for the Roy O. Martin company, and the figures would be staggering the number of acres of timber land he acquired for this company. He loved the out of doors, and spent thirty years in this work. But along with this work, he was an active layman in the Methodist Church, and in the forties he was licensed to preach by the Ruston District on the Ringgold Charge. His feeling of a Call to Preach was the dominant note in his life for the last years of his life. Brother McCarty sought ways to serve along with his work, and in addition to helping his pastor, served by appointment for a number of years. His first regular assignment was the Pine Grove Charge, and he is still remembered by those fine people for his two years with them. Dr. B. C. Taylor later asked him to serve the Cross Roads Church, and this he did with such energy and success his people continued to request that he be returned. Later he was appointed full time pastor of the Holley Springs Church, also in the Shreveport District. He was the much beloved pastor of these people, and they were reluctant to ever give him up. Upon his retirement from his timber work, he went to serve the Marthaville Charge in the Alexandria District. These three churches made marked improvement during his tenure, and the people loved him most dearly. He was on this little charge five years, his last pastorate. He was a man of intense zeal. He was devout, energetic and most compassionate. No distance was too great to travel for the benefit of some of his parishioners, either sick of body or soul. His body was no match for his indomitable spirit, and his health gave way before he would have wanted to lay aside the work. On March 9th he was laid to rest beside his beloved daughter who had preceded him in death. And there a host of his friends stood beside the grave and sang. “There’s a land that is fairer than day And by faith we can see it afar . . . For the Father waits over the way To prepare us a dwelling place there . . .” Yes, there is a land that is fairer than day prepared for this noble spirit and God has greeted him with the loveliest of all words, “Well done thou good and faithful servant Enter into the joys of the Lord . . .” |
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| Source: Journal Louisiana Conference, 1981, p. 174 By Jolly B. Harper | |
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