Ashworth Harold McGee

Rev. Dr. Ashworth Harold McGee (1898-1970)B.A. B.D., was an Indian Minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church later Methodist Church in Southern Asia best known for his inspiring sermons & evangelistic missionary work all over the world.

Ashworth was born on 11 February 1898 in Lucknow, India, to James William McGee and Mrs. McGee. He had his schooling from Centennial Higher Secondary School, Lucknow from 1904 to 1919 and graduated (B.A. English) from Lucknow Christian College in 1921. He excelled in hockey, and won many medals & championships as a student. He mastered three languages: English, Hindi & Urdu. He passed M.Sc.(Homeo) from Premier Homeopathic Medical College, Chandigarh in 1961. and was awarded the M.H.M.in 1966 by the Homeopathic Medical Mission in India.
Ministry
He started preaching at the age of 16 and assisted Dr. E. Stanley Jones as his Secretary while studying at Lucknow Christian College. Resigning from work in the Lucknow Christian College office in 1923, he began his Methodist preaching ministry that same year in the Tirhoot District of Bihar under the Rev. R.I. Faucett, the erstwhile Superintendent of the Conference.
He was ordained as Deacon of the Methodist Episcopal Church by Bishop Frederick Fisher on 13 December 1925 at Arrah, Bihar, He was ordained as an Elder by Bishop John W. Robinson on 21 November 1926 at Lucknow, U.P.
His first appointment, in 1925, was in the The Methodist Episcopal Church, Muzaffarpore, where he spent 5 years of service. He along with his wife Francis worked to strengthen the congregation and apply Christian principles. During his pastorship, the church became self-dependent (after 40 years of foreign dependence).
He met Mahatama Gandhi in 1927 in Muzaffarpur, Bihar and being greatly impressed by Gandhi, he joined the Congress the same year, participating in the freedom struggle in his own small way of sensitising the masses through his sermons. He was elected the Nodal Secretary of the Congress committee in 1945(while residing at Kanpur) and served in this office for many years.
He was appointed as Presiding Elder (District Superintendent) of the Buxar District of the Methodist Episcopal Church in May 1930 .In 1936, he was transferred as Pastor of Lizzie Johnson Memorial Methodist Church, Cawnpore (now Kanpur.)
He Represented India at the General Conference of the Methodist Church held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA in 1956.He visited Europe, Jerusalem & Cairo(Egypt) on his way back from the General conference in 1956.
On the behest of Bishop Lesly Newbigin,he was selected by the National Christian Council of India,in 1961,to go to Fiji Islands as missionary where he spent 6 months working among the Indian population, and addressed 150 meetings for both Christians & Non-Christians.
He participated in the "Mission to America" project of the General Board of Evangelism & Mission of the Methodist Church, together with 10 other Missioners from nine countries conducting 127 preaching missions across the USA, touching 46 annual conferences in 34 states, making the phrase "Mission in Reverse" alive and vibrant, from September 7 to December 16, 1962 ,.
He served as Centenary Promotional Secretary for Lucknow & Delhi Area, and pioneered the concept of self support churches in all conferences of MCSA . He served as the Executive Secretary of the Council of Evangelism of the Methodist Church in Southern Asia from 1949 to December 1967. As Executive Secretary of the Council of Evangelism , he preached the word of God in 18 countries of the world. He served as Property Chairman of the Lucknow Conference until his sudden death in 1970.
Family
He married Francis J. Lall(a teacher by profession), daughter of Mr. Jhan Lall of Bareilly on 20 May 1924, at the Methodist Episcopal Church, Bareilly, India. The Minister who soleminised the marriage was The Rev. D. Wellington. and witnesses who signed the marriage certificate were Rev. M.C. Singh and Ms. Edna G. Bacon.
*Daughter Rajbala Shakuntala was born on 8 July 1925 at Darbanga, Bihar, married to Mr. Samuel S. Silas of Kanpur. They had 4 children,two Daughters Sunita & Anita Renuka and two sons Anil Sudhir and Deepak Ashworth.
*Son Jaswant Rajkumar McGee born 7 March,married Ms. Shrin Esther Silas and was had a daughter Reeta.
*Son Jagdish Prem Kumar McGee born 4 February, married Ms. Mavis Davidson of Kanpur and had 2 sons Deep and Dalip and a daughter Anila.
*Son Jagmohan Kristkumar McGee born 28 February, 19??, married Ms. Prabha Singh of Kotdwara Garhwal and had 2 sons Rajan & Raja and a daughter Anita.
*Daughter Ms. Asha lata McGee born 6 June 1938 - spinster died on 23 July 2006.
*Youngest Son Ashutosh McGee died when 17 years old.
Rev. Ashworth H. McGee died of a massive cardiac arrest at Kanpur, India on August 29, 1970, aged 72 and was laid to rest in the Chunniganj Christian Cemetery at Kanpur.

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