Born: Grant County, Kentucky, May 7, 1854.
Died: October 24, 1919.

F. M. Rains was born in Grant County, Kentucky, May 7, 1854. He was baptized by W. K. Azbill in October, 1871; was educated at Harrisburg Academy, Columbia Christian College, and Kentucky University, finishing the English Bible Course, June, 1878. For two years following he taught in Corinth Academy, Corinth, Kentucky, while preaching every Lord's Day. In 1880 he located at Winfield, Kansas, preaching for the church about two years, then took the church at Leavenworth, Kansas, for a time, when he was elected corresponding secretary of the Kansas Missionary Society. From this position he became the first secretary of the Board of Church Extension. For the past ten years he has been in the service of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society. During all these years he has dedicated a great many churches, probably as many as any man of his age.

The subject of this sketch is a most genial and companionable Christian gentleman. His colloquial powers are well developed, making him the light and joy of your home while he remains. In the pulpit he is master of the situation, and carries you into rich fields of thought, which he puts in appropriate Scripture settings of beauty and truth. The gospel is his theme. He has no time to run after strange gods. The Book of God is enough. In addition to the arduous duties connected with the Foreign Missionary Office, he is in the pulpit almost every Lord's Day. Bro. Rains is a busy man, and prosecutes his work to the overtaxing of his physical strength. His late visit to the foreign field was partly to recuperate his wasting energies, and partly to become better acquainted with the mission work in the field. In both respects his tour was a success.