Della (McCarty) Fry was born in Wisconsin on April 7, 1858, and departed this life in 1946 at the age of 87 or 88. On December 25, 1876, in Ganges, Michigan, she married George W. Fry who was born in Ohio on April 18, 1852, and died May 24, 1919. Della was a pioneer minister in the Evening Light Reformation movement who, in the words of Noah Byrum, “sacrificed and toiled faithfully to bring the message of truth to a lost world.” Noah Byrum relates the following interesting story told to him by Della Fry in 1941, about five years before her death. It was about one of the visits D. S. Warner made to their home about 10 miles north of Grand Junction, Michigan, during the time the Gospel Trumpet publishing work was located there. Her story was related by Noah Byrum as follows:
“In one of those visits to Sister Fry’s home, D. S. Warner went each morning to a nearby neighbor’s woods and there prayed and communed with God. The man who owned the woods was not a Christian and had been a bitter opposer of the truth preached and taught in our church movement.
“One morning as Brother Warner climbed the fence and entered the woods, seeking the secluded spot for prayer, he heard sounds as though coming from someone in great distress. Following the sounds he came to a horse lying under a large tree and groaning, seemingly in great pain. He did not know at the time, but learned later that the owner of the horse had no hopes for its recovery and had taken it back to the woods to die in a place convenient for burial. As Brother Warner stood there the sick animal raised its head and looked at him so appealingly that Brother Warner, a man who was always kind and sympathetic to everyone and also to dumb animals, touched him. Leaving the sick horse, he went on a little farther to his accustomed place of prayer. As he kneeled down his prayers were greatly disturbed by the groanings of the horse, so finally he went over and kneeled down by the distressed animal. Brother Warner was strong on divine healing and in offering the prayer of faith for sick people. His teaching and program for healing did not include the praying for animals, but as he kneeled there his heart was touched and he prayed that the horse might be relieved of its suffering.
“In just a few moments the horse arose and commenced to eat grass and a little later walked up the lane to the barn. When Brother Warner came back to the house he told Sister Fry what had happened. The next morning Sister Fry made a casual visit to her neighbor’s house. In the course of the conversation the man said, ‘Something very strange has happened. That horse of mine that was sick had been taken back to the woods to die, but yesterday it came walking home apparently alright. I just cannot understand what has happened.’ It was then that the man was told of the sympathetic prayer offered by D. S. Warner. His heart was greatly touched and his attitude changed.” — The Book of Noah, pages 82 – 83.
Sister Della Fry wrote the words to song #53 in the Evening Light Songs hymnal, “A Song of Praise” — a song the saints of God still sing joyfully today. “Let the gates of praise be open, Sounding forth the joy within ….”
George and Della Fry are buried in the Taylor Cemetery, Ganges, Michigan.