macadie was born in bayonne, nj in 1899 and his mother's name was ella. he attended kenyon college where he was a member of sigma pi fraternity. while at kenyon he was drafted into the student army training corps during world war i and attended officers training school at camp grant, il. after being discharged at the end of the war, he graduated from kenyon in 1922 then attended bexley hall before transferring to general theological seminary where he graduated in 1924. he would later attain a doctorate of sacred theology (std) from general theological seminary in 1958.