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History of The Mennonite
Brethren in Christ Church

JASPER ABRAHAM HUFFMAN,

A.B., B.D., D.D.,

Professor of New Testament Literature and Exegesis, Bluffton
CoQege and Mennonite Seminary, Blu£Fton, Ohio,

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.

Published by order of The Executive Board of the
Mennonite Brethren in Christ Chxtrch.

THE BETHEL PUBLISHING COMPANY,

NEW CARLISLE, OHIO, U. S. A.

Andover-Habvabd
Theological Library

CAMBRIDGB, MASS.

^7^.?()

Copyrighted, 1920» by

The Bethel Pxtbuqhino Company

New Carlisle, Ohio.

To THE Founders

The Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church

and to all

who have or shall ASSIST

IN PROMOTING THE WORK

OF THE LORD AS ENTRUSTED

TO IT, THIS VOLUME

IS HUMBLY AND

LOVINGLY

DEDICATED.

Table of Contents.

Chapter Page

I. Historical Background 11

II. FORMA'nON OF THE UNITED MeNNONITES. . 34-55

New Mennonites .35

Reformed Mennonites 41

United Mennonites 52

III. Elder Solomon Eby (Biographical Sketch). 56

IV. Formation op the Evangelical United

Mennonites 59-73

United Mennonites 60

Evangelical Mennonites 62

Evangelical United Mennonites 70

V. Elder Daniel Brenneman (Biographical
Sketch) 74

VI. Formation of the Mennonite Brethren

IN Christ 77-99

Evangelical United Mennonites 77

Brethren in Christ 81

Mennonite Brethren in Christ 88

VII. EiiDER William Gehman (Biographical

Sketch) 100

VTII. The Michigan Conference 103

IX. The Nebraska Conference 110

X. The Pacific Conference 119

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Giapter Page

XI. Thb Canadian North West Conference. . 126
XII. Practical and Doctrinal Developments 145

XIII. Publishing Interests 166

XIV. FoREiQN Missions 181

XV. City Missions 202

XVI. Education 214

XVII. Biographical Sketches 222

XVIII. Statistical Summary 277

XIX. Appendices 279

PREFACE.

In the Oospel Banner, issue of May 27, 1915, there ap-
peared an editorial from the pen of the writer, urging
that steps be taken toward the writing of a history of
The Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church — ^particularly
so, since the founders of the earliest conferences who
were capable of giving first hand information, were
growing old. This was probably the first agitation for
a Church History. It was a timely suggestion, for since
then several of the outstanding men, around whom much
of the history centers, have gone to their reward.

Several persons were impressed with the appeal, and
proceeded, in a small way, to gather material, placing
the same into the hands of the writer.

In the fall of 1917, a young man, a member of The
Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church and already a
graduate of Bluffton College, reentered the institution
with the intention of securing a master's degree, doing
his graduate work in the Seminary Department. As
a thesis based upon research was required, the writer
suggested to him that he trace out the origin and early
developments of The Mennonite Brethren in Christ
Church, and incorporate the same into a master's thesis.
This young man was S. Floyd Pannabecker, who became

PREFACE.

an instructor in physics in Blnffton College the follow-
ing year.

He set himself to the task, and did his work well.
Written sources of information were meager, but such
materials as the writer had gathered were placed into
his hands. He went to Ontario, Michigan, Indiana and
Pennsylvania, in quest of first-hand facts, counseling
the church fathers, and such who were likely to possess
any valuable information. Consequently Chapters II,
IV, and VI are his, with the exception of a few additions
and a few subtractions, which were necessary to complete
and unify the material of the entire volume. Chapter I
is also his, in part, as are also brief sections in one or two
other chapters. The Chart and Map at the back of the
book are also his. Without his assistance, this history
would not be possible at this time, and due acknowledg-
ment is here intended for his splendid contribution.

Besides the occasional footnotes which give proper
credit to various sources, the Editor-in-Chief acknowl-
edges his indebtedness to the following persons: Dr. C.
Henry Smith and Prof. Paul E. Whitmer, who furnished
each some material for Chapter I; T. H. Brenneman,
who supplied data for Chapter V ; C. H. Brunner, who
is accredited with most of the sketch in Chapter VII;
C. K. Curtis, N. W. Rich, Jacob Hygema and H. J.
Pontius, whose contributions aided in arranging Chap-
ter IX; A. W. Barbezat, who supplied Chapter X; D.
C. Eby, who wrote Chapter XI; H. S. Hallman, who

PREFACE.

was consulted in reference to Chapter XIII; Samuel
Goudie and C. N. (Jood, who furnished some information
for Chapter XIV; and others.

In a certain sense, this volume may be considered of
joint authorship. While the Editor-in-Chief has written
much of the material and unified the whole, he disclaims
authorship in the fullest sense of the term.

Trusting that this little volume will magnify Christ,
the head of the church; that it will render due honor
to the founders of this particular branch ; that it will
be found a faithful and accurate record of the events
with which it is concerned, and that it will prove a
blessing and inspiration to the present and future gen-
erations, it is sent forward upon its mission.

Bluffton, Ohio. J. A. Huffman.

June 16, 1920.

HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE
BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH

CHAPTER I.

Historical Background.

Mennonite historians are not all agreed concerning
Mennonite origins. Older historians are inclined to trace
the church as a more or less oi^anic body back to the
Waldenses of the pre-reformation period, and even
through a succession of medieval and ancient evangel-
ical sects to the Apostles themselves. More recent writ-
ers, however, are not inclined to this view, but begin
Mennonite history with the movement known in Central
Europe as Anabaptism. While the historic records avail-
able at present do not warrant the claim of oi^anized
existence back to apostolic times, it is just to say, that
Mennonite antecedents, together with those of all the
Anabaptists, reach back into the evangelical sects of the
centuries previous to the reformation period, known as
Taborites (early fifteenth century), Waldenses (four-
teenth century), Brethren of the common life (fourteenth
century), and other evangelical groups dissenting from
Romanism and its practices.

By 1500 the Roman Catholic Church had been domi-
nant in the theological field for twelve centuries, and so
many abuses hadcrept in that good people throughout the

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

country were desiring reform. It was but natural, then*
that in the early part of the sixteenth century the puri-
fying movement came to a head and Luther and Zwingli,
foUowed by others, introduced radical reforms indoctrine
and worship. There were those, however, who believed
that reforms should be carried still farther than these
leaders were doing. By 1520 * * praying circles" existed in
various parts of Switzerland, Germany and the Nether-
lands — simple people who took the Bible literally and
attempted to follow New Testament ideas as closely as
possible in their church life. In Zurich we find them in
connection with Zwingli's reforms, objecting especially
to an established state church, such as Zwingli was rear-
ing, and to infant baptism. About 1525 adult baptism
was introduced by the Anabaptists, and the breach with
Zwingli was complete. Because of their practice of re-
baptizing, these people became known as Wiedertaufer
or Anabaptists. The Anabaptist movement, then, out of
which Mennonitism arose, was the crystallizing of oppo-
sition both to the Roman Church, as such, and a so-called
reformation which, though opposing the Catholic Church,
attempted to carry over into its doctrines and practices
much that was purely Catholic. The Zwinglians in-
augurated intense persecutions in an attempt to exter-
minate their opposers, with the result that the Ana-
baptist doctrine was spread far and wide by the exiles.
The earliest known confession of faith of the Anabap-
tists was drawn up at Schleitheim (South Germany)
about this time (1527). The following summary of the
Schleitheim Confession shows their doctrinal similarity
with the present day Mennonites.

1. ''Baptism. Baptism shall be administered to all
who are taught repentance and a change of life, and

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

truly believe in the forgiveness of their sins through
Jesus Christ, and are willing to walk in newness of life ;
all those shall be baptized when they desire it and ask
it by the decision of their own minds, which excludes
all infant baptism according to the Scriptures and the
practice of the Apostles."

2. ** The Ban of Excommunication. This shall be prac-
ticed with all those who have given themselves to the
Lord, to follow His commandments, are baptized, and
call themselves brethren and sisters and yet stumble and
fall into sin, or are unexpectedly overtaken; these after
admonition according to Matthew 18, if they do not re-
pent, shall be excommunicated.''

3. ** Breaking of Bread. All who wish to break *one
bread' in remembrance of the broken body of Christ,
and drink 'one cup' in remembrance of His shed blood,
shall be united by baptism into one body which is the
congregation of Gtod and of which Christ is the head."

4. *' Separation from the world. The Christian must
be separated from all the evil and wickedness that Satan
has planted into this world. According to 2 Cor. 6 : 17,
18: *We shall come out from among them and be sepa-
rate,' separate from all Papistic works and services,
meetings and church goings, drinking houses and other
things which the world highly esteems."

5. ''Ministers. The minister shall, according to the
teaching of Paul, be of good report of them that are
without. He shall teach, exhort, and help all the mem-
bers to advance in their spiritual life. When he has
need he shall be aided by the congregations which chose
him to do his work. If he should be driven away, or
imprisoned, or killed, another minister shall at once be
put into his place. ' '

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

6. ''Taking the Sword. The worldly governments
of the land are to use the sword, but in the perfect con-
gregation of Christ excommunication is used, by which
no one suffers violence to his body. . . . Neither is it
the Christian's work to have part in civil government
because the rulings of government are according to the
flesh, but the government of Christ is according to the
Spirit. The weapons of the world are carnal, but the
weapons of the Christian are spiritual, to the overcom-
ing of the world and of Satan."

7. ''Oaths. Christ, who taught the law in perfection,
forbade His disciples all oaths, whether true or false.
By this we understand that all swearing is forbidden."

This sets before us pretty clearly the line of thinking
of the Anabaptists, and persons who adhered to such
beliefs could not help but get into trouble with the es-
tablished church. Of course, there were innumerable
variations to this, as would be expected in a group of
poorly educated peasants, who were spontaneously
quickened to new religious life. The large majority,
however, were simple, frugal people of rather steady
character.

At this time (about 1530), the Anabaptists existed
throughout various places in 'Europe, particularly in
Switzerland, different parts of Germany, Poland (later
part of Russia, now Poland again), the Palatinate, and
the Netherlands. They were naturally disorganized with
countless varieties of teachings, holding to no one set.
of views generally. The movement was intensely indi-
vidualistic. Bullinger classifies them roughly into forty
distinct sects, with various overlappings that make ac-
curate distinctions impossible. Sebastian Franck, after
describing several varieties, . . . says: "There are more

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

sects and opinions which I do not know and can-
not describe, but it appears to me that there are not
two to be found who agree with each other in all points. ' '
The Anabaptist movement arose and spread so rapidly
and in turn was so soon driv^i under ground by com-
bined church and state persecutions, as to give rise to
numerous unhistorical explanations to account for it.
How shall we account for its sudden rise and equally
sudden decline? The ability and devotion of the Ana-
baptist leaders at a time of unrest and disappointment
speedily brought t(^ther a great movement. Conrad
Grebel was, for a tim^, a supporter of Zwingli. He was
the son of one of Zurich 'id leading citizens, educated at
the universities of Vienna and Paris and a member of
the Zurich Council, before he became an Anabaptist
leader. Felix Manz was the son of a canon of the Zu-
rich cathedral, an accomplished Hebrew and Greek
scholar, and an Anabaptist evangelistic preacher of great
power. George Blaurock was a monk before becoming
an Anabaptist. He was called '*the second Paul" be-
cause of his oratorical gifts, fiery zeal, and great execu-
tive ability. William Reublin was educated at the uni-
versities of Freiburg and Tubingen, becamie a Catholic
priest and later an Anabaptist leader of great influence
as an itinerant biblical preacher. These men were later
joined by other leaders of equal training and power.
The extraordinary growth of this movement alarmed
Catholics and non- Anabaptist Protestants alike, causing
them to join in crushing it by the most cruel persecu-
tions known in Reformation Europe. Manz was drowned
m 1527; Grebel died wOm out by imprisonment and
cruel suffering in 1526; Blaurock was burned at the
stake in 1529 ; and Reublin has dropped out of history.

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

By about 1530 Anabaptism was driven underground,
bereft of all its trained and able leaders. The Anabap-
tists were now as sheep without a shepherd.

Now, into such a scattered, heterogeneous, apparently
crushed and almost leaderless people there came one
who was destined to leave his impress indelibly on the
movement: he was Menno Simons.

Menno Simons was bom in 1496 at Witmarsum, a
small village near the west coast of Friesland, one of
the provinces of north Holland. Little is known of his
parentage and early life, except that he was educated
for the priesthood and assumed the duties of that office
/ at the age of twenty-eight. Like most of the priests of
that day, he knew little of the Bible, and his religious
duties sat rather lightly upon him. While living this
careless and self-indulgent life he was aroused by the
murder of an Anabaptist in a neighboring town. Be-
ing of an-open, honest mind, he became convinced of the
truth as taught by the Anabaptists whom he met, and
could no longer practice nor tolerate infant baptism nor
the mass. The whole system of Catholicism took on a new
and unfavorable aspect, and in 1536 he renounced the
Catholic church and cast his lot with the Anabaptists,
being baptized by Obbe Phillips, their leading elder.

The Anabaptists were greatly in need of men who were
competent to give leadership, and when such an one as
Menno Simons — a man of great and well trained in-
tellect and with courage of his religious convictions —
came into their ranks, he was at once made a leader and
a hero. He traveled extensively throughout Holland
and North Germany, preaching the Gospel, founding
new churches and serving the religious needs of the peo-

MENNO SIMONS.

(1496-1561.)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

pie. That he became the most distinguished leader of
the Anabaptist movement in his country is attested by
the fact that the Anabaptists, wherever he went, be-
came known as Mennonists, Mennists, or Mennonites, and
later, in places where he had never been, the name Men-
nonite was applied to those who were known to be of
like faith.

Menno was a voluminous writer, and issued many
tracts in defense of his views. From these we learn that
he agreed with the main body of the peaceful Anabap-
tists in all their essential doctrines.

The true church, he insisted, must be composed of
those of a regenerated heart. In his treatise, **The New
Birth," he says:

'* Behold, worthy reader, all those who are bom of
Gk)d with Christ who thus conform their weak life to
the Gospel, are thus converted, and follow the example
of Christ, hear and believe His holy Word, follow His
commands which He in plain words commanded us in
the Holy Scriptures, form the Holy Christian Church
which has the promise."

Infant baptism, he says,

*'Is a self -begotten rite and human righteousness; for
in all the New Testament there is not a command or
word about baptizing infants by Christ nor the Apos-
tles."

In speaking of the true Christians, **the regenerated
who have a spiritual king over them," he continues:

''They are the children of peace, who have beaten
their swords into plowshares and their spears into
pruning hooks, and know no war. ' '

The Lord's Supper:

2 17

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

**They celebrate in remembrance of the favors and
death of their Lord, and in reminding one another of
true and brotherly love."

On civil government he writes :

*'We now publicly confess that the office of the Magis-
trate is ordained of Qod as we have ever confessed, since
we serve according to our small talent the word of the
Lord, and in the meantime we have ever obeyed them
when not contrary to the word of the Lord, and we in-
tend to do so all our lives, for we are not so stupid as
not to know what the Lord's word commands in this
respect. We render unto Caesar the things which are
Caesar's as Christ teaches (Matthew 22: 21). We pray
for the Imperial majesty, kings, lords, princes, and all
in authority, honor and obey them."

Menno's views on such other fundamental Anabaptist
doctrines as rebaptism, non-resistance, religious toler-
ation, separation of church and state, opposition to war
and capital punishment, objection to the oath and hold-
ing of office, the ban as a method of church discipline —
in all of these he agreed with the large body of peaceful
Anabaptists.

Menno's life after leaving the Roman Church was
never a pleasant one.

As soon as his opposition to the accepted creeds be-
came known, persecutions came from all sides. That
his opponents might better accomplish their purposes,
a decree was issued that whoever would shelter Menno
Simons or any of his followers, should suffer death;
furthermore, this decree was carried out in several in-
stances. In addition to this, in 1543 another decree was
issued by the Emperor, Charles V, offering general par-
don, freedom of the country, favor of the Emperor and

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

one hundred guilders (about $40) to any criminal, even
a murderer, who should deliver over Menno Simons
to the executioner; and, that this might be as easy as
possible, an accurate description of him was posted upon
the church doors. With this in^ mind, Menno 's words
have meaning in them when he says: *'He who pur-
chased me with the blood of his love, and called me,
who am unworthy, to his service, knows me and knows
that I seek not wealth, nor possessions, nor luxury, nor
ease, but only the praise of the Lord, my salvation and
the salvation of many souls. For this I and my poor
wife and children have for eighteen years endured ex-
treme anxiety, oppression, aflBiction, misery, and per-
secutions, and at the peril of my life; have been com-
pelled everywhere to live in fear and seclusion; yea,
when ministers repose on easy beds and downy piUowB,
we generally have to hide ourselves in secluded comers :
when they, at weddings and feasts, pipe and beat the
tambour, and vaunt loudly, we must look out, when the
dogs bark lest the captors be at hand. Whilst they are
saluted as doctors, lords and teachers by everyone, we
have to hear that we are Anabaptists, hedge preachers,
deceivers, and heretics, and must be saluted in the name
of the devil. In short, whilst they are gloriously re-
warded for their services with large incomes, and easy
times, our recompense and portion must be fire, sword,
and death.'*

Such was the lot of the early Anabaptists — ^not only
leaders but followers as well. Romanists hated Luther-
ans and Anabaptists, Lutherans hated Romanists and
Anabaptists. As it happened, the Reformation occurred
at a time of immense social changes, and errors and mis-
fits were evident in all parts of society. As Nero blamed

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

the Christians for the burning of Rome, so the Anabap-
tists were made the scapegoat for all the troubles of
the age, and their name came to be synonymous with
''scoundrel/' ''villain,*' "heretic" — ^a hissing and a
byword throughout the land. Add to this the fact that
they refused to bear arms at a time when wars were
raging and soldiers needed, and it is easy to understand
why the Mennonites were so severely persecuted and
why so many of their names came to be inscribed upon
the pages of the martyrs.

Although Menno Simons was in constant danger of
his life, with a price fixed upon his head by royal decree
much of the time; was driven from one place to another,
and spent much of his time in exile, it was his lot to
live to a reasonably old age and to die a peaceful and
natural death at his own home at Wuestenf elde, on the
estate of a sympathetic nobleman. In this respect, the
story of his life reminds one of the experiences of St.
John the Beloved, who, though persecuted and exiled,
was permitted to live a long and useful life and to die
a natural death at his Ephesian home. He who cared for
one of His servants amidst the persecutions of the first
century, must have watched over another during the
uncertainties and dangers of the sixteenth. He had a
great work for each to accomplish.

As a result of the self-sacrificing efforts of Menno and
other faithful leaders, the Anabaptist, or Mennonite
faith, as we may now term it, was preserved to the world.
Mennonite centers during the latter half of the sixteenth
and the early part of the seventeenth centuries were
found in northern Holland, northwestern Germany
along the lower Rhine, just across the Dutch border,

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

northern Switzerland, and south Germany and Alsace
just across the Swiss border, and eastern Prussia.

The largest settlements were found in Holland, where,
for a time, they constituted the largest evangelical body
of Christians in the land, and wielded an important
influence upon the political and industrial life of the
country. From 1573 to 1584, under William of Orange,
they had comparative peace; but, following his death,
persecutions again set in. Though opposition and cer-
tain limitations on worship existed until well into the
eighteenth century, in Holland violent persecutions were
over early in the seventeenth. This fact is significant, as
it left the Mennonites in the Netherlands free to develop
as they chose. Many of them became wealthy and were
thus enabled to help their persecuted brethren in other
countries to come to America. To-day, many of the
most prominent men in various walks of life are of Men-
nonite faith. They still have about one hundred and
thirty congregations, with a population, including chil-
dren who are always included in European religious
statistics, of about sixty-five thousand. Nearly ten thou-
sand of these are members of the large Mennonite con-
gregations in Amsterdam.

Switzerland, too, for a time, contained many congre-
gations, but continued persecution drove most of these
across the border into south Germany and Alsace. Re-
ligious toleration was not won for the Swiss Mennonites
until after the French Revolution near the close of the
eighteenth century. Besides those who left Switzerland
for other European countries, many came to the United
States, settling especially in Pennsylvania, Virginia,
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

In Moravia the Mennonites were known as Huterites
because of their leader, Jacob Huter. They enjoyed
considerable freedom at first, but after 1547 their
troubles began. These persecutions lasted till the latter
part of the eighteenth century (1781), when they were
granted a certain degree of liberty, but not exemption
from military service. For this reason many emigrated
to Russia and America. In the Palatinate, the Mennon-
ites were persecuted for many years and, even after
this ceased, oppressions and restrictions made it un-
comfortable for them, so that many left for Holland and
Penni^lvania. In Prussia, where the Mennonite colonies
were largely composed of Dutch and Swiss refugees,
comparative freedom was granted in the seventeenth and
greater part of the eighteenth century. This liberty was
later revoked during the reign of Frederick the Great
and his successors, and Mennonites ordered out of the
country. Then again privileges were granted to them.
They knew, however, that these privileges could not last,
and the final result was that many left for other coun-
tries.

Russia offered many privileges to the Mennonites in
the latter part of the eighteenth century, and, accord-
ingly, many of them emigrated to South Russia between
1788 and 1820, upon invitation of Catherine the Great
and her successor Paul. Here they were granted liberal
terms of settlement upon fertile land, including military
exemption, and did much to enrich the country. These
exemption laws were repealed by the Czar in 1870, and
about one-third of the entire Russian Mennonite popu-
lation emigrated to western United States and Manitoba
in the years immediately following. Russia still con-

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

tains, however, about one-half of the entire Mennonite
population of Europe.

In doctrine, the Mennonites of Europe retained the
essential Anabaptist beliefs, with little modification, un-
til toward the close of the eighteenth century. Since
then, however, there have been a number of rather
radical departures from the faith of the fathers. The
first to depart from the fundamentals were the Dutch.
Non-resistance and opposition to war was abandoned
about the time of the Napoleonic wars. Other groups
followed the Dutch in the course of the century, and
during the recent war, outside of Russia, there was little
opposition to military service among the European Men-
nonites, and few conscientious objectors. In Russia
the law permitted Mennonites to perform non-combatant
service, and nearly all of them took that form of service,
most of them choosing hospital work. Rationalism also
has strongly aflfected the Dutch church, and they are
quite liberal to-day on many of the fundamental doc-
trines of Christianity. The Russians and Swiss are the
most orthodox of the European Mennonites today.

We have seen now, very briefly, how the Mennonite
movement originated and how it developed. From the
beginning the Mennonites were different from other
folks. They were a peculiar people, and emphasizing,
as they did, their particular doctrines which were not
popular at the time, it is easy to see why trouble arose.
The main difSculty in the case of the Mennonites was,
that they were several centuries ahead of their time,
and a prophet is seldom popular in his own country
or his own age. In fact, the world is just now beginning
to see the truth in some of the teachings for which they

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

suffered and died. Amid aU of these persecutions, op-
pressions, and unsatisfactory migrations from place to
place, America loomed large and promising in their eyes.
Little wonder, then, that with curses and hatred on one
side of the Atlantic and peace and friends on the other,
thousands of these peace-loving people decided to find
homes in the New World.

The first Mennonites to come to America were among
stray Dutch merchants who early visited the Dutch pos-
sessions in New Amsterdam, now New York.^ The co-
lonial records of New York refer to Mennonite settle-
ments on Manhattan Island as early as 1643. In 1663
Cornelius Pieter Plockhoy, a communist of Mennonite
descent, established in what is now Delaware a small
communist Mennonite colony. Very little is known of
these early Mennonite colonies, however, and they soon
disappear from history entirely. The first permanent
settlement was made in Pennsylvania, in 1683, at Ger-
mantown.^ William Penn had met Mennonites earlier
in Holland and Germany, and had many friends among
them. Accordingly, he was glad to welcome them to
Pennsylvania. On October 3rd, thirteen families from
Crefeld, Germany, reached America and settled on a
tract of land previously purchased near Philadelphia,
called Germantown. This colony suffered many hard-
ships, but survived, and may well be regarded as the
cradle of Mennonitism in America. It was not only the
first Mennonite, but the first German settlement in Amer-
ica. It grew by continued immigration, mostly from
Holland and Germany, especially the lower RhiuQ coun-

^See Dr. C. Henry Smith's Mennonites of America (pp. 81-93) for fall
mcconnts.

' Ibid. (pp. 94-1S3) for full Mconnt.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

try. A new settlement, known as the SMppach settle-
ment, was soon founded about thirty miles away.

In 1710 another wave of immigration started and
brought nearly 100,000 German settlers over (most of
them non-Mennonite) in the succeeding seventy-five
years. These became the progenitors of the modem
Pennsylvania Dutch. About 10,000 acres were taken up
in what is now Lancaster County, and the first cdlonists
were so well pleased that they immediately sent back
for their friends and relatives. Other settlements farther
west were formed, some even beyond the Alleghenies.
From these two original centers came all the later Men-
nonite congregations, both east and west of the Alle-
ghenies, until the new wave of immigration set in early
in the nineteenth century. As a result of natural in-
crease, the settlements were expanded to the north over
Berks, Lehigh, Bucks, Chester, and Northampton coun-
ties, also parts of Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana, and other
states farther west in recent years. These early con-
gregations have adhered, in the main, to that body known
as Old Mennonites ; but later various schisms took place,
resulting in the formation of several new bodies, some
joining in with the General Conference of Mennonites,
and one of the others uniting with the Mennonite Breth-
ren in Christ.

Ohio and Indiana and even Illinois received many
settlers from the Pennsylvania and Virginia Mennonites ;
but, beside these, there started in about 1815 a wave of
immigration which brought over several thousand Men-
nonites from Switzerland and many Alsatian and South
German Amish. The latter settled mostly in Pulton
aDffl Butler counties^ Ohio, and in various other places
in New York, Illinois, Iowa, Canada, and later in Ne-

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

braska from Illinois. The former settled mainly in
Wayne, Allen, Ashland Counties, Ohio; Adams County
Indiana ; and parts of other States.

The last lar^ group of Mennonites to enter America
were the German-Russians, who, between 1874 and 1880
settled in large communities in Kansas, the Dakotas, Min-
nesota,<and Manitoba. Many of the Mennonite immi-
grants came to America for economic reasons, but the
Russians, as we saw, came for ** conscience sake,** pro-
testing against even the non-combatant military serv-
ice prescribed for them by the Czar in 1870. In June,
1920, a commission of four men from Russia: B. H. Un-
ruh, A. A. Friesen, C. H. Warkentin, and Johann Esau,
came to America in search of a new home for a large
part or all of the nearly one hundred thousand Men-
nonites who were in Russia at the close of the World War
and who had sufEered greatly. What the outcome of this
visit will be is a matter of the future.

Canada received many Mennonites from the United
States after the Revolutionary War, they preferring to
remain loyal to the King of England rather than to live
under a revolutionary government. Most of them came
from Pennsylvania and New York. A colony in Lincoln
County, Ontario, was started in 1786, and later an-
other colony in Waterloo County, Ontario. These
grew rapidly until a large body of Mennonites existed
in Canada. As in Pennsylvania, internal dissensions
arose and gave rise to numerous sects, two of whom,
the New Mennonites and the Reformed Mennonites,
joined later assisting in forming the Mennonite Breth-
ren in Christ.

Before taking up the immediate antecedents of the
Mennonite Brethren in Christ, a brief survey of the

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

Mennonites as a whole, about the middle of the nine-
teenth century, is necessary. There were about 50,000
Mennonites in North America at this time, with settle-
ments in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Indiana, Illi-
nois, Iowa, Missouri, and various parts of Canada. These
people were gathered in congregations of various sizes
and were of three types.

The Mennonites who were the first to come over, and
who constituted the first type, settled in colonies, with
congregations scattered and unorganized. Each congre-
gation chose its ministers from among the local mem-
bers. Gradually a certain intercourse grew up. For
example,* the first church was organized at German-
town. Soon after, services were held at Deep Run,
about thirty miles distant, and also at Skippach, or what
is now known as Franconia. Each church had its minis-
ters, and there existed a warm intimacy between them.
Naturally there was considerable co-operation among
them. So, as the Mennonites spread west, they main-
tained friendly relations with their relatives and friends
left behind. Thus there came to be a l^rge number of
Mennonite congregations, connected by ties of blood,
friendship, or similarities in belief. This was in the
middle of the nineteenth century the Old Mennonite
church ; and while no definite organic unity was yet man-
ifest, there was enough similarity and co-operation to
designate them as a separate body.*

The test of fellowship between congregations seems to
have been the recognition of visiting ministers, by allow-
ing them to preach. There was a great amount of travel-

*Fiiiik, J. F. MeniKmite Church and her acciiMn, p. 87.

* Conferences had been held as early as 1727, bat these were for the pur-
pose of consultation. Thtj showed similarity, bat no orianic unity.

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

ing done by ministers, and the visiting man, if regarded
as a ** brother/' would be asked to preach. Besides the
ministers, there was also a Bishop or Elder who was over
perhaps three or four congregations. He was fully or-
dained, and he alone was qualified to baptize, administer
the sacraments, and ordain ministers. Ministers were
chosen from the local congregation, and bishops from
the ministers. There were two methods of choosing:
first, by vote, and, if there was a clear decision in favor
of one candidate, he was accepted. If, however, there
was any doubt or the vote especially close, one was chosen
by lot from the few highest candidates and he ordained.**
These points in regard to church polity are interesting
here as they throw light on the situations surrounding
the formation of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ.

The Amish were the second type of Mennonites, and
were followers of Jacob Amman, a man who had been
a Mennonite preacher in Switzerland and had separated
from the Mennonites in 1693, because he believed in a
more conservative policy. In particular, he thought that
the ban should be applied more closely to excommuni-
cated members, and a more rigid plainness in dress ad-
hered to. Some of the Amish had come to Pennsylvania
early in the eighteenth century, but many came later,
in the nineteenth century, and were now found in New
York, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Canada.

" The method med in deciding by lot was to take seyeral booki (as many
as candidates) and enclose in one a slip of paper, cenerally an ordination
certificate. The books were then laid on the table* and the man selecting
the proper book was chosen. This method is being gradnally abandoned,
however, because of the danger of confusion as in the case of the man
who found the slip of paper in his book and was immediately ordained.
Later inrestigations showed the slip to be an ordinary piece of paper, ac-
ddmtly left the book, and another man had drawn the ordination cer-
tificate.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

The third type were also from Switzerland, but were
not Amish. The Napoleonic Wars produced a military
spirit that drove many Mennonites from Switzerland,
France and Germany to America. The first ones settled
in Ohio, in Wayne County. New arrivals continued to
come, and they spread on west to Indiana. They differed
from the Old Mennonites considerably in dress, customs,
and language, and were never Assimilated. At present
most of them are aflSliated with the General Conference
of Mennonites.

The nineteenth century was especially prolific in
schisms. Few churches have been so divided as the Men-
nonite, and generally from causes that should never have
existed. Dr. Smith enumerates three reasons for this
unhappy condition.* First, the Mennonite and Ana-
baptist faith always fostered a strong spirit of individ-
ualism. Every man was accountable for his own deeds.
This spirit, while developing the strongest character,
does it at the expense of uniformity and harmony.
Secondly, Mennonites coming from the humbler walks
of life were not trained to subordinate non-essentials
to the broader interests of life. Thirdly, being thoroughly
religious, they took their religion seriously and clung to
their convictions with great tenacity. The loose organ-
ization also favored schisms, for a strong leader could
easily draw away a considerable following of his im-
mediate friends, and the church had no way of effectively
remonstrating.^ It must not be forgotten, however, that
Mennonites, having been driven from one country to

* C. Henry Smith* Mennonitee of America, p. 291.

^ For more extended treatment of these schisma see Smith, Mennonites
of America; Hartsler and Kauflfman, Mennonite Charch History; Daniel
Mnsser, History of Reformed Mennonite Charch; and J. F. Funk, Men-
nonite Qrareh and Her Accusers.

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

another in Europe in quest of religious freedom, na-
tional and language differences have figured in the cre-
ating of various bodies on coming to America, also that
the Mennonite Church is much older than the average
church with which comparisons are usually made.

The first controversy in American Mennonitism be-
gan before the close of the eighteen th century (1775-
1777). When the Revolutionary war was in progress,
the State of Pennsylvania levied a special war tax upon
its citizens of three pounds and ten shillings apiece, to
help carry on the war. Many of the Mennonites joined
the Quakers in their position, that they could no more
give of their means to carry on war than they could
give themselves. Christian Funk protested against this
attitude, declaring that the war tax should be paid.
Funk was excommunicated in 1778, and organized a
small body known as **Funkites,'' which continued to
exist until about 1850.

It was about this time also that Martin Boehm was
expelled from the Old Mennonites. Boehm was a Men-
nonite minister, and claimed to have received **more
light.'' Just what the charges against him were are
hard to tell, but some are explained in an old manuscript
drawn up by ministers of the Mennonite Church of Lan-
caster County.* It is not dated, but is written probably
between 1875 and 1880. The first charge is, associating
too much with professing Christians who admit war and
oaths. The second is his assertion that ' ' Satan is a bene-
fit to mankind." Thirdly, his assertion that **the Scrip-
tures might be burned," and, fourthly, **that Faith

*For the text of the manaecrlpt see J. F. Funk's Mennonite Church
and Her Aecosen, ]h». 42-5<.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

oometh from unbelief, life out of death, and light out of
darkness." These charges were t^ken so seriously that
it was concluded that he could not be kept in church
fellowship unless he would recant. This he did not do
satisfactorily and was excommunicated. Boehm then
united forces with Philip William Otterbein, a German
Reformed minister whom he had met in 1765. Together
they started the United Brethren in Christ Church.
Their first formal conference was held in 1789.

The next schism was that occasioned in 1812, in Lan-
caster County, Pennsylvania, by John Herr, who claimed
that the old church was hopelessly corrupt. He separated
from the church, and with his followers established the
Reformed Mennonite Church." Daniel Musser followed
him and continued his policy. The church still exists
but is a small body, rather conservative, with little in-
fluence.

The Oberholtzer schism occurred in 1847. John H.
Oberholtzer was a minister in Montgomery County, Penn-
sylvania, but WBB too progressive for his more conserva-
tive brethren. This led, in time, to his expulsion from
the church. Fifteen other ministers followed him.
Since then these ** Oberholtzer'* congregations have
joined the General Conference Movement.

John Holdeman caused another scl|ism in 1858 in
Wayne County, Ohio, and organized the Church of Gtod.
But this body grew very slowly, and is very small at
the present time.

The Wisler Mennonites were formed in 1870 as a re-

*ThcM people should not be confiued with the Reformed Mennoniteo
who appeared later in Canada and were one of the bodleo forming the
Mennonite Brethren in Chriet.

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

suit of Jacob Wisler's withdrawal from the chxirch. He
was a bishop in the Yellow Creek congregation in In-
diana and favored a more conservative policy.

Along with these disintegrating tendencies, there was
a desire among many that the Mennonites might be more
united, especially for the purpose of carrying on mis-
sion work and education. Accordingly, a movement was
set on foot to bring those congregations which would
consider it into co-operation. John H. Oberholtzer, from
Pennsylvania, and Daniel Hoch, from Canada, with
several men from the west, were instrumental in bring-
ing this about. In 1860 a conference was held in Iowa
at which several of the more liberal congregations were
represented. This was followed by other conferences,
with more congregations taking part. The idea spread,
and a considerable number of congregations have united
in the movement. At present it is the most liberal body
of Mennonites and the largest, except the Old Men-
nonites.

The latest movement toward Mennonite friendliness
is the holding of All-Mennonite Conventions for the pur-
pose of bringing Mennonites of every kind together,
getting acquainted, and paving the way for better co-
operation in the future. This shows that the conscious
wish and desire is for harmony, if not unity. Though
some of the original causes of separation exist, it is evi-
dent that the prevalent tendency is away from unneces-
sary schisms and favors the overlooking of diflferences
so far as they are of a trivial nature and do not affect
essential doctrines or practices.

The following statistics show approximately the num-
ber of Mennonites in European countries, also the rela-

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

tive sizes of the various bodies in America at the present
time.

Entir* P«paUti«i,
Inda^f Chttdrmi,
EUROPE. ThMgh UnliaptisH.

Netherlands 65,000

Switzerland : 1,500

Galicia 590

Germany 20,000

Russia 100,000

France- Alsace-Lorraine 3,500

/ 190,590

UNITED STATES AND CANADA BaptiMd Mambws.

1. Old Mennonites 28,000

2. General Conference 21,307

3. Church of God in Christ 1,500

4. Amish-Mennonites 9,000

5. Old Order Amish 8,000

6. Amish Mennonite Conservative 1,250

7. Defenseless Mennonites 1,200

8. Central Conference of Mennonites 2,708

9. Wisler Mennonites 1,600

10. Mennonite Brethren (Bruedergemeinde) . . 6,300

11. Krimmer Brueder 1,000

12. Conference of Defenseless Mennonites of
North America 1,400

13. Mennonite Brethren in Christ 8,503

14. Reformed Mennonites 1,200

15. Huterites (South Daliota) 1,000

16. Stauferites 200

17. Independent Russian Groups in Manitoba,

Saskatchewan, and Alberta 9,500

Total 103,668

CHAPTER II.

Formation of the United Mennonites.

. The history of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ is
a history first of division and then of uniting. Several
small groups in various localities separated from
the main body of Mennonites, and later, becoming ac-
quainted, amalgamated in successive unions, forming
finally the Mennonite Brethren in Christ. In the case
of each division the cause was somewhat the same — a
large body desiring to cling to the established methods,
with a smaller body wishing to adopt a more aggressive,
evangelistic type of work. This in each case eventually
led to an estrangement resulting in division. It should
not be thought that insignificant trifles produced these
ruptures. There was generally a pronounced diflEerence
of spirit that only showed itself in little things that then
became the occasion of difficulty.

The Mennonite Brethren in Christ arose from four
different groups. Three of these were of Mennonite stock
directly and the fourth a branch of the River Breth-
ren, who were indirectly descended from the Mennonites.
The first union occurred in 1875, and through this the
New Mennonites and Reformed Mennonites were brought
together. The next union was between ^these United
Mennonites, as they now called themselves, and the Evan-
gelical Mennonites of Pennsylvania, the name assumed
being Evangelical United Mennonites. These again
united with the Brethren in Christ and the present
name, Mennonite Brethren in Christ, taken.

UNITED MENNONITES.

From this summary it will be seen that there are four
movements to be traced, namely the New Mennonites,
Reformed Mennonites, Evangelical Mennonites and the
Brethren in Christ, involving in all three different
unions before the final result was reached. Singularly,
the oldest bodies were the last to join in, and the first
union was between the two youngest.

A few words regarding each will locate them and give
a general survey. The Brethren in Christ was the first
branch formed. It split off from the River Brethren
in 1838. These people were found entirely in the United
States, and united to form the Mennonite Brethren in
Christ in 1883. The Evangelical Mennonites were the
second body to appear. They came entirely from
Pennsylvania, and broke away from the Oberholtzer
(later, General Conference) Mennonites in 1857,
uniting to form the Evangelical United Mennon-
ites in 1879. The remaining two bodies were the New
Mennonites and Reformed Mennonites, and will be taken
up in this chapter. No definite date can be given for the
separation of the New Mennonites, as they left the old
church at various times in different places. Probably all
the different congregations had separated before 1865.
The Reformed Mennonites separated in 1874, and the
union of the two occurred in the following year. The
last two originated in Canada, though the Reformed
Mennonites afterward spread to Indiana, and was the
largest body.

New Mennonites.

As shown before, Canada received the Mennonite set-
tlers from the United States. During the Revolution the
Mennonites were nominally neutral, though at heart
many of them favored the king and were distrustful

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

toward the new government rising from such chaos.
Moreover, their non-resistant principles had been recog-
nized by the king. It was but natural that they should
look favorably upon British possessions under such cir-
cumstances. In 1786 a group of men from Bucks County,
Pennsylvania, started a settlement in Lincoln County,
Ontario, about twenty miles from Niagara Falls. This
grew and spread to a few adjacent counties.

The second settlement was started in Waterloo County.
Joseph Shoerg and Samuel Betzner in 1799 started a
tour of investigation and selected fertile lands near the
Grand River. They settled near Preston, Ontario^ and
in the succeeding years other settlers arrived, until, at
the end of ten years, there existed a rather flourishing
colony. It was found out that the land which the peo-
ple had bought was mortgaged, and though money was
raised with the help of the Pennsylvania brethren, the
uncertainty diverted settlement for a time to land far- ^
ther north, in York County.

We have then, three main communities of Mennonites
in Ontario in the nineteenth century — Lincoln County,
Waterloo County, and York County. Naturally they
spread out from these, and many congregations existed
in other places. Among the settlers was Benjamin Eby,
who came to Waterloo County in 1806. In 1809 he was
chosen a minister, and three years later was made bishop.
He was one of the first Mennonite bishops in Canada.

The conditions in the old church should be somewhat
described before we proceed. The spiritual life was at
a rather low ebb; the means of spiritual growth were
meagre. Meetings, in many cases, were held but once a
month. There was no opportunity for expression of the
religious feeling, and almost everything was done from

UNITED MBNNONITES.

a sense of duty. No attempt was made to encourage
any aggressive work, but rather a consistent definite
opposition to any form of new methods. English preach-
ing was under the ban, and, likewise, Sunday schools,
prayer meetings, and evangelistic meetings. Leaders
recognized more or less the lack of vitality and bemoaned
the condition, but nothing was done to remedy it. This
is not said in any derogatory way, but simply to explain
why the organization of new societies was inevitable.
Most of the things mentioned above as not allowed are
accepted by the Old Mennonite Church now without
question; and had a little more tolerance and patience
been exercised on both sides at the time, the division
might perhaps have been avoided.

The Lincoln County settlement was the first Mennonite
settlement in Canada, and a considerable number of
members were found along the northern shore of Lake
Brie. Here they settled, not compactly, but scattered
in small bodies ; and being thus isolated from each other,
it was difficult to keep spiritual life at a very high point.
To prevent decline in religious life, Daniel Hoch,^ a
minister who lived near Niagara Falls, often made
preaching tours at his own expense, visiting these scat-
tered churches. As a result of this, quite a demand for
his services arose, and during August, 1853, services
were held in the various churches to consider the ques-
tion of evangelization work. The outcome was that Hoch
was given a call to spend his time entirely in this kind
of work, the different churches assuming his financial
support. It is probable that he accepted this call and
carried forward his work with increased vigor. Of

^Sm Krehbiel, Histoiy of the Mennonito Gcnerml Coiif«r«iice^ p. 18.
Hoeh is known in many placoo m Daniol Hicli.

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

course, all of this was under the Old Mennonite Church,
but Hoch soon came to employ methods in his aggres-
sive work which the church could not stand for. The
conservatism and opposition to new methods has already
been referred to, and, accordingly, Hoch and all his fol-
lowers were expelled by Bishop Tilman Moyer about
the year 1855. John H. Oberholtzer had been expelled
similarly a few years before (1847) in Pennsylvania,
and in 1852 he started the first Mennonite periodical
in America, the **Religi6ser Botschafter.'' Among
other things, he labored hard for a union of all Men-
nonites, and it was partly through his efforts that the
General Conference of Mennonites came into existence.
Daniel Hoch took it upon himself to work for the same
end, and was quite favorable to Oberholtzer 's idea of
union. His name occurs frequently in the early part
of the history of the General Conference Mennonites.
Hoch*s relation to the New Mennonites, with whom we
are concerned at present, cannot be ascertained exactly.
That he was considered a regular minister seems pos-
sible, for he is quite well known among the older men
who came in with that movement.^ This much is cer-
tain: Hoch's followers were connected with the New
Mennonites at a later date and helped form the United
Mennonites.

The New Mennonites did not exist only in the Lincoln
County settlement, but reforming bodies seemed to be
found wherever there were Mennonites in the Dominion.
These people were often acquainted with each other,
especially the leaders, and thus co-operated considerably.

* Peter Gdlffer, an old minister of the New Mennonites, mentioned Daniel
Hoeh as one of their eatlj ministers, and Moses Weber, Ukowise re f erred
to "Old Daniel Hiffa." His home waa tiTon as at «Hho Twenty."

UNITED MENNONITES.

Some of the diflEerent places where these New Mennon-
ites arose, were: Blair, Dundee, and Breslau. These
were in the Waterloo County region. At Gormley, near
Markham, there was another group of New Mennonites.
Thus we have New Mennonites from each of the three
original Mennonite settlements. Of course, the exact
manner of growth of the churches varied in each case,
but the case of the Markham congregation is typical.
There were three men especially concerned in the move-
ment: Abram Raymer, John StecHey, and Christian
Troyer. The year the work started cannot be dated
definitely, but it must have been about 1860, certainly
not much later, as is shown by the following portion of
a letter which throws considerable light on the period.'
**I am a member of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ
since the year 1863. It will be fifty-two years, if I live
till February, 1916. I was bom in the Township of
Markham, when the now M. B. C. had no church. There
was a split in the Old Mennonite Church, and those
ministers that believed in a new birth and upheld prayer
meetings could not preach in the old church. So there
were two, Abraham Raymer and Christie Troyer. So
Brother Raymer held meetings wherever there was an
open door. He held prayer meetings on Sundays, at
private houses, and several were converted. My father
left the old church and came to those cottage prayer
meetings, as the Mennonites which now are had i^o
church in the year 1863. *'

'The letter was written in response to the snffffestion of Rer. J. A.
Hoffman in an editorial in the Gospel Banner, that some of the old^ peo-
ple write down their knowledge of the origin and early growth of the
church. It is signed Mr. and Mrs. Leri Raymer, and bears the date, Jaly
81, 191S.

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Abram Raymer* was a preacher in the Old Mennonite
Church, but finally got to the place where he thought
himself unsaved and living in darkness without the
power of Christ in his life. At this time he experienced
a change of heart and started out preaching in more
evangelistic style. But with this the Old Mennonites
refused to retain him; consequently he preached wher-
ever opportunity offered, as suggested in the letter
quoted above. Through his efforts John Steckley was
converted. Steckley himself was never a member of the
old church. Following his conversion, the Dunkards
who lived near him, asked him to join them, but he re-
. fused because of their belief in close communion and a
few similar things. Christian Troyer was a preacher
among the Old Mennonites, but, as in the case of Ray-
mer, he was expelled, following his conversion and the
adoption of more aggressive work. These three men
worked together holding meetings, and through their
efforts many were converted. The name. New Mennon-
ites, was taken by them to distinguish themselves.

Thus the New Mennonites arose at Markham. John
McNally worked in the region of Blair (Waterloo
County), and in a similar manner built up a class. Sam-
uel Schlichter, at Dundee, accomplished the same thing.
In this manner New Mennonites came to be found in
several places. They were based on similar principles
and held conferences together, though there was very
little organization.

^The information in this paraarraph was secured mostly from Moses
Webev; an old minister, and his wife, on a visit with them in January,
1918, at Maridiam, Ontario.

UNITED MENNONITBS.

Reformed Mennonites.

In considering the Reformed Mennonites, we find that
they originated in a similar manner about the same time.
The places where they arose were at Port Elgin and
Waterloo mainly, with a few scattered congregations.
The movement spread from Canada to Indiana through
Daniel Brenneman and John Krupp, so that eventually
quite a number existed in Indiana as well as in Canada.

It seems that the trouble originated in Bruce County,
with the Port Elgin congregation.*^ Solomon Eby was
their minister. Eby was bom in 1834 and was reared
in the Old Mennonite Church, being chosen as a preacher
August 8, 1858, at the age of twenty-four, and started
preaching at Port Elgin. During the following years
he was considerably troubled over the condition of the
church, and held meetings weekly, although the custom
was not common. His trouble increased until he felt
unsaved, and, in case of death, was sure that he should
be lost. How to get out of that condition and reach life
he did not know. The situation grew more tense, and he
was troubled by d^ and night. In 1869, in this con-
dition, he made a vow, that from henceforth he would
go as the Lord directed, cost what it might. To com-
plicate the situation, it happened that just at this time
revival meetings were started in Port Elgin by the Evan-
gelical Association. Several of his members attended
and were convinced that their religion did in no way
measure up to the Bible standard. The result was that
some of the brethren got into great difficulty, so much so

*M<Mt of the information for this was roceiTod from Solomon Ebj, in
Jannarj* 1918; somo from a short account of tho origin written hj Isaac
Moyer to tho Editor of tho Gospel Banner, in 1915, and somo in conver-
sation with Daniel Brenneman and a few others.

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

that they went to their minister for help, only to find
to their great astonishment that he was in the same con-
dition. Eby was happily converted in 1869. In the
spring of 1870 prayer meetings were started and held
all through the summer, contrary to the rules, of course.
Following this, about New Year's of the next year, a
great revival broke out, and almost all of the church
members and a few outsiders accepted Christ anew and
came into an experience where they realized a complete
change of life. Prayer meetings were emphasized more
than ever: testimony encouraged, and revival meetings
held. Old customs were disregarded, and anything that
would promote spiritual life adopted. Religious life was
simply revolutionized. Of course, the news spread to
Waterloo County, and the report went around that **the
church in Port Elgin all went Methodist."

Three delegates from Waterloo County were sent up
to investigate the trouble. They were John Baer, Daniel
Wismer, and probably Enoch Detweiler.® These men
became highly taken up with the good of the movement,
and encouraged the Port Elgin people to go on, returning
a rather favorable report to Waterloo. The attitude in
the church, however, was not all the same. Many were
in favor, and many decidedly opposed, while some tried
just to hold the two parties together. The general opin-
ion, especially among the leaders, seems to have been
against the new movement. Bishop Joseph Hege, from
Waterloo, was called up to baptize a number who had
accepted Christ in these meetings at Port Elgin and who
had been instructed in the discipline. There were some
rather young, but all were baptized as they gave good

*TIm antiiorlty for this tUUmmxt it the paper by Isaac Mojsr, men-
ttontd before.

UNITED MENNONITES.

confession of their faith. On his return, Hege found
some dissatisfaction and was accused of baptizing chil-
dren. The real trouble, however, later proved to be over
the fact that prayer meetings were allowed rather than
infant baptism.

Before the Port Elgin trouble was all settled, difficulty
arose in Waterloo County. Daniel Wismer^ had evi-
dently had an experience somewhat similar to Solomon
. Eby's. He felt that he should do more practical work,
but hardly dared break with the church. The convic-
tion grew on him and he knew that he must do something
definite, but still he refused, fearing the effects of such
action. In this condition he was taken sick and grew
worse, until all hope of life was given up. Wismer
promised then to preach and take up the work he knew
he should, if only the Lord would heal him. Before long
he was well, but still delayed taking up his promised
work. Again he was taken sick, and again he promised
and became well. This time he started preaching : held
evening services and, after preaching a short sermon,
turned the meeting into a prayer meeting. The outcome
was that quite a revival broke out, and a number were
converted. The bishop then ordered Wismer to instruct
them in the discipline as usual. This he did, and when
through, reported to Hege. Baptism meant acceptance
of the candidate by the church, and accordingly it was
customary to propose the names some time before bap-
tism, so that anyone objecting might have an opportunity
to state his objection. The names were therefore made
known in the enquiring room, and the majority were
opposed to their acceptance unless they should refrain

^TUb information mw received from John Troxel in Jannarjr, 1918,
ContonriUo* Ontario, and from tiae letter of Isaac Moyer.

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

from those **new things," as they called the prayer
meetings. Inasmuch as this was the very place where
most of them had been converted, they refused to make
any such promise. Consequently they were not bap-
tized. This was in the summer of 1870, and the whole
proceeding created considerable of a sensation throtigh-
out the entire Canada conference — so much so, that
several special conferences were called beside the regular
one. The majority, however, was always on the opposing
side, and the candidates consequently never were ac-
cepted. Thus matters went for about a year, when it
was heard that Bishop Lapp, from Clarence Center,
New York, had said that he would baptize the candidates
if he were there. Accordingly, Deacon Joseph Snyder
and Abraham Moyer were sent to get him. Lapp came
in the summer of 1871, and the converts, who had stood
for over a year, were baptized and accepted into the
church. Bishop Hege, however, was not fully satisfied,
and made the remark: **Ich will sie mal in ihrem Wert
steh lasse.'' By this the converts judged that they were
not entirely accepted by him. The evening meetings and
the cottage prayer meetings were continued, and a num-
ber of the church members opened their doors and got in
trouble over their salvation, which would generally re-
sult in their experiencing a sound conversion.

Daniel Wismer and Solomon Eby, of course, worked
in co-operation considerably, but Wismer was not willing
to go as far in some things as Eby. For instance, Eby
favored open communion, but Wismer could not accept
it, and the final outcome was, that Wismer lost interest in
the movement and went back to the old church. Mose
Erb had an experience somewhat similar, though he did

UNITED MBNNONITES.

not go as far even as Wismer, and fell back in line with
the old church sooner. This movement in Waterloo took
place simultaneously with the Port Elgin movement,
though starting a little later.

Let us briefly review the points and then observe the
further developments. The church in Port Elgin, in
1871, experienced a wonderful revival, and the members
were awakened to a new life and a greater activity, adopt-
ing in their enthusiasm methods not approved of by the
church. Following the outbreak of this, similar develop-
ments occured in the Waterloo County congregation. So
far, however, there had been no formal break with the
church, though the innovation of the new methods was
generally disproved of.

The next step of interest occurred in 1872. Prior to
Eby's experience of conversion in 1869, he had had a
very close friend in one Christ Good, who had some time
before moved to Indiana. It was now Eby's desire that
he might tell this old friend of the wonderful experience
he had received, and accordingly lef J Ontario for In-
diana. This was in 1872, and while there he met Daniel
Brenneman, who was a promising, aggressive young
leader in the Indiana Conference. This meeting with
Brenneman was the most important event of the visit,
as it finally led to the spreading of this evangelical move-
ment to Indiana. Pirom this time on Brenneman and
Eby were the two outstanding leaders of the Reformed
Mennonites. Eby returned to Ontario after explaining
the Canadian movement to Brenneman and arousing an
interest in him to investigate it.

Daniel Brenneman was bom in Fairfield County, Ohio,
in 1834, of good old Mennonite parentage, and reared

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

in the church. In 1855 he waa converted, and in the
following year, at twenty-two years of age, ordained to
preach. Early in the sixties he moved to Elkhart County,
Indiana, where he spent the rest of his life. Immediately
on his arrival in Indiana he was recognized as a leader.
''He was a man of commanding presence, forcible and
eloquent in the pulpit, apt and aggressive in Christian
work, a champion of church doctrines and a good mixer
among the people."* Little wonder that he became
prominent in the church. In 1864, the year of his arrival
in Indiana, **The Herald of Truth" was started by John
F. Funk, and from the first issue Brenneman was a fre-
quent contributor. This shows that he was active in
church work and, moreover, in good standing in the
church. The condition of the church in Canada has been
already described, and the situation in Indiana was sim-
ilar. There were a few liberal men like Brenneman, but
the majority were conservative. An eai^-going attitude
had settled on the people, and there was active oppo-
sition to the introduction of any means to promote a
deeper interest in soul saving. The introduction of Eng-
lish preaching was discountenanced, though some pre-
ferred English to German. Brenneman tried preaching
in English, but was refused the church for this purpose,
and thereafter held his English services in school houses.
Using more than one part in singing was considered
worldly. Brenneman, himself, in a letter explaining the
period, says: ''Some of us ministers became depressed
and discouraged at the slow progress we as a non-resist-
ant church were making, as a result of a seeming great
lack of spiritual energy on the part of the membership in

"Hartslcr and KMiffman, Mennonlte Chnrdi Hiatory, p. S44.

UNITED MENNONITES.

general. ' '• It was under these conditions that Solomon
Eby appeared from Canada, giving such glowing ac-
count^ of their revival. Brenneman further says, in
reference to the stirring events taking place in Canada :
** Special preaching services and prayer meetings were
held with most encouraging results. Not only those who
had never made any profession of religion, but many
of the supposed staunch members of the church began to
realize their lack of real Bible salvation and, in true
penitence and acknowledgment of their sins before GU)d,
found lasting peace and joy through the Holy Ghost,
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and began openly
to testify and tell of the great things the Lord did for
them, and many of them became shouting happy over
their new found treasure. Hearing of these things tak-
ing place over in Canada, several of us ministers here in
Indiana concluded to go over and investigate for our-
selves as to the wonderful things related, the sound
thereof having spread far and wide.'' The Indiana
church, in general, was fearful of what these things
might lead to, and refused to support the new movement.
There were, however, two ministers ready to investi-
gate the situation in Canada. In 1873, Daniel Brenne-
man*® and John Krupp, a fellow minister, went to Can-
ada to ascertain for themselves just what this was that
had broken out and which created such commotion. They
tried to do this in as open-minded a way as possible,

* TUb letter was written to Rev. J. A. Hnffman and contains a synopaii
•f tha aranto leading to Brenneman'a Mparatlan from tho Old Mennontte
Church. It ia dated Novemher 28, 1917.

*^Mnch of the following infomation refardinc DanM Brenneman and
the Reformed Mennonitcs was gotten from him directly in a visit in Feh-
marx* 1918; some from the letter of his mentioned above* and some from
Solomon Ebj, in a yisit in Jannary, 1918.

.MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

praying that they might not be misled or deceived. After
a thorough investigation they returned with a rather fa-
vorable inclination toward the methods and results found
in Eby's congregation. The ministers at home ques-
tioned them quite fully on their return. Krupp spoke
in most glowing terms of the wonderful work that he
thought was being accomplished. Brenneman, however,
knowing that these things would not be received with
favor, spoke guardedly, and determined to make one
more trip of investigation before committing himself
fully. This time, about a year later, he went alone, de-
siring above all things to know the truth in the matter
that he might support the right side. In regard to this
second visit he says: ** Arriving there among these zeal-
ous worshippers, I at once found that their former zeal
had by no means abated, that under tHe preaching of the
Word souls were convicted and pressed through to the
King at about every service. What could I say, only that
this is the Lord's doing and marvellous in our eyes."
On his return he was fully decided what stand to take
on the question:

When Brenneman returned the second time from Can-
ada, the first news to greet him was that one of the min-
isters had been excommunicated from church fellowship.
This was John Krupp, and with surprise he went at once
to the bishop for an explanation. Instead of getting the
information immediately, however, he was told to come
to a meeting at a certain time, where he would receive
a full explanation of what had been done and why. At
the appointed time several ministers and bishops were
assembled, and it was explained that Krupp had been
excommunicated "because he favored protracted meet-
ings and allowed even women to testify. " The next move

UNITED MENNONITBS.

was to propound the question: **Now are you all satis-
fied ? ' ' Each man replied in the affirmative until it came
to Brenneman, who was the last to respond. '* Breth-
ren, ' ' he answered, ' ' to be honest before God, if our mem-
bers do nothing worse than to go together to read God's
word, to sing and pray and thus worship God, that this
should give us a just reason to disown them as members
of the church, I candidly cannot see it that way/' No
one made any comment on this reply, and the assembly
was dismissed. Soon after (1874) Brenneman was told
that he had been excommunicated also. The following
are the charges upon which the excommunication was
based.**

1. For leaving the church and supporting an excom-
municated minister.

2. For teaching and preaching unscriptural customs:
(ITim. 2:11, 12; 1 Cor. 14:35).

3. For causing dissensions and working disorderly at
home and abroad.

Thus one of the most promising men was removed from
the church. Naturally there were a good many people
who supported Brenneman, and these separated with
him.

Whether the above named charges should constitute
a sufficient basis for excommunication is a question which
naturally arises. The answer to the question might be
different now, even if given by the same persons or
their successors, after more than forty years of progress
and changes.

^Hartzler and Kaaffman, Mennonite Chnrch History* p. S44. Bat in
relation to these charares, J. S. Hartzlor, in a letter to Prof. P. B. Whitmer,
dated April 13, 1918, says: "In those days they kept no records and oar
history rives only what we coald get from him (D. Brenneman) and other
brethren in both branches of the charch."

* 49

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

The first charge was based upon the fact that the
accused had dissented from the action of the church
authorities in excommunicating a brother minister for
favoring protracted meetings and allowing women to
testify. The second was based upon the charge that the
accused had taught and preached **unscriptural cus-
toms." These unscriptural customs were the practice of
prayer meetings and revival meetings, but particularly
in allowing women to testify. The third charge was
* * causing dissensions, ' ' etc. This ' * dissension ' ' natu-
rally resulted from the defense of a brother minister
who was expelled for the above named reasons and per-
sistence in the conducting of services of a nature not
approved of by the church in general. There were no
charges of immoral conduct, and the intervening years
have vindicated him who was held in error, even to those
who faulted him, because the same body which excom-
municated himnow practices most of the** customs" — em-
phasizing experimental religion, conducting prayer meet-
ings and revival meetings — which at that time seemed
to them * * unscriptural. ' ' This is said to the credit of this
body. Further, there is no doubt but that there were
others in the old church who would have welcomed some
spiritual aggressiveness, but the church as a whole, rep-
resented by its leaders, was not ready for such measures.

The difficulty may be reduced to a simple sentence:
It was the result which naturally occurs when there
arises a man in the midst of his environment who is a
few decades ahead of his contemporaries in spiritual
enlightenment, and cannot turn back, and will not be
tolerated by those of lesser vision who are in authority.

Some divisions are exceedingly unfortunate and the
results undesirable. But there are some divisions which

UNITED MBNNONITES.

prove a blessing both to the seceders and those seceded
from. This division appears to have been one of the
latter kind. A goodly number withdrew with Elder
Daniel Brenneman who had been excommunicated and,
as subsequent history discloses, a spiritually a^ressive
movement was the result. This secession, with its evan-
gelistic results, together with similar seceding groups,
and evangelistic forces remaining within the church, con-
stituted a challenge to the older body of Mennonites
which doubtless contributed much to the bringing about
of their more evangelistic policy. In the light of these
facts, the whole matter has proven a blessing in disguise
and has been providentially overruled for the good of
the church and for the glory^ of Gtod.

While Krupp and Brenneman were expelled in In-
diana, events of importance were taking place in Can-
ada. Delegates were again sent to inquire of Eby whether
there would be any chance of them coming back to the
fold and the good old- ways of the past. In reply to
this, Eby reminded them of the many times they had
talked over the lack of vitality in the church and had
longed for something to quicken the spiritual life, and
now, he asked, when they had found the very thing they
were seeking, and the church was active and really serv-
ing the Lord, should they go back to the old ways — it
was impossible. The delegates then brought up the fact
that prayer meetings were held, fellowship meetings were
encouraged where even women could speak, and pro-
tracted meetings allowed, and then wondered aghast if
camp meetings would be started next. Eby's only re-
sponse to this was that, when camp meetings would be
found as beneficial as these other meetings, they would
likely be held, too. The delegates reported, and soon

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

afterward occurred the regularsemi-annual conference at
Eby 's church** in Kitchener. Here charges were brought
against Eby and his followers, and it was decided that
they should no longer be considered members of the
church. The news of this reached the Port Elgin church
just BB they were having a prayer meeting, and though
they were sorry to leave the old church, there was a feel-
ing of liberty that was, after all, rather satisfactory. The
expelling had taken place on Friday. On Saturday there
was a meeting preparatory to the communion services to
be on the next day, and here the announcement about
the expelled members was repeated, and later it was
reported throughout the Canada Conference. Of course,
those who considered themselves expelled stayed away
f romv communion when the time for that came, and a
special communion service was held a few weekd later
at Snyder's church, Bloomingdale, by Eby and Wismer.
This naturally put the finishing touch on their excom-
munication. Shortly after this had taken place, in May,
1874, a conference was called in Eby's church, and all
those were invited **that believe in a present salvation
by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, have experienced par-
don of their sins and have had the evidence of their
acceptance with Christ.'*" The people of Eby's and
Brenneman's congregations, and those likeminded,
united, and the name Reformed Mennonites adopted.

United Mennonites.

So far we have seen how the New Mennonites arose
and simultaneously with them the Reformed Mennon-

^Th« Old Mennonite Church in Kitchener is called Ebj** chnrdi, be-
caiiM Bishop Benjamin Ebj donated the land for it and was one of the
main snpperters.

''Qnoted from the letter hj Isaac Moyer mentioned before.

UNITED MENNONITES.

ites, both for reasons almost identical. The next step
was the union of these two bodies, and this occurred in
1875, the year following the organization of the Re-
formed Mennonites. Several of the leaders of the two
societies were acquainted with each other, and through
their working together the people became acquainted,
and a desire for union arose. An extract from the min-
utes of the union conference explains how this was ac-
complished. **The members of the New and Reformed
Mennonite Societies respectively have for some time been
anxious that a union of those two bodies should take
place. And with this object in view, a meeting of the
ministers and others interested in the matter was called
to be held at the Snyder Meeting House at Blooming-
dale, in Waterloo County, Ontario, on Tuesday, March
23rd, A. D. 1875.

''This conference, composed of the Brethren John
Bear, Sen., Solomon Eby, Daniel Wismer, and Noah
Detweiler, of the Reformed Mennonite Society, and John
H. Steckley, Samuel Sherk, John McNally, and Peter
Geiger, of the New Mennonite Society, together with
many lay members of both bodies, met at the above place
and date.''

It is interesting to note further that, *'A joint report
of the committees of the respective bodies, which had
previously met and agreed on a basis of union was
handed in which read as follows: 'That we agree on the
Word of God as contained in the Old and New Testa-
ments and a synopsis of the Word of God as contained
in the eighteen articles of the Confession of Faith drawn
up by the Union Conference held at Dort, Holland,
April 21, 1632, as a basis of union. ' " It was then agreed

MENNONITE BBBTHBBN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

that the name United Mennonites shoiUd be adopted for
the purpose of denominational distinction.

This completes the first stage in the growth of the
Mennonite Brethren in Christ. Two scattered, unorgan-
ized bodies were brought together into a single, unified
body. The first noticeable characteristic of these Men-
nonites, in distinction from other Mennonites, is their
evangelical character. This is shown in the following
resolutions, passed at the first conference :

^^ Resolved, That no person be received into the church
except those who can testify that they have found peace
with Gk>d in the forgiveness of their sins through faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ.

** Since we believe that protracted meetings are es-
pecially beneficial means to bring sinners to repentance
and conversion, therefore

^'Resolved, That our ministers make use of such means
to gain such end.

^^ Resolved, That Sunday schools shall be organized
and supported by all our power.

^'Resolved, That prayer meetings and fellowship meet-
ings are necessary means to sustain the members of the
flock and to further them in their growth in grace.''

Other noticeable distinctions are the adoption of the
itinerant system for ministers and the encouragement of
missionary work. Another is the opposition to the use
of spirituous liquors and tobacco.

The attitude on most of these questions was determined
by the idea of conversion. The prevalent idea among
Mennonites had largely been growth in a Christian home,
followed by a study of the Articles of Faith, and then
baptism. Instead of this was substituted a personal
definite act, whereby God distinctly forgave the sins of

UNITED MENNONITES.

the man. He was bom again. Every person was ex-
pected to **seek'' until he definitely experienced this
change of heart. Following this experience came a won-
derful peace or joy that was expressed in various ways.
After the sins were once forgiven, it was not expected
that a man would deliberately sin any more. Whatever
may be said against this idea of conversion as a definite,
conscious experience of forgiveness, it certainly did pro-
duce earnest, live Christians, supremely interested in the
cause of Christ. It was that which was needed by those
of that day, and never will cease to be essential to the
Christian life and to the building up of the true Church
of Christ.

CHAPTER III.

Elder Solomon Eby.

(Biographical Sketch.)

It was on May the 15th, 1834, in Waterloo County,
Ontario, that Solomon Eby was born. He was the son
of Mennonite parents, and united with the Mennonite
Church at the age of nineteen years. His education was
received in the public schools, and although he speaks
of it as **very limited,'* it served him well; for he is
recognized as one of the foremost leaders in the early
Mennonite Brethren in Christ movement.

On the 17th day of June, 1855, he was married to
Catirine Shantz, in Bruce County, Ontario. Their mar-
riage was blessed with a family of twelve children.

At the age of twenty-four (1858) he was ordained to
the ministry in the old Mennonite Church, and served
as a minister in that connection for fourteen years. He
testifies that he was not converted until eleven years
after he was ordained to the ministry (1869), and that
his conversion took place in Port Elgin, Bruce County,
Ontario.

After his conversion. Elder Eby became a zealous
advocate of the necessity and possibility of a definite,
conscious, religious experience, which results in deliver-
ance from sin and gives joy and assurance. This he
professed and preached. Naturally this attitude toward
the expferience of conversion made him the logical leader
of such who, like him, had come into the experience dur-
ing the year 1869, the year of the *' great revival," and

EI,I>ER SO[.0MON EBY.

ELDER SOLOMON EBY.

the following years. Being in advance of the rank and
file of the church of his day, he could not be tolerated,
and was excommunicated in the year 1872, together with
all those who adhered to this faith.

When the new oi^anization was effected, which later
became known as The Mennonite Brethren in Christ
Church, Elder Eby filled an important place for a long
time. For eighteen years he was Presiding Elder in
the Ontario Conference, and for fourteen years served
as pastor. The pastorates he held were: Breslau, Elm-
wood, Bethel, Markham, and Kitchener (then Berlin)
Circuits. He was a member of many General Confer-
ences. He retired from active work in the year 1906
on account of ill-health. A year later the Lord healed
him in a remarkable way, and he testifies that he has
been in excellent health until this time, although now
eighty-six years of age.

During the period of his active career he was a loyal
advocate and able exponent of the teachings and prac-
tices of the church which he helped to found, including
the doctrine of sanctification as a second definite work
of grace, subsequent to regeneration and simultaneous
with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It was sometime
prior to the year 1912 when he became unsettled in his
position in relation to the above named doctrine, and
definitely sought the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Whether or not his doctrinal position was changed by
the ** Pentecostal'* agitation which swept through the
country during those years, it is evident that his change
of attitude to the doctrine of sanctification and the bap-
tism of the Holy Spirit came during the years of the so-
called ''Pentecostal'- movement. In his written state-
ment, submitted to the writer of this sketch, he professes

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

that he '^was sanctified when he received Christ (evi-
dently meaning his conversion), and was baptized in
the Holy Ghost and fire on January 31, 1912/' This
doctrinal position being averse to the position held by
the Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church, Elder Eby
withdrew from its membership, adhering to the ** Pente-
costal" movement. Although this has severed his re-
lation from the church which he assisted in founding,
and to which he gave so much of his life, he has nevei"
ceased to be reverenced as a father in Israel and honored
as one of the founders of the church.

CHAPTER IV.

Formation of the Evangelical United

Mennonites.

In the preceding chapters we have seen the beginning
of the Anabaptists, some of whom became Mennonites.
After various fortunes in the Old World, many of these
people emigrated to America, first settling in Pennsyl-
vania and later spreading west and north. The condi-
tions in these churches became unfavorable for agres-
sive, spiritual work, and caused many who wished for
greater freedom and new methods to be denied church
fellowship. So there appeared in several places evan-
gelical parties. Several of these in Canada, who hap-
pened to be acquainted with each other, became known
as New Mennonites, while others adopted the name Re-
formed Mennonites. The interesting point here is, that
they arose from similar causes; were, in fact, all a
single movement; and, accordingly, it was but natural
that when they met each other a union resulted. Thus the
United Mennonites came into being, bringing together
evangelical sects from Canada and Indiana.

But similar parties had been developing in Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio : in Pennsylvania, from Mennonite stock ;
in Ohio, from the River Brethren, who were very much
like the Mennonites in many respects. Reference to the
appendices at the end will present these movements in
graphic manner. It is the purpose of this chapter to
trace the origin and growth of the Evangelical Mennon-
ites of Pennsylvania and their union with the United

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Mennonites in 1879. The following chapter will take up
the Brethren in Christ, who united a few years later.

United Mennonites.

Before taking up the Evangelical Mennonites, a little
should be said regarding the United Mennonites and their
growth during the period of 1875 to 1879. Solomon
Eby was elected Presiding Elder over the Canada Con-
ference and Daniel Brenneman over the United States
Conference, there being two conferences at that time.
There were ten elders or ministers, three probationers
and three deacons in the whole church. Any man, how-
ever, in the future, who felt he had a call to preach,
could make it known, and would be given a triaL The
resolution providing for this was adopted at the first
conference, and reads as follows:

'^ Resolved, That in the selecting of a minister, the
church shall earnestly be exhorted to prayer that the
Lord of the harvest may send forth laborers into His
harvest (Matt. 9:38). And if a brother have convic-
tions that he has a call from the Lord to preach the
gospel of Jesus Christ (Eph. 4: 11; Heb. 5:4) he shall,
if after examination, he can be considered as possessing
the necessary qualifications (1 Tim. 3:23; Tit. 1:7) be
permitted to serve a probation term. After which, if
it be evident that the work of the ministry be entrusted
to him^of the Lord (1 Cor. 9:2; 2 Cor. 3:23; 1 Tim.
3:10 and 5:22), he shall be ordained and authorized
to officiate in all the duties devolving upon a gospel
minister (Acts 6:6)."

This is important, as it is a radical departure from
the method of the old church, and allowed any worthy
man, who had convictions to preach and whom the

EVANGELICAL UNITED MENNONITES.

church considered qualified, to enter the ministry. Pro-
vision was made for annual conferences, beside the Gen-
eral Conference, which was to meet every four years.

Probably the most important event of the period was
the starting of a church paper — the Oospel Banner —
thus providing for intercommunication between congre-
gations, and welding them more firmly together. The
first issue appeared July, 1878. The need had long been
felt, and a paper. The Oospel Messenger, was started in
Canada about a year prior, but after a single issue
appeared, it died for lack of support. Daniel Brenne-
man felt that a church paper was possible, and offered
to assume the responsibilities of a monthly paper for
a period of six months. This offer was considered from
various angles at the Canadian Annual Conference of
1878, and a resolution passed finally, **that D. Brenne-
man will proceed at once with the editing of a church
paper, called the Oospel Banner, to be published at
Gk)shen, Indiana.'' At the end of the time the income
did not quite reach the expenses, but even this was
regarded as well done. The paper was published
monthly until the end of 1879, having about one thou-
sand subscribers for the English edition and five hundred
for the German. After this it was published semi-
monthly for a while, and then weekly.

The exact number of accessions to the church during
the four years is difiicult to ascertain, but there were
probably about two hundred a year^ The churck con-
tinued active and propagated her beliefs with great zeal.

^. There are no definite statiitics on this point until 1878. At the Can-
ada Conference of that year, as reported in the Gospel Banner, there were
1S5 accessions in Canada, while Daniel Brenneman reported "abont 100"
for the United States, making a total of somewhat over 200 for that year.
It is not likely that this was abnormaL

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Eby, and Brexmeman especially, made many trips over
the field, and in visiting Penn£fylvania became acquainted
with the Evangelical Mennonites. A strong friendship
soon sprang up which led eventually to a union in 1879
between the United Mennonites and the Evangelical
Mennonites.

Evangelical Mennonites.

It has been noted before that the earliest Mennonite
settlers came to Pennsylvania. Here the first settlement
was made at Germantown in 1683, and the first church
built in 1708, having a membership of forty-four. This
congregation gradually lost in numbers, while others
grew. The Pranconia Conference was the earliest, and
by the nineteenth century had about fifteen congrega-
tions. The Lancaster conference district came later, and
by the twentieth century had some eighty congregations.
It is with the Franconia conference that we are especially
concerned. In this conference there were two noticeable
schisms, the Funk and the Oberholtzer schisms; in the
Lancaster Conference one, the Herr schism. These
schisms have been related in Chapter I.

The only schism with which we need to reckon here
is the Oberholtzer schism, which occurred in the Fran-
conia Conference in 1847. This is important, because
it is the point of departure of the Evangelical Mennon-
ites from the old church.

It must be admitted that the Pennsylvania Mennon-
ites were rather conservative in religious as well as sec-
ular affairs. The conditions given before apply here
also. Conservatism in religion was shown by the oppo-
sition to all new methods of work — specifically prayer
meetings, evening meetings, Sunday Schools, protracted

EVANGELICAL UNITED MENNONITES.

meetings, and English preaching. These are all accepted
by the church at present, but were actively opposed un-
til the latter part of the nineteenth century. Conserva-
tism in secular things was shown by the opposition to
participation in political issues and the adoption of any
new custom in general. This is well brought out in an
article from the pen of Henry A. Hunsicker, quoted
by Dr. Smith in the Mennonites of America, from the
Mennonite Year Book and Almanac for 1907.* **It was
about this time when linen covers on dearborns (car-
riages) were giving way to black oilcloth covers. When
my father availed himself of a black oilcloth cover for
his dearborn he was charged with violating a long es-
tablished custom of the Mennonites in making such a
change; and when a year or so later he had elliptic
springs put on the running gears of his carriage, he
sinned even mor^ grievously. Then, too, came the charge
that his children did not conform to the style and dress
of the meeting. . . . Other matters came up, such as
forbidding marrying outside of the denomination, at-
tendance on civil duties, such as voting at election, re-
sorting to process of law to recover property, favoring
liberal education, etc. ' ' It was inevitable that this ultra
conservatism, if persisted in, should some day be the
cause of trouble.

John H. Oberholtzer^ ' was bom in Montgomery
County, Pennsylvania, in 1808, and b^an teaching
school at sixteen years of age, continuing this until called
to preach in 1842. In that year he was ordained in the
Swamp Mennonite Church, in Milford, Bucks County,
by Bishop Samuel Musselman. Five ^rears after that he

'Smith, MennoiiitM of America, p. 299.

* CoBtidermblo of OberiioUser's blomphy is riron in his Vormntwortant
and BrlAontonmv, 1860.

MBNNONITE BEETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

found himself out of the church. The reason for this
was not merely stubbomess and worl<]liness, as the old
church thought, but rather a decided difference in spirit.
Oberholtzer had more than an ordinary education, and
possessed at the same time a liberal-mindedness and ag-
gression that was not satisfied with harking to the past
for standards. At the same time he may have been a
little insistent with some of his demands. Trouble came
when Oberholtzer, seeing no reasonable ground for wear-
ing the regulation minister's coat of a prescribed cut,
continued to wear his usual dress. To him this breach
of custom meant nothing, but to many of his brother
ministers approving of it would mean a betrayal of their
faith. Quarrel over this continued for several years,
when a new grievance was added. The conference had
kept no minutes of proceedings, nor had there been a
constitution. Oberholtzer drafted a constitution and
presented it to the conference in the spring of 1847. The
first time it was turned down, but he presented it again
in the fall. By this time affairs had reached a critical
stage, and Oberholtzer, along with several other minis-
ters who shared his views, was suspended. In October
of the same year they met and organized a conference
of their own.

Oberholtzer took considerable interest in the cause of
Mennonitism in general, and worked for a union of all
on a common basis. He started a paper in 1852 under
the name ''Religioser Botschafter.'* This did much to
facilitate discussion of the subject, and finally, in 1860,
the first ''General Conference*' of Mennonites of North
America was held. Before this year, however, there was
a split in Oberholtzer 's party, and this is what inter-
ests us most at present.

\ 64

EVANGELICAL UNITED MENNONITES.

When Oberholtzer left the old church there were sev-
eral who accompanied him. The ministers founding the
**New School Mennonite Conference*' were John Hun-
sicker, William Landis, John H. Oberholtzer, Abraham
Hunsicker, Christian Clemmer, and Joseph Schantz. At
a succeeding conference the following additional minis-
ters entered: Israel Beidler, William Schelly, Moses
Gk)ttschall, and Henry G. Johnson.* Beside these several
deacons were found among the progressive faction. Prac-
tically the whole Swamp Mennonite congregation stood
by Oberholtzer, who was their preacher at the time. In
the oi^anization of the new conference, Oberholtzer was
very prominent and was chairman for many years. Just
how many congregations were in the conference it is hard
to ascertain; but by 1887 thirteen had joined the Gen-
eral Conference Movement.** These were in all prob-
ability favorable to Oberholtzer and had followed him
in 1847 or soon after. It is not necessary to list these
here, but one of them in Upper Milford Township, Le-
high County, is the scene of the next division.

The Upper Milford congregation had chosen John
Schantz as their minister in 1828. His son, Joseph, was
chosen likewise in 1844. When Oberholtzer was sus-
pended in 1847, Joseph Schantz was one of his adherents,
and the congregation an ** Oberholtzer congregation."
Before long another minister was needed and, accord-
ingly, William Gehman was chosen to serve. Gehman was
bom in 1827 and had been raised a German Lutheran;
but after his conversion he joined the Mennonites. In
1849 he was selected both by election and by lot to serve

^DMiiel K. CmmU Geschichto der Mennoniten, 1890, p, 117.

* Vtfhaiidlwng der Allffoneinai Konf eiwns der Mennoidteii Ton Nord-

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

as minister for the Upper Milford congregation. It be-
came customary to alternate ministers, Qehman preach-
ing then half the time.

This continued for some time until it happened, in
1853, that several of the ministers, of whom William
Gehman seemed the leader, along with several of their
members, started the holding of private prayer meetings.
The first Church Discipline of the Evangelical Mennon-
ite Society gives a short account of their history, and in
speaking of these prayer meetings, says: **Many that
attended the meetings became awakened and deeply con-
victed of their sinful condition, found peace in the
wounds of Jesus, and were transplanted into the free-
dom of the children of Grod. In order to carry on this
work properly, they appointed Sabbath afternoon and
evening to be spent with one another in prayer and re-
ligious exercises, and also prayer meetings to be held
once during the week, and family worship to be held in
every family, as also public protracted meetings where
the Word was for a time preached every evening — ^in
purity and power. "• In the other cases that we have
noted, prayer meetings were held in opposition to the
decrees of the church, but in this case it was different.
In 1853, the same year that these meetings were started,
the bishops, in conference at Skippach, granted the
privilege of holding prayer meetings. Further, Geh-
man talked the matter over with Oberholtzer, who was
the main bishop, and explained how the meetings were
conducted. Oberholtzer 's reply was that ** surely no one
could forbid that."' The subject was also discussed
with Moses Gottschall, bishop at Schwenksville, who

* Doctrine of Faith and Church Discipline of the BTanrelical Mennon-
ite Society of Bast PennsyWania, 1867, p. S.

EVANGELICAL UNITED MENNONITES.

agreed that they were a good thing. With this permis-
sion the meetings were continued.

The next move came in the year 1856, when a confer-
ence was again held at SMppach. Toward the close of
the conference Oberholtzer, who was chairman, an-
nounced that it was now time to discuss prayer meet-
ings ; but since the time was too short to allow, he wished
that Gehman would consent to leave that to a meeting
of the bishops on the following day. There being no
objection, the matter was passed over. A few days after
this Joseph Schantz, who has been mentioned before as
a fellow minister of Gehman 's at Upper Milford, came
to him and brought the decision of the bishops: namely,
that prayer meetings would not be allowed in the future.
Gehman, however, refused to accept the report, and the
meetings were continued.

The aflfair continued this way until the following
spring. In May a conference of the whole church was
held at Springtown, in Bucks County. Here Oberholtzer
was again chairman, and during the conference he
brought up an alleged saying of Gehman 's, that the de-
cision of the bishops in regard to prayer meetings was
**unevangelical." He asked the people to vote on this
question and announced that all those voting that the
decision of the bishops was not **evangelicar' would be
considered dropped from church membership, with all
their adherents. Then followed a lengthy discussion,
after which the vote was taken and was, of course, in

^ Oberholtser's Ideas on prayer meetiiiSB are ffiTen In his Verantwortons
and Erlaentemnff, 18S0. See diapter on BetyerBammlanir* p. 4S. He did
not oppose them or think them wrons as some claimed him to do, nor could
he And anything in the Bible contrary to them. His Idea seems more that
a Christian should be In a prayerful attitude all the time and prlrate
prayer meetings, where sereral assemble for the purpose of prayer only,
are useless. r*n

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

favor of the bishops and against these private prayer
meetings. The adherents of prayer meetings were, how-
ever, not ready to give them up, and it accordingly was
announced after conference that, since private prayer
meetings had been forbidden, they would henceforth be
public prayer meetings. With this, all the advocates of
prayer meetings, twenty-four in number, were expelled.
In the fall of the same year, in a congregational meet-
ing at Zionsville, Gehman was refused the privilege of
preaching in th^ old church by a vote of twenty-five to
twenty-four. He had claimed this on the ground that
he had preached half the time before, and a good many
of the congregation supported him. A little difficulty
then followed over the use of the church, but was finally
settled by Oehman and his party agreeing to give up all
right to the church in return for $300 and the privilege
of holding funerals there and buiying in the old church
yard. A new church, which still stands, was built in
1858.

The first conference of ministers was held September
24, 1858, in the house of David Musselman. Here such
articles of faith and rules as were deemed necessary for
the small society were laid down. The following are
given as present at this conference:®

ELDERS PRESENT DEACONS PRESENT

William N. Schelly David Gehman

William Gehman Joseph Schneider

Jacob Gk)ttschall

PREACHERS OF THE WORD PRESENT

David Henning Henry Diehl.

* DMtrliM mt Faith taiA Ckmnh Ukciphnt •! the Bruicvlicftl MMUMnHc
Society, 1M7. p. 4.

EVANGELICAL UNITED MENNONITES.

A second conference was held in November, 1859,
and thereafter semi-annually in June and November.

The second church to be built was at Coopersburg, and
the next at Quakertown. The movement continued to
spread, and churches were built in various parts of East-
em Pennsylvania.

At the conference held in November, 1865, a commit-
tee consisting of David Henning, William Gehman, Eu-
sebius Hershey and Joseph L. Bomig was appointed to
draw up a Doctrine of Faith and Church Discipline.
This was done and published in 1867. That the new
society still considered themselves Mennonites is shown
by the following statement taken from the introduction
to the Doctrine of Faith : **It is our sincere wish to take
the simple and secure Bible way, as Christ, the Apostles,
and Menno Simon have taught. ' '

In regard to church doctrine, they accepted the regu-
lar orthodox views of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and
Man, and the Mennonite position on the washing of the
Saints' Feet, Non-resistance, Oaths, Excommunication,
and Shunning. Several doctrines had more or less of
the new in them. Members were to be admitted only
when they *'have acknowledged themselves sinners, have
brought forth fruits meet for repentance, have received
the forgiveness of their sins through faith in the precious
merits of Jesus Christ, and have been baptized." Con-
siderable emphasis was placed on a definite conversion,
with the assurance accompanying it. The calling of
ministers happens in two ways : the Godly and the Ec-
clesiastical. That is, some are called directly by God,
others through the interposition of pious men. Thus the
diurch might call her ministers, or if they felt called of
God, they could make it known and would be given a

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

trial. There were to be three kinds of officers: Elders,
ordinary Preachers, and Deacons. In order to spread
the work it was provided that all the members, preach-
ers and deacons should take an active interest in the
''missionary cause." That did not necessarily mean
foreign missions. In those days when travel was not
quite so convenient and when the world was so large, a
man was considered a missionary if he made a trip of
thirty miles to hold meetings. This was the missionary
work that was carried on— going into fields where no
religious opportunities were presented to the people and
holding meetings to interest ** outsiders*' in religion.
This work was in the hands of a special Missionary So-
ciety, with its own constitution and officers. •

Such was the doctrine and work of the early Evan-
gelical Mennonites. There were at that time (1860-65)
four elders: David Henning, William Gehman, Euse-
bius Hershey, and William Schelly; five preachers:
Henry Diehl, Abel Strawn, John Musselman, Abraham
Kauffman and Joseph L. Romig; and three deacons:
David Gehman, Joseph Schneider, and Aaron Unangst.

Evangelical United Mennonites.

Between the years 1865 and 1875 there is very little
to record. New ministers entered the work and more
fields were opened up. About the year 1875 Solomon
Eby and Daniel Brenneman visited Pennsylvania and
became acquainted with the Evangelical Mennonites, and
almost immediately the thought of union occurred. In
1878 the first number of the ** Gospel Banner'' appeared,
and there was more or less discussion on the subject of
union in the succeeding issues. D. U. Lambert was sent
by the United Mennonites of the United States as a f ra-

EVANGELICAL UNITED MENNONITES.

temal delegate to the fall conference of the Evangelical
Mennonites in 1878, and sentiment had grown so far
that this conference considered the question of a more
intimate connection with the United Mennonites, and
passed rather favorably on it. Copies of the conference
minutes were sent to Brenneman, and in commenting on
them in an editorial, he says: **We hope like steps may
be taken on the part of our people, and the necessary
measures be adopted at once to investigate the matter
and, if possible, effect a permanent union. ... So far
as we have been able to ascertain there is nothing exist-
ing between us that is worthy the name of distinction."
These were Brenneman 's sentiments, and they probably
echoed the feelings of the leaders in general. Eby and
Brenneman were elected delegates to attend the semi-
annual conference of the Evangelical Mennonites in
Pennsylvania in October, 1879. This move was made
at the general conference held in Blair, Ontario, in June
of that same year. A very warm feeling was expressed
at this conference of the Evangelical Mennonites toward
union, and a special conference was called to convene
November 6, at Upper Milford, Lehigh County, Penn-
sylvania.

This conference came off as planned. Solomon Eby
was chairman, and S. M. Musselman secretary. There
were nineteen members, the majority, of course, being
from Pennsylvania. The question of union was investi-
gated thoroughly. To quote from the conference min-
utes: *'As a preparatory step, the two disciplines were
read before the conference, compared, thoroughly
weighed and considered, and it was indeed marvelous
(only as it is considered that both were drawn from the
Bible) to learn how nearly in point of faith and doctrine

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

the two disciplines corresponded. The only material
difference being in point of church govemment. The
United Mennonite discipline having the preference in
this respect, after modif jdng a few sentences, was unani-
mously adopted by the conference.

** There now being a perfect union of spirit, faith, and
doctrine, the two bodies mutually and unanimously con-
sented to unite in the name and fear of the Lord. . . .
It was considered to-be only meet that the names as well
be combined together also, hence the name Evangelical
United Mennonites was adapted, upon which the whole
conference with the entire assembly went down upon
their knees in honor to Ood and in thanksgiving and
praise to his great and matchless name for thus uniting
the hearts of his people and bringing them together into
one fold.''

Thus the union was brought about, and an acknowl-
edgment confirming it was subscribed to by the con-
ference. The following are the names subscribed:

William Gehman Joel Rosenberger

Solomon Eby Abraham Kauffman

Samuel Musselman Sidenham Lambert

Daniel Brenneman Joseph Schneider

John Baer Jacob Ruch

Eusebius Hershey Daniel Koch

David Henning William Yeakel

Jonas Musselman Michael Landis

Abel Strawn David Gehman
George Lambert

It was then decided that the fields of labor in Penn-
sylvania should constitute a separate conference, mak-
ing in all three conferences: The Canada, Indiana,

EVANGELICAL UNITED MENNONITES.

Michigan and Ohio, and the Pennsylvania. Also in view
of the great need of ministers in the Indiana, Michigan
and Ohio Conference and the sarplus in Pennsylvania,
Sidenham Lambert was granted a transfer to the former
conference.

At the time of the union Pennsylvania had nine minis-
ters, six deacons, and nine different congregations. Can-
ada had eighteen ministers, of whom six were probation-
ers, and about fourteen congregations. Indiana, Mich-
igan and Ohio had thirteen ministers and about eight
congregations. This made a total of some forty minis-
ters and thirty-one congregations.

CHAPTER V.

Elder Daniel Brenneman,

(Biographical Sketch.)

Daniel Brenneman was bom near Bremen, Fairfield
County, Ohio, June 8, 1834. He was the son of Henry
(1791-1866), the son of Abraham (1747-1815), the son
of Melehior, a Mennonite exile from Switzerland, and
one of the first settlers in Lancaster County, Pennsyl-
vania, 1715.

At four years of age Daniel had a narrow escape
from death by the smallpox. His mother, a brother and
a sister died of this dread disease at the same time
(March, 1838). He grew to manhood on the farm, and
although deprived of a loving mother's care, under the
influence and teaching of a godly father he was kept
free from the vices so common to youth. His father fre-
quently read aloud to his children from a mammoth
German edition of the Martyr's Mirror, and by this
means helped to instill into the hearts of his children a
love and respect for the precious doctrines of the Men-
nonite Church, for which she has suffered so much per-
secution; and as a result they all became active and in-
fluential members of that body, three of the sons becom-
ing ministers and one a deacon.

He was converted in 1856, and soon after joined the
Mennonite Church in Fairfield County, Ohio.

In March, 1857, he was married to Susannah Keagy,
of Augusta County, Virginia, which union was blessed
with ten children, five sons and five daughters, all of

POLDER DANIEL BRENNKMAN.

(1834-1919.)

ELDER DANIEL BRENNEMAN.

wKom are still (1920) living and all of whom profess the
Christian religion — all, except two, being of the Mennon-
ite faith. One daughter, Phoebe, is in the foreign field.

In March, 1908, he lost his faithful companion after
fifty-one years of married life. This was his first and,
until his death, the only funeral in his family. In April,
1910, he was married to Delia Troyer, with whom he
lived happily until the close of his life. His death oc-
curred on September 10, 1919, after a short illness, in
his eighty-sixth year.

He was ordained to the ministry in the Old Mennon-
ite Church in 1857. Concerning his ordination and the
early events in his ministry, we quote from the Kauff-
man-Hartzler Mennonite History : *'He entered upon his
work at once with great vigor, and soon rose to promi-
nence, his services being called for far and near. In
March, 1864, he moved to Elkhart County, Indiana,
where his ministry was noted for the intense interest
stirred up among the people and for his conflict with
Jacob Wisler." Prom the same history we quote: **As
time passed on, the necessity and demand for English
preaching became more urgent, and the body of members
became more and more convinced that this want should
be supplied. About this time Daniel Brenneman, a
minister from Ohio, appeared on the field. In the eyes
of many he was the man for the place. He was orthodox
in his ^dews, though inclined to be radical on some ques-
tions. He could handle both languages excellently. He
was eloquent, aggressive, a good singer, and full of lif fe.
The church revived, and crowded houses greeted him
wherever he went. His services were demanded fre-
quently at funerals and on other occasions."

After ten years of active service with the old church,

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

in Elkhart County, Indiana, circumstances, which are
elsewhere more fully stated, led up to his separation
from that body and the organization of the Reformed
Mennonites (now Mennonite Brethren in Christ), of
which body he was one of the principal founders.

In July, 1878, he established, on his own responsibility
and by the permission of conference, the Oospel Banner,
which has ever since been the church organ. He served
as editor and publisher until October, 1882.

For many years he served as pastor and Presiding El-
der in the Indiana and Ohio Conference, and was a
member of every General Conference held during the
period of his active ministry. He was eloquent and
powerful in his pulpit ministrations and an aggressive
and capable organizer. For many years he served as
Presiding Elder of the whole Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference, doing the work later requiring two men. He
preached with surprising vigor and great earnestness
down to the close of life. Even after having no regular
charge of his own, he frequently preached two or three
times on the Lord's day, as opportunity offered. or ne-
cessity demanded. He retained his mental alertness
to the end, and took great pleasure in seeing the church
which he had helped to found and to which he had given
practically his whole life, prosper. He never missed an
Annual Conference during his entire career.

From his youth he sought to honor, respect and obey
bis father, who at one time testified concerning his son
Daniel that *'he was always obedient." His eighty and
five years are an illustration of Gk>d's faithfulness to
His promise to give long life to those who obey their
parents and serve Him.

CHAPTER VI.

Formation of the Mennonite Brethren

in Christ-

With this chapter we come to the final union whereby
the Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church was formed
and the present name adopted. The Evangelical United
Mennonites were organized in 1879, in a union between
the Evangelical Mennonites of Pennsylvania and the
United Mennonites of the United States and Canada.
This was treated in the preceding chapter. It now re-
mains to take up the Brethren in Christ, who composed
the new element introduced in the final union. This
union occurred in December, 1883, four years after the
forming of the Evangelical United Mennonites, and
something should be said concerning the progress of the
Evangelical United Mennonites during this period, be-
fore turning to the Brethren in Christ.

Evangelical United Mennonites.

The customs existing in the church show a distinct
tendency toward aloofness from things worldly. Plain-
ness in dress was insisted upon, and many an article ap-
peared in the Gospel Banner, urging the discarding of
everything ministering to pride. For example, the fol-
lowing: **For what purpose is that feather t that flower t
that bow of ribbon t Why that lace? that fringe t those
rufSesf those tucks? those plaits? Nothing but adorn-
ing — ornaments admired by the world. *Be not con-
formed to the world' is the Word's command."^ This

^From mn artiele on ''Trimmiiif*," Gospel Banner, Vol. S. p. 176.

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

idea of separation was a fundamental thought, influenc-
ing every phase of life. Likewise choirs and musical
instnunents were forbidden in churches. Influence was
exerted against **that filthy weed, tobacco,'* and a Gen-
eral Conference resolution was passed forbidding the
ordination of any man as a minister or deacon who used
it. No systematic plan of financing the ministry was
used, and a man who could not preach and at the same
time support himself, received little respect. There
was, however, the germ of the present system in that
many gifts were presented to the minister, as a mat-
ter of ** charity.**

Daniel Brenneman had started the Gospel Banner in
1878, and along with that had grown up a publishing
business which the church took over in 1879. At the
same time, a committee of D. Brenneman, S. Eby, and
B. Bowman was appointed **to collect a variety of suit-
able hymns for a hymn book.** By February, 1881,
the English edition was ready for delivery. It contained
some eight hundred hymns, and was sold for a dollar.

In 1880, during this period, the first Camp Meeting
was held. It was more or less of an experiment, and
there were some prejudiced against it at first. The Camp
Meeting was held on the Bethel Circuit, about seven miles
west of Goshen, commencing July 30th and continuing
for ten days.^ It was regarded as highly satisfactory,
and has since become a permanent institution in the
church.

Foreign Missions had always received verbal assent,
but it was not until this period that the problem was
really considered. The General Conference in 1882 pro-
vided that each Annual Conference should ''adopt a

' A report mi tfi« Camp Meeting occnn in the Goepel Banner for Anfmt
IS, 18M, p. 184. 7g

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

system to collect foreign mission funds." With this,
foreign missions as a definite part of church work was
started.

As stated before, there were three conferences:
Canada; Pennsylvania; and Indiana, Michigan and
Ohio. The Michigan work in the last conference had
consisted of one or two small charges, and it was during
this period that the work eventually producing the pres-
ent Michigan Conference was begun.'

Peter Cober was born in Wellington County, Ontario,
in 1853. He was converted in 1874, and united with the
church. After this he lived on the farm until 1880. In
that year he and his wife moved to Michigan, settling on
a new, uncleared farm near Ubly, Huron County. Up
to this time he had no definite call to preach; but now
the question arose, and the call came more forcibly.
Accordingly, he sent for Daniel Brenneman, expecting
Brenneman to help him out of his trouble, so that he
would not need to preach. In this he was mistaken,
however. Brenneman came and organized a small class
of six or seven at Ubly. Then they went to Deanville, in
Lapeer County, and organized another class. Cober was
left in charge of these. Somewhat later the Greenwood
class was organized, near Yale, and then there were
three appointments to care for. These three congre-
gations were the nucleus, and by gradual growth they
spread until Michigan came to be a separate conference.
Developments after 1883 will be treated in subsequent
chapters.

Probably the most interesting phase of growth is the
increase of church membership. Other things may be

' This inf omiAtioii recardlnff the Michigan work was neshred from Peter
Cober in conversation with him, Jannarj, 1918.

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

important, but if a church cannot make converts, it is of
little value. During the four years there were about
984 converts and about 697 accessions to the church,
while the active membership raised from a little over
1,400 to about 1,650. Eight churches were built, seven-
teen new appointments started, and the number of min-
isters grew from 26 to 45. The following table sums up
the statistics.^

CoNVEBTS— 1880 1881 1882 1883

Canada 152 83 149 118

Indiana, Mich. & Ohio. . . 70 (75) (80) 110

Pennsylvania (15) 22 32 78

Total 237 180 261 306

Total number of converts, 984.

Accessions —

CJanada 78 80 76 68

Indiana, Mich. & Ohio. . . 65 (60) (65) 72

Pennsylvania (10) 10 55 58

Total 153 150 196 198

'Total number accessions, 697.

Total Membebs —

Canada 833 857 885 909

Indiana, Midi. & Ohio.. 400 436 471 452

Pennsylvania 175 200 230 286

Total 1408 1493 1586 1647

'Increase, 239.

*T1ib table docs not iir«t«nd to bo exact. It ia approximately rij^t,
howoTer, and ia baaed on conferenee reporta aa tiier appeared in the Goa-
pel Banner. Whwe the report doea not faielndo ererythlnf , the ap p « M ci» ate
flcnree haye been pat in parmtheaea.

*A qneatlon may arise relatire to the modeet net increaae in member-
ihip, while the accewlona were conalderaUj more. A net Increaae In mem-
bonhlp can only r^reeent the number of acceeelona OTor and abore the
deatha, withdrawala, and dlimliitlai In a period of tranaitlam Ilka that
thronirh which the chnrch waa soinir* the element of permanent waa not
flo prominent. gQ

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

Chxibches— 1880 1881 1882 1883

Canada 9 12 18 12

Indiana, Mich. & Ohio .. . (1) (1) (1) 2

Pennsylvania 4 5 6 8

Total 14 18 19 22

Increase, 8.

MiNISTEBS —

Canada 19 19 18 19

Indiana, Mich. & Ohio... 8 11 16 14

Pennsylvania 9 10 10 12

Total 26 40 44 45

Increase, 19.

• Appointments —

Canada 37 36 48 48

Indiana, Mich. & Ohio... 15 20 (21) 22

Pennsylvania 10 16 15 14

Total 62 72 84 79

Increase, 17.

Brethren in Christ.

With this summary of the activities between 1879
and 1883, we will turn to the Brethren in Christ who
next united with the movement.

The situation is somewhat complicated here, because
of the fact that three different related bodies claimed
the name, Brethren in Christ. Consequently a few in-
troductory words of explanation are in order. First,
there were the River Brethren, known as the Brethren
in Christ. They began to use the name early in the
eighteenth century, and legalized their right to it when

its use was begun by others. About ¥f%6 there was a
M%

* An appotntment is any place where a minister preaches resnlarly. As
may be seen, the number of appointments varies considerably from the
anmber of churches.

« 81

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

split in the River Brethren, John Wenger and his fol-
lowers leaving the church. They, however, kept the old
name, probably because the River Brethren were never
known as Brethren in Christ ordinarily. A little later
there was a split in Wenger 's party, his son, John Wen-
ger, Jr., heading one faction, and John Swank head-
ing the other. Thus the second Brethren in Christ
Church was divided into Wengerites and SwanMtes, each
again claiming the original name. The Swankites united
with the Evangelical United Mennonites in 1883, leaving
then two parties in contest for the name. The River
Brethren, however, being incorporated under that name,
have a legal right to it, but the Wengerites have been
known more or less by it.

In considering the Brethren in Christ we shall go back
to the River Brethren and trace the growth from the be-
ginning. Some time in the first half of the eighteenth
century a colony of Swiss immigrants came to the United
States from Upper Switzerland. Here they settled in
Pennsylvania, in the Susquehanna Valley. Whether
they were Mennonites or not is not certain; but if not,
they were likely descendants of Mennonites in Switzer-
land. This accounts for the great similarity that was
found to exist between the church they founded and the
Mennonites. Among these Swiss a church was organ-
ized, and the name Brethren in Christ adopted.'' Be-
cause of the fact that the congregation was located m
the valley, it became customary to speak of the ** breth-
ren by the river," and thus they became eventually

^ Th« exact date of the organisation cannot be gtwen* The Encyclopedia

Britannica is authority for the date 1750. A. D. Hoke ciaime that an old

paper drawn np abent the time of the Ciril War dates it 125 yean before

that, which would be eomewhere between 1780 and 1740. Probably the
date ia not later than 1750.

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

known as the River Brethren. By 1770 there were
several congregations, Jacob Bngle being their first pas-
tor. In faith and practice they resembled the Mennon-
ites considerably. They baptized by triune immersion,
the candidate kneeling in the water and being immersed""
forward three times. They used the Mss of greeting,
washed the saints' feet, taught non-resistance, and inter-
preted the Bible literally, in general.
' About 1828 trouble arose in Ohio between the bishop,
Levi Lukenbach, and one of the ministers, John Wen-
ger.® Up to this time the River Brethren had not used
meeting houses, but had held their meetings in private
houses or bams. To erect a church building for the pur-
pose of holding religious meetings was considered a sin.
Wenger, on the contrary, favored church buildings, and
could see nothing wrong in them.* Quite a breach came
to exist between these two men who were the acknowl-
edged leaders of the two factions. These differences led
to a division in 1828. John Wenger and his followers, a
small band compared with the River Brethren, separated
and started holding meetings of their own, using, for
the time being, Wenger 's bam. This division occurred
in Ohio, Wenger and his followers living in Harrisbui^,
Montgomery County, and in Medina County. These
Wengerites styled themselves the Brethren in Christ
which, as mentioned above, was the name which was
claimed by the River Brethren.

.'TIm information reffardinc the River Bretiiren and tiie Bretiiren in
Ciirist wa^ received in conTenation with Samuel Herr, Harrisbnrs, Ohio,
an old minister of the River Brethren: A. D. Holce, New Carlisle, Ohio,
whose father was a River Bretiiren minister; also A. Good and 8. Longe-
neeker. New Carlisle, who formerly belonged to the Brethren in Christ.

'Longeneclcer and Good gave an added eaose for dlfferenca, in that
Wenger objected to certain love feasts held by the River Brethren. This is
not sobstantiated by Hoke and Herr.

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

As their predecessors, so the Wengerites were destined
to a split. John Swank and Jacob Swank left the United
Brethren and joined the Brethren in Christ, as Wenger
and his followers called themselves. John was the most
prominent. He became a preacher and, as time passed,
one of the leaders. The elder John Wenger 's place was
taken by his son, John Wenger, who was known as
*' Johnnie" Wenger. These two, John Swank and John-
nie Wenger, became the poles of another cleavage, Wen-
ger representing the conservative and Swank the liberal
side. The formal rupture took place in 1861. Swank,
having come from another church with somewhat differ-
ent practices, did not cling to the established customs as
fully as Wenger wished, also desired to introduce meth-
ods to which the church was not accustomed. The orig-
inal Wengerites has accepted their method of baptism
from the River Brethren. This was triune immersion,
forward, with the candidate kneeling. Swank, however,
was willing to baptize backward, as well as forward, and
did not insist on three immersions. Wenger objected to
this liberal tendency, as a practice, but allowed such who
came from other churches, who had been baptized by
single immersion, to be received without rebaptism, pro-
vided they were satisfied with their baptism. This was
a sort of compromise. Further, Swank and those who
adhered to his views desired a church discipline, arguing
that, if a man had a rule of faith he should write it
down, and, if written, it might as well be printed for
reference for others. Wenger objected to this, claiming
that he used the New Testament for his guide. Swank
placed considerable emphasis upon protracted meetings
and the public prayer altar as methods for getting peo-
ple converted. Wenger also practiced both a little later,

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

though with some opposition.^*^ Methods, not fundamen-
tals to Christian faith, seem to have driven these two
groups farther and farther apart. Both leaders were
greatly beloved by their followers and enjoyed their com-
plete confidence.

Swank's followers were augmented further by an ele-
ment from Pennsylvania. On a trip there some time in
1850 or soon after, he had met a certain George Shoe-
maker, of the Dunkard Church, who believed definitely
in a sound conversion before baptism and who was a
little too aggressive for his brethren. He and Swank
visited each other quite often, and their followers were
brought together, so that there was considerable co-
operation between them.

In this manner the affair went on for some time, with
Swank and Shoemaker on one side and Wenger on the
other. Which side withdrew from the other may be a
debatable question, but the separation occurred in 1860.
At the conference of that year the Swank element pre-
sented a prepared discipline for ratification, and at-
tempted to secure its adoption. The delegates had not
been elected on the issue of adopting a discipline, and
there being considerable of sentiment against a written
discipline, the result was defeat. Had the matter been
handled a little more carefully and given more time, it
is possible that the adoption of a discipline might have
resulted without the separation, for both factions adopted
disciplines in the course of a few years.

In May, 1861, a General Conference of the Swank
faction was called in the Crooked Creek Church, Arm-

^ Wenyer'a later attempt to adopt the "Monmer'a bench" is related by
Elder A. Good In a eermon pnbliched In the Brethren In Christ Department
of the Goepel Banner, issiie of December 1, 1883. p. 184.

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

strong County, Pennsylvania. The ministerial delegates
from Ohio were Jacob Swank, John Swank, and David
Rasor; from Pennsylvania, George Shoemaker, R. De-
ford, A. G. Marsh, and J. Shoemaker. Besides these,
there were quite a number of lay delegates attending.
In this conference they very carefully investigated the
Scriptures and drew up a constitution, which was
adopted. Another General Conference was then called
for 1865. During these four years came the Civil War,
and the church was subjected to rather severe perse-
cution, but, in spite of the difficulties, survived. The con-
ference met in Ohio in October, 1865, as planned. Here
the constitution was revised and amended, and then
printed along with the fundamental articles of faith.
Thus the Swank faction obtained the end contended for
— a Discipline.**

The first part of the booklet containing the constitu-
tion is given to a short account of the origin of the Breth-
ren in Christ. Following this is a section giving eight
reasons for having a constitution. This is no doubt
for the benefit of those who claim that constitutions are
of the evil one. The constitution proper contains the
methods of church government and the beliefs and prac-
tices not properly included under the articles of faith.
The test of membership was to be '*true repentance,
true faith, and true conversion or regeneration." Bap-
tism was administered by single immersion. Communion,
washing of the saints' feet, and the holy kiss were ac-
cepted, as among Mennonites. Various things not to be
countenanced in the church were: ** Extravagant dress,
slavery, secret societies, intoxicating liquors, shows,

^ A copy may be found tn the library of S. Lonrenocker, New Carliole,
Ohio.

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

theatres, and vain frolics/' In the articles of faith, the
regular orthodox views of God, Christ, and Man were
accepted. The similarity of the views to those among
the Evangelical United Mennonites is evident, and it is
not at all strange that the thought of union should come
up when the two parties met.

The Wenger branch also decided upon a discipline
later, and Dr. C. Nysewander was appointed in the early
eighties to compile and formulate a statement of *' Faith
and Rules,*' the term ** discipline*' being avoided be-
cause of the prejudice against it, occasioned probably, in
part, by the previous controversy. The ** Faith and
Rules,*' as compiled and formulated, was adopted, prac-
tically without change and without any opposition, ex~
cept by a few who still persisted in their attitude against
any printed statement of doctrine. This took place
shortly after the death of Wenger, who died in 1879.

A comparison and evaluation of these two disciplines by
an unprejudiced person discloses the fact that there was
little difference between them. All that has been said
above concerning the Discipline of the Swank faction can
be said of the Faith and Rules of the Wenger faction,
with the following exception: the former makes single
immersion the Scriptural mode of baptism, while the
latter makes triune immersion the Scriptural mode.

Both of the branches, headed respectively by Swank
and Wenger, claimed the name Brethren in Christ,
though the River Brethren were already incorporated
under that name. Locally they were known as Wenger-
ites and SwanMtes. Though scattered around in various
places, both had their main body in Montgomery County,
Ohio; the former near Little York and the latter near
Clayton, being separated by about ten miles. There was

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

little intercourse between them. This was the condition
of affairs about 1870, and in 1883 the Swankites united
with the Evangelical United Mennonites. While this
amalgamation was taking place there was some sentiment
among the Wengerites in favor of uniting, but it never
became strong enough to overcome the opposition put up
by a few influential leaders.

Mennonite Brethren in Christ.

It now remains to trace the steps leading to the union
of 1883, which resulted in the body afterward to be
known as The Mennonite Brethren in Christ.

After the cleavage in the church founded by the elder
John Wenger, resulting in the two factions, the Wen-
gerites, headed by John Wenger, and the Swankites,
headed by John Swank, which became practically com-
plete about 1870, neither branch prospered in any large
measure.

The new churches in Armstrong County, Pennsyl-
vania, which adhered to the Swankites, had several stronsf
ministers among them, including George Shoemaker, who
wrote a volume of ** Notes on the Gospels, '^^^ and his
brother, J. W. Shoemaker, and several younger men.
But George Shoemaker died in 1867, and several of the
other older men not long afterward, and it appears that
several of the younger ministers became discouraged
with the prospects resulting from the division and left
the church. At any rate, at the time of the union, in
1883, there were no ministers in the Armstrong County
churches to care for the flock except S. McDonald, who
made a plea for help at the conference in 1884. Pas-

"This volame is entitled, "Notes on tlie Holy Gospels," and was pub-
lished in Philadelphia in 1868. the year following the author's death.

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

tors have been sent to them from other localities ever
since.

The SwanMtes had also lost their outstanding leader,
John Swank, in 1873, by death ; and, although there were
several able preachers among them, including George
Waitman, Aaron Peflfly, George Wright, Samuel Lon-
genecker, Jabez Swank, and others. Swank's mantle of
leadership seems not to have fallen directly upon any
one of them. They also at one time had a small period-
ical, published by George Shoemaker, called the ''Mil-
lennial Harbinger, ' ' but this had not been published for
a number of years.

There is every evidence that the desire of the Evan-
gelical United Mennonites originally was, that all of the
Brethren in Christ should unite, and many an article
appeared in the ''Banner" by such men as Solomon Eby
and Daniel Brenneman, urging union. Eby says in part :
"I feel within me a longing desire that a union with
the Brethren in Christ be effected. . . . Though anxious
that a thorough acquaintance with each other be formed
before we engage together to labor for the Lord. . . .
Now the idea that I would suggest as a starting point
would be this: let the Brethren in Christ, if possible,
elect a committee to meet us at our annual conference
to meet in Berlin, Ontario, April 6th, with a view of be-
coming better acquainted with each other. "^^ Whether
this committee was present or not is not definitely stated
in the conference report, but at any rate the following
resolution was passed : '^Resolved, That the General Con-
ference be held one year prior to the time appointed for
the purpose of looking after and considering the inter-
ests of the printing establishment and also to consider the

^ Gospel Banner, April 1, 1882, p. 64.

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

advisability of the proposed union with the Brethren in
Christ."" Another resolution urging the Brethren in
Christ%to be present at the General Conference and to
attend the camp meeting, was passed. This shows the
attitude of the Canada Conference.

Brenneman exhibited a similar feeling of welcome to-
ward the newcomers. He writes: **We are glad to say
that the prospects for union with the Brethren in Christ,
and especially the Swank branch, are very favorable.
In fact, we are virtually one now, since in point of doc-
trine there is no material difference."** He then enu-
merates six general principles in which there is agree-
ment, and claims that there is not sufficient reason for
not uniting. The six principles are : 1. Experimental re-
ligion. 2. Water baptism. 3. Communion and feet-
washing. 4. Anti-militarism. 5. Anti-secrecy. 6. Sepa-
ration from the world.

The General Conference was evidently planned to be
held in the autumn of 1883, but upon recommendation
of the Canada Conference, the Pennsylvania Conference
concurring, the conference was announced for October
4, 1882, hoping that the Brethren in Christ would send
delegates with a view to forming a union. One delegate
from the Swank branch, John Rasor, was present for
the purpose of negotiating for a union. The time was
not yet quite ripe, but the conference recommended that
a general acquaintance should be formed between the
two bodies, both by correspondence and visiting.

Following this, events moved rapidly. The Brethren
in Christ in western Pennsylvania were quite in favor
of the movement, as well as the others. Their doctrines

^* Gospel Banner, Maj 1, 1882, p. 71.

" Gospel Banner, December 1, 1882, p. 181.

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

were presented in the ** Gospel Banner/' and articles
on union were very frequent. Several representatives
attended the annual conference of Indiana and Michi
gan, held in March, 1883. Sentiment in favor of a
special union meeting grew, and finally a definite date
was set — ^the first Wednesday of November — ^the place
to be Montgomery County, Ohio. The date was later
changed, and a special union conference announced, be-
ginning December 27, 1883. This was held at Harris-
burg, Ohio, with the Swank branch of the Brethren in
Christ.

The conference came off as planned, and was presided
over by Samuel McDonald. The contemplated union was
effected and finally ratified at ten o'clock on the evening
of Saturday, the twenty-ninth of December. The name
Mennonite Brethren in Christ was adopted. Tliere was
some discussion over this, and the suggestion to leave
*' Mennonite'* entirely out of the name considered. It
was finally retained, however, when the Canada brethren
explained that certain exemptions from military service
hinged upon their having the word ** Mennonite''
definitely in the name.

The names signed to the ratification are as follows :

George Wright G. D. Waitman

Menno Bowman Wm. Gehman

Daniel Brenneman Peter Walter

Moses Blackburn Peter Pike

Isaiah Smail S. Lambert

Samuel McDonald Solomon Eby

Abel Strawn John Rasor

This union brought quite an increase in membership
for the Indiana, Michigan and Ohio Conference, n The

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

conference reports for the two years, 1883 and 1884, show

the following figures :

1883 1884 Increase.

Total members 452 700 248

Churches 2 12 10

Ministers 14 25 11

Appointments 22 26 4

Thus we may conclude that the union with the Breth-
ren in Christ, together with the regular progress of the
year, added about 250 members, 10 ministers, 11
churches, and 4 appointments.

But in the union of 1883 only the Swank branch of
the Brethren in Christ united. The Wengerites made no
effort to unite as a body, although some of their minis-
ters attended the Union Conference and would have been
ready to unite. The facts are, that had it not been for
two men who had received ordination in the Wengerite
branch and who seemed to be determined upon leader-
ship and who feared the effect the union might have upon
themselves as leaders, the Wenger branch might have
united also. The Wengerites and Swankites had met
several times to make some effort at being reunited be-
fore the subject of union with the Evangelical United
Mennonites arose, but always some difficulty was en-
countered, and nothing was accomplished. One of the
two men who stood in the way of the union of the Wen-
gerites with the Evangelical United Mennonites was
later disowned by the remaining body, and the other
withdrew and united with another church. The Wen-
gerites, however, suffered some loss as a result of the
union, in the foUowing ways:

Elder Andrew Good, an ardent advocate of union, con-
tinued to labor frequently with the united body, and

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

when it became evident that the Wengerites would per-
sist in their attitude against union he united with the
Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church in 1885. There
were also a number of families from the Liberty and
Stringtown Churches in Clark County, Ohio, who united,
as well as an occasional family from several of the other
Wengerite churches. A great revival was experienced
in the community of the Liberty church, among the
families who had united with the Mennonite Brethren in
Christ, and, as a result, the Union Chapel church was
built. The Stringtown church was also purchased
from the Wengerites and was continued as a regular
preaching place for many years. Both of these congre-
gations were amalgamated with the New Carlisle class
about 1905, and ceased to exist as separate classes.

The Wengerites also sustained the loss of their church
organ as a result of the union. Their periodical,
**The Church and Home,*' had been combined with
the **Gk)spel Banner" in 1882. Andrew Gtood was one
of the editors, and Dr. Christian Nysewander the
other. Both of these men, having labored earnestly
to the end that their branch of the Brethren in Christ,
the Wengerites, should, like the Swankites, unite with
the Evangelical United Mennonites, had little induce-
ment to continue a periodical at much sacrifice, in the
interest of a body which had the oflfer of the encourage-
ment and support of a larger and more aggressive or-
ganization and which seemed destined to be dominated
by selfish leadership. Accordingly, ''The Church and
Home" ceased to exist with the issue of November 1,
1884, according to Conference action of the Wengerites
in October of that year. The reason given for not con-
tinuing is, lack of finance. Other existing conditions,

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

however, led to this situation. It may be more proper
to say that '*The Church and Home'* was allowed to
become an unidentified part of the ''Gospel Banner/'
since a number of its supporters adopted the ''Gospel
Banner" as their church periodical.

Not only did the Wengerites lose some membership in
Ohio to the Mennonite Brethren in Christ, but Elder
A. A. Miller, who was pastor of a class at Shambaugh,
Iowa, later also cast his lot with the larger body, bring-
ing the class with him. This class was not large, but was
reported by him at the Wengerite Conference, held at
Decatur, Indiana, October, 1883, as being "filled with
the Holy Ghosf

Despite all opposition to union on the part of a few
leaders, a reasonably good feeling has continued to exist
between the Mennonite Brethren in Christ and the Wen-
gerites. There has been considerable of co-operation in
localities where they have existed together, and in March,
1920, a petition was presented to the Indiana and Ohio
Conference, in annual session at Gettysburg, Ohio, by
the Antioch church of the Wengerites, located near De-
catur, Indiana, to be received into the Mennonite Breth-
ren in Christ Church. A committee was appointed to
confer with the body to which they belonged, with the
understanding that if everjrthing was satisfactory, they
should be received by the Presiding Elder of the Indiana
District. Accordingly, this class, consisting of about
thirty members, was received into the church in June,
1920.

The Wengerite branch of The Brethren in Christ con-
tinues to exist, though small and local, with some very
noticeable signs of spiritual life, and have recently
adopted the name, Pentecostal Brethren in Christ.

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

The union of 1883 was the last union. Since then
there have been no other bodies added. The statistics
for the whole church were in 1883 : ministers, 58 ; mem-
bers, 2,076 ; churches, 37 ; appointments, 76. These fig-
ures represent the statistical summary with which the
body since known as the Mennonite Brethren in Christ
began its work. Latest statistics are given at the close
of the volume, in Chapter XVIII.

To summarize briefly, we have seen how two evangel-
ical sects, laying emphasis on experimental religion with
definite assurance of pardon, separated from the Old
Mennonite Church in Canada. They were known as the
Reformed Mennonites and the New Mennonites, the for-
mer spreading to the United States. These united and
produced the United Mennonites, who again united with
the Evangelical Mennonites from Pennsylvania who had
arisen from similar causes, forming the Evangelical
United Mennonites. After a short time the Brethren
in Christ expressed a desire for union, and the Mennon-
ite Brethren in Christ was formed by the union of the
Evangelical United Mennonites and the Swank branch
of the Brethren in Christ. That, in short, is the history
of the origin of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ.

Subsequent Developments.

With the union of 1883, the Mennonite Brethren in
Christ Church was started on its real career. Its terri-
torial growth is indicated by the conferences which
sprang from the original three. The Michigan Confer-
ence is the product of the Ontario and Indiana Con-
ferences jointly, with the larger contribution to the
credit of Ontario. The Nebraska Conference is the re-

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

suit, almost exclusively, of the activity of the Indiana
y and Ohio Conference. The Pacific Conference sprang
directly from the Nebraska Conference, hence indirectly
from the Indiana and Ohio Conference. The Canadian
North West Conference is the outgrowth of the Ontario
Conference. After its founding, the Ontario Confer-
ence, formerly called the Canadian Conference, was
obliged to share its name with the newcomer, the elder
taking to itself the name Ontario Conference. The In-
diana and Ohio Conference, before the union in 1883,
which practically added the Ohio District, was called the
Indiana and Michigan Conference. Later the name
Michigan was dropped in favor of Ohio.

The story of an evangelism which could not be limited
to the rural districts nor by the ocean shores, but which
reached into some of the dark places of the lai^er cities
and to the heathen peoples of the world, is told in the
chapter on ** Missions.'*

The awakening to the power of the silent, printed page,
and the consequent effort to utilize these forces in the
field of literature is recounted in the chapter on *' Pub-
lishing Interests.'*

The slow but gradual recognition of the need of a
trained intellect in the field of Christian service as well
as in all the legitimate occupations and professions, with
the meager efforts made to meet this need, is related in
the chapter on '-Education."

The struggle toward a position in matters of doctrine
and practice, which will enable the church to serve her
day and generation, is traced in the chapter on ''Doc-
trinal and Practical Developments."

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

Record op Presiding Elders.

The following is a list of the Presiding Elders who
have served the various conferences, with their respective
dates, under whose leadership the work of the Lord, rep-
resented by the several Conferences, has been carried on :

Pennsylvama, — ^William Oehman, 1880-1891; W. B.
Musselman, 1891-1898; C. H. Brunner, 1898-1902,
1905-1907; H. B. Musselman, 1901-1906, 1908-1920;
W. G. Gehman, 1905-1920. The Conference has been
divided into two districts most of the time since 1902.

Ontario, — Solomon Eby, 1875-1886, from the first con-
ference of the United Mennonites to the third M. B. C.
Conference. Menno Bowman, 1886-1891. From 1891
to 1907 there were two districts and two elders, as fol-
lows: 1891-1895, M. Bowman (West District), Solomon
Eby (East); 1895-1900, M. Bowman (South), Peter
Cober (North); 1900-1901, P. Cober (South), Henry
Goudie (North); 1901-1903, H. Goudie (North), S.
Eby (South); 1903-1905, H. Goudie (North), P. Co-
ber (South) ; 1905-1907, P. Cober (West), Samuel Gou-
die (East) ; 1907-1908, one Elder, S. Goudie; 1908-1911,
S. Goudie (East), E. Sievenpiper (West); 1911-1915,
S. Goudie (West), S. Cressman (East) ; 1917-1918, one
Elder, S. Goudie; 1918-1919, C. N. Good (West), S.
Goudie (East); 1919-19—, S. Cressman (West), S.
Goudie (East).

Indiana and Ohio, — ^Daniel Brenneman, 1876-1877,
1879-1880, 1881-1882, 1883-1884 (South District),
1885-1886, 1890-1892, 1895-1896, 1896-1897 (East),
1897-1901; Samuel Sherk, 1877-1879, 1880-1881, 1883-
1884 (North District), 1884-1885, 1886-1887; D. U.

7 97

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Lambert, 1882-1883 ; Andrew Good, 1887-1890 ; S. Lam-
bert, 1892-1894; C. K. Curtis, 1894-1895, 1896-1897
(West District). Prom 1901 the conference was divided
into two districts, the Indiana District and the Ohio
District, with two Presiding Elders, except from 1908-
1909, when A. B. Yoder served both districts. 1901-1903,
A. B. Yoder (Indiana), W. J. HufiEman (Ohio) ; 1903-
1904, A. B. Yoder (Indiana), J. E. Hall (Ohio) ; 1904-
1906, A. B. Yoder (Indiana), S. Lambert (Ohio)
1906-1907, C. K. Curtis (Indiana), C. I. Scott (Ohio)
1907-1908, S. Lambert (Indiana), C. I. Scott (Ohio)
1909-1910, A. B. Yoder (Indiana), H. F. Beck (Ohio)
1910-1912, A. B. Yoder (Indiana), S. Lambert (Ohio)
1912-1917, C. K. Curtis (Indiana), C. I. HuflEman
(Ohio) ; 1917-1921, A. B. Yoder (Indiana), W. H. Moore
(Ohio).

Ministerial Roll.

The ministerial roll, as shown by the latest Conference
Reports of the three original Conferences is as follows :

Pennsylvania.

Ordained: H. B. Musselman, W. G. Gehman, W. B.
Musselman, C. H. Brunner, W. S. Hottel, E. N. Cassel,
F. M. Hottel, J. G. Shireman, B. Bryan Musselman,
E. T. Shick, R. L. Woodring, J. C. Roth, H. K. Kratz,
J. P. Barrall, 0. S. Hillegass, G. F. Yost, R. Bergstresser,
E. E. Kublic, V. H. Reinhart, W. W. Zimmerman, R. W.
Dickert, J. B. Layne, M; P. Zook, C. F. Snyder, and
H. W. Feldges.

Probationers: A. G. Woodring, W. F. HefPner and
N. H. Wolf.

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST.

Ontario.

Ordained and Probationers: S. Gtoudie, S. Cressman,
C. N. Good, J. N. Kitching, J. A. Sider, P. Cober, E. Sie-
venpiper, J. Bolwell, W. Brown, A. G. Warder, F. J.
Lehman, H. ft. Pry, M. Bricker, I. Brubacker, N. H.
Sehwalm, R. Eltherington, D. J. Storms, E. Moyer, T. F.
Barker, C. I. Sinden, E. Schlimn, A. T. Gk)oding, C. Ray-
mer, M. McGuire, H. S. Hallman, J. B. Detwiler, S. H.
Fretz, S. S. Shantz, W. Yates, A. Geiger, M. Weber,
L. P. Raymer, P. Geiger, J. E. Fidler, W. 0. Mendell,
I. H. Erb, C. T. Homuth, A. W. Banfield, W. Shantz.

Indiana and Ohio.

Ordained: A. B. Yoder, W. H. Moore, S. Lambert,
C. K. Curtis, J. A. Huffman, S. Longenecker, S. Bartlett,
C. I. Huffman, E. D. Mast, L. J. Lehman, A. Taylor,
H. M. Metzger, D. Hygema, J. I. Moore, J. J. Hostetler,
I. P. Moore, L. Kreider, C. T. Moore, 0. L. Flesher,
W. W. Culp. A. Taylor, L. Welty, D. H. Huffman.

Probationers: H. E. Miller, C. Spry, J. A. Singer,
W. J. Huffman, B. D. Lewis, R. P. Ditmer, R. McBrier,
C. A. Wright.

CHAPTER VII.

Elder William Gehman.

(Biographical Sketch.)

Elder William Gehman was born January 22, 1827,
and died April 12, 1918; aged 91 years, 2 months and
20 days.

''Father" William Gehman, as he was called for many
years because of his greatly advanced age, was bom in
Hereford Township, Berks County, Pa. He spent his
early life on his father's farm, later learned the trade of
a miller. Afterward he was married to Anna Musselman,
who died in 1904, five sons and four daughters having
been born unto them, all of whom survive him except
one son and one daughter.

When quite young, he was voted into the ministry by
the congregation of the General Conference Mennonites
at Zionsville, Pa., of which he was a member, and was
ordained to the ministry in 1849. Being forbidden to
hold prayer meetings, he felt that he could not worship
any longer with his former church, so he, with a numSer
of others, organized a church at Zionsville in 1857.

At first they only had services in their homes, but in
the summer of 1859 they built a substantial brick church
about a mile east of the old church. This was known for
many years as Upper Milford Church, but now known
as Zionsville M. B. in C. Church. This was the first
and original congregation of the Mennonite Brethren
in Christ of Pennsylvania.

He continued to be the leading spirit among the minis-

100

ELDER WILLIAM GERMAN.

(1887-1918.)

ELDER WILLIAM GEHMAN.

ters and the various congregations until 1879, when he
was elected the first Presiding Elder of the Pennsylvania
Conference. This office he held for thirteen successive
years till 1892, when he retired from the active service.

His youngest son, W. G. Gehman, has been a Presid-
ing Elder in the Pennsylvania Conference since 1905,
also President of the Gospel Herald Society, a men's
home missionary society. Another son, Allen M., has
been Conference Treasurer since 1902, while another son,
Henry M., is a Quarterly Conference licensed minister.

Although retired for over twenty-seven years. Father
Gehman never lost interest in the work, and was present
at every Annual Conference up to the last one before
his death, held at Allentown, Pa., in October, 1917. He
attended a total of 106 semi-annual, special, annual and
general conferences without missing one session. At
twenty-nine of these he served as chairman.

He took an increasing delight in his last years
in seeing the progress of the work and beholding
the many young people saved and separated from this
present evil world, and brought into the active and full
service of their blessed Master. He was held in high es-
teem by his younger brethren in the ministry for whom
he also always showed much respect.

He was also a prominent and ever-welcome at-
tendant at the church where he lived and of which
he was a life-long member. He was noted for be-
ing punctual in the Sunday School, and kept his place
in his class up to the last Sunday before his death. He
could not be persuaded to fill an appointment that would
take him away from the Quarterly Conference on the
charge. He always welcomed his Presiding Elders, and
took an active part in all of the services. His mind was

101

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

keen and brilliant up to the last. Pe frequently preached
for one and one-half hours, even of late years, showing
unusual fervor, strength and zeal. The Sunday before
his death he gave an address at his home church, and
although his age showed such ripeness, he was ever young
in spirit, which is so unlike the many of his class. He
had planned to meet with the brethren at the Ministerial
Convention, held at Emaus, Pa., during the week of his
demise, but the Lord seemingly willed it otherwise. He
contracted a cold li^ich soon developed into pneumonia,
of which he died after an illness of only three days.

He fell asleep in Jesus without a struggle, giving
much assurance of the glorious hope to come (be-
ing conscious up to the last), and knowing that he had
** fought the good fight of faith." The light of this life
which may keep flaming against many winds, at last dies
out for want of oil. He will still be kept in remembrance
as a Father in the church, who was much esteemed in
the Lord.

102

CHAPTER VIII.

The Michigan Conference.

After tracing the origin of the Mennonite Brethren
in Christ Church in the preceding chapters, it remains
to account for the most important subsequent develop-
ments. There were, at the close of the last chapter, three
conferences : Ontario, Indiana and Ohio, and Pennsylva-
nia. It remains, therefore, to trace the origin of the
other four: Michigan, Nebraska, Pacific and Alberta,
and then summarize the growth of all up to the present
time. Before the summary, a chapter will be, devoted
to each of the following subjects : Doctrinal and Prac-
tical Developments, Publishing Interests, Foreign Mis-
sions, City Missions, Education and Biographical
Sketches.

The Michigan Conference was well started before the
last union in 1883. Peter Cober's early labors in Michi-
gan have already been recounted in Chapter VI. He
was concerned mainly with the southern part of the
state, and in 1882 was sent to Indiana by the confer-
ence. Other men working in Michigan in the early days
were Samuel Sherk, D. U. Lambert, J. Schlichter and a
few others. By 1883 there were classes organized in
Kent, Emmett, Van Buren, Lapeer, Sanilac and Huron
countieSi In 1883 B. Kreutziger was sent over by the
Canada Conference. He went to Brown City. At the
time, however, there was no church or parsonage there,
and it being impossible for them to rent a place to live,
they built a barn in which they lived until the house was

103

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

completed. The first church in Michigan was built in
the following year (1884) at Brown City. There were
about fifteen members in all on the Brown City and
Greenwood fields. The Brown City class had been or-
ganized in May, 1881, by D. Brenneman. Meetings were
also held at the Deanville school house, where consider-
able success was met. From various places, invitations
came to hold tabernacle meetings. These were generally
accepted. A large tent was erected and meetings held
every night, often for weeks at a time. Thus the classes
at Lamotte, Elmer, and Wheatland were started.

Wesley Schlichter was the successor to Elder B. Kreut-
ziger, and built the first Greenwood Church about 1884.
Greenwood was then a part of the Brown City Circuit.
B. Kreutziger continued ever since to labor in the ter-
ritory of the Michigan Conference.

Following the earliest pioneers of the conference came
two men, both from Ontario, both ordained the same
year (1891) by the Canadian Conference. They were
Elders B. Anthony and 0. B. Snyder. These men, each
after serving a short pastorate in Ontario, came to Mich-
igan in the vigor of their manhood (0. B. Snyder com-
ing in 1890 and E. Anthony in 1891), both giving strong
and aggressive leadership to the conference. Elder
Anthony served as Presiding Elder, covering a period
of ten years. 0. B. Snyder served as Presiding Elder
for fourteen and a half years, almost continuously. To
these strong and self-sacrificing leaders much of the
credit of the progress of the Michigan Conference is due,
for they accepted the leadership from the hands of the
pioneers, and succeeded in making the conference self-
supporting and its presence and influence felt within
and beyond the state.

104

THE MICHIGAN CONFERENCE.

Scarcely less than the contributions made to the
Michigan Conference by E. Anthony or 0. B. Snyder
was that of Elder William Graybiel. He, too, was a
Canadian by birth, and came to Michigan in 1891. He
was the pioneer evangelist. During the summer of 1891
he held three tabernacle meetings: at Greenwood, Yale
and Lynn. As a result of one of these meetings the
Lynn class was organized and Greenwood strengthened.
He also labored at Fremont, where he built a church.
Being an excellent singer, his services were almost in-
dispensable at the camp meetings and other gatherings.
Either by preaching, singing or by the use of his saw
and hammer, very little took place in the territory of
the Michigan Conference, in the earlier days, without
his presence and contribution. He returned to Canada,
where he spent several years, but later returned to Mich-
igan. He also served as Pj:esiding Elder on the West
District for two years, 1905-1907.

Elder William Schroeder also devoted considerable
time to evangelistic work toward the close of the nine-
ties, as a result of which the Mizpeh and Wheatland
Churches were organized.

At the General Conference in 1896, held at Coopers-
burg, Pa., Michigan, a part of which had previously
been within the territory of the Ontario Conference
and a part within the territory of the Indiana and Ohio
Conference, was recognized as a Mission Conference.
That meant that Michigan would be a separate conference
in the future, but would receive support from the other
conferences. A special Home Mission Fund was kept in
each conference, and this was used to assist the places
that were small and unable to fully support themselves.
Canada usually had a strong Home Mission Fund, and

105

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

was often able to help needy fields. In this case, Canada
gave thirty percent of her Fund to the Michigan Con-
ference the first two years (1897-1898), twenty-five per-
cent the third year, and twenty percent the fourth. Thus
the Michigan work was cared for. At the next General
Conference, in 1900, Michigan was represented by three
men, 0. B. Snyd^, E. Anthony and J. C. Hallman, the
two former being ministers, the latter a layman. At
this General Conference Michigan was made an inde-
pendent conference. There were by that time six cir-
cuits and five missions. Besides this, a few city missions
had been opened. During the following four years Can-
ada still helped support the Michigan work.

The Michigan Conference had but little Mennonite
stock with which to build up its local churches. With
the exception of a few families who came over from
Canada at various times, the leaders had to work with
those of other than Mennonite ancestry, thus becoming,
in a very real sense, a missionary conference. Although
it is true of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ movement,
as a whole, that it was and is a missionary movement,
it is particularly true of the Michigan Conference, when
compared with the three older conferences, as is evi-
denced by the number of non-Mennonite names now
upon the Church records.

That the eastern and northern parts of the state of
Michigan should have become so well dotted with Men-
nonite Brethren in Christ Churches in so short a time,
is a splendid testimony to the aggressiveness of this
small and comparatively youthful conference. This can-
not be accounted for without arriving at a conclusion,
that those who came among the people of Michigan as
representatives of the Mennonite faith, both ministry

106

THE MICHIGAN CONPERBNCB.

and laity, must have had the favor of Qod upon them,
and thus were able to exert a wonderful influence upon
the people.

From the time that Michigan became even a Mission-
ary Conference, city missions were conducted: first in
Grand Bapids, then in cities like St. Clair, Bad Axe,
Pontiac, Port Huron, and other cities, and later in De-
troit, where two missions were organized. Some of these
missions have been discontinued, and some have become
regularly organized churches, and constitute a substan-
tial part of the conferenoe. Several city missions are
still conducted in the larger cities, such as Detroit, Bat-
tle Creek and Kalamazoo, the latter having been opened
in 1920. As in all the conferences, women missionaries
were the most important factors in carrying on city mis-
sion work. The city mission work has been at all times
under the direction of the Presiding Elders.

Neither has the call from beyond the seas gone un-
heeded by this conference. In 1901 its first Presiding
Elder, E. Anthony, was sent to Africa, where he aided
in organizing the work in Nigeria. His health did not
permit him to remain long — a little less than two years —
but soon after his return. Miss Florence Overholt (Mrs.
Lang) was sent out in 1906, and a year later Ira Sherk
was sent. Interest, however, did not confine itself to
Africa, but in 1909 Misses Dorinda and Anna Bowman
were sent to assist in the work among the Armenians
in Asiatic Turkey.

It is to be noted that the Michigan Conference is the
child of the Ontario Conference (Canada Conference as
it was then called), for it not only furnished the pio-
neer and later leaders, but also gave some families to
constitute a nucleus of laity. The parent conference

107

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

also gave of its funds to support the young missionary
conference, until it was capable of self-support. What-
ever there is, or shall be, of the Michigan Conference,
must be placed largely to the credit of the missionary
and sacrificing spirit of the Ontario Conference.

PBEsroiNG Elder Record.

The following is a list of the Presiding Elders who
have served the Michigan Conference, with dates:

E. Anthony was elected in 1895 by the Ontario Con-
ference, over the Michigan District, and continued after
Michigan was made a Missionary Conference, serving
until 1900, when 0. B. Snyder was elected.

In 1904 the conference was divided into East and
West Districts. 0. B. Snyder was stationed on the East
District; Elder E. Anthony on the West District.

In 1905 W. Graybiel and E. Anthony were elected.
W. Graybiel was placed on the West District, and E.
Anthony on the East.

In 1907 the conference went back to one district and
one Presiding Elder, E. Anthony being elected.

In 1909 0. B. Snyder was elected Presiding Elder.

In 1914 the conference was again divided into two
districts: North and South. R. M. Dodd was placed
over the North District, and 0. B. Snyder over the South
District.

In 1917 B. Bowman was elected over the North Dis-
trict ; 0. B. Snyder over the South District.

In 1918 R. M. Dodd was elected over the South Dis-
trict; B. Bowman over the North District.

In 1920 B. A. Sherk was elected over the North Dis-
trict ; R. M. Dodd over the South District.

108

THE MICHIGAN CONPBRBNCB.

Ministerial Boll.

The ministerial roll of the Conference, as found in its
latest proceedings is as f oUows :

Ordained: B. Kreutziger, 0. B. Snyder, D. Schultz,
B. A. Sherk, R. M. Dodd, J. S. Wood, J. A. Avery, B.
Douglas, B. Bowman, S. H. Kreutziger, F. A. Jones,
W. 0. Cline, B. Krack, R. G. Morgan, R. W. Berber,
R. D. Dean, J. A. Bradley, A. G. Herman, N. Kiteley,
W. Schroeder, W. Graybiel, M. D. Bechtel, H. Hill.

Probationers: N. J. Zimmerla, G. C. Guilliat. G. W.
Surbrook.

109

CHAPTER IX.

The Nebraska Conference.

Until the year of the organization of the Nebraska
Conference (1896), there were but two conferences in
the United States : Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio, and
one in Canada. The Pennsylvania Conference was con-
fined to Eastern Pennsylvania, the Canadian to Ontario
and northern Michigan, while the Indiana and Ohio
Conference had churches in Indiana, Ohio, western Penn-
sylvania and southern Michigan.^

The '*call of the west'' was heard by members of the
M. B. C. Church, as well as by others. With its broad,
rolling prairies and fertile lands, it offered homes to
such who were less likely to obtain homes in the eastern
or central states. Even to Ontario the western portion
of the United States made its appeal.

Some time before 1880 a small colony of members of
the M. B. C. Church from Ontario migrated to Marion
County, Kansas, in the vicinity of Peabody. Among
them were : B. D. Snyder, Benjamin Snyder, H. E. Wis-
mer, Samuel Burkholder, Samuel Haug and others, with
their families. There were also in this colony the fami-
lies of Joseph Dohner and Jacob Dohner, formerly from
Pennsylvania. These people were like a small flock of
sheep without a shepherd, and exposed to the peculiar
spiritual dangers which are characteristic of new coun-
tries.

* Michigan was nwde a Minion Conference and The Nebradca Confer-
ence authorised at the same General Conference in 18M.

110

THE NEBRASKA CONFERENCE.

The Canadian Conference did not forget this little
colony in Kansas. They sent their Presiding Elder,
Solomon Eby, to visit them in the latter part of the win-
ter of 1880-1881 (February, March). The Canadian
Conference of June, 1880, authorized correspondence
with the Indiana and Ohio and Pennsylvania Confer-
ences, with a view of securing a minister for the Kansas
brethren.2

Although there was no action taken during the year
by the conferences in the United States, some evan-
gelistic visits were made to the Kansas brethren ; also to
several other western communities. In November, 1880,
Elder Daniel Brenneman started upon a western tour.
He first visited a community of brethren in Henry
County, Iowa, near Sweedsburgh. A series of meetings
was held in the Crawford school house, at the close of
which a class of fourteen was organized, with C. Bechler
as minister and S. Hage as deacon. From here he went
to Marion County, Kansas, to visit the community of
brethren near Peabody. During the month of December
a revival meeting was conducted in the Dohner school
house, which proved successful. As yet there was no
organization, and on December 19, 1880, a class of seven-
teen members was organized.*

This evangelistic tour of Daniel Brenneman, resulting
in the organization of two classes, was followed soon by
a similar one by John Krupp, who visited both of the
classes organized. A series of meetings was held in each
place, which proved to be helpful to the newly-organized
churches. ICrupp proceeded further, into MoPherson
County, Kansas, where several meetings were held and

^MinntM of Canadian Conferenee, Gospel Banner, July I, 1880, p. 101.
* Editorial Correepondenee, Goepel Banner, Jannarj 1, 1881, p. 4.

Ill

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

a union Sabbath School organized. This was in the win-
ter of 1880-1881 (December-February).

The result of this tour was that Elder ICrupp, who had
accepted no pastorate at the fall conference held in
Indiana, decided to move west, which he did in May,
1881, settling in Henry County, Iowa, becoming the
pastor of the church which worshiped in the Crawford
school house.

But the Canadian community near Peabody was still
shepherdless, and they made urgent appeals for help.
The Canadian Conference, at its annual session in June,
1881, requested Elder Noah Detwiler to give three
months of his time, during the summer of 1881, to the
work in Kansas. This request was carried out, except
that he remained with them two months, from August
to October. The stay was all too short for the Kansas
church, and again they were without a shepherd.

During the month of March, 1882, John Krupp, who
was then located in Iowa, held a meeting at Dohner's
school house, near Peabody, Kansas, resulting in an ad-
dition of seven members to the class. He also proceeded
to McPherson County, where he organized a class — ^the
third class in the west — of ten members, near McPher-
son Center.*

During the months of July and August, 1881, Elder
Samuel Sherk, then Presiding Elder of the Indiana and
Ohio Conference, made a visit to these few churches
scattered in the west, two of which were still without
regular pastors.

It was not until 1883 that the Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference succeeded in sending a regular pastor to the

^ CorrMpondence, Gospel Banner, April 16, 1882, p. 80.

112

THE NEBRASKA CONFERENCE.

'^ Kansas Mission/' as it was called, when Elder Daniel
Kearschling, of Hollidaysburg, Pa., who had united with
the conference that year, was sent.*^

In 1883, John Krupp moved to Arkansas, together
with several families from Henry County, Iowa, and
established a work near Stuttgart. Jacob Dohner, of
Peabody, Kansas, went to Oklahoma later and organized
a class at Waterloo, Oklahoma.

These may be said to be the beginnings of the work
in the Nebraska Conference. Out from these small cen-
ters grew other groups, and an occasional class was or-
ganized. But nothing of a very aggressive nature, from
the conference standpoint, was done for a period of al-
most ten years. The union with the Brethren in Christ
in 1883 had added one church, the one at Shambaugh,
Iowa, and one minister, their pastor. Elder A. A. Miller.
S. Lambert and George Lambert went to Marion County,
Kansas, in 1884, where they remained for a short time,
giving some assistance to the class near Peabody, but
returned to the Indiana and Ohio Conference within a
couple of years. D. U. Lambert also labored for a time
with the class at Peabody.

Elder Andrew Good, who was styled in the west the
''heavenly preacher," because of his sweet singing and
eloquent preaching, made several visits among the
churches, assisting in revival meetings. The Presiding
Elder of the Indiana and Ohio Conference also made
trips to the scattered western churches. All these things
together assisted in keeping up the interest in the

churches already organized, and the pastors themselves
made missionary tours into outlying districts, preaching

'^ Conference Minutes, Gospel Banner, April 1, 1883, p. 62.

« 113

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

in school houses and villages, preparing the way for more
systematic and permanent work when the time should
come.

It was in the spring of 1893 that Homer J. Pontius
was sent by the Indiana and Ohio Conference to Frontier
County, Nebraska, where he opened appointments at
Holbrook, Lathrop school house. Hunt school house,
Highland school house. Rich school house and Earl
school house. He also became the pastor of a small class
at the Metcilf school house in Smith County, Kansas,
about eight miles south of Bloomington, Franklin
County, Nebraska.

Joseph A. Persell of Smith County, Elansas, was re-
ceived as probationer that year, and was assigned as
helper. Elder Pontius held then as his charge, as he
later reminiscently said: ''All territory lying west of
Iowa and north of Oklahoma.'*

In the spring of 1894, in response to a plea made by
A. A. Miller, conference sent J. J. Hostetler as pastor
of the Shambaugh and New Market, Iowa, Churches,
releasing Elder A. A. Miller.

In the autumn of 1893 Jacob Hygema was sent by the
Indiana and Ohio Conference to assist in the evangelistic
work of the west. He first went to Shambaugh, Iowa;
then to western Nebraska, and then to Stuttgart, Ark.

The tabernacle meeting held in Cunning's Grove, near
the Hunt school house in western Nebraska, was des-
tined to have the greatest effect upon the history of the
work. In this meeting several were converted who be-
came leaders in the church. They were J. W. Morgan,
M. J. Carmichael and L. D. Whitcomb. N. W. Rich also
attended this meeting, and it was here that he became
deeply convicted of his sin. He was converted about

114

THE NEBRASKA CONFERENCE.

three months later. Besides the above named many
others were converted. The meeting was held by H. J.
Pontius and Jacob Hygema. Elder A. A. Miller had
preached in this locality : he had sown the seed, and the
brethren who followed reaped the harvest.

It was in the year 1894 that 0. B. Henderson, who
had been converted in the year 1892, received his call
to preach ; and going to Harper, Kansas, where several
had previously preached, but where no organization
had been effected, organized a class. Although the or-
ganization of all the churches cannot be«related, it was
in this manner that the work spread and came gradually
to be more widely organized. Classes were organized
at Moline, Franklin County, Nebraska, and Reamsville,
Smith County, Kansas, in 1896, by H. J. Pontius.

The organization of classes in the western states in-
creased the territory of the Indiana and Ohio Confer-
ence very materially; and it soon became evident that
someone was needed to assume the oversight of the work
so newly organized, as the Presiding Elder of the confer-
ence could not possibly cover so large a territory and give
efl&cient leadership. Accordingly, at the Annual Con-
ference held in Potsdam, Ohio, in 1896, two Presiding
Elders were elected : Daniel Brenneman for the territory
of the Indiana and Ohio Conference east of the Missis-
sippi River, and C. K. Curtis for the territory west of
the Mississippi.

The newly elected Presiding Elder for the western
territory was authorized to proceed with the organiza-
tion of a conference west of the IVIississippi ; but as all
necessary arrangements had been made for the work for
the ensuing year, nothing was done tpward the organiza-
tion of a conference ; so the work was continued for that

115

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

year under the jurisdiction of the Indiana and Ohio
Conference. The Presiding Elder gave himself to the
oversight of the work and assisted in camp and taber-
nacle meetings in the various states where classes had
been formed. A number were converted, and not a few
were sanctified during the year. It was at a tabernacle
meeting near Peabody, Kansas, where Mina Myers (later
Mrs. Arthur Creasey), a public school teacher, conse-
crated herself to the Lord, and went forth to twenty
years of faithful service before she was called home. In
the fall of that year (1896) the General Conference
which convened in Pennsylvania, made the district west
of the Mississippi River a new conference, christening
it the ''Iowa and Nebraska Conference." It was later
changed to the ''Nebraska Conference.'*

The first Annual Conference was held at New Market,
Iowa, in March, 1897, with C. K. Curtis as chairman.
There were five ordained ministers within the territory
of the conference to begin with, and several probationers.
Five probationers were added to the list at this confer-
ence, and thus the small ship of conference set sail.

The Nebraska Conference was not forgotten by its
Mother Conference, after being denominated a distinct
conference by itself. The Indiana and Ohio Conference
not only supplied a Presiding Elder for it, for a period
of three years longer, in the person of Elder C. K. Cur-
tis, but either loaned or>gave to it an occasional minister.
Elder A. B. Yoder, having gone to Nebraska in 1896,
remained in the service of the Nebraska Conference until
the spring of 1898.

The labors, hardships and sacrifices of these preachers
of the western plains will never be fully known nor ap-
preciated. The work has grown, reaching out also into

116

THE NEBRASKA CONFERENCE.

Colorado. Not content with the evangelization of plain
and village, the conference has opened, financed, manned
and maintained a number of missions in the larger cities,
including Omaha, South Omaha, Topeka, Kansas City
and Council Bluflfs. It has also sent two missionaries to
Africa: May Compton and Maud Cretors. Miss Laura
Steckley, who has been in India, is now a member of
that conference, and will represent them in India. Miss
Stella Lantz has been accepted for the work in Africa,
to sail in the autumn of 1920. How the Nebraska Con-
ference overran its boundaries and gave rise to a new
and younger conference is recounted in the chapter en-
titled The Pacific Conference.

Presiding Elder Record.

Since its organization the Nebraska Conference has
been served by eight Presiding Elders. C. K. Curtis
served three years (1896-1899) ; Jacob Hygema one year
(1899-1900) ; H. J. Pontius one year (1900-1901) ; 0. B.
Henderson three and a half years (1901-1904) ; A. A.
Miller one year (1904-1905) ; J. W. Morgan fow years
(1904-1908) ; N. W. Rich seven years (1908-1915) ; C. I.
Scott since 1915. J. W. Morgan and A. A. Miller served
one year contemporaneously (1904-1905), the confer-
ence having been divided into two districts. The two-
district plan was continued only for the period of one
year.

Ministerial Roll.

The ministerial roll as disclosed by the latest Confer-
ence Report is as follows :

Ordained: C. I. Scott, J. Hygema, N. W. Rich, E. L.
Hodson, J. A. Beery, Wm. Lambert, T. J. Overholt, T. D.

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MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Grover, J. A. Persell, C. H. Herrimany A. Campbell,
A. P. Utter, W. M. Jett, T. D. Walker, J. K Myers, Wm,
Anderson, E. D. Young, B. Starkey, J. H. Hess.

Probationers: Wm. Day, F. R. Rothenberger, R. R.
Marsh, J. W. Wheaton.

118

CHAPTER X.

The Pacific Conference.

In an issue of the Gospel Banner of the month of
June, 1899, there appeared an article in which a request
was made for a minister of the Mennonite Brethren in
Christ Church to come to Yakima (then called North
Yakima), Washington, for the purpose of starting a
work.

This call was answered by Elder M. J. Carmichael,
of the Nebraska Conference, who went west the follow-
ing September and started a mission in the city of Ya-
kima in the November following. God blessed the work
so that a class was organized in January of the next
year (1900).

The church at Yakima became a center from which to
work. A number of revival meetings were held in the
neighboring towns and communities, where many be-
came interested in the plain Gospel preached in sim-
plicity and power, and not a few sought the Lord, both
for pardon and for purity.

Not long after, Elder Carmichael went to Puget
Sound and held a meeting at Mountain View, Washing-
ton, where a Mennonite family from Oklahoma had set-
tled. The effort here was not so successful at first. A
second meeting followed, he being assisted this time by
Elder Joseph Persell, who had just previously come from
the Nebraska Conference. This meeting was far-reach-
ing and effective, bringing many to the decision of ac-

119

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

ceptmg Christ. Here a small class was organized, which
grew rapidly for a few years.

About two years later, Elder H. J. Pontius came west.
Elder Jacob Hygema and several other workers soon
followed. Revivals were continued along the coast, and
almost everywhere people turned to the Lord.

The call of the Lord to His ministry was heard by some
of the young converts from Yakima, Mountain View,
Pleasant Valley and other points. The call was heeded,
and a number entered the ministry. When the Pacific
Conference was made a mission conference in 1906, by
the Nebraska Conference, there were three ordained min-
isters, one approved ministering sister, twelve proba-
tioners and three applicants for the ministry, who be-
came members of the conference. It was made an inde-
pendent conference by the General Conference of 1908.

The first session of the Pacific Conference was held
on August 2, 1906, at Mountain View, Wash., with Elder
M. J. Carmichael as chairman. There were present at
this conference fifteen ministers and workers, three dele-
gates and three applicants for the ministry. While a
lack of experience was evidenced in this conference,
courage, hope and zeal were manifested. Charity ruled,
and God blessed. Work had been opened up at Yakima,
Mountain View, Pleasant Valley, and Bellingham — ^all in
Washington. The preaching had awakened such interest
in the distinctive doctrines of the Mennonite Brethren in
Christ Church, that delegates had been elected to this
conference from six places in Washington and one point
in Oregon. Only three, however, of the seven delegates
elected were present.

Before this conference convened, a rescue mission had
been started in Bellingham, Wash., which was in charge

120

THE PACIFIC CONFERENCE.

of Mrs. C. C. Green. This mission continued for several
years, successfully aiding the fallen to a new life.

The workers who had been raised up for service in
the territory later to become the Pacific Conference
were, in the main, young and inexperienced, so that it
was deemed necessary that something by the way of a defi-
nite and systematic Bible instruction should be started.
Accordingly, a Bible School was opened by Elder Car-
michael in the winter of 1903, continuing for several
months. The interest was such as to justify a second
effort the following winter under the leadership of El-
der Jacob Hygema, of the Nebraska Conference. The
Lord blessed abundantly as the Bible students were
led into the deeper things of His Word. The class con-
sisted of seventeen students, several of whom are in the
active work to-day. The course was continued the next
winter. Another school of only a short term was con-
ducted at Mountain View, Washington, some years later
by Elder Hygema.

In the winter of 1912-1913, Elder Jacob Hygema con-
ducted a Bible course at Yakima. Again the teaching
of the Word was appreciated, and the work strengthened.
The next winter, Mrs. Mina Creasey, a woman of splen-
did teaching ability, taught a second term to a student
body about the size of that which had attended the pre-
vious winter.

In the winter of 1916-1917 courses of Bible instruc-
tion were given at Filer, Idaho, and the following win-
ter at Yakima, Wash., by Elder A. W. Barbezat.

The first camp meeting held within the territory of
the Pacific Conference was held at Femdale, Washing-
ton, prior to the organization of the conference (1903).
The camp, with its plain, bold preaching, which uncov-

121

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

ered sin and caused saints to rejoice, was quite a new
thing for the people of this community, and attracted
wide attention. It proved to be a success, and was con-
tinued regularly at the same place for a number of
years. Later, camps not so successful were held at
Everson and Everett, Washington. More recently a
somewhat permanent camp has been established at Moun-
tain View, Washington, and other camps have been con-
ducted almost annually at Tatdma, Washington, at Cul-
ver, Oregon, and Filer, Idaho.

From the time that the conference was organized,
home missions were conducted; first in the smaller
towns, such as Yakima, Ellensburg, Bellingham, Pasco,
Anacortes and Everett, all in Washington. Later a mis-
sion was started in Portland, Oregon. Some of the
missions in the smaller places either resulted in the or-
ganization of or the building up of classes, but none
of them have been continued as missions.

Though young, the Pacific Conference has manifested
great interest in foreign missions. In 1908 Miss Frances
Bechler was sent to South America, where she labored
successfully in the Republic of Chile, in the communities
of Valdivia and Valparaiso. She was called away from
her faithful labors by death in 1911. Preparations were
being made to send Elder W. R. Grout and wife to Tur-
key when the European War broke out, closing the door
to that field for an indefinite period of time. Miss
Myrtle Williams and Miss Emma Einnan are working
in India.

For a few years (1911-1915) a conference periodical
was published, called The Oospel Preacher — ^first by J.
G. Grout and later by M. J. Carmichael. The circula-

122

THE PACIFIC CONFERENCE.

tion reached 450 subscribers, but was discontinued in
1915.

Considerable effort has been made toward the circu-
lation of religious books and literature. This has been
carried on by conducting camp meeting book stands, by
house to house canvass and by mail, from several re-
positories.

With but a short history of organized existence, the
Pacific Conference has suffered several distinct losses
by death. The first to be gleaned by death, from among
the active workers, was Elder 0. F. Ray. The second
was Miss Frances Bechler, missionary to South America,
in 1911. The third was Mrs. Arthur Creasy, in 1917,
who before her marriage was Miss Mina Myers, who had
come from the Nebraska Conference.

These workers were capable and consecrated. After
the death of Miss Bechler the conference passed the fol-
lowing resolution in memoriam :

''Her conversations were elevating, her sermons in-
spiring and her spirit excellent. The church feels the
loss of her labors, and this conference wishes to express
its keenf elt loss, which is her eternal gain. Although
dead. Sister Frances Bechler yet speaketh."

Recalling the lives of these worthies who have lived
and left their impress upon those who knew them, the
words of the poet are recalled:

** Heroic spirit, take thy rest:

Thou art richer : we are poorer.

Yet because thou hast been with us.

Life is sweeter: heaven surer."

123

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Like all young conferences, the Pacific has met its
difficulties and undergone its sif tings. Some who joined
its ranks as workers have not been able to withstand the
pressure of opposition, which comes from many sources
against a plain, uncompromising Gtospel, and have aban-
doned the cause. But there remains a company of work-
ers, though comparatively small, which has been tested
and proven, whom Gtod is using to carry His work for-
ward. These loyal workers have set themselves defi-
nitely and unswervingly to their tasks which they are
certain are Gtod-appointed, and by faith seem to have
caught a glimpse of the golden day when the tears of the
sowers and songs of the reapers shall mingle together in
joy.

Presiding Elder Record.

The Presiding Elders who have served the Pacific Con-
ference are as follows :

M. J. Carmichael, 1906-1907; 1911-1914; 1915-1917;
1919 to the present.

Homer J. Pontius, 1907-1910.

A. W. Barbezat, 1910-1911 ; 1914-1915 ; 1917-1919.

Ministerial Roll.

The roll of ministers according to the latest Conference
Report is as follows:

Ordained: M. J. Carmichael, A. W. Barbezat, E. W.
Wilder, W. B. Havens, Arthur Creasy, W. R. Grout,
N. H. Payne, P. S. Kagey, T. D. Walker, J. G. Grout,
H. J. Pontius, S. H. Pontius, C. L. Atkinson, J. W. Mor-
gan* and E. H. Metcilf .

Probationers: Fred Roney, Steve Holman, and Wiley
GiUard.

*DcceMed.

124

CHAPTER XI.

The Canadian North West Conference.

Leaving Ontabio.

In April, 1894, a little band of Mennonite Brethren in
Christ decided to leave their homes in Ontario and
make other homes for themselves in the new and far dis-
tant Canadian West.

A farewell service was held for them in the Kitchener
M. B. C. Church. Some of the pioneers have informed
the writer that it was more like a funeral service. Their
friends felt as though they were going out of the world,
and the pastor grieved that he was losing so much of
the cream of his congregation. But the Lord, in His
all-wise providence, knew that these choice spirits (and
others who followed later) were just the ones who were
needed to play a part in the future evangelization of
the Great West.

Going West.

Weeping friends bade them a sorrowful good-bye,
thinking that they were going beyond the pale of civil-
ized comfort to a lonely wilderness that might never
yield them a living. With their stock and household
effects they traveled through the wild and rocky lands
of New Ontario, crossed the vast, lonely stretches of
prairie through Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and en-
tered the foothill province of Alberta. At Calgary they
turned northward for fifty miles and settled on the banks
of the Rosebud, in view of the great Rocky Mountain
Range.

125

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Living in the Emigrant Shed.

By this time the Indian tribes had all passed, as had
also the explorers, hunters, traders, and the countless
herds of Buffalo that once roamed across these mighty
plains. It was now ''the Great Lone Land.'*

*'The biggest part of Didsbury in those days," Pio-
neer Traub remarks, **was its name. There was no sign
of a town ; only a railroad siding and an emigrant shed. ' '
This shed had only one room, but it provided a roof at
least, for which they were thankful. They laid their
beds on the floor at night and piled them up out of the
way in the morning. They did not forget their souls'
needs, as so many do in the West, but held a service the
very first Sunday, organized a Sunday School and an-
nounced a weekly prayer meeting.

Pioneer Days.

Those early days involved much physical discomfort
and self-denial. All the difficulties and hardships of a
new country lay before them. The second day a prairie
fire started and burned up the tent in which two or
three families were living out on the land.

A few days later Ephraim Shantz, his wife, J. B. Det-
wiler and others started out to look for suitable land
on which to settle. When they had driven about eight
miles they saw a prairie fire coming toward them. They
had only a few broken matches with them, and each, one
after another, refused to light. The fire was now alarm-
ingly near, but the last match caught fire, and they were
able to burn a little circle in which to place the wagon.
They climbed in, placed the robe over their heads, while
the fii*e raged on all sides of them, and then passed on,
leaving them unharmed. Thanking Qod for their de-

126

THE CANADIAN NORTH WEST CONFERENCE.

liverance, they drove back through the smoke and over
the blackened prairie to Didsbury.

Pacing the dangers unflinchingly, the little band of
colonists set themselves diligently to work, cleared the
brush, broke the virgin soil of the prairies, and in a
short time, here and there on the homesteads, little
shacks could be seen dotting the broad country.

Didsbury M. B. C. Church Built.

**We should have a church before anything else,"
urged Mrs. Ephraim Shantz. So while they built only
shacks for themselves, they decided to erect a good sized
building for **the House of the Lord." One day dur-
ing the second winter, J. B. Detwiler, Sam. Troyer
and Ephraim Shantz started westward toward the moun-
tains with three or four teams, to bring back logs for
the new church. After going fifteen or twenty miles, a
regular northwest blizzard came up, and they wefre
obliged to return home.

But undismayed by the diflSculties and obstacles, they
persevered, and when summer arrived the building was
up and ready for use. This was the first church in Dids-
bury, and with this nucleus of willing ones the work
began. Where would Christianity be to-day without men
and women of such strong and stable Christian char-
acter!

This church became a center of spiritual life and
activity. Out from it have gone preachers, mission work-
ers, evangelists and missionaries, showing that the small-
est of beginnings need not be looked upon as a reason for
discouragement.

127

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Growth in Population.

Those were days when the map of Canada was still
rolling westward. The thin, little pioneer stream trick-
ling from the East broadened and deepened as the years
passed by. Among the pioneers of 1894 were J. B. Det-
wiler, Ephraim Shantz, Sam. Troyer, Jerry Shantz,
Levi Steckley, A. Schiedel, Andrew Weber and their
families. Among those who came later were D. Traub,
Elias Shantz, Abram Snyder, Levi Snyder, Norman Sny-
der, C. C. Swalm, D. S. Shantz, Noah Eby, Ben Eby,
0. W. Stauffer, S. S. Stauflfer, Elah Shantz, Josiah Hall-
man, Oliver Hallman, Ezra Shantz, E. Sherrick, Theo.
Reist, J. B. Gtood, Ezra Snyder, with their families from
Ontario. Wm. Adam, James Adam, I. Herber and oth-
ers came with their families from Michigan.

Loneliness and the First Death.

But even with this increase in numbers, the vast coun-
try was still thinly populated. The loneliness in the iso-
lated shacks on the prairie was painful. ' * Many a time, ' '
one sister relates, **when I felt downhearted and my
courage was low, I used to stand in the door of the
shack and look away to the mountains. Some of their
silent strength seemed to sink into my soul and comfort
me. They seemed so strong, so protecting, bringing a
sense ,of the nearness of Qod, and with it the thought,
'As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the
Lord is round about his people, ' which strengthened me
greatly. ' '

Though there were drawbacks, disadvantages and
much personal deprivation, these dear souls rejoiced in
the encouraging fact that they had spiritual leaders and
could hold services regularly. They thought nothing in

128

THE CANADIAN NORTH WEST CONFERENCE.

those days of walking four or five miles to a meeting.
Others came for miles in lumber wagons, over rough
trails, through sloughs, fording the river often when
the water was high. One of the deafeons tells that he
cut a strange figure coming to church with his long
plough boots and Prince Albert wedding suit, sometimes
getting stuck in the slough and having to return for a
team and chain to pull his family out of the mud. Nev-
ertheless '*we enjoyed those days," says Mrs. Norman
Snyder, *'for we had all things in common, whether we
went to church in a buggy, a wagon, on a stoneboat or
on horseback." They sang together the sweet old
hymns, joined their voices in prayer and the study of
the word, which thrilled and inspired their hearts.

One Sunday in 1899 the superintendent, Elias Shantz,
after reviewing the Sunday-school lesson, gave out the
hymn, *'We are going down the valley one by one."
Just then he turned as though to sit down on the railing,
but sank down over it and passed away immediately.
This was the first break in the ranks of the pioneers, and
he was the first to be buried in the Didsbury cemetery.

Pioneer Preachers and Workers.

Elder J. B. Detwiler was the pioneer missionary of
the M. B. C. Church to the Canadian West. He came
out with the first party in April, 1894. Money was
scarce in those days, and if a man gave twenty-five or
fifty cents a quarter to the pastor he thought he was
doing well. So Brother Detwiler took up a homestead,
and also kept the post office and sold fiour and lumber
to accommodate the settlers.

He preached at Didsbury, and also traveled in the
surrounding country, preaching at Olds, Banner, Hain-

^ 129

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

stock and among the Russian Mennonites with good re-
sults. He served as Presiding Elder several years, and
after spending seventeen years in pioneer work in Al-
berta, he returned to Kitchener, Ontario.

Elder J. Schell was sent out by the Ontario Confer-
ence with the second party, who came to Carstairs in
April, 1900. He was given charge of the Didsbury work
and labored with great zeal and energy. He was a young
man of great promise, and it meant much to the little
band of grief -stricken pilgrims when, through over-
exposure to the cold and wet, his life was suddenly cut
short on August 12, 1901, and his body was laid to rest
in the Didsbury cemetery.

Elder Henry Cressman was then sent out by the On-
tario Conference to take charge of the work at Didsbury.
The new church and parsonage were built in 1902, while
he was on this field. Later he took up a homestead and
left the work.

Elder S. S. Stauffer, who had come from Ontario in
1902, and took a homestead, was now given charge of
Didsbury, with the assistance of Miss M. E. Chatham.
In 1910 he moved to Alsask, Sask., to engage in farm-
ing. He has assisted in the work at Alsask a part of the
time since.

Miss M. E. Chatham came West from Ontario in 1900,
to nurse her brother, Elder E. Chatham, through his last
illness. For several years she rode over these prairies
on her broncho, often in the very coldest weather, visit-
ing and preaching, trying to hold the fort till reinforce-
ments came from the East, for several preachers who
had come West were now tied up on their farms.

Elder H. Qoudie came to Alberta in May, 1906, and
after coming to the West labored faithfully, doing

130

THE CANADIAN NORTH WEST CONFERENCE.

his best to advance the work. Arriving at a critical
time in the history of this work, he organized a mission
conference, which was under the Ontario Conference,
from which he was sent. In 1907 a separate conference
was organized ancj the name, '* Canadian Northwest Con-
ference, ' ' was adopted. The Canadian North West Con-
ference was recognized by the General Conference of
1908. H. Gtoudie was Presiding Elder and had charge
of the work at Didsbury from 1908 to 1910. He later
labored as pastor at Markham and Mayton, and was
again stationed at Didsbury from 1911 to 1915. He
served again as Presiding Elder from 1915 to 1918, and
from 1918 as pastor on the Markham field.
. EldeV Alvin Traub, son of pioneer Traub, was con-
verted when a boy in Elmwood, Ont. He was the first
of our western young men to receive a call to the work.
He started a Bible Study class at the Buckeye school,
preaching there and at Sunnyslope. He was ordained
in 1913 and has served as pastor at Markham and Alsask.
He opened both the Castor and Alsask Missions and was
elected Presiding Elder in 1919. .

Elder D. S. Shantz came West for his health with the
pioneers, and took an active part in Sunday-School work
at Didsbury for several years, also doing some preach-
ing. He was Presiding Elder during 1914-1915, after
which he had charge of the work at Castor for one year
and a half. During the summer of 1917 he had charge
of the tabernacle work.

Miss M. A. White (now Mrs. Finlay) was converted
in the old log church at Didsbury. Feeling the call of
God to the work, she went to Ontario and labored there
several years. In 1907 she returned to the West. She
assisted Miss Chatham in Edmonton for a number of

131

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

years. Then feeling the call of the needy prairies, she
entered the evangelistic work, and has been greatly used
of Qod in the salvation of souls.

Among other daughters of the pioneers who received
a call to the work and labored faithfully were Miss
Louise Eby, Miss Luella Swalm (who died in 1911),
Miss Mabel Adam and Miss Mabel Dunnington. Miss
Eby and Miss Adam (now Mrs. C. Thompson) assisted
Miss Chatham for several years in Edmonton, and also
opened a mission in Stettler. Miss Dunnington labored
in the evangelistic work with Miss White, and in Febru-
ary, 1919, went with Miss Eby to open a mission in
Calgary.

Elder J. F. Gugin came from Ontario in 1908 and
was given charge of Didsbury Circuit. His health fail-
ing him in 1911, he went to Sibbald, Alta., and took up a
homestead. In 1917 he again felt the Lord pressing him
into the work and was sent to Castor, where the Lord
greatly blessed his efforts. In 1919 he again became
pastor on the Didsbury field.

Aggressive Work for the Cause.

After the work was established at Didsbury, the
church faced the duty of evangelizing some of the region
round about.

Mayton. — J. B. Detwiler had already been touring
the surrounding country, preaching at points that could
be reached from Didsbury. He and S. S. Stauffer went
twenty-five miles northeast and held meetings at May-
ton. Later Harvey Traub went there, held a successful
revival, and a work was established. Miss Chatham, H.
Qoudie, and E. Sherrick labored on this field. I. Burk-
holder later was assigned this charge.

132

THE CANADIAN NORTH WEST CONFERENCE.

Markham. — In the spring of 1906 another band of
pioneers came from Markham, Ontario, among whom
were I. Burkholder, Joseph Wideman, Wilmot Wideman,
Oliver Zellar, Michael Troyer, David Weaver, Clarence
StouJQfer, Will Dunnington, Eb. Dunnington with their
families. As all the land was taken up around Dids-
bury by this time, they went northeast to Castor and
settled there. They experienced all the diflSculties of
pioneer life, as did the early settlers at Didsbury. But
the blessing of the Lord was upon them, and soon they
had a nice little church, which they called '* Markham,"
after their old home in the East. Elder W. Irish, hav-
ing accompanied them from Ontario, was their pastor.
After a time he went into business and left the work.
The work spread under the pastors who followed, and
several preaching appointments were opened.

Beulah Mission, Edmonton. — In 1907 Miss Chatham
received permission from conference to go to Edmonton
to open a mission there. As the church was unable at
that time to give her much assistance financially, it was
thought best to make it an interdenominational work.

The story of the beginning of the work there is best
told in Miss Chatham's own words: ''Those first days
in Edmonton will always have a vivid place in my mem-
ory — a slim purse, a few friends, and nothing great about
us save a 'big motive' to serve God and our fellowmen
to the utmost that in us lay. There was the conviction
that God's hand was upon us for some special thing we
had to do. Squalid rooms were taken on Peace Avenue.
We spread a newspaper on the floor, and knelt down
amid old clothes, bottles, decks of cards, etc., and sol-
emnly covenanted with Gtod that He should have all
ther^ was of us, if He would make us a blessing in this

133

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

place. There came to us a vision, as we scrubbed and
cleaned, of the sick cared for, the hungry fed, the
stranger welcomed, and lost men and women redeemed
from sin. All this pressed upon us as a need to be met
in this young and growing city.

*'And so we began — ^Miss Clara Schafer and myself.
We cooked, cleaned and served in the daytime, and at
night held Gospel services. God blessed us above our
asking: above our thinking has He blessed us. Again
and again have we seen the miracle of men and women
changed by grace divine.''

Relief work among men was also carried on for years
with great success, until the war and prohibition elimi-
nated the need of this department.

Beulah Home was established in 1910, and is proving
a haven of refuge and a door of hope to many a friend-
less, broken-hearted girl. Many have found the Saviour
and gone out to take their place in the ranks of good and
noble women. It is an undenominational work, sup-
ported in part by the city.

In 1919 Miss Chatham was obliged to abandon the
work partly because of ill health, and the mission in
Edmonton became somewhat disorganized. The Edmon-
ton Bible School, which she had organized, was also
closed the same year. The work of Beulah Home con-
tinues.

Alsask, — In the spring of 1910 the country around
Alsask began to open up, and many came from Didsbury
to get land for their sons who were now old enough to
take homesteads. Among the pioneers to this place were
Noah Eby, Oliver Hallman, S. S. Stauflfer, Robert Loug-
heed, Noah Swalm and Wesley Hallman. Elder James

134

THE CANADIAN NORTH WEST CONPEEENCB.

Hall came at this time and was their pastor. We shall
let Brother Hall tell the story in his own words :

'*We started overland from Didsbury with horses,
colts and loaded wagons; were eight days on the road,
driving straight east for over two hundred miles, with
a dim trail part of the way and often none at all. It
snowed, rained, the wind blew and at other times we
had hot sunshine. There were prairie fires all about us.
We stopped for the night where we could find water.
We had a little tent 6x8 feet for the party ; we had to
put the stove out before we could all lie down. Every
morning we read and had prayer. On Sunday we rested
and held a service. This was the first time I ever
preached a sermon on my knees, for I couldn't stand
up in the tiny tent, and my congregation all had to lie
down. The first Sunday after we reached our destina-
tion, Mr. Gugin went on horseback twenty miles to in-
vite people from the shacks we saw in the dim distance,
to come to meeting in the tent. They came, but couldn't
all get in, so we placed a plank in the open and preached
in the sunshine. Seven men, one woman, a boy and a
girl formed the congregation, and the Lord blessed us.

**When we started out to find land we discovered that
it was very hard to find, even when there was much of it
all about us. We had to hunt in the grass for a small
stake at the corner of every section. We learned to tie
a handkerchief to the wagon wheel so we could count the
revolutions between the stakes, and soon were able in
this way to tell pretty well where the next stake
should be."

Alsask was not even named yet, there being nothing
here but a store onfe week old. Mrs. Hall, who was Miss

135

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Janet Douglas, a very successful pioneer mission worker
in Ontario, under whose labors both Miss Chatham and
Mr. Hall were converted, came in June with their two
sons, and they all went out to their homestead. **It
didn't look much like home," said Sister Hall, **and at
first we had to go and look for the stakes to see if it
really was home. The ground was covered with buffalo
bones, and it was a gruesome-looking sight. " She let out
her hens, which had been three weeks in a crate. But
even the hens did not feel at home. They stretched
themselves, took one look over the desolate wilderness,
and then climbed up on the crate and sat there.

Less than a month later an awful wind storm came
and blew away the shacks of some of the settlers — ^Noah
Swalm's among them. George Gugin stood on the door-
sill of his shack to try to hold it down, but was carried
away with the shack, and his spine was injured. The
neighbors soon built him a sod house, but he died in ten
days. This was the first funeral.

Though Brother Hall took up land, he did not forget
his call to preach. The first services were held in Wright
Speer's house, and then for two years in Noah Eby's
home. A Sunday School was organized. Then the West
Side school was built, and has been used for services
since that time. Brother Hall walked fourteen miles
each Sunday to his appointments, often getting off the
trail, the snow often a foot deep and no track to be seen.
But the house was crowded and they had grand meetings.

In the spring of 1912 he opened an appointment at
Graindale, sixteen miles from home, driving at first in
his wagon and afterward in a drygoods box fixed up on
a stoneboat. Two good Sunday Schools were organized,
one here and another at Edendale, where he opened

136

THE CANADIAN NORTH WEST CONFERENCE.

another appointment. Hopewell appointment was also
I opened^ and the work at these points was successful.

Mrs. Hall was also at work. She opened a Sunday
School in her own home, where it was held for three
years. It is now the Bonny Brier Sunday School. She
has held a prayer meeting for years, driving nine miles
every week with a neighbor woman, the nights often
being so dark they could not see the trail, and had to
get out and feel around for it.

In 1913 Brother Hall took up an appointment at Ac-
cadia Valley, and in 1914 opened two more — ^Highland
Park and Sibbald. In December, 1915, he turned over
Highland Park, Sibbald and Westside to Elder A. Traub,
who was sent by conference to what is known now as the
Alsask field. In 1919 the Hopewell appointment was
also added to this field.

The Darker Side.

Though God sees the end from the beginning, and this
scattering of forces was for the future benefit of the
work, yet for a number of years there were some dark
factors in the problem of the spiritual work which gave
the pilgrims great concern and grave reason for earnest
prayer.

The emigration to Alsask had divided and weakened
their spiritual forces at Didsbury. This had a tendency
to discourage some, while others settled down into spir-
itual lethargy. A withering of the population was one
thing, but a withering of the faith was a much more
serious problem to consider. /

Another factor they had to reckon with was the spirit
of unrest which possessed the West so often. No sooner
were new families moved in and the work progressing

137

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

nicely, than there was an upheaval and a scattering
again.

One of the really perilous factors they had to en-
counter was the materialistic condition of those days.
Men had to struggle for an existence, and try to place
themselves in a position, financially, where they could
live in some degree of comfort. So much effort was spent
in this direction that the spiritual work suffered.

Lack of efficient men to assume responsibilities in the
directing of the work, and in giving leadership to the
people was another factor which must be put down on
the dark side. This conference still looked to the East
as the great center from which spiritual forces must
come, and as no more were forthcoming, it was feared
that the work would wither and die. For a time there
was no enlargement of the field of operations; only an
earnest endeavor to hold the ground already gained.
More could not well have been expected of the limited
number of workers.

Missionary Effort.

It is on record that this conference showed a marked
ii^terest in foreign missions, by frequent contributions,
from the time of their first conference.

When Elder Henry Maurer, of the Hadjin, Turkey
Mission, was shot in the massacre of 1909, an appeal was
made for a man to take his place. D. C. Eby, of On-
tario, offered himself for that work. This conference,
having no foreign missionaries as yet, offered to take up
his support, and Mrs. Eby and he were sent out to Tur-
key in February, 1910, where they labored until forced
to return on account of the war. They came to the
Canadian West in 1915, and were stationed on the Dids-

138

THE CANADIAN NORTH WEST CONFEKENCE.

bury Circuit for three years, after which they were sent
to Alsask, Sask. In August, 1919, they sailed again for
Turkey, taking up the work which had been discontinued
because of the war. On account of unsettled conditions
in Turkey, they were obliged to return to Canada late
in 1920.

Wm. Finlay and Miss Florence Adam were the first
of the western young people to offer themselves as can-
didates for the foreign field. For years Brother Finlay
had assisted Miss Chatham in the relief work among
men, which was carried on in connection with Beulah
Mission, Edmonton. His untiring efforts were much ap-
preciated, and the lives of scores of men were trans-
formed. He was ready to sail for Africa in April, 1917,
but, owing to the war and the difficulty of securing a
passage on any steamer, he was unable to get away until
November, 1918, when he, with his wife (formerly Miss
Florence Adam), sailed for Jebba, Northern Nigeria,
West Africa.

Problem of the Foreigner at Home.

Here lies one of the greatest Home Mission fields of
the world. Pioneers of many races and tongues have
crossed these wide plains, seeking homes and wealth in
this vast new land.

The present calls loudly to action. The church must
feel her responsibility, but as yet has done very little
for these foreigners who have come to us from almost
every part of the globe. It will tax the energy and re-
sources of our church to do her share in meeting the
spiritual demands of these people.

Already God has called some to this work. H. I. Ed-
wardson has spent several years in service among the

139

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Scandinavians at Bergen, Alta. His wife (formerly
Miss Hilli Suven) often assisted Miss White in Evan-
gelistic services.

R. Craddick has done some work among the Indians —
the first Canadians — for whom we should be doing some-
thing. The Calgary Mission (Bethel) which was con-
ducted for a time reached some of the foreign element
there.

Encouraging Factors.

It will take years of constructive work to eliminate
many of the difficulties, but the West is a splendid field
for producing the finest characters, developing courage
and initiative, and should produce spiritual leaders for
the future.

The service rendered by the Edmonton Bible Insti-
tute, which was established by Miss Chatham in 1915, is
of significance and importance. It is an occasion for
regret that circumstances forced the closing of this school
in 1919, for it was developing workers. Already some
of its graduates and students were in the field : Wilmer
Reist, Ray Craddick, Eldon Cressman, H. I. Edwardson,
Dougal Campbell, M. Dunnington, L. Wolf. Others who
had attended are: Herbert Shantz, Miss P. Reist, Miss
V. Herber, Loy Hart, Mr. and Mrs. S. Eidsath. From
among these young people who are keen and alert in
mind, consecrated to high ideals of service and sacrifice,
should come some of the future history-makers of the
church.

Some of our young brethren had their loyalty to the
church and its doctrine of non-resistance severely tested
during 1917-1918, but the military authorities kindly
granted exemption from military service to all who were
members of the church before they were called.

140

THE CANADIAN NORTH WEST CONPEEBNCE.

New fields are being opened^ and the Gospel in its
simplicity and power is finding its way into many needy
homes over these prairies. A tabernacle was purchased
in 1914, and has been used since with good results.

In 1917 Wm. Finlay was sent to open a work at Big
Valley, where W. Reist was later placed in charge.

A successful campaign was conducted with the taber-
nacle in the district north of Castor during the summer
of 1918, by Wm. Finlay and J. F. Gugin, assisted by
Mrs. Finlay, Z. Cressman, and C. Hallman. A new
work was opened up here adjoining the Castor field,
where R. Craddick labored in connection* with the Elder
Henry Goudie, the pastor.

In 1918 three new appointments were opened on the
outskirts of the Didsbury field. Another encouraging
feature is the Annual Camp Meeting, where the pilgrims
from distant points meet together, and are strengthened
and encouraged. Since 1915 two camp meetings have
been held each summer.

Elder J. F. Gugin states, that in 1910 there was not a
holiness camp meeting from Winnipeg to Vancouver,
except the M. B. C. camp meeting, and very few places
where holiness was taught or considered. Frequently
ministers of other churches are met who publicly ac-
knowledge the help they have gotten from these camp
meetings.

On February 9, 1919, Bethel Mission was opened in
Calgary in a section of the city which is largely foreign.
Misses L. Eby and M. Neil, assisted by L. Wolff, were
placed in charge of this mission. This mission was closed
in 1920.

Elder C. T. Homuth was transferred from Ontario
Conference to this Conference in January, 1919, and was

141

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

made pastor at Alsask that year, Buceeeding D. C. Eby,
who, together with his wife, returned to Turkey that
year.

The following statistics are taken from the Annual
Conference Journal of 1920:

Ordained Ministers 8 Appointments 21

Probationers 3 Sunday Schools 11

Approved Ministering Sis- Total Membership 349

ters 4 Total Annual Offer-

AppUcants for Ministry.. 1 ings $14,806.33

Conclusion.

At the close, as we look back over the road traveled
by these pioneers, and take note of the different stages
of the journey, we see how the Lord has led step by step.
Compare the situation as it confronted the pioneers .in
1894 with the conditions of to-day. Many of them had
nothing but their faith in Qod and His divine promises.
Now a large proportion of our people live in compara-
tive comfort, have their church services, Sunday schools
and prayer meetings.

This one time wilderness home of the buffalo and In-
dian is now the great granary of the West. Most of the
buffalo trails have been ploughed and harrowed out of
existence, and the ranch is fast giving way to the farm.
It is said that the history of the Canadian West is little
more than begun, a country so vast in extent, so rich in
resources that few have begun to realize the limitless
possibilities of both the material and spiritual realms.
The golden harvest of ungathered souls should cause the
church to concentrate her attention on this need, and
pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth a sufficient
number of reapers.

142

THE CANADIAN NORTH WEST CONFERENCE.

With a few words from Presiding Elder A. Traub
we conclude this sketch: ''At the sacrifice of comfort,
property and life on the part of our spiritual ancestors,
our church has been launched forth into the work as a
soul-saving institution. We therefore are responsible
both to God and man for the doctrines and principles
which are to us a precious heritage. Sham religion, false
doctrine and destructive criticism have been the chief
cause of the spiritual dearth and moral declension which
is characteristic of the times in which we live. Unless
we, as a church, specialize and insist on the necessity of
holiness of heart and life, received by faith right here
and now, we shall be shorn of spiritual power. The old-
fashioned doctrines of sin, eternal punishment, judg-
ment, repentance, the new birth, justification, . faith, the
witness of the spirit, sanctification, etc., are essential,
though not popular themes to preach.

''Let us humbly beseech the Almighty for a fresh
anointing of the Holy Spirit, without which we can
neither face the issue nor meet the demands of the times.
May He save us, as a church, from such a calamity as
spiritual barrenness!*'

Ministerial Roll.

The ministers of the Conference at its last session were
as follows:

A. Traub, H. Goudie, Jas. Hall, C. T. Homuth, J. F.
Gugin, I. Burkholder, D. S. Shantz, A. Geiger, H. Ed-
wardson, S. S. Stauffer, D. C. Eby, Wm. Finlay, Wilmer
Reist.

143

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

THE CALL OF THE WEST.
Mes. D. C. Eby.

Hark! O'er the waves of her prairie grass

Our Canadian West is calling;
In many a tongue her voice is heard ;

Brother, the need is appalling !

Great are the stretches of Prairie Land ;

So vast, mysterious, compelling;
But greater the need in the hearts of men.

On the boundless prairie dwelling.

You who have passed by a western way.

As the evening shadows fall,
And softly the prairie winds whisper—

Haven't you heard the calif

Not the call of the ripening grain,

As in golden waves it rolls ;
But the call of the Master for reapers

For the harvest of ungathered souls.

144

CHAPTER XII.

Practical and Doctrinal Developments.

That it was the intention of those who gave leadership
,to the original movements which finally resulted in the
Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church to adhere to the
fundamentals of the Christian faith as interpreted by
historic Mennonitism, there can be no doubt. It is evi-
dent, however, that they, at the same time, purposed to
breathe into these doctrinal tenets an evangelical spirit
superior to that in general practice on the part of those
professing them.

As related in Chapter II, when the New Mennonites
and Reformed Mennonites merged to form the United
Mennonites in 1875, a resolution prepared by a joint
committee, representing both societies was adopted,
which read as follows:

*'We agree on the Word of God as contained in the
Old and New Testaments and a synopsis of the Word of
God as contained in the eighteen articles of the Confes-
sion of Faith drawn up by the Union Conference held at
Dort (Dortrecht), Holland, April 21, 1632, as a basis
of Union." This conference referred to, held in Dort,
Holland, was a Mennonite Conference, and the Dort
Confession is the historic confession of the faith of Men-
nonites. Having been adopted in Holland in 1632, it
was ratified in 1660 by the churches of Alsace and South
Germany, and later introduced into the early colonial
Mennonite Church of America.

^^ 145

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Further, as related in Chapter IV, the Evangelical
Mennonites of Pennsylvania considered themselves as
adherents of the Mennonite faith. In their Doctrine of
Faith and Discipline, drawn up in 1858, the following
statement appears: ''It is our sincere wish to take the
simple and secure Bible way, as Christ, the Apostles
and Menno Simons have taught."

The following is an epitome of the Dort Confession
above referred to:

Brief Epitome op the Dort Conpession.

1. There is one eternal God, Father, Son and Holy
Ghost, Creator of all things.

2. Adam and Eve, our first parents, seduced by the
serpent, disobeyed God, and brought sin and death
into the world.

3. Jesus Christ, the Son, foreordained to the purpose,
before the foundation of the world, became a ran-
som for fallen man.

4. Christ, in fullness of time, was bom of the Virgin
Mary, lived, was crucified, buried, rose from the
dead and ascended to heaven. How the Word be-
came Flesh we content ourselves with the descrip-
tion given us by the faithful evangelists.

5. Christ, before his ascension, instituted His New
Testament which contains the whole will of His
Heavenly Father, and which is sufficient to the
salvation of all those who are obedient to it.

6. Man is in nature corrupt, and it is only through
faith in Jesus Christ, the new birth and change of
life, that he can have the promise of salvation, re-
ceive pardon and become sanctified, justified and a
child of God.

146

PRACTICAL AND DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENTS.

7. Penitent believers, on confession of their faith, are
baptized with water in the name of the Father, Son
and Holy Ghost to the burying of their sins.

8. The church of Christ consists of those who have
truly repented and rightly believed, and are rightly
baptized, and are incorporated into the communion
of the saints on earth.

9. Christ before His departure, and His apostles after
Him, provided the church with faithful officers,
bishops, ministers, apostles, evangelists, pastors,
teachers and almoners.

10. The Lord's Supper is observed in commemoration
of the suffering and death of Christ.

11. The Lord Jesus instituted the ordinance of the
washing of the saints' feet as a sign of true humility,
and more particularly as a sign of the washing of
the soul in the blood of Christ.

12. The honorable state of matrimony, as instituted by
God and taught by the church, demands that those
entering the state should, previous to their mar-
riage, be united to the church, having received the
same baptism, belong to the same church, and be
of the same faith and doctrine.

13. Civil government is ordained of God for the pun-
ishment of the wicked and for the protection of
the pious. Christians should pray for their rulers
and pay required tribute.

14. Revenge and resistance is forbidden by Christ to
all His disciples. The Christian should refrain
from the use of the sword.

15. All oaths, high and low, are forbidden the followers
of Christ.

147

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

16. The ban of excommunication is a separation or
spiritual punishment by the church for the amend-
ment, and not the destruction of the offender.

17. Those placed under the ban shall be shunned or
avoided in ** eating and drinking and all such like
social matters," in order that they may be made
ashamed, and thus induced to amend their ways.

18. At the Judgment Day all men shall be raised from
the dead and appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, where the good shall be separated from the
evil.

The Amish, the Old Mennonites and the Central Con-
ference of Mennonites still hold to the above confession
as their articles of faith. Other branches have modi-
fied their doctrines, so that they conform only in part
to the items of this confession. The M. B. C. Church
retains all these items, in substance, in her Confession
of Faith as found in the Discipline, except article 17.
To these, other items have been added, relating to both
faith and practice, as are indicated by this chapter.

For a thorough study of the Dort Confession the com-
plete text of confession is recommended.

Camp Meetings.

One of the earliest innovations on Mennonite practice
was the institution of the camp meeting. This seems to
have been the natural outcome of the evangelical zeal
manifested by the church. When it was said by the
accusers in Canada, that these zealous people had intro-
duced prayer meetings and revival services, and next
they would hold camp meetings, Solomon Eby had an-

148

PRACTICAL AND DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENTS.

swered that whenever they felt that the holding of camp
meetings would be as beneficial as these, they would
likely be held too. This time came soon, for camp meet-
ings were begun before the union of 1883.

The first camp meeting held by the church and, inci-
dentally, the first one ever held in the history of Men-
nonitism, was conducted in Fetter's Grove, Elkhart
County, Indiana, beginning July 30, 1880, and continued
ten days. This meeting was well attended, there being
nineteen well-filled tents upon the ground. It was esti-
mated that three thousand persons attended the meet-
ing on each of Sundays. Besides the ministers from
Indiana, Elder Jonas Musselman and Abel Strawn and
several of the laity from Pennsylvania and Elder Menno
Bowman, of Canada, were present. The services were
conducted principally on the line of holiness, and it was
reported that **many entered into the higher life or
blessed state of sanctification. "^

This was a historic gathering in a number of respects.
It was the first camp meeting in the history of Mennon-
itism, and was considered very successful. The insti-
tution had come to stay, as is evidenced by the fact that
a camp was held at the same place the next year, also
one near Coopersburg, Pa., called the Chestnut Hill
Camp Meeting, and one at Breslau, Ontario. Ever since,
the summer camp has been an important factor in pro-
moting the work of the Lord entrusted to the M. B. C.
Church. Every summer there have been conducted
from one to three camps in each of the seven conferences
of the church. Although the camps have been held in
suitable groves available, several of the various confer-

^ Gospel Banner, Aoffiut 15, 1880, p. 124.

149

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

encea have secured permanent grounds, and others have
taken steps toward permanent locations for camps, either
by lease or by purchase.

Sunday Schools.

Sunday schools were not general among Mennonites
in the days of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ organi-
zation, but began early to be looked upon as an important
factor in advancing the Lord's work. In this conviction,
at the first Union Conference in 1875, the following
resolution was passed: '* Resolved, That Sunday Schools
shall be organized and supported by all our power. "*

The General Conference of 1888 recommended that
Sunday-School conventions be held in the different con-
ferences.

It has been the endeavor to establish Sunday Schools
in connection with all the preaching points, and fre-
quently the Sunday School has been the forerunner of
organized churches.

Women Preaching.

Until the year 1885 women preaching was unheard
of in connection with the church. No provision had been
made for such a deviation from the former practices of
Mennonitism, for it had not been anticipated.

A departure quite radical was made in relation to the
taking up of the work of ministry, when the United Men-
nonite General Conference in 1875 provided that a
brother who believed himself to have been called of God
to the ministry might make his conviction known, and
if the church approved, he might be privileged to preach,
instead of having to wait election by the church (see

^ General Conference Bfinatet, p. 29.

150

PRACTICAL AND DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENTS.

Chapter IV). But this provision was only for a
''brother.*' That sisters would ever be called to preach
was not dreamed of.

In the year 1885, Miss Janet Douglass, of DeanviUe,
Mich, (now Mrs. James Hall), received a definite call to
preach. She was of Scotch parentage and had been con-
verted early. After a great struggle she yielded to the
call and began public work. God wonderfully blessed
the messages of His handmaiden, and great conviction
seized the hearts of the unsaved, resulting in a large
number of conversions. She was the first ''woman
preacher *' in the history of the entire Mennonite Church,
and has been an active worker ever since, though not
always in the public ministry. She preached in Mich-
igan, Ontario and later in the Canadian Northwest.

But the time had evidently come when Gk)d wanted
the daughters as well as the sons of the church to
" prophesy. *' Before the close of that year the number
of women preachers had increased to at least three and
possibly four within the several conferences.

It was late in the year 1885 that Miss Mary Ann Hall-
man (now Mrs. William Simmons), of Waterloo County,
Ontario, received a call to preach. The conviction which
had come could not be shaken off, and she realized, quot-
ing her own words, that it meant "to go or to lose her
soul." She was then only eighteen years of age, having
been converted two years previous. She was the daugh-
ter of John and Mary Hallman, members of the Old
Mennonite Church. They were bitterly opposed to
women preaching, and although pious people, looked
upon the conduct of their daughter as a disgrace. She
was threatened with the loss of home if she persisted,
but God had spoken, and she could not refuse. For the

151

}

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

first six months she did no actual preaching, but assisted
in personal work, testimony, altar calls and singing.
The pulpit work was approached gradually, which she
began at Greenwood, Mich. God wonderfully blessed
her ministry, and gave gracious revivals in Michigan,
Ontario, Indiana and Ohio. Several of the tent meet-
ings which she held in Michigan resulted in the estab-
lishing of churches. One of her co-workers in the early
days in Michigan was Miss Hattie Bates (Mrs. Allen
Schlicter), formerly a Free Methodist. She proved to
be a very great help, particularly so since she did not
have the prejudice against women preaching to overcome.

It was during the same year that Miss Katie Hygema,
of Indiana (now Mrs. A. A. Miller), was led of the Lord
into the public work. She was of Dutch parentage, also
of Mennonite stock. She was then thirty years of age.
Her first public work was in a mission in Grand Rapids,
Mich., with Janet Douglass as leader. She later at-
tended a school conducted by Miss Laura Maines, at
Dutton, Mich., and assisted her in public work. Her
later field was in Indiana and the West.

About the same time (1886) Miss Mary Nunemaker,
of Indiana, felt called of God to preach. She had come
into touch with Laura Maines while she held meetings
in Indiana, and later attended her school in Michigan.
She began her public work in Indiana, and has labored
most of her time in mission work, in that state. She
spent some time in Arkansas, where she held several
revival meetings.

The opposition to women preaching was quite general,
at first, despite the evangelistic spirit of the church, but
the prejudice was gradually overcome. Those who re-
ceived a call of God to preach later did not have this

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PRACTICAL AND DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENTS.

difficulty to encounter. Within a few years women
preaching was begun in Pennsylvania, the first ones to
take up public work being Mrs. Jonas Musselman and
Miss D. B. Rote. Soon others followed. In every con-
ference, from that time on, women preaching has been
recognized as an established practice.

That God should call out several women in the vari-
ous conferences into public work about the same time
is no occasion for surprise. The Spirit of the Lord was
at work in His Church, setting into operation a new and
mighty evangelistic agency, which was to operate in the
lanes of the cities and to the ends of the earth. These
women heralds of the cross (** witnesses,'' as they were
sometimes called) have figured largely in the home and
foreign mission work, and without them it would have
been impossible to accomplish what has been accom-
plished.

If any human agency can be discovered which God
used to call attention to the claims of the Gospel min-
istry upon Christian women, it was likely the ministry
of Laura Maines. She was a member of the Free Will
Baptist Church, an ardent holiness advocate and in per-
fect harmony with the M. B. in Christ Church. She
came among them in the early eighties, and wrote a
number of articles for the Oospel Banner, All of the
four above-named women, who entered public work in
1885-6, except Mary Ann Hallman, had come into touch
with her, either in her meetings or in her school by 1886.

Accordingly, provision was made in the Discipline
for women preaching. The General Conference of 1888
adopted the following resolution: **Any sisters who
feel called of (Jod to preach shall be recognized as evan-
gelists, subject to the minister in charge or the Presiding

153

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Elder. They shall be received the same as probationers,
except ordination." This constituted the whole of the
clause on Women Preaching in the Discipline, until a
later General Conference authorized the following addi-
tion: **A11 sister workers who have passed their Read-
ing Course satisfactorily shall be recognized as approved
ministering sisters by their Annual Conference."

An Itinerant Ministry.

In keeping with Mennonite custom where ministers
were elected from among the laity, and no particular
missionary work was carried on, ministers continued
their occupations or trades and attended to the work of
their ministry besides. This practice continued, in a
measure, in the newly-organized church for some timje,
and has not quite entirely disappeared. But it soon be-
came evident that some change had to be made. The
cause demanded the time of the minister, and he could
not successfully carry on an occupation or profession;
therefore some system had to be devised for his support,
at least in part.

The form of church government adopted may be called
Semi-Episcopal — Episcopal in its polity, in part, but
without bishops. The highest authority was vested in
a General Conference, where the whole church met at
stated intervals for general legislation, maintaining an
Executive Board between sessions. Territorial confer-
ences were provided for, presided over by a Presiding
Elder or Elders, elected annually. The advisability of
electing a bishop has been discussed at various General
Conferences, but has not met with general approval.

Pastors were appointed annually by a Stationing Com-
mittee, elected by the Annual Conference, which, in re-

154

PRACTICAL AND DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENTS,

cent years, has been composed of the Presiding Elder or
Elders and a part or all of the lay delegates (Discipline,
Chapter IV, Section XI).

Until 1900 there was no stipulated limit to the time
a Presiding Elder could serve a conference or a pastor
a church. At the General Conference of 1900 the limit
was set at five years for a Presiding Elder and three
years for a pastor. Later the time limit was modified,
making a longer service possible for each, by a special
vote of Annual Conference.

The system inaugurated to meet the financial needs of
the ministers in part, was that of securing subscrip-
tions, to be paid quarterly. The results at first were
meager, but it was at least a recognition of the claims
of the Gospel ministry upon the laity for support. The
financial report given at the Annual Conference of the
United Mennonites, held at Bethel, Elkhart County,
Indiana, in 1877, is interesting for comparison.

Samuel Sherk received for the year $75 ; traveling ex-
penses, $24.

Daniel Brenneman received $87.36; traveling ex-
penses, $64.07. '

David U. Lambert received $52.10; traveling ex-
penses, $24.87.

John Krupp received $76.17; traveling expenses,
$170.94.

The above reports serve to illustrate the financial strug-
gles of the men who endeavored to give themselves to the
work of the ministry and who had to struggle against
the financial odds occasioned by a small constituency not
accustomed to supporting the ministry.

The quarterly subscription method of ministerial sup-
port has been practiced throughout the church until the

155

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

present, and has served its purpose reasonably well. By
it, ministers have received a meager or partial support,
enabling them to devote their time and energy in part
and sometimes largely to the preaching of the Qospel.

In recent years a sentiment has been growing quite
generally, that the old quarterly system of finance is no
longer adequate. No defense can be made for it from
the Scripture as to its method. The weekly system of
giving, which has the sanction of Scripture, not only as
to principle, but as to method (1 Cor. 16 : 2), has been in-
troduced into a number of the churches, with a very
marked increase in the pastor's support, as well as in
the various other funds.

There has been no desire expressed nor need experi-
enced for a change of the ministerial system. There has
been a growing sentiment in favor of a somewhat length-
ened pastorate, either lengthening the time limit or re-
moving it altogether, so that ministers may render a
more constructive service to the churches which they
serve. There is also a determined effort toward a more
adequate support for the ministry, making it possible
for them to give themselves exclusively to the work.

Baptism.

Throughout their long history, Mennonites have al-
ways maintained that Christian baptism was to be ad-
ministered to believers only. Unlike the so-called Refor-
mation, they did not carry over into their' movement the
Catholic superstition and practice of infant baptism.
Baptism has always meant to Mennonites an outward
testimony of an inward work of grace.

The prevailing mode of baptism among American
Mennonites was affusion (sprinkling or pouring). When

156

PRACTICAL AND DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENTS.

the various evangelistic movements arose, which resulted
in the Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church, no particu-
lar attention was given to the mode of baptism. Gradu-
ally, step by step, the mode of baptism which came to
be agreed upon for practice in the church was immersion.

Until the formation of the United Evangelical Men-
nonites in 1879, no specific mention of the mode of bap-
tism is to be found in the Disciplines of previously ex-
isting bodies. The Discipline of the United Evangelical
Mennonite recommends, *Hhat baptism be administered
in the water, and the mode be left to the choice of the
candidate" (Chapter III, Section 1). The Mennonite
Brethren in Christ Discipline, as agreed upon by the
Union Conference of 1883, changed the corresponding
clause to read as follows: '*We recommend that bap-
tism be administered in the water'' (Chapter III, Sec-
tion 1). This was something of a compromise measure
concerning the mode, which restricted the choice of the
candidate to being baptized in the water, without for-
mally providing any further choice. The Discipline was
allowed to remain unchanged until the General Confer-
ence of 1896, at which time the clause on administering
baptism was changed so as to read as follows: ** Bap-
tism shall be administered to believers, and by immer-
sion only." (Chapter III, Section 1). While this might
mean triune immersion, it has generally been interpreted
and practiced as single immersion.

There has been no change in the Discipline on bap-
tism since. The conviction that the church should ad-
minister baptism by immersion only, based upon a con-
clusion that immersion baptism measured up more
nearly to every aspect of New Testament baptism, had
become almost, if not altogether, unanimous. Since the

157

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

last development, resulting in the change made at the
General Conference in 1896, the question of mode is so
thoroughly settled that scarcely ever is there an^ ques-
tion raised. Very seldom has the Discipline been vio-
lated in relation to baptism by immersion only, since the
last change.

The historian cannot always trace causes for such
changes or development, though there are always causes.
One of the contributing factors, even if a minor one,
was the final union of 1883, which brought into the
body the Swank branch of the Brethren in Christ, who
had always been immersionists. It is believed by the
sincere practitioners of this established mode of bap-
tism, that God led them to a mode of. baptism which can
stand every Scriptural test of the ordinance, which can-
not be said of any other mode except immersion.

Young People's Work.

Though the church has, from its origin, sought the
conversion of the young people, it has made but little
effort to provide for the participation of young people
in religious activity, except in the regular service in
connection with adults. Observing the superficiality of
the popular young people's societies, there has been a
manifest hesitancy in introducing anything which would
lead to a separation of the young people from the regular
services into gatherii^ of their own. Children's meet-
ings have been conducted at the camp meetings almost
from the first, and Children's Day exercises have been
held in some of the Sunday Schools.

A conviction has been growing among the churches,
however, that there should be some kind of religious
exerckes provided which, though not to the exclusion

158

PRACTICAL AND DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENTS.

of the older ones whatsoever, would place the responsi-
bility of the service upon the shoulders of the young
people, providing them a means for the development of
their spiritual talents, and an outlet for religious energy.
This conviction has been answered by the organizing
of missionary societies, Bible study meetings, etc.
There has been no general organization, consequently
no uniformity in the effort. Beginning with July 1,
1915, the Gospel Banner supplied Bible Study outlines,
arranged by ministers in various conferences, designed
to provide a suitable program for weekly Bible Study
meetings for both young and old, purposing to enlist
the young particularly in Bible study. This has been
the nearest approach to uniformity in young people/s
work within the church.

Sanctipication.

The Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church was bom
in a revival of experimental religion. This placed its
adherents into a good state for spiritual development.
Whatever regeneration led to was most certain to be
reached by those who entered into the experience so
whole-heartedly.

The theory of sanctification, as a definite work of
grace subsequent to regeneration, came to be accepted
quite generally throughout the church by 1880. When
preaching of the theory of sanctification was begun,
there were those throughout the conferences who testi-
fied to having entered into the experience without hav-
ing known the theory of it.

Beginning with the December issue, 1878, the Gospel
Banner, then the organ of the United Mennonites, car-
ried the following statement in its business card, as to

159

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

the purpose of the publication: **Its most prominent
theme shall be holiness unto the Lord. ' ' This is possibly
the first documentary evidence to be found, indicating
that ** holiness" was becoming a dominant theme in the
new movement. In Canada, Menno Bowman became an
ardent advocate of the doctrine. In Indiana, D. U. Lam-
bert was perhaps the most aggressive exponent of holi-
ness. In Pennsylvania, Jonas Musselman appears to
have been the leader in this teaching. These were influ-
ential men, and they, together with the other jainisters,
seem to have experienced no difficulty in getting the
people to accept the doctrine.

Perhaps one of the greatest factors in spreading the
teaching of sanctification was the first camp meeting,
held in Fetter's Grove, Elkhart County, Indiana, in
1880. The doctrine of holiness was made prominent at
this meeting, with the result that some of the laity and
even some from among the ministry sought and ob-
tained the experience.

From this camp meeting holiness teaching spread.
Both Menno Bowman, of Canada, and Jonas Musselman,
of Pennsylvania, were present at this camp, which may,
in part, account for their zeal for the teaching in their
respective conferences later.

The following year (1881) there were three camps
instead of one. In Canada, one was held at Breslau, and
in Pennsylvania, one was held near Coopersburg, called
the Chestnut Hill Camp. These, like the Indiana camp,
proved to be ** holiness" camps. D. U. Lambert, who
had been secured to assist in the Breslau camp, reported
in part as follows: **The principal effort of the meet-
ing was for the promotion of Scriptural holiness. Many
entered by faith into the experience, and are now sing-

160

PRACTICAL AND DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENTS.

ing, *I am washed in the blood of the Lamb.' Others
that were prejudiced against the doctrine, having a
theory of their own, had their foundation swept away.
Thus * Holiness unto the Lord ' gained the day. ' '^ Jonas
Musselman, reporting the Chestnut Hill Camp of that
year, wrote: **The meetings were conducted strictly on
the holiness line, and quite a number entered the land
of Beulah. Some at the commencement could not un-
derstand what these things meant, and were in doubt
whereunto they might grow. But as the power of God
was so wonderfully displayed, many began to change
their minds and concluded that, after all, it is better in
the land of Canaan. Praise God for the power ! Each
day and night He gave us a new baptism of the Holy
Ghost."*

. The Discipline of the Evangelical United Mennonites
of 1880 contains the following article on Sanctification :

On Sanctification.

** Sanctification necessarily follows justification
and regeneration; for by it is implied a setting
apart for the continual service of God, the individ-
ual, justified, and regenerated ; also a cleansing from
inbred or original depravity, which is removed only
by the application and cleansing process of Christ's
blood. It is an instantaneous act of (Jod, through
the Holy Ghost, by faith, in the atoning merits of
Christ's blood, and constitutes the believer holy;
inasmuch, as it excludes depravity and all unright-
eousness from the heart. He, therefore, is perfect —

* Gospel Bmnncr, October 1, 1881, p. 149.
^Goopel Banner, September 16. 1881, p. 142.

161

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

perfectly sared — ^the will of God perfectly per-
formed in the soul.

^'By sanctification, or perfect love, is also implied
a development or perfection of those heaven-bom
principles imparted to us, or imbibed in the heart
in regeneration ; and it is a state which is not only
the privilege of Christians to enjoy, but the duty of
every child of Qod to seek after and attain unto,
which is evident from the Word of God, as it is said :
*For this is the will of God, even your sanctifica-
tion,' and again: *Be ye holy, for I am holy.' —
Matt. 22 : 37, 38 ; Lev. 19 : 2 ; Heb. 12 : 14 ; 1 Cor.
1 : 30 ; and Eph. 1:4." Article XII.

The General Conference of 1888 aimed at the strength-
ening of the article, adding the word ** Entire" to the
heading of the Discipline article, making the heading to
read: ** Entire Sanctification"; also omitting one para-
graph and adding some outlined teaching on the subject.
There have been several changes made since in the word-
ing of the article in the Discipline. The General Con-
ference of 1882 included the volume entitled ** Lessons
in Holiness" in the original ministers' Reading Course,
and it has remained there ever since. Holiness Conven-
tions have been common since 1900 or a little earlier.
The first and main paragraph of the article as it now
stands in the Discipline reads as follows:

Entibe Sanctification.

'^ Entire sanctification necessarily follows justifi-
cation and regeneration, for by it is implied a setting
apart for the continual service of Gk)d the individual
justified and regenerated ; also a cleansing from in-
bred sin or original depravity, which is removed only

162

PRACTICAL AND DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENTS.

by the application and cleansing process of Christ's
blood. It is an instantaneous act of Qod, through
the Holy Ghost, by faith in the atoning merits of
Christ's blood, and constitutes the believer holy.''
— Chapter I, Article 12.

Again, it is not easy to point out all the factors which
entered into the development made in the church, in re-
lation to this doctrine. A Free Methodist in one com-
munity, a United Brethren in another, and an Evan-
gelical in still another, may be accredited with having
been instrumental in bringing the doctrine of sanctifi-
cation to the attention of the church. The writings of
A. Sims, Geo. D. Watson, John S. InsMp, and others
fell into the hands of these zealous Christians and exerted
their influence. But the cause was more likely inherent
than external or visible. People, truly converted and
walking in the light, were led to see their privilege and
duty in relation to being cleansed from all sin, and they
embraced the provision. God providentially permitted
such human agencies as have been or may be pointed
out to direct a willing and obedient people into the
deeper things of Christian experience.

The Second Coming.

The doctrine of Christ's return began to receive special
notice by various ministers along about 1890. The teach-
ing received attention at the various camp meetings,
and articles were written and selected for The Oospel
Banner on the subject.

With a rapidity and unanimity almost surprising, the
church accepted thepre-millennial viewof Christ's second
coming. At the General Conference of 1896 an article

168

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

was arranged for the Discipline on the subject of the
''Second Coming" and one on the ''Millennium," outlin-
ing briefly the teaching of the New Testament on these
subjects (Article XVII and XVIII). They have re-
mained unchanged, and the teaching is general and
prominent throughout the conferences.

MlUTABISM.

One of the historic and fundamental tenets of Mennon-
ite faith is peace and good will. This doctrine has been
taught under the captions of "Non-resistance," "Self-
defense, ' ' and * ' Revenge. ' ' Its underlying principle has
always been that Christians must not employ carnal
weapons or physical force to attain any end whatsoever,
in times of peace or war.

For the sake of this faith many Mennonites gave up
home and property, migrating from one European coun-
try to another, and finally to America, in quest of free-
dom from military service. Some even gave up their
lives for their faith.

The M. B. C. Church has maintained the historic Men-
nonite attitude on this subject. Having arisen in a time
of comparative peace, and little expecting that non-
resistant faith would be submitted to any severe test in
America, too little emphasis was placed upon the teach-
ing.

When the World War broke out, the church was scarcely
prepared for the test to which it was to be subjected.
But it was the rare exception when a young man Volun-
teered for army service, and it was not general that so-
called "non-combatant" service was accepted. Most of
the young men either secured farm furloughs, thus ren-
dering service of a non-military nature, or where no

164

PRACTICAL AND DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENTS.

favorable action could be secured, j)aid the price of their
non-resistant attitude by suffering segregation in mil-
itary camps or serving sentence in federal prisons. Thus
they became, as Rufus W. Jones in his book, entitled,
*'A Service of Love in War Time," calls the young
Quakers who suffered during the war, ** Keepers of the
Faith.'' In Canada, where Mennonites were i given ex-
emption from military duty, but were disfranchised, the
young men accepted quite willingly the loss of a meas-
ure of citizenship rights that they might be true to their
faith. The purchasing of war bonds was not generally
practiced on account of their direct connection with the
prosecution of war.

General Statement.

Apart from the above-named practices and doctrines,
there have been no particular developments. There has
been some trend toward participation in political mat-
ters, but in a modest way. The church maintains her
attitude very definitely against oath-bound societies and
oaths. The sacrament and the washing of the saints'
feet are perpetuated and observed together. The General
Conference of 1888 provided an article for the Discipline
on ** Divine Healing" (Article XIV), and recommended
that each minister preach on the subject at least once a
year. The use of musical instruments in public worship
is left to the decision of the respective annual confer-
ences. Life insurance is discouraged. Non-conformity
to the world is enjoined, and Scriptural modesty in mat-
ters of dress, excluding the use of the articles which are
forbidden in the Word of God, as *'gold, pearls, and
costly array," are required by the Discipline (Section
VIII).

165

CHAPTER XIII.

Publishing Interests.

That the founders of the church had a keen sense of
the power of the printed page and felt the need of a
church periodical early, is evident. About the year 1877
the Canadian brethren, then the United Mennonites,
issued a trial copy of a periodical called The Oospel
Messenger, which was to have been issued monthly. The
enterprise evidently did not receive sufficient encourage-
ment to warrant continuing, at least no more issues
were printed.

But the need for a church periodical continued to be
realized. In the first issue of The Oospel Banner the need
is expressed as follows: ''That as a church we need a
church organ is too plain to admit of any argument. Al-
though our organization is yet in its infancy — only a
few years' standing — only too long has it been without
a special medium through which to advocate its object,
defend its position, and diffuse its sentiments." In the
same issue the purpose of such a periodical is stated:
^'The Oospel Banner shall be a plain and free, outspoken
exponent of the faith and doctrines of the Bible as un-
derstood by the United Mennonites, without any design
of marring the feelings or of gratifying the selfish prin-
ciples and vain desires of our fellowmen."

The launching of The Oospel Banner, which has ever
since been the official organ of the church, came about
in this way. A conference of the United Mennonites
was in session in Natawasaga Township, Simcoe County,

166

PUBLISHING INTBEESTS.

Ontario, from June 5-7, 1878. The need of a church pe-
riodical was discussed and a plan for the publication of
such a periodical was outlined by Elder Daniel Brenne-
man. After the discussion the following resolution was
passed:

'^ Resolved, That D. Brenneman will proceed at once
with the editing and printing of a church paper called
The Gospel Banner, to be printed at Goshen, Indiana. ' '^

Accordingly, The Gospel Banner made its first appear-
ance in July, 1878, and was published monthly through-
out the balance of that year, containing eight pages.
The subscription price was fixed at one dollar a year.
The managing committee was composed of Peter Geiger,
Joseph B. Schneider, and Jacob Y. Shantz.

For the first half year the publication of The Gospel
Banner was assumed personally by the Editor, and in
the manner published, the subscriptions almost paid the
cost of printing. At the annual conference in Indiana,
in October, 1878, it was requested that the new period-
ical be published by the church, and that, as soon as
possible, it should also be printed in German, or at least
with a German supplement. The following members
from Indiana were added to the managing committee:
John Krupp, D. U. Lambert, and William Moyer. The
managing committee was then composed of three from
Canada and three from Indiana. It was also decided
that funds be solicited to purchase type, press, etc. Plans
for further development of the publishing interests were
left to the General Conference. '

During the six months of 1878 that The Gospel Ban-
ner was published, it was printed by the Goshen Times

^ Gosp«l BaniMr, Jal7> 1878, p. 7.

167

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Company. Early in 1879 type was purchased and the
composition was taken care of by The Oospel Banner
office, which occupied an upper room on Main Street,
in Gtoshen, but the press work continued to be done by
The Times Company, until late in 1879, when a printing
press was purchased on which to print The Oospel Ban-
ner. A small job press had been installed early in 1879.

Beginning with 1879, The Oospel Banner continued
to be published as an eight page monthly, but was printed
in both English and German, the German periodical be-
ing called Evangeliums Panier.

The General Conference which convened in June,
1879, in Blair, Ontario, passed resolutions, making the
printing establishment the property of the church, au-
thorizing the continuation of The Oospel Banner in both
languages; that it be published semi-monthly after 1879,
also planning a campaign for funds for the publishing
house. D. Brenneman was made Editor and T. H.
Brenneman Assistant Editor. A publishing committee
was elected, three from Canada, and three from the
United States.* The price of The Oospel Banner and the
Evangeliums Panier was to remain the same as when
published as monthlies, one dollar per annum, each, or
both papers to one address for a dollar and a half.

At the Union Conference, held in Upper Milford, Le-
high County, Pennsylvania, in November, 1879, there
were two members added to the publishing committee to
represent the Pennsylvania Conference, in the persons
of John B. Gehman and John Traub.'

The managing committee decided at its meeting, in
November, 1879, to open a book store in connection with

* Gospel Bmimer, July, 1879, p. S.

* Gospel Baimor, Dccombor, 1879, p. 8.

168

PUBLISHING INTERESTS.

The Oospel Banner office, and chose Benjamin Bowman
as Editor of the Evangeliums Panier and manager of the
book store.* The book store was carried on under the
name of U. E. Mennonite Publishing House. This proved
an unprofitable venture, as the constituency was too
small to support an institution of this kind. This, to-
gether with some jobs of considerable size which were
printed for others but which could not be collected for,
embarrassed the young publishing concern somewhat
financially. It was already carrying a heavy load in
attempting to issue two periodicals (one German and
one English), eight page semi-monthlies, to a small con-
stituency at $1.50 a year for both. The circulation of
the English periodical at this time was about a thousand
copies, and the German periodical approximately five
hundred copies. Frequent appeals were made for sup-
port, and funds were solicited. Benjamin Bowman con-
tinued in this relation until April, 1881.

During the month of May, 1881, The Oospel Banner
office was moved into a new building on South Main
Street, Goshen, which Jacob Y. Shantz, of Ontario, had
erected for the purpose and which had been rented from
him.

At the General Conference of Ocfober, 1882, held at
the Bethel Church, Elkhart County, Indiana, D. Brenne-
man was elected General Agent and Traveling Mission-
ary; T. H. Brenneman, Editor of both periodicals; and
John Traub, of Pennsylvania, as manager of the print-
ing establishment.*^

Beginning with the issue of November 15, 1882, the
Church and Home, the periodical of the Wenger branch

*Gosp«l Banner, December, 1879, p. S.

* Gospel Banner, October 16, 1882, page 168.

169

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

of the Brethren in Christ Church, was consolidated with
The Oospel Banner, becoming a department of the same,
occupying two pages. This department continued to be
edited by the periodical's former Editor, Dr. C. Nyse-
wander. The additional subscribers, thus brought to-
gether with the growth of The Oospel Banner's subscrip-
tion Hst, necessitated an issue at that time of 2,600 copies
(both languages).

At the close of the year, 1884, the managing commit-
tee found itself face to face with a serious financial sit-
uation: a considerable debt had accrued. The Editors
had always been paid but a small salary. D. Brenneman
received from $200 to $600 per year as Editor. Ben-
jamin Bowman received $400 per year as business man-
ager and Editor of the German periodical. But the ex-
penditures and investments had been out of proportion
to the income. The managing committee, then composed
of J. W. Buzzard and Christian Nusbaum, of Indiana,
Jacob Y. Shantz and John Troxel, of Canada, and John
Gehman and Abel Strawn, of Pennsylvania, decided to
move the printing plant to Kitchener, Ontario (then
Berlin), and elected Casper Hett, formerly of Philadel-
phia, but who had been a typesetter in The Oospel Ban-
ner oflSce for several years, aa Publisher. The reason,
as assigned for this move, in an ^^Explanation" made in
The Oospel Banner, issue of April 1, 1885, is "cheaper
rent, postage, fuel, etc." A program of economy was
evidently to be inaugurated so as to avoid further finan-
cial embarrassment The plant was moved to Kitchener,
and the first issue printed in the removed plant was
dated February 15, 1885. Beginning with 1885, The
Oospel Banner was made sixteen pages, but reduced ma-
terially in the size of the page. The Editor, T. H.

170

PUBLISHING INTERESTS.

Brenneman, did not remove to Canada with the publish-
ing plant, but continued to edit the periodicals until
April 1, 1885, when Joseph Bingeman, who was selected
to succeed him to fill out the unexpired portion of the
term, assumed the office as Editor.

At the General Conference held in October, 1885,
Elder J. B. Detwiler was elected Editor. A contract
was entered into with the publisher, Casper Hett, by the
managing committee, and confirmed by the General Con-
ference, whereby the church would secure the publica-
tion of its own periodicals on its own plant, which should
be operated by the publisher, and also a small margin
(ten percent) from job work printed in the establish-
ment.® In this, manner no further indebtedness accu-
mulated. The name of the publishing house was changed
to the M. B. C. Publishing House, consistent with the
name of the church since 1883.

In 1888 Elder H. S. Hallman was elected Editor. A
contract similar to the one described above was entered
into by the General Conference with Messrs. Hett and
Hallman, printers, for the publishing of The Gospel
Banner and Evangeliums Panier for the General Con-
ference term of four years.*^

In 1892 H. S. Hallman was reelected Editor, and a
contract for the publication of the church periodicals
entered into with the Berlin Publishing Company, Ltd.*
This company also operated the original printing plant
of the church, together with other equipment. General
Conference instructed that The Oospel Banner be made
a weekly (16 pages), and that the Evangeliums Panier

* Gospel Bmnner, NoTemb«r 1, 1885, p. 10.
^Gospel Banner, Norember 1, 1.888, p. IS.
'General Conference Minatca, p. 148.

171

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

be reduced to four pages and continue to be published
semi-monthly.* The plant of this company was partially
destroyed by fire after a few years, and their business
waB sold. H. S. Hallman was again elected Editor in
1896, with C. H. Briumer as Editor of the Sunday
School Department.

The old debt which had accumulated during the earlier
years of the publishing work hung heavily upon the
church. During the time persistent efforts had been
made to raise enough money among the various confer-
ences to liquidate this debt. Some had given freely,
while others did not do so. Some misunderstandings
stood in the way of a complete adjustment. In 1898
H. S. Hallman proposed to take the printing plant of the
church, operate it, publish The Oospel Banner (the
Evangeliums Panier having been discontinued by this
time), and pay the remaining indebtedness of about two
thousand dollars (twelve hundred and forty-eight dol-
lars with accumulated interest),^® from the earnings of
the plant. This proposal was accepted. An executive
committee had been elected by the General Conference
of 1896 to take the place of the former Managing Com-
mittee, who were to have charge, among other things, of
the publishing interests of the church. The above con-
tract with H. S. Hallman was entered into by the former
Managing Committee, which was permitted to hold
over until the obligation of the printing plant was met
By 1904 the debt on the printing plant had been paid
off, and the Secretary of the Managing Committee, John
Troxel, so informed the General Conference of that

* General Conference Minntce, p. 144.
" General Conference Minatee, p. 270.

172

PUBLISHING INTERESTS.

year.*^ A vote of thanks was given H. S. Hallman, as
follows :

*' Whereas, H. S. Hallman assumed the indebtedness
of The Oospel Banner, about six years ago, and has, in
the face of much difficulty and with a great deal of hard
work, and under the blessing of God paid the debt in
full ; therefore

Resolved, That we as a conference express our sincere
thanks and deepest appreciation of his faithfulness in
carrying out his undertaking."^^

H. S. Hallman was reelected as Editor in 1904, with
0. B. Henderson as Assistant Editor. Again a contract
was entered into between him and General Conference,
by which he operated the plant upon his own responsi-
bility, printing The Oospel Banner for the church and
paying the assistant editor out of the earnings of the
publishing and printing business, as a whole. 0. B. Hen-
derson served as Assistant Editor from January 1, 1905,
until April, 1907, when he resigned.

At the General Conference held at Brown City, Mich-
igan, 1908, a contract was entered into with The Union
Gospel Printing Co., by which the said company assumed
the publication end of The Oospel Banner for eight years
(1908-1916). Elder C. H. Brunner was elected Editor
in 1908, and gave four years of editorial service free.
J. A. Huffman was elected Editor in 1912, and served
during the latter four years of the eight years that The
Oospel Banner was published by The Union Gospel
Printing Co. The Executive Committee was authorized
by the General Conference of 1908 to dispose of the

^General ConferenM Minntes, p. 270.
^General ConferenM Minotes, p. 281.

173

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

church-owned printing machinery, which was done, and
the church discontinued printing entirely.

At the General Conference held at New Carlisle, Ohio,
in 1916, J. A. Huffman was made both Publisher and
Editor. In order that The Oospel Banner might be put
upon a sounder business basis, it was reduced to eight
pages for a year, until the Executive Board could find a
solution for the problem by which it could safely be made
a 16-page weekly (50 issues per year) again. This was
done at the close of the first year, and the subscription
list has had a steady growth to date (1920). Over three
thousand copies are issued weekly, size of page being 9^
by 13% inches.

The solution of the problem of the church periodical
deficit came about in this way :

About 1902 a book business was started by J. A. Huff-
man in New Carlisle, Ohio. This business was moved
to Dayton, Ohio, a few years later and incorporated un-
der the name of The Bethel Publishing Company, with
J. A. Huffman as President. The business grew until
it had become well established, serving most of the Men-
nonite Brethren in Christ conferences in an unofficial
capacity, and a large outside constituency, proving it-
self a success.

Realizing that the only immediate solution for the
publishing problem of the church lay in the securing of
an established publishing business whose earnings could
be used to meet the annual deficit of a church periodical,
which was certain to result from an attempt to supply
a 16-page weekly paper, the officers of The Bethel Pub-
lishing Company, in 1917, proposed to the Executive
Board to transfer all the publishing assets and interests,
including Sunday School periodicals, copjrrights, stock,

174

PUBLISHING INTERESTS.

mailing list, good will, etc., at a figure which the Execu-
tive Committee recognized as reasonable. The company
had once operated presses, but this had been abandoned
for a method to them more satisfactory — ^that of using
the presses of other printers, contracting for the me-
chanical work to be done, thus avoiding great investment
and expense, as well as trouble.

A solicitation for funds with which to make the pur-
chase was begun under the name of The General Con-
ference Forward Movement, with the result that suffi-
cient money was raised. The business was taken over
on January 1, 1918, and has been conducted for the
church since that time. The annual earnings of the gen-
eral publishing business, thus secured, and located at
New Carlisle, Ohio, have been sufficient to meet the an-
nual deficit accruing from the publication of The Oospel
Banner. *

The General Conference held at Eatchener, Ontario,
in 1920, reelected J. A. Hufinan as Editor for a third
term. The Executive Board assumed the responsibility
of the publishing business, and employed J. N. Panna-
becker as manager.

DiSCIPLINBS.

Ev^r since the first union in 1875, the church has
striven toward a printed statement of its faith and prac-
tice. Even before the earliest union, several bodies had
their printed Disciplines; the Evangelical Mennonites,
which was printed in 1867 ; and the Brethren in Christ,
which was issued in 1879. At the United Mennonite
Conference, held in Ontario, in June, 1878, a committee
of three was chosen to formulate a Discipline, to be sub-
mitted to the next annual conference. The committee

175

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

was composed of Solomon Eby, Benjamin Bowman, and
J. H. Steckley. The committee reported at the next an-
nual conference, and the Discipline was approved and
ordered published, both in English and German. By
March, 1880, the Discipline was ready for delivery, and
since the union of 1879 had taken place in the mean-
time, bears the name of the Discipline of the United
Evangelical Mennonites of the United States and
Canada.

^Naturally enough, this Discipline was published at
The Oospel Banner oflSce, Goshen, Indiana. As a result
of the union of 1883, and various General Conferences
which made revisions in doctrine and practice, the Dis-
cipline has gone through a number of revisions. This
has always constituted a part of the publishing inter-
ests of the church, and has been conducted in connection
with The Oospel Banner.

Song Books.

The effort toward the solution of the song book problem
is almost as old as that concerning a church periodical
and a Discipline. At the first General Conference of the
United Mennonites, held in Blair, Ontario, in June, 1879,
a committee of three, composed of Solomon Eby, Daniel
Brenneman, and Benjamin Bowman, was elected to com-
pile a suitable hymn book. The English hymn book was
ready by January 1, 1881, and contained about 600
pages with 900 hymns, and sold for one dollar. The
German edition was ready about October, 1882. Thus
hymn book publishing was also assumed as a part of the
publishing interests of the church.

By 1892 the hymn book was thought to need revision,
and a committee, composed of W. B. Musselman, D.

176

PUBLISHING INTEBESTS.

Brenneman, and H. S. Hallman, was elected for that
purpose, with authority to proceed to publish." This
was done in the English language, and the book was
called The Standard Church Hymnal.

It seems that the use of the Hymnal never became gen-
eral. This called for a resolution at the General Con-
ference of 1896, as follows:

^^ Resolved, That the Standard Church Hymnal of our
church, as compiled by the committee of last General
Conference, be used in all our regular English church
services.''^*

A motion was made at the General Conference of 1900
to have a new Hymnal, but was defeated.^' Since that
date no church hymnal has been published nor strongly
advocated, possibly due to the persistency with which
music publishers have pushed their products. The On-
tario', Michigan and Canadian North West Conferences,
however, jointly issued a Hymnal in 1907, which was
used quite generally in these conferences for a number
of years.

Young People's Paper.

The first effort to supply a periodical for young peo-
ple was made when The Youth^s Monitor was launched
on January 1, 1883. It was a small monthly paper, the
subscription price of which was twenty-five cents per
year. Quite a subscription list was secured, but after a
few years it was discontinued. A paper called The
Youth's Banner was published by H. S. Hallman for a
number of years, a semi-monthly, which had a circula-

^ General Conference Minutes, p. IM.
^^Generml Conference Minutes, p. 197.
"Generml Conference Minutes, p. 267.

177

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

tion of 1,400 copies in 1900,^* but it, too, has been dis-
continued for some time.

Almost throughout the period of the publication of
The Oospel Banner, a Youths' Department has been con-
ducted and in recent years, both a Young People's De-
partment and a Boys' and Girls' column have been
strongly featured.

Sunday School LmsRATUBB.

Early in the history of the church was the discovery
made that the Sunday Schools should be furnished with
a literature which would teach the work of (Jod as be-
lieved by the church. On account of the limited con-
stituency, the only solution which seemed possible was
to select the best which was available and encourage
the Sunday Schools to order such through the publish-
ing house.

The necessity for a suitable series of Sunday-School
literature became so apparent, that the following reso-
lution was passed at the General Conference of 1900:

*' Whereas, some questionable literature has been
used; therefore

^'Resolved, That we recommend each annual confer-
ence to make an effort to ascertain the amount of Sun-
day-School literature they can use, and consult the Pub-
lisher, H. S. Hallman, who, under existing circum-
stances, shall have the right to decide the advisability
of publishing the same."^^

The constituency was evidently considered too small
to maintain a series of Sunday-School literature. At
any rate, is was not launched.

^* General Conference MInntce, p. 242.
"Generml Conference Minatee, pp. 255-266.

178

PUBLISHING INTEEESTS.

On January 1, 1911, The Bethel Publishing Company
launched a complete series of Sunday-School literature,
called The Bethel Series, edited by J. A. HuflEman. Al-
though published with a view of supplying a larger con-
stituency than the church, the series was edited for the
purpose of furnishing the Mennonite Brethren in Christ
Church with a series of Sunday-School literature which
would meet the long-felt need in every way. The series
was successfully maintained, and most of the Sunday
Schools of the church availed themselves of the privilege
of their use. This Series has grown constantly. It was
not until the Executive Board secured the publications
of The Bethel Publishing Company on January 1, 1918,
that the problem of a Sunday-School literature was
solved by the church.

Other Publications.

Prior to 1920, the Publishing House also produced
several much-needed record books, such as The Ideal
Church Record, The Pastor's Pocket Record, The Bethel
Sunday School Record, etc.

Conference Publications.

Besides the efforts of the church as a whole to carry
forward its publishing work, some efforts have been put
forth by individual conferences.

The Pacific Conference began the publication of a
small monthly periodical in 1911, called The Oospel
Preacher. It was continued until 1915, when it ceased
to be- published.

The Pennsylvania Conference, along about 1915,
launched a series of Sunday-School literature called The
Christian Life Series, and two years later began the

179

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

pnUiestioxi of a oonf erenos periodical, called the Eagtem
Oospd Banner, betides several other periodicals.

The publishing interests of the church have passed
through various experiences. Although progress has
been slow, the publishing work of the church has never
been on a sounder nor more satisfactory basis, and the
indications are that the church will, in an increasing
manner, avail herself of the use of the silent but power-
ful printed page, and occupy her own literary field, sur-
rounding herself and constituency with an enlarging
body of church literature.

180

CHAPTER XIV.

Foreign Missions

The term '* missions" has been a frequently used one
all during the progress of Mennonite Brethren in Christ
history. Sometimes it included in its scope one thing,
and at another time other things. The little Mennonite
Brethren in Christ group that settled in the Sunflower
State prior to 1880 and constituted one of the earliest
classes of the church west of the Mississippi, was fre-
quently referred to as the ** Kansas Mission.'' Thus a
group of Christians without a regular pastor, somewhat
isolated, was a "mission." Then the Macedonian call
of the heathen began to be heard and heeded, and the
differentiating term which was used was *' Foreign Mis-
sions," and the former came to be called **Home Mis-
sions. ' ' Later the needs of the cities with their neglected
population were pressed upon the people, and a new
field of activity was entered, which was called *'City
Missions. " * ' Home Missions ' ' then included such efforts
as were made to build up groups of Christians into classes
or local churches. *' Foreign Missions" embraced all
work done to bring the Gospel to unevangelized peo-
ples. '*City Missions" represented the church at work
in her endeavor to carry the Gospel into the lanes and
streets of the crowded city. With these meanings the
above terms are used in this and the following chapter.

Inasmuch as Home Mission work has constituted a
large part of the building up of various Conferences,
with scarcely a dividing line between it and regular

181

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

church work, we shall not detain with any special treat-
ment of it — ^the story would be too long and too com-
plex. In some real sense, the whole of the history of the
church, apart from Foreign and City Missions, is a story
of Home Missions. Consequently, this chapter will be
devoted to Foreign Missions, and the next chapter to
City Missions.

That the church was from the earliest interested in
Foreign Missions is quite evident from its expressed de-
sire to enter upon such activity. The commission relat-
ing to the *' uttermost parts" seems to have rested
heavily upon these zealous followers of Christ.

Prior to 1867, the Evangelical Mennonites of Pennsyl-
vania had organized a Missionary Society. The consti-
tution of this society which was to embrace Home and
Foreign Missions^ was as follows:

CONSTITUTION.^

We, as a small branch of the Christian Church, feel in duty
bound to render obedience to the precepts of our Lord and
Savior, who offered up his life out of love towards us, in order
to redeem us from eternal death ; since he has commanded his
Apostles, as well as all who love him, to go into all the world,
to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15), and to
preach repentance and remission of sins among all nations
(Luke 24:47), we, as a small division of the Mennonite So-
ciety, feel it also our duty to organize a Missionary Society
to contribute our mite to the great work of our Lord. May the
Lord grant willing hearts and open hands, besides his rich
blessing.

Article 1. This society shall be called "The Home and For-
eign Missionary Society of the Evangelical Mennonite Society
of East Pennsylvania." The aim of it shall be to hit upon such
measures, by contributions and means of prayer, that the king-
dom of Christ may be extended by missionaries.

1 Eruiffelical Mennontte Discipline, Editton of 1867.

182

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

Abticle 2. Every congregation shall organize a missionary
class, and the preacher or deacon shall hold a missionary meet-
ing every three months, and every member of our society, quar-
terly, shall voluntarily contribute a certain sum for its sup-
port, according as the Lord has blessed him. Also, members
of other confessions may join such classes to assist in advancing
the work of the Lord.

Abticle 3. The society shall hold a yearly meeting a short
time before the spring sitting of the semi-annual conference,
to elect ofllcers for the society and to transact other business ;
on which occasion a missionary sermon shall be preached and
a public collection shall be held for the benefit of the mission-
ary cause.

Abticle 4. The ofiicers of this society shall be a president,
a secretary, and a treasurer, who shall all be members of the
Evangelical Mennonite Society, and shall be elected annually;
by its agreement, however, they shall be eligible again.

Abticle 5. Every congregation or missionary class shall
elect a secretary and a treasurer for a term of three years.
The duty of the secretary shall be to keep a book in which he
shall enter the names of the members opposite to their con-
tributions. The treasurer shall receive all contributions paid
in and shall annually pay them over to the chief treasurer of
the society.

It shall be the duty of the president to see that the regula-
tions of the constitution be observed in all respects and to pre-
side over the yearly meeting and all business meetings ; in case,
however, the president be absent, deceased, or deposed from
his oflace, the secretary shall take his place.

Abticle 8. The secretary shall take note of all the trans-
actions of the society and transcribe them in a register, shall
record the amounts collected which at each meeting are handed
in to the treasurer, and keep an account of other contributions
to the society. In case the ofllces of the president and secre-
tary have become vacant, their duties shall devolve upon the
treasurer until their places be filled by an election at an annual
meeting. Should the office of the treasurer become vacant, the
president shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy until an
annual meeting of the society. Should it become necessary at

183

MENNONITE BEBTHRBN IN CHEIST CHURCH.

any time for the lecretary to take the place of the president,
he may appoint himaelf an assistant

AancLB 8. The treasurer of the society shall receive all
moneys of the class treasurers, and all bequests or presents
firen for the society, and shall keep a book in which he shall
enter punctually all the receipts of the society ; both he and the
secretary, every time after a lapse of six months, shall present
their books at the sitting of the semi-annual conference and
exhibit an accurate account of their receipts and expenditures.

Abticlb 9. Every preacher who has been commissioned as
a missionary by the Council shall present to the conference an
accurate report of his travels and labors, and of his receipts
and expenditures, semi-annually or annually, as he shall be
called upon, and the conference shall then grant an order on
the treasurer in his favor, specifying the amount he shall pay
him out of the treasury.

Abticlb 10. At any time an addition or amendment may be
made to this Constitution by agreement of two-thirds of the
Council members.

This constitution is of historic interest, since it rep-
resents the first organized effort for the purpose of mis-
sionary endeavor in the history of the movement

At the annual conference of the Evangelical United
Mennonites of Canada, held in Waterloo, Ontario, in
June, 1881, a Foreign Missionary Society was organ-
ized. A conunittee of three, consisting of J. T. Shantz, J.
H. Steckley, and John McNally was elected to formulate
a constitution.^. This was the first definite step toward
purely foreign missionary effort in the church. The
committee appointed to formulate a constitution re-
ported at the annual conference of 1882, but the con-
stitution formed was considered inadequate, as it failed
to specify certain important items. A new committee,
composed of J. Y. Shantz, John McNally, and Joseph

'Gmp«1 Bftiin«r, Jiiii« 1, 1881, p. 9S.

184

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

Bingeman was appointed to perfect the constitution.'
This committee reported at the annual conference of
April, 1883, and the constitution was adopted.* The con-
stitution has seven articles, as follows:

CONSTITUTION.

Abticlb 1. This society shall be known as the "Foreign and
Heathen Missionary Society of the E. U. Mennonite Church
of Canada."

Article 2. The object of this society shall be the spreading
of the Grospel in foreign countries and among the heathen in
our own country. Funds to be raised for this purpose by col-
lections and voluntary subscriptions. Bequests to advance the
glorious cause shall be faithfully carried out.

Abticle 3. Any person paying one dollar or collecting two
for this society shall be a member for one year. Any person
paying twenty dollars, either at once or in four equal annual
installments, shall be a life member and shall receive a cer-
tificate to that effect. Any person paying fifty dollars in one
payment shall be an advisory member of this society.

Article 4. The officers of this society shall consist of a
president, secretary, treasurer, and five directors, chosen an-
nually by the yearly conference from among the life members
and advisory directors of this society. These five directors
shall form the executive body. They shall hold one meeting just
previous to or during the sitting of the annual conference —
to frame and deliver report to the annual conference. If re-
quired, the directors may hold as many meetings as they think
necessary during the year — such meetings to be called by the
president, or, in his absence, by the secretary and treasurer.
The secretary and treasurer shall hold or invest all moneys be-
queathed or collected for the society, to the order of the five
directors, or a majority of the same. The directors shall have
power to provide for expenses in publishing reports, issuing
circulars to further the cause, out of the fund, and otherwise

*Gotpel Bftiin«r, Mmj 1, 1882, p. 71.
^Gotpel Bftiiner, May 1, 1888, p. 68.

185

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

to wisely appropriate such funds as tliey may have for the
purpose according to Articles 1 and 2.

Abticle 5. It shall be the business of each minister to bring
the importance of the cause before their respective charges.

Abticle 6. Branch societies may be formed in each Sab-
bath school. Each member of such school, whether teacher or
pupil, can become a member of such branch society for one year
by paying twenty-five cents and shall get a ticket of member-
ship. The funds raised by such societies shall be regularly paid
into the hands of the secretary-treasurer of the society by the
secretary-treasurer of such Sunday school half yearly.

Abticle 7. To effect a change in this Constitution it shall
require two-thirds of the votes of the members of the society
present at a meeting for such a change, due notice having
been given of such meeting to each member.

This constitution has historic value, as it is the first
constitution of a purely Foreign Missionary Society
within the history of the church. That the society was
getting practical results is evidenced by the fact that in
1882 the amount of $138.00 was turned over to S. S.
Haury for work among the Indians in the United States,
and there remained in the treasury $94.25, which was
put on interest until next year.*^

The General Conference of 1882 passed the following
resolution :

'*Wheeeas, We see the great necessity of doing For-
eign missionary work, and inasmuch as many have mani-
fested a desire to contribute to the cause ; therefore

Resolved, That each annual conference adopt a system
to collect foreign missionary funds and report the same
to the next General Conference. ' '*

*Gotpel Banner, July 1, 1882, p. 101.
*Gener»I ConferMice Minutes, p. 44.

186

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

At the General Conference of 1885, the following
resolution was adopted : * ' That each annual conference
put forth earnest efforts to raise means for Heathen Mis-
sion Work, and each minister preach at least once a year
at each of his appointments on the subject. ' '^

The foreign mission interest, in its earliest manifes-
tation, did not have organized direction. The church was
too busy with the organization and prosecution of home
interests to enter so early upon the larger missionary
program.

It was not until 1890 that the first M. B. C. mission-
ary set foot upon heathen soil. Eusebius Hershey, of
Pennsylvania, felt the call of God upon the church, and
since there were no others who were ready to go, decided
to go to Africa, in the above named year.

This pioneer missionary to Africa had been a veritable
home missionary for forty years, traveling almost inces-
santly. He distributed tracts, prayed with people, and
preached everywhere he went. In 1882 he reported that
he had labored in Ontario eleven times, as well as hav-
ing been in the west. He was weak in body but courage-
ous in spirit, never failing to make use of the opportumty
to press Christ's claims upon the church to evangelize
the world. He was married, had a wife and daughter,
but was seldom at home. At the Union Conference of
1883 he announced that the church would have a mis-
sionary in the foreign field before long, but this all
seemed too wonderful to believe.

When Hershey sailed to Africa in 1890, he went with-
out a commission from any conference. He was con-
sidered too aged for the undertaking. It is stated that

^ General Conferenee Minutes, p. 59.

187

MENNONITE BEETHRBN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

as his vessel left the harbor, he stood with his right hand
pointing heavenward until he passed beyond the range
of vision. He was not only going to Africa, but evi-
dently to heaven, by way of Africa, for he soon suc-
cumbed to the African climate, and his body lies buried
in the sands of Liberia.

It might appear to the casual observer that Herahey's
African mission was a failure ; but not so. While he took
no direct conference approval nor commission, he took,
unknown, perhaps, to himself and others, the hearts of
a score or more of future missionaries. Qod had used
him to press the cause of missions upon hearts in the
homeland, by precept, and then permitted him to do so
by example. The earliest M. B. C. missionary in China,
William Shantz, writes: ** About the time that old
Father Hershey went to Africa, I was hearing the call
of heathen lands. This deepened my conviction that it
was time that younger men should go." So God used
this herald of the cross to open the way for foreign mis-
sion work in the church, and within a few years the new
generation of young men and women, to whom Qod had
spoken, began to offer themselves.

Africa.

In the light of the above one would naturally expect
that the first foreign missionary energy would have been
directed toward Africa; but such was not the case. It
was not until 1901 that A. W. Banfield, of the Ontario
Conference, and E. Anthony, of the Michigan Confer-
ence, in company with A. Taylor and C. H. Robinson,
of the Soudan Interior Mission, left Canada for Africa,
reaching Lokoja, West Africa, on November 29th of that
year. They remained there, taking itinerating trips from

188

\ Station-, Jebba, Wes

.' Home at Shomga, Wks

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

that location until March, 1902, when they located at
Patigi, about 160 miles farther toward the interior. At
Patigi they lived in grass houses until 1903, when they
moved into a mud house. The missionaries, Robinson
and Anthony, were invalided home in April, 1903, which
left A. W. Banfield alone on the field. He returned home
in December, 1904, after he had sustained two attacks of
Black Water Fever. This effort, too, seemed humanly
speaking, not entirely successful. It was under the aus-
pices of the Soudan Interior Mission (interdenomina-
tional).

In 1905 the Mennonite Brethren in Christ Missionary
Society (General Board) was organized for work in
Africa, with representatives from three conferences: the
Ontario, Indiana and Ohio, and Michigan. A. W. Ban-
field was elected field superintendent. He was married
to Miss Althea Priest in March, 1905, and returned to
Africa in the autumn of the same year, sailing on Augost
27th and arriving at Shonga, about sixty miles beyond
Patigi, in October. They took with them an American
constructed bungalow, bi;ilt in sections, which they
erected at Shonga. This was a great improvement over
former missionary houses, and added materially to their
comfort.

Misses C. W. Pannabecker, of Ontario, and Florence
Overholt (Mrs. Lang), of Michigan, reached Shonga in
July, 1906. Miss E. Hostetler, of Ontario, and Ira W.
Sherk, of Michigan, arrived there in August of the fol-
lowing year.

In 1910 Miss E. Hostetler returned home on furlough,
and in July, 1911, she, in company with Mr. and Mrs.
C. T. Homuth, of Ontario, arrived on the field. Miss
B. M. Evans reached Africa in May, 1913, and Allen J.

189

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Shultz and wife arrived in November of the same year.
Mr. and Mrs. S. S. Shantz arrived in January, 1916.
These five were all from Canada. Miss Evans and Mr.
and Mrs. Shultz returned home on furlough in 1916.
Mr. and Mrs. Shultz did not return to Africa on account
of physical disability. H. R. Pannabecker, of Canada,
arrived at Jebba in November, 1915.

Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Hein, of the Soudan, Interior Mis-
sion, came to Mokwa Station in 1917. After remaraing
two years, they returned to America.

In 1918, a party of seven missionaries arrived at
Jebba on Christmas Eve. The party consisted of the
following persons: Mr. and Mrs. Ira W. Sherk (formerly
Miss Evans), Mr. and Mrs. William Pinlay, Mr. and Mrs.
W. Lageer, and Miss Norah Shantz. Mr. and Mrs. Sherk
having been on furlough, returned as representatives of
the Michigan Conference. Mr. ^ind Mrs. Finlay repre-
sented the Alberta Conference, while the last-named
three were sent from the Ontario Conference. Splendid
Christmas gift from the church to dark Africa!

The M. B. C. stations were opened as follows: Shonga,
1905 ; Jebba, 1909 ; Mokwa, 1911.

In 1911 A. W. Banfield, at the invitation of the other
missionary societies, began the operation of a small print-
ing plant, which eventually grew to quite large propor-
tions. He began Bible Society work in 1915, and in 1918
was appointed by the British and Foreign Bible Society
as its secretary for West Africa, and the printing plant
was transferred to the Soudan Interior Mission. During
the time the plant was operated by Mr. Banfield, por-
tions of the Scriptures and other literature were printed
in eleven Nigerian languages.

In May, 1907, the Nupe Language Conference was

190

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

formed, including all the missionaries in the three so-
cieties working among the Nupe tribe. Mr. Banfield was
appointed secretary and chief translator for the con-
ference, and was asked to translate the Four Gospels,
which he proceeded to do. In 1910 he translated the
Acts, and in 1914 he translated from Romans to Revela-
tion, thus completing the New Testament. He has also
translated the Psalms, Proverbs, and Genesis; has com-
piled a Nupe-English and English-Nupe Dictionary in
two volumes with over twelve thousand words ; a Nupe
Grammar, a book of Bible Stories of three hundred pages,
a book containing six hundred and twenty-three Nupe
proverbs, school books, and some hymns. It is his in-
tention to complete the translation of the Bible into the
Nupe language.

Besides the work carried on by the M. B. C. Missionary
Society in Africa, several other missionaries were rep-
resenting the church in other parts. Miss Ida Mae Comp-
ton, of the Nebraska Conference, went to British-South
Africa in 1903, under the Hepzibah Faith Missionary
Association. She labored with this society until October,
1909, when she returned to America. She died in Decem-
ber of the same year. Miss Maude Cretors, also of the
Nebraska Conference, went to British-South Africa in
1904. She labored with the Hepzibah Faith Missionary
Association until 1906. The rest of her ten years in
Africa were spent laboring with the Free Methodists at
various stations in British South Africa. She returned
in 1914. In 1916 the Pennsylvania Conference adopted
as their missionaries Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Crist at Boma,
Congo Beige, West Africa ; also in 1917, E. R. Hess, and
in 1920, M. E. Barter, of the same place.

191

MENNONITE BEBTHRBN IN C5HEIST CHUECH.

The first M. B. C. missionaTy in China was William
Shantz, of Canada, who went in 1895. He remained on
the field eleven years before returning on furlough.
After he had been on the field about six years, he married
Miss Mary Davidson, a missionary of the Baptist Church,
who later united with the M. B. C. Church. They have
labored continuously in China under the Christian and
Missionary Alliance, although supported by the Ontario
Conference. Their field has been Wuhu and Tatung.
Mr. Shantz has the distinction of being the first mission-
ary sent out by the M. B. C. Church fully credentialed
and supported.

Miss Ella Rudy, then of the Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference, went to China in 1907. She, too, labored under
the Christian and Missionary Alliance, being partially
supported by her conference.

C. F. Snyder, of the Pemisylvania Conference, went
to China in 1897, where he labored under the C. and
M. Alliance Board. Miss Phoebe P. Brenneman, of the
Indiana and Ohio Conference, went out in 1904, and was
married to missionary Snyder in 1908. They have la-
bored extensively in Eansu Province, although they
spent several years in Thibet. Mrs. Snyder's support
was later assumed by the Pennsylvania Conference.

Since 1913 W. N. Buhl has also represented the Penn-
sylvania Conference in Eansu Province; also William
Christie, since 1915.

South Amesica.

Blissionary interest in South America dates to 1897,
when Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Weiss went to Chile, and
opened work in that republic. They were reinforced

192

F HocHow, Kansu

;, South America, Princi

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

in 1904 by the coming of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Peldges.
Mr. and Mrs. M. P. Zook have labored in Chile since
1905. Miss Anna LaFevre was added to the force of
workers in 1911, and Mrs. Nettie Meier in 1919, the lat-
ter not being a member of the M. B. C. Church, but sup-
ported, with the above-named, by the Pennsylvania Con-
ference. The work in Chile has been conducted in the
regions of Osorno, Valdivia, Victoria and Temnco.

In December of 1908, Miss Frances Bechler, of the
Pacific Conference, sailed for South America, arriving
there in February of 1919. She spent several years la-
boring in the regions of Valdivia and Valparaiso, Chile.
She was called to her reward in 1911. Her labors were
in connection with the Christian and Missionary Al-
liance Board, though supported by her conference.

Turkey.

In 1898 Miss Rose Lambert, of Indiana (Mrs. David
Musselman), and Miss M. A. Gerber went to Turkey to
take up work among the Armenian children who had
been left orphans by the massacre of 1896. They be-
,lieved that God had called them to this work and that
God Himself would supply the need. They sailed from
New York November 12, 1898, and arrived at Hadjin,
Turkey, on December 28. By the help of interested
friends in Europe and America, they were enabled to
begin the orphanage work in the spring of 1899, and by
autumn had 175 orphans under their care. There were
two homes opened— one for girls and the other for boys
— ^and by 1905 the number of orphans had reached, in
both homes, 305.

On March 4, 1900, Misses Fredericka Honk and Ada
Moyer (Mrs. T. F. Barker) arrived at Hadjin to assist

*3 193

MENNONITE BftUTfiREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

in th^ orphanage work. They were both from C&nadt.
A little later, in 1900, J. E. Pidler and wif^ of Penn-
sylvania, joined the workers. He served as superin-
tendent while on the field. In April Of 1901, T. F,
Barker, of Canada, went to Turkey and was married to
Miss Ada Moyer upon his arrival upon the field. He
became superintendent of the work in 1902, and con-
tinued in that capacity until the work was closed on
account Of the war, in 1914. In 1905 Miss Ida Tschumi
and Miss Helen Penner, of Cleveland, Ohio, also ar-
rived to assist in the work.

In 1905 Henry Maurer, of Indiana, was sent to share
in the work in Turkey. He was married in 1907, to
Miss Elizabeth Hawley, a missionary doctor, who also
joined the workers in Turkey. In February, 1909,
Misses Dorinda and Anna Bowman, from Michigan,
reached Hadjin, and were welcomed as much-needed re-
inforcement. In the fall of 1909 three more were added
to the missionary group at Hadjin. They were Misses
Katherine Bredemus and Norah Lambert, of Indiana,
and Miss Ethel Nelson, of Ontario.

Protn the first the work in Turkey had grown. It had
beisome, in some sense, an industrial mission. There were
so many people who were destitute, at the same time
unemployed, that it was considered wise to provide em-
ployment for them at a very meager wage, so that they
might live, rather than to treat them as subjects of (Par-
ity. Thiis would encourage industry and place them
npon thfeir own resources, in a measure. Widows were
employed to wash, spin, and weave. A native s^oe shop
was opened for the employment of men. A small Shoe
utore, a &fy goods store, and a bakery were also eon-
dneted. Besides fumii^ing employment for men, these

194

The Missionaries' Home in the

Destroyed in 1980 dui

Th^ Gtrla' Home, Hadjin, Turkey.
Burned during the World War by the Turks.

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

small industries netted a fair margin of profit. At
the same time opportunity for spiritual work, both
among the men and women, was afforded.

The number of workers who attached themselves to the
work in Turkey, up to and including the year 1909,
did not increase the force permanently, as would be
supposed. J. E. Pidler's stay was comparatively short,
he, with his wife, returning to America in 1903.

Besides, there were several deaths, which cast a
shadow of gloom upon th workers. Miss Adeline Brunk,
of Indiana, who returned with Rose Lambert from her
furlough in 1905, took sick with typhoid fever three
weeks after her arrival, and died on December 11. Mrs.
Henry Maurer also succumbed to the same disease in
September, 1908. Henry Maurer was shot by a fanatical
mob of Moslems in Adana on April 15, 1909. Miss
Fredericka Honk had taken ill with typhoid in 1908, an
illness from which she never fully recovered. On her
way home, the following year, she became worse and
was taken to a hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, where she
died on May 30, 1909.

Several were compelled to leave the field for other
reasons. On account of poor health, Mr. and Mrs.
Barker were obliged to take a somewhat extended fur-
lough, beginning in April, 1907. The Miss Bowmans
came just at a time when the workers had been reduced
to a small number, and were much in need of cheer and
help. They arrived just a few weeks before the mas-
sacre of 1909 began, the strain of which caused the
breakdown of the health of Miss Rose Lambert so that
she was obliged to return to America early in 1910,
not to return to Turkey.

From the beginning of the work it had been carried on

195

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

interdenominationally. The United Orphanage and Mis-
sion was the name of the organization effected, for the
purpose of carrying on the work more systematically.

While the work had been conducted in an interde-
nominational way, no small part of the support of the
work came from the Mennonite Brethren in Christ
Church, and the Board has at all times been predomi-
nantly of M. B. C. membership.

The year 1910 marked a new era in the history of the
work in Turkey. In the spring of 1910 Mr. and Mrs.
D. C. Eby, of Ontario, were sent out to fill the vacancy
occasioned by the death of Mr. and Mrs. Maurer. They
reached Hadjin in March of that year.

The Hadjin missionaries, who had long desired to ex-
tend their work into other needy sections, felt that with
the coming of the reinforcements of 1909 and 1910, they
were able to enter another district. In July, 1910, Mr.
Barker and Mr. Eby set out on a tour of inspection,
with a view of selecting a second location in which to
conduct orphanage work. After visiting a number, of
cities, Everek, a city several days' journey on horseback
from Hadjin, was chosen as the one to be recommended
to the Home Board for the second station. Everek is lo-
cated about twenty-five miles from Csesarea, in Cappa-
docia.

The work was opened in Everek in September of that
year, in charge of Mr. and Mrs. Barker, assisted by
Misses Eatherine Bredemus and Ethel Nelson, and was
made the Boys* Orphanage. At Hadjin a school had
been provided by the American Board, and the Girls*
Orphanage, which was continued there, shared in this
school by paying towards the support of the same. At
Everek, however, it was necessary ^to open a school,

196

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

which was done promptly, with nine grades, with seven
native teachers, four of whom were boys from the or-
phanage, who had been brought along from Hadjin. The
work at Everek received new recruits in the persons of
Mr. and Mrs. D. J. Storms, of Ontario, in 1913.

The work at these two stations was continued uninter-
ruptedly until the war broke out in 1914. A number of
the workers being Canadian subjects, it was not possible
to continue with Turkey at war with Great Britain and
Canada. Accordingly, the two stations were closed, and
the missionaries returned to America in December of
1914. The missionary party at both stations, when com-
pelled to return to America in 1914, was composed of
the following: Mrs. T. P. Barker and children (Mr.
Barker having returned early in the year), Katherine
Bredemus, Norah Lambert (Mrs. Oscar Sommer), Do-
rinda Bowman, Anna Bowman, Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Eby,
Mr. and Mrs. D. J. Storms.

The great work done in Turkey cannot be accredited
alone to the M. B. C. Church, much less to any one con-
ference of the church. The hundreds of orphans housed,
clothed, fed, educated, and the untold numbers who had
been touched by the spiritual message constitute an ac-
complishment the credit for which God alone can de-
termine. The fellowship of this work, as it was shared
by various conferences, was as follows: Mr. and Mrs.
T. P. Barker, Miss Ethel Nelson, Mr. and Mrs. D. J.
Storms were supported by the Ontario Conference ; Miss
Rose Lambert, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Pidler by the Penn-
sylvania Conference; Miss Prederika Honk, Henry
Maurer, Miss Katherine Bredemus, and Miss Norah Lam-
bert by the Indiana and Ohio Conference; Misses Do-
rinda and Anna Bowman by the Michigan Conference ;

197

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

and Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Eby by the Alberta Conference.
At the close of the war, Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Eby and
Miss Bredemus were sent by the Board to resume work
among the Armenians in Turkey, all the more needy
after several years of hardship, cruelty, and deporta-
tions. They sailed on August 2, 1919, and arrived in
Hadjin on September 12. They found that the Girls'
Orphanage building had been burned during the war,
but that the missionaries' home had not been destroyed.
Very soon a company of orphans was gathered around
them, and the work gave promise of permanency. Dur-
ing the last week in March, 1920, Hadjin was besieged
by the Nationalists (Kemalists), and after almost three
months of continuous siege, Mr. and Mrs. Eby, Miss
Katie Bredemus, and three other American mission-
aries escaped from the city while it was yet under siege,
and succeeded in arriving at Constantinople on July 2.
Prom Constantinople they went to the Island of Cyprus,
awaiting developments in Turkey. Mr. and Mrs. Eby
returned to America in November, 1920.

India.

In the fall of 1908 Miss Fanny Matheson and Miss
Ruby Reeve, of Ontario, went to India and labored un-
der Bishop Wame, of the Methodist Church. Miss Reeve
labored in Calcutta and Miss Matheson in Tamluk.

Miss Reeve married a native Indian Christian in 1913.
Miss Matheson, after a furlough in 1915, returned to
her station at Tamluk.

Miss Laura Steckley went to India in 1909, where she
labored in the Province of Bengal for five and a half
years with the Hepzibah Faith Missionary Association.
When she returned to America in 1915, she united with

198

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

the M. B. C. Church (Nebrwka Conference), expecting
to represent them in Xn^a as soon as the wt^ opens for
her return.

Migs Myrtle Williams also went to India in X909 wd
labored with the Hepzxbah Faith Missionary Association
for several years. Upon her return to America she also
united with the M. B. C. Church (Pacific Conference),
and in 1919 returned to India together with Miss Emma
L. Einnan. They are laboring at Raghunathpur, Men-
bboom District, Behar, India, with the Hepzibah Faith
Missionary Association as representatives of the Pacific
Conference, by whom they are supported.

The Pennsylvania Conference has had a missionary in
the Kaira District since 1917, in the person of S. P. Ham-
ilton, also Mrs. S. P. Hamilton since 1920. Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel Kerr have been in Gujarat Province since 1920.
The reinforcements added by the same Conference dur-
ing 1920 were: Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Camer and Miss
Eunice Wells.

Annam.

In 1919 the Pennsylvania Conference accepted Mr.
and Mrs. William C. Cadman as their missionaries to
Annam (French Indo-China). Some progress has been
made among the Annamese, two chapels having been
built and four hundred and fifty children having been
enrolled in the Sunday School by 1919. In 1920 Mr.
F. L. Dodds and Mr. B. M. Jackson were added to the
force of workers.

Palestine.

It was not until 1919 that th$ M. B. C. Church began
the support of missionaries in Palestine, when th« P^nn-

sylvania Conference adopted Mr. E. 0. Jago, md Wm

199

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Mary A. Butterfield of the Christian and Missionary Al-
liance to support. These missionaries have been labor-
ing in Jerusalem, where a promising station has been
organized right in the religious capital of the world, and
in the identical city where He who gave the commission
to the Church to evangelize the world was crucified.

Methods.

Until 1920 the foreign mission work of the church had
no general head. Each conference had its own foreign
mission committee or board, and besides these, two inter-
conference boards had been organized: the African
Board and the Armenian Board.

A conviction had been entertained early on the part
of some, that greater success could be achieved by a
uniting of the forces of the various conferences in for-
eign mission work. In 1904 the Ontario Conference pe-
titioned General Conference for a General Conference
Foreign Mission Board, but the petition was not granted.
The Nebraska Conference did the same thing in 1908,
with the same result.

' The General Conference of 1920 was petitioned by
three conferences — the Ontario, Indiana and Ohio, and
Nebraska — ^with the result that the request was granted.
The following resolution was passed:

''Resolved, that the recommendations of the Ontario,
Indiana and Ohio, and Nebraska Conferences be
granted; that a General Conference Foreign Mission
Board be organized; that all Conferences which desire
to unite in the same be encouraged to do so; that no
Conference be required to do so."

The above action of General Conference provides for
the organization of the foreign mission work of the

200

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

church on a basis which makes united purpose and
effort possible, without the overlapping of interests.
While a very commendable amount of work has been ac-
complished by the past methods, it is hopefully expected
that the future will result in greater accomplishment in
foreign mission endeavor.

Note. — Of the various foreign missionaries named as being sup-
ported by the Pennsylvania Conference, only seven are members of
the M. B. Church: Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Snyder, Mr. and Mrs. H. W.
Feldges, Mr. and Mrs. M. P. Zook, and Mrs. H. L. Weiss. The
other missionaries named are members of the Church and the Con-
ferences supporting them.

201

CHAPTER XV.

City Missions.

It is worthy of note that the great strides of develop-
ment came almost simultaneously throughout the vari-
ous conferences of the M. B. C. Church. This is so true
in the matter of City Missions that it is somewhat diffi-
cult to determine what the order of the historical narra-
tive should be, especially in relation to the three older
conferences.

Indiana and Ohio Conference.

In the Indiana and Ohio Conference the beginning of
City Missions came about in quite an unexpected way.
At the annual conference of 1895, Elder E. McDannel
was assigned tabernacle work in the Indiana District,
with A. H. Kauffman and Miss Delia Huffman (Mrs.
H. E. Freeze) as helpers. Elder Jacob Hygema was as-
signed the pastorate of the West Union Circuit. Dur-
ing the month of June of that year. Elder Hygema se-
cured the assistance of Delia Huffman and held a taber-
nacle meeting in South Bend, Indiana. The meeting met
with considerable success, and an appeal was so strongly
made by the converts and interested families that the
work should be continued, that a room was secured and
a mission opened in South Bend in July. There had been
no such item included in the program, and it was with
considerable hesitation that the church leaders were per-
suaded that the work of City Missions should be added
to the activities of the church.

But the conference caught the vision, at least in a

202

CITY MISSIONS.

measure, and in 1896, for the first time, the annual con-
ference minutes contains a group called ' * Mission Work-
ers.'' The group consisted of A. H. Kaufl&nan, W. 0.
Mendell, Delia Huffman, and Phoebe Brenueman. They
were to labor at the direction of the Presiding Elder.
Phoebe Brenneman was placed in charge of the South
Bend Mission for the following year.

The second mission was opened during the month of
May, 1896, in Dayton, Ohio, by Delia Huffman. During
the same year the interest had spread to Harshman, a
suburb of Dayton, to the east, and to the National Mil*
itary Home, to the west. Perhaps no other mission in the
conference made itself so quickly and generally felt as
the Dayton Mission. Out of it came several ministers,
city missionaries, and one or more foreign missionaries.

By 1898 missions had been opened in the following
cities, besides the above named: Elkhart and LaFa-
yette, Ind. ; Kalamazoo, Mich. ; New Carlisle and Green-
ville, Ohio ; and Gibson City and Bloomington, 111. The
list of workers assigned to missions was as follows : Mary
Nunemaker, Fredericka Honk, Ella *Rudy, Cora Durst,
Lydia Klopfenstein, Rosa Stahley, and Mr. and Mrs.
H. E. Freeze. The supply list contained the follo^ng
names: Emma Lockhart, Katherine Bredemus, and
Olive Scott.

By 1900 the following missions had been added to the
list: Goshen, Middlebury, and Laporte, Indiana. The
following workers had been added : Margaretha Werner,
Bertha Bartlett, Cora Rudy, Mae Snyder, Anna Oden,
Ida Virgin, Emma Sando, Emma Swank, Edith Herri-
man, Amanda Hall, Jennie Little, Lucy Pittman, Maud
Cretors, Anna McAfee, Ida Monn, Flossie Lamb, and
Flora Yoder.

203

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Between the years 1900 and 1904 there were only four
new missions opened: Plymouth and Mishawaka, In-
diana, and Arcanum and Cincinnati, Ohio. The workers
who were added to the list during this period were
Vianna Longenecker, Bertha Weaver, Emma Lambert,
. Lena Knell, Mae Talmage, Delia Troyer, and Julia Ran-
dolph.

Since 1904 there have been only two City Missions
opened in the conference: Springfield and Lima, Ohio.
There have been several new workers added to the list :
Ethel Amy Walker, Edith Schryer, Mamie Helscel (Mrs.
Frank Long) , Mabel Angelmyer, Mary Steele, and Fern
Clark.

The City Missions within the conference have all been
discontinued as such. Some of them have become regu-
lar churches, among which are : Greenville, Dayton, New
Carlisle, Springfield, and Lima, 0., and Mishawaka, Ind.
Some of the workers have gone to foreign missions ; some
have transferred to other conferences; some have mar-
ried ; and several continue in the capacity of assistants.

The City Mission work has, with the exception of one
year, been directed by the Presiding Elders. In 1908
I. P. Moore was elected as Superintendent of Missions,
and served one year, at the end of which the work was
again placed under the direction of the Presiding Elders.
Since the cessation of activity in the direction of City
Missions, the conference has been featuring Church Ex-
tension work, which is, in reality, mission work which
belongs more directly to the Home Mission class.

Ontario Conference.

In 1898 the Ontario Conference had seven mission
workers, but no City Missions had as yet been opened.

204

CITY MISSIONS.

The names of the workers were reported as follows:
Emma Hostettler, Sarah Klahr, S. Madden, Jennie
tiittle, Laura Moyer, Saloma Cressman, and M. E. Chat-
ham.

The conference of 1899 reports an addition to the list
of workers as follows: A. Moyer, S. Bowmian, and M.
Spree. Four missions had been opened by this time, in-
cluding CoUingwood, St. Thomas, Woodstock, and Owen
Sound.

Until the year 1902 the City Missions were in charge
of a committee of three, elected by the annual conference,
usually including the Presiding Elders. In 1902 an or-
ganization was effected, providing for a President and a
Constitution. The society was called **The City Mission
Workers' Society,'* and Elder H. S. Hallman was its
first President. The society adopted a uniform dress
and was, in a measure, self-governing. The society was
composed of women missionaries.

Between the years 1899 and 1902 other missions were
opened, as follows: Toronto Junction, St. Catharines,
Aylmer, Sherkston, Guelph, and Waterloo. The new
workers who were added were : L. Shantz, S. McQuami,
N. Little, S. Pool, E. Bertram, A. Ball, L. Kuntz, D.
Young, M. Rennie, E. Guy, C. M. Rudy, J. C. Krauth,
E. Evans, M. Dunnington, A. Priest, and J. Miller.

H. S. Hallman served as President of the City Mission
Workers' Society until 1908. During this period con-
siderable of progress continued to be made. The records
disclose the fact that the following missions were opened
within the period : Mt. Salem, Orwell^ New Market, Wiar-
ton, IngersoU, Southampton, Winnipeg, Stratford, To-
ronto (Dundas St.), and Brandon. A large number of
workers were also added to the list during the period:

205

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

C. Loop, H. Peard, M. Good, E. Block, R. Reeve, M.
Markle, D. Shantz, M. McLelland, M. Drefich, M. Neill,
A. Srigley, F. Matheson, L. Swalm, B. Nelson, M. White,
L. Holmes, B. Barefoot, B. Mclntyre, S. Cober, R. Hos-
tettler, M. BaUey, M. Hisey, E. Mcintosh, E. Shantz, M.
Doner, 0. Bryant, A. Bowman, M. Devitt, C. Brubaker,
M. Scheifele, and S. Moyer.

During this period the organization was developed to
a marked degree of efficiency. Not only had a uniform
dress been adopted, but one of the number (not always
the same one) served as seamstress. Miss E. Block served
as seamstress for the year 1906, and Miss D. Shantz
for 1907.

The City Mission work was conducted very much the
same in the various missions from the start. Public
services were held in mission halls almost every evening
in the week. Open air meetings were common. There
was much house to house visitation, and during this
period colporteur work was begun.

In 1908 Elder J. N. Kitching was elected President,
and served continuously until 1913. The work was con-
tinued along the lines previously developed.

During this period two other missions were opened, as
follows: Toronto (East End) and Hamilton. The work-
ers were reinforced by the addition of the following per-
sons: H. Thompson, C. Pannabecker, E. V. Jacobson, M.
Hunsberger, M. Kesselring, M. Parr, N. Shantz, J.
Mitchell, L. Frey, 0. Baalim, M. Hood, and 0. Thistle.

Elder C. N. Gk>od was elected president of the society
in 1913, and continued in that office until 1919. No
new missions were opened during this period, although
several new workers were added. They were: C. Dou-

206

CITY MISSIONS.

brottgh, H. French, W. Bell, E. Abbott, E. Hutchison,
E. Raymer, J. Eby, and B. Fidler.

In 1919 Elder S. Cressman was elected President.
During the summer of 1920 a new mission was opened
at Petrolia. Misses H. Rogers and M. Lageer also en-
tered the work during the year. S. Cressman was re-
elected at the conference of 1920.

As is the case in City Mission work, the number of
missions continued was not as cumulative as one might
suppose. Some missions were closed for various reasons.
Others were organized into churches and given pastors.
At the annual conference in 1920 seven missions were
reporte4 going. They were as follows: Toronto (East),
St. Catharines, St. Thomas, Stratford, Wiarton, Owen
Sound, and Petrolia. Neither is the list of workers as
cumulative through a period of years as a historic re-
counting of them would make it appear. In relation to
this Society, quite a number, after serving for a time
in the homeland, went to foreign missions. Some mar-
ried, others left the work for various reasons, and several
died. At the annual conference in 1919 the workers
to be stationed numbered twenty.

Pennsylvania Conference.

City Mission work was begun in the Pennsylvania Con-
ference about the same time as in the Indiana and Ohio
and Ontario Conferences. The first missionary society
was organized by Elder W. B. Musselman, and included
both men and women. About 1898 a body of women mis-
sionaries, including Mrs. Lucy Musselman, the widow of
Jonas Musselman, withdrew from the Mennonite Breth-
ren in Christ Home Missionary Society (retaining their

207

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

individual membership with the church) and organized
themselves into an unsectarian Home Missionary Society.
Members of different churches could at the same time
be members of this organization, which was called the
Gospel Worker Society. W. B. Musselman was elected
as President, which position he has held ever since. The
society is still in existence, with headquarters at Cleve-
land, Ohio.

The remainder of the society, from which the Gospel
Worker Society withdrew, continued, and later became
known as the Gospel Herald Society (men only). Elder
C. H. Brunner was the first President of this society,
serving from 1901-1905. He was succeeded by W. G.
Gehman, who has served continuously since 1905.

The Gtospel Herald Missions which later became regu-
larly organized M. B. C. Churches are as follows: Sun-
bury, Shamokin, Stroudsburg, Easton, and Philadel-
phia. Gtospel Herald Society missions are still con-
ducted in the following places : Scranton, Lebanon, Har-
risburg, York, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Pa. ; and Jersey
City, N. J.

Michigan Conference.

The Michigan Conference began its City Mission work
in 1897, at Grand Rapids, Michigan, with A. H. Kauff-
man in charge. He was assisted by Sarah Fink (Mrs.
C. A. Wright) and Nellie Bitter (Mrs. Wheeler). The
following year Lizzie Koebke and Lydia Miller (Mrs.
Briggs) were placed in charge, assisted a part of the
year by Mary Swartz (Mrs. B. M. Dodd). The mission
was discontinued at the end of the year.

In 1900 a mission was opened at Caro, in charge of
Lydia Miller and Ella Nash (Mrs. F. A. Jones). This
mission was closed at the end of the year.

208

CITY MISSIONS.

In 1903 Elder W. Graybiel was elected City Mission
Superintendent. During that year three new missions
were opened, as follows: St. Clair, in charge of Lydia
Miller, assisted by Florence Overholt (Mrs. Lang, of
Patigi, Africa) ; Bad Axe, in charge of Ella Nash, as-
sisted by Anna Bowman ; Port Huron, in charge of Susie
Dean, assisted by Ametta Erb (Mrs. 0. B. Snyder).

In 1904 the mission at St. Clair was discontinued and
one was opened at Flint, in charge of Lydia Miller, as-
sisted by M. Pigeon. A mission was also opened in South
Park the same year, in charge of Ella Nash.

In 1905 the City Mission work was again placed un-
der the supervision of the Presiding Elders. No new
missions were opened during the period from 1905 to
1908; but in 1908 a mission was opened in Pontiac, in
charge of Susie Dean, assisted by Ora Spoors.

In 1911 a mission was opened in Jackson, Michigan,
in charge of Hattie Rosenberger, assisted by Mary Jausi
(Mrs. N. Clemens), Olive Stoner, and Myrtle Hall.
Other workers who were added to the list between 1908
and 1912 were: Lenora Annabel, Ella Ditty, and Viola
Grody.

In 1912 a City Mission Board was organized with a
view of giving a larger efficiency to the City Mission
work. This Board has been continued, and has served
its purpose. The general oversight, however, of the City
Mission work has been at all times, with the exception
of the years 1903-1905, in charge of the Presiding Elders.

A mission was opened in Battle Creek in 1912, in
charge of Susie Dean, assisted by Ella Ditty, Lenora
Annabel, and Olive Stoner.

In 1913 a mission was opened in Detroit, in charge of
Hattie Rosenberger and Myrtle Hall. Two new workers

" 209

MENNONITE BRBTHEEN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

were added to the list in 1913. They were Minnie Fra-
leig^ and Hazel Robinson.

In 1915 a mission was opened at Highland Park (De-
troit), in charge of Hattie Rosenberger and Emma Holtz.
Since that time no new missions have been opened, ex-
cept one at Kalamazoo, Michigan, during the summer
of 1920, in charge of Leonora Annabel, assisted by Alice
Francis. The new workers who were added between the
years 1915 and 1920 were: Isabelle Hollenbeck, Mable
DeQroat (Mrs. A. Q. Herman), Emma Jausi (Mrs. R. G.
Morgan), (Jertrude Spencer, Loretta Shupe, and Alice
Francis. Dorinda Bowman had returned from Turkey
on account of war conditions by this time and assisted
in the work.

As was the case in other conferences. City Mission
work underwent a constant change. Some missions were
discontinued, while a number, including the following:
Battle Creek, Highland Park, and Kalamazoo, are
still in operation. Several missions developed into
churches. In 1907 Port Huron was recognized as a
church. Pontiac and Bad Axe were organized into
churches in 1911 ; Flint in 1914. In 1918 Ralph W. Ber-
ber was made pastor at Detroit. This church, though
organized, was not fully self-supporting, and continued
to be listed as a mission.

Nebraska Conpbbbnce.

The following is a brief sketch of the City Mission
work of the Nebraska Conference, as it was written by
JJ. W. Rich, and appeared in the Historical Conference
Journal of 1918-1919 :

* * The City Mission work was started about the second
year after the organization of the conference. It was

210

CITY MISSIONS.

then called the Home Misiaon work. At times it seemed
that the work would go under, then again it looked en-
couraging. The mission workers were faithful to their
calling. They would not retreat, but would faithfully
preach the Gospel to a lost world. At the present time
the City Mission work is a success. There are now five
City Missions in operation, one at each of the following
places: Omaha, South Omaha, Council Blufifs, Iowa; To-
peka, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri. This is the
largest number in operation at any one time. Most of
these missions are self-supporting now. The first mis-
sions opened by the inference were located at Clarinda,
Iowa; Newton, Kansas; Nebraska City, Nebraska, and
Pueblo, Colorado, but these are no more. But the seed
that was sown there is now ripe to harvest. Our first
workers were as follows: Mina (Myers) Creasy, Jennie
(Wohlford) Jett, Hannah (Wilson) Persell, Priscilla
Overholt, Phebe Overholt, Charity Overholt, Ida (Vir-
gin) Foreman, Nannie (Jameson) Jett, Louise Barbazat,
Estella Wilmot, Edith (Herriman) Green, Esther
(Stahly) Hygema, and possibly others. May Compton
and Maude Cretors were foreign missionaries to Africa,
but helped some in City Mission work at times.'*

The list of workers at the conference of September,
1919, contained the following: Emma Nickel (Mrs.
Pennell), Stella Lantz, Ellen Flesher, Edna V. Jacob-
son, Phebe Overholt, Bessie Robbins, Charity Overholt,
Ethel A. Walker, Amelia Overholt, Honor Fonts, Audra
Laird, Mary Yocum, Lexie Hardin. Besides these, a
part of whom also appeared among the Approved Min-
istering Sisters, the following list of Approved Min-
istering Sisters is found : Hannah Persell, Maude Hod-
son, Francis Palmer, Addie Utter, Lula Overholt. The

211

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

names of Maude Cretors and Laura StecUey appear as
foreign missionaries. The name of Mr. S. J. Service, who
labored for a number of years in the Hope Mission, of
Omaha, Nebraska, is also listed as a City Mission worker.
The conference of 1920 provided for a City Mission to
be opened in Los Angeles, California, in chiEirge of S. J.
Service.

Pacific Conpebence.

From the time of the organization of the conference,
City Mission work was pressed vigorously. Missions
were conducted in the following places : Yakima, Ellens-
berg, Bellingham, Pasco, Anacortes, and Everett, Wash-
ington, and later Portland, Oregon. Several classes have
been organized as a result of these missions, but none
continue as missions.

The annual conference Journal of 1920 reports the
workers as follows, some of whom are Approved Minis-
tering Sisters: Bertha Carmichael, Arcie Grout, Laura
Wilder, Louise Barbezat, and Sophia Aman. These were
assigned as assistant pastors and helpers. Myrtle P. Wil-
liams and Emma L. Einnan are listed as foreign mis-
sionaries.

Canadian North West Conference.

The City Mission enei^es of the youthful conference
of the Canadian North West were expended almost en-
tirely upon the Beulah Mission of Edmonton, Alberta,
during the period of its operation. It was opened in
1907, and continued until 1919. Miss M. E. Chatham,
an Approved Ministering Sister of the conference, was
in charge of the mission, although it was conducted in-
terdenominationally.

In February of 1919, Bethel Mission was opened in

212

CITY MISSIONS.

Calgary, Alberta, in charge of Misses L. Eby and M.
Neill, assisted by Miss L. Wolfe. This mission was closed
in 1920.

The list of workers as reported at the annual con-
ference of 1920 is as follows: M. E. Chatham, M. Neill,
L. Eby, L. Wolfe, Mrs. M. Pinlay, C. Price, P. Reist,
Mrs. 0. Eidsath, Janet Hall, Minnie Martin, V. Herber,
B. Hallman, G. Williams, M. Spreeman, and E. Shantz.
Foreign missionaries : Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Eby, Mr. and
Mrs. William Finlay.

The home workers, who are not engaged in City Mis-
sion work, are largely engaged as assistants to pastors
and in rural mission work, which would be classed as
Home Missions.

213

CHAPTER XVI.

Education.

The Mennonite Bethren in Christ movement being
from the start largely evangelistic, some other interests
were left somewhat in the rear. Among the neglected
problems was that of education.

The founders of the church, though not professionally
schooled men, were considerably above the average of
their day. The movement being largely confined to the
rural districts and common people, the necessity for edu-
cation above the ordinary was not so keenly felt.

Some sense, however, of the need of special prepara-
tion for ministers was realized early in the history of the
church, for at the Ontario Conference, in its session held
in April in 1882, the following resolution was passed:
**That we recommend to the General Conference th^t
there be a course of reading adopted for the ministry."^
Pursuant to this recommendation, the General Confer-
ence held in October of the same year, appointed a com-
mittee to select such a course of reading for probation-
ers. The committee was composed of William Gehman,
David U. Lambert, and Menno Bowman,^ and reported
as follows :

'^ English Course — Holy Bible, Mosheim's Church
History, Lee 's Theology, Philosophy of the Plan of Sal-
vation, Nelson on Infidelity, Finney's Lectures on Re-
ligion, Lessons in Holiness, Depravity of the Soul, Menno
Simon's Works, Fletcher's Appeal, and Baxter's Works.

^ GMpel Banner. May It 1882. p. 70.
'General Conference Minutes, p. 40.

214

EDUCATION.

^'Oerman Course — Holy Bible, Mosheim's Church
History, Buck's Theological Dictionary, Heilsfuelle,
Menno Simon's Works, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress,
and Baxter's Works. ' '*

These books, properly studied and mastered, would
have given the student a fairly good theological train-
ing. The list has been revised from time to time, but a
number of tHe original titles are still found in the Pro-
bationer's Beading Course. Perhaps more than is gen-
erally realized, the success of the ministry has been the
result of this modest theological course of home study
prescribed for probationers. The more valuable has the
course become as a result of the fact that probationers
have been obliged to pass examinations on the books
prescribed.

But as the result of the progress made in education
generally and the pressing need of better trained work-
ers, a growing conviction seized some of the leaders of
various conferences that a more thorough and systematic
program of education should be carried on by the church.
This conviction was expressed in various ways, and the
recounting of the expression of this conviction consti-
tutes the balance of the history of the church, on the
subject of education, to date.

At the General Conference of 1900 the question of a
Bible Training School was discussed, and referred to the
Committee on Foreign Missions. The committee reported
as follows :

^^ Resolved, That the subject of a Training School be
left to the discretion of each annual conference, re-
spectively. ' '*

'General Conference Minntcs, pp. 40 and 41.
* General Conference Minntca, pp. 246, 247.

215

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

The Indiana and Ohio Conference, through its City
Mission Committee, opened a Bible Training School in
Elkhart, Indiana, in the fall of 1900. The teaching dur-
ing the first three years was done principally by Elder
J. J. Hostettler, assisted in the second year by Miss
Vianna Longenecker. Vocal and instrumental music
were taught by Moody Brenneman and Naomi Brenne-
man (Mrs. John Kane) respectively. The third year
the school was moved to Coshen, and the work continued
there by the same teachers.

Until the fourth year, the school had been held in
rented residences ; but during the year of 1903 The Elk-
hart Institute building on Prairie Street, Elkhart, was
purchased and the school was conducted there during its
fourth year of existence. The quarters were commodious,
being a two-story brick building, erected for school pur-
poses. The institution was then christened The M. B.
C. Seminary and Bible Training School. A regular or-
ganization was effected, with D. Brenneman, President;
C. K. Curtis, Vice-President and Treasurer; and J. J.
Hostettler, Secretary.

The school conducted during 1903-1904 an Interme-
diate Department, giving work in the grades; an Aca-
demic Department, offering high school work; and a
Bible Depart;ment. By this time the faculty had been en-
larged and included the following persons: J. J. Hos-
tettler, Jacob Hygema, A. B. Yoder, Mary B. Sherk,
Moody Brenneman, and Sadie Miller.

Despite the excellent beginning made by the school,
the session of 1903-1904 was the last. Some of the con-
stituency within the conference withheld support, and
some prominent persons in other conferences gave the
school active opposition, and the institution was closed.

216

EDUCATION.

Thus the first serious attempt toward founding an M.
B. C. School came to an end.

The question of a Bible Training School was brought
up again at the General Conference of 1904, and after
discussion the following resolution was passed: **With
reference to the school question,

Resolved, That this conference abide by the decision of
last General Conference."*^

The decision of the previous General Conference was
that the matter should be decided by each annual con-
ference. Thus General Conference action, on the edu-
cational problem was defeated.

General Conference action had not been secured in
relation to a school, doubtless because of the fact that
the church, as a whole, had not realized the importance
of the same. So each conference set itself to the task,
in its own way, just as soon as the need was sensed.

The Indiana and Ohio Conference had failed in the
first attempt, and it required some years to overcome the
discouragement.

In the winter of 1903-1904 a Bible School was con-
ducted for several months by M. J. Carmichael at Bel-
lingham, Washington, and the following two years in
succession by Jacob. Hygema. The student body the
second year at Bellingham numbered seventeen. In
1906-1907 a short term was conducted by Elder Hygema
at Mountain View, Washington. He also conducted a
Bible School at Yakima, Washington, during the win-
ter of 1912-1913, followed the next year by a course
taught by Mrs. Mina Creasey. Short courses were given
at Filer, Idaho, during the winter of 1916-1917, and at

^General ConferenM lliiintcs» p. 299.

217

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Yakima^ Washington, the following winter by A. W.
Barbezat.

Within the bounds of the Nebraska Conference a Bible
School was conducted in Lincoln, Nebraska, during the
winter of 1899. Jacob Hygema gave instruction in Bible,
Homer J. Pontius conducted a class in vocal music, and
Clifton Hurst taught the common branches. A short
Bible course was also conducted by Jacob Hygema in
Hope Mission, Omaha, Nebraska, during the months of
January and February, 1916.

While the Pennsylvania Conference has conducted no
schools, as such, training of a practical kind has been
given the younger workers, both men and women, by or-
ganizing them into societies and placing them under the
direction of experienced leaders.

In the year 1915, the Ontario Conference arranged
a Correspondence Course in Bible, English, etc., to be
conducted by H. S. Hallman, especially for the workers.
Quite a number registered for the course, but its pos-
sibilities were too limited or the plan not satisfactory,
and it was not long continued.

In the Alberta Conference the need was partially met
in the following way: A mission had been opened in
Edmonton, Alberta, in 1907, by Miss M. E. Chatham.
It was conducted on an interdenominational plan, but
was supported, in part, by the Alberta Conference. In
1913 evening Bible classes were held, with seventeen stu-
dents enrolled. They were continud in 1914, with an
increase in students to twenty-nine. In 1915 The Beulah
Mission Bible Training School was organized, and that
year there were nineteen resident and thirty-seven cor-
respondence students enrolled. The school also was in
terdenominational, but was supported, in part, by the

218

EDUCATION.

Alberta Conference, and 'quite a few of the younger
workers availed themselves of the training provided in
the somewhat limited courses. On account of some mis-
understandings and dissatisfactions, this institution
ceased to operate after the close of the school year 1918-
1919.

While the various conferences were carrying on their
programs of evangelism and attempting, in a limited
way, to train their workers, there were young men and
women who felt the necessity of more thorough train-
ing, both for Christian service directly and for the
legitimate occupations and professions. Since the church
had no institutions capable of giving such training, they
were compelled to resort to the institutions of higher
education, provided either by the state or by other
churches. The institutions of other churches were em-
ployed, principally. As a result of going to the institu-
tions of other denominations for their training, being
isolated from their own church, doors of usefulness open-
ing to them on every hand when their training was
completed, some choice young people were lost to the
church.

It was during the summer of 1913 that the Middle
District Conference of the General Conference Mennon-
ites proposed co-operation in education to such branches
of the Mennonite Church as desired to engage with them.
They proposed to turn over their institution at Bluffton,
Ohio, called Central Mennonite College, then a Junior
College, to a new board to be composed of three repre-
sentatives from each branch of the church desiring to
co-operate, and .to devote the institution to both College
and Seminary work, to be called Bluffton College and
Mennonite Seminary. Three branches united in the

219

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

movement o£Scially, and two more were connected un-
o£Scially. The Indiana and Ohio Conference gave en-
dorsement to the movement, electing three men to the
Board of Trustees, and ratified the election of J. A.
Huffman to the faculty, which electiion had been made
by the Board of Trustees. This position he has held
since 1914. A few years later the Michigan Conference
elected a member to the Board of Trustees, thus offi-
cially connecting that conference with the movement.
In 1918 S. Floyd Pannabecker and Naomi Brenneman
were added to the faculty of the College, giving the
Mennonite Brethren in Christ three representatives on
the faculty.

Although only two of the seven conferences were
officially connected with the Institution, all of the con-
ferences, save one, were represented in the student body
at various times. #

An increasing interest in education among the various
conferences resulted in petitions being sent to the Gen-
eral Conference of 1920, from three conferences — ^the
Indiana and Ohio, the Nebraska, and the Canadian
North West — asking that General Conference offer a so-
lution of the educational problem of the church. These
requests were answered by the following resolution:

Resolved, that we wish to recommend our young peo-
ple who desire to take a special course in some Bible
Training School, to the decision of their Annual Confer-
ence ; and be it still further

Resolved, that we recommend each Annual Confer-
ence to appoint a Committee on Education, which shall
take this matter in hand in its respective Conference,
and that the above Committees be encouraged to act co-
operatively. ' '

220

EDUCATION.

While the action of General Conference noted regis-
ters no great progress toward a constructive program
of education within the church, it does recognize that
there is an educational problem; advises Educational
Committees in the Annual Conferences to take the mat-
ter of education in hand, and encourages a co-operation
of these various Educational Committees. What the
outcome will be — ^whether some institution or institu-
tions will be established or some existing institutions
adopted — is a matter of the future. General Confer-
ence resolution opens the way for such action by any
Annual Conference desiring to do so, and suggests the
cooperation of various Conferences in the matter of edu-
cation, through their Educational Committees. No
church can hope to maintain itself aggressively which
does not provide for the training of its leaders. Until
the Church formulates some more definite program' of
education, the constituency will be obliged to continue
to utilize such institutions and means of education as are
considered most advisable.

221

CHAPTER XVII.

Biographical Sketches.

The MSk9i¥inM w Bi»gTB^iieal niw wntm wkHAm •£ •rdained minis-
ton, past and prcMiit.

ThoM before wiioee iiamee an * mppean* mre no lender mMnbeni.

Andenon, William Murry — Bom in BeUshill, Scotland, June 1,
1880. Parents were William and Margaret Anderson. Re-
ceived a common school education.

Converted at the age of twenty-five years and entered
the ministry in 1909, being ordained by the Nebraska Confer-
ence in 1916.

Married to Ethyl Hall on October 17, 1906. Eight chil-
dren: Ruth, Paul, Mark, Mary, Esther, Earl, Lois, Guy.

Held pastorates at Clarinda, Iowa; Quitman, Mo.; and
Holdbrook, Colo.

Anthony, Ebenazer — Bom in the township of Derby, Grey
County, Ontario, November 27, 1865. Parents were Francis
and Isabelle (Packman) Anthony. Raised on the farm and
attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty years and entered the
ministry in 1888, being ordained by the Ontario Conference
in 1891.

Married to Harriet Alma French on October 9, 1889.
Four children: Berval, Isabel, Mary Alma, Ray Banfield.

Held pastorates in the Ontario Conference, also at Brown
City, Caledonia, and Greenwood, in the Michigan Conference.

First Presiding Elder of the Michigan Conference, and
served in that capacity for various terms totaling ten years.

Was a missionary to Africa two years (1901-1903), where
he contracted the disease which caused his death.

Died at Brown City, Mich., April 6, 1913.

▲▼6X7, James Arthur-^Bom near Roseburg, Mich., July 25,
1870. Parents were Arthur M. and Eliisabeth (Saimders)
Avery. Wa^ raised on the farm and attended the common
school.

Converted at the age of twenty-nine years and entered
the ministry in 1903, being ordained by the Michigan Con-
ference in 1906.

222

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Married to Lavonia Bradshaw on December 24, 1805.
One child: Henrietta.

Held pastorates at Bliss, Petoskey, Caas River, Pontiac,
and Greenwood, in the Michigan Conference.

Served various terms on the Examinaticm, Foreign Mis-
sion, and City Mission Boards of the Michigan Conference.

Baer, John— Bom near Preston, Ont., May 15, 1804.

Converted when a yoimg man, and united with Old Men-
nonite Church. Entered the ministry in 1838 and was ordained.
He joined the New Mennonite movement and assisted in form-
ing the unions leading up to the Mennonite Brethren in Christ.

Married to Annie Pannabaker, February 11, 1827. Thir-
teen children: Magdalene, David, Moses, John, Aaron, Re-
becca, Samuel, Leah, Martin, Connilus, Abraham, Benjamin,
Joseph. Died December 24, 1894.

Banfield, Alexander Woods — ^Bom in Quebec, Canada, August
3, 1878. Parents were William Henry and Elizabeth Jane
(Johnston) Banfield. Educated in the public school, then
studied and prepared himself as a civil engineer, which trade
he followed for eight years.

Converted at the age of twenty-two years. Went to Africa
first as a missionary in 1901, and was ordained by the Ontario
Conference in 1905.

Married to Althea Amanda Priest, March 1, 1905. Three
children: Althea Mable, Alexanora Ruth, Alexander William
Francis.

Went to Africa with the pioneer party of the Africa In-
dustrial Mission in 1901 and served as a missionary in Nigeria,
West Africa, imtil 1915, when he accepted a position as Secre-
tary for the British and Foreign Bible Society for West Africa.

Barbezat, Alfred William— Bom in Illinois, February 7, 1881.
Parents were Albert and Helen Barbezat. Raised on the
farm, received a common school education and later took a
theological course.

Converted at ttte age of twenty-two and entered the
' ministry in 1906, being ordained by the Pacific Conference in
1909.

Married in 1908 to Arminta Mable Prouty. Two chil-
dren: Mercedes and Rhoda.

Held pastorates at Wenas, Strandale, and Mt. View,
Wash., and at Filer, Idaho, in the Pacific Conference.

Presiding Elder of the Pacific Conference for four years,
and later Conference Evangelist.

223

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Barrtll» Jacob Franklin— Bom in Northampton County, Pa.,
December 3, 1867. Parents were Daniel and Lovina Barrall.
Attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-nine; entered the ministry
in 1901, and was ordained in 1004, by the Pennsylvania Con-
ference.

Married to Annie J. Wolf on November 20, 1890. Two
children: Ray L. and Frances R.

Held pastorates at Weissport and Lehighton, Allentown,
Coopersburg and Springtown, Fleetwood, Blandon and Terre
£[ill. Spring City and Royersford, Shamokin, Pa.

Bartlett, Sylvester— Bom at Sangate, Vermont, July 13, 1867.
Parents both Highland Scotch, the father dying four months
before he was bom.

Converted at the age of thirty-one years and entered the
ministry in 1897, being ordained by the Indiana and Ohio
Conference in 1904.

Married to Carrie Irilla Flemings, November 9, 1889.
Six children: Maud Ethel, Richard Eugean, Sylvester jr., Levi,
Henry, Mable Edna.

Held pastorates in the United Brethren Church (Old Con-
stitution) at Elkhart, LakeviUe, and Bruce Lake, Indiana, also
in the M. B. C. Church at Beech Grove, Ohio and Gk>shen,
Indiana.

Was Conference Evangelist for several years.

Bechtel, Manuel D.— Bom in Blair, Waterloo Coimty, Ont.,
August 10, 1855. Parents were Moses and Elizabeth Bechtel.
Raised on the farm and received a common school education.

Converted at the age of 15 years and entered the min-
istry in 1893, being ordained by the Michigan Conference in
1903.

Married to Mary Ann Hembling, March 12, 1896. Three
children: Moses Gordon, John Earl, Mary Elizabeth.

Held pastorates at Geneva, Cass River, Elkton, Green-
wood, Elmer, Ubly, Wetzel, Clearwater, and Riverside, in the
Michigan Conference.

Beex7» Jesse Al— Bom at Shambaugh, Iowa, July 22, 1885.
Parents were Amos and Laura (Woods) Beery. Raised on the
farm and attended the common school, also attended one year
at the Central Holiness University. Converted at the age of
twenty-one years, and entered the ministry in 1908, being
ordained by the Nebraska Conference in 1911.

224

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Married to Velma L. Fulk, December 6, 1906, and after
her death to Bertha Palmer, September 10, 1915. Five chil-
dren: Alvin, Maurice, Marvin, Ethel, and Wayne, of whom
the last two are deceased.

Held pastorates at Holbrook Center, Colo.; Trenton,
Iowa; and Blooniington, Nebr., in the Nebraska Conference.

Bergstresser, Robert — Bom in Northampton County, Pa., Aug.
19, 1860. Parents were David and Lovina Bergstresser.

Was raised on the farm, and attended the common school.

Was converted in 1891; began to preach in 1901 and was
ordained by the Pennsylvania Conference in 1904.

In 1882 was married to Sarah A. Hixon. There were five
children : William D., Robert C, Oliver F., Paul H., and Viola H.

Held pastorates at Walnutport and Tripoli, South Allen-
town and Emaus, Graterford and HarleysviUe, Zionsville,
Nazareth and Plainfield, and Mt. Carmel, Pa.

Bolwell, John — ^Bom in London, Middlesex, England, July 13,
1852. Parents were James and Loveday (Popjoy) Bolwell.
Due to the death of his father, his education was limited to
the conmion school, and he became an apprentice at twelve
years of age.

Converted at the age of seventeen and entered the min-
istry in 1902, being ordained by the Ontario Conference in
1907.

Married to Jemima Jane Day, July, 1878. Six children
living: Annie, Ellen, Edith, Rose, Alfred, John.

Held pastorates at Stouffville, Sunnidale, Maryboro, Hes-
peler, Collingwood, Scott, and Stayner, in the Ontario Con-
ference.

Before joining the M. B. C. -Church he labored four years
with the Primitive Methodists and twenty-four years with the
Canada Methodist Church.

Bowman, Benjamin U. — ^Bom in Wilmot township, Waterloo
County, Ontario, April 2, 1857. Parents were Joseph B. and
Leah (linger) Bowman. Raised on the farm and attended the
common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-two years, and entered
the ministry in 1904, being ordained by the Michigan Confer-
ence in 1914.

Married to Veronica Hallman, November 4, 1878, and
after her death to Rachel Hallman, December 26, 1882. Seven
children: Eva, Elmer, Irvin, Aden, Ira, Roy, and Vema.

15 225

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Held pastorates at Cass River, Caledonia, and Petoskey,
in the Michigan Conference, and served as Presiding Elder in
the Michigan Conference from 1917-1920.

Bowman, Mexmo — Bom in Kitchener, Ont., May 20, 1837.
Parents were Samuel and Anna Bowman. Raised on the farm
and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-eight years. Entered the
ministry in 1875.

Married to Susan Snyder on April 11, 1858. Eleven chil-
dren: Alice, OUver, Cjrrus, Nancy, Susie, Allan, Lena, Emer-
son, Lloyd, Annie, Frank.

Held pastorates at Bethel, Vineland, Markham, and
Maryboro.

Served as Presiding Elder for fourteen years.

Died March 18, 1906.

Bradley, John Albert — ^Bom near Yale, Michigan, April 11, 1894.
Parents were Reuben and Mary Bradley. Raised on the farm
and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of eighteen years and entered the
ministry in 1915, being ordained by the Michigan Conference
in 1920.

Was married to Mamie Orcutt, July 8, 1920.

Held pastorates at Caledonia, Williamsburg, and Flint,
Michigan.

Brexmexnan, Daniel— Bom near Bremen, Fairfield Coimty, Ohio,
June 8, 1834, his father being Henry Brenneman. He was
raised on the farm and attended the conunon school.

Converted in 1856 at the age of twenty-two years and
was ordained as minister in the Old Mennonite Church in
1857.

Married to Susannah Keagy in March, 1857, and after
her death to Delia Troyer in April, 1910. Ten children: Tim-
othy, Samuel, Joseph, Daniel, Moody, Mary, Rhoda, Martha,
Phoebe, and Naomi.

Was a prominent minister among the Old Mennonites.
Leader of the Reformed Mennonites in the U. S. when they
separated from the Old church in 1874. He took an active
pajrt in the various church unions leading up to the formation
of the M. B. C. Church, and held various pastorates in the
Ohio and Indiana Conference. He was Presiding Elder for
many years and a member of every General Conference during
the period of his active ministry.

226

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Founder of the Gospel Banner and its Editor for the first
four years; also the author of a little volume of poems en-
titled "Thoughts in Rhyme."

Died at Goshen, Ind., September 10, 1919.

For further details see biographical sketch, Chapter V.

Bricker, Milton — ^Bom near Roseville, Waterloo Coimty, Ont.,
August 16, 1877. Parents were Noah and Catheran (Kie-
fabhor) Bricker. Raised on the farm and attended the com-
mon school.

Converted at the age of nineteen years and entered the
ministry in 1900, being ordained by the Ontario Conference in
1904.

Married to Agnes Schell, March 5, 1907. Three children:
Ella, Olive, and Edna.

Held pastorates at Hespeler, Port Elgin, Shrigley, Stouff-
viUe, Markham, and Sunnidale, in the Ontario Conference.

Brown, William — Bom in the township of Amaranth, Ont.,
December 23, 1872. Parents were Robert and Mary (Barnes)
Brown. Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-two, entered the ministry
in 1900 and was ordained by the Ontario Conference in 1904.

Married to Ida Troxell, Jime 30, 1903. Four children:
William Cecil, Irvin Emerson, Ivan Wesley, and John Elmore.

Held pastorates at Scott, Stouffville, Simnidale, Toronto,
Kitchener, and Vineland in the Ontario Conference.

Brubacher, Isaac B. — Bom near Kitchener in Waterloo County,
Ontario, November 8, 1883. Parents were Isaac M. and Mary
Ann Brubacher. Raised on the farm and attended the common
school.

Converted at the age of ten years; entered the ministry
in 1908, and was ordained in 1912 by the Ontario Conference.

Married to Cora May Sider on December 26, 1911. Two
children: Mervin John and Elgin Grant.

Held pastorates at Collingwood, Port Elgin, and Elmwood,
Ontario.

Brunner, C. H. — Bom January 2, 1864; raised on the farm and
received a common school education.

Married to Sarah C. Musselman on September 27, 1888.
Two children: Paul M. (deceased), and Dorothy C.
Entered the ministry in 1893 and was ordained in 1896.
Held pastorates at Erwinna, Morristown, Royersford and

227

MENNONITE BRETHEEN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Grateraford, Reading, Blandon and Athol, Bethlehem and
Allentown, in the Pennsylvania Conference.

Served as Presiding Elder of the Pennsylvania Conference
from 1898 to 1902 and from 1906 to 1908, President of the
Home Missionary Society of his Conference from 1900 to
1906. Missionary Presiding Elder from 1901 to 1905. Sec-
retary of the Conference for twenty years. Edited the Gospel
Banner from 1908 to 1912.

Campbell, Andrew— Bom at Milford, Seward Comity, Nebraska,
Jmie 5, 1875. Parents were George and Rachel Campbell.
Was raised on the farm and attended the conmion school.

Converted at the age of seventeen and was ordained to
the ministry in the Nebraska Conference in 1905.

Married to Mable Elsie Miner on June 2, 1904. Three
children: Alice, Helen, Clarice.

Held pastorates at Kremlin and Jett, Okla.; Cambridge
and Moline, Nebr.; and Reamsville, Kans., in the Nebraska
Conference.

Carmichael, M. J. — Bom in Page Comity, Iowa, November 20,
1869.

Converted at the age of twenty-three years and entered
the ministry soon after. He was ordained by the Nebraska
Conference in 1900.

Married to Eva Taylor, February 7, 1900. Children:
Ruth, Rhoda, and Philip. After the decease of first wife,
which occurred in 1906, he was married to Bertha M. Bartlett,
May 22, 1907. Children: Paul and Mark.

Held pastorates at Newton, Kan.; Stuttgart, Ark., and
La Junta, Colo., in the Nebraska Conference; and at Yakima
and Mt. View, Wash.; Orange, Calif.; Filer, Idaho, and Mo-
Minnville, Ore., in the Pacific Conference.

Served as Presiding Elder of the Pacific Conference,
1906-1907, 1911-1914, 1915-1917, 1919-.

Caisely Emanuel N. — ^Bom in Montgomery County, Pa., Novem-
ber 10, 1875. Parents were Jonas M. and Kate (Nice) Cassel.
Attended the common school and spent a short time in Normal
School.

Converted at the age of nineteen; entered the ministry in
1899, and was ordained in 1904 by the Pennsylvania Conference.

Married on May 15, 1897, to Ida Price. Five children:
LolUy Byrcm, Alton, Herbert, and Willard.

Heki pastorates at Athol, Blandon and Fleetwood, Zions-

228

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ville and Hereford, Spring City and Royersford, Allentown,
Coopersburg and Springtown, South Allentown, Graterford
and Harleysville.

Cline, Walter O. — Bom near Middleville, Barry County, Mich-
igan, *May 16, 1885. Parents were Mason and Nancy Cline.
Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty years and entered the
ministry in 1908, being ordained by the Michigan Conference
in 1914.

Married to OUve Amybell Kelley on December 12, 1906.
Two children: Oliver Gail and Esther Mae.

Held pastorates at Geneva, Pontiac, Flint, and Fremont,
in the Michigan Conference.

Cober, Peter — Bom in Pushlinch Township, Wellington County,
Ontario, May 7, 1853. Parents were Nicholas and Nancy
(Holm) Cober. Raised on the farm and educated in the com-
mon school.

Converted at the age of twenty-one, entered the ministry
in 1881, and ordained in 1884.

Married to Martha Steinacher, September 28, 1875.
Eight children: Rosa, Addie, Ira, Samantha, Vernon, Wilfrid,
Milton, and Gordon, the third and last being deceased.

Held pastorates at Ubly and Deanville, Mich.; Bethel
and Groshen, Ind. ; Markham, Berlin, Kilsyth^ Bethel, Shrigley,
Breslau, Maryboro, and Hespeler, Ont.

Presiding Elder of the Ontario Conference for two terms,
totaling ten years; member of six General Conferences and
chairman of one of them; member of the Executive Committee
for a nimiber of years; member of the Ontario Foreign Mis-
sion Board and of the United Orphan and Mission Board.

Creasey, Arthur — Bom in Derbyshire, England, February 14,
1878. Parents were Henry and Mary Creasey. At the age of
one and a half years his parents moved to the United States,
settling in Illinois and later in Colorado and Washington. Re-
ceived a common school education.

Converted at the age of twenty-four; entered the ministry
in 1908, and was ordained in 1920 by the Pacific Conference.

Married to Mina Meyers on July 29, 1907, and after her
death in 1917 to Elida Enochs on July 26, 1920.

Held pastorates at Madras, and Culver, Oregon, Harper,
Kans; Round Butte, and Rockland, Idaho; and Wapato, Wash.

229

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Cressman, Silas — ^Bom in Waterloo Ck>unty, Ontario, November
7, 1866. Parents were Enos and Elizabeth (Shantz) Cressman.
Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty years and entered the
ministry in 1889, being ordained by the Ontario Conference in
1895.

Married Sarah Wagner on March 19, 1890. Seven children :
Clayton Wellington, Wilmot Stanley, Gertrude Elizabeth,
Vernon Wagner, Lloyd Silas, Joy Beatrice, Franklin Homer.

Held pastorates at KilB3^h, Manitoulin Island, Port Elgin,
Markham, Breslau, Stayner, and Kitchener, in the Ontario
Conference.

Presiding Elder of the Ontario Conference various terms,
and Treasurer of the Home and Foreign Mission Boards; City
Mission President 1919 —

Culp» Wilson W. — Bom near Teegarden, Marshall Coimty, Ind.,
November 23, 1887. Parents were Amos J. and Magdalena
Culp. Lived in Wakarusa, Ind., till eleven years of age and
then on a farm in Missouri till eighteen; attended the common
school.

Converted at the age of twenty-two years and entered
the ministry in 1911, being ordained by the Indiana and Ohio
Conference in 1915.

^' Married to Mary E. Hughes on April 6, 1907. Seven
children: Florence, Gladys, Clarence, Harley, Beulah, Bertha
May, and Richard (deceased).

Held pastorates at West Union, Nappanee, Oak Grove,
Indiana Chapel, Greenville and Beech, in the Ohio and Indiana
Conference. Also evangelist for one year.

CurtiB, Claudiiu K,— Bom in Waterloo County, Ontario, July 27,
1850. Parents were Burtin H. and Elizabeth Curtis.

Was educated in the public school of Elkhart county,
Indiana.

Was converted in 1880; began to preach in 1884, and was
ordained by the Indiana and Ohio Conference in 1886.

In 1869 was married to Leah Blosser. There were four
children of this marriage: Lucinda, Ella, Joseph (deceased),
and Barbara. After the death of the first wife he married Re-
becca Blosser, in 1879. There were five children of this marriage:
Viola, Eva, Otho, Homer, and Metta Aura.

Held pastorates at South West, Wakarusa, Nappanee, Oak
Grove, Bethel, West Union, North Union, Indiana; Pleasant
Hill, Michigan.

230

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Served as Presiding Elder ten years: seven years in the
Indiana and Ohio Conference, and tluree years in the Nebraska
Conference.

Davis, John L. — Bom in Worth County, Mo., June 26, 1875.
Parents were Bartholomew and Amanda Davis. Raised on
the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-four years, entered the
ministry in 1902 and ordained by the Nebraska Conference in
1914.

Married to Etna Wilkerson, January 6, 1897. Eight chil-
dren: Ora, Marie, Carlos, Priscilla, Edward, Claud, Mildred
(deceased), Willard.

Held pastorates at Bonanga, Ark.; Helena, Okla.; Weep-
ing Water, Neb.; Harper, Kan.; and Osborne, Kan., in the
Nebraska Conference.

Dean, Ransom Daniel — Bom near Brown City, Sanilac County,
Mich., April 5, 1881. Parents were Ransom and Caroline
(Temple) Dean. Raised on the farm and attended the common
school.

Converted at the age of twenty-five years, entered the
ministry in 1917, and ordained by the Michigan Conference in
1920.

Married to Matilda Johnson, June 19, 1906.

Held pastorates at Petoskey, and Pellston, in the Michigan
Conference.

Detwiler, Jacob B. — Bom in North Dumfries Township, Waterloo
County, Ont., October 6, 1844. Parents were Enoch R. and
Abigail (Bechtel) Detwiler. Raised on the farm and attended
the conunon school.

Converted at the age of twenty-five years and entered the
ministry in 1879.

Married to Harriet Shantz, March 18, 1866, and after her
death to Margaret Williams, February 28, 1911. No children,
but two girls adopted: Louisa Miller and Mary Fister.

Held pastorates at Nottawasaga, Kitchener, Blair, Elm-
wood, and Bethel, in the Ontario Conference. In 1894 removed
to Alberta, where he remained seventeen years. Spent three
months in 1903 in Washington State, and had charge of Moun-
tain View work. Returned to Ontario in 1913, and had charge
of Sunnidale work for seven months.

Editor of the Gospel Banner for two years, 1886-1888.

231

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Detwiler, Noah — Bom in Dumfries Township, Ontario, March 23,
1838. Parents were Benjamin and Elizabeth Detwiler. Re-
ceived a common school education.

Converted at the age of twenty-seven. Entered the
ministry in 1874 and was ordained in the same year by Solomon
Eby, at Port Elgin.

Married to Fanny Bush on September 4, 1860. Seven
children: Mrs. Eliza Sherk, Mrs. S. S. Hallman, Sarah, Jos-
ephine, Lovina, Hannah McJinda, and Priscilla, the last three
being deceased.

First traveling minister of the Ontario Conference. Held
pastorates at Port Elgin, Nottawasaga, Stayner, Maridiam,
Kitchener, Bethel, and Toronto, Ont.

Also traveled through Pennsylvania and Kansas on evan-
gelistic tours, and spent twelve seasons in tabernacle work in
the Ontario Conference.

Died December 25, 1914.

Diekert, Robert William— Bom at Quakertown, Pa., December
29, 1889. Parents were William B. and Sarah Dickert. At-
tended the common school.

Converted at the age of nine years; entered the ministry
in 1916, and was ordained in 1919 by the Pennsylvania Con-
ference.

Married to Miss Nellie Mae Blank on December 25, 1912.
One child: Mildred Ethel.

Held pastorates at Quakertown, Graterford, and Read-
ing, Pa.

Dodd, Russell Maynard — Bom in Listowel, Ontario, August 16,
1878. Father was Charles B. Dodd. Moved to Michigan when
foiu*teen months of age; attended the common school.

Converted at the age of nineteen, entered the ministry in
1899, being ordained by the Michigan Conference in 1906.

Married to Mary M. Swartz on April 17, 1900. Seven
children: Vera, Rorie, Allen, Virgil, Clare, Russell, and Fred-
erick.

Held pastorates at Cass River, Elmer, Brown City, Elk-
ton, Port Huron, and Pontiac, in the Michigan Conference.

Presiding Elder of the Michigan Conference 1914-17; 1918-

Douglass, B.— Bom in Huron Coimty, Ontario, August 20, 1874.
Parents were Robert and Jane S. (McKersey) Douglass. At-
tended the common schooL

Converted at the age of eighteen years and entered the

232

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ministry in 1906, being ordained by the Michigan Conference
in 1911.

Married to Edith L. Tice on August 14, 1907. Two chil-
dren: Mary Dorothy and Oliver Glenn.

Held pastorates at Clearwater, Colfax, Cass River, and
Brown City, in the Michigan Conference.

""Eby, Amos — ^Bom near Kitchener, Ontario, April 13, 1842.
Parents were Benjamin and Elizabeth (Cressman) Eby.
Raised on the farm and attended the conunon school.

Converted at the age of twenty-nine years; entered the
ministry in 1876 and was ordained in 1888.

Married to Esther Mayer on February 9, 1869. Six chil-
dren: Allan, Louisa, Matilda, Norman, Josiah, Ida.

Held pastorates at Port Elgin, Stayner, Breslau, Shrigley,
Sunnidale, Scott, Toronto, and Vineland, in the Ontario Con-
ference.

""Eby, Solomon — Bom in Waterloo County, Ontario, May 15,
1834. Parents were Benjamin and Elizabeth (Cressman) Eby.
Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of thirty-five, after he had been
preaching in the Old Mennonite Church for eleven years,
having been ordained in 1858.

Married to Catirine Shantz on June 17, 1855, and to them
twelve children were bom.

Held pastorates at Breslau, Elmwood, Bethel, Markham,
and Kitchener, in the Ontario Conference.

Presiding Elder of the Ontario Conference for various
terms totaling eighteen years, and a member of many General
Conferences. Leader of the Reformed Mennonites in Canada
when they separated from the Old Church, and active in the
various unions that later resulted in the M. B. C. Church.

For further details see biographical sketch. Chapter III.

Brb, Isaac — Bom near Stratford, Ontario, January 1, 1886. Parents
were Dilman Kinsey and Phoebe (Huber) Erb. Raised on the
farm and received a conunon school education. Later graduated
from the Toronto Bible Training College. Graduated in
medicine from the University of Toronto in 1918.

Converted at the age of fifteen years. Entered the min-
istry in 1909, and was ordained m 1914 by the Ontario Con-
ference. Took medical training with a view of becoming a
medical missionary, but conditions hindered his going. Has

233

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

had charge of the Department of Pathology in the Hospital for
8iok Chfldren, Toronto.

Married to Olive Leolia Troxel on April 24, 1918. One
child: John Troxel Erb.

ndler, Joshua Elmer— Bom at North Heidelberg, Pa., January
26, 1868. Parents were John K. and Sarah A. (Gruber) Fidler.
Raised on the farm and educated in the common school.

Converted at the age of eighteen years. Entered the min-
istry in 1888 and ordained in 1891 by the Pennsylvania Con-
ference.

Married to Elizabeth H. Rittenhouse on June 6, 1889.
Eight children: Naomi R., Anna R., John R., Laiu*a Bertha,
Rosa Ruth, Adoniram Elmer, Elsie Isabelle, and Ethel Eliza-
beth.

During a period of twenty-two years held pastorates at
Norristown and Gratersford, Quakertown and Hatfield,
Coopersburg and Emaus, Spring City and Norristown, Latrobe,
Fairmount and Loop, Royersford, Upper Milford, Pa.; Glen-
gardner and Amandale, N. J.; Markham, Elmwood, and
• Toronto, Ont.

Also served as a missionary in Hadjin, Turkey.

Fieaher, Oscar Lee— Bom near Chillicothe, Ohio, March 3, 1882.
Parents were Jacob and Tamsy Flesher. Raised on the farm
and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of nineteen, entered the ministry in
1905, being associated with the Christian Nation Evangelistic
Association. United with the M. B. C. Church in 1913 and
was ordained in 1918.

Married to Blanche E. Rohrer on January 16, 1907.
Three children: Mildred, Mamie, Myma.

Held pastorates at Da3rton, Ohio, and Wakarusa, Ind., in
the Indiana and Ohio Conference.

Frets, Sylvester H. — Bom near Jordan, Lincoln County, Ontario,
October 2, 1870. Parents were Samuel and Margaret (Houser)
Fretz. Attended the public school.

Converted at the age of sixteen, entered the ministry in
1^, and was ordained in 1906.

Married to Lydia Ann Eby on December 24, 1903. Two
children: Samuel Cornelius and Milton Harold.

Held pastorates at Dornoch, Bruce Peninsula, and Mani-
toulin Island, in the Ontario Conference.

234

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

TrBjf Harvey R. — ^Born at Erbsville, Waterloo County, Ontario,
April 13, 1882. Parents were Martin M. and Susannah (Rudy)
Frey. Received a common school education and later took
some English work with the International Correspondence
School.

Converted at the age of fourteen, and entered the ministry
in 1906, being ordained by the Ontario Conference in 1910.

Married to Ethyl E. Squire on September 14, 1909. Three
children: Nellie Jean, Herbert Squire, and Leslie Morris (de-
ceased).

Held pastorates at Manitoidin Island, Maryboro, Sunni-
dale, and Breslau, in the Ontario Conference.

Qehxnan, William— Bom in Hereford Township, Berks County,
Pa., January 22, 1827.

Voted into the ministry when quite young and ordained
in 1849.

Married to Anna Musselman, and to them were bom five
sons and four daughters: Menno, Henry, Francis, Allen,
WilUam, Amanda (Mrs. Geo. Lambert), Hannah (Mrs. H. Z.
Heist), Mary (Mrs. D. M. Taylor), Sarah (Mrs. A. Hassler).
The first and last named are deceased.

Leader of the EvangeUcal Mennonites when they separated
from the Oberholtzer branch of the Mennonite Church (later
General Conference) ih 1857, and active in the various unions
leading to the M. B. C. Church. First Presiding Elder of the
Pennsylvania Conference, which ofl&ce he held for thirteen
consecutive years, until his retirement. Attended a total of
106 special, annual, semi-annual, and general conferences and
was chairman of twenty-nine of these.

Died near AUentown, Pa., April 12, 1918.

For further details see biographical sketch, Chapter VII.

Qehxnan, William Qeorge — Bom in Vera Cruz, Lehigh County,
Pa., September 17, 1874. Parents were WilUam and Anna
Gehman. Raised on the farm and received a high school
education.

Converted at the age of nine years; entered the ministry
in 1896, and was ordained in 1899 by the Pennsylvania Con-
ference.

Married in September, 1900, to Emma T. Einsell, and after
her death to Lizzie T. Kinsell in August, 1910. Seven children,
the first four by the first marriage: Grace I., Mildred L., Va*
leria M., Ethel M., N. Vivian, Alma E., and Wilbert E.

235

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Held pastorates at Ro3rerBford and Spring City, Ldiigh-
tcm and Weissport, Mt. Carmel, and Bethlehem, Pa.

Served dso as Presiding Elder since 1905 and President
of the Gospel Herald Society since 1905.

Qeiger, Amos— Bom in Wilmot Township, Waterloo County,
Ontario, February 8, 1873. Parents were Daniel S. and Mag-
dalena (Hotell) Geiger. Raised on the farm and attended the
common school.

Converted at the age of nineteen years, entered the min-
istry in 1896 and was ordained by the Ontario Conference in
1915.

Married to Nancy Mathilta Battler on Jime 20, 1894.
Six children: Jerrimah, Vernon (deceased), Melvin, Irvin,
Mary, and Lillie.

Held pastorate at Hespeler and labored as helper at
Bethel, Bright, Breslau, and a few other places in the Ontario
Conference.

Qeiger, Peter — ^Bom in Wilmot Township, Ontario, January 11,
1835. Raised on the farm and received a common school edu-
cation.

Converted at the age of twenty-four. Entered the min-
istry in Huron County, Mich., in 1863.

Married to Mary Ann Wilson in 1858, and after her death
in 1873, to Mrs. John Lemon Connor in 1874. The latter died
in 1900, and he remarried in 1902 to Eliza Shirley. Six chil-
dren: Albert, James, Adaline, John, Anna, and Lovina.

Held pastorates for about twelve years in Huron County,
^ Mich; Blair, Kitchener, Breslau, and New Ihmdee, Ontario.

Was a representative at the conference in 1875, when the
New and Reformed Mennonites imited.

Died February 3, 1920.

Qood, Andrew— Bom m Fairfield Coimty, Ohio, February 6,
1838. Parents were Samuel and Catherine Good.

Converted at the age of twenty years; entered the min-
istry in the Brethren in Christ Church about 1870, serving as
pastor and evangelist. In 1885 he imited with the M. B. C.
Church, continuing his ministry.

Married to Dianah Hendrich on October 4, 1866. There
were nine children, three of whom are deceased.

Presiding Elder of the Indiana and Ohio Conference for
three years (1887-1890). The greater part of his time was
devoted to evangelistic work. He traveled over 200,000 miles,

236

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

preaching in nearly every state in the Union, also making
twenty-nine trips to Canada besides one to Northwest Canada.
Died at New Carlisle, October 3, 1918.

Good, Csmis Nathaniel — ^Bom at Clarinda, Page County, Iowa,
in 1869. Parents were Jacob G. and Elizabeth (Frank) Good.
Received a common school education.

Converted at the age of twenty, entered the ministry in
1894 and was ordained in the Ontario Conference in 1897.

Married to Lovina Snyder in 1893, and after her death to
Livy C. Hallman, in 1900. Four children: Grace Irene, Ira
Merle, Gordon Ray, Myrtle Dell.

Held pastorates at Port Elgin, Elmwood, Breslau, Aylmer,
Toronto, Markham, and Kitchener, in the Ontario Conference.

Also served as City Mission President from 1913-1918;
Presiding Elder for 1 year (1918-1919), and Conference Evan-
gelist afterward.

Qooding, Thomas Alonzo — Bom near Washington, Oxford
Coimty, Ontario, July 6, 1884. Parents were Stephen and
Margaret Gooding. Raised on the farm and attended the
conmion school, later took some Bible work by correspondence.

Converted at the age of twenty-one. Entered the ministry
in 1908 and was ordained in 1912, by the Ontario Conference.

Married to Flossie Louisa Dimcan on September 18, 1912.
Three children: Eldon, Evelyn, and Dorothy.

Held pastorates at Manitoulin Island, Stayner, Wallace,
and Maryboro, Ontario.

Qoudie, Henry — ^Bom in Waterloo County, Ontario, January 16,
1851. Parents were David and Nancy Goudie. Received a
common school education.

Converted at the age of nineteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1878, and was ordained by the Ontario Conference in
1881.

Married to Sarah Wildfong on December 24, 1872. Seven
children: Angeline, Alzinah, Adah, Nancy, Emerillah, Royal,
Elkiah.

For twenty-eight years was a pastor, and for fourteen
years Presiding Elder in the Ontario and Canadian Northwest
Conferences.

Goudie, Samuel-— Bom in Waterloo County, Ontario, August 11,
1866. Parents were David and Nancy (Wanner) Goudie.
Raised on the farm and received a common school education.

237

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Passed entrance examination to high school, and took up con-
tinuation work.

Converted at the age of seventeen. Entered the ministry
in 1886 and was ordained in 1891, by the Ontario Conference.

Married to Eliza J. Smith on March 20, 1889. Three
children: Pearl E. (deceased), Fletcher S., and Howard A.

Held pastorates at Sherkston, Port Elgin, Maryboro,
Vineland, Kitchener, and Toronto, Ontario.

Served as Presiding Elder, Associate Editor of the Gospel
Banner, and Chairman of the Executive Board.

Oraybiely William— Bom in Waterloo County, Ontario, July 20,
1862. Parents were Edward and Mary (Whitmer) Graybiel.
Raised on the farm, received a conmion school education.

Converted at the age of eighteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1891, and was ordained by the Ontario Conference in
1894.

Married to Lucy Ann Young in 1885. Three children:
Verdella Florence, Mary Lucile, and Isaiah Ashton.

Served as a pastor for twenty years in the Michigan and
Ontario Conferences, and as Presiding Elder for two years in
the former.

Oreen, Sheridan J. — Bom in Midland County, Mich., January 4,
18i59. Father was Francis Green. Was educated in the pubHc
schools.

Converted at the age of twenty years; entered the min-
istry in 1898, and was ordained in 1901 by the Nebraska Con-
ference.

Married to Edith Herriman on January 3, 1901. Three
children: Charles Gerald, Delbert Francis, Veleda Mae.

Held pastorates at New Market, Iowa; Milford, Oxford,
and Cambridge, Neb.; Osborne and Reamsville, Kan., and
Hinton, Okla.

Died February 10, 1915.

Orout, John Oarfleld— Bom in Linn, Wabash County, 111., Sep-
tember 22, 1881. Parents were Elon and Luella Grout. Raised
on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-three; entered the ministry
the same year, and was ordained in 1907 by the Pacific Con-
ference.

Married to Edith Leona Zediker on October 26, 1907.
Three children: LaVera Leona, Claude LeEldrin, Leland
Moffet.

238

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Held paatorates in Filer, Idaho; Pleasant Valley, Mt. View,
and Yakima, Wash., in the Pacific Conference.

Served as Home Mission Superintendent one year, Editor
of the Gospel Preacher three years. Conference Evangelist
three years, and President of the Pacific Coast Evangels one
year.

Grout, William Rathbom— Born in Lynn, 111., March 19, 1883.
^ Parents were Elon and Luella Grout. Raised on the farm and
received a common school education.

Converted at the age of twenty years. Entered the min-
istry in. 1908 and was ordained in 1913 by the Pacific Confer-
ence.

Married to Arcie Wright on March 7, 1912. One child:
Donell LaVee.

Held pastorates at Strandell, Belfast, Bremerton, Yakima,
Mt. View, Birch Bay, Leber, Wash.

OroTer, Theodore D.— Bom in Smith County, Kan., October 5,
1884. Parents were Matthew D. and Margaret L. (McNealy)
Grover. Raised on the farm, and received a common school
education.

Converted at the age of twenty-five years; entered the
ministry in 1913 and was ordained in 1916 by the Nebraska
Conference.

Married to Mary V. Tilton on December 28, 1910. Two
children: Julius H. and Virgil K.

Held pastorates at Bethel, Kan., and Trenton, Iowa, in
the Nebraska Conference.

Gugin, John Francis — Bom in Osprey Township, Grey Coimty,
Ontario, April 30, 1870. Parents were Greorge and Elizabeth
(Vogle) Gugin. Raised on the farm and educated in the com-
mon school.

Converted at the age of twenty-eight years; entered the
ministry soon after, and was ordained in 1905 by the Ontario
Conference.

Married to Daisy Young on February 27, 1901. Six chil-
dren: George L., Roswell W., Arthur W., Irene P., Annie M.,
and Florence L.

Held pastorates at Manitoulin Island and Hespeler, Ont.,
in the Ontario Conference, and Didsbury, and Castor, in the
Canadian Northwest Conference.

Ouy, Jesse Samuel — Bom near London, Ontario, September 2,
1862. Parents were Robert and Charlotte Guy. Lived in

239

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Michigan near Brown City from early childhood, and received
a common school education.

Converted at the age of twenty-four years; ent^«d the
ministry in 1887, and was ordained in 1890.

Married to Euphemia Pool on January 4, 1888.

Held pastorates at Dornoch, Vineland, Stayner, in the
Ontario Conference.

Died March 15, 1897.

Hall, James— Bom in Owen Soimd, Ontario, m 1862. Parents
were William and Margaret Jane (Hoath) Hall. Raised on the
farm and attended the conmion school.

Converted at the age of twenty-five. Entered the min-
istry in 1888 and was ordained in 1892 by the Ontario Confer-
ence.

Married to Janet Douglass on March 27, 1889. Two chil-
dren: William Robert and Lorance Douglass.

Held pastorates in Wetzell, LeetsviUe, and Lamotte, Mich.

Served as Evangelist in Michigan for six years,' and later
moved to Alberta, where he engaged in frontier work.

Hallxnan, H. S.— Bom August 5, 1859.

Converted at the age of fourteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1881 and was ordained in 1885.

Was married to Maria Rosenberger on February 18, 1881.
Nine children: Manilla (Mrs. Roy Shantz, deceased), Abner,
Ellen (Mrs. H. Geach), Lome, Ametta (Mrs. A. Bentley),
Grace Isabelle, Alice Myrtle, William Howard, and Frances
Ruth.

Held pastorates at Port Elgin and Elmwood in the On-
tario Conference.

Elected Editor of the Gospel Banner in 1888 and served
for twenty years; also served as Publisher from 1899-1908.

Secretary and Treasurer of the Ontario Conference Mis-
sion Board from 1898 to 1910, and President from 1910 to
1917. President of the Ontario Conference City Mission work
for several years. Secretary of the Ontario Conference for
fifteen years, and of the General Conference for twelve years.

Published several periodicals and a Gospel Text Calendar.

For several years pastor of the United Tabernacle, an in-
dependent church in Columbus, Ohio. Later, Superintendent
of the Publishing Business of The Christian and Missionary
Alliance, New York City.

240

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Haveiui, William B.— Born in Wayne County, Ind., April 12, 1842.
Parents were James and Mary EEavens. Received a common
school education.

Converted at the age of thirteen years; entered the ministry
in 1894, being ordained in 1914 by the Pacific Conference.

Married to Eliza Jane Reasoner on February 23, 1862.
Five children: Mary Levina, EUie 'Clendora, Cary Oscar, Cora
Alice and Lewis Austin.

Held pastorates at Norton Coimty, North Dakota; Everett,
Lyman, Leber, and Strandell, Wash.; and Portland, Ore.

HefEner, William Franklin~-Bom at Fleetwood, Pa., September
3, 1892. Parents were Daniel and Andora Heffner. Attended
the conmion school.

Converted at the age of fifteen years; entered the ministry
in 1916, and was ordained in 1920 by the Pennsylvania Con-
ference.

Married to Anneda Schearer on July 22, 1913. Three
children: Ethel Mae, Donald Elwood, and Helen Ruth.

Held pastorates at Washington, N. J.; Nazareth, and
Quakertown, Pa.

Henderson, Omer Bion — Bom near Clarinda, Page County, Iowa,
February 14, 1871. Parents were Samuel Butler and Sarah
Elizabeth (Perkins) Henderson. Raised on the farm, and at-
tended the conmion school.

Converted at the age of twenty-one; entered the ministry
in 1895, and was ordained in 1898 by the Nebraska Conference.

Married to Eva Belle Fowler on February 2, 1898. Five
children : Paul F., Rose Esma, Louise E., Earl T., and Omer B.,
the last two being deceased.

Held pastorates at Hillsdale and Oswego, Kan.; Sham-
baugh, Iowa; and Milford, Neb., in the Nebradsa Conference.

Served as Presiding Elder of the Nebraska Conference for
three years.

Berber, William Ralph— Bom at Clarksville, Mich., April 13,
1895. Parents, Henry H. and Ada A. (Nash) Herber. Raised
on the farm, and educated in the common and high school at
Brown City, Mich.

Converted at the age of seventeen; entered the ministry
in 1916, and was ordained in 1920.

Married to Ida Luella Wilks on April 6, 1918.

Held pastorates at Fremont, and Detroit, in the Michigan
Conference.

i« 241

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Htrriman, Cluules Hance— Bom in Ohio, April 28, 1843. Parents
were John C. and Julian (Nedrow) Herriman. Attended the
common school.

Converted at the age of thirty-six years; entered the min-
istry in 1895, and ordained in 1898 by the Nebraska Confer-
ence.

Married to Maggie Brown in March; 1867. Nine children :
Maude, Benjamin, Edith, Grace, Glendora, Vanzo, Oliver,
Cecil, and Frederick.

Most of his ministry was served in a local capacity.

Henhey, Eusebiiu — ^Bom near Manheim, Lancaster Coimty,
Pa., August 14, 1823.

Converted at the age of eighteen years; joined the United
Brethren Church and started preaching for them in 1842.
About 1845 he joined the M. B. C. Church, then called the
Evangelical Mennonites. He traveled many miles through
various states preaching, and made thirteen trips to Canada.

He early felt the call to Africa, and on November 1, 1890,
sailed from New Yoric, arriving at Sierre Leone after thirty-
eight da3rs. He labored through an interpreter for six months,
then took sick, and after a short illness of seven da3rs died on
May 24, 1891.

Hess, John Henry— Bom in Newton, Kan., July 12, 1886. Parents
were Daniel and Hattie Hess. Raised on the farm andtittended
the common school. Later took some high-school work and a
course in Bible training at the Bible School, at Tabor, Iowa.

Converted at the age of fifteen. Was ordained to the
ministry by the Hepzibah Faith Missionary Association in
1908, and accepted as a minister by the Nebraska Conference
in 1918, and was ordained by them in 1920.

Married to Naomi Weavers, September 1, 1908. Four
children: Susannah Hattie, Beulah May, Geraldine Pearl, and
Robert Daniel.

Held pastorate at Shambaugh, Iowa.

HillegasSy Oswin S.— Bom in Montgomery County, Pa., Sep-
tember 14, 1859. Parents were Thomas and Elizabeth (Slo-
necker) HUlegass.

Converted at the age of twenty-one; entered the ministry
in 1889, and was ordained in 1892 by the P^insylvania Con-
ference.

Married on S^tember 27, 1879, to Celia H. Steiner. Five
children: Joseph, Emma Alvesta, Aimie Louisa, Noami Rullr,
Leah May. (All deceased).

242

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Held pastorates at Reading, AUoitowny Bethlehraa, Weiss-
port and Lehighton, Terre Hill, Graterford, Zionsville, North-
ampton, Quakertown, Pa.

Hilly Henry — ^Bom in Lamton County, Ontario, in 1849. Parents
were James and Almeda Hill. Raised on the farm and attended
the conmion school.

Converted at the age of thirty years; entered the ministry
in 1906, and was ordained in 1917 in the Michigan Conference.

Married to Clara Streeter on April 29, 1872. Five chil-
dren: Wallace, Ethel, Emma, Jennie, Frank.

Held pastorates at Ubly, Bad Axe, South Garfield, Cale-
donia, and Wetzell, in the Michigan Conference.

Hilts, William John — ^Born near Victoria Square, Ontario, January
24, 1842. Parents were Godfrey and Mary Hilts. Raised on
the farm and educated in the common school.

Converted at the age of seventeen years; ordained by the
Ontario Conference in 1880, previous to which he had spent
some years as a local minister among the Evangelical Meth-
odists.

Married, to Eliza Jane Hilts on January 12, 1864. One
child: William Albert.

Held pastorates at Sunnidale, Bethel, Vineland, Brown
City (Mich.), Maryboro, Shrigley, Scott, Port Elgin, in the
Ontario Conference.

Died June 19, 1901.

Hodson, Emerson L. — Bom in Indiana, October 12, 1860. Parents
Allen and Mary E. Hodson. Attended the common school.

Converted at the age of thirty-six; entered the ministry in
1901, and ordained in 1905 by the Nebraska Conference.

Married to Maud A. Lucas on November 18, 1885. One
child: Perry A.

Held six different pastorates during a period of fourteop
years, in the Nebraska Conference.

Holdeman, I^anklin Alvin— Bom in Branch County, Mich.,
January 19, 1879. Parents were Abraham and Elizabeth
Holdeman. Raised on the farm and attended the common
school.

Converted at the age of eighteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1899, and ordained in 1902 by the Indiana and Ohio
Conference.

Married to Emma Sando on March 25, 1908. Two chil-
dren: Edith Myra and Nancy Elizabeth.

243

MBNNONITB BEBTHEEN IN CHEIST CHUECH.

Held pastorates at Goshen, Ind.; Latrobe and Hollidays-
burg, Pa., in the Indiana and Ohio Conference.

Homuth, Charles Tobias— Bom in Wingham, Huron County,
Ontario, March 12, 1872. Parents were William F. and Eliza-
beth (Gingrich) Homuth. Raised on the farm, and educated in
the common school; later attended the Christian and Mission-
ary Alliance Institute two terms.

Converted at the age of fourteen; entered the ministry in
the M. B. C. Church in 1909, and was ordained in 1911 by the
Ontario Conference.

In 1898 was pastor of the Christian Workers' Church in
Toronto, and 1903 went to Africa with wife as missionary under
the Africa Industrial Mission (Sudan Interior Mission); re-
turned in a year and a half, due to sickness of wife. Entered
the M. B. C. work in 1909, in the Ontario Conference, being
sent to Aylmer. Returned to Africa in 1912, and spent two
three-year terms there. On return, went to the Canadian
Northwest and worked imder the Canadian Northwest Con-
ference, stationed at Alsask, Saskatchewan.

Hostetler, Jacob J.— Bom in Hohnes County, Ohio, August 12,
1854. Parents were Moses J. and Elizabeth (Mast) Hostetler.
Raised on the farm; commenced teaching school at seventeen
years of age. Received a high-school education at Coimty Noiv
mals and at Valparaiso, Ind.; took Bible courses by corre-
spondence.

Converted at the age of eighteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1893, and was ordained in 1896.

Married to Jennie Nelson on November 26, 1876, and
after her death to Samantha Leatherman, on April 22, 1894;
after her death, to Ida Tchumi, on March 19, 1913. Seven
children by first marriage: William Owen, Myrtle May, Perley
Grover, Grace Gladdys, Roxanna, Ora Mansel, and Bessie Belle,
the last two being deceased.

Held pastorates at Bluffton, S. Dak.; Shambaugh, Iowa;
Nappanee, Wakarusa, Elkhart, and Goshen, Ind.; Greenville,
Lima, and Dayton, Ohio — all appointments in the Indiana
and Ohio Conference.

Also served as Assistant Secretary and Secretary of the
Indiana and Ohio Conference, Superintendent of the M. B. C.
Bible Training School, and Editor of the Seminary Evangelist.

Hottel, Frank M.— Bom at Locust Valley, Lehigh County, Pa.,
August 21, 1882. Parents were Solomon and Mary Ann Hottd.
Attended the common school and took a correspcmdenoe course.

244

BIOGEAPHIOAL SKETCHES.

Converted at the age of nine years; entered the ministry
in 1905, and was ordained in 1909 by the Pennsylvania Con-
ference.

Married on March 2, 1906, to Ida Gertrude Moyer. Six
children: Verlette Mae, Harvey W., Clarence W., Ruth Hilda,
Winfred Bruce, and Grace Pearl.

Held pastorates at Washington, N. J., Fleetwood, Blandon,
Terre Hill, Reading, and Philadelphia, Pa.

Huffman, Calvin Irvin — Bom in Kosciusko County, Ind., October
6, 1875. Parents were John W. and Hannah Martha Huffman.
Raised on the farm and attended the conmion school.

Converted at the age of eighteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1896, and was ordained in 1901 by the Indiana and
Ohio Conference.

Married to Cora Sando on December 31, 1896. Four chil-
dren: Russell J., D. Irene, Francis Feme, and Charles Marion.

Held pastorates at Union Chapel, Stringtown, Western
Pennsylvania circuit. Beech, Phillipsbiu*g, Berlamont, New
Carlisle, all in the Indiana and Ohio Conference.

Served as Presiding Elder of the Ohio District of the
Indiana and Ohio Conference for five years, 1912-1917.

Huffman, David H. — Bom in Noble Coimty, Ind., January 6,
1867. Parents were John W. and Hannah Martha Huffman.
Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty years; entered the ministry
in 1916 and was ordained in 1920.

Married to Hettie R. Smeltzer on March 26, 1891. Six
children: Herbert A., Julia Ruth, George Arthur, Mary E.,
Jessie Paul, and Carl D., the last two being deceased.

Assistant pastor at Elkhart, Ind., and pastor of the Misha-
waka chiu*ch, in the Indiana and Ohio Conference.

Huffman, Jasper Abraham — Bom in Elkhart County, Ind., Feb-
ruary 28, 1880. Parents were John W. and Martha Huffman.
Attended the pubUc schools of Indiana; graduated from Bone-
brake Theological Seminary, 1909; graduate student University
of Chicago, 1915; received A. B. from Bluffton College, 1915;
B. D. from McCormick Theological Seminary, 1919; honored
by Taylor University with the degree of Doctor of Divinity in
1920.

Converted at the age of eleven years; entered the ministry
in 1898, and ordained in 1904 by the Indiana and Ohio Confer-
ence.

245

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Married Elizabeth D. Lambert on May 5, 1901. Four
children: David Paul, Martha Emma (deceased), S. Lambert,
and John Abram.

Held pastorates at Georgetown and Phillip8biu*g, New
Carlisle and Pleasant Grove, and Dayton, in the Indiajoa and
Ohio Conference.

Served as Editor of the Gospel Banner, 1912- ; Editor
and Publisher of the Gospel Banner, 1916-1920; Editor of the
Bethel Series of Sunday School Literature, 1909- ; Chairman
of the Indiana and Ohio Conference Foreign Mission Board;
Professor of New Testament Literature and Exegesis in Bluff-
ton College and Mennonite Seminary, 1914- . Author of
'^Redemption Completed,'' ''Old Testament Messages of the
Christ," "Job a World Example," "Upper Room Messages,"
and Editor-in-Chief of the History of the M. B. C. Chiu*ch.
Secretary of General Conference in 1920.

Huffman, William Judson — Bom in Noble County, Ind., Novem-
ber 19, 1871. Parents were John W. and Hannah Martha
Huffman. Received a common school education, and attended
high school at Wolf Lake, Ind.

Converted at the age of seventeen; entered the ministry in
1891, and was ordained in 1897 by the Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference.

Married to Jennie F. Good on February 9, 1893. Four
children: Walter Andrew, Chester Arthur, John Elgar, and
Orpha May.

Held pastorates at Georgetown, Beech Grove, Greenville,
Ohio; Western Pennsylvania; Goshen and Oak Grove, Ind., in
the Indiana and Ohio Conference.

Served as Presiding Elder of the Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference for three yearsj and worked under the North Indiana
M. E. Conference for five years.

Hygexna, David — Bom in Kosciusko County, Ind., October 13,
1862. Parents were Romke and Yetskey Hygema. Left an
orphan at the age of twelve years; received a common school
education.

Converted at the age of twenty years; entered the min-
istry in 1891, and was ordained in 1895 by the Indiana and
Ohio Conference.

Married to Sarah Loucks on February 4, 1884. Six chil-
dren: Martha, William, Irvin, Pearl, Mabel, Grace.

Held past(Mrates at West Union, Southwest, Elkhart,
Goshen, Bethel, Oak Grove, and Nappanee, Ind., in the Indiana
and Ohio Conference.

246

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Hygexna, Jacob — ^Bom in Marshall County, Ind., November 26,

1869. Parents were Romke and Yetskey Hygema. Left an
orphan at the age of five ye£u*s, and placed in three different
homes till seventeen. Attended the common school, also a
Free Will Baptist college one term.

Converted at the age of twenty-one; entered the ministry
in 1892 and was ordained in 1897 by the Nebraska Conference. ^

Married to Esther Stahly on November 24, 1898. No
children, but adopted two girls: Olive (deceased) and Dorotha
May.

Held pastorates at Stuttgart, Ark.; West Union, Ind.;
Milford and Cambridge, Nebraska; Shambaugh and Trenton,
la.; Harper,* Kan.; and Mountain View, Wash.

Served as Presiding Elder one year in the Nebraska Con-
ference; teacher in Bible schools eight winters; Associate Editor
of the Gospel Banner eight years; elected as instructor in the
Fort Wayne Bible School in 1920.

Jackson, Qeorge Clement — Bom in Holland Township, Cfrey
County, Ontario, September 25, 1881. Parents were Thomas
and Susan Jackson. Educated in the common school.

Converted at the age of thirteen; entered the ministry and
was ordained in 1914 by the Ontario Conference.

Married to Charlotte Allen on October 13, 1903. Two
children: Ida Pearl and Allen Thomas.

Jetti Warner Maddoz — Bom at Lagrange, Ky., December 13,

1870. Parents were James P. and Huldah F. (Maddox) Jett.
Received a common school education.

Converted al the age of thirty-five years; entered the min-
istry in 1911, and was ordained in 1914 by the Nebraska Con-
ference.

Married to Carrie Saylor on December 9, 1897, and after
her death to Nannie Jamieson, on September 9, 1909. Three
children: Feme, James Edmond, and Lowell La Verne, the
former from first marriage. "

Held pastorates at Oswego, Kan., and Bloomington, Neb.,
in the Nebraska Conference.

Jones, Fred A. — Bom in St. Clair County, Mich., August 16,
1779. Father was M. S. Jones. Raised on the farm and re-
ceived a conmion school education; later attended two terms
of Bible School at Elkhart, Ind.

Converted at the age of twenty-one; entered the ministry
in 1904, and ordained in 1914 by the Michigan Conference.

247

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

S Married to Ella Nash on April 11, 1905. Three children:
Ethel (deceased), Ray, and Roy.

in Held pastorates at Bliss, Brown City, Yale, Greenwood,
Detroit, and Cass City, in the Michigan Conference.

Kagey, Faj Stewart— Bprn in Blaine, Whatcome County, Wash.,
September 14, 1892. Parents were Joseph Henry and Mary
Katherine Kagey. Raised on the farm and attended the com-
mon school.

Converted at the age of fifteen; entered the ministry in
1910, being ordained in 1912 by the Pacific Conference.

Married to Ruth Bessie lliompson on March 10, 1917.

Held pastorates at Ctdver, C)re.; L3rman, Slrandell, and
Granger, Wash.

Also served as Vice Presiding Elder of the Pacific Confer-
ence.

*Kailffman, Abraham Huber — ^Bom near Lancaster City, Pa.,
August 6, 1854. Parents were Christian and Mary Kauffman.
Raised on the farm and educated in the common school.

Baptized and joined the church at the age of twehty-two,
but not clear in conversion till thirty-four. Entered the min-
istry in 1891, and was ordained in 1894 by the Indiana and
Ohio Conference.

Married to Lizzie B. Horst on September 9, 1873. Four
children: Harvey H., Ada H., Elmer H., and Alvin H.

Held pastorates at Weaver School House, Kan.; Grand
Rapids, Mich., and Port Huron, Mich.

Served for some time as evangelist, city missionary, and
tabernacle worker. Organized the classes and built the churches
at Elkhart, Ind., and Port Hiux>n, Mich.

For some years has been connected with the Nazarene
chiu*ch.

Kitehing, John Norman — Bom at Shrigley, Dufferin Coimty,
Ontario, June 10, 1869. Parents were Thomas and Elizabeth
Kitching. Raised on the farm, and educated in the common
school.

Converted at the age of eighteen; entered the ministry in
1891, and was ordained in 1895 by the Ontario Conference.

Married to Matilda A. Goudie, July 15, 1903, and after
her death to Hannah B. Little, November 15, 1904. Five
children: Verdella, Vera, Bertha (deceased), Edna, and John
Alvin.

Held pastorates at Bright, Ont.; Wetzell, Greenwood,
Brown City, and Port Huron, Mich.; Owen Sound, Kitchener,

248

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Toronto^ and Scott, Ont., under the Ontario and Michigan
Conferences.

Served as City Mission President seven years, and Con-
ference Treasurer four years, in the Ontario Conference; also a
member of the Foreign Mission Board.

Kiteley, Nelson — Bom in Guilliansbery Township, York County,
Ontario, .April 15, 1844. Parents were Henry and Sarah
Kiteley. Raised on the farm and received a common school
education.

Converted at the age of twenty years; entered the ministry
in 1870, and was ordained in 1873 in the Brethren Church.
United with the M. B. C. Church in 1882.

Married to Maria Dougherty on November 10, 1864, and
after her death, to Rachel Alexander in 1889. Eleven children:
Martha A., James H., Alfred E., Sarah J., Jamima M., Char-
lotte v., Lewis W., Edward A. G., Emerson A. W., Norene E.,
and Irene R., the last five being of the second marriage.

Came to Michigan in 1889. Served as pastor at Bliss,
Clearwater, Cass River, Caledonia, and Elmer.

Krack, Blmer— Bom at Brown City, Mich., February 24, . 1878.
Father was John Krack. Raised on the farm and attended the
common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-eight; entered the ministry
in 1911, and was ordained in 1917 by the Michigan Conference.

Married to Ethel S. Brooks on May 31, 1911. Four chil-
dren: Esther, Wesley, Russel, Marcus.

Held pastorates at Elmer and Colfax, Mich., in the Mich-
igan C($nference.

Kratz, Eburvey K. — ^Bom at Souderton, Montgomery County, Pa.,
February 14, 1879. Parents were Daniel C. and Lizzie Kratz.
Attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-one; entered the ministry
in 1906, and was ordained in 1909 by the Pennsylvania Con-
ference.

Married to Laura D. Gehman on July 24, 1904, and after
her death to Attie I. Schaden on October 5, 1911. Two chil-
dren: Marian G., and Harold Leighton.

Held pastorates at Walnutport, Macimgie and Emaus,
Graterford and HarleysviUe, Coopersburg, Spring City and
Royersford, Pa.

Kreider, Lot! — Bom in Lagrange County, Lid., November 13,
1857. Parents were Tobias and Eliza Kreider.

249

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Converted at the age of thirty-four; entered the ministry
in 1905, and was ordained in 1909 by the Indiana and Ohio
Conference.

Married to Rebecca Keller, June 4, 1881. One child,
Lydia L.

Held pastorates at West Union, Elkhart, Pleasant Hill,
Nappanee, and Wakarusa, Ind.; Georgetown, Ohio, in the
Indiana and Ohio Conference.

Kreutsiger, Bemhard — Bom in Saxaldenburg, Germany, June
12, 1843. Parents were Andrew and Anna Kreutziger. Came
to America when four years of age with parents, who settled in
Waterloo County, Ontario. Raised on the farm, and educated
in the common school.

Ccmverted at the age of thirty- three; entered the ministry
in 1884, and was ordained in 1885 by the Ontario Conference.

Married to Phoebe Haeberle on December 13, 1867. Seven
children: Sarah Ann, Matilda, Mary Ann, Simon, Lydia, Ella,
and Andrew.

Held pastorates at Brown City, Lamotte, and Amadore
Mich, and at Bethel and New Dundee, Ontario.

Kreutsiger; Simon H. — ^Bom in Peel Township, Ontario, April 15,
1880. Parents were Bemhard and Phoebe (Haeberle) Kreut-
ziger. Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-eight; entered the min-
istry in 1909, and was ordained in 1915 by the Michigan Con-
ference.

Married to Lizzie D. Jacobs on December 13, 1900.
Seven children: Irma Elizabeth, Alfred C, Phoebe A., Orville
R., Mary F., Beulah, and Dorothy A.

Held pastorates at Elmer, Wheatland, Williamsburg, and
Port Huron, in the Michigan Conference.

*KrupPi John — Bom in Pennsylvania, August 7, 1840. Parents
were Joseph and Mary Krupp. When young moved with his
parents to Elkhart County, Indiana. Raised on the farm and
educated in the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-eight years when a min-
ister in the Old Church, and, along with Daniel Brenneman,
was one of the leaders of the Reformed Mennonites who later
became the Mennonite Brethren in Christ.

Married to Eliza Ann Waterman on January 1, 1862.
Nine children: Mary Ann, Hannah, Daniel, Rhoda, Emaline,
Eliza, Katy Maude, Smith Frederick, and Joseph.

250

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Held pastorates and did a great deal of itinerary preach-
ing in Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, and Arkansas.
Also served as Presiding Elder and Evangelist.
Died on August 9, 1911, of heart failure.

Kublic, Emmanuel Edward— Bom in Germany, September 8,
1878. Parents were Julius and Augustina Kublic. Came to
Pennsylvania when very young, attended the common schools.

Converted at the age of eighteen; entered the ministry in
1899, and was ordained in 1907.

Married to Katie E. Moyer on January 14, 1907, and after
her death to Clara Curry on October 12, 1915. Two children
Ferol A. and Shimer E^

Held pastorates at Stroudsburg, Pa., and worked in the
Gospel Herald Society at Emaus, Macimgie and Lehighton.

Lambert, David U. — Bom in Northampton county, Pa., October
19, 1851. Parents were D. C. and Catherine Lambert. Raised
on the farm, and educated in the common school.

Converted at the age of fourteen, and entered the ministry
in 1869.

Married to Isabella Himsperger in 1874. Eight children:
Emma C. Barnes, Cora M. Gumty, William H., David Elmer,
Clara B. Dooley, Mabel Dilley, Jessie Switzer, Edith Rand.

Held pastorates in Indiana, Michigan, and Kansas.

Served as Presiding Elder of the Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference, 1882-1883.

Died May 19, 1896.

Lambert, Qeorge — Bom in Northampton County, Pa., May 11,
1853. Parents were D. C. and Catherine Lambert. Raised on
the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twelve years; entered the ministry
in 1878, and was ordained in 1881 by the Indiana and Ohio
Conference.

Married in 1872 to Amanda Gehman. Eight children:
Ella (Mrs. John Ummel), Edward, Rose (Mrs. David Mussel-
man), Emma (Mrs. Robert Fansher), Norah (Mrs. Oscar
Sommer), Ira, Jessie (Mrs. Luther Fansher), Marie (Mrs. Roy
W. (Fries).

Held pastorates in Kent Coimty, Mich.; South West,
Wakarusa, Bethel, and Jamestown, in the Indiana and Ohio
Conference.'

Lambert, Sidenham — Bom in Northampton County, Pa., Janu-
ary 17, i855. Parents were D. C. and Catherine Lambert.
Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

251

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Converted at the age of fifteen; entered the ministry in
1873, and was ordained in 1876.

Married to Emma J. Hossler in 1876, deceased in 1903;
to Mrs. Amanda Long in 1905, deceased in 1914; after her
death, to Mrs. Anna Flatter, in 1915. Eight children: Fannie
(Mrs. Lawrence Ditmer), Elizabeth (Mrs. J. A. Huffman),
Vernon, Minnie (Mrs. Noel Johnson), Anna (Mrs. Shirl Hat-
field), Bertha, Naomi (Mrs. Roy Riffle), and Ruby (deceased).
All children by first marriage except the last named (deceased)
by second marriage.

Held pastorates at Fleetwood, Pa.; Bethel, Ind.; George-
town and PhiUipsburg, Ohio, and Beech Grove, Ohio.

Served as Presiding Elder in the Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference for a number of years; President of the General Confer-
ence Executive Board eight years; Treasurer of the Indiana
and Ohio Conference six years; member of the General Con-
ference for many years and chairman in 1900.

Lambert, William— Bom in Huntington County, Ind., in 1879.
Parents were John Thomas and EUzabeth Jane (Morrison)
Lambert. Raised on the farm; received a common school
education, and later took a teacher's course in vocal music at
Campbell College, Holton, Kan.

Converted at the age of seven years; entered the ministry
in the United Brethren Church in 1909, and ordained in the
M. B. C. Church in 1914 by the Nebraska Conference.

Married to Ina E. Overmiller on July 18, 1904. Four
children: Lorem Emsley (deceased), Esther Pauline, John
Wilmer, Willis James.

Held pastorates at Logan and Narka, Kan., under the
United Brethren Church, and at Weeping Water, Neb. ; Harper,
Kan., and Jett, Okla., under the Nebraska Conference of the
M. B. C. Church.

Layne, James B.— Was bom in Philadelphia, Pa., April 2, 1894.
Parents were William and Annie Layne.

Was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia and
learned the printing trade.

Converted February 12, 1911; Entered Gospel Herald So-
ciety work as a Home Missionary in 1913. Labored at Lebanon,
and Sunbury, Pa. Entered the ministry in 1917, and was or-
dained in 1919 by the Pennsylvania Conference.

Was married on November 7, 1918, to Fannie E. Minnich.

Pastorates held: Sunbury, and Easton, Pennsylvania.

252

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Lehman, Flavius J. — ^Bom in Markham Township, Ontario, on
September 30, 1872. Parents were Joseph B. and Fanny Jane
(Steckley) Lehman. Raised on the farm and attended the
common school.

Converted at the age of thirteen. Entered the ministry
in 1906 and was ordained in. 1911 by the Ontario Conference.

Married to Margaret Byer on September 22, 1896. Seven
children: Elmer R., Arthur P., Nelson E., Carl R., Ruth V.,
Cora N., Grace M.

Held pastorates at Shrigley, Breslau, Elmwood, and Vine-
land, Ontario.

Lehman, Lewis J. — Bom at CuUom, Livingston County, 111.,
August 1, 1871. Parents were John K. and Susan (Alspaugh)
Lehman. Received a common school education.

Converted at the age of nineteen; entered the ministry in
1897 in the Old Mennonite Chiurch, and was ordained in 1899.
Received by the M. B. C. Chiurch and ordination accepted in
1912.

Married to Lydia C. Huber on February 9, 1905. (Second
marriage.) Seven children: Milton S., Edna B., Amy E.,
Esther M., Luella S., Ray L., and Samuel Huber, the first four
named being of the first marriage.

Held pastorates at Jackson, Minn.; Cullom, 111.; Lima,
Ohio, and Goshen, Ind.

Served as Conference Secretary a number of years, and as
member and secretary of the Board of Trustees of Bluffton
College and Mennonite Seminary.

Longenecker, Samuel — Bom at Englewood, Montgomery County,
Ohio, March 20, 1840. Parents were David and Elizabeth
(Razor) Longenecker. Raised on the farm and attended the
common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-one; entered the ministry
in 1877, and was ordained in 1879 in the Brethren in Christ
Church.

Married to Salome Brandenburg on October 16, 1870.
Two children: Edgar (deceased) and Vianna.

Held pastorates at Calvary, Ft. JefiPerson, LightsviUe,
Beech Grove, Georgetown and PhiUipsburg, Swanktown and
Englewood, Union Chapel and Stringtown, Morrow, Oregonia,
and Blanchester, Fairview, Springfield and Pleasant Grove,
Ohio; Western Pennsylvania; Caledonia, Zion, and Pleasant
Hill, Mich.; Wakarusa, South West and Nappanee, Ind.

253

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

llMty Klmer David — Bom in Lagrange County, Ind., December
18, 1880. Parents were Jacob and Ellen R. (Plank) Mast.
Raised on the farm and received a common school education.
Attended one year high school and one year at E^lkhart Insti-
tute (Goshen College).

Converted at the age of twenty-two; entered the ministry
in 1910, and was ordained in 1915.

Married to Alice Plank on December 24, 1901, and after
her death to Ruth H. Lutz, on January 1, 1915. One child :
Naomi Ellen.

Held pastorates at Chapel Hill, Mich.; Mishawaka, Elk-
hart, and Bethel, Ind.; New Carlisle and West Charleston,
Ohio; Georgetown and Phillipsburg, Ohio.

Served as Vice-Presiding Elder of the Indiana and Ohio
Conference (1918-20,) and was a member of the Ninth and
Tenth (jreneral Conferences.

MoDannel, Slias— Bom in Stark County, Ohio, May 2, 1826.
Parents were David and Saloma (Shook) McDannel.

Converted at the age of nineteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1877 in the United Brethren Church, and was ordained
in 1880. United with the M. B. C. Church in 1890.

Married to Sara Rupp on May 25, 1847, and after her
death, to Amanda Cassel on August 21, 1889. Ten children:
Mary, Kate (deceased), Albina, Josephine (deceased), Helen,
Lilly, Clara, Ida, Nora, Muriel, all except the last named being
of the first marriage.

Held pastorates at Wakarusa, Zion, North Union, West
Union, Western Pennsylvania circuit.

Died December 18, 1902.

MeNaUy, John— Bom in Berks County, Pa., on March 7, 1822.
Parents were William Henry and SariUi (Kinsel) McNally.

The date of his conversion is not known, but he was
appointed a minister in the New Mennonite Chiurch in 1852.
He soon became prominent, and was a representative at the
union conference in 1875.

Married to Mary Ann Shoemaker in 1844. Eleven chil-
dren: Angus, Jacob, Gertrude, Isaac, William, Sarah, Elisa-
beth, John, Ftiscilla, Elmina, and Minnie.

Held pastorates at Blair, Hespeler, Breslau, Bloomingdale,
West Montrose, Conestoga, St. Jacobs, Kitchener, Roseville,
Bright, and Bethel, Ontario.

Died July 11, 1913.

294

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Hetcilf , Edwin Homer— Bom in Smith County, Kansas, in 1888.
Parents were John £. and Cyntha Metcilf . Raised on the farm
and attended the common school; also two terms of Bible School
at Bellingham, Wash.

Converted at the age of eleven; entered the ministry in
1915, and was ordained in 1919 by the Pacific Conference.

Married to Pearl Lowry on March 10, 1915. One child:
Grace Erma.

Held pastorates at Birch Bay, Wenas, Wash, and Culver,
Ore.

Metzger, Etarvey M. — Bom at New Carlisle, Ohio, March 15,
1879. Parents were Andrew and Mary Metzger. Raised on the
farm and educated in the common and high schools.

Converted at the age of twenty; entered the ministry in
1902, and was ordained in 1905.

Married to Anna R. McAfee on May 25, 1902. Eight
children: Glenna Mae, Walter Kenneth, Ora Maxwell, Daisy
^ Marie, Ray Owen, Bemice LaVeme, Harvey Monroe jr.,
Mary Jane.

5eld pastorates at Harriet, Beech Grove, Ohio; Western
Pennsylvania; Pleasant Hill, Mich.; Elkhart, Bethel, Ind.;
Springfield and Pleasant Grove, Ohio.

Served as Superintendent of Chiu*ch Extension work and
Conference Secretary.

Miller, A. A.— Bom in Falls Mills, Ohio, February 27, 1850.
Parents were Abraham A. and Ruth Ann (Nelson) Miller.
Received a common school education.

Converted at the age of twenty-three years; entered the
ministry in 1874, and was ordained in 1876 by the Brethren in
Christ.

Married to Lydia Beery in 1871, and after her death to
Katie Hygema, on July 5, 1895. Five childr^: Ella, Earl, Birt,
Sadie, and Ruth May, the last named being by the second
marriage.

Held pastorates at Shambaugh and Newmarket, Iowa.

Served as Evangelist for several years, and as Presiding
Elder in the Nebraska Conference one year.

Moore, Clarence Tiflen — Bom near Decatiur, Ind., Febmary 18,
1887. Parents were Marion John and Emily (Howard) Moore.
Raised on the farm and attended the common school; later
spent six months at Goshen College.

Converted at the age of twenty-three; entered the min-
istry in 1906, and was ordained in 1912.

255

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Married to Jennie R. Koofer on May 31, 1911. Four
children: Lawrence Augustes, Marion Emerson (deceased),
Norman Lowell, and Esther Marie.

Held pastorates at Oregonia and Blanchester, Beech and
Greenville, New Carlisle, Ohio, in the Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference.

Moore, Isaac P. — Bom near Bremen, Fairfield Comity, Ohio,
November 11, 1875. Parents were M. J. and Emily (Howard)
Moore. Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of fifteen; entered the ministry in
1899, and was ordained in 1900.

Married to Jessie E. Rinehart on August 19, 1900. Four
children: Gregg R., Arthur F., Glenn L., Mary Opal.

Held pastorates at Nappanee, Wakarusa, and Elkhart, Ind.

Served as Superintendent of church extension work, evan-
gelist, city mission superintendent.

Moore, Jeue Irvin— Bom near Lima, Ohio, January 17, 1883.
Parents were M. J. and Emily (Howard) Moore. Raised on
the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twelve years; entered the min-
istry, and was ordained in 1912.

Married to Mattie D. Spade on April 8, 1904. Nine chil-
dren: Ruth Jeanette, Elizabeth Helen, Marion Leonard, Doris
Marie, Robert Kenneth, Jesse Carlan, Pauline Emily, Dale
Bennet, and Ray Howard.

Held pastorates at Nappanee and Oak Grove, Ind.; Pots-
dam and Phillipsbiu*g, Ohio; and Pleasant Hill, Mich., in the
Indiana and Ohio Conference.

Moore, William Harvey — ^Bom near Logan, Hocking County,
Ohio. Parents were M. J. and Emily (Howard) Moojre. Raised
on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of fifteen years; entered the ministry
in 1900, and was ordained in 1901 in the Brethren in Christ
Church (Wenger). United with the M. B. C. Church in 1902.

Married to Wealthy E. Good on November 11, 1896.
Two children: Alpha Beryl (deceased) and Clarence Cecil.

Held pastorates at West Union, Goshen, and Wakarusa,
Ind.; New Carlisle and Georgetown, Ohio; and Bronson, Mich.,
under the Indiana and Ohio Conference.

Served as Presiding Elder of the Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference since 1917.

256

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Morgan, John W. — Bom in Green County, Iowa, February 28,
1867. His parents died when he was but four years of age; at-
tended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-seven; entered the ministry
in 1896, being ordained soon after by the Nebraska Conference.

Married to Rose Cathrop in 1888. Two children: Ger-
trude E. and Noah W.

Held pastorates at five different places in Nebraska, during
a period of fourteen years, moving then to California where he
was instrumental in building two churches.

Also served as Presiding Elder for four years.

Died suddenly on September 7, 1920, at Lancaster, Calif.

Morgan, Raymond G. — ^Bom near Bancroft, Shiawassee County,
Mich., May 6, 1891. Raised on the farm and attended the
common school; later took a commercial course at Ferris In-
stitute, Big Rapids, Mich.

Converted at the age of twelve years; entered the ministry
in 1915, and was ordained in 1920.

Married to Emma Jausi on Jime 6, 1917. Two children:
Athelene Verdella and Veriin Raymond.

Held pastorates at Bad Axe and Williamsbiu*g, Mich.

Moyer, Elmer — ^Bom at Vineland, Lincoln Coimty, Ontario, Jime
9, 1889. Father was Christian G. Moyer. Received a common
school education, and later took a commercial course in Toronto
Business College and attended the Toronto Bible College.

Converted at the age of sixteen; entered the ministry in
1917. Was ordained in 1920.

Married to Mary Elizabeth Learn on September 15, 1915.
One child: Harold Elmer.

Held pastorate at Aylmer, Ontario.

Musselman, Baird Bryan— Was bom at Allentown, Pa., October,
1890. Parents were H. B. and Annie (Bans) Musselman.

Was educated in the public schools of Pennsylvania, in-
cluding high school.

Converted in 1896; entered the ministry in 1913, and was
ordained in 1916 by the Pennsylvania Conference.

Was married to Cora B. Rothermel on December 7, 1911.
One child: Oliva Pauline.

Pastorates: Fleetwood, Blandon and Terra Hill circuit,
Reading, and Allentown, in the Pennsylvania Conference.

Musselman, Harvey B. — Bom at Dillinger, Lehigh Coimty, Pa.,
February 11, 1868. Parents were Eld. Jonas and Lucy (Brun-

17 257

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

ner) Muaselman. Raised on the fann and wcnrked at the print-
ing trade for nine yeans.

Converted at the age of fourteen; entered the ministry in

1890, and was ordained in 1893 by the Pennsylvania Conference.
Married to Annie M. Bans on April 23, 1888. Three chil-
dren: B. Bryan, Clarence E., and Jansen H.

Held pastorates at Royersford, Spring City, Lehighton,
Weissport, Bethlehem, Mt. Carmel, Pa.

Served as Presiding Elder for eighteen years, also as Presi-
dent of the Orphanage and Home Board, and of the Foreign
Mission and Executive Boards.

Mu8S6linAn« William Brunner^-Was born near Vera Cruz, Le-
high County, Pa., October 3, 1860. Parents were Jonas and
Lucy Musselman. Was raised on the farm and was educated
in the common school.

Was converted in the winter of 1876; began preaching in
1883, and was ordained in 1886 by the Pennsylvania Conference.

Was married in April of 1879 to Mary A. Oberhdtser.
There were ten children — five boys: P. J., T. T., J. W., W. D.,
E. H.; and five girls: L. M., M. L., S. E., J. N., and M. E.

Held pastorates at Reading, Bethlehem, and Allentown, Pa.

Was Presiding Elder, member of Executive Board, F^:esi-
dent of the Gospel Worker Society, and member of all the
General Conferences since 1888.

Myers, Joseph Kent — Bom near Kensington, Kan., August 25,

1891. Parents were O. A. and Elida Myers. Raised on the
farm and attended the common school; later spent one year
at the Holiness Bible School, Hutchinson, Kan.

Converted at the age of nineteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1912, and was ordained in 1916.

Married to Nanny Patton on August 28, 1912. One child:
Lois Almeda.

Held pastorates at Osborne, Kan.; Bloomington, Neb.;
and Flagler, Colo.

Orerholty Timothy James — ^Bom at Elkhart, Ind., October 4,
1878. Parents were Enos and Matilda Overholt. Raised on
the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of eighteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1912, and was ordained in 1916.

Married to Lulu Beery on September 25, 1911.

Held pastorates at Harper, Kan.; Cambridge and Bloom-
ington, Neb.

258

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Pannabecker , Jacob Nelson— Bom in Wellington County, Ontario,
November 6, 1866. Parents were Samuel and Martha (Cober)
Pannabecker. Raised on the farm and attended the common
school; later attended the Owen Sound Collegiate Institute.

Converted at the age of ten years; entered the ministry in
1905, and was ordained in 1908.

Married to Luna May Plowman on October 12, 1892.
Five children: Charles Lloyd, Samuel Floyd, Kail P., Ceorge
P. (deceased), and Ray P.

Held pastorates at Clearwater, Brown City, Elkton, and
Colfax, Mich.

Served as Conference Secretary for twelve years; Confer-
ence Treasurer, Vice-Presiding Elder, Secretary-Treasurer of
Foreign Mission Board, Secretary-Treasurer of City Mission
Board, representative of Michigan Conference on General
Board, member of Board of Trustees, Bluffton College (1914-
17), member of two General Conferences.

Payne, Hezekiah Newell— Bom in Cowall County, Va., May 14,
1880. Parents were Noah and Augusta Payne.

Converted at the age of twenty-four; entered the ministry
in 1907, and was ordained in 1910.

Married to Annie L. Turner on September 23, 1906. Two
children: Naomi Dorcas and Anna Ruth.

Held pastorates at Everett, Outlook and Granger, Wash.;
Culver, Oregon; and Fruitland and Payette, Idaho.

Also served as Conference Evangelist and Vice Presiding
Elder.

*Peffle7, Aaron — Bom in Harrison Township, Montgomery Coimty,
Ohio, Jime 8, 1840. Parents were Jacob and Mary (Hoch)
Peffley. Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-one years; entered the
ministry in 1871, and was ordained in 1873 in the Brethren in
Christ Church.

Married to Frances Swank on August 31, 1860, and after
her death, to Verina Jenkinson on April 2, 1890. Ten children:
Josephus, Laura, Noah, Keturah, Saloma, Lydia, Talmage,
DeWitt, Dwight Moody, Stanley, and Paul, the four latter being
of the second marriage.

Held pastorates at Georgetown, Pleasant Grove and Harsh-
man, Harrisburg and Swanktown, New Carlisle, Adams County,
Fairfield County, and Darke County, in the Indiana and Ohio
Conference.

Served also as Evangelist.

259

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Penally Joseph Allen — Bom in Boone County, Ind., April 2, 1861.
Parents were William D. and Mary J. (Doddson) Persell.
Raised on the farm and educated in the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-six; entered the ministry
in 1897, and was ordained in 1900.

Married to Hannah J. Wilson on November 29, 1901.
Four childr^i: Naomi, Orpha, Ruth, Rhoda.

Held pastorates for six years; served as evangelist, and as
overseer of the Pacific Conference for one year before its organ-
ization.

Pontius» Homer J. — Bom in Elkhart County, Ind., January 10,
1868. Parents were Henry and Mary C. M. (Bly) Pontius.
Raised on the farm and educated in the common schools.

Converted at the age of thirteen, entered the ministry in
in 1893, and was ordained in 1896 by the Indiana and Ohio
Conference.

Married to Lodie Scott on February 13, 1892. Nine chil-
dr^i: Myrtle, Orville (deceased), Ella, Esther, Naomi, Mary,
Ruth, Lola, and Celeste.

Held pastorates at Frontier County and Moline, Neb.;
Shambaugh and New Market, Iowa; Reamsville and Harper,
Kan.; Mt. View, Femdale, and Yakima, Wash.; and Culver,
Ore.

Served as Evangelist ten years and Presiding Elder for
four years in the Pacific Conference.

Pontius, Silas Henry— Bom near Elkhart, Ind., May 4, 1865.
Parents were Henry and Mary C. M. (Bly) Pontius. Raised
on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty years. Entered the min-
istry in 1889 and ordained in 1891.

Married to Anna R. Pierson on September 1, 1894. Five
children: Marvin H., Loveme I., Orval W., Hewlette A., and
Ruth E.

Held various pastorates with the Evangelical Association
for five years; transferred to the Indiana and Ohio Conference
of the M. B. C. Chiu*ch, serving at Pleasant Hill, Mich.; West
Union, Ind.; Peabody and Hesston, and Reamsville, Kan.

Also served as Evangelist for one year.

Raymer, Abraham — ^Bom in Markham Township, York County,
Ontario, September 14, 1814. Parents were John and Esther
(Hoover) Raymer. Raised on the farm and attended the com-
mon school.

Converted at the age of thirty-one.

260

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Married to Elizabeth Byer on March 17, 1840. Nine
children: Nancy, Susan, Francis, Simeon, Daniel, Esther, Anna,
Elizabeth, Abram.

Preached locally, and traveled through western Ontario
for about thirty years.

Died February 13, 1891.

Bayxner, Christian — Bom near Dixon's Hill, Markham Township,
Ontario, November 1, 1853. Parents were Peter and Mary
(Hoover) Raymer. Raised on the farm and attended the com-
mon school.

Converted at the age of eighte^i years. Entered the min-
istry in 1880, and was ordained in 1891 by the Ontario Confer-
ence.

Married to Christina Stouffer on February 24, 1885. Four
children: Three daughters — Ruth, Elmina, and Bertie, and
one son (deceased).

Held pastorates at Scott, Sunnidale, Vineland, Kitchener,
Stayner, Bethel, Maryboro, Hespeler, Toronto, and Aylmer.

Raymer, Joseph — Bom in Markham, Ontario, April 6, 1833.
Parents were John and Esther Raymer. Received a common
school education.

Converted at the age of twenty-four. Entered the min-
istry in 1858, and was ordained in 1878.

Married to Mary Wideman on December 7, 1858. Five
children: Daniel W., Elizabeth W., Emma W., Sara W., Wes-
ley W.

Held pastorate at Markham, Ontario.

Died July 29, 1879.

Raymer, Lewis Peter — ^Bom in Markham Township, York County,
Ontario, March 12, 1877. Parents were Isaac Peter and Sarah
Ellen (McKay) Raymer. Attended the common school and
high school.

Converted at the age of fourteen years; entered the ministry
in 1906, being ordained in 1910 by the Ontario Conference.

Married to NeUie May Robson, December 25, 1902. Three
childr^i: Pearl Irene, Percy Isaac, and Effie Agnes.

Held pastorates at Scott, Vineland, Elmwood, Breslau and
Aylmer, Ont.

Also served as Conference Evangelist and Secretary.

*Reck, David — Bom in Alsace, Germany, 1869. Parents were
David and Mary (Schlaubauch) Reck. Raised on the farm
and educated in the common school.

261

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Converted when a young man and entered the ministry
in 1898; was ordained in 1901.

Married to Cordelia Bukler. Seven children: Lorena,
M3rrtle) Mahlon, David^ Lena, Clarence, Ruth.

Held pastorate at Giltner, Neb.

United with Free Methodist Church in 1902.

Bedfem, Joseph Wilmer— Bom in Christian County, 111., August
10, 1858. Raised on a cattle ranch; received a common school
education.

Converted at the age of twenty-nine years; entered the
ministry in 1905, and was ordained in 1908.

Married to Nancy Easton on December 21, 1885. Two
childr^i: Milton O. and Daniel O.

Held pastorates at Osborne, Kan., and Hinton, Okla.

Served as Evangelist.

Died July 6, 1919.

Reinhart, V. H.— Was bom in Philadelphia, Pa., August 10, 1885.
Parents were William and Elizabeth Reinhart.

Was educated in the common school.

Was converted in September, 1903; entered the ministry
in 1904, at Washington, N. J. Was ordained in 1909 by the
Pennsylvania Conference.

Married Mary A. Fehnel on December 31, 1908. Four
children : Luella M., Iva F., Wilbur H., Lester H.

Labored under the Gospel Herald Society at Northampton
and Walnutport; also pastor at Sunbury, Pa.

Rich, Nicholas W. — Bom at Wayland, Henry County, Iowa,
September 18, 1867. Parents were Joseph and Mary (Wenger)
Rich. Received a common school education.

Converted at the age of twenty-six; entered the ministry
in 1897 and was ordained in 1900 by the Nebraska Conference.

Married to Ada A. McConnell on September 27, 1891.
Six children: Ross A., Hazel G., Ray W., Helen A., Ruth M.,
and Kenneth F. (deceased).

Held pastorates at ReamsviUe, Kan.; La Junta, Colo.;
Bloomington, Milford, Weeping Water, Neb.

Served as Presiding Elder for seven years, and Conference
Evangelist for four years.

Both, John G. — ^Bom at Leesport, Berks Coimty, Pa., July 14,
1876. Parents were Marcellus and Helen S. Roth. Attended
the common school.

262

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Converted when a young boy; entered the ministry in 1900,
and was ordained in 1903 by the Pennsylvania Conference.

Married to Mary Esther Gamier on March 5, 1896. Two
children: OUve Clair and Erma Myrtle.

Held pastorates at Hatfield and Quakertown, Allentown,
Reading, Bethlehem, Spring City and Royersford, Lehighton,
Emails and Macimgie, Pa.

*Rudy, Frederick Calvin— Bom near Greenville, Ohio, August 9i
1873. Parents were John and Mary (Seman) Rudy. Received
a common school education.

Converted at the age of twenty-one; entered the ministry
in 1896, and was ordained in 1899.

Married to Rosa May Hart. Nine children: Lloyd C,
Roy L., Paul H., Mary E., Melvin E., Mark D., Ray W., Glen
D., and Wane E.

Held pastorates at Frontier County, Neb.; Greenville,
Ohio; Elkhart, Nappanee, Ind.; Berlamont, Carverville, Bad
Axe, Mich.; Holbrook, Colo.

Schroeder, William— Bom in Brant Township, Bruce County,
Ontario, August 21, 1859. Parents were Gotlab and Louise
Schroeder. Raised on the farm and attended the common
school.

Converted at the age of twelve years; entered the ministry
in 1885, and was ordained in 1889.

Married to Mrs. Catherine Leaske in 1881. Six children:
Herman, Lucile, Moses, Miriam, Frank, and Anna.

Held pastorates at Manitoulin Island, Scott, Ontario; Cass
River, Petoskey, Epsilon, Coleman, Mich., in the Ontario and
Michigan Conferences.

Served as Evangelist for several years.

Schultz, Daniel—Bom in Wilmot Township, Waterloo County,
Ontario, in 1871. Parents were Joseph and Veronica (Litt-
willer) Schultz. Raised on the farm and attended the common
school.

Converted at the age of nineteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1894 in the Ontario Conference; ordained in 1897 and
transferred to the Michigan Conference.

Married to Ly^iann Hallman on October 10, 1893. Four
children: Harvey Abram, Wesley Earl, Stanley Joseph, and
Johnlrvin.

Held pastorates at Wetzell, Caledonia, Huron Coimty,
Brown City, Port Huron, Greenwood, Beulah, and Shiloh.

Served as Conference Evangelist for twelve years.

263

MBNNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Schwalxn, Nicholas Hilton— Bom in Bruce County, Ontario, at
Chippewa Hill, July 28, 1878. Parents were George and Mary
(Spurrell) Schwalm. Received a common school education.

Converted at the age of twentynsix; entered the ministry
in 1906; and was ordained in 1912.

Married to Flora Belle Gilders on November 29, 1905. Four
children: Flora Irene, George Emerson, Mansell Hilton, and
Cannon Thorold.

Held pastorates at Port Elgin, Shrigley, and Bethel,
Ontario.

*Scofiold, Volla A. — Bom near Stevensville, Mich., September 15,
1872. Parents were J. H. and Nellie Scofield. Raised on the
farm and attended the conmion school.

Converted at the age of twenty-one years; entered the
ministry in the M. B. C. Church in 1905, having worked with
the Salvation Army for eleven years previous; ordained in 1908.

Married to Anna A. Moyer on September 16, 1897. Three
children living: Orval V., Helen M., and Alice.

Held pastorates at Trenton, Iowa; Reamsville, Kan.;
Cambridge, Bloomington, Weeping Water, and Milford, Neb.

Served also as Evangelist.

Scott, Clifford I. — Bom at Emporia, Kan., October 19, 1871.
Parents were Isaiah and Harriet M. Scott. Raised on the
farm; attended the conmion school and the State Normal at
Emporia, Kan.

Converted at the age of twenty years; entered the min-
istry in 1897, and was ordained in 1901 in the Indiana and
Ohio Conference. Transferred to the Nebraska Conference in
1908.

Married to Olive B. Shelly on November 10, 1896. Nine
children: Phoebe, John, Paul, Joseph, Seth, Mary, Philip,
Jesse, Mark; Paul and Mark being deceased.

Held pastorates at South Bend Mission, LaFayette Mis-
sion, Nappanee, Elkhart, Wakarusa, Ind.; Da3rton Mission,
Georgetown, Ohio; Holbrook, Colo.; Shambaugh, Iowa; and
Milford, Neb.

Served as Presiding Elder of the Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference two years, and of the Nebraska Conference five years;
member of General Conference in 1912 and 1916, and chairman
in 1916; Secretary of Indiana and Ohio Conference and of Ne-
braska Conference.

Shantz, David Stauflor — Bom in Haysville, Waterloo County,
Ontario, May 13, 1854. Parents were Joseph Y. and Elizabeth

264

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

(Staufifer) Shantz. Raised on the farm and educated in the
common school.

Converted at the age of thirty years; entered the ministry
in 1887, and was ordained in 1890.

Married to Susannah Elizabeth Erb on September 25,
1877. Nine children: Melancthon, Louisa Sybilla, Hannah
Genevieve, Lewellyn, Phoebe May, Ida Elizabeth, Ross, Wil-
fred, and Lulu Verdella.

Held pastorates at Vineland, Sta3nier, Markham, Ontario;
and Caledonia and Grand Rapids, Mich.; also served as an
Evangelist.

Served as Presiding Elder of the Canadian Northwest
Conference two years; delegate to the General Conference in
1892.

Shantz, Sidney Shupe — ^Bom near New Dundee, Ont., on Sep-
tember 23, 1884. Parents were Christian and Magdalena
(Shupe) Shantz. Raised on the farm and attended the common
school.

Converted at the age of seven years; entered the ministry
in 1907, and was ordained in 1911 by the Ontario Conference.

Married to Susan Weber on December 28, 1910. One child :
Roes Wilton (deceased).

Held pastorates at Scott, Sta3nier, Sunnidale and Owen
Sound, Ont.

Took up Foreign Mission work in 1915, being stationed at
Jebba, North Nigeria, West Africa. In 1919 opened a new
station at Share.

Shantz, William Albertr—Bom in Mannheim, Waterloo Coimty,
Ont., July 8, 1866. Parents were Enoch D. and Catherine
(Ruthig) Shantz. Received a conmion school education and
spent a year in Business College, later attended the C. M. A.
Training iMstitute in Nyack, New York, for three years.

Converted at the age of fourteen years, and accepted as
a candidate for the foreign mission field by the Christian and
Missionary Alliance in 1895. Financial support was pledged
by the Ontario Conference, making him the first missionary
officially recognized by the church. Ordained in 1906 by the
Ontario Conference.

Married to Mary D. Davidson on December 24, 1901, at
Wuhu, China. Four children: Elva May, Howard Davidson,
Ruth Althea (deceased), and Mary Katherine.

Worked on the following mission fields in China, Fao Chow
on the Tibetan border, Kan Suh province; Siang Fan, Himan
province; Wuchang, Hupeh province; Wuhu, and Tatong in
Anhwei province. 265

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

8h«riCt Benjamin Andrew— Bom in Caledonia, Kent County,
Mich.| February 4, 1878. Parents were Aaron 0. and Magda-
kna (Keller) Sherk. Raised on the farm and attended the
common school.

Converted at the age of seventeen years; entered the min-
istry in 1899, and was ordained in 1902.

Married to Olive Sherk on April 10, 1901. Four children:
Hubert Calvin, John Lawrence, Catherine Ruth, and Helene
Margaret.

Held pastorates at Bliss, Elkton, Greenwood, Petoskey,
Cass River, Mich.

Served as Vice-Presiding Elder, Secretary of Michigan
Conference, member of Foreign Mission Board, member of
O^eral Conference, member of Board of Trustees of Blufifton
College, and Associate Editcnr of the Grospel Banner. Presiding
Elder 1920-

8herk» Ira W. — Bom at Labarge, Kent County, Mich., January
22, 1886. Parents were Aaron G. and Magdalene (Keller)
Sherk. Received a common school education, and later spent
a year at Livingstone College in London, England, taking a
special medical coimse for missionaries.

Converted at the age of seventeen years; entered the min-
istry in 1906, and was ordained in 1917.

Married to Edith M. Evans on January 8, 1918.

Went to Africa as a missionary in 1907, and was placed
in charge of mission stations at Shonga, Mokwa, and Shar^,
Nigeria.

8herk» Samuel — ^Bom near Breslau, Waterloo County, Ontario,
November 3, 1822. Parents were Samuel and Magdalene
Sherk. Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of thirty years; entered the ministry
in 1860, and was ordained in 1870 by the New Mennonites.

Married to Sarah Ann Schiedel on February 29, 1848.
Five ehildren: Menno S., John S., Noah, Lydia Ami, and
Samuel Wesley.

In 1860 he emigrated to Michigan. In 1874 he united
with the Indiana Conference of the Reformed Mennonites
(later M. B. C), of which he remained a member till 1896,
when Michigan became a separate Conference.

Served as Presiding Elder of the Indiana Conference for
six terms, and traveled in a number of states in connection
with his work.

Died January 16, 1900.

266

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Shinn, Qeorge Hilton — Bom in Lake Township, Berrien County,
Mich., April 13, 1882. Parents were Oliver and Ara M. Shinn.
Raised on the farm and attended the common school; later
attended one term of Bible school at Elkhart, Ind.

Converted at the age of fourteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1905, and was ordained in 1909.

Married to Eva Williams on March 29, 1910. Three chil-
dren: Wilber, Edith, and Charles.

Held pastorates at Wheatland, Epsilon, Cass River, and
Wetzell, Mich.

Shireman, J. G. — ^Was bom at Saylorsburg, Monroe County,
Pa., February 20, 1870. Parents were Dr. H. L. and Ellen L.
(Jones) Shireman.

Educated in the public schools of Nazareth, Pa., and* Mil-
grove Academy, also studied medicine three years. Was con-
verted in November, 1894, and was called to the ministry.
Was licensed to preach in 1898, and was ordained to the min-
istry in 1901 by the Pennsylvaina Conference.

Was married on May 12, 1888, to Sarah L. Edmonds. Six
children: Eva, Helen, J. G. Jr., Paul H., Marion A., and William
F. The third and last named are deceased. Mrs. Shireman
died October 13, 1918.

Pastorates held: Reading, Blandon, ZionsviUe, Macungie,
Fleetwood and Blandon, Royersford and Spring City, Mt.
Carmel, Philadelphia, Easton, Stroudsburg and Nazareth,
in the Pennsylvania Conference.

Sider, John A. — Bom in Humberton Township, Welland County,
Ontario, September 16, 1857. Parents were Abraham and
Anna Sider. Raised on the farm and attended the common
school.

Converted at the age of eighteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1884, and was ordained in 1888.

Married to J. Louisa Sherk on September 24, 1878. Six
children: Cora M., Wilmer, Robert, Frank, Grant, and Myrtle
Grace.

Held pastorates at Sta3nier, Sherkston, Maryboro, Shrig-
ley, Toronto, CoUingwood, Bethel, Scott, Aylmer, and Sta3nier,
Ontario.

Sievenpiper, Ephraixn — Bom in Dimn Township, Haldimand
County, Ontario, January 29, 1870. Parents were Jacob and
Margarette Sievenpiper. Raised on the farm and educated in
the conunon school.

267

MENNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Converted at the age of twenty-two; entered the ministry
in 1895, and was ordained in 1899.

Married to Sylvina Honsberger on August 31, 1892. Ten
children, eight of whom are living: Frank, Stanley, Ruth Mae,
Harley, Roy Fletcher, Ira Regonald, Florence Eveline, and
Margarette.

Held pastorates at Kilsyth, Breslau, EHmwood, Maryboro,
Bethel, Markham, StoufifviUe, and Toronto, Ontario.

Served as Conference Evangelist and Presiding Elder in
the Ontario Conference.

Sinden, Charles Isaao— Bom in South Norwich Township, Oxford
County, Ontario, November 11, 1876. Parents were Albert
and Philadelphia (Aides) Sinden. Raised on the farm and
attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty years. Entered the min-
istry in 1903, and was ordained in 1908 by the Ontario Con-
ference.

Married to Ldna Beatrice Brothers on September 10, 1913.
Two children: Annie Marie Adelphia and Muriel Iveme.

Held pastorates at Maryboro and Wallace, Sta3nier,
Bethel, Shrigley, and Bruce Peninsula, Ontario.

Snyder, Oliver B.— Bom in Kitchener, Ontario, April 12, 1863.
Parents were David B. and Elizabeth (Bricker) Schneider.
Raised on the farm; attended common school, high school, and
business college at Naperville, 111., and Valparaiso, Ind.

Converted at the age of twenty-two years; entered the
ministry in 1888 in the Ontario Conference and was ordained
in 1891; later transferred to the Michigan Conference.

Married to Mary Meyer on August 9, 1890, and after her
death to Ametta Erb on August 12, 1918. Three children:
Ruth, Amos (deceased), Esther.

Held pastorates at Scott, Ontario; Greenwood, Wetzell,
Brown City, Elkton, Port Huron, and Pontiac, Mich.

Served as Presiding Elder for fourteen years; member of
the Executive Committee, member of the United Orphanage
and Mission Board, and of the Foreign Mission Board of the
Michigan Conference.

Starkey, James Bluf ord— Bom in Smith County, Kansas, July
15, 1886. Parents were J. B. and N. D. Starkey. Attended the
common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-two years; entered the
ministry in 1913, and was ordained in 1920 by the Nebraska
Conference.

268

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Married on December 10, 1905, to Miss Anna A. Schulke.
Four children: Clarence C, Ethel L., Roy T., and Milton P.

Held pastorates at Mt. Hope, Colo.; Lamont, and Best,
Nebraska.

StaufFer, Samuel S. — Bom in Waterloo County, Ontario, May 19,
1857. Parents were David H. and Mariah (Shelley) Stauffer.
Raised on the farm and attended the conunon school.

Converted at the age of twenty-one. Entered the ministry
in 1889, and ordained in 1892 by the Ontario Conference.

Married on January 23, 1881, to Lucy Lackner. Nine
children: David, Leander, Victor, Pearl, Stanley, Hattie,
William, Clyde, and Melven.

Held pastorates at Greenwood, Brown City, Lamotte,
Mich.; Breslau, Bethel, Ontario; and Didsbury, Alta.

Steckley, John — Bom at Bethesda, Ontario, February 12, 1826.
Parents were Christian and Fannie (Hoover) Steckley. Raised
on the farm and attended the common sdhool.

Converted at about the age of thirty years. Entered the
ministry about 1861 in Ontario.

Married to Sara Burkholder on November 12, 1850. Eight
children: Henry, Susan, Abram, Mary, Martha, Sara, Jose-
phine, and Anna.

Held pastorates at Stayner, Vineland, and Kitchener,
Ontario.

Died on May 17, 1904.

Storms, Dorwin Jonathan — ^Bom in Jordon, Lincoln County,
Ontario, June 7, 1883. Parents were Richard and Fanny
Gertrude (Johnson) Storms. Educated in the common schools
and later attended high school; also took a commercial course
in the British-American Business College of Toronto, and com-
pleted the three-year course of the Toronto Bible Training
School.

Converted at the age of eighteen, entered the ministry in
1912.

Married to Anna Good on April 24, 1912. Two children:
Everek Richard and Paul Leonard.

Spent two years as a missionary in Turkey, until com-
pelled to leave the country, due to war conditions. Since then
served as pastor at Stayner, Shelbume, and Hespeler, In the
Ontario Conference.

*8wank, Jabes — Bom at Salem, Montgomery Coimty, Ohio, in
1845. Parents were Eld. John and Barbara Swank. Educated

269

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

in the public school, and later spent one year in training at
Bonebrake Theological Seminary.

Converted at the age of eighteen years; entered the min-
istry about 1870, and was ordained soon after by the Brethren
in Christ Church.

Held pastorate at Englewood, 0., and assisted on other fields.

Taylor, Albert— Bom at Elida, Allen County, Ohio, September
27, 1883. Parents were Alexander and Malinda Taylor.
Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of nineteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1905, and was ordained in 1915.

Married to Mary Klae Gaberdiel on October 17, 1907.
Two children: Adrian Paul and Stanley Maurice.

Held pastorates at Spencerville, Ohio; Goshen, Nappanee,
and Oak Grove, Ind.; and Chapel Hill, Mich.

Served as Conference Steward and Vice-Presiding Elder.

Traub, Alvin— Bom near Elmwood, Ontario, November 18, 1883.
Parents were David and Hannah (Gehman) Traub. Early life
was spent on the farm; attended the common school, and later
attended the Bible School at Cincinnati, Ohio, for two years.

Converted at the age of twelve years; entered the ministry
in 1906 in Ohio, and was later transferred to the Canadian
Northwest Conference.

Married to Mary Good on December 16, 1908. Seven
children: Ernest Merland, Harley Alvin, Ozro Lavem, Velma
Millicent, Ruby Fern, Mervin Good (deceased) and Phylis
Marie (deceased).

Held pastorates at Markham, Castor, Alberta; and Alsask,
Saskatchewan.

Served as Vice-Presiding Elder, and Presiding Elder of the
Canadian Northwest Conference, 1919-.

Truez, Williard Benjamin— Bom in Elkhart County, Indiana,

December 28, 1863. Son of Tmex and Mary Elizabeth

Tmex. Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-five years; entered the
ministry in 1897, and was ordained in 1901.

Married to Mary Eleary Beck on October 13, 1888. Nine
children: Grace (deceased), Noble, Goldie, Francis, Ruth,
Esther, Arthur, Lawrence, and Jesse.

Held pastorate at Pleasant Hill, Mich., in the Indiana
and Ohio Conference, and supplied for other ministers.

Died June 29, 1907.

270

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Utter, A. Prior— Bom at Thornton, Ihd., August 29, 1870. Parents
were Thomas L. and Martha J. Utter. Raised on the farm and
attended the common school; later took a business course.

Converted at the age of twenty-four years; entered the
ministry, and was ordained in 1903.

Married to Addie M. Musick on April 30, 1901. Three
children: Roscae Vivian, Ralph Waldo, and James Russel.

Held pastorates at Jett, Okla.; Shambaugh, New Market,
Trenton, Iowa; Bloomington, Neb.; and Oswego, Kan.

Served as Vice-Presiding Elder and Evangelist.

Waitman, Qeorge D.— Bom in Montgomery County, Ohio, Feb-
ruary 2, 1829. Parents were William H. and Nancy Waitman.
Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-five years; entered the
ministry in 1859, and was ordained in 1864 by the Brethren in
Christ Church.

Married to Elizabeth Swank on January 11, 1852. Seven
children: Augustus, Alvin, Newton, Theodore, Valeira, Sarah,
and Rosella.

Held pastorates at Georgetown, Beech, LightsviUe, West
Charleston, New Carlisle, and Englewood, in the Indiana and
Ohio Conference.

Died February 18, 1912.

*Waitman» Newton S. — Bom in Montgomery County, Ohio,
August 17, 1858. Parents were George D. and Elizabeth Wait-
man. Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of thirteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1879, and was ordained in 1880 by the Brethren in
Christ Church.

Married to Martha J. Shank on January 21, 1890.

Held pastorates at Pleasant Grove, Dayton, and Fairview,
Ohio.

Walker, Thomas D. — Bom in Menard County, 111., November 4,
1869. Parents were W. D. and Margaret Walker. Received a
conunon school education.

Converted at the age of twenty-seven years; entered the
ministry in 1902, and was ordained in 1916.

Married to Eva L.Miller in 1901. Three children: Roy T.,
Earl E., and Daniel Wayne.

Held pastorates at Reamsville and Harper, Kan.; Seward
County, Neb. Moved to Colorado in 1910, preaching occa-
sionally, and to Buhl, Idaho, in 1918, transferring to the
Pacific Conference.

271

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Warder, Alfred Gtoorge— Bom in Reach Township, Ontario
County, Ontario, September 11, 1876. Parents were Eli and
Emma (Kivell) Warder. Raised on the farm; attended com-
mon school and one year at high school.

Converted at the age of twenty-eight; entered the ministry
in 1909, and was ordained in 1912.

Married to Mary Maude Detwiler on Jime 25, 1902. Four
children: Clara Maude (deceased), Theodore Alfred Eli, Laura
Evangeline, and Hannah Elvera.

Held pastorates at Shrigley, Vineland, Collingwood, and
Kitchener, in the Ontario Conference.

Statistical Secretary of Ontario Conference, and examiner
on Reading Course.

Weber, Moses — Bom in Woolwich Township, Waterloo County,
Ontario, July 11, 1844. Parents were John C. and Mary
Weber.

Converted at the age of twenty-six. Entered the ministry
in 1875 and was ordained in 1878 by the United Mennonites.

Married to Catherine Funk on September 15, 1868, and
after her death, to Christina Sherk, on April 8, 1902.

During a period of twenty years held pastorates at Kitch-
ener, Blenheim, Maryboro, Breslau, Eknwood, and Toronto.

Died August 13, 1920.

Weldy, Levi — Bom in Locke Township, Elkhart County, Ind.,
May 12, 1868. Parents were Abraham and Anna Weldy.
Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-three; entered the ministry
in 1910, and ordained in 1917.

Married to Alice Madlem on August 8, 1891. Seven chil-
dren: Orin J., Orville Ray, Aden M. (deceased), Allen, Nellie V.,
Elsie E., Edna May.

Held pastorates at West Union and Oak Grove, Ind.;
Berlamont, Mich.

Whitcoznb, LarUn D. — Bom in Himiboldt, Neb., December 21,
1861. Parents were Olney M. and Margaret C. Whitcomb.
Received a common school education.

Converted at the age of thirty-one; entered the ministry
in 1895, and was ordained in 1905.

Married to Grace E. Carmichael in August, 1887. Three
children: Effie E., Ida Margaret, Ada Catherine.

Held pastorates at Harper, Kan., and Shambaugh, Iowa.

Served as Evangelist for three years.

Died at Orange, Calif., September, 1913.

272

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Wilder, Ernest Wesley— Bom near Bad Axe, Michigan, March 3,
1883. Parents were Charles and Ida (Pitman) Wilder. At
four years of age his parents moved to Washington. Received
a common school education.

Converted at the age of twenty years; entered the ministry
soon after, and was ordained in 1908 by the Pacific Conference.

Married to Laura Morgan on May 17, 1906. Five children:
Philip, Milton, Arcie, Beulah, and Argath.

Held pastorates at Culver and Madras, Ore.; Leber, Pleas-
ant Valley, Birch Bay, Granger, Outlook, Yakima, Wapata,
and Beutson, Wash.; and Filer, Idaho.

Also served as Conference Secretary, and Vice Presiding
Elder in the Pacific Conference.

Wolf, Norman Henry— Bom in Philadelphia, Pa., October 26,
1895. Parents were Daniel C. and Theresa Elizabeth Wolf.
Attended the common school.

Converted at the age of nine years; entered the ministry
in 1916, and was ordained in 1920 by the Pennsylvania Confer-
ence.

Married on November 11, 1919, to Mrs. Esther D. Kauff-
man. One child: Beatrice Arlene.

Held pastorates at Lehighton and Weissport, Pa.

Wood, James Smith— Bom at Embro, Ontario, April 5, 1883.
Parents were Wesley J. and Catherine G. (Mitchell) Wood.
Raised on the farm and -attended the common school; later
took up branches necessary for second and third-grade teacher's
certificate. In 1903 attended the Bible School at Elkhart, Ind.

Converted at the age of sixteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1901, and was ordained in 1906.

Married to Ellen S. Sherk on November 15, 1904. Five
children: Wesley J., Gordon A., Ira L., Lenora A., and
Orpha L.

Held pastorates at North Fremont, Clearwater, Wetzell,
Bliss, Greenwood, Brown City, and Port Huron in the Michigan
Conference.

Examiner on Reading Course for nine years; member of
Home Mission, City Mission; Conference Steward, Vice-Pre-
siding Elder.

Woodring, A. G.— Bom in Carbon Coimty, Pa., July 10, 1893.
Parents were Eld. R. L. and Clara (Ziegenfuss) Woodring. At-
tended the common school.

Converted at the age of thirteen; entered the ministry in

^» 273

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

1917, and was ordained in 1920 by the Pennsylvania Con-
ferwice.

Married on October 8, 1915, to Hilda M. Moyer.

Held pastorates at Ncarthampton and Walnutport, Pa.

Woodring, Eiohard Lewis— Was bom near Schnecksville, Pa.,
December 7, 1873. Parents were Lewis and Violetta O^em-
merer) Woodring.

Was educated in the pubUc schools.

Converted in December, 1893; entered the ministry in
1898, and was ordained in 1900.

Was married to Clara S. Ziegenfuss, on December 10, 1892.
Two children: Allen George, and Dora Naomi.

Pastorates held: Bethlehem, Mt. Carmel, Graterford and
Harles^Bville, Quakertown and Hatfield, South Allentown,
Ektston, Coopersburg and Springtown.

Tates, William H.— Bom at Southampton, England, April 21,
1886. Parents were William and Mary Ann (Pollard) Yates.
Received a public school education in England, and came to
Canada at the age of sixteen years. Attended business college
and the Toronto Bible College, graduating from the latter in
1912.

Converted at the age of nineteen years; entered the min-
istry in 1908, and was ordained in 1912.

Married to Menanda Hunsberger, and after her death, to
Muriel Wetzel, on March 22, 1916. Two children: Pearl
Arline and Verdon Wilfred.

Held pastorates at Dornoch, Bruce Peninsula, Maryboro,
and Manitoulin Island, in the Ontario Conference.

Toder, Abraham B.~Bom in Olive Township, Elkhart County,
Ind., December 24, 1867. Parents were Henry B. and Eliza-
beth (Bixler) Yoder. Raised on the farm, and attended the
common school and high school; taught school for sixteen
years.

Converted at the age of twenty-three; entered the ministry
in 1896, and was ordained in 1899.

Married to Mary M. Myers on August 31, 1889. One
child: RayO.

Held pastorates at Shambaugh and New Market, Iowa;
Elkhart and Bethel, Wakarusa and South West, Ind.; and
Pleasant Hill, Mich., in the Indiana and Ohio Conference.

Served as Presiding Elder in the Indiana and Ohio Con-
ference for twelve years; delegate *to four General Conferences

274

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

and Secretary of three; member of the Board of Trustees of
Bluffton College, Secretary-Treasurer of the United Orphanage
and Mission Board, and member of the Executive Committee
of the Church. Chairman of General Conference in 1920.

Tost, Qeorge Franklin— Bom in York County, Pa., November
23, 1876. Parents were Jacob R, and Sarah A. Yost.

Converted at the age of twenty-seven; entered the min-
istiy in 1905, and was ordained in 1913.

Married to Emma Ray on October 31, 1913. One child:
Clarence George.

Held pastorates at Sunbury, Shamokin, Mt. Carmel, Naz-
areth, Fleetwood, Blandon, and Terre Hill, Pa.

Toung, Ernest Delbart—Bom in New Market, Iowa, August 14,
1890. Parents were T. R. and Eva C. Young. Received a
common school education and some high school work, and
later attended Amity College at College Springs, Iowa, and
Iowa State College at Ames, Iowa.

Converted at the age of twenty-four; entered the min-
istry in 1916, and was ordained in 1920.

Married to Delia Edmonds on June 18, 1913. Two chil-
dren: Lisle v., and Nellie M.

Held pastorate at Harper, Kansas.

The followinfft though not miniiten, hare lenrcd In an Editorial ca p a dt j,
becaoM of which thoy are Incladed hero.

Bingeman, Joseph— Bom November 9, 1847.

Converted at the age of eighteen years, and united with
the Church in the same year.

Taught school for twelve years.

Was Editor of the Gospel Banner from April 1, 1886, to
1886, filling the unexpired term of T. H. Brenneman.

Engaged in the book business in Berlin, Ontario, and later
in other commercial lines.

Died on April 1, 1907.

Bowman, Benjamin B. — ^Bom in Waterloo County, Ontario,
September 14, 1846. Parents were Christian M. and Susanna
Bowman. Raised on the farm and attended the common school.

Converted at the age of twenty-two.

Married to Mary Ann Beeshy in October, 1867, and after
her death, to Katherine Stover. Nine children: Martha,
Albert, Ira, Lydia, Lyman, Dorinda, Odie, Normal, and Karl,
the last three being by the second marriage.

275

MBNNONITE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Served as Annual Conference Secretary for several years;
member of committee appointed to arrange for a church organ
which was named the Gospel Banner and Evangeliums Panier;
member of committee to compile the first h3rmnal, published
in English and German; member of the committee to frame the
first discipline, and translator of the discipline from German into
English. Edited the "EvangeHums Panier" for sixteen months,
beginning January, 1880.

At pres^it a jeweler in Petoskey, Mich.

Brenneman, Timothy H. — ^Bom September 20, 1860. Parents
were Daniel and Susannah (Keagy) Brenneman. Received a
common school education. Became an apprentice in the
Times ofice at Goshen, Ind., and was later employed as a
printer in the Gospel Banner office.

Converted at the age of sixteen, and joined the church
the same year.

Married to Laura E. Dalrymple on September 23, 1883.

Resided for two years (1888-1889) in Kitchener, Ont., as
a printer in the Gospel Banner office. Editor of the Gospel
Banner from 1882 to 1885.

Served for five years (1912-1917) as secretary and treas-
urer of the Indiana Christian Association, a society opposed
to secret societies. _

Deacon of the Goshen, Ind., class since 1895.

Mail clerk in the Railway Mail service between Cleveland
and Chicago since 1893.

Nysewander, C— Bom in Clark County, Ohio, September 12,
1855. Attended the common school, high school, and later
took private lessons in Greek and Latin. Attended the medical
department of the University of Maryland for two years, and
graduated from the Starling Medical College of Columbus,
Ohio, now the Medical Dept. of the Ohio State University.

Converted at the age of fourteen years, and imited with
the Brethren in Christ Church.

Married to Sarah Good in 1878. Two daughters: Bertha,
and Nancy Ethel.

Served as compiler of the Brethren in Christ Hymn Book,
and the Faith and Rules of that church. Secretary of the
General Conference of the Brethren in Christ before the unions
leading to the M. B. C. Editor of the "Church and Home"
periodical, which later merged with the "Gospel Banner.
Special contributor to the Gospel Banner, 1913-.

276

i I ii

B - g "- --si
S 31 1": I*

H "^l '^^ "^

ill

CHAPTER XVIII.

Statistical Summary.

(1920)

Presiding Elders 11

City Mission Presidents and Missionary Presiding

Elders 2

Ordained Ministers 122

Approved Ministering Sisters 43

Probationers 53

Applicants for Annual Conference License. 35

Quarterly Conference Licensed Preachers and Evan-
gelists , 75

Deacons 95

Class Leaders ' 178

Stewards 205

Building Fund, Parsonage and Rent Collectors 56

Total Membership —

Pennsylvania Conference 2,099

Ontario Conference 1,978

Indiana and Ohio Conference 1,746

Michigan Conference 1,139

Nebraska Conference 754

Pacific Conference 440

Canadian Northwest Conference 347

8,503

Appointments 200

Sunday Schools 158

Sunday School Oflftcers and Teachers 1,671

Sunday School Scholars Enrolled 11,108

Total Enrollment 12,779

Total Average Attendance 8,029

Home Department Members 2,733

Union Sunday Schools 34

Subscribers to The Oospel Banner 3,030

Parsonages 80

Janitors* Homes 3

Valuation of Church Property $651,338 50

277

MENNONITB BEETHEEN IN CHEIST CHUECH.

OFFERINGS (1916-1920).

pome Missions $49,613 91

Foreign Missions 124,073 96

For tlie Poor 6,498 97

Cbnrdi Properties 88,521 51

Repairing Church Properties 25,398 65

Parsonage, Hall Rent and Building Fund 44,997 19

Sexton and Sundry Expenses 85,490 28

Sunday Schools 58,563 01

Presiding Elders 55,107 46

Mission Presiding Elders and City Mission Presi-
dents 6,962 61

Ministers in Cash 239,865 96

Ministers in Other Contributions 43,080 78

Beneficiary or Superannuation 10,414 28

(Assistants 5,063 13

Gospel Worker or City Missions 24,823 11

Tabernacle, Missionary or Evangelistic Work 40,161 67

Camp Meetings 44,524 98

Sunday School and other Conventions 3,131 14

Annual Conference Fund 5,545 69

Annual Conference Delegate Fund 4,190 71

General Conference Fund 1,013 47

Benevolent Society and Rescue Work 6,638 86

Church Extension Fund 2,855 67

Subscriptions and Literature Sold 103,984 54

General Conference Forward Movement 4,816 54

Bluirton College 7,580 00

India Famine Sufferers 803 47

Red Cross, Armenian and Syrian Relief and Me-
morial Fund 7,758 92

Anti Saloon League •. . . 595 60

Budget 5,372 43

War Relief 2,134 42

Miscellaneous and Lord's Day Alliance 1,811 85

Presiding Elders* Rent 752 16

Moving Expenses 273 10

Other Purposes 7,451 52

Total .$1,119,871 65

278

CHAPTER XIX.

Appendices.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.
References.

Cassel, Daniel K. — Geschichte der Mennoniten. Phila., 1890.

Eby, Benjamin. — ^Kurtzgefaszte Kirchen-Geschichte und Glaubens-
lehre. Elkhart, 1907.

Eshleman, H. Frank. — Historic Background and Annals of the Swiss
and German Pioneer Settlers of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Lancaster, 1917.

Funk, John F. — Mennonite Church and Her Accusers. Elkhart,
1878.

Hartzler and KaufFman. — Mennonite Church History. Scottdale,
1905.

Ejrehbiel, H. P. — History of the General Conference. 1898.

Langenwalter, J. H. — Christ's Headship of the Church. 1917.

Langenwalter, J. H. — Lnmigration of Mennonites Into North Amer-
ica. (Manuscript.)

Lindsay, Thomas M. — History of the Reformation.

McGlothlin. — ^Anabaptists. Li Hastings' Cyclopedia of Religion
and Ethics.

Newman, A. H. — ^Antipedobaptists. Scribner's, 1914.

Newman, A. H. — Manual of Church History. 1914.

Simons, Menno. — Complete Works. Elkhart, 1871.

Smith, C. H. — Mennonites of America. Groshen, 1909.

Vedder, Henry C. — ^Balthaser Hiibmaier. Putnam, 1905.

Verhandlung der AUgemeinen Konferenz der Mennoniten von
Nord-Amerika.

Sources.

Board of Foreign Missions, Mennonite Brethren in Christ, Pennsyl-
vania Conference. Thirty-third Annual Report, 1917.

279

MENNONITB BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH.

Brenneman, D. — ^A manuscript covering the formation of the
R^ormed Mennonites.

Doctrine of Faith and Church Discipline of the Evangelical
Mennonite Society of Eastern Pennsylvania. Skippack-
ville, 1867.

Doctrines and Discipline of the Evangelical United Men-
nonites. Goshen, 1880.

Doctrines and Discipline of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ.
The editions of 1888, 1897, 1910 and 1916 were used.

Edmonton Bible Institute. — Yearbook, 1917-8. Edmonton, Alta.

Gospel Banner. — Complete files can be found as follows: 1878-83,
T. H. Brenneman, Goshen, Ind.; 1880-4, O. R. Pannabecker,
Toronto, Ont.; 1885-1908, H. S. Halbnan, Kitchener, Ont.;
1909 to date, Bluffton College Library.

M. B. in C. Seminary and Bible Training School. — Catalog for
1903-4. Elkhart, Ind.
Minutes of the General Conferences and special Union Con-
ferences from 1875 to 1920.

Moyer, Isaac. — A manuscript treating the formation of the New
and Reformed Mennonites.

Oberholtzer, J. H. — Aufschluse der Verfolgungen gegen Daniel Hoch
von Canada. 1854.

Oberholtzer, J. H. — ^Verwortung und Erlaeuterung, 1860.

(Copies of the two above pamphlets by Oberholtzer may
be foimd in the Ubraries of N. B. Grubb, Philadelphia, and J. F.
Funk, Elkhart.)

Origin, Constitution and Articles of Faith of the Brethren
in Christ. Pittsburgh, 1866.

Rajrmer, Mrs. Levi. — ^A manuscript treating of the formation of
the New Mennonites.

Letters from the following:

J. B. Detweiler, Kitchener, Ont. M. J. Carmichael, McMinnville,

C. I. Scott, Milford, Neb. Ore.

S. Goudie, Stouffville, Ont. A. W. Barbezat, Filer, Idaho.

Wm. Lambert, Jett, Okla. Mrs. William Simmons, Sand

D. C. Eby, Didsbury, Alta. Lake, Mich.

I. P. Moore, Elkhart, Ind. J. J. Hostetler, Dayton, Ohio.

C. H. Brunner, AJlentown, Pa. Jacob Hygema, Milford, Neb.
J. F. Funk, Elkhart, Ind. T. H. Brenneman, Goshen, Ind.

280

APPENDICES.

Maud Cretors, Bloomington,

Neb.
H. S. Hallman, Kitchener, 'Ont.
E. Moyer, Vineland, Ont.
A. B. Yoder, Elkhart, Ind.
Solomon Eby, Kitchener, Ont.
Mrs. James Hall, Alsask, Sask.

Dr. C. Nysewander, Des Moines,
Iowa.

B. A. Sherk, Elkton, Mich.

C. N. Grood, Kitchener, Ont.
W. B. Musselman, Cleveland,

Ohio.

Others who submitted biographical sketches.

Private interviews with the following:

Peter Geiger, Breslau, Ont.

M. Weber and wife, Markham,

Ont.
J. B. Detweiler, Kitchener, Ont.
Wm. Gehman, Upper Milford,

Lehigh County, Pa.
S. Lambert, New Carlisle, Ohio.
W. B. Musselman, Cleveland,

Ohio.
S. Longanecker, New Carlisle,

Ohio.

S. Herr, Harrisburg, Ohio.
Peter Cober, Moorefield, Ont.
Mrs. H. E. Freeze, Dayton,

Ohio.
Solomon Eby, Kitchener, Ont.
John Troxel, Centerville, Ont.
D. Brenneman, Groshen, Ind.
A. Good, New Carlisle, Ohio.
C. H. Brunner, AJlentown, Pa.

A. D. Hoke, New Carlisle, Ohio.

B. Kreutziger, Bad Axe, Mich.

281

H
CO

282

283

OUb F£3 11 1934

UUtMOV 28 ^935
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IHEC 1 "36

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