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ZUG MEMORIAL LIBRARY

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This item is Due on
or before Date shown.

HISTORY

OF THE

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

OF THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

THE COMMITTEE

APPOINTED BY
DISTRICT CONFERENCE

O /'» (0» r7>

ZUG MEMORIAL LIBRARY

ELIZAEETHTOWN COLLEGE
EUZABETHTOWN, PENNA.

PRESS OF

THE NEW ERA PRINTING COMPANY

LANCASTER, PA.

I9IS

By THE COMMITTEE

Elder S. R. Zug. Chairman

DEDICATED

TO THE

MEMORY OF THE FATHERS

WHO, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, ESTABLISHED
THIS WORK TO HIS GLORY

BY THE COMMITTEE

INTRODUCTION.

History, whether ancient or modern, is always Interesting,
and instructive to the average reader. It is, however, of
special interest to him when he studies the history of his
own native land, his own people, his own kindred.

So while our people read with deep interest the history
of other religious denominations, once they turn to the nar-
rative that chronicles the history of our own fraternity, her
organization in the Fatherland, her early trials and persecu-
tions, the flight across the ocean, the settlement in the new
world, the bitter trials and sufferings, as well as the remark-
able deliverances, triumphs and blessings, the spread of the
Gospel, the new organizations through her consecrated
efforts, the story becomes intensely interesting and
fascinating.

At District Meeting of 191 1 a committee composed of
the following Brethren was appointed, viz. : S. R. Zug, John
Herr, G. N. Falkenstein, J. G. Francis and D. C. Reber to
gather statistics and facts concerning the activities and work
of the Church of the Brethren in the territory then con-
stituting the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from the
beginning of the Brethren in America to the present time
and compile the same in book form. This beautiful volume
placed into the hands of the reader is the result of the
untiring, persistent faithful effort of these men of God.

We do not stop to quote Eccl. 12 : 12, or to apologize for
introducing this new history of the Church of the Brethren
of Eastern Pennsylvania for reasons that follow. The
volume fills a unique place and a long-felt want with our
people, and will be hailed with joy by thousands in our own
State District and throughout the Brotherhood.

In reading and examining the manuscript, the writer was
impressed with the amount of new data and material that
is here given in book form for the first time. No one will
ever know the amount of hard labor and sacrifice it has cost

VI INTRODUCTION.

the Committee during these four years to compile, and get
this work ready for the press. They read volume after
volume; they corresponded, traveled, visited, gathered data
from tombstones, and monuments; they examined Bible,
Church, and Court records; and left no stone unturned that
would add interest to their solemn trust. The Committee
met often and consulted patiently together for long hours in
order to raise this monument that will stand as a memorial
in honor to the devout and pious fathers and mothers in
Israel, whose unselfish labors, and unswerving faithfulness
through severe trials have made possible the blessings we
now enjoy, and placing into our hands privileges and oppor-
tunities for Christian activity and worldwide evangelization
such as was never accorded to any other people.

It is especially gratifying to the Brotherhood that the
work was compiled before the departure of the senior
member of the Committee. His vast amount of knowledge,
and his remarkable memory has added much information
that could not have been obtained through any other source.
The Committee found itself much handicapped because of
the indifference of some who could have rendered valuable
aid, and because so few records were kept of church work
in earlier years.

M. G. Brumbaugh in his preface of the History of the
Brethren has well said, "History at best is a beggarly
gleaner in a field where death has gathered a bountiful
harvest." So much that would be valuable and precious
has vanished and was forgotten when the fathers fell asleep,
and will remain unknown history until the archives of
Heaven shall make known all the deeds of the children
of men.

May the spirit of the heroic lives which are here recorded
live in a larger, fuller measure in the hearts and lives of the
many thousands who shall read; and the work will have
reached the aim and design for which it is published !

" Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and
ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk
therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." Jer. 6 : i6.

Jacob H. Longenecker.

PREFACE.

The activities of the Church of the Brethren during the
two centuries of her existence have been recorded and
pubhshed in several excellent general works such as Brum-
baugh's "A History of the German Baptist Brethren in
Europe and America," in 1899, and Falkenstein's " History
of the German Baptist Brethren Church," in 1901.

In 1908, Elder D. H. Zigler, of Virginia, published his
book, entitled " History of the Brethren in Virginia," which
differs from the general histories just mentioned in that it
attempts to narrate the work of the church in a single state.

At a fourth of July Sunday-school and Missionary Meet-
ing held in Mohler's Church House near Ephrata in 1908,
the topic, "A Brief History of the Lancaster County
Churches," was assigned to and discussed by Elder G. N.
Falkenstein. The interest taken in the general discussion
of this subject showed the existence of a strong sentiment
for the publication of a more comprehensive history of the
congregations comprising the Eastern District of Pennsyl-
vania than was in existence at this time, since some of the
leading Brethren were still living whose memory retained
many personal reminiscences and much important informa-
tion not recorded nor heretofore published in print, and
who possessed memoranda of valuable historical data re-
lating to church growth and extension.

In 191 1, the Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren placed
a query before the District Meeting of that year held at
Manheim, Pa., as follows: "We, the Elizabethtown Church,
petition the District Meeting of 191 1 to appoint a committee
of five Brethren who shall take steps to gather statistics and
facts concerning the activities and work of the Church of the
Brethren in the territory that now constitutes the Eastern

vii

Vlll PREFACE.

District of Pennsylvania from the beginning of the Breth-
ren in America to the present time and compile the same
in book form." This petition was passed by the District
Meeting and the following committee was appointed : S. R.
Zug, John Herr, G. N, Falkenstein, J. G. Francis, D. C.
Reber. This committee met at Elizabethtown on May 15,
191 1, and organized as follows : Elder S. R. Zug, Chairman;
Elder G. N. Falkenstein, Secretary; Elder John Herr,
Treasurer.

The Committee discussed plans of procedure and assigned
the work of gathering material as follows : Elder Zug was to
write up the churches constituting the White Oak Group,
also Big Swatara, Spring Creek and its subdivisions, and
Harrisburg. To Elder Falkenstein was assigned the church
from its beginning at Schwarzenau, Germany, to the close of
the American Revolution, also the following congregations :
Germantown, the Indian Creek Group of Churches, and the
Maryland Congregations in Caroline and Talbot counties.

Excepting those congregations assigned to Elder Zug,
Elder John Herr was given the task of preparing a history
of the Swatara Group. In addition to this, he was also to
write the history of the Home Mission Board of Eastern
Pennsylvania. J. G. Francis, i\.B., B.D., was to prepare a
history of the Philadelphia Churches, the New Jersey
Churches, and the churches composing the Coventry Group.
Brethren Falkenstein and Francis were given certain biog-
raphies to write. D. C. Reber, A.M., Pd.D., was asked to
prepare a sketch of the Conestoga Group of Churches. To
him and Elder Zug was given to prepare historical accounts
of the benevolent, and educational activity of the District.

Elder Zug contributed the valuable articles on District
Meetings, Annual Meetings and about seventeen biograph-
ical sketches. At the solicitation of Elder Herr the bio-
graphical accounts of Elder George Klein and Elder George
Miller were secured for the book. Bro. Francis secured
Kurtz's " The Very Ancient Church of the Brethren in Lan-

PREFACE. IX

caster Co., Pa.," from the Gospel Visitor of 1855, and con-
tributed the "First District Meeting of Eastern Pennsyl-
vania,"

The matter of securing photographs for the illustrations
of the book and having cuts prepared from the same was
assigned to Brethren Herr and Francis. The Committee de-
cided that only photographs of church houses, tombstones
or farms, but no pictures of persons, should appear in the
book. A number of churches in the District decided not
to have any photographs of their houses of worship in the
book ; hence, they do not appear. All, however, were given
the privilege of putting in as many as they were willing to
pay for.

Brethren Falkenstein and Reber were constituted as the
committee on editing and printing.

After nearly four years of diligent labor, in the face of
numerous obstacles, such as lack of records or minutes of
many congregations, disinterestedness and failure to cooper-
ate with the Committee on the part of Elders and others,
after considerable correspondence and travel and many meet-
ings of the Committee, success has attended its labors due in
a large measure to the assistance and cooperation of many
faithful Elders, deacons and lay Brethren who have rendered
valuable service cheerfully and gratuitously. To these, as
well as to the general histories of the Brethren Church
already mentioned, due credit is hereby gratefully acknowl-
edged.

D. C. Reber.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PART I.

From the Mother Church at Schwarzenau to the Close of the
American Revolution — 1708-1783.

PAGE,

Chapter I. The Mother Church at Schwarzenau I

Chapter II. Other Churches Organized. Spread of the New

Denomination 5

Chapter III. Persecutions 7

Chapter IV. First Emigration 13

Chapter V. A New Denomination in Colonial America 17

Chapter VI. Organized Missionary Endeavor 23

Chapter VII. Conrad Beissel 32

Chapter VIII. Growth and Development. Trials. Second Emi-
gration 44

Chapter IX. Alexander Mack, Sr 56

Chapter X. Germantown 63

Chapter XL Closing Decades of the Pre-Revolutionary Period 71

Chapter XII. Early Conestoga, by Elder Henry Kurtz 81

PART II.

Germantown Group.

Chapter I. Germantown — 1723 88

Chapter II. Philadelphia.

A. First Brethren — 1813 107

B. Geiger Memorial — 1906 136

C. Bethany — 1910 142

Chapter III. Upper Dublin — 1840 153

PART III.

The Jersey Group.

Chapter I. Amwell — 1733 168

Chapter II. Sandbrook — 1849 ^75

Chapter III. Bethel— 1876 189

Chapter IV. Union — 1896 193

Chapter V. Biographical 196

Xll

CONTENTS.

PART IV.

Chapter

II.

Chapter

III.

Chapter

IV.

Chapter

VI.

Coventry Group.

PAGE.

Coventry — 1724 205

Green Tree — 1845 230

Parkerford — 1898 250

Royersford — 1901 257

Harmonyville — 1913 264

Biographical.

A. Autobiography of Geo. Adam Martin 269

B. John H. Umstad 273

PART V.

Indian Creek Group.

Chapter I. Great Swamp — 1735 280

Chapter II. Indian Creek — 17S5 289

Chapter III. Mingo — 1869 307

Chapter IV. Hatfield— 1868 313

Chapter V. Springfield — 1868 319

Chapter VI. Norristown — 1901 323

PART VI.
CoNESTOGA Group.

Chapter

II.

Chapter

III.

Chapter

IV.

Chapter

VI.

Chapter

VII.

Chapter

VIII.

Chapter

IX.

Chapter

Conestoga — 1724 325

West Conestoga — 1864 334

Ephrata — 1864 337

Lancaster City — 1891 341

Mechanic Grove — 1897 346

Spring Grove — 1897 350

Springville — 1899 352

Akron— 1913 354

Lititz— 1914 359

Biographical.

A. Jacob StoU 362

B. Abraham Zug 365

C. Christian Bomberger 366

D. Samuel Harley 367

E. John B. Gibbel 368

CONTENTS.

XIU

PART VII.

Chapter

II.

Chapter

III.

Chapter

IV.

Chapter

VI.

Chapter

VII.

White Oak Group.

page.

White Oak— 1772 369

Chiques— 1868 396

Mountville— 1882 399

Fairview — 1902 40S

West Green Tree — 1902 406

Elizabethtown— 1902 407

Biographical.

A. Peter Hummer 422

B. Christian Longenecker 422

C. Johannes Zug 422

D. Andreas Eby 422

E. Henry Gibbel 423

■ F. Daniel Fretz 423

G. Jacob Haller 425

H. Christian Longenecker, the Second 427

I. David Gerlach 428

J. John S. Newcomer 429

K. Samuel R. Zug 429

PART VIII.

Swatara Group.

Chapter

II.

Chapter

III.

Chapter

IV.

Chapter

VI.

Chapter

VII.

Chapter VIII.

Chapter

IX.

Chapter

XII.

Chapter XIII,

Big Swatara— 1798 or 1800 436

Little Swatara— 1798 or 1800 445

Tulpehocken— 1841 457

Spring Creek— 1868 472

Maiden Creek — 1866 475

Schuylkill— 1877 485

Harrisburg — 1896 488

Shamokin— 1897 490

Reading, 1898 492

Midway — 1901 496

Annville — 1912 504

Conewago — 1912 5o6

Biographical.

A. George Klein 509

B. George Miller 5ii

C. Who My Ancestors Were 512

D. Valentine Balsbaugh 5^5

E. Lorenz Etter 5i7

F. George Beshor 5^7

XIV

CONTENTS.

PAGE.

G. Jacob HoUinger 518

H. John Zug 520

I. Philip Ziegler 523

J. William Hertzler 523

K. John Hertzler 525

L. Jacob W. Meyer, Sr 526

M. Abraham Pfautz 527

N. Christian Bucher 528

PART IX.

Missionary Group.

Chapter I. Peach Blossom — 1882 530

Chapter II. Ridgely — 1884 533

Chapter III. Brooklyn — 1899 536

PART X.
Miscellaneous.

Chapter I. Annual Meetings.

A. Those Held in Eastern Pennsylvania 541

B. Those Held Elsewhere 546

, C. Changes in Holding Annual Meetings 563

D. Annual Meeting of 1846 by Abrm. H. Cassel 568

E. Annual Meeting of 1871 571

Chapter II, History of District Meetings.

A. First District Meeting of Eastern Pennsylvania 579

B. District Meetings 585

Chapter III. Ministerial Meetings 592

Chapter IV. Missionary History 593

Chapter V. Benevolent Activities.

A. Brethren Home 608

B. Children's Aid Society 617

Chapter VI. Elizabethtown College 622

Chapter VII. Statistical Tables.

A. Table of Churches 642

B. Table of Elders 644

C. Sunday School History 651

D. Local Missionary and Sunday School Meetings 652
Index 653

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Germantown Brethren Church (Frontispiece.)

Facing Page.

The Baptismal Pool on the Wissahickon 5

Seal of Alexander Mack, Sr 62

Old and New Tombstone of Alexander Mack, Sr 62

Old Stone Church and Old Stone Parsonage 62

Old and New Germantown Brethren Church 63

Graves of Alexander Mack, Sr., and Jr 56

Grave of Elder Peter Becker 88

Grave of Elder Christopher Sower 88

Grave of Elder Peter Keyser 88

Grave of Elder John Fox 88

Brethren Church, Dauphin above Broad 107

Geiger Memorial Church 136

Home of Bethany Mission 142

Upper Dublin Church IS3

Amwell Church 168

Old Amwell Cemetery 169

Sand Brook Church 175

Grave of Elder Israel Poulson, Sr 175

Grave of Elder John P. Moore I7S

Coventry Church of To-day 205

Farm House where Annual Meeting was Held 222

Second Coventry Church 222

Coventry Graveyard 223

Green Tree Church 230

Graves of Elder John H. Umstad and Wife 240

Graves of Elder Isaac Price and Wife 240

Graves of Elder Jacob Z. Gottwals and Wife 240

Graves of John U. Francis and Wife 240

Union Church, Port Providence 250

Parkerford Church 250

Royersford Church 257

Mennonite Cemetery 284

Brecht and Rothrock Cemetery 284

Old Cemetery, Hellertown 285

Indian Creek Meeting House 289

Price Cemetery, Indian Creek 302

Grave of Elder Samuel Harley 303

Grave of Elder Henry A. Price 303

Hatfield Meeting House 313

Springfield Meeting House 320

XVI LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Facing Page.

Brethren Church, Quakertown 321

Barn of Division 326

Graves of Conrad Beissel and Peter Miller 32^-

Monastery Buildings, Ephrata 327

Diagram of Conestoga Churches 328

Bird-in-Hand Meeting House 332

Eby Meeting House 333

Middle Creek Meeting House 334

Grave of Elder Jacob Stoll 335 .

Grave of Elder Michael Pfautz 335

Grave of Elder Jacob Pfautz 335

Grave of Elder Christian Bomberger 335

Title Page Stoll's Book 336

Ephrata Brethren Church 337

Brethren Church, Lancaster 341

Mechanic Grove Meeting House 348

Kemper's Meeting House 349

Mohler Meeting House 352

Akron Meeting House 354

Steinmetz's Meeting House 355

Grave of Ludv^rig Mohler 355

Grave of Elder Samuel Harley 355

Ulrich Zug Monument 374

Grave of Elder Abraham Zug 374

Grave of Elder John Zug 374

Grave of Michael Zug 374

Longenecker's Meeting House 395

White Oak Meeting List 396

Grave of Elder Daniel Fretz 396

Mount Hope Meeting House 396

Mountville Meeting House 398

Petersburg Meeting House 399

Neffsville Meeting House 402

Manor Meeting House 402

Salunga Meeting House 403 -

Elizabethtown Brethren Church 406

Stevens Hill Church 407

Hanoverdale Meeting House 436

Big Swatara Meeting List 437

Moyer Meeting House 444

Heidelberg Meeting House 458

Tulpehocken Meeting House 462

Richland Brethren Church 463

Spring Creek Meeting House 472

Old Spring Creek Meeting House 473

Pricetown Meeting House 476

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XVll

Facing Page.

Mohrsville Meeting House 477

Mohrsville Cemetery 477

Samuel Haldeman Letter 486

Harrisburg Brethren Church 487

Reading Brethren Church 492

Midway Meeting House 496

Lebanon Brethren Church 497

Annville Brethren Church 504

Conewago Meeting House S06

Bachmanville Meeting House 507

Klein Cemetery 510

Grave of Elder George Miller 511

Graves of Elders Valentine Balsbaugh and Lorenz Etter 516

Grave of C. H. Balsbaugh 517

Grave of Elder Jacob Hollinger 517

Grave of Elder William Hertzler 517

Union Church, Talbot County, Maryland 530

Ridgely Brethren Church 534

Brooklyn Brethren Church 536

Place of Annual Meeting, 1815 542

Place of Annual Meeting, 1820 543

Place of Annual Meeting, 1827 544

Place of Annual Meeting, 1846 545

Place of Annual Meeting, 187 1 572

Place of Annual Meeting, 1902 573

Home of Lake Ridge Mission 601

Brethren Home 616

Detention Home, Aid Society 617

Elizabethtown College 622

PART I.

FROM THE MOTHER CHURCH AT SCHWARZENAU
TO THE CLOSE OF THE REVOLU-
TIONARY WAR.

CHAPTER L
THE MOTHER CHURCH AT SCHWARZENAU.

Introduction. — It would be interesting to trace the events
that led up to the organization of the Brethren at Schwarze-
nau, and the general religious conditions that prevailed
throughout Germany preceding this time, but these do not
fall within the scope of our present history. Our story is
to begin with the Mother Church at Schwarzenau, not where
she came from, but her condition, why she left there and
where she went. •

Geography. — It is necessary to locate, geographically, the
heretofore unimportant little town of Schwarzenau, since
these religious movements, chiefly the organizing of the
Church of the Brethren, have made this insignificant little
village famous for two hundred years. Schwarzenau is in
the province of Wittgenstein, in Westphalia (German
" Westfalen"), in the western part of Prussia, toward the
valley of the Rhine, and Holland still a little farther to the
west. And now let us speak a little more definitely in regard
to the small province of Wittgenstein. " Still more came to
the lonely hills and vales in Wittgenstein, which was then
controlled by Hedwig Sophia (1693-1712) of Berleburg,
who ruled the northern two-fifths of Wittgenstein, and
Count Heinrich Albrecht, of Laasphe, who governed the re-
maining three-fifths of the country, which includes Schwarze-

A THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

nau. Hedwig Sophia was herself a Pietist and her son,
Count Casimir, was very devout. There was the freest in-
tercourse between the Pietists that Hved at Berleburg and
those at Schwarzenau, even though the latter place was
governed by Prince Henry. He, too, was a devout man and
spent much of his time in the castle (Schloss) at Schwarze-
nau. His two daughters were Pietists, and lived with the
Pietists at Schwarzenau."^

It is interesting to notice a description of the town itself,
and its immediate surroundings. "We have found a se-
cluded little German village far away from the rush and
bustle of the busy world of travel. It is one of those quaint
old-fashioned towns that are quite out of place in the
present. It belongs to the past and has not yet awakened
to the impulse of the age, which has taken hold of Germany.
Its peace and quiet have never been disturbed by steam
whistle or rumbling of trains of cars. For centuries it has
rested in the beautiful valley through which, like a thread
of silver in a ribbon of green, flows the historic river Eder.
The village is built on both sides of the Eder and contains,
as we were informed by one of the inhabitants, about 600
souls. . . . On both sides of the river stand the quaint-looking
old houses with high gables and steep roofs, covered with
straw or red tile, which make up the ancient village of
Schwarzenau. ... A well kept lawn is not more evenly
mowed than are the grassy slopes of the Eder. . . . Here is
a quiet, enchanting beauty which exceeds anything I can
now recall ever having seen, even in picturesque America.
Perhaps the associations connected with the place have their
influence upon our estimate of its surpassing beauty; but
after making due allowance for all this, I am not willing to
say less than has been said."^

So much of the geography of Schwarzenau, and its ideal
and beautiful local setting, shall serve as a background for
our further consideration.

1 " Origin, Church of the Brethren," D. W. Kurtz, 1910.
2 " Girdling the Globe," pp. 70, etc., Elder D. L. Miller, 1898.

THE MOTHER CHURCH AT SCHWARZENAU. d

Religious Conditions at Schwarzenau. — As noted above,
in the division of the province, the rulers were devout per-
sons and members of their households were Pietists them-
selves. These were ideal conditions for protection and en-
couragement from the civil authorities, for a time. It is
interesting to note how these favorable external conditions
contributed to the highest ideals of Christian life and char-
acter for the Brethren. With these surroundings of every-
thing that was noblest and purest in Pietism, in its best
sense, it is not surprising that many remained Pietists, and
their lives of devotion, and earnest endeavors for personal
piety, were in sharp contrast to the cold and formalistic
ritualism of their times. For a time the Brethren were all
that this soil could produce, but the genus and spirit of their
loyalty to Gospel ideals, and service to the Christ they con-
fessed, developed higher and better things. Therefore, in
the memorable words of Alexander Mack,^ " The crisis for
the camp to move forward was now arrived ; they were now
made willing in the day of the Lord's power." Here, then,
came the line of great divide, and he has not failed to make
a definite record when he says :^ " here, also, some turned
back again to the religion from whence they came out, being
offended at the discipline of the cross; others fostered a.
spirit of libertinism, more to be dreaded in its consequences
than their former depravity."

While we have noted carefully these external religious
conditions of a friendly government, and pious rulers, and
religious and spiritually minded neighbors and friends, we
must look deeper for religious conditions of mind, and for
grace in their hearts, that set them as beacon lights of his-
tory, and sent them forth into the forefront of the world's
religious conflicts, in which they were spiritual heroes. I
quote again from Bro. D. W. Kurtz, who was granted the
unusual privilege of making research in the archives of the
present ruling family at Schwarzenau, and read letters of

3 " German Baptist Brethren Church," by the author, p. 22.
* Ibid., pp. 19 and 20.

4 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

one of the daughters of Prince Henry, writing to her father
while she was sojourning among the Brethren. He says,
" I have read several letters written by one of them to her
father, in which she describes minutely the daily life of these
people, especially about the " Taufer," whose lives were full
of 'good works,' of 'prayers and Bible study,' and 'much
kindness and charity to the poor.' " This is a beautiful pic-
ture and it is remarkable that we should be permitted to
see it after two hundred years. It is another illustration
that the integrity of historic records is often preserved in
a providential manner, that demands our grateful apprecia-
tion, and should inspire us to be worthy of our spiritual
inheritance.

We are not informed how long some of these who became
members of the Church of the Brethren sojourned at
Schwarzenau before the formation of a definite series of
doctrines, and a formal organization at the baptism. With-
out doubt they were there for some years, as we know many
remained there for some years after the organizing, and thus
Schwarzenau became an important center of definite relig-
ious activity. Under these favorable external religious
conditions noted, and of saving grace, and living lives of
prayer and Bible study, and living practical Christianity in
charity to the poor, we may well hope the Brethren are well
equipped for the awful experiences that were awaiting them.
We leave for a time, therefore, the mother church, and
notice the spread of the new denomination in other parts,
and the dark clouds rapidly forming, that indicated all too
clearly the terrific storm of persecution soon to break upon
God's faithful ones.

CHAPTER 11.

OTHER CHURCHES ORGANIZED,

Spread of the New Denomination.

While the mother church at Schwarzenau continued to be
the most important center throughout, it will be remembered
that the Brethren soon carried the gospel doctrines far and
wide, and the new denomination spread with remarkable
rapidity. Of this period of growth Alexander Mack says :
"After this evidence of their love to God, by obeying his
command they were powerfully strengthened and encour-
aged to bear testimony for the truth in their public meetings,
to which the Lord added his blessing, and believers were
more and more obedient, so that in the short space of seven
years their society became numerous, not only at Schwarze-
nau, but also in various places in the Palatinate. A society
was likewise formed at Marienborn, to which the awakened
I from the Palatinate attached themselves, for in endeavoring
to form a society for themselves, they were persecuted and
banished. And even at Marienborn their external privileges
were soon blasted, for as the light diffused itself the truth
spread, and their numbers increased; it excited alarm and
envy; persecution arose; they were driven out as exiles,
and under the direction of Providence found an asylum at
Crefeldt, under the jurisdiction of the King of Prussia."
There were also members at Epstein, and perhaps an organ-
ized church, and there seems to be good authority for say-
ing, there were many members living in Switzerland, and
persecution drove some to Holland. The secret, of course,
of the spread of the new doctrines, and the rapid increase of
membership in the new denomination was that there were
many workers, and aggressive missionary work. Like the

0 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Apostolic Church, the Church of the Brethren has, in all her
history, been a missionary church, and must continue to
be so, as long as she is apostolic in faith and doctrine. Of
this period when the " society became numerous," in the
short space of seven years, Alexander Mack says : " Within
this short space of time, it pleased God to awaken many
laborers among them, and send them into His vineyard,
whose names and places of abode are as follows : John H.
Kalkloser from Frankenthal; Christian Libe and Abraham
Dubois from Epstein; John Naas and others from the
North; Peter Becker from Dilsheim; John H. Traut and his
brothers; Henry Holtzappel and Stephen Koch; George B.
Gantz from Umstadt; and Michael Eckerlin from Strass-
burg; the greater number of whom resorted to Crefeldt;
some few, however, atttached themselves to the society at
Schwarzenau." There was evidently a definite policy of
providing workers, and we do well to maintain always a
fixed and definite policy of having, as far as possible, a body
of faithful and efficient ministers. It is probable that we
shall never fully know of the spread of the Brethren and
their doctrines to the fullest extent, but it is still to be hoped
that later researches among the archives, and translations of
hitherto untranslated works, will throw new light upon this
unexplored field, and we shall perhaps find that they covered
a much larger field than we generally suppose. The further
growth and development of the great work already estab-
lished, and the changes in location of congregations, and
the moving to other parts, can more properly and logically
be treated in the next chapter, for long before now, as indi-
cated by the above development, powerful influences had
been set to work to stop its spread and destroy the workers
and their work. We shall see how far these opposers of
the truth succeeded.

CHAPTER III.

PERSECUTION.

Retrospect. — Such childlike faith, and unfaltering trust
and pious devotion was the seed of a church. What self-
forgetfulness, and what self-abnegation! It was early in
the morning, in 1708; this is all we know. The month and
the day are studiously avoided. They covenanted not to re-
veal the name of the one who baptized the leader, and they
kept their vow; we shall never know on whom the lot fell.
They had traveled over Germany to collect the opinion of
the awakened upon the subject of baptism; they had dili-
gently searched history for apostolic and primitive Chris-
tian practice ; they prayerfully studied the New Testament ;
there was but one conclusion. The crisis came and the
camp moved forward. They knew the consequences but
they faltered not. Blessing and prosperity followed the
new congregation, and converts were added in such num-
bers as to arouse the spirit of envy in the established
churches ; opposition and persecution were at once instituted.
The twenty-one years of the church's existence in Germany
were eventful years. We know the struggle, but history is
silent on many things we should like to know. We may
know more, sometime we shall. The Schwarzenau congre-
gation flourished and in seven years the society was numer-
ous. There was a congregation established at Marienborn,
to which the awakened from the Palatinate attached them-
selves. These members were all driven out as exiles in
1 71 5, but found a refuge, or asylum at Crefeldt, under the
jurisdiction of the King of Prussia, whence also came the
congregation from Epstein.

Persecution. — Persecution did we say, In the preceding
retrospect? Yes, persecution; religious persecution! In

8 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the most enlightened country in Europe, in the eighteenth
century, within two hundred years from the present, reHg-
ious persecution ! Surely the saddest, and most heart-touch-
ing subject in all history is the history of persecution. The
most inhuman treatment of barbaric savagery, because they
are savages, is tame as compared with the indescribable
torture and most horrible cruelty inflicted, by the so-called
Christian church, in putting its helpless victims to a lingering
death. It is impossible to understand the history of the
Brethren at this period, or the true inward spirit of their
lives, unless we can get at least a partial view of this perse-
cution. Perhaps it is all we can get; we shall never know
its full meaning, and the bitterness of their struggle.

First of all, let us get the historic setting of this period,
and we shall, perhaps, be able to measure, at least in part, its
real import. The agitation, conflict, and persecution that
followed the overthrow of Catholic domination, at the time
of the Reformation, finally broke out in the Thirty Years'
War (1618-1648), which involved all continental Europe.
The valley of the Rhine became the theater of war, and the
pious Germans "suffered the horrors of continual persecution,
rapine and murder. " The state church in various parts of
Germany was now Catholic, now Protestant. When the
Catholics were in power they persecuted the Protestants.
When the Protestants were in power they persecuted the
Catholics. As the Protestants divided up into sects they
persecuted each other. Cruel persecution for religious be-
lief and practice was a daily occurrence. The government
was changing, unstable, and often insincere. It was neither
able nor inclined to give protection. It may be said in brief,
that for one hundred years, from the beginning of the
Thirty Years' War, the Rhine countries were scenes of
almost constant carnage."^ The bloody struggle of the
Thirty Year's War was ended by the Treaty of Westphalia
(1648), sometimes called the Treaty of Miinster, and by

1 T. T. Myers in " Two Centuries of Brethren."

PERSECUTION. 9

this treaty, the Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed Churches
were leagued into a new persecuting power.

" The three state churches denied to all others the right to
exist in the German Empire. Whoever found his religious
convictions running counter to these; whose faith was of a
different sort; who interpreted his Bible in another sense;
who worshiped God in his own way; found life a burden
and a cross. Church and state vied with each other in their
zeal to persecute dissenters. The harmless Mennonites, the
God-fearing Schwenkfelders, the Pietists, and the Mystics
were all reviled, persecuted, and regarded as fit subjects for
insane asylums or prisons. What happened to these in the
closing years of the seventeenth century became also the fate
of the Taufers in the opening third of the eighteenth
century."^

We cannot further follow out in this connection and give
full particulars of the sufferings of the Brethren as their
persecutors drove them from place to place, and inflicted
punishments of severe labor, deprivations, fines, and impris-
onments. As already intimated the Marienborn and Ep-
stein congregations, and refugees from the Palatinate, were
driven out as exiles, and banished from their homes, with
their goods confiscated, and finally found refuge in Crefeldt.
Here the new organization flourished, for several years, and
many were added to their number, but bitter experiences
awaited them. Members were received by baptism from all
shades of belief, as a result from previous teaching and
training, and often it was a slow process of assimilation and
indoctrinating. In the Crefeldt congregation there was a
diversity of opinion that occasioned general discussion and
finally broke out into an open rupture and division, that was
fraught with momentous results. The main facts in the
case were somewhat as follows : There was a young minister

2M. G. Brumbaugh, "Eighteenth Century Influences in Germany";
Seidensticker's "German Emigration to America"; D. K. Cassel's
" History of the Mennonites " ; Sachse's " Pietists of Colonial Penn-
sylvania " ; Pennypacker's " Historical and Biographical Sketches."

10 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

by the name of William Hacker who had been baptized, but
was preaching for the Mennonites, who paid him 800 guil-
ders. He became acquainted with a young woman who was
not a member of the church, the daughter of a merchant,
and finally married her. This unfortunate incident caused
a great excitement, and an open rupture. Christian Libe
with four Brethren rose up and expelled Hacker, though
John Naas and the congregation disapproved, and wished
only to suspend him from bread-breaking. Other expul-
sions followed, and the congregation suffered much from
this confusion. Hacker took sick and died. Peter Becker,
who had been his special friend, continued to be so, and
ministered to his comfort to the time of his death.

It is remarkable that these things happened, but the most
remarkable part of this sad struggle and experience, is that
the results were so serious, when the large majority of the
congregation opposed the expulsion of Hacker, and disap-
proved of Libe's course. It is important to us, at this time,
to note causes that made such a condition possible, and the
final resultant effects produced.

Refugees from all over Germany had come to Crefeldt,
with widely different teaching and training. It was im-
possible to assimilate rapidly the diversified views of these
converts to the Brethren's doctrines. While this was the
internal condition, among the members, there were powerful
external conditions of many refugees not in fellowship with
the Brethren, who brought to bear every possible influence
against the work of the Brethren. In the next place, while
Christian Libe was only assistant Elder in the Crefeldt
Congregation, he was a powerful preacher, and a man of
large influence. In this unfortunate controversy, he was
either insincere, or afterwards drifted entirely from his
moorings. He himself, afterwards, did as Hacker had done,
married outside of the congregation, and proved unfaithful
to the Brethren's doctrine by finally becoming a wine-mer-
chant. He never came to America. As a result, or effect,

PERSECUTION. 11

of all this, it may be said, it was a step in the direction of
more fixed principles of doctrine, and a more definite policy
of church government among the Brethren.

This Crefeldt territory seemed to be especially under the
persecuting influence of the Reformed Church, as will be
seen by the following accounts :

" The Crefeldt congregation had many remarkable expe-
riences. In 1 7 14 six members of the reformed congrega-
tion at Solingen became concerned on the question of infant-
baptism, its lawfulness and its necessity. This resulted in
their joming the Crefeldt congregation through holy bap-
tism. These six were Wilhelm Grahe, Jacob Grahe, Luther
Stetius, Johann Lobach, Wilhelm Kueppus and Johann
Henkels. The youngest, Wilhelm Grahe, was twenty-one
years old. They were immersed in running water in the
river Wupper.

"This raised a great storm. The synods of the Berg
Province and the Reformed general synod heard of this
with deep regret. The secular government called these six
Brethren as well as the landlord of Wilhelm Grahe, Johann
Carl, before the judge, who was a Catholic. On Febru-
ary 26, 1 71 7, they were taken to Dusseldorf and thrown into
prison.^

"Here they had to endure great hardships, digging
trenches, wheeling dirt, performing all sorts of menial serv-
ices.^ This imprisonment lasted four years. In their
misery they were visited by Stephen Koch, who gave them
spiritual consolation. They became quite sick in prison and
in their suffering they were also visited by Gosen Gojen and
Jacob Wilhelm Naas.

" This Gosen Gojen was a Mennonite preacher of the Cre-
feldt congregation. He afterwards became convinced that
immersion was the only Christian baptism, and in Septem-

s The prison of Gulch.

*For a full account of their sufferings see Goebel's " Christliches
Leben," Vol. Ill, p. 238 et seq.

12 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

ber, 1724, he was immersed in the Rhine after the apostoHc
manner.

"The Jacob Wilhelm Naas named above was a son of
John Naas, Elder at Crefeldt, and a member of the congre-
gation of Taufers or Brethren."

The official action of the Synod, that brought about this
imprisonment, will be seen in the following ecclesiastic cen-
sure : ad acta Montensis, 144, held at Solingen, " The Synod
General must learn with regret that several heretofore Re-
formed church members have been by Dompelaers, living at
Crefeldt, rebaptized in rivers and other running waters."

When, later, the General Synod learned that the Brethren
had left Crefeldt, the assembled preachers expressed their
joy in the following official record : Acta Synod General,
1719, 21 ad 44, "The preachers of the Meuro Classe have
received the confession of faith of the so-called Dompelaers
staying at Crefeldt, and they have sent their * remonstration '
to his gracious Majesty the King of Prussia. However,
this Fratres Meiirsanae Synodi report with pleasure that
these Dompelaers, who have been so injurious to our church,
have betaken themselves away by water and are said to have
sailed to Pennsylvania."^

5 Brumbaugh's " History of the German Baptist Brethren," p. 50.

CHAPTER IV.
FIRST EMIGRATION.

The Brethren had been at Crefeldt about four years, and
there were at least two operating causes why there was soon
to be brought about a change fraught with tremendous and
far-reaching resuks, in the centuries to come. On the one
hand, persecution was pressing harder and harder, on every
side ; for, as baptisms multipHed, the churches were aroused
afresh into bitter persecution. On the other hand, the
Brethren had every opportunity to become well informed on
the subject of Pennsylvania, and especially the settlement at
Germantown, the first permanent German settlement in
America, which had been made in 1683,- by 13 famihes, or
33 persons, from this same Crefeldt community. The
Brethren knew Germantown for years, knew Penn's prov-
ince of religious liberty, and a few of the older ones, no
doubt, heard Penn preach in the valley of the Rhine and in
Holland. They had every opportunity to learn full partic-
ulars of the now prosperous settlement of the Germans in
the Quaker province, the foundation of which had been laid
by the Crefeldt settlers thirty-six years before.

Crefeldt, therefore, was destined to furnish the first com-
pany of Brethren for emigration and settlement in the new
world, just as it had furnished the first emigrants for the
first settlement of Germantown. Here there had been many
trials and scenes of persecution, and many were now ready
to do anything or go anywhere, so there was but the assur-
ance of religious freedom and liberty of conscience. To
these people the endearments of home remained only as a
sad memory. They were all exiles and pilgrims among
strangers and enemies. Their persecutors pressed them hard
everywhere. Finally their hearts almost sank within them.

14 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Regretfully, they turned their eyes away from the beloved
" Vaterland " and looked wistfully, hopefully, to the land of
promise in the New World. Brave souls those, who, in
those days, could face the horrors of an ocean voyage, in un-
seaworthy, comfortless, death-breeding old hulks. But
there was hope beyond, as an anchor to their souls. Did
they not count the cost, nor measure the sacrifice? They
could not realize all, but they trusted Him whom they fol-
lowed and for His sake they were willing to endure all things.
The uncivilized Indian was to be preferred to the enemies at
home, inhospitable shores to a land of persecution; they
would find some new friends for those they left behind, and
at great sacrifice, they would have other homes for those of
their childhood. The enjoyment of religious liberty, in the
"province of peace," would pay for all they leave behind,
and all they should endure, and the darkness of the hour of
the sacrifice of all things, proved to be just preceding the
dawn of the day of their salvation. The company consisted
of about twenty^ families, it is said, perhaps one hundred
and twenty persons, and organized with Peter Becker as
their leader. He was a minister at Crefeldt and is known
as a man gifted in prayer with earnestness and fervency, and
as a sweet singer, but not noted as a preacher. The story
of this journey and voyage to America, so momentous in its
results, is briefly told. They came in the year 17 19; that is
almost all we know.

The voyage is said to have been a stormy one, which is
likely true. Landing at Philadelphia, the procession moved
to Germantown, the place that was to be so inseparably con-
nected with their future history. It would be exceedingly
interesting to know the names of all those that composed
this company, but we must be satisfied with the names of
those that sat at the first love-feast and communion service,
four years later.

The principal settlement was made in Germantown, while

' Goebel says, 40 families, 200 persons.

FIRST EMIGRATION. 15

small settlements were made at distant points — some scatter-
ing to Skippack, Falckner's Swamp and Oley. There were
new experiences awaiting these hardy pioneers, as they
marched forth into the primeval forests. The reliance upon
God, which they had learned in the school of bitter perse-
cution, no doubt served as their support and comfort in
many a new trial and dark hour. They were face to face
with a series of struggles. They were struggling to con-
quer the forest wilds, to make them fruitful fields. They
were struggling to establish homes. They were struggling
to adapt themselves to new and strange conditions and cir-
cumstances in life. And, above all, they were struggling to
adjust religious differences and prejudices that marred their
fellowship and prevented their united effort in Christian
work.

It is sometimes sad to record the facts of history, and it
may seem sad to some to record this fact of religious differ-
ences among the first Brethren in America, and the conse-
quent first few years of spiritual drought. Historians have
seized the opportunity of speaking of "jealousies and bick-
erings " among themselves, without stopping to consider
reasons or results In considering the religious conditions
at this time, it is necessary to make a careful inquiry into the
cause or causes, in order that we may understand future
results. To the careful student and the impartial investiga-
tor, it is gratifying to know that differences in views pro-
duced discord among them, or at least lack of full fellow-
ship. It only proves that the real spirit of the Brethren
Church was at variance with the mystic influences and all
kindred forms of error which some had absorbed in Ger-
many. Some of the Brethren did not wholly escape the in-
fluence of the disciples of Boehme. There had been pro-
longed trouble in the Crefeldt congregation. The members
discussed their differences while crossing the ocean, and the
agitation was kept up after they came here, and in fact, con-
tinued until some left the communion of the church, a few

16 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

years later. But in addition to all this, there were the hard-
ships of a frontier life to overcome. The settlements were
widely separated, forest and stream intervening, poor roads,
or none at all, and no transportation. Some had become
indifferent, like most of the German settlers who had pre-
ceded them, and among whom they had settled. All of
these things tended to hinder the work for three years, and
saddened many hearts, but there were earnest souls praying
for relief from this spiritual famine, and the Lord soon
answered in refreshing showers of spiritual awakening, and
we are about to record a most important event in the relig-
ious history of Pennsylvania.

CHAPTER V.
A NEW DENOMINATION IN COLONIAL AMERICA.

It must be remembered that these members who were so
earnestly praying and working, were not raw recruits, but
seasoned veterans. They were battle-scarred spiritual he-
roes, disciplined in the hardest battles that Christian men
are ever called upon to fight. The very highest type of
Christian character alone survived th^ severest test of perse-
cution through which they passed. The weak and faint-
hearted had fallen by the wayside. This is why, in later
years, the little German church on the slope of wooded hills
on the old Indian trail was ready to do such splendid things,
without parallel in the province, and thus contributed so
large a part of the glorious history of two hundred years.

While there were some services held in the vicinity of
Germantown, from the beginning, there was no special or-
ganized religious effort made until the fall of 1722. At
that time Becker, Gommere, Gantz and the Traut Bros,
visited the scattered Brethren. The result of this visit was
the unification of sentiment and the awakening of new inter-
est in their religious activity. It was the beginning of a new
era. In the fall of the following year important events oc-
curred that constituted an immediate step toward organizing
themselves into a church. The climax of this series of
events was the application of six "persons on the Schuyl-
kill " for baptism. These " persons on the Schuylkill " lived '
thirty-five miles up the river, and comprised Martin Urner
and his wife and four neighbors. "This organization of
the Germantown church and baptism of these first six con-
verts took place on the 25th day of December, 1723."^

Of these important events, the "Chronicon" gives the

1 See "Urner Family," p. 9, Isaac N. Urner, LL.D., Philadelphia, 1893.
3 17.

18 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

following account: "In August of the year 1723, a rumor
was spread through the country that Christ. Libe, a fa-
mous Baptist teacher who had long been in the galleys had
arrived in Philadelphia. This moved some newly awakened
persons on the Schuylkill to go forth to meet him. The
whole thing, however, was a fiction. These persons were
persuaded by the Baptists (Brethren) to go with them to
their meeting, during and after which they heard so much
of the Germans' awakening that they went home very much
edified. Soon after a second visit was made to German-
town, by which both parties were so much edified that the
German Baptists (Brethren) promised them a visit in return
which they made four weeks afterwards with great blessing.
The newly awakened ones were thereby stirred up still more,
so that they begged to be received into their communion by
holy baptism. This was the occasion of important proceed-
ings among the Brethren in Germantown, for they still had
in mind the misunderstandings which had arisen between
them and their Brethren at Crefeldt. Besides, they were
indeed a branch of a congregation, but yet not a congrega-
tion that dafed to presume to administer the sacraments.
The worst was that they were divided among themselves and
had only lately commenced to draw nigh to one another
again. After they had seriously pondered over these things
in the spirit, they finally agreed to consent to the request.
Accordingly, after the candidates for baptism had chosen
Peter Becker as their baptizer, they were baptized in the
stream Wiskohikung, (Wissahickon,) near Germantown, on
December 25th, of the year 1723. And as these were the
firstlings of all baptized among the high German in America,
their names shall be here recorded and given to posterity,
namely : Martin Urner and his female housemate, Henry
Landis and his housemate, Frederick Lang and Jane Mayle.
The evening following they held the first lovefeast ever cele-
brated in America at John Gommere's, which created a great
stir among the people of that neighborhood, Peter Becker,
mentioned before, ministering at the same.

A NEW DENOMINATION IN COLONIAL AMERICA. 19

"Through such a Divine happening the Baptists (Breth-
ren) in Pennsylvania became a congregation."

The importance of this event justifies these quotations
and extended considerations. To Juhus F. Sachse belongs
the credit of working out many an interesting fact of the
early history of the Brethren, and it is only fitting to quote
in this connection his interesting descriptive sketch of the
events of this memorable day of Organized Beginnings in
America. (See "German Sectarians in Pennsylvania,"
Philadelphia, 1899.)

" Returning once more to our story, it was on the morning of
Wednesday, December 25, 1723 (Christmas Day), that a num-
ber of German settlers who had located within the bounds of
the German township, wended their way towards the humble
weaver's shop where Conrad Beissel had served his apprentice-
ship, at the extreme end of the borough limits in what was
known as Van Bebberstown, History has unfortunately failed
to preserve for posterity the exact location of Becker's humble
abode. This, however, is but of secondary importance. We
know that it was in Van Bebber's township, on the North Wales
road. Tradition strongly points to the vicinity of the present
church, where the earliest meetings were held. However, be
this as it may, upon the day in question the solemn scenes which
took place on the Eder, in Germany, fifteen years before were
to be repeated here in the western world and the foundation
laid for a new Christian denomination. The seed sown in
Germany was to be transplanted into our virgin land, where
it was destined to take root and flourish far beyond any expec-
tation of the devout band on either the Eder or the Wissahickon.

" It was a typical winter's day, and the air crisp and cold, the
sky clear, the ground hard and frozen, with a thin covering of
snow. Many were the sad memories of the Fatherland that
came into the minds of these pilgrims in a far-off land, as they
plodded over the frozen ground ; separated, as it were, from
both kin and church, they thought of the joyous Christmas at
home.

"The day was a well chosen one for their object — the fer-
vent desire to organize a church home for themselves, to found
a new Christian sect in the New World. The series of devo-

20 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

tional meetings held by Peter Becker and his helpers was about
to become the grain of seed which was to bring forth a mighty
tree with wide-spreading root and branches. Tlieir aim was to
form a Gemeinde or commune of their own — to give them the
benefit of rehgious instruction, and at the same time emanci-
pate them from what Falkner calls ' the melancholy, saturnine
Quaker spirit ' which then prevailed in the province.

" It was well-nigh noon when the party assembled and devo-
tional exercises were commenced. After these were over it was
found that there were present seventeen persons who had been
baptized in Europe, viz. : — Peter Becker, Johann Heinrich Traut,
Jeremias Traut, Balser Traut, Heinrich Holzappel, Johannes
Gumre, Stephan Koch, Jacob Koch, Johannes Hildebrand,
Daniel Ritter, George Balser Gansz, Johannes Preisz, Johannes
Kampfer, Magdalena Traut, Anna Gumre, Maria Hildebrand,
and Johanna Gansz. These persons proceeded formally to
organize themselves into a congregation, and constituted Peter
Becker their Elder.

" Six postulants now presented themselves and asked to be
baptized as by Scripture ordained, and then received into fel-
lowship, viz. : Martin Urner, his wife, Catherina Urner ; Hein-
rich Landes and his wife ; Friederick Lang and Jan (Johannes)
Mayle. Thus they became the first Anabaptists among the high
Germans in America. In the church records this band of con-
verts is always referred to as the ' First Fruits.' The immer-
sion took place the same day. After a noon day meal had been
served the party went in solemn procession down the old Indian
trail, which led from the North Wales road to a ford on the Wis-
sahickon, and thence beyond the ridge towards the Schuylkill.
This trail, which long since has become a public highway, was
known north of the township line successively as Morgan's and
Trullinger's lane, now Carpenter Street. South of the dividing
line the trail was successively known as Gorgas, Milner's, Gar-
seed's and Kitchen's lane. The course of the creek at this point
makes a sharp turn and here comes nearest to Germantovvn.
The distance from Bebberstown, or the upper part of German-
town, to the Wissahickon is but a short one. The distance trav-
ersed by the party was about one and one-half miles ; it was a
short journey for the sturdy Germans of that day. The objec-
tive point of the party was a level bank, or strip of land on the
estate of Johannes Gumre, adjacent to the creek, where easy
access could be had to the flowing water. The ravine of the

A NEW DENOMINATION IN COLONIAL AMERICA. 21

Wissahicken is a rugged one, with towering rocks upon either
bank, making the shore inaccessible, except in a few places.

" The strip of land in question is about two hundred yards
north of Kitchen's lane. There, recession of the rocky ravine
forms a space large enough to accommodate quite a respectable
number of people. While the rocks are covered with ever-
greens, the alluvial soil on the bank has fostered the growth of
the catalpa and other deciduous trees. In former days, at the
time of the scene we are now describing, when the country was
yet covered with a fine forest growth, a rivulet broke over the
rocky wall in the background and formed a picturesque water-
fall as it leaped from rock to crag in its wild flight down to
the bottom of the ravine.

" When the party reached the banks of the Wissahickon, the
afternoon was already well advanced, so little time was lost.
After a fervent invocation to the Throne of Grace and the
reading of a passage from Luke XIV, the newly constituted
Elder entered the water through the thin ice, leading by the
hand the first candidate. This was Martin Urner, a native of
Alsace, who had been brought up in the Reformed faith, and
who, together with his two brothers, for a short time had been
members of the Hermits on the Ridge.

" The scene was a solemn one. The small procession on their
way to the creek was reinforced by some of the Hermits from
the heights on the other side of the stream, and some others
who were attracted out of curiosity, so that by the time the
party arrived at the banks of the frozen stream the company
was quite a goodly one — witnesses who were to assist by their
presence at what was to be the founding of a new Christian
denomination in America.

" Clear above the sound of the rushing waters and the rustle
of the leafless branches rose the solemn German invocation and
the singing of the baptismal hymn composed by Alexander
Mack, ' Ueberschlag die Kost, Spricht Jesu Christ, wann du den
Grund wilt legen.'^ Numerous as had been the mystic rites
and occult incantations held on the rugged ravine and valley of
this stream since the gentle Kelpius and his band settled there '1
thirty years before, none were more fervent or brought so great i
and lasting results as this solemn rite upon the narrow strip of
rockbound land on the shore of the Wissahickon. There stood
the administrator deep in the cold water : before him knelt the

2 " Count the cost, says Jesus Christ, when the foundations thou.
wouldst lay."

22 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

rugged Alsatian; thrice was he immersed under the icy flood.
As he arose the last time the Segenspruch was pronounced and

^ Martin Urner once more entered the material world to become
a factor in the religious development of his adopted country.
His wife, Catherina Reist, was the next candidate, followed by
the other four persons, the same scenes being repeated in each
case.

" Long before the solemn rite was ended the winter sun was

' well down over the Schuylkill hills and the sky covered with
leaden clouds. The party now proceeded to the house of Jo-
hannes Gumre where dry clothing was provided. In the even-
ing a lovefeast was held, the rite of foot-washing was observed,
at which the newly constituted Elder ofificiated as a token of his
humility. This was followed by the breaking of the bread and
the administration of the Holy Communion, and was partaken
of by the seventeen constituents and the six newly baptized con-
verts, making twenty-three members in all.

" Thus was perfected the organization of the first * Congre-
gation of the Brethren in America.' "

CHAPTER VI.

ORGANIZED MISSIONARY ENDEAVOR.

What a scene for a master's hand this reproduction of
" The Last Supper," and we may well wish that it might
have been placed upon canvas. But what we have is
enough, and we are devoutly grateful. The spiritual bless-
ings which we enjoy as the fruits of their labors would
indeed in itself be enough. Let us be thankful for each
fact of additional interest. It was Christmas Day. What
an appropriate day for the memorial observance of the Ordi-
nances, which He commanded! To that memorable day
which should be dear to the heart of every Christian, is now
added a three- fold interest for every member of the Church
of the Brethren in America, viz : The First Organization,
The First Baptism, The First Love- feast and Communion
Service. There were twenty-three persons for the twenty-
three years of the new century, surrounding the Lord's
table. What a gathering from two continents, and vari-
ous tongues and nations; and the aggregate number of
miles this entire company travelled in fleeing persecu-
tion and coming to the truth and this blessed fellowship,
was more than sixty thousand miles. Not only the num-
ber of persons that were there, but their names, are
recorded, and what history they have made. Of the
original eight at Schwarzenau, not one of them sat at this
table. The Lord in His Providence has dealt kindly and
leads us gently on. Not only have we the day and date,
and the facts of the day, and the number of persons, and
the names of the persons, but Mr. Julius F. Sachse gives us
the reasonable assurance of the identification of the spot
where these important events transpired. H so, there is
added interest, as the present writer not only walked in their

24 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

footsteps over the historic route from Germantown and
stood on the banks of the baptismal pool in the beautiful
Wissahickon, but also stood within the walls where they
were seated around the table of the Lord. These ruined
walls are all that is left of the once comfortable home of
John Gumre. Before me rolls the Wissahickon, famous in
story and song, while on the hills above are towering forest
trees, standing like sentinels, the guardians of these hal-
lowed scenes. As I stand in the midst of these reflections,
and as I look upon the rugged grandeur around me, and
into the historic past, there comes such a flood of inex-
pressible thought that I stand in silence and look up in
mute adoration.

Immediate Results. — It is not difficult to understand that
there were immediate results from these wonderful events
which we have just cited, as well as remote and far-reach-
ing. The immediate results were of a two- fold character, —
internal and external. The effect upon the membership was
very marked. It was a visible demonstration of the Lord
answering the, earnest prayers of the faithful ones. Such
great blessings brought new life and hope to the congre-
gation— indeed they had not been a congregation before.
The desire that all might enjoy such blessings of fellowship
as they enjoyed, was intensified. The truth must now be
spread. Missionary enterprise was commenced. It has
already been noted above that these memorable Christmas-
day scenes "created a great stir among the people of the
neighborhood." Here then were inside and outside results,
incentives, opportunities. Steps were at once taken to im-
prove these favorable opportunities, but the " winter proved
to be an exceedingly hard and stormy one and the meetings
were discontinued until spring. They were resumed early
in May, and continued with great success. Efforts were
also made to reach and influence the youth and to educate
them in matters spiritually. Many were attracted to the
services and * taught to walk in the fear of the Lord and to

ORGANIZED MISSIONARY ENDEAVOR. 25

love the Brethren.' As the fame of this awakening spread
abroad there was such an increase of attendance that no
room could be found large enough to accommodate the wor-
shippers ; so, whenever the weather permitted, the assembly
was held in the open air." (German Sectarians.)

There was, however, another immediate result. Such
present blessings and such bright prospects for the future
were not to be shared alone by those here in America. What
glad news this will be to send across the ocean and what
joy it will bring. to- therdie^nbrethrs^.n a.^ sisters in the far-
away Gerrpan Fia'Uteriand. They shall l:noiv' of it soon that
they mcty share in the joy of this good news andi 'perhaps,
bccinducad to come>to lAmerica and.share in this ptomi sing
work .■:"'.. ^^ : '

A Message to the Home Land. — The " Chronicon Ephra-
tense" gives the following interesting account of this mes-
sage: "Under these circumstances they deemed it well to
make a detailed report of this new awakening to their Breth-
ren in Germany. Therefore they prepared in common a
writing addressed to them, in which they informed them
that they had become reunited in Pennsylvania, and that
hereupon a great awakening had resulted in the land, which
was still daily increasing; that of the awakened several had
joined their communion, to which they had to consent, as
they dared not withstand the counsels of God." It would be
interesting to know that message in full, to have the exact
words and know the real heart throbs that pulsated through
them, but we shall probably never know more than we know
now. The above quotation, no doubt, gives us a fair con-
ception of the scope of the letter, and we furthermore know
the effect this and other reports had upon the Brethren In
Germany. Two Continents are now interested in the strug-
gles in this new and, to them, unknown world. Other
messages go from time to time to the Home Land. The
earnest prayers from both sides of the great ocean strengthen
the hearts of the brave leaders, as they go forth, over the

26 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

hills and down the valleys, through the forests and across
the rivers, bearing the message of the " Man of Galilee " —
for he said, " Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptiz-
ing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost : Teaching them to observe all things what-
soever I have commanded you : and, lo, I am with }■ ou alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen."^

Organizing for Work. — One of the strongest elements in
a successful leadership is a proper organizing of the forces
to be led, or directed. 'Ij^pijed and concerted action and
effort is as jiec-^ssary in church work,- as-it-is ,in military or
industrial, matters, or in business enterprises. : Elder Peter
Becker, ynd his coworkers saw an op^^n door to a great field
of opportunity, and tney v/ere, v/id,^ awake to organize, on a
scale large enough to meet the needs. The subject was dis-
cussed by the congregation which gave encouragement and
hearty support. And so the year 1724 was destined to be
scarcely less eventful and important than the previous year.
No one who is a careful student can dwell upon the events
of this year without feeling that they were of the utmost
importance to the German pioneer settlers, and far-reaching
in their influence and permanent results. It was deemed
advisable that all the scattered settlements of Brethren
should be visited at once and brought under organized spirit-
ual influences. For this purpose a missionary party was
organized, with Peter Becker as the leader. Its great im-
portance justifies its careful consideration, for this is the
most remarkable missionary tour to the frontier in all Penn-
sylvania colonial history, and is absolutely without parallel
in colonial times. Leaving industry and loved ones behind,
these pioneer preachers of the gospel, and their assistants,
with true German devotion to the cause they loved,
marched forth, seven horsemen and seven footmen. On
the fields of martial conquest there never marched a more
gallant band than these in commission of the Prince of
1 Matt. 28 : 19-20.

ORGANIZED MISSIONARY ENDEAVOR. 27

Peace. It was a worthy representation of the importance
of the cause they sought to estabhsh, as well as a worthy
representation of the work accomplished in their contin-
ued devotion. What a mission was theirs, pushing out to
the frontier lines to battle with callous indifference and
skepticism, or mysticism and materialism among their fellow
countrymen! And so October 2^, 1724, was a memorable
day for the Germantown Settlement, and what an impress-
ive scene it must have been to behold the gathering of the
company of cavalry and infantry, and then behold the
company as it slowly moved out of the settlement, north-
ward, over the old Indian trail. The scattered settlers have
gathered in little groups here and there to discuss the jour-
ney and mission of their neighbors and friends, and with
deep interest watched them until they vanished over the
slopes of the distant hills.

There is some confusion as to the route taken, and the
stops made, especially as to the first stages of the journey.
The Chronicon states, "They first went to Schippack."
Sachse, in German Sectarians, says, — "The first stop was
made in the beautiful Skippack Valley, where a number of
Germans had settled. Here several meetings were held with
much success." Brumbaugh, In The German Baptist Breth-
ren, says " Their first visit was to Brother John Jacob Price
on the Indian Creek." The facts likely are, members both
on the Indian Creek and in the Skippack valley, or differ-
ent places of Skippack township, were visited, for we are
informed that some of the members of the emigration of
1 719 settled in the Skippack, and we further learn that in
the visitation of 1722, "they traveled through the regions
of Skippack." The John Jacob Price referred to, settled,
we are informed by the old records, " on a large tract of land
on the Indian Creek, in Lower Salford Township," in 1721,
and is the Johannus Preisz who was at the first love feast,
and a minister of note, in the early church, in Europe and
America, and likely the father of all the Prices in the Broth-

28 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

erhood. This, therefore, marks the estabhshment of an
important field, or region, of activity, that later became the
early Indian Creek Congregation, and, in later years, sub-
divided into a number of congregations.

From the above named place, or places, more properly,
they went northv^ard, crossed the Perkiomen and continued
on through Providence to Falckner's Swamp, when a halt
was made at the house "of a Brother named Albertus."
Here revival meetings were held, closing with a Lovefeast
and Communion Service, which was attended, we are in-
formed, by the Chronicon, "with great blessing." From
here they went to Oley, in Berks County, near Douglass-
ville, " where a similar work was done with similar bless-
ing." From Oley the party went southward and crossed the
Schuylkill, to visit their newly-baptized Brethren, going di-
rect to the house of Martin Urner, one of the " First Fruits,"
" who, since his baptism, had permanently settled in Coven-
try, Chester County, immediately opposite the present town
of Pottstown."

" Martin Urner, from the time he came to Coventry, ex-
horted his neighbors whenever opportunity offered, besides
holding meetings at his own house on Sundays with more
or less regularity. One of the results of his labors was that
when Peter Becker and his party reached there they found
two persons prepared for baptism in addition to the settlers
who were ready to form a congregation.

" On the next day, November 7, 1 724, a meeting was held
in Urner's house, at which Elder Becker presided. The two
candidates were baptized in the Schuylkill, and the ceremony
was followed by the usual Lovefeast and breadbreaking in
the evening.

"Upon this occasion was organized the Coventry Breth-
ren Church, of which Martin Urner was made preacher.
The following nine persons were the constituent members :
Martin Urner, his wife, Catharine Reist Urner; Daniel

ORGANIZED MISSIONARY ENDEAVOR. 29

Eicher and wife, Henrich Landes and wife, Peter Heffly,
Owen Longacre and Andrew Sell."^

This seems to have been the end of the contemplated mis-
sionary tour, two weeks had been spent, the usual time for a
" series of meetings " at this time. It would have been
about time for some busy preachers to go home, to look
after the family and business. But these preachers were
after their " Father's business." They heard of some awak-
ened souls in the Conestoga country, and they decided to go
there, which was then known as the western part of Chester
county.

Upon leaving Urner's the party divided, the horsemen
following the road and staying all night, Monday, Novem-
ber 9, at the house of Jacob Weber, in the Conestoga Valley,
near Weberstown, in Leacock township. The footmen took
a shorter route, over the Welsh mountain, and spent the
same night at the house of Johannus Graff " This was in
Earl township, at what is now known as Graffsdale, at the
lower end of Earl township. The original tract of 1,419
acres was situated on Graff's run, a branch of the Miihlbach
(Mill Creek). Johannus Graff was the earliest and wealth-
iest settler in the vicinity. The foundation stones of the
cabin which he built in 1718 are yet to be seen upon the
property of a lineal descendant."^ The next day, Tuesday,
November 10, they journeyed to the house of Hans Rudolph
Nagele, a Mennonite preacher, when both horsemen and
footmen once more united, and passed the night of Tuesday,
with Stephen Galliond.

Early the next morning two Brethren were sent to Henry
Hohns, to announce their coming. On Wednesday, Novem-
ber II, therefore, the party retraced their steps and jour-
neyed towards the valley of the Pequea. The special pur-
pose seems to have been to bring about an awakening among
the Mennonites, who had been brought into great confusion
by Bauman, in teaching his pernicious "Newborn" doc-

2 " German Sectarians."

3 Ibid., p. 100.

30 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

trines. A largely attended meeting was held at Heinrich
Holms.

As its authors were directly interested, I quote from the
Chronicon, an account of this meeting, and its immediate
results : " A meeting was held at Holm's on the following
day, November 12 (Thursday), at which the Superintendent
(Beissel) was present. At this meeting extraordinary re-
vival-powers were manifested. The Baptists spoke with
such power concerning baptism and the divine purpose con-
cerning fallen man involved therein, that after the close of
the meeting five persons applied for baptism, namely the
aforementioned Hohn, his housemate, John Mayer and his
house-mate, and Joseph Shafer, who were at once baptized
in Apostolic-wise, by Peter Becker, in the Pequea stream.
Soon a sixth one followed these, namely, Veronica, the wife
of Isaac Frederick. Now the Superintendent (Beissel)
fell into great perplexity. For, to withstand this ordinance
of God seemed to him great presumption; at the same time,
the calling of these people was not deemed important enough
by him, for he had been the recipient of a weighty testimony
from God, and feared that, if he associated with them, he
might lose all the good he had reached through so much
pain. Suddenly, however, his heart was enlightened by a
bright ray from the Gospel, in whose light the whole pur-
pose of God was revealed to him, namely, that Christ also
had permitted himself to be baptized by one who was less
than himself, and had said thereof : ' Thus it becometh us to
fulfill all righteousness ' ; and that, in order to make this
work easier for us, God himself had thus gone before, and
first sought out the field in which he would sow his grain of
wheat.

"Consequently, after the Sister referred to before came
out of the water, he came down from his spiritual pride,
humbled himself before his friend Peter Becker, and was
baptized by him on the same day in Apostolic-wise, under the
water.

" After the baptism they spent the rest of the day in edify-

ORGANIZED MISSIONARY ENDEAVOR. 31

ing conversation unto the praise of God, until evening, when
a 'Lovefeast' was held at Hohn's, the first ever held in
Conestoga since the country began to be cleansed from its
heathenish inhabitants; it was held on November 12, 1724."

There was one more meeting held at the house of Sig-
mund Landert, at which time he and his wife were baptized.
The leaders of the missionary party now informed the
Brethren in the Conestoga, that on account of the distance
from Germantown, they must arrange their matters as best
they could, as a separate congregation. The little body of
six Brethren and six Sisters now chose Conrad Beissel as
their minister, and he remains in fellowship with the Breth-
ren for about four years. The chapter following will treat
of the history of Beissel, and his relation to the work of
the Brethren in the Conestoga. After the kiss of peace was
given, the Germantown Brethren started on their homeward
journey on the fourteenth of November.

To bring out important lessons and results and funda-
mental principles of action, may be regarded as sufficient
reason for devoting much space to a description of these
events, which had a significance far beyond their local set-
ting. Here are characteristics of the church that have made
history; elements of strength, and principles of action,
adopted in Germany, and here reestablished, that have di-
rected the progress of the church ever since. Alexander
Mack was an evangelist of note before he organized the
Brethren Church, and there are many evidences of the mis-
sionary activities of the church while yet in Germany. This
tour, after the organization in America, was the first step
in that missionary enterprise which has been such an im-
portant factor in the life of the Brethren Church. The
immediate result was, two churches were organized, and the
foundation laid for several more and both of these became
prosperous and important in a few years. It is remarkable
how large a part of the District was covered by this tour,
and how many present day congregations are the result of
this early missionary endeavor.

CHAPTER VIL
CONRAD BEISSEL.

Introduction. — In order that we may understand the asso-
ciation, and historic relation, and later antagonism, to the
Brethren, it is manifestly necessary to give some biograph-
ical account of Conrad Beissel; and sketch, briefly, some of
the moulding influences of his erratic life. As the *' Chron-
icon Ephratense " is the official record of the Superintendent,
and his communal life, its facts and dates, as relating to him,
are made the basis of this sketch.

Birth. — He was born in April, 1690, at Eberbach, a small
town on the Neckar, in the Palatinate, and received the
family name of John Conrad Beissel. His father, a baker
by trade, died two months before the child was born. Hav-
ing spent all his means by his dissolute habits, the widow
was left destitute, and with a numerous family. Under this
burden of care and great responsibility the mother, a devout
person, only lived seven years.

Environment. — It would seem that now almost his last
blessing was gone, and " from that time on he led a sorry
life, after the manner of the country, until he was old
enough to learn a trade," when the local authorities appren-
ticed him to a master baker to learn the trade. It seems
from the account that these years were spent in the most
wretched poverty, without cheer or comfort to lighten the
darkness in his miserable life.

Education. — He seems to have had no school advantages
whatever, but there were evidences of natural gifts, for we
are told, " He showed a wonderful facility in learning many
things without any instruction, merely by his own reflection ;

CONRAD BEISSEL. 33

SO much so that his oldest brother often said to him, * Your
studying will make a fool of you yet.' "^

Apprenticeship. — The choice of a master for the young
apprentice was most unfortunate, and now to the life of
former misery and wretchedness was added unrestrained
frivolity. His master was a musician, and he soon learned
to play the violin, and assisted his master at weddings, " at
which, when exhausted with fiddling, he would betake him-
self to dancing, and from this again return to the former."^
This life of pleasure and excess seems to have brought con-
victions of sinfulness ; and " the awakening Spirit knocked
so loudly at his conscience that his whole being was thrown
into the utmost perplexity, and so the foundation was laid
for his conversion. "2

Wanderings. — Having finished his apprenticeship, he
started out on his wanderings as a journeyman, according
to the custom of the country, first going to Strasburg.
After remaining here some time, he finally entered the serv-
ice of a man in Mannheim. Here he fell into a quarrel
with his employer's wife, and for her violence he called her
Jezebel, on account of which he was obliged to leave the
house. From Mannheim he returned to Heidelberg, and
for a time matters spiritual and temporal were very favor-
able and prosperous. He gained the confidence of the
master bakers, and they made him treasurer of their guild.
But when Beissel criticised them for their idle practices at
their banquets, they had the city council put him under arrest
and in jail, — and so closes this epoch, as the curtain falls
upon the journeyman baker when the jail door closes behind
him.

Religious Struggles. — There is an entire change of scene.
The conflicts now are of a religious character. In order
to have a full understanding of his religious convictions and
theories, it is necessary to trace the teaching and experiences

1 The " Chronicon."

2 Ibid.

34 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

of these years, that made such a lasting impression, and
moulded his future life. As noted before, from the ex-
cessive frivolity, he fell under strong conviction of sin;
and, though temporarily brought low in the spirit, he earn-
estly sought for a higher spiritual development. " It w^as at
Strasburg that Beissel was first introduced into Inspira-
tionist and Pietistical circles. The chief spirit of the latter
was one Michael Eckerling, a cap-maker by trade, whose
four sturdy sons were destined to play so prominent a role
in the Ephrata Community."^

When he arrived at Heidelberg, he found many Pietists;
but he attended, for some time at least, the regular services
of the Lutheran church, and heard several prominent
preachers of the times.

" He also made the acquaintance of a learned mystic and
theosophist, named Haller, who was a friend and corre-
spondent of Gichtel. Through him Beissel obtained an in-
troduction to, or was initiated in, the local Rosicrucian
chapter held under the name or guise of a Pietist conventicle,
which organization counted many of the most learned and
distinguished men in the community among its membership.
But, being under the ban of the secular as well as religious
authorities, they were forced to hold their meetings in se-
crecy, in an almost inaccessible fastness of the forest. Here,
within the tiled precincts of the weird, rocky chasm (Felsen-
schleugt), by the fitful light of resinous torches, Conrad
Beissel followed his guide, was brought to the true Light,
taught the first steps of the Brotherhood, and received in-
struction in the rudiments of the secret rites and mysteries
of the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross. "^

The " Chronicon " states : " He was astonished beyond
measure when these dear people the first time called him
Brother. He often said that he had passed through three
awakenings, in which he always had to deal with newly

3 " German Sectarians," Vol. I, p. 37-
* Ibid., pp. 39-40.

CONRAD BEISSEL. 35

awakened ones; but he must confess that the greater
part of his heart remained at the first awakening at
Heidelberg. Therefore, his references to these precious
souls never passed off without tears, particularly as in after
times so much bitterness and gall were served him by his
followers." As noted before, he was lodged in jail by the
instigation of his own bakers' guild. Once more in con-
flict and trouble. " Meanwhile his trial took place, and
there it appeared that the charge was not sufficient to have
him kept under arrest. His accusers, however, knew how
to help themselves, and declared that he was a Pietist. This
brought the matter before the ecclesiastical court. The
clergy of the three dominant religions took him in charge,
and gave him the choice, either to join one of the three dom-
inant religions, or to leave the country," says the " Chron-
icon." He refused to join either of the churches, and so
he was banished. His friends interceded for him, but all
efforts were in vain.

He was now an outcast, not merely a wanderer. He
bade farewell to his Brethren in Heidelberg, whom he never
saw again; and, then departing, went to his home town of
Eberbach, to say farewell to his relatives. He hurried
away, but had barely gone when soldiers arrived to arrest
him.

The experiences of this banishment brought him to such
severe trials and suffering and deprivations that he came
near retracting, and was nigh unto death. He fell into
excessive penitence-labors, suffering such violence thereby
that he contracted consumption. His declining strength,
from his severe penance, excited public attention, and made
of him an object of pity, for it seemed that the thread of his
frail life was about to be severed. He wandered about
from place to place, ekeing out a miserable existence by
wool-spinning, and similar employments. He sojourned
for a short time with the Brethren at Schwarzenau, and
then joined the Inspirationists. He soon invoked their dis-

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

pleasure, and the "Chronicon" states that they wished to
transfer him from the Adults' to the Children's meeting, on
account of which he withdrew himself from them.

A Retrospect. — Born of a godly mother, but a worthless
drunken father — at the age of seven the mother also dead —
he grew up an object of public charity or neglect, living in
wretched poverty and misery ; apprenticed to a master baker
from whom he learned unrestrained frivolity in dancing and
fiddling; under conviction of sin, he sought spiritual com-
fort and light in all sorts of ways, and through all kinds of
experiences, from the regular services in the Lutheran
churches, individuals, the Pietists, Separatists, and down to
the Rosicrucian mystics; as a journeyman baker, he wan-
dered about, quarreled with his employer's wife, and driven
from the home; criticized the bakers' guild, whose treas-
urer he was, who had him arrested and put in jail ; brought
to trial, he was charged with being a Pietist, and was ban-
ished from the country; wandering about almost starving,
and under violence of severe penance, contracting consump-
tion, he visi'ts the Brethren at Schwarzenau, joins the In-
spirationists, and after violent disagreements withdraws
from them; thus v/ere the thirty years of Conrad Beissel's
life in Germany spent.

His two intimate friends, Stiefel and Stuntz, now induced
him to journey to America. He resolved to go to Pennsyl-
vania, and join the chapter of Perfection under Kelpius,
called the " Woman in the Wilderness," on the Wissahickon,
and there spend his life in solitude. When the Pietists
heard of this, they tried their best to persuade him not to go.
Stuntz offered to pay his way, and so in the year 1720 he
left the fatherland, the scene of so much history, accom-
panied by his aforesaid friends, Stiefel and Stuntz, and
others, as traveling companions.

The Arrival. — They arrived at Boston the same autumn.
What the name of the ship was, or where she sailed from,
or who commanded her, in which Beissel and his friends

CONRAD BEISSEL. 37

came to Boston, we are not told, neither do we know in what
manner they transported themselves from Boston to Phila-
delphia. We are simply informed "that the party arrived
well and in good spirits at Germantown toward the close of
the autumn of the year 1720." It is impossible to realize
their sore disappointment upon their arrival, nor appre-
ciate the vast difference between their expectations and the
real conditions of things as they found them. They had
endured the hardships of a long and tedious ocean voyage,
only to find that the community they sought to join had
ceased to exist some years prior to their departure from
the Fatherland, but for some reason this news had not
reached that part of Germany. So it was necessary to
change the whole plan and purpose of their coming, because
of the changed conditions. According to "German Sec-
tarians " : " Beissel and his companions expected to find here
an ideal spiritual community, whose chief interest centered
around the Tabernacle in the primitive forest, where the
time was spent in prayer and a nightly watch was kept to
obtain the first glimpse of the harbinger in the skies, who
should appear to announce the coming of the celestial bride-
groom : a community where the world with its allurements
was secondary to the state of spiritual regeneration."

" In place of this expected elysium they found the taber-
nacle deserted, the nocturnal watch upon the tower long
since abandoned, Magister Kelpius dead, while of the
other leaders, Koster, had returned to Europe, and the Falk-
ner brothers were itinerating in the adjoining provinces."

Commenting upon this condition, the " Chronicon " states,
" After their leader died, the Tempter found occasion to
scatter them, as those who had been most zealous against
marrying now betook themselves to women again, which
brought such shame on the solitary state that the few who
still held to it dared not open their mouths for shame."

"In such times the •Superintendent (Beissel) arrived in
Germantown; but kept very quiet as to his projects for a

38 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

solitary life, for many, who had maintained a very proper
walk in Germany, had here hung up their holy calling on a
nail; and, what was worse, would give no one credit for
zeal or diligence. Among these were several who in the
Palatinate had let themselves be driven from house and
home, but had left great wealth behind them after their
death. All this caused him much concern; for he every-
where saw the pious sitting at the helm and exercising mag-
isterial offices."

Beissel in THE New World.

Religious Aspect. — In tracing the religious experiences,
and struggles, and conflicts in the life of Beissel, in his fore-
going biography, we see the religious conditions and ex-
cesses of his times that constituted such a powerful influ-
ence over him, and prepared him for such tremendous acts,
that made him the central figure of so much dramatic
history.

Beissel indeed found himself now in a new world. He
had hoped for speedy realization of mountain-tops of spirit-
ual ecstasy on the Wissahickon Heights, but instead he was
down in the valley of disappointment and humiliation. In-
stead of things wholly spiritual, he found his feet on hard
terra firma, and so face to face with the stern necessity of
physical subsistence. He perhaps remembered the condi-
tion of starvation in Germany, and he once more turned to
the Brethren for material comfort.

A New Start. — The Brethren had preceded Beissel by
more than a year, as already noted in their coming in 17 19.
Peter Becker had already established himself as a master
weaver of Germantown. Beissel, seeing that his baker's
trade would be of no use to him, in this new country
indentured himself to Peter Becker, as an apprentice, to
learn the weaver's trade, and so his whole purpose had to
undergo a complete change.

CONRAD BEISSEL. 39

New Environments. — With his plans and purposes
changed, he indeed found himself in new environments.
Beissel now became a member of a busy industrial com-
munity, self-supporting, and a producing factor in the inter-
ests and welfare of his fellows. He became a part of the
social life of his immediate surroundings, and, it is to be
hoped, he added his share to the religious tone and atmos-
phere, that tended to the uplift of the settlement. As an
apprentice, he entered the home of Peter Becker, and be-
came a member of his household; and, as such, we are
assured, by the "Chronicon," they were on most friendly
and intimate terms in their religious discussions. Under
these conditions, he was m constant association with the
Brethren, and entered fully into all their social and religious
life. He knew much of the Brethren at Schwarzenau, had
sojourned among them for a time, knew their history and
their persecution, and, in part, had been a fellow sufferer.
The Brethren at Germantown, with whom he now associ-
ated, had come from Crefeldt, on the Rhine, which had been
for some time a general asylum for persons of all shades of
religious belief, who had fled from their persecutors. Mys-
ticism in all shades was to be found among some of these
refugees at Crefeldt. Such diversity of religious belief
influenced some of the early Brethren, and they brought
some of it to Germantown. Beissel had every opportunity
to know every phase of religious tendency at Germantown,
and his familiarity with all conditions enabled him to see
where he could find some sympathy, as a foundation for
antagonizing the Brethren's doctrines. It is not surprising,
therefore, that, in years after, his inroads were to a con-
siderable extent successful in disrupting the Germantown
Church. For a time, it seems, Beissel was able to adapt
himself quite well to his new environments, but the change
must have been so great that he could not long endure the
strain. In less than a year he broke his contract of ap-
prenticeship, and left Germantown.

40 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

In the Wilderness. — The unexpected surely once more has
happened. History is silent as to the developments that
bring about so great a change from the home of Peter
Becker, in the busy industrial village of Germantown, to
the w^ilderness Solitude. But no doubt the year at Ger-
mantow^n w^as one of thoughtful preparation and planning
for his future work. He had carefully examined the soil
where were growing some prospective adherents.

We are indebted to the official " Chronicon " for an intro-
duction into the very midst of the new scenes, and that
without ceremony, or knocking at the cabin door, and wait-
ing for an invitation. The " Chronicon " says : " In order to
carry out his purpose, he went, in the autumn of the year
1 72 1, into the upper country known as Conestoga, now
Lancaster County, which at that time was inhabited by but
few Europeans; and there, with the aid of his traveling
companion, Stuntz, erected a solitary residence at a place
called Muehlbach, where they lived happily for a while. A
young Hollander by the name of Isaac Von Bebern soon
after joined -them, with whom he also made a journey to
Maryland, probably to visit the remnant of Labadists, who
lived there." The rapidity of change of scenes and the
development is now truly remarkable. Perhaps there is no
better way to show the diversity of teaching in the midst of
which the Brethren had to labor, and the religious excesses
against which they had to contend, than to note, briefly, how
these conditions influenced Beissel, and how he finally be-
came a conglomeration of social and political conditions of
society, and religious doctrine with which he came in
contact.

These Labadists had located on the Bohemian Manor, in
Maryland, about forty years before, living a communal life,
and had become prosperous and wealthy. The young Hol-
lander desired to visit his near of kin, perhaps his father
and his uncle, who had left the Mennonites and joined the
Labadists, Beissel was interested in this mystical com-

CONRAD BEISSEL. 41

munity, and we shall see that what he saw and learned on
this visit was a moulding power on his whole future career.

"There can be but little doubt that, although the com-
munity at the time of Beissel's visit was already in a state
of dissolution, it was due to his visit to Bohemian Manor
and the conferences with Sluyter, together with a number of
books and papers, both printed and in manuscript, of Laba-
die and Yoon Von, which Beissel obtained, that we owe
many of the peculiar features of the Ephrata community.
Not the least important one was the separation of the sexes.

" This visit was made none too soon, for soon after the
two pilgrims had departed, Peter Sluyter died, and, there
being none to replace him or wield the necessary authority,
the few remaining members separated, and the community
passed into history."^

It is plainly apparent, from the time of this visit, that
Beissel was now a convert to the fundamental teaching of
the Bohemian Labadists. Soon after the return of Beissel
and Van Bebber from their pilgrimage to the Bohemia
Manor, to their hut on the IMiihlbach, they were joined
by George Stiefel, a traveling companion, as noted before,
on the voyage to America. These four enthusiasts now re-
solved to dwell together in a brotherly and communal man-
ner. About this time, or soon after, Beissel commenced to
express views in regard to the observance of the Sabbath.
He paid visits to the Sabbatarians in Chester County, at
Providence and Newtown. He soon after made a pubHc
announcement that he would observe the Sabbath. This
caused a disagreement with his companions, but they finally
acquiesced.

The " Chronicon " relates the effect of this new order of
things as follows : " He declared himself to his brethren that
now he would observe the Sabbath, and work on Sunday,
which did not suit them very well. This strange mode of
life aroused much attention among the few settlers, of
5 " German Sectarians," p. 59.

42 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

whom some were continually coming and inquiring what it
meant." Thus matters continued for some time, until the
severity of the discipline and the short rations commenced to
tell on his companions. Finally Stiefel and Van Bebber
declared that they could not live that way, and took their
departure. Stuntz finally sold the cabin, and thus in part
re-imbursed himself for the money he had advanced to
Beissel as passage money.

Trials Wit Ji out and Within. — Homeless and alone, Beissel,
smarting under his recent treatment, penetrated deeper into
the forests, and determined to make a new start. By the
end of the summer of 1723, he had built with his own hands
a small log cabin, about one mile distant from the former
one. Here he was soon joined by a new companion, and,
because of the importance of this new fellowship, we quote
from the " Chronicon," as follows: "There it came to pass
that Michael Wohlfahrt, on his journey to Carolina, visited
him for the first time. He was a Pietist, born at Memel on
the Baltic Sea, but had grown cool in his faith, and had lost
much of it on his many travels. He had come to the Super-
intendent while Stiefel and Stuntz were still with him, and
had so fallen in love with his life that he promised to settle
there with him when he should return from Carolina.
Meanwhile, when in the year 1724 he came back to him,
they had left him. As he laid before him his whole con-
dition,^ the Superintendent received him in faith. In this
man the latter found abundant exercise for his patience, and
gained much profit through him in spiritual things. Indeed
he fared better with him than he had with his former com-
panions; for, though at times they disagreed, yet Michael
Wohlfahrt had such high respect for him that he always
confessed himself in the wrong." This companionship con-
tinued until broken by death.

While outward conditions were once more adjusted so
far as home and companions were concerned, there was a
growing inward conflict. There was a remarkable struggle

CONRAD BEISSEL. 43

between his self-exaltation and conceit, on the one hand, and
his growing conviction, on the other, that he should bow in
humble submission to the divine command. The " Chron-
icon" expresses the whole matter and condition in very
candid language, as follows : " Now also we arrive at the
reason why God obliged him to again renounce this seraphic
life, and to enter into a communion with others. Accord-
ing to this, the life of a hermit is only something granted for
a time, but not at all the end itself; since no solitary person
can be fruitful. Accordingly, however innocent his walk
before God and man at that time was, it was not yet right
in itself; for with all his renunciations he still had not re-
nounced himself. What was needed was a soil into which
he might sow his grain of wheat to die, so that it should
spring forth and bear fruit to the glory of God. It has
before been mentioned how baptism, as a transplanting into
the death of Christ, was again brought to light; now he had
become abundantly convinced on that subject, but at that
time he knew neither of a congregation according to his own
mind, nor of a man who would have been worthy to baptize
him. Once he made an attempt to baptize himself in the
waters of Mill Creek; but his conscience was not satisfied;
nor was the transaction valid, since there were no witnesses
present. He was to obtain it through men, and that was
difficult for him. How, at last, he humbled himself under
the ordinance of God, and became a child of the new cov-
enant, this shall be shown forth in the following chapter,
although another excursion from the subject will be neces-
sary, in order to trace the matter to its origin." So we
leave, for the time, Beissel and the religious conditions of
these times as a separate and distinct subject, and turn now
to the consideration of how all these were related to the
Brethren and their work.

CHAPTER VIII.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. TRIALS. SECOND
EMIGRATION.

We are in the midst of years that are full of history.
Events of importance are crowding each other in rapid suc-
cession. Amazing changes come like a flood. For the
most part, the labors of the Brethren at Germantown, Cov-
entry, and other places, were blessed, " and the Lord added to
the church such as should be saved." Acts 2 : 47. Meet-
ings multiplied, and the influence spread into new fields.
In a few years a great change had been effected in America
by the infant church, for the Lord strengthened the hearts
of his people. By the close of 1724, there were three con-
gregations organized, all in less than one year : Germantown,
Coventry, and Conestoga.

Darkening Days. — In the midst of all of this glorious
spiritual prosperity and blessing, when the Brethren were
so much encouraged and strengthened by the spiritual show-
ers of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, there was
a gloom hanging over Conestoga. Dark clouds were gather-
ing that looked threatening and indicated all too clearly the
approaching storm. Dark days were coming that were full
of new and strange and sad experiences. We cannot study
all of these things in detail, but we must be satisfied with a
rapid sketch, a kind of panoramic view of the principal facts
and results. As has already been stated, in treating of the
religious condition at the time of settlement in this country,
some members had not entirely escaped the influence of mys-
ticism at Crefeldt and other places, and they brought some
of it to this country. For a time it prevented their fellow-
ship, but was finally swallowed up for a time at least, in the
general interest of the revival services.

GROWTH AND DEV'ELOPMENT, 45

But the spirit of mysticism was only waiting for a favor-
able opportunity for its development, through the leadership
of some one. Conrad Beissel knew all this; he had learned
it at Germantown a few years ago. We have seen him as a
poor uneducated man, a strange character, with a strange
history in Europe, and now, lately, living a life of dreamy
solitude in the Conestoga, but an extreme egotist, in shrewd
selfishness, coveting leadership. His most marked charac-
teristic seems to have been his wonderful capacity to absorb
all new and strange beliefs wherever found — whether the
extreme and sweeping grounds of Pietism, or the ethereal
conceptions of the Rosicrucian Mystics, or the solitary med-
itations of the Hermits on the Wissahickon, or the new doc-
trine of the Keithian Quakers on French Creek. He seemed
to have had the unique experience, too, of coming in con-
tact with more strange doctrines than anyone else, and so
his own beliefs passed through many evolutions from time
to time. When the Brethren established the work in Cones-
toga and largely gave it into his hands, he received what he
had so much desired. He saw the opportunity, and seized
it with earnestness. He desired leadership, and planned for
it at any cost. Let us note the view of the " Chronicon,"
on this point, as follows : " Whoever considers this journey,
together with the great blessing accompanying it, must con-
fess that God was with them, at least up to the time when
that man was found whom he had destined for a more
important work. It is also certain that the Superintendent
(Beissel) dealt with them in sincerity, and entered into com-
munion with them with his whole heart. Had they not in
the beginning permitted their suspicion against him to over
master them, but had they condescended to him as he had
done to them, he would have been the man through whom
they would have recovered again their first vocation re-
ceived at Schwarzenau; for he had a higher witness than
they; such an unpleasant division would not have taken
place."

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

The " Chronicon " is clean cut : " God was with them, at
least up to the time when that man was found whom he
had destined for a more important work."

And, again, " had they condescended to him as he had
done to them, he would have been the man, etc;" " for he
had a higher witness than they." The authors of the
" Chronicon " understood the position and purpose of Beis-
sel on this matter well, and they were in full sympathy with
him, and they put it on record as a standing rebuke to the
Brethren for not submitting themselves to this self-ap-
pointed and self-exalted leader. Again, as indicating how
the Lord had cast off the Brethren, and chose Beissel, the
" Chronicon " says : " Accordingly, as they failed in God's
trial of them, his choice passed from them, and with the
election all blessing also, unto the person of the Superintend-
ent." In speaking of his ministry, the "Chronicon" says:
" His ordination to this office he received from the same one
who had bestowed it upon Elijah, John the Baptist and
other reformers, who were awakened specially and directly
to come to "the help of a church fallen asunder." Testi-
mony might be multiplied, if it were necessary. The time
has come when at least the church should know the reason
for his bitter antagonism.

With well defined plans and purposes, Beissel entered
upon his ministry with enthusiasm. As to the manner of
his preaching, the " Chronicon " says : " He conducted all
Meetings, however, with astonishing strength of spirit, and
used so little reflection over it, that even in the beginning
he was not suffered to use a Bible, so that the testimony in
its delivery might not be weakened by written knowledge."
(It will be noticed by this, that the revelation came direct,
without the medium of the Bible.)

" He began his discourse with closed eyes, before a large
crowd of hearers; and when he opened his eyes again the
most of them were gone, not being able to endure the Spirit's
keenness." These revelations are then discussed at some
length, by the " Chronicon."

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. 47

But scarcely was he fairly started in his preaching when
he began to present his doctrines regarding the Sabbath and
to defend likewise certain Jewish laws in regard to meats,
etc. This preaching was, of course, resented. Agitation
and discussion upon these topics soon produced lack of har-
mony and restlessness which laid the foundations for dissen-
sion and confusion. The confusion seemed about complete,
when, soon after, he presented his mystic speculations which
produced so marked aq effect that, while some thought him
inspired, the others thought him crazy. There were some
converts, however, and Beissel baptized them. Communi-
cations between the Sabbatarians on French Creek and
Beissel and his adherents, became more and more frequent,
and he presented his Sabbatarian views more positively and
most bitterly antagonized those who differed on doctrine.
This bitterness against the Brethren was carried by those
who went to proselyte to all the settlements and finally
reached Germantown; and when Elder Peter Becker and
some others came on a visit to the Conestoga, Beissel at-
tacked him most bitterly in public in his sermon. It was
very evident that he was now openly committed to the policy
that if he could not control the Brethren in leadership, he
would destroy their work, and build his own upon the ruins.
Thus was the breach constantly widened, and the Conestoga
congregation itself was divided into two parts : those who
adhered with Beissel to the Sabbath and those who adhered
to the Lord's Day or Sunday. The leader of the latter was
Johannus Hildebrand, who had moved to the Conestoga
from the mother congregation at Germantown. It was
very evident that matters could not go on at this rate and it
seemed almost out of the question to restore harmony
and reach a peaceful settlement. Beissel made a special
effort to reach and influence the various Brethren settle-
ments and that he succeeded will be noted further on in the
history. These circumstances bring us to the latter part
of the year 1728 and a paragraph from German Sectarians^

48 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

page 138, will show conditions at that time : " The German-
town Baptists now reproached Beissel for his ingratitude
toward them, as it was at their hands that he had received
baptism. This, instead of rallying him, only tended to in-
crease his vehemence against his former friends. At the
same time he was forced to acknowledge the truth of their
argument. How to overcome this dilemma was a serious
question. At last, however, a way was found out of the diffi-
culty, which was worked to their own satisfaction. This
was the novel proposition to renounce the Becker baptism
and return it to the old congregation, and then to have such
of the Beisselianer as had been immersed by Becker re-
baptized. This strange scene was enacted toward the close
of December, evidently in the Miihlbach or the Conestoga.
Upon the appointed day a general meeting of the Sabbata-
rians was held, during which three brothers and four sisters
were selected for the chief ceremony. It had been decided
that it was proper for the Sabbatical number to be the foun-
dation of the rebaptized congregation. The number seven
and the two sexes were therefore chosen. According to the
teachings of the Rosicrucians the number seven represents
the union of the square and the triad, and is considered the
divine number, in the same sense in which forty is the per-
fect numeral. Jan Meyle and Beissel were the first to enter
the icy water; special hymns were sung, and after an invo-
cation, in which both men renounced their former baptism,
Meyle immersed Beissel thrice backwards, and immediately
afterwards repeated the operation thrice forwards, thus
baptizing the candidate. Beissel then repeated the same
ceremony upon Meyle and the others in turn. This act com-
pleted the separation between the Germantown and Cones-
toga Baptists." The babyish act of Beissel in his desire to
" return " his former baptism, has received no end of ridi-
cule, but if we can overlook his self-righteousness and self-
exaltation and his ambition to lead, the poor man is to be
pitied rather than laughed at. This was the condition of

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. 49

things when Alexander Mack with the larger part of the
Schwarzenau congregation arrived in the following year,
1729. Several attempts were made at reconciliation, but
without success. The Rosicrucian was now more than a
mystic; he was partly a Jew, and a strict Sabbatarian, on
which latter doctrine the separation largely came about.
But not this alone, nor was this all of his system. He was
a Labadist, and had already advocated celibacy and a com-
munal life. One of his special missions now was to invade
the sanctity of the home, separate husband from wife and
wife from husband and parents from children. To many
a home, for peace and happiness, he gave sorrow and sepa-
ration and many of his victims were filled with remorse and
regret.

Thus was the separation complete. By the very nature
of the case, the system of doctrine, and the character of the
leader and defender of that doctrine, complete separation
was an absolute necessity. Owing to the peculiar condi-
tions and circumstances of those early times, the system
flourished for a number of years under a kind of hero wor-
ship. But the world is not looking for a religion behind
cloister walls, or locked inside of convent gates. The world
is longing for a religion of hope, of cheer, of charity, — a
religion that can comfort, that can feed the hungry, that
can soothe the broken hearted, with a salvation that proves
the joy of living is the joy of service.

Some historians and others have regarded and classed
these people as a branch of the Brethren Church. This
seems strange to anyone who has studied the system of
doctrine of these people. That the German Sabbatarians or
Seventh Day Baptists under Beissel were a schism or split
in the first place from the Brethren Church is unquestioned ;
but his monastic Community is no more a branch of the
Brethren Church from which he separated than the Luther-
an Church is a branch of the Catholic Church. There could
be nothing more foreign in doctrine or more opposite
5

60 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

in practical working. While the Master said : " Go ye into
all the world, and preach my gospel to every creature,"
Mark 16:15, Beissel sought to confine his gospel behind
cloister walls. The system was inherently selfish and was
destined to die with the brain that conceived it. It was a
system whose very foundations were so fallacious in char-
acter as to bring about its own destruction and annihilation.
The historian, writing for popularity, has regaled himself
on its unique character, but Beissel and his work linger only
as a memory of the past generations. Long since has the
stern hand of destiny laid low the actors, and while time
has silenced the turmoil and the turbulence, and has gently
stilled the sobs of broken homes and soothed the heartaches,
let us cover these scenes of the past with the mantle of
charity.

It will be remembered that we left the Mother Church
at Schwarzenau, under favorable civil conditions, enjoying
religious prosperity from 1708, for many years, being pro-
tected and even defended by Prince Henry. When he
could no lohger protect them, he spoke in most kindly terms
in their defense after they had gone away. I wish to quote
once more, from "The Origin of the Church of the
Brethren " -}

"These good people were, however, not left in peace.
Objections came from all sides that godless people were liv-
ing there who did not attend the state church nor did they
submit to its ordinances. On Easter morning of 1719 the
soldiers came and took the babes out of the mother's arms
by force, and took them to the state church, where they
were sprinkled. A cousin of Prince Henry, from Wetzlar,
brought suit against Henry for permitting the 'Taufer'
in his territory. Evidently Henry saw that he could no
longer defend these people. Most likely he told them this
and they, thankful for past favors and not wishing to cause
him any trouble, went to West Friesland. I read the letter
iBy D. Webster Kurtz in "Brethren Almanac," 191 1.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. 61

where Henry defends himself, saying that he had no such
persons in his territory. He did have, but two hundred
persons, — forty famiHes, — had just left, and now no one
was there except Lutherans, Calvinists and Catholics. In
a previous defense Henry says he does not harbor godless
and wicked people, but the people whom he had were the
* best people he ever saw ' and ' they had more religion than
any of the members of the state church.' ' Their religion is
genuine, but the religion of many others is sham. ' "

Little is known of the church during the stay of nine
years in this place of refuge. It is well known, however,
that "some Hollanders were won to the church," which is
evidence that the activity and growth of the church was
maintained. " It was at this place that they received the
news of the promising mission jfields among the Germans
in Pennsylvania. They decided to cast their lot with their
friends and Brethren in the New World, the land of re-
ligious liberty. They sailed from Rotterdam, in July, on
the good ship Allen, James Craigie, master, and qualified at
Philadelphia, September 15, 1729."^

Upon his arrival, Alexander Mack again became the lead-
ing spirit of the church, as he had been in the beginning, in
the capacity of the "leader and first minister" at the time
of organization in 1708. As some so-called historians
speak of him as the " founder " of the church of the Breth-
ren, there should be a clear and definite understanding that
the Brethren do not regard Mack as either the " founder," or
the " foundation." He was only one of eight to organize
the work, but because of his previous experience and activity
as a minister and evangelist, he naturally became the leader
and the leading spirit.

As to foundation, we accept the words of the Apostle

Paul, I Corinthians 3 : 1 1 — " For other foundation can no

man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." It may

be well to recall Alexander Mack's recital of the covenant of

2 " German Baptist Brethren," by the author, p. 52, and footnote. ^^

62 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the eight : " Under these circumstances some felt themselves
drawn powerfully to seek the footsteps of the primitive
Christians, and desired earnestly to receive in faith the or-
dained testimonies of Jesus Christ according to their true
value. At the same time they were internally and strongly
impressed with the necessity of the obedience of faith to a
soul that desires to be saved.

"Finally, in the year 1708, eight persons consented to-
gether, to enter into a covenant of a good conscience with
God, to take up all the commandments of Jesus Christ as an
easy yoke, and thus to follow the Lord Jesus, their good and
faithful shepherd, in joy and sorrow, as his true sheep, even
unto a blessed end." — German Baptist Brethren, page 62
and 63.

This is a clear statement of those who, having come from
different beliefs, accepted Christ and His Gospel as funda-
mental principles. True to the leadership of Alexander
Mack and his associates, there is no other creed or confession
to-day, but the Church of the Brethren still accepts only
the New Testament as the rule of faith and practice.

We have already set forth the difference in doctrine on
which the line of separation was made by Beissel. It is
necessary to have some understanding now as to the policy
of antagonism and destruction that was inaugurated by
Beissel, and his faithful dupes, in order to show what
Alexander Mack and Peter Becker had to grapple with at
this time. In the Conestoga, the confusion and dissension
had become a veritable Babel. Many resented the teaching
and acts of Beissel, and withdrew, and so was formed later
the Conestoga Church of Brethren. The general condition
of the congregation, and the conduct of the leaders Is thus
set forth in the " Chronicon," p. 42 : " About this time,
namely, in the year 1728, the power of God manifested
itself palpably in the meetings, witnessing against the old
Adam and his many false sanctuaries; whereat many were
offended and separated themselves from the congregation.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. 63

These Separatists, like men sick with a plague, finally
banded together, and set up a meeting of their own; so that
in those times there were more apostates than there were
righteous ones; which, however, by no means confounded
the Superintendent; for he had reckoned on all these, and
yet worse, quarrelings, when he left his beloved solitary
state and waded into the sea of humanity. Since it was
known that these apostates were supported by the Baptists
of Germantown, M. W., (Michael Wohlfahrt), felt himself
moved to go into the meeting of these Baptists and thus
spoke to them : * Men and Brethren, thus saith the Lord,
ye have gone mad ; this is a city that is destroyed, and unto
you, Peter Becker, the Lord saith, why dost thou declare
my rights and hast my covenant on thy lips, while yet thou
hatest order and throwest my words behind thee ! ' After
he had thus done, he went his way again. This occurred
in December, 1728."

After recording some other matters, on other subjects,
the " Chronicon " again proceeds : " Now we will take the
new congregation in hand again. The witness of God con-
cerning the judgment against the old Adam, as it was ap-
plied by the Superintendent with much severity, was the
cause of one revolt after another among his followers.
This continued until his death; yes, some followed him
with slander even after his death. No meeting was held at
which some did not fall to quarreling, and mostly it was on
the subject of the matrimonial estate; for he was accused
of seeking to prescribe laws and rules for the same, and
this was regarded as a teaching of the devil. It was men-
tioned above concerning the apostates that they organized
an own congregation, in which J. H. (John Hildebrand)
and D. E. (Daniel Eicher) were teachers. To these a
Brother, Joel by name, went in their meeting, and spoke
thus: 'To you, J. H., I have a word from the Lord to say.
Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt no longer go forth and
preach to others, but first thou and thy house must be con--

64 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

verted, then thou canst go forth and convert others. If
thou heed not this warning voice, the judgment of the Lord
shall come upon thee because thou hast not done according
to his Words. Moreover this day it shall be made manifest
whether we or you are the congregation of God; for God
will to-day perform a wonder and sign in me, in that if I
shall fall down before your eyes as one that is dead, and you
will pray for me that I may rise again, then God hath not
sent me unto you, and you are the Lord's congregation.
But if I do not fall dead before your eyes, but shall go out
of the door again well and hearty, then ye shall know that
the Lord hath sent me to you this day, and that you are not
the Lord's congregation. Eight days ago as I was in your
meeting, I said that there were wolves among you ' ; and
after seizing one of them, Henry Hohn by name, by the arm,
he said, * Here is a wolf,' and then went away with his com-
panion."

The " Chronicon " states that Joel "went away " showing
that he did "not fall dead," and thereby proving that the
Brethren were " not the Lord's congregation."

These denunciations were called prophesying, by deliver-
ing a message from the Lord, announcing certain destruc-
tion of the good Brethren who had incurred the displeasure
of Beissel by refusing his self-imposed leadership. Beissel
himself also delivered such testimony, or prophesy. Some
of these testimonies were written, — some printed, in both
English and German.

It is interesting to know just how the congregation of
Beissel regarded this method of antagonistic attack upon
the Brethren, and Peter Miller does not fail to state in his
usual frank way (" Chronicon") and the results:

" Some of the congregation thought as much of this testi-
mony, (Joel by name,) and also of that of M. W., recorded
above, as if the Holy Spirit had dictated it; therefore they
had them carefully written out. But another Brother,
Amos by name, who looked upon this as idolatry, with the

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. 55

sanction of the Superintendent gained possession of these
testimonies by craft and burned them, saying he would
try whether they could endure the fire-test. The sensible
reader will know how to take the best out of this." The
best is not plainly apparent even to the " sensible reader." ^

The company of Alexander Mack consisted of about
thirty families and so large an addition to their numbers
greatly stimulated the work, and cheered the Brethren in
Pennsylvania. But the heart of this devoted man was
saddened when he found the deplorable condition of things
among his Brethren, as a result of the Beissel confusion.
His life was full of heroism, however, and his true and
moral bravery failed him not now. He went resolutely to
work, once more, to win the last great battle of his life.
Perhaps he little realized that it was to be the last great
struggle. After several vain attempts to reconcile Beissel,
all efforts were concentrated to bring harmony out of the
the confusion and chaos, and once more organize his forces
for united Christian work. The result of these united
efforts is perhaps best indicated by pointing to the fact that
a number of churches were organized in the course of a few
years. The following is at least a partial list of the churches
and the dates of their organization : The Oley Church, in
1732; the Great Swamp Church, in 1733; Amwell Church,
New Jersey, in 1733; the Cocalico, or Conestoga Church, in
1735 (reorganized from the Beissel wreck) ; the White
Oakland, in 1736 (only partly organized) ; and others soon,
after. But he saw only a part of the fruits of his latter
labors. His life was too intense, too full of sacrifice and
service, to last long; and at the early age of fifty-six, he
passed away. A brief biography will be found in the fol-
lowing chapter.

CHAPTER IX.

ALEXANDER MACK, SR.i

Birth. — In the foregoing chapters we have much account
of the activities and labors of this man of God, yet because
of the importance of his ministry and leadership for twenty-
seven years, it will be of interest to relate briefly such
biographical facts as have come down to us. It may be
said, however, that we know but little, comparatively, of
this great and good man, outside of the organized activities
of the Church of the Brethren with which he is so insepa-
rably connected. He was born in 1679, at Schriesheim,
a'bout midway between Manheim and Heidelberg, in the
Electorate of Palatia, or the Palatinate, now forming a part
of the grand duchy of Baden, in southern Germany. Of his
parents we have little positive information. From what his
biographers say of him, we know that his parents were re-
spectable, wealthy and religious.

His Education. — Inasmuch as "After the Reformation
Heidelberg was long the headquarters of German Calvinism
and gave its name to a famous Calvinistic catechism," it is
altogether likely that Alexander Mack received careful in-
struction in the Heidelberg catechism, since he was born and
raised only a few miles from that city. Elder James
Quinter writes, in 1867: "Although we know but little of
his ancestors, it appears he descended from a very respect-
able and wealthy family. He was a Presbyterian (Re-
formed), and educated in the Calvinistic faith. Of his
literary acquirements we know nothing but what we can
gather from his writings, and from these it does not appear
that he had a classical education. "^

Occupation. — It seems that in early life he was a miller,
and operated his milling interests. Morgan Edwards, writ-

1 This biographical sketch is placed as Chapter IX, of Part I, be-
cause his life belonged to the whole Brotherhood.

2 Memoir of Alexander Mack, Sen., Brethren's Encyclopedia.

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ALEXANDER MACK, SR. 57

ing in 1 770, says : " He had a handsome patrimony at
Schriesheim, with a profitable mill and vineyard thereon,
but spent all in raising and maintaining his church at
Schwarzenau."^

Marriage. — In the year 1700, at the age of twenty one, he
was married to Anna Margaretha Klingin, a native of the
same place and about his own age. To this union were born
five children, three sons and two daughters : Johannes, John
Valentine, Alexander, Christina, and Anna Maria.

His Life-Work. — His life-work began at an early age.
He was only twenty-nine years of age when the Church was
organized and he was chosen the first minister. He how-
ever had been active already for a number of years before
this time. Being dissatisfied with the religious system in
which he had been brought up, he directed his prayerful at-
tention to the Scriptures in searching for " the old paths,"
for he was anxious to ascertain the mind of the Lord as
therein revealed. This soon brought persecution and in a
few years he was an exile from his splendid estate at
Schriesheim. He took his wife and little ones, and with
many others found a refuge at Schwarzenau under the mild
rule of Count Henry. Here he found many active Pietists
and among them Ernest Christoph Hochmann von Hochenau
who was an active evangelist and with whom Mack traveled
much, for they had much in common. There is no doubt
but that Hochmann's Confession of Faith encouraged and
confirmed Mack considerably in his own convictions; but
Hochmann seemed to lack the courage of his convictions and
his work ultimately came to naught and he died in sorrowful
poverty. The work of the Church of the Brethren was
organized here in 1708, as has already been noticed, and was
continued for twelve years, or until 1720; when upon the
death of the mild and friendly Count, they were driven to
Holland. But the year 1720 is emphasized for sadness, in
the life of this good man, in addition to persecution and
exile. From Quinter's Memoir, I quote as follows :

3 "Materials toward a History of the American Baptists," Vol. I,
Part IV.

58 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

" But he had domestic afflictions to endure, as well as those
arising from persecution. In 1720, twenty years after they
were united in the bonds of matrimony, and twelve years
after they were united to Christ by a living faith and gospel
obedience, his companion was taken from him by death.
She is said to have been a meek Christian and virtuous wife.
She found in death what she and her husband had sought in
vain for on earth, a calm retreat from the storm of persecu-
tion. Within one week of the death of his wife, his oldest
daughter, then about six years old, also died. It is said
that the child was uncommonly fond of its mother, and out
of regard, perhaps, to the fondness which existed between
the mother and child, as well as out of regard to the circum-
stances of persecution under which the father and child were
placed, the Lord in His wisdom and goodness may have
taken the little daughter to the quiet home of the mother
where it could enjoy her fond caresses, rather than leave it
where it must endure the hardships and troubles of persecu-
tion in common with its father. Thus in about one week, in
addition to the troubles consequent upon the great persecu-
tion which was then raging, he had to bear the loss of a kind
and Christian wife and a dear little daughter. After seek-
ing unsuccessfully for a retreat from persecution in his na-
tive country, he with his three sons, and a number of his
Brethren, emigrated to America in 1729, and settled as a
poor man, poor in this world's goods but rich in faith, on a
small lot of ground near Germantown, in the vicinity of
Philadelphia."

Thus it will be seen that the wife of Alexander Mack did
not accompany him to America in 1729, as some historians
assert, and such assertion has, therefore, been the cause of
much confusion.

The Character of this ''Man of God." — Though he prob-
ably was not classically educated, his writings have lived for
two hundred years. He was, perhaps, not an eloquent
preacher, but his consistent life and consecrated devotion
wonderfully impressed the truth he professed and defended.
He was truly loved and deeply mourned by those who fol-
lowed his leadership. His death at this time was a very
serious loss, coming as it did so soon after the confusion of
the Beissel Secession; and it would certainly have proven

ALEXANDER MACK, SR. 59

fatal If his followers had bullded on the personality of their
leader. But he was so anxious about the permanent estab-
lishment of the truth of God, that he had carefully elimi-
nated his own personality. Perhaps the truth of this state-
ment is best illustrated by the following incident.

Some time before his death, he said to his family, " Now
when I am gone, don't mark my grave, or they might some-
time want to erect a monument over my grave." The sons
were grieved to think that his grave should be lost sight of,
and so they protested against an unmarked grave. It is said
he then yielded to the wishes of his loved ones and gave
them privilege to place his initials on a small stone slab.
This incident seems well established as a fact; it is at any
rate entirely consistent with the man's life and character,
and the unpretentious bluestone, scarce two feet in height,
has been a silent witness for more than a century and a half,
to multitudes of his followers.

No monument has yet been erected, and none will be. He
needs none. His name is written in the Book of Life; his
spiritual devotion and living sacrifice to principle are in-
scribed in the hearts of his spiritual descendants. What a
simple story of such a heroic life. " Hier Ruhen | die Ge-
beine | A.M. | geboren 1679. | gestorben | 1735. | Alt 56 Jahr."
Succeeding generations of his own family, not connected
with the Brethren, had lost the grave entirely. To the
Brethren, all these years the simple epitaph was eloquent
with meaning.

" His Christian character appears to have been that of a
primitive follower of Christ. Humility, zeal, self-denial,
and charity were conspicuous among the graces that adorned
his character. The high estimation in which he was held by
his Brethren is seen in the circumstances that he was chosen
by them to be their minister. He was the first minister in
the little Christian community organized at Schwarzenau in
1708, and labored zealously and successfully to enlarge the
borders of their Zion. Of his private character as a Chris-
tian father we may infer favorably from the circumstances ,
that all his sons became pious and were united to the church ! \
before they had completed their seventeenth year. And

60 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

what seems somewhat remarkable, they all made a public
confession of religion in the seventeenth year of their age."*
"To Alexander Mack the church must ever turn with
gratitude and reverence. In the midst of persecutions and
in an age of religious fanaticism, surrounded by men of all
shades of belief, he heroically stood for the truth as he
/ saw it. Around him, no doubt impressed by his piety and
honesty, gathered faithful followers — men and women who
abandoned former religious organizations and stood with
him for the truth of God as revealed in Christ. To him we
are indebted for our church organization and for the prin-
ciples that bind into a Christian unity, the members of God's
visible Church."**

We need a larger vision of the times and condition in
which he lived, and of the scope of the work he helped to
establish, so that we may place a higher estimate upon the
life and character of Alexander Mack, and assign his proper
place as a factor in the religious history of the world. Such
high type of Christian leadership leads men and women back
to God.

His Seal. — To study his seal is of real significance. Some
years ago some of his descendants from the west commenced
a research for the purpose of recovering his seal. They
seemed certain enough that there was or had been a seal, but
the search proved fruitless, and it now seems likely that the
seal of Alexander Mack will never be found. Such a seal
indicates the prominence of his family. What was the char-
acter of this seal, and what was its symbolic representation?
Did he not leave its impress somewhere, just as he left his
impress of his character upon the hearts and lives of his fol-
lowers ? Yes, after being lost perhaps more than a century,
and even its character unknown. Beside his official signa-
ture on an old parchment deed, at Germantown, is his official
impress of his personal or family seal. It is in red sealing
wax and is in perfect condition. See illustration, which
shows that the seal consisted of several symbols, each of
which had a religious significance. The entire combination
constitutes a remarkable index to the character of its owner.

* Quinter's Memoir.

5 " German Baptist Brethren," M. G. Brumbaugh, page 71.

r,i

ALEXANDER MACK, SR. 61

It is circular in shape. In the center is the cross, which
means sacrifice ; the heart means devotion, and placed on the
cross, further means sacrificed in devotion; the branches of
the vine mean fruit-bearing. Thus the seal may be inter-
preted to read: a devoted, fruit-bearing, sacrificed Hfe.
How significantly true is this of the life of Alexander Mack?
The Removal. — When Alexander Mack died in 1735,
there was but one graveyard in the neighborhood, called the
Upper Burying Ground of Germantown or sometimes called
Axe's Burying Ground, after the man who owned the
ground. The cemetery connected with the Brethren church,
located now near the spot where he died, was not opened
until the close of the century, or about sixty-five years after
Mack's death. So with loving hand his body was laid away
to sleep in the midst of strangers. This ancient cemetery
has long since been but little used, and many removals have
taken place within recent years. Because of the growing
neglect of the place for years, it was a matter of much regret
and real sorrow of heart, when I first discovered that he
reposes in so forlorn and neglected a place. The Brethren
cemetery was a beautiful, and an ideal spot in which to lay
away loved ones. Why should not his remains repose in the
midst of his own people, and especially in the midst of five
generations of his own descendants ? But he was buried one
hundred and fifty-nine years, and why should his dust be
disturbed. A proposition of removal was presented to some
of the descendants, for they alone had the right to authorize.
They quickly consented but scarcely one of them knew of the
place of his burial. Necessary official arrangements were
made, and on November 13, 1894, the removal took place.
The inscription on the small stone slab said : " Here rest
the bones A. M." This was literally the truth, strange as
it seems to one who knows not the condition of the ground
that preserved the bones for so long a time. All the bones
were there, even to the smallest, perfect in form and shape,
but without hardness, or toughness, only the mineral con-
stituents. These bones, with the brown layer of dust sur-
rounding them, we carefully and gently gathered together,
and placed in an oak box. For a short time these remains

62 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

reposed in the historic meeting house, while we conducted
brief funeral services, Eld. T. T. Myers, then of Philadel-
phia, assisting. The oak box, with the mortality of Alex-
ander Mack, was then carried to the cemetery in the rear
of the church, and placed in a grave in the midst of his own
family. The former small slab was retained for a foot-
stone, and for a head-stone there was erected a plain white
marble slab about five feet in height, with the following
inscription :

Seal of Alexander Mack, Sr.

THE FIRST MINISTER •

Anoorcakizer or the
[church Of -THE BRETHREN.
IN THE YEAR W09 ,
BORN AT SCHRIESHEIM " ■:
GERMANY. 1679-
CAME TO CERMANTOWf* J
;7e9. DIE.0 1735 . '^\
■^REMOVED FROM )'
J axe's "QURYINO CROUNDj^

Old and New Tombstone of Alexander Mack, Sr.

Old Stone Church and Old Stone Parsonage, Germantown.

Bv Julius F. Sachsc.

CHAPTER X.

GERMANTOWN.

It will be remembered that from the beginning, German-
town has always occupied a conspicuous place in the activi-
ties of the Brethren. It was the center of authority and
organized effort ; and so, in the preceding chapters, German-
town has often been referred to and much of its history
traced directly, and much more indirectly and in a general
way. Nothing more, therefore, need be said of these earlier
years, but we have now arrived at a period when it is neces-
sary to consider Germantown very carefully, for here are
concentrated all the vital interests of a great religious crisis.

A Retrospect. — Beissel had invaded Falckner's Swamp,^
and during the years, from 1727 to 1729, had made many
converts. It was here that an effort was made at reconcilia-
tion, but like all others proved fruitless. After seven years
from the beginning of this awakening, these converts of
Beissel broke up their homes and moved to the Settlement,
in 1734. Encouraged by his success in Falckner's Swamp,
during these first years, Beissel decided to make a visit into
the Tulpehocken country, where he met with astonishing
success, because of the high standing of the converts in the
Reformed and Lutheran churches. The recital of this
awakening had no bearing on the subject under considera-
tion, except by mere reference to it to show Beissel's prose-
lyting methods at this time.

Michael Wohlfahrt the over-zealous servant, was ever
ready to do the bidding of Beissel, at all hazards. As noted
in a previous chapter, he, with one Joel by name, interrupted
the Brethren, in their meetings in Conestoga. He had been
of service in Falckner's Swamp, until, "he fell from his
office with shame and disgrace." He was now ready to
serve his master in a new field, and other places.

1 For account of the work in Falckner's Swamp, see "History ot
Coventry Church."

64 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

The Chronicon makes a final comment on this method of
work, and gives another example of this style of harangue,
viz. :

" It viras mentioned above that M. W. (Michael Wohlfahrt)
had borne prophetic witness against the Baptists (Brethren)
in Germantown. He did more such work in those days.
For on October 19, 1729, he and another Brother went into
a meeting of the Quakers in Philadelphia, and, after he had
listened a long while to a female preacher, he finally began
to speak, — * My friends, I beseech you to hearken unto me,
for I have a few words from the Lord to you; therefore, I
demand that you hear me. For I will not leave this place
until I have delivered my message which I am sent to bring,
that I may be guiltless before the Lord, and may go my
way hence again in peace.' The speeches and replies are in
print, but are too lengthy to reproduce here."

The civil law has long ago made provision for such con-
ditions, and if any one were to tramp around the country
now disturbing religious meetings, he would likely be ar-
rested and fined, or imprisoned. But the very audacity of
these dupes," and the very positive boldness with which they
announced their preposterous claims of a direct revelation
from the Lord to pronounce judgment upon the people,
made a profound impression upon some of the hearers. All
of these things had an influence upon some people, and they
could not fail to affect those at Germantown who had already
such tendencies, and contributed to their further develop-
men. However, with the coming of Alexander Mack, in
1729, the whole situation assumed a changed aspect. The
powerful influence of his personal leadership was at once
felt and recognized, — in checking Beissel's influence and
work, and in giving inspiration and enthusiasm to the cause
of the Brethren. During the next six years the work was
much extended, and new churches were organized.

Other Influences at Work. — It will be necessary to a clear
understanding now, to trace some of the internal conditions
which contributed so largely to the final results. Reference
was made in the beginning to the mystical influences that
hindered the Brethren in the earlier years, in their work at

GERMANTOWN. 65

Germantovvn. After a time these influences seem to have
been overcome ; but they were only lying dormant for a time,
and in years after rebounded with consuming force. One
person was largely responsible for this element in the re-
ligious crisis, as will be seen by an account of his doings.

"Among the Creyfelt members who came with Peter
Becker to Germantown in 1719, no one affords a better
illustration of the mystical influences that saddened and re-
tarded the growth of the Church than Stephen Koch.

"Before 171 5, he was a minister at Creyfelt, but not an
ordained Elder. With the more consecrated element of
the congregation he engaged in active evangelistic work,
traveled much, preached fearlessly, lived nobly. When he
came to America, he allowed the spirit to decline. In 1723,
he was at the first love feast, a humble member; but the
collected membership chose Becker to conduct the services.
Whether this in any way affected the zeal of Bro. Koch is
not known. Perhaps he already had developed such traits
of mysticism as to render his leadership unwise. At all
events, the Ephrata community had a charm for him.

"In August, 1726, the Brethren at Germantown paid a
fraternal visit to the Conestoga congregation, then in full
fellowship, and presided over by Conrad Beissel. On this
visitation Henry Traut and Stephen Koch left the party and
visited Jacob Stuntz.

" Stuntz came to America in 1720 with Beissel and
Steifel. Stuntz paid Beissel's passage to Boston. He also,
in 1 72 1, accompanied Beissel into the wilderness and lived a
solitary life. About 1724, Stuntz sold the house in which
he and Beissel Hved in order to recover the money advanced
to Beissel on coming to America. This caused Stuntz to
suffer the displeasure of Beissel. When Beissel founded the
church, Stuntz also became a member. Stuntz married, and
under censure of having married a near relative, Beissel
placed him under the ban.

"To restore Stuntz to fellowship was the purpose of
Traut and Koch's visit. In this they were successful. But
in doing so they incurred the censure of Beissel who claimed
that he alone had the power to restore Stuntz to the com-
munion of his Brethren. Beissel, therefore, not only re-
6

66 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

newed his opposition to Stuntz, but censured these Brethren
as well."2

Some of Koch's Doings. — I have made this somewhat
extended quotation, in order to give some facts of Koch's
earher Hfe, some phases of reHgious tendencies, and Koch's
relation to Germantown as well as to Beissel. We are,
therefore, the better prepared to consider the conditions at
Germantown, in which Koch became so important a figure.
Koch was a man of large experience as a minister, of some
ability as a writer, and among other things, he wrote a long
account of himself, and his doings at Germantown, which is
recorded in the CJironicon. This account is very largely the
index to his life and character. From 1726 to 1739, he
passed through many and very varied experiences. He
more and more yielded to his mystical tendencies. He lived
for a time, at least, a solitary life, but the Chronicon says,
"he forsook his celibacy, and betrothed himself to a widow."
From this course he repented with many tears of penitence,
and returned to his solitary life. In an introductory way,
the Chronicon says, " at that time there was among the
Baptists at Germantown, an old experienced Solitary
Brother, Stephen Kock by name, who stood in good repute
because of his piety." But he grew more and more out of
harmony with the Brethren. He says, in his own account, —

" for they recognize no one as a Brother who has not been
baptized, even though he should surpass them in knowledge
and experience ; such an one has to be satisfied with the title
of friend. They went still further in this literal and narrow
manner and committed the teaching office mostly into the
hands of married men. Thereby they brought matrimony
into high favor."

This seems to be the real ground for his course, that he
did not receive the consideration he felt was due him, the
reason for such lack, of course, being that his teaching was
wholly at variance with the Brethren. Koch began to have
ecstatic visions, as early as 1732; some of these he wrote
out in full for publication, — first published in Europe, and

2 " German Baptist Brethren," Brumbaugh, pages I33~i34-

GERMANTOWN.

afterwards reprinted, by Saur, in 1744 and 1748, with other
"" apparitions" etc. These are too lengthy to appear in this
work.^

But new experiences came to him besides his betrothal,
and remarkable visions and apparitions. He says :

"About this same time, however, an important Brother,
Henry Traut by name, passed out of time into eternity, on
Jan. 4, 1733. When with sorrowful heart and deeply
grieved I saw him pass into eternity, it made so deep an
impression on me that I continually sighed unto God whether
it were not possible that in this life yet I might attain unto
health of conscience."

Traut and Koch had been very intimate, for they had
much in common, and had some similar experiences. To
this penitence, and to visions, and to this grief, however, one
thing more must be added. He says :

" In this way I spent several years, and had, besides, great
pain from stones in the bladder, so that I often lay two
or three days in the greatest extremity, and had death ever
before me, until I was again relieved from it for a time.
But God finally regarded my misery, and came to my help
in a wonderful manner, on the 3rd of May, 1735."

The Reaction. — As stated above the six years, from 1729
to 1735, during Mack's leadership, were years of religious;
prosperity for the Brethren, notwithstanding Beissel's ag-
gressive opposition from without, and Koch's mystical in-
fluences from within. But the year 1735, the year of
Mack's death, was especially a sad one for Germantown.
The time seemed most unfortunate.

"A great crisis was approaching among the Germans in
Pennsylvania. Beissel was especially active and aggressive,
and while he had confined himself to the Brethren settle-
ments in various places, he now branched out and began to
proselyte among the Lutherans and Reformed in the Tulpe-
hocken and other places. It was in 1735 that Rev. Peter
Miller and Conrad Weiser and other prominent Germans

3 See the Chronic on, " German Sectarians," and Brumbaugh's " Ger-
man Baptist Brethren."

68 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

accepted Beissel's doctrine, and removed to Ephrata.
Beissel now seemed to put forth every effort possible to
destroy the Brethren congregations. He organized large
parties, sometimes as many as twelve in a party, to visit the
settlements of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He laid
claim to following the Brethren's doctrine in the observance
of all the commandments of the New Testament and every-
where threatened the church. He found in after years that
his work was too aggressive, for he had many converts he
could not hold, and many he did not want, for he could not
assimilate and use them to his own ends. This at least
partly explains the reason why so many prominent persons,
who became converts of Beissel, remained at Ephrata only
long enough to find out the man and the character of his
work."4

Under these conditions, it is not strange, therefore, that
there was a serious reaction when Mack died. Some of the
newly organized churches were not yet well established, but
the full force of the blow fell on Germantown. Here were
those who had come with him in 1729, and who had never
known any other ministry and leadership. They who knew
him best, loved him most, and most deeply mourned their
loss of his personal presence. Among these was Alexander
Mack, Jr., then a young man of 23 years, very active in the
church, but disheartened when his father died, whom he
dearly loved. He was despondent, and believed that he too
would soon die. It was at this time that Koch first related
to him his wonderful visions and experience. It made a
deep impression upon him, in his despondent condition.
Koch also greatly influenced Henry Kalckglasser, who was
at this time the oldest minister in the congregation at Ger-
mantown. By this condition, Koch was much encouraged
in his work, and began to hold public meetings of his own.
He came to live with Alexander Mack and he refers to their
further association, and the result as follows :

"We often had similar conversations with each other,
and it was not long before he also came to an awakened
condition. As he was a ready speaker, he began to speak

* " German Baptist Brethren," by the author, page 74.

GERMANTOWN. 69

in the meeting so powerfully that it was a marvel to hear
him, and aroused much notice in the congregation. ... At
that time we had a meeting for the unmarried every Sunday,
afternoon, where we also spoke together as narrated above.
At last the spirit of revival came upon all who were as-
sembled together, so that one often heard with astonishment
how they praised God; however, with many it did not last
long."

These meetings have sometimes been called a Sunday
School because held on Sunday afternoon. But let it be
remembered, first, it was " a meeting for the unmarried " ;
second, the teaching theme was Koch's visions and Beissel's
doctrine of celibacy; third, the teachers were Beissel's
disciples. These meetings received every possible en-
couragement from Ephrata, and Peter Miller and others
from Ephrata frequently were present to address the meet-
ings. After these Germantown Brethren and Sisters had
gone to Ephrata, they continued the Sunday meetings there,
for many years.

A Divided Congregation. — Thus matters continued for
several years, with increasing gloom hanging over German-
town. There could be but one result, — a divided congrega-
tion, a disrupted church. The Chronicon gives the follow-
ing, as to conditions at this time :

"The fame of it (the awakening) soon resounded through
the whole land; for they held their meetings in the woods,
and then walked through Germantown hand in hand, which
attracted much attention. Besides, they had frequent meet-
ings at night. The teachers of the Baptists themselves went
astray in this movement. Some of them, like Henry Kalck-
glasser, Valentine Mack, John Hildebrand, supported it;
while others, like P. Becker, Naass, etc., [Peter Becker,
John Naas,] who had had a similar experience in Germany,
opposed it. Yes, Peter Becker often said to them: 'Dear
children, it is the seventh-day spirit of Conestoga! '"

And so, the crisis was at hand. Beissel had won, but at
tremendous cost, and the victory was worse than the defeat.
Koch and his companions and adherents marched out of
Germantown, most of them never to return. They

70 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

journeyed to Ephrata, there to bury themselves in seclusion
behind monastic walls. Germantown had lost a host,
Beissel added a few names to his monastery lists. It was
the saddest day in the history of Germantown, for many
valuable members had been lost, and some of the best fami-
lies were represented. A few, when they realized their
disappointment, repented and returned; others there were
who died in the sadness and solitude of their disappoint-
ment. There was only one thing that saved Germantown
in this trying ordeal, and that was the faithful devotion of
Elder Peter Becker and those who stood with him.

The following names are given as composing the exodus
of 1739, mostly on March 27: Heinrich Kalckglasser, and
wife; Valentine Mack, and wife Maria (Hildebrand") ; Louis
Hocker, his wife Margretta, and daughter Maria; Johannes
Hildebrand and wife; Johannes Pettikoffer, and wife Anna
Elizabeth; the widow Gorgas and her children. Among
the single persons who joined the celibates, or Solitary,
were: Stephen Koch, Alexander Mack, Johannes Reismann,
Christian Eckstein, Heinrich Hocker, Martha Kinsing,
Miriam Gorgas and Elizabeth Eckstein. And so the curtain
forever falls upon the unwritten tragedy.

CHAPTER XI.

CLOSING DECADES OF THE PRE-REVOLUTIONARY
PERIOD.

General Survey. — It is necessary, at this time, to take a
view of the whole field of the Brethren activities. During
the closing decades of this period, the work is much ex-
tended, far beyond the borders of the field covered by this
volume. These can only be referred to, in order to show
to what extent the work has spread at so early a date.
There was much colonization at an early day, and with this
colonizing went the doctrine and influence of the Brethren.
This migration and colonization was first to the southern
counties of Pennsylvania, and then into various counties in
Maryland and Virginia, and even south as far as North
Carolina.^

Virginia. — There were probably no organized churches
of the Brethren in Virginia before the Revolution, but settle-
ments by the Brethren had commenced; and, also, several
by followers of Beissel, some of whom here, as in other
places, soon came into full fellowship with the Brethren,
upon the disintegration of Beissel's work,

Maryland. — Several well-established churches must have
existed in Maryland, by the close of this period. The first
Brethren Church was probably that of Middletown Valley,
in Frederick County, organized in 1 760. " Many members
went to the Conococheague and to Monocacy, from the
various congregations in Pennsylvania ; and among them
were prominent and efficient ministers, but we know little
of their work in the early days. The scores of congrega-
tions of the present day, however, attest the faithful devo-
tion of these pioneers, and the success of the migration to
the Southland."^ Among the prominent Elders and minis-

1 See "Histoi-y of the Brethren in Virginia," by D. H. Zigler; also,
" The Church Before the Revolution," in " Two Centuries of the
Church of the Brethren," by J. W. Wayland.

2 " German Baptist Brethren," by the author, page 98.

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

ters who went to Maryland early, before 1770, were: —
Elder Jacob Donner, from the Codorus Church, York
County; Elder Daniel Leatherman and Elder Nicolas
Martin, both from Little Conewago Church, in York
County, Pennsylvania. These were prominent and active
elders, and frequently returned to the Pennsylvania churches
on preaching tours, and important church councils. This
much must suffice for a notice of the work to the southward,
from Pennsylvania. We hope that soon the Brethren in
Maryland will make a thorough research of their ante-
cedents, and after having gathered all available data possible,
make a careful study of their history, and publish the fruits
of their labors, for the instruction and inspiration of the
coming generations.

A Momentous Period in American History. — It is well
to note some of the external conditions with which our
Brethren were surrounded during the latter years of this
period under consideration. It w^as indeed a momentous
period in American history, as to political and military con-
ditions. In this period fall two wars in which the Ameri-
cans and the English fought against the French ; and it also
marks the beginning of a far greater one, in which the
Americans and the French fought against the English. In
the former wars, the French lost their empire in America;
and in the latter, in the succeeding period, England forever
lost a vast empire, and the beginnings of a mighty nation.
It was scarcely less momentous from educational and re-
ligious considerations. The following panoramic sketch is
full of interest, as well as thoughtfully suggestive : —

" It was in this period under review that Thomas Jeffer-
son was born ; that Washington rose from a forest ranger to
a general's rank; that Franklin became famous as a printer,
and an inventor, and won some notoriety for his antipathy
to the Pennsylvania Dutch; that Jonathan Edwards pub-
lished his work on the freedom of the human will ; that Zin-
zendorf the Moravian, Muhlenberg the Lutheran, Schlatter
the German Reformed, and Whitefield the Methodist, all
came to Pennsylvania or neighboring colonies ; that the
northern Indian tribes rose in that mighty conspiracy under

CLOSING DECADES OF PRE-REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 73

the crafty Pontiac; that the Stamp Act was passed by the
British ParHament one year and repealed the next; that
Patrick Henry and James Otis set the land aflame with
words and ideas; and that there was fired one April morn-
ing in the dim light at Lexington, near Boston, * the shot
heard round the world.'

"It was a stirring time; a period of aggressive strivings,
momentous beginnings and of rapid developments; and, un-
fortunately for us, a period of too scanty records. Our
fathers of that time were too busy subduing wild nature,
and overcoming want and long distances, to pay much atten-
tion to writing history. They were making it, not writing
it. We have entered into their labors with joy and thanks-
giving, but we long to know more of their story."^

In Southern Pennsylvania. — This field is exceedingly in-
teresting, from the fact of its early beginnings and rapid
developments. The Brethren at an early day crossed the
Susquehanna, entered what is now York County, and occu-
pied many hundreds of its fertile acres. The strong con-
gregations within the county to-day attest their prosperity
for one hundred and seventy-five years. The Little Cone-
wago Church was the first to be organized, in 1738, with
Elder Daniel Leatherman as their minister; and upon his
moving to Maryland, Elder Nicholas Martin was their
minister. He also went to Maryland, as noted before, and
when the Church was thirty-two years old, in 1770, Brethren
Jacob Moyer and James Henrich, not ordained, were the
ministers. The Conewago Church was organized, three
years later, in 1741; Elder George Adam Martin was the
minister. Later Leatherman and Martin, from the Little
Conewago, also ministered to them, until they left the state.
In 1770, George Brown, not ordained, was the minister; the
Church, with a membership of yj, was the next to the
largest church in the Brotherhood, Conestoga alone being
larger. The Codorus Church was organized in 1758 with
Elder Jacob Tanner, or Donner, as their minister. When
he went to Maryland Henry Neff was their minister in 1 770.
The Bermudian Church was organized by Beissel, in 1758,

3 " Two Centuries, Church of the Brethren," J. W. Wayland.

74 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

but he was too feeble, in a few years, to serve them; when
Peter Miller and George Adam Martin preached there for a
time. When Miller ceased his visits, and Martin went to
Stony Creek, in Bedford County, the Bermudian Church
passed entirely under the influence and control of the
Brethren. Henry Lowman, not ordained, was the. minister
in 1770. The Antietam Church in Franklin County was
organized in 1752, when George Adam Martin was also an
active minister. The Stony Creek Church was organized
in 1770,

"This church also is the offspring of Ephrata (for the
most part) ; the seventh-day sabbath is kept.

"The minister is Rev. George Adam Martin, of whom
mention has been made before. He was born near Land-
stuhl in Germany in the year 1715 ; was bred a Presbyterian;
embraced the principles of the Baptists in 1737, and was
ordained by Peter Baker (Becker) in 1739. Afterwards
he resided at Little Conewago, where some misunderstand-
ing arose between him and the people and occasioned him
to remove to Antitum (Antietam). In the year 1762 he
adopted th« sentiments of the seventh-day Baptists, and
preached at Bermudian. From thence he went to Stony
Creek this year."*

After the death of Martin, the Stony Creek Church passed
into the hands of the Brethren, as Bermudian had done
before. For full accounts of the colonial Brethren
Churches at this period, 1770, see German Baptist Brethren,
by the author, pages 80-102, quoting Rev. Morgan Edwards;
see, also, Brumbaugh, quoting from same. These accounts
are very interesting, but too lengthy to be inserted here.
See tabulated list at the close of this chapter.

"At some time between 1750 and 1760 certain Tunkers
(Brethren) became the first permanent settlers in what is
now Blair County, locating in the southern end of Morri-
son's Cove. They are said to have held religious services
before the year 1756."^

* Morgan Edwards, in 1770.

^' J. W. Wayland, Bicentennial address, 1908.

CLOSING DECADES OF PRE-REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 75

These brief accounts must suffice for a general survey of
the work and activities of the Brethren in other parts.

Our Own District. — In this district, the colonial churches
for the most part are elsewhere fully considered. The
Conestoga Church will be found in the following chapter,
discussed by Elder Henry Kurtz.

The Coventry Church is found in Chapter I, Part IV,
Coventry Group, and nothing more need be said, by way of
addition to general references in early colonial conditions,
and the special chapter devoted to the history in detail.

The colonial church in New Jersey, Amwell, will be
found in Part III, The Church in New Jersey, Introduction.

While_Qak -Church, for a long time a part of Conestoga,

is fully discussed in its separate existence, in Chapter I, Part
VII, The White Oak Group.

The Big Swatara, The Little Swatara, The Northkill, and
The Oley Churches, are covered by the discussions in
Chapters I, II, and V, of Part VIII, Swatara Group, which
chapters cover the territorial divisions of the former colonial
churches above-named.

The "Greatswamp" (Big Swamp) Church, organized in
1735, receives due consideration in Chapter I, Part V,
Indian Creek Group.

As our definite and specific information of these times
largely closes with the year 1770, the time when Morgan
Edwards published his researches, this pre-revolutionary
period must largely close with that date. The foregoing
general survey, though necessarily brief, gives a fair view of
the condition of the Brethren Churches in 1770, and shows
really a remarkable development during thirty years, since
the time when that dark cloud hung over the Germantown
Church. Before closing this period it will be necessary to
name a few things that happened there in thirty years.

Germantown. — As everywhere else, so at Germantown, a
great change has taken place. The entire leadership, of the
earlier years, has passed away, by the close of this period.
Not one remains. At no other place was there so great a
change in conditions, and so remarkable a change in leader-
ship, as at Germantown. With the death of Mack in 1735,

76 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Peter Becker was once more the leader ; and with the exodus
to Ephrata in 1739, when at least three ministers left Ger-
mantown, and another one having died, it may be that
Becker was the only minister left at the time. Perhaps at
no other time was his character and personality brought to a
greater test, and perhaps at no other time did he show
greater fervor and devotion, and higher elements of leader-
ship. He reorganized his shattered forces, and prepared
Germantown for a period of greatest strength, and highest
development.

Elder Peter Becker.^ — Much has been said of him, in the
preceding chapters, in the discussion of the religious activi-
ties of the Brethren, but it is necessary to give a few
biographical facts, in closing his life. He was born at Dils-
heim in Germany, in 1687. He was educated a Presby-
terian, but embraced the principles of the Brethren at Cre-
feldt, Germany, In 1714. He was the leader of the first
emigration, and arrived in America in 1719. At the
organization of the Church at Germantown, he became the
first Elder, the administrator at the first baptism, and
officiated at the first love-feast. He was a weaver by trade,
and owned twenty-three acres of land, which he cultivated
in cereals and flax.

Marriage and Family. — He was married to Anna
Dorothy Partman, by whom he had two daughters, Mary
and Elizabeth. The first was married to Rudolph Harley,
and the other to Jahob Stump; both of which settled in the
neighborhood and had large families, and most of them
became members of the Brethren at an early period. In
1746, his wife died, and he removed to Indian Creek, and
lived with his daughter, the wife of Rudolp Harley. Here
he lived twelve more years, and labored faithfully in his
ministry in the Indian Creek Church, but his life's record
belongs to Germantown, rather than Indian Creek.

His Character. — It is said of him, that he was not an
eloquent and forceful preacher, but a sweet singer, and a

«For fuller biography, see "Some Who Led," Brethren Publishing
House; also "History, German Baptist Brethren," Brumbaugh, pp. 191-
210.

CLOSING DECADES OF PRE-REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 77

man remarkably gifted in prayer. He is noted for his
piety and true devotion to the cause he loved. He seems
to have been a wise counselor, a safe leader in trying times,
when some others lost their balance, and were swept away
by the influence of visionary theories, and mystical doc-
trines of the spirit of the times. He was a rock of safety,
in the stress of a great crisis. He was not the most gifted
man, but, next to Mack, one of the most used of the Lord
in the early church.

A Center of Influence. — Not alone the leadership of Peter
Becker saved and re-established Germantown, but gradually
and powerfully, other influences contributed to a great change
in conditions, and the development of a new leadership.
Prominent in the new order of things is the beginning of a
printing establishment that in due time reached to the
remotest parts of Colonial America. This printing busi-
ness was commenced by Christopher Saur (Sower) the
First, and afterwards, continued by his son, Christopher
Second, one of the Bishops, or Elders, of the Germantown
Church for many years. This same Sower family has con-
tinued the publishing business in various places ever since,
and the Christopher Sower Publishing Co., of Philadelphia,
was established by the late Chas. G. Sower, and incorporated
by him to perpetuate the name of his ancestors. This
Sower press soon became famous, and the Brethren early
came into full control of large publishing interests, and
issued many books, and pamphlets, and especially Bibles
and hymn books. The Leiberts and Schreibers were also
printers, and book-binders. These literary and publishing
activities made the Germantown Church a center of wide-
spread influence, throughout all the German settlements in
all the colonies.

The New Leadership. — It will be remembered that with
the exodus from Germantown to Ephrata, went Alexander
Mack, Jr., then a young man. Just how long he remained
is not known, and what he did while there is not an essential
part of our story. He did remain, however, long enough
to convince himself that Ephrata is not the place for him
to spend his life, and to do his life's work. He returned to

78 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Germantown, before 1748, for in that year, he was not
only in full fellowship with his Brethren, but also in their
full confidence. Christopher Sower records in his diary,
"On June 7, 1748, there were placed upon me and Brother
Sander (Alexander) Mack the oversight (Aufsicht) of
the Brotherhood (Gemeinschaft) on trialJ Brother Brum-
baugh adds : —

" Prior to this Alexander Mack must have returned and
made fitting apology for his absence, and lived long enough
among the members to win their confidence and love.
Otherwise they would not have given him the joint over-
sight of the congregation. This closes his career as a
wanderer and marks the beginning of fifty-five years of
continuous service in the ministry of the Church of the
Brethren."

According to the further record in the diary of Elder
Sower, they served as Elders on trial for five years, and
were then ordained with the laying on of hands by Elder
Peter Becker, on June 10, 1753. These two Elders, the
successors of Alexander Mack, Sr., and Peter Becker, be-
came the most prominent Elders in their generation, during
the closing years of this period, and during and after the
Revolutionary War. Under their joint Eldership the Ger-
mantown Church prospered, and their influence extended
throughout the entire Brotherhood.

Prominent Elders. — Some of the Elders who constituted
a tower of strength during a part of, or all, of this period
of 30 years, from 1740 to 1770, are the following: Peter
Becker, Germantown ; Alexander Mack, Germantown ;
Christopher Sower, Germantown; John Naas, New Jersey;
First Martin Urner, Coventry; Second Martin Urner,
Coventry; Michael Frantz, Conestoga; Michael Pfautz,
Conestoga; George Klein, Northkill; John Jacob Beshor,
Swatara; George Adam Martin, Conewago; Abraham
Duboy, Big Swamp; Jacob Donner, Codorus; Daniel
Leatherman, Little Conewago; Nicholas Martin, Little
Conewago.

7 " German Baptist Brethren," Brumbaugh, p. 219.

CLOSING DECADES OF PRE-REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 79

Pennsylvania Churches in lyyo.^

When

Or- No. of

Name of Church. Name of Place. ganized. Members.

Germantown Germantown 1723 57

Greatswamp Bucks County 1735 28

Coventry Chester County 1724 40

Conestoga Lancaster County 1724 86 —

1735

Oley Berks County 1732 20

White Oak Lancaster County 1736 65

Big Swatara Lancaster (now Dauphin) County... 1756 39

Little Swatara Berks County 1757 45

Northkill Berks County 1748 il

Codorus York County 1758 35

Little Conewago ....York County 1738 52

Conewago ..York County 1741 77

Bermudian York County 1758 58

Stony Creek Bedford County 1762 17

"Thus we see that there are in this province fifteen
churches of Tunker Baptists, to which appertain eight or-
dained ministers, elders, or bishops, and thirteen exhorters,
or probationers, and four meeting houses; the reason of
their having no more places of worship is, that they choose
rather to meet from house to house in imitation of the primi-
tive Christians. We see also that their families are about
four hundred and nineteen, which contain about two thou-
sand and ninety-five souls allowing five to the family, where-
of seven hundred and sixty-three persons are baptized and
in communion."^

It must be noted that in the above paragraph, from
Morgan Edwards, in giving his statistics, he includes the
Ephrata congregation with one hundred and thirty-five
members. I may say, in passing, that, at this time, 1770,
Beissel is in his grave, and his Monastic community has
commenced to decline, but it is not necessary to describe in
this connection Ephrata, because it forms no part of the
Brethren history at this period. For almost all matters of
statistics at this time, and many important facts, we are
indebted to Rev. Morgan Edwards, and we need to give full
recognition to the value of his writings, and descriptions of

8 These facts and figures are taken from the accounts of Morgan
Edwards.
» Morgan Edwards, " Materials for History of the Baptists."

80 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the early congregations of the Brethren. It is to be re-
gretted exceedingly, that the facts which he put on record
in reference to the Brethren Churches in Maryland, were
not published; but remained in manuscript form, until the
big fire in the Baptist Publication Society building, in Phila-
delphia, some years ago, when these with other very valu-
able manuscripts and historical records were all destroyed.
Many of these valuable historic records can never be re-
placed. This is another warning that everything possible
should be done to preserve our own invaluable historic data,
by proper publication from time to time, and in such form
as to insure permanency. It is to be hoped that every local
church, and every state district will fully wake up on this
important subject.

CHAPTER XII.

THE VERY ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IN
LANCASTER CO., PA.

According to manuscript records, kept in said church,
and entrusted to the writer for investigation, it consisted
on the 29th of September, 1734, as on the day when
Michael Frantz was baptized, who was afterwards their
first teacher, of the following members :

Brethren. Sisters.

Legan, Rollin,

John Keppinger, Koch,

John G. Koch, Kalkglaser,

Rudolph Bollinger, Latshaw,

Earnest Stoll, Luy,

Joseph Latshaw, Keppinger,

Lewis Kalkglaser, Hildebrand,

Luy, Krapf.

Samuel Gut.
John Hildebrand,
Gottfried Geiger,
Michael Frantz.
Altogether of 20 members.

Counting from the above date, September 29, 1734, this
church in Lancaster is now (1855) over 120 years old.
Truly a venerable mother-church, whose daughters are to be
found in the most distant parts of our great country, as we
have reason to conclude from the names of the members in
that church.

" Afterwards," continues the record, " hands were laid on
Michael Frantz by Elders, and he was ordained as Elder
and overseer of the church in Conestoga and White Oak;
and thus by the grace and blessing of God the church has
been multiplied and increased continually." And how great
7 81

82 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the blessing was that rested upon this church the continued
lists of those who were baptized by them, and were added
unto them from the Seventhday Baptists and from else-
where, show.

In the list from 1735 to 1739 are 32 names of newly-
received members, and among them we find the following:
Segrist, Etter, Frantz, Royer, Martin, Landis, Roland,
Bollinger, Miller, Longenecker, &c. In the year 1739 were
further baptized 21 persons, among whom were Michael
Pfautz, the successor of the first overseer, and three
Brethren by the name of Mohler.

In the year 1740 were received seven; in the year 1741,
ten; in the year 1742, twenty-eight, among whom were the
names of Stucky, Gehr, Alterffer, Schwartz, Flory, Hag,
Funderburg, Weis, Schneider, Lichty ; and others occur.

In the year 1743 was the number of newly received mem-
bers tzventy-four, among whom was Jacob Sontag of whom
particular mention is made afterwards. Anno 1744 only
four persons were baptized, and brother Michael Pfants
chosen for the ministry. In 1745 four were baptized, and
six brothers and six sisters from Amwell (probably in New
Jersey) received. In 1746 thirteen persons, and in 1747
nineteen persons were added unto the church.

In the following year we find the following note. "In
the year 1748 is our elder and overseer (Michael Frantz)
departed this life, and has exchanged time with eternity,
after being well tried by affliction." To this are added a
few lines of poetry, of which we have endeavored to make
a translation.

Farewell on the chariot of God!
We do not envy thee thy rest.
By angels thou'rt carried the road
Toward the abode of the blest;
To join in that heavenly abode
The host of the angelic choir,
To sing and rejoice in thy God,
To praise him forever and e'er.

When we stand still here at the death of the first elder
and overseer, Michael Frantz, and look back on the first
fourteen years of this church, we are compelled to say to

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IN LANCASTER CO. 83

the glory of God, that the time of the ministry of this old
Brother, who has died more than a hundred years ago, was
richly blessed, inasmuch as the church increased " by the
grace and blessing of God," and its numbers were multiplied
from year to year in such a manner, that and until it grew
in fourteen years from a little flock of 20 members to a
company of nearly Two hundred. " This is the Lord's
doing, and is marvelous in our eyes."

The year when the first teacher and overseer died, was a
memorable and singularly blessed year for the church. As
we read of Samson, Judges 16: 30, "The dead which he
. slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his
life," so we might say of Michael Frantz, as blessed as
his former years of ministry were, the year of his death
was still more blessed. Of this we find the following re-
corded in the manuscript already mentioned :

"In the year 1748, the 25th of September, Brother
Michael Frantz, overseer of the church in Conestoga and
White Oak has laid his hand upon Bro. Michael Pfautz
(who, as we have seen already, had been chosen to the
ministry in the year 1744), and has ordained and confirmed
him in his place, with the united assistance of the Brethren.
Thus the church has been blessed and enlarged by the grace
of God through Brother Michael Pfautz, who has been
ordained by the Elders to be an Elder." Again it says,
" In this year brother Jacob Sontag was chosen as a minister
(or deacon) in the church."

How much the share of each of these three ministers was
in the great blessed awakening, which came this year upon
the church, cannot be made out, and is also of no con-
sequence, whether we know it ; but this much we may safely
believe, that they must have labored together In unity of
spirit, without which unity no blessing can be expected.
And whether the one sows, and the other reaps ; whether the
one planteth, and the other watereth; whether one stands
with Moses on the mountain, and ralseth up his hands In
prayer, and the other with Joshua Is fighting against
Amalek, and the third stands by the side of him that prays,
or him that fights (the battle of the Lord) ; still "neither Is

84 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth ; but God
that giveth the increase."

And how great the increase was of this year 1748 we may
gather from the following simple statements as they were
recorded at the time :

In the year 1748 were baptized Brothers Ulrich, Shively,
Henry Gibbel, &c.

March 6 in all 7 persons.

April 24 II persons.

May I 2 persons.

June 12 and July 24 15 persons.

August 7 6 persons.

August 14 4 persons.

September 4 2 persons.

October 16 4 persons.

October 23 6 persons.

Altogether in this one year, or rather within less than six
months, 57 persons; truly a harvest-blessing not often re-
peated, and reminding us of Pentecostal times.

To the encouragement of those who might think such
blessed times happened of old, but are now-a-days rare
among thfe Brethren, and to the honor of God and his word
we cannot refrain from noticing, what we lately have
learned, namely that during the past summer and fall
(1854) the Lord has revealed himself as of old in different
churches, and that for instance in one church not one hun-
dred miles west from here there were baptized more than
thirty, and in two other adjoining churches in the southeast
over sixty souls. Blessed be the Lord for his grace which
is yet to-day proving its efficacy for the salvation of the
children of men!

But even in our dear Lancaster church it was not every
year alike, for we find, that there were baptized in the year

1749 only 8 persons.

1750 14 persons.

1751 6 persons.

1752 18 persons.

1753 12 persons.

1754 10 persons.

1755 II persons.

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IN LANCASTER CO. 85

and then we find the following note : " Here I must say,
that much trouble and temptation has fallen upon the over-
seer, so that he has recorded nothing in seven years."
These then were undoubtedly dark, gloomy times ; not only
for the overseer, but without fail also for the church.
What a pity it is, when after the blessing of God having
visibly rested upon a church, the enemy and destroyer of all
good finds means again to make an entrance, and to cause
confusion! And, oh, how should ministers and members
be on their guard, that the temptation may not come upon
them unawares while asleep!

Over those first fourteen years of the ministry of the
second overseer Miclmel Pfants hovered then quite a differ-
ent providence. The first half from 1748 until 1755 — seven
years — were most eminently blessed, and the latter half
from 1755 until 1762 — again seven years — remind us
almost of the seven years of famine, which Joseph pre-
dicted unto Pharoah, where all the plenty should be for-
gotten, that was before. Let us then, dearest members,
make good use of the advice of Joseph, in plenteous years
to gather and take care of all " spiritual blessings in heavenly
places," when they are given us richly, that we may not
want in times of distress and famine.

Without much research and thought this much is plain
from the information at hand, beyond which we do not
wish to go at the present time, that the seven years of trial
of the overseer, Michael Pfautz, had now at last come to
an end, that he came forth out of this trial of fire like fine
gold, cleansed and purified, and that from now on he
worked mightily and with rich blessings toward the up-
building of the congregation, for in this same year, 1763,
in which the aforesaid circumstance with Jacob Sonntag
took place, we find that no less than eighteen or nineteen
persons were added to the church through baptism..

Here many of our dear readers might ask: "Were there
then none at all baptized in the former seven years, and did
then the work of God stand entirely still so long? " There-
upon we can answer, that our records do not say so, but
only state that much trouble and temptation had been en-

86 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

countered by the Elder, and that, therefore, he had not
written up anything. We may, therefore, conclude with
some confidence that, notwithstanding nothing had been
written up/ the congregation of God in this community had
continued its course, that meetings were held, and that the
word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the
power of God unto salvation to all who believe in it, was
preached, also that it showed its power toward souls at this
time and made them willing to establish the bond of a good
conscience toward God, and that consequently probably
souls were baptized at this time, and their names were
written up in Heaven.

Since we must soon again send back the little books
(manuscripts) which have been entrusted to us, we still
want to copy out the most important parts and postpone all
further observations to the future. As is evident from the
book written in Michael Pfautz's own hand, he worked on
in the vineyard of the Lord from 1763 to his end; and from
year to year, and from time to time, they who were saved
were added to the church. Acts 2 : 47.

In the -year 1764, we read in another little book, that
" Christian Longenecker was chosen to the service of the
church in peace and harmony on Dec. i, as a helper to the
Elder. And in the year 1769, on May 4, he was ordained
to the place of Michael Pfautz our Elder. I have come
thus far through good and ill report."

Then it stands written: "On May 14, 1769 (ten days
after the ordination of Christian Longenecker) our dear
brother Michael Pfautz, the Elder of the congregation in
Conestoga, fell asleep in the Lord, after much trial and
suffering, in the sixtieth year of his age. God cared for
him well, and made him an elect one in the furnace of
afifliction. He served and led as the Elder and overseer of
the church in Conestoga and White Oakland, very nearly
twenty-one years." They also sang for him the same lines
which they sang for the first overseer (which are this time
reproduced in the original German).

1 For names of persons baptized from 1755-1763 see " History of
Conestoga," by D. C. Reber, p. — .

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN IN LANCASTER CO. 87

" Fahre wohl auf Gottes Wagen,

Wir gonnen dir die Ruh',
Dasz du von den Engeln wirst getragen

Dem schonen Himmel zu,
Dasz du bei der Engel Chor und Reih'n

Dich ewig, ewig konntest freu'n." —

Now follows a list of those baptized, which is carried
forward to the year 1799.

There are also written the disclosures of a drunkard and
degraded person, on the 29th of autumn month, 1773. It
is also worthy of note that after the names of all those
baptized stands the word, " Gestorben," " died." Dear
reader, this will also some time come to our name. There-
fore, let us in time learn to die to sin and seek life in
Christ's word and death. ^

2 Published in the Gospel Visitor of 1855 by Eld. Henry Kurtz.

PART 11.
GERMANTOWN GROUR

CHAPTER I.

GERMANTOWN.

Introduction. — To write a complete history of the Mother
Church, and the labors of her principal men, would fill a
large volume. There are, of course, many facts buried in
oblivion, that never can be recovered; and things so long
forgotten, they can never be recalled. In the preceding
chapters, necessarily, much of the early history of German-
town has been interwoven with the history of the Brother-
hood in general, during the time of organization, struggles,
trials, and development in the first fifty years in America.
Chapter X treats, especially, of Germantown at the time of
a great crisis. Chapter XI treats of great changes of
leadership, far-reaching influences of publishing interests
and literary activity, and a period of rapid development of
the work in general. In the present treatment of German-
town, therefore, nothing further can be said in a special and
detailed way of the earliest times, except on such points that
especially need to be connected consecutively with later
development. It must be remembered, too, that in so brief
a space as can be allotted to the subject here, only a few of
the more important matters can be treated, and some of
them far too brief for the importance of the subject. This
volume occupies so large a field, that it is manifestly impos-
sible to say all on this important subject that should be said,
and all that the reader would like to know. It is especially
gratifying to know that much interest has been manifested
in what has been written from time to time on German-

Grave of Elder Peter Becker,
IxDiAX Creek.

Grave of Elder Christopher Sower,
Methachton.

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GERMANTOWN. 89

town, and it is to be hoped more will be written in the
future.

A Permanent Place of Worship. — In the beginning re-
ligious services were held in the homes of the members, and,
in the summer time, out of doors under some large trees,
or in a grove ; especially was this the case, when the assem-
blies became too large to be accommodated in the homes.
These services were held in the vicinity of Germantown,
but considerable distances apart. It is interesting to trace
the history of the present location of worship and it is all
that can be said at this time. As the history of this old
town is interesting, so also is the history of the mother
congregation near it that has been in existence here for
almost two hundred years. There is a large amount of
historical matter bearing on the Germantown Church
directly or indirectly; but it became much scattered years
ago by careless or unfaithful custodians; and much of it
being now in the hands of private individuals, it is difficult
to collect and confirm the necessary facts for a much-needed
reliable account of many points. There is considerable
material lying on the surface, as is always the case, that
passes current as history, and yet is entirely worthless to
the reliable historian until confirmed by thorough research,
and a careful study of original data. It would seem that in
this respect Germantown has been singularly unfortunate
in its experience of being at the mercy of the unscrupulous
historian.

The usual reference is made that Johannes Pettikoffer
received the ground as a gift, from one Peter Schilbert;
and then some add that Schilbert had much difficulty in
gaining possession of the land again, when Pettikoffer went
to Ephrata, as he did in 1739. Now all this is sheer non-
sense, the absolute creation of somebody's fancy, without a
grain of truth, and yet these statements are copied again
and again, apparently without any attempt being made to
know the facts, when the records of the office of the Re-
corder of Deeds are at all times accessible to all who care
to investigate. It seems necessary, therefore, that a truth-
ful account of this matter should be given, and doubly so,

90 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

for the reason that the facts and the truth are intensely
interesting. In tracing the history of the ground, I can
only give the bare statement of the transfers^ that were
made from time to time. The evidence of ownership will
be presented in each case in regular order, and it will be
sufficient for the present study to begin with the ownership
of Peter Shoemaker.

Peter Shoemaker to Johannes Pettikoffer. — On August
4, 1 73 1, Peter Shoemaker, Turner, and Margret, his wife,
sold to Johannes Pettikoffer for the sum of five pounds
and five shillings ("to them in hand paid by the said
Johannes Pettikoffer, the receipt whereof they do hereby
acknowledge, and thereof do fully acquit and forever dis-
charge"). This is perhaps enough to show that he did
not get the lot from Peter Schilbert as a gift. This land
carefully described in the deed is declared to be a half an
acre and twenty perches, and constitutes what is now the
northern half of the present Church property, or the part
on which the church buildings are located. It will be seen
by this deed, that Pettikoffer paid a fair price for his half
acre, considering that it wa^ nearly half a mile out of the
settlement of Germantown as it then was, and that the
settlement altogether had not more than twenty houses.
He paid at the rate of fifty dollars per acre, entirely unim-
proved. These original papers should be sufficient testi-
mony to prove that Johannes Pettikoffer did, on August 4,
1 73 1, acquire title to his half acre from Peter Shoemaker,
and at a good price. But to some historians, it does not
make much difference whether they say Peter Schilbert or
Peter Shoemaker, — one Peter is as good as the other Peter.
To them the facts of history are not so essential, they have
plenty of fancy to fill the gaps.

Johannes Pettikoffer to Johannes Mack and Andreas
Bonney. — On the twenty-second of August, 1739, Johannes
Pettikoffer and Ann Elizabeth, his wife, sold the aforesaid
half acre, together with the house he had built upon it, to
Johannes Mack and Andreas Bonney, for the sum of sixty-

1 See " History of German Baptist Brethren," by the author, for
brief quotations from the original parchment deeds, pp. 1 17-128.

GERMANTOWN. 91

five pounds, each of the two holding a half interest. It
will be noticed, that whereas he had paid for the ground
five pounds and five shillings, Pettikoffer now receives on
his sale sixty-five pounds, thus valuing his improvements
fifty-nine pounds and fifteen shillings. It thus appears that
there is no documentary evidence to sustain the old fable
that Pettikoffer received the lot as a gift and then begged
the money to build the house. This house was built in
1732, and because of its importance in later years, we shall
give some description of its interesting history and notice
it hereafter as the " Pettikoffer House."

Andreas Bonney to Johannes Mack. — The future deeds
indicate that after Johannes Pettikoffer had vacated his
house, Andreas Bonney, who owned the one-half interest
of the property, lived in the house, or did so, on October 6,
1 74 1, on which date he did devise by "his last will and
testament," his half interest unto the said Johannes Mack
for the consideration of twenty-nine pounds and ten shil-
lings. Why Bonney sold his interest for less than he had
paid does not appear but it may be that Mack had advanced
some money, or that Bonney had lived in the house without
paying rent, and so Mack would be entitled to a lower price
for Bonney's half. This Bonney (Bony) was one of the
original eight, at Schwarzenau, and had come to America
with the second emigration, in 1729.

Johannes Mack to Peter Schilbert. — On July 20, 1742,
Johannes Mack, stockingweaver, and Margrett, his wife,
sold to Peter Schilbert the aforesaid property, house and
lot, for the consideration of seventy-three pounds. Thus,
it will be seen, that instead of Peter Schilbert being the
original owner and giving this lot to Pettikoffer, as "his-
torians" say, the ownership, as I have clearly shown, runs
as follows :

Peter Shoemaker, Johannes Pettikoffer, Johannes Mack
and Andreas Bonney, Johannes Mack, Peter Schilbert; and
all these changes in the eleven years from 1731 to 1742.
These old historic writings are exceedingly interesting, —
quaint in their expressions, unique in conditions, and often
intensely specific, and at other times very wordy indeed,
and altogether too lengthy to be quoted here.

92 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Bastian and Johanna Hoech to Theohold Endt and Henry
Slingloff. — It was evidently the intention of Peter Schil-
bert to present this half acre and the " Pettikoffer House "
to the Brethren congregation, but he died with the prop-
erty legally in his possession. The deed of a later date
says, — "The said Peter Schilbert dying (in effect) intes-
tate." After some years of delay, this was finally accom-
plished, as will be seen by the quotation that follows. The
deed further recites, — ("He having made only a noncupa-
tive will) the right of the inheritance of his said possessions
depending legally unto Johanna Hoech the wife of Bastian
Hoech which Johanna being the only issue and heir of
Abraham Schilbert who was the brother and heir at law
of the said Peter Schilbert." On the twenty-sixth day of
August, 1746, the said Bastian Hoech, and Johanna, his
wife, deeded in fee to Theobold Endt and Henry Slingloff,
two well-known Brethren. Just under what conditions, or
why, is not apparent, but the property was held by them
for fourteen years.

Theohold Endt and Henry Slingloff to Alexander Mack,
Christopher Sower, Peter Leibert and George Schreiher. —
The consideration at this transfer was ten pounds, and
bears date August 11, 1760. It is not difficult now to see
the purpose of this new transfer, when it is noted that these
four men to whom the property was deeded, were four of
the principal men of the Brethren congregation. On the
following day, these four men, the first two Bishops, and
the other two perhaps ministers, issued, and published, the
famous Declaration of Trust. They first make definite
acknowledgment of the grant unto them, "by the direction
and at the appointment of the persons who are members of
the Religious Society or Community of the people called
Dutch (German) Baptists and belonging to the Meeting of
that People in or near Germantown aforsd."^

After having stated the grant, and the body under which
they act, the Trustees declare the use, etc., under their
trust, viz. : " To the use and interests hereinafter mentioned
and declared and under the Conditions and Restrictions

2 The Declaration of Trust.

GERMANTOWN. 93

hereinafter limited and Restricted and to no other use or
purpose whatsoever, That is to say, One Room in the said
Messuage (Pettikoffer House), to be made use of for a
Meeting place of the said People living at or near German-
town aforesaid and for such other as the said Community
may think proper to admit thereto. The which Room may
be improved or enlarged for the better convenience of the
said Meeting at the discretion of the said Community in such
Manner as they may think Meet And on Room and kitchen
of the sade Messuage to be made use of for a dwelling place
for some Widow woman of the said Society or Community
to live in Rent free and that the said Society or Community
Shall and do keep the said Messuage or Tenement of pieces
or parcels of Land or ground in repair from time to time
Towards the Charge of which they are to have the use,
Rents Issues & Profits which may accrue or arise yearly
from the remaining part of the premises."^

It is further expressly provided that in case this Society
or Community shall cease to exist, the property shall be
sold and the proceeds given to the poor. The entire Decla-
ration is very interesting indeed, and it was the means of
setting in operation influences that have ever marked the
high ideals of the Brethren Church. Thus is established
the first permanent place of worship, or a place especially
provided for that purpose, but it is very probable that this
same place had been used for some time for worship.

" The Old Folks' Home. — While the said Declaration of Trust
tells us of the regular and permanent meeting-place, it also tells
in a very interesting manner how one room and the kitchen
were set apart for some widow to dwell * rent free ' ; thus show-
ing how early the Brethren thought of making special provi-
sion and providing a home for the * widows.' I know of no
instance where any other denomination made a similar public
provision for its widowed poor, at so early a date. The his-
tory of this Home is interesting. While it is probably true that
in a few years the congregation so increased that perhaps the
entire home was needed for purposes of worship, we do know
that when the new stone meeting-house was dedicated in 1770,

3 The Declaration of Trust.

94 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the * Pettikoffer House' was set apart anew for the comfort of
the widows, and it remained such a home until i86i,or a period
of loi years from the time it was first set apart. There are many
people living to-day ( 1900) who remember the place well as the
' Widows ' Home. I am indebted to Charles M. Benson, of
Germantown, and also Rachel Douglass Wise, of Philadelphia,
for facts that enable me to describe the ' Pettikoffer House ' as
it appeared fifty years ago. The main part of the house was
about twenty feet long by sixteen feet wide, built of logs, with
frame gables, and shingle roof. The house fronted south, with
gables east and west. The spaces between the logs were
chinked and plastered, and the entire house whitewashed. It
had a good cellar, with an outside trapdoor, which was located
between the pavement and the outside door leading into the east
room. There were four windows and one outside door. There
were two windows in the west gable towards the street, one up-
stairs and one downstairs. Then there were two additional
windows in the west room, one on the north side and one on the
south side There were two rooms upstairs and two rooms
downstairs. At the east end of the east room, there was a large
fireplace which was in constant use from 1852 until the time
the house was taken down in December, 1861, so my informer
tells me. " The meeting-room was the west one, well lighted
with three windows. The ceilings were of good height. The
house was still in good condition in 1861, when it was torn
down, after such an interesting history of one hundred and
thirty years.

" Immediately to the rear of the above described house there
stood many years ago a good-sized frame building, whose his-
tory I have not been able to unravel. Many suggestions have
been made of its probable history, but I have been unable to
confirm anything so that I can safely regard it as history. I
hope the future may yet reveal the purpose of this ancient
structure."*

The Old Church. — On this same half acre which we have
been considering, or the northern half of the present Church
grounds, are located the Church buildings, consisting of the
old stone meeting-house which was built in 1770, and the
more imposing, modern stone one, built in 1 896-1 897. A
brief description of this old church building will be of

* " German Baptist Brethren," by the author, 1901, pp. 129-130.

GERMANTOWN. 95

interest, for it has long since become a landmark in the
midst of the passing centuries. Considering the time in
which it was built it is singularly complete in its appoint-
ments. Its substantial character may well be judged from
the fact that it has stood so long, and is in excellent state
of preservation, barring accident, might do service for
another century. It is thirty feet square, built of native
Germantown stone, with walls eighteen inches thick. There
is a large well-appointed basement, under the entire build-
ing, of good height, where there was a large fireplace for
cooking and making the necessary preparations for love-
feast occasions. In the corner, near the fireplace, is a large
flat stone, hollowed out trough-like, built into the wall, on
which the waste water was poured to drain out of the build-
ing. The floor in the audience-room is yellow pine, full of
pitch and very hard. The boards were carefully selected,
very wide, almost every board has a heart in it, no sap
boards, and there has been no decay in all these years. But
there is another reason why these boards are neither de-
cayed nor worm-eaten. The floor rests on a bed of mor-
tar, which is supported beneath by a layer of split oak lath.
Hand-made nails are used throughout. About thirty-five
years ago the audience-room was remodeled, but formerly
the ceiling was about eight feet high, plastered and white-
washed ; and a heavy wooden girder, supported by two posts,
was visible. There was a large loft, very roomy and well-
lighted, supplied by four windows, two in each gable. It
seems to have been built and arranged for some special pur-
pose, perhaps largely unknown at this time. There was an
outside entrance to this loft, making access easy, and with-
out disturbing in any way, or entering, the audience-room.
Many years ago these gable ends were rough-cast, covering
up all traces of this loft-door and windows, and all knowl-
edge of them seems to have been lost, until some years ago,
when we restored this front. Upon removing the rough-
cast, there were the outlines of the door and windows dis-
tinctly visible. At this time I made the following measure-
ments : the door was four feet, three inches wide and six
feet, six inches high, a very large door, if it was a single

96 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

one. The windows were three feet, two inches wide and
four feet, six inches high. To what different uses this
story was put, is not known. It was large enough to make
a roomy dwelHng for a small family. The place seems to
have been extensively used for storing the unbound sheets
of publications that required months to run through the
press. It is said that Elder Christopher Sower so occupied
the place, with his third edition of the Bible, in 1777, and
that the unbound sheets were confiscated by the British
soldiers, and used for gun-wads and for bedding their cav-
alry horses.

The Old Parsonage. — The south half of the Church
grounds need a brief account. The Brethren came into
possession of this portion many years after acquiring title
to the north half. This part was bought by Johannes Mack
from Peter Shoemaker in 1730. On August 29, 1751,
Johannes Mack and Margaretta, his wife, sold the same to
Christopher Sower. It consisted of seventy-eight perches
and had two houses thereon. On September 24, 1753,
Christopher Sower and Catharina, his wife, sold the same
to Philip" Weaver, for sixty pounds, and he, in the year
1756, erected his large stone dwelling, that in the next cen-
tury became known as The Old Parsonage. On March
18, 1796, John Weaver, Philip Weaver and Susanna Keyser,
three children and heirs of the above Philip Weaver, deeded
the property to Abraham Keyser, for the sum of four hun-
dred pounds; and on the following day, the said Abraham
Keyser deeded the same, for the same amount, to Philip
Weaver, one of the sons and heirs of the first mentioned
Philip Weaver. On April 4, 1804, Philip Weaver and his
wife, Ann, sold the same to the Trustees of the Brethren
congregation, for the consideration of four hundred and
thirty pounds. This stone residence has an exceedingly
interesting history, like unto the Pettikoffer House, or
(Meeting House and Widow's Home), and the Old Stone
Church. The Weaver house was rented by the Brethren
as a private residence, and then in the early decades of the
nineteenth century, before the time of the public school
system, Sister Susan Douglass occupied the house with her

GERMANTOWN. 97

large Select School.^ After the closing of this school the
Parsonage was again rented, for many years, as a private
residence. While this Weaver house, that stood in three
centuries, was known for many years as " The Old Par-
sonage," it was in reality the residence of the pastor, only
eight years, from 1893 to 1901, when it was occupied by
the author and his family, during his pastorate in the
Mother Church. Some ten years ago, this famous old land-
mark of Germantown was torn down, to make room for the
new parsonage.

The Old Cemetery. — This cemetery is a very interesting
place, it is furthermore a beautiful spot, and often did I
hear people say, they wished they could be buried there.
So far as grave-stones indicate, the first burial took place in
1797. Many of the old families of Germantown are rep-
resented, in some cases several generations, and in a few
cases five and six generations. Many of the members, and
especially of the officials, for several generations are buried
here. From all the walks of life, the humblest, as well as
those noted, and of religious and social prominence, rest
here side by side. Among other noted persons, Miss Har-
riet Livermore lies buried here, in an unmarked grave, the
woman who opened our National Congress with prayer in
1832; the "Evangelist." "The Guest" of Whittier's Snow
Bound; the " Pilgrim Wanderer " in the Holy Land, and in
Egypt; the "Watcher" on Mt. Sinai in the immediate
expectation of the coming of Christ. After she had wan-
dered all over the world her tired body was laid to rest in
this beautiful God's acre, in the lot of Sister Worrell, in the
midst of these historic surroundings. This cemetery is still
much used as a place of burial ; it is kept in excellent condi-
tion, and receives constant care and attention.

Two Prominent Bishops. — Germantown has been blessed
with a remarkable line of active ministers and prominent
Bishops. Of the latter, she had five, from 1723 to 1850,
or 127 years, any one of whom would have been sufficient

5 For account of Weaver Log-House, and The Select School, see
" German Baptist Brethren," by the author, pp. 134 and 135; also Penn-
sylvania-German Magazine.
8

98 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

to give luster to the history of any church. From 1723 to
1747, she had Peter Becker and Alexander Mack, Sr., whose
lives and labors have been so fully recounted in the history
of the Church of the Brethren with which they were so
inseparably connected. These two Bishops were contempo-
rary at Germantown for only six years, from 1729 to 1735 ;
but succeeding them were two who were contemporary from
1748 to 1784, or a period of 36 years. These were Alex-
ander Mack, Jr., and Christopher Sower. It is impossible
to give here a biography of these two prominent Bishops,
such as their lives and labors would so justly deserve. We
must be satisfied, at this time, with very brief biographical
data and some records of their activities; especially so,
because there is so much of their lives already recorded."

Alexander Mack, Jr. — He was born January 25, 1712, at
Schwarzenau; and baptized in 1728, in his seventeenth year,
likely in Holland. He emigrated to America with his father
the next year, in the Second Emigration, 1729. He resided
at Germantown from 1729 to 1739, when, in the Koch
excitement, as before noted,^ he removed to Ephrata. For
his marriage and family, see Mack Family, at the close of
this sketch. Disappointed and utterly discouraged with
the conditions and work at Ephrata, he returned to German-
town, and was destined to become his father's eminent suc-
cessor. His election, ordination as Elder, or Bishop, and
his leadership have been noted. He was a man of great
energy and far-reaching influence. He was the most emi-
nent man, without doubt, that the Church of the Brethren
ever had in America, considering the times and circum-
stances of his eventful life, and his times. He was an able
man as a preacher and counselor in church work. He was
well known and greatly beloved all over the church. He
was a gifted hymn- writer, and wrote much in defense of the
doctrine of the Brethren. For more than half a century,
he served the Church ably and faithfully. His life was full
of good deeds and was a great blessing to many. He died

8 "German Baptist Brethren," by the author, pp. 136-140; also by
Brumbaugh ; also " Some Who Led," Brethren Publishing House, 1912,
Alexander Mack, Jr., pp. 23-26.

"> See Part I, Chapter X, a Great Religious Crisis; also Chapter XI.

GERMANTOWN, 99

at the ripe age of 91 years, i month, and 20 days. The
following is his epitaph, composed by himself a short time
before his death:

" Gott

der uns hat

aus Staub gemacht

und wiederum

zum Staub gebracht

wird zeigen

Seiner Weisheit macht

wann wir nach Seinem

Bild erwacbt."

A rather literal translation would be as follows: "God
who created us out of dust, and brings us again to dust, will
certify His wisdom's power, when we awake with His
likeness."

It should be stated that much of its beauty is lost in any
translation. In its original setting, it is as fine a conception
of thought as I have found in any language. He lies
buried at Germantown.

List of Baptisms.

Some of the baptisms performed by Alexander Mack^
Jr., at Germantown, after the year 1766:

1766. — May 15, Margretta Hartzbach.
" October 3, Nathaniel Schrieber.
" October 17, Henry Schlingluft, Jr., Catharine Schling-
luft, Dorothea Fox.
1767. — ^July 12, Charles Lang.
" August 7, Anna B. Van Lashett and Elizabeth Schling-

lufif.
" August 16, Jacob Bauman and Maria Barbara, his

wife.
" October 2, Conrad Good, William Spira and Maria
Spira.
1768. — March 27, Christina Schlungluflf, Jr.

" September 25, Hannah Stamm.
1769. — May 14, Sarah Baker.
" July 2^, Christopher Saur, Jr.

100 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

1769. — September 3, Michael Keyser, Sarah Mack and
Susana Baker.
" October 5, Peter Keyser and Hannah, his wife, Henry
Sharpnack and Sarah, his wife, John Schlingluff,
Conrad Stamm, Maria Fendt, Elizabeth Raab.
1770. — September 2, John Weber, William Leibert, Dirock
Keyser and Rachel, his wife.
" September 30, Julius Roberly and Appolonia, his
wife.
1771. — May 19, Thomas Langstoth and Catherine, his wife,
Hannah Mack, Hannah Stier.
" September 8, John Kaempfer.

" November 10, Rudolph Harley and Barbara, his wife,
John Harley and Margaretta, his wife, Ulrich
Stouffer and Hannah, his wife.
1772, — April 19, Michael Corbit, Garehart Clemens and Ger-
trude, his wife, Jacob Landis and Maria, his wife.
1773. — ^January 4, John Prisz.

" January 20, Phillipina Vernon.
1774. — March 2^, Edmund Langstroth.
" May 12, Edward Bright and Elizabeth, his wife, Eliza-
beth Painter, Ruth Silence.
" July 3, Cornelius Neisz, William Heisler, David
Meredith, Jacob Raab, George Duke John Leibert,
Anna Leibert, Susanna Hinckle, Hannah Knorr,
Lydia Keyser, Catherine Bauman.
" October 16, William Prisz and Susanna Knorr.

Here occurs a break in the records for the period of nine
years.

1783. — October 20, Susanna Weaver, John Weaver's wife,
and Catherine Keyser, Michael Keyser's wife.

1785. — March 6, Emanuel Fox and his wife, Margarett, Jacob
Zigler and Lydia Kulp. I regret very much that I
cannot present a complete list of his baptisms, but
it has been impossible to confirm a part of the list.
There is no complete record extant.

The following is a partial list of baptisms by Christopher
Sower :

1748, — November 3, Elizabeth Weiss, Catherine Buchmarin,
Susanna Miller.

GERMANTOWN. 101

1749. — April 2, Jacob Ganz.

1755. — May 18, Andrew Menichinger.

1758. — March 26, Uly Kinder and wife.

1781. — ^July 15, George Becker and his wife, Catherine Nancy

Becker, their daughter, Catherine, daughter of

Frederick Stamm.
1783. — November 6, Adam Weber.
1784. — June 10. — Martin Urner and wife, Barbara Baugh.

When Christopher was dead and Alexander Mack was past
seventy-two years of age, the second IMartin Urner baptized
some at Germantown, and the following is perhaps a complete
list:

1784. — August 15, Derick Keyser and his wife, Elizabeth,

and Susanna Weaver, Philip Weaver's daughter.
1785. — September 25, Nicholas Oliver, Benjamin Lehman,

and Peter Keyser, Jr.
1786. — September 14, Henry Rinker, William Keyser and

his wife, Barbara, Elizabeth Lehman and Mary

Heisler.
1788. — September 4, Charles Hubbs and his wife, Alary,

Catherine Clemens and Hannah, the daughter of

Derick Keyser.

Christopher Sower. — Bishop Christopher Sower was the
only son of Christopher Sower, the first.'' According to his
own record in his diary, " I was born on the twenty-sixth
of September, 1721, in the town of Laasphe in Witgen-
stein, about six hours from Marburg." At the age of three
years, his parents brought him to America, and for two
years resided in Germantown. At the end of this time,
1726, they removed to Lancaster county where they resided
until 1730, when his mother joined the Solitary of Beissel,
and was made subprioress of the Sisterhood. The follow-
ing year, 1731, the father with his now motherless boy of
ten years, returned to Germantown, where they permanently
resided. It was not until 1744. that the young man was
able to induce his mother to leave Beissel, and return to her
husband in Germantown, and he had the joy of seeing his

9 See "German Baptist Brethren," Brumbaugh, "The Two Chris-
topher Sowers," p. 338.

102

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

parents live happily together for seven years, when she died
in 1752. At the age of 16 years, he was baptized February
24, 1737. He was elected a deacon of the Germantown
congregation in 1747. On June 7, 1748, he, with Alexan-

Mack Family.8

ist. Gen.

Date of
Birth.

Place.

Date of
Marriage.

Place.

Date of
Death.

Remarks.

Alexander

1679
(<

Germany

1700

Germany

1735
1720

Anna Margaretha Klin-
gen.

2d Gen.

John Valentine

(?) 1731

America

1755

((

(?) I73I

8-H-1758

Maria Hildebrand
Mack.

John

Sneider.

Alexander

I-28-I712

I- I-1749

3-20-1803

Ordained, 1748.

9-25-1725

I- I-I749

5- 6-1811

Elizabeth Nice Mack.

3d Gen.

William

IO-3I-I74I

America

IO-I3-I772
IO-I3-I772

Blacksmith.
Agnes Gantz Mack.

Anna Maria

10-29-1752

6- 6-1769
6- 6-1769

4- 5-1770

Death in childbirth.
Husband.

Sarah Marg.

12-23-1753

((

2- 2-1776

9- 8-1799

Baptized, 9-3-1769.

2-17-1753

2- 2-1776

1-23-1822

Husband, Jacob Zigler.

Hannah

9-IO-I7S5

8-27-1775

4- 6-1816

Baptized, 5-19-1771.

1-20-1756

8-27-1775

8-30- 1815

Husband, Adam
Weaver.

Alexander

1-18-1758

3-26-1760

Lydia

I- 4-1 76 I

((

1779

7-15-1788

12-14-1785

Baptized, 3-6-1785.
Husband, Dielman

Kulp.
Husband, John Lentz,

Baker.

Elizabeth

5- 2-1763

«'

((

5-29-1770

Died of smallpox.

Anna Marg.

7-31 -1765

8-22-1784

5-29-1838

Baptized, 3-6-1785.

1764

8-22-1784

3- 2-1833

Baptized, 3-6-1785.
Husband, Emanuel

Fox.

8 Three generations of Alexander Mack's family, the third being
Alexander Mack, Jr.'s, children. For a full account of Life and Writ-
ings of Alexander Mack, Jr., see " German Baptist Brethren," M. G.
Brumbaugh, pp. 211-273.

der Mack, Jr., was elected Bishop, on trial. Five years
later, June lo, 1753, these two, having been fully proven,
were duly ordained by Peter Becker, by the laying on of
hands, and thus were they fully established in their long
and useful service.

GERMANTOWN. 103

His Marriage and Family}'^ — He was married to Cath-
erine Sharpnack, April i, 1751, and to them were born nine
children, and have left numerous descendants. In 1754
his father transferred to him the publication of English
books. His father died in 1758, and he became sole pro-
prietor of his father's large printing and publishing busi-
ness, as well as other interests, and became possessed of
large wealth, and one of the most extensive business inter-
ests of his times. During the Revolutionary War, he was
arrested by the Colonial Government, and, without a trial
or a hearing, was imprisoned and all his property confis-
cated. Released finally in 1778, penniless, he received as-
sistance in money and provisions from some friends, and
his daughter ministering to him, as his faithful housekeeper,
he lived in obscurity and poverty until 1784, when he died.
Alexander Mack wrote a hymn in his memory, which was
sung at the funeral. His age was 62, years, while his con-
temporary, Alexander Mack, Jr., lived 91 years, and died
in the beginning of the next century.

Peter Keyser. — The next notable Bishop of Germantown
was Peter Keyser. He was born November 9, 1766, — and
was baptized, September 28, 1784. He was elected to the
ministry, 1785, and ordained a Bishop in 1802, — having
been the intimate associate of Alexander Mack, Jr., during
all those early years of his ministry. He was Bishop of
Germantown for almost fifty years, also of Philadelphia,
which for many years was regarded as a branch of German-
town. For full biographical facts, and his life, and service,
see the following : Chapter H, " The Philadelphia Church " ;
"Some Who Led,"- pp. 27-30; and, also, "The Keyser
Family," by Chas. S. Keyser, Esq., Philadelphia, 1889.
A mere reference to these records must'suffice, for the life
of one who would well deserve a full discussion here.

Later History. — In more than one hundred years, very
few elections for ministers were held in Germantown. In
consequence, with the death of Peter Keyser, in 1849, the
work gradually, but steadily, declined. For many years
the preaching was supplied, in part, by the Philadelphia

10 See " Sower Family Chart," by Chas. G. Sower.

104

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

ministers, John W. Price, from Fitzwatertown, and others,
from adjoining churches. For a period of almost twenty
years there was no resident minister. At times deacons
conducted the preaching services. Finally, there were no
resident deacons, and when the present writer became pas-
tor, in 1893, there was neither minister nor deacon in the
congregation. For many years there are very few, or no
records at all, they having passed into the hands of indi-
viduals, and, no doubt, some were lost and destroyed. A
peculiar condition existed in Germantown, as in Philadel-
phia, that for many years the only records were the records
of the Board of Trustees. The present records seem to
date from 1863, when the Board consisted of John Price,
Chairman, Stephen Benton, Secretary, Benjamin Lehman,
Treasurer, Amos Cowell, J. G. Hammer, J. Sheetz, John
Price, Jr., and Chas. M. Benson. Several committees were
appointed to conduct the business of the Church. On
October 27, 1867, W. W. C. Paul and Bro. James Kirk
were elected trustees in place of Bros. Benton and Cowell,
deceased. January 19, 1868, Bro. Britton was elected in
place of Bro. Lehman, deceased.

On February 9, 1870, James Kirk and Chas. M. Benson
were elected deacons.

There was a Sunday School in 1872.

In 1875, Willis, Ambers, and Unruh were elected trus-
tees. Bro. Kolb was elected to fill the vacancy of Hammer,
resigned. In 1877, the minutes imply that Bro. J. T.
Meyers had been in the service of the Church three years.
In 1877 William Price was elected trustee. By the year
1 88 1, Brethren Kolb and Britton had died, and Paul re-
signed, Brethren John Thomas and Harry Shugard, and
Thos. B. Hammer were elected. In 1885, John Thomas
resigned as trustee. In 1888, the cemetery was enlarged.
In 1889, Bro. Francis W. Price was elected trustee. In
May, 1890, Joseph Sheetz resigned as sexton and trustee.
In 1890, efforts were made to secure a resident preacher.
Bro. W. B. Stover now in India, served the Church for
about one year though residing in Philadelphia. The
Church having called the writer, through the General Mis-

GERMANTOWN. 105

sion Board, he arrived at Germantown, from Mt. Morris,
111., with his family, on June 9, 1893, ^^^ preached his first
sermon in the "Old Stone Church," on June 11, following.
This pastorate lasted eight years, the facts, and events of
which can not be recorded in detail here. A few facts from
the minutes of the Church (which are now regularly kept)
and from the minutes of the Board of Trustees must be suffi-
cient for lack of space. The New Stone Church was built
in 1896 and 1897. The church minutes contain the follow-
ing record : " New Church dedicated May 17, 1897. Preach-
ing morning, afternoon and evening. Church filled at each
service, especially in the afternoon. Speakers were G. N.
Falkenstein, J. T. Myers, T. T. Myers, Jesse Ziegler, S.
R. Zug, M. G. Brumbaugh and others. F. W. Price, Clerk."
This new church building cost $8,000. The following is
from the minutes: "F. W. Price and Alpheus Fahnestock
elected deacons, September 2, 1897. General Mission Board
in charge." Having resigned, to take charge of the new
school to be organized as Elizabethtown College, the follow-
ing appears on the minutes of the board of trustees, Decem-
ber I, 1900: In view of the resignation of our pastor, Bro.
G. N. Falkenstein, we herewith petition the District Mis-
sion Board to secure for us at the earliest possible oppor-
tunity, a regular pastor who shall take charge of the work
of this church." The appointments continued to be filled by
the writer, until in February, 1901, coming from Elizabeth-
town every week, when on account of sickness in the family,
his preaching had to cease. For a time the appointments
were filled by supplies. Then followed the pastorate of
Bro. T. T. Myers, of Philadelphia, of about one year; and
that of Walter Long, of about two years, from 1902 to
1904. On November 13, 1905, the Church decided to call
Bro. M. C. Swigart to become pastor.

I regret very much indeed that limited space absolutely
forbids me giving as full an account as I would like to give
of the work of these five pastors, extending over a period
of 22 years, from 1892 to 19 14. I must close this History
with but a brief account of the present pastor and his work.
Bro. M. C. Swigart was born in Mifflin Co., Pa., December

106 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

28, 1868, and was baptized in June, 1888. He was elected to
the ministry in 1894, and advanced to the second degree in
1900. Before coming to Germantown he taught in the
pubhc schools, and preached in his home church. He came
to Germantown April 4, 1906, and has since had a very
successful pastorate. He has organized a number of
Church activities, and baptized 74. The membership has
increased in these 8 years from 50 to about 126. There is
a flourishing Sunday School, with an enrollment of over
200, with a well sustained Home Department, and Cradle
Roll, and collections ranging from $5.00 to $7.00 a Sunday.
The Sisters' Aid Society supports a native worker in India,
and contributes $50 to $60 to Home Mission Work. The
Missionary contributions, in 191 3, were $2.61 per member.
The preaching services are well attended, both by the mem-
bers of the Church, and outside people, at times filling the
house, so that extra seats have to be provided. Bro. Swi-
gart was ordained to the eldership in 1912, which was prob-
ably only the second ordination, in the Mother Church,
since 1802.

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CHAPTER II.

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES.

A. First Brethren Church.

Peter Keyser is the father of the church in Philadelphia.
Here he lived, though being a member at Germantown. He
was public spirited ; he was a part of the growing city, and
he longed that his city should have its highest possible bless-
ing— the benediction and benefaction of the pure Chris-
tianity of the Church of the Brethren. The truest devo-
tion of the Brethren to public education is manifested in the
alliance of the Brethren Church with it in her first work in
Philadelphia. The Brethren first held services in Philadel-
phia in a schoolhouse on the northwest corner of Fourth
and Vine Sts.^ The hearty service of the Brethren in the
cause of education on their first entrance into the semblance
of congregational existence in Philadelphia, her first preacher
here being also a school director, is now duly repaid by a
brother being at the head of the educational work of this
most truly American of all our great cities.

It is not clear, however, as claimed by Bro. M. G. Brum-
baugh that the Philadelphia church was organized in 1813,
though this is not saying, however, that preaching services
did not begin at this time. For many years after the meet-
ing-house was erected in 181 7, Philadelphia continued an
integral part of the congregation at Germantown, all the
love- feasts being held in Germantown till 1826. From this
date until 1858, they alternated between Germantown and
Philadelphia, the spring feast being held in Philadelphia.
The process of separation was long and gradual, and almost
imperceptible. In fact all the preachers of Philadelphia up
to 1865, including Henry Geiger, David Harley, and Chris-
tian Custer are on the list of Germantown preachers.

1 See Brumbaugh's " History," p. 509.

107

108 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

When in 1817 it came to the question of building a meeting-
house in Philadelphia, the members in Philadelphia held
council meetings, seemingly apart from the members at Ger-
mantown, kept minutes, and appointed a treasurer. But it
does not appear that this meant more than permission from
the general Germantown congregation to the members in
Philadelphia to go ahead for themselves in the matter of
erecting a convenient house of worship for themselves and
for the purpose of extending the borders of Zion; in other
words that Philadelphia was at this time anything more than
a mission of the Germantown church. But congregational
lines, both from the point of view of territory and of organi-
zation, were not so sharply drawn in those days. A gen-
eral oneness with Germantown, however, seems to have been
recognized till after i860.

For a local history of the church in Philadelphia all the
minutes recorded relative to building the Crown Street
church would be in place, but for the history of the church
in Eastern Pennsylvania, only an abridged form is in place.

" New Church on Crown Street.

"Minutes of the First Meeting Held in regard to Building a
Church in Philadelphia.

"At a meeting of the subscribers and contributors for pur-
chasing a lot of ground, and building a meeting-house for the
use of the Church of Christ in Philadelphia (commonly called
German Baptist) held March 19, 1817, for the purpose of con-
sidering the expediency of progressing in the undertaking.
When after hearing the report of the Funding Committee, stat-
ing that nearly Five Thousand Dollars are already subscribed,
and considerably more is calculated on, it was resolved unani-
mously that it is expedient to proceed in the undertaking.
Whereupon James Lynd, George Gorgas, Jacob Ziegler, James
Gorgas, and John Rink, were appointed a committee to procure
a lot of ground suitable for the purpose, and report at our next
meeting.

" Adjourned."

If the heading of these minutes is to be taken strictly,
that this was the " first meeting " relative to this project held

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 109

in Philadelphia, then the " Funding Committee " mentioned
in the Minutes must have been appointed at a council held
in Germantown, and the claim that the Philadelphia organi-
zation was effected in 1813, seems without foundation.

Five days later, March 24, the Philadelphia Brethren
again met in council. The committee for procuring a lot of
ground reported that they had purchased " from Jesse Still-
waggon a lot of ground situated between Crown and Fourth
streets, a little south of Callowhill Street, 45 ft. front on
Crown Street, and running that breadth to Fourth Street,
say from between 75 and 86 feet deep, for Four Thousand,
Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars."

It was unanimously agreed that it is expedient to proceed
without delay to the collection of the subscriptions, or so
much of them, as to enable the lot committee to meet their
engagements with Jesse Stillwaggon. After considering
the matter it was deemed expedient to appoint a treasurer to
receive the amounts collected from time to time. James
Lynd was the unanimous choice of the meeting.

It was deemed expedient also to appoint trustees, to whom
the lot of ground might be conveyed in trust. The trus-
tees appointed were : Peter Keyser, Jacob Ziegler, Sr., James
Lynd, John Heisler, John Fox, Jacob Ziegler, Jr., Chris-
tian Lehman, George Gorgas, Joseph Gorgas, Christopher
S. Langstroth, Michael Keyser, and John Leibert — twelve
in all.

A Building Committee was also appointed at this second
council meeting of March 24, which consisted of the fol-
lowing persons: Jacob Ziegler, Sr., James Lynd, George
Gorgas, John Heisler, James Gorgas, Peter Keyser and
John Rink — seven in all.

Cost of materials and what different contractors and busi-
ness men contributed is mentioned in the minutes. There is
however no mention of the cost of lumber. Inasmuch as
Peter Keyser was a lumber merchant, we shall take the lib-
erty to conjecture that he furnished the lumber free, and
that he had learned how to keep the doings of his right hand
from the knowledge of his left.

There was a gallery in the church, built after the pattern

110 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

of the one in the Friend's Meeting-house on 12th Street.
The meeting-house was dedicated on October 12, 1817.^

How many members Hved in Philadelphia at the time of
the building of the Crown St, meeting-house we have not
learned. Those whose names are given in the preceding
pages were certainly at least the most prominent ones, and
may have constituted a large percentage of the male mem-
bers. Peter Keyser was the preacher living in Philadelphia.
He was elected already in 1 788

The first minister elected in Philadelphia after the erec-
tion of the church on Crown St., which election was held
April 2, 1826, proves conclusively that at that date yet,
Philadelphia and Germantown were one congregation, The
church record of this election is as follows :

"At a church meeting held in Germantown, April 2, 1826,
all the members present; our Brother Timothy Bangor was
duly acknowledged and approved as a minister of the Gospel in
the church of German Baptist. And on the following Sabbath
evening, the church in Philadelphia, in convention ratified the
proceedings of the Church at Germantown, and acknowledged
and approved in like manner Timothy Bangor as a minister and
helper in the Gospel of Christ.

" Signed on behalf of the church.

Peter Keyser, Sec'y."

On October 12, of this same year in which Timothy Ban-
gor was made a minister, the first love-feast was held in
Philadelphia. From now on Philadelphia had the spring
feast, with the exceptions of 1834 and 1843, when both
were again held in Germantown.

Sometimes the Philadelphia feast was omitted altogether.
In 1858 Philadelphia for the first time had both a spring
and an autumn feast. This however was only an excep-
tion, and did not occur again until 1866. After 1867 we
find the feast in Germantown neglected. The first com-
munion service in the new church on Marshall Street was
held October 9, 1873.

2 Elder Peter Keyser preached three sermons on that day, from He-
brews 9: 1-5; Luke 19: 46; and Acts 26: 22, 23. The meetings were
largely attended. On March 5, 1818, Elder Keyser presented to the
congregation a beautiful pulpit Bible. Brumbaugh's " History," p. 509.

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. HI

The first fruits of the new church were Christian Flower
and Catherine Evans, baptized on Easter day, April 6, 1817,
by Peter Keyser. Catherine Evans became one of the
saintly characters of the Philadelphia church. " Her works
follow her in the living members she brought into the fold
by her religious ministrations, who are endeavoring to
walk in the footsteps of her holy example."

Not very much is recorded of the Philadelphia church
from 18 1 7 to 1854, or to about the time that Dr. Plenry
Geiger was elected to the ministry. Some church officers
were elected in this interval. John Righter and Thomas
Major were elected to the ministry, November 18, 1841, in
the Crown St. meeting-house, the former receiving twenty-
nine votes and the latter twenty-seven. They were likely
the first ministers elected in Philadelphia, for while Tim-
othy Bangor was received here, he was elected in German-
town. James Lynd and John Heisler are on the list of
Philadelphia preachers, following Peter Keyser and com-
ing in before Timothy Bangor, but these two were likely
also elected at Germantown. John Fox was " elected
elder," September 28, 1844. But, as in New Jersey, the
terms elder and preacher seem to have been synonymous.
John Fox was ordained to the eldership in the regular order
of the Brethren, November 16, 1867.

On May 4, 1854, two more ministers were elected: Dr.
Henry Geiger, who received thirty-one votes, and David
Harley, who received twenty-five. Christian Custer was
elected December 24, 1861. Had the old custom of receiv-
ing the one with the next highest number of votes prevailed
when these votes nearly equalled the first choice, there would
have been another dual election, for Jonathan Eisenhower
had thirty-three votes to Custer's thirty-six. The last elec-
tion from the membership of the Philadelphia church was
the one held on the removal of Elder J. P. Hetric in 1882,
when Joel Reiner, son of Elder Jacob, of Pine Run, was
the choice. These last two elections made a lot of trouble
for the Philadelphia church.

A very interesting entry is found in the books of the Phil-
adelphia church, which is herewith copied :

112 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

" Names of Elders of the German Baptist Church in Ger-
mantown and Philadelphia from the year 1793 down to this
date, February 22, 1865.

Alexander Mack James Lynd

Philip Weaver John Heisler

Peter Leibert John W. Price

Thomas Langstroth John Righter

Charles Hubbs Thomas Major

Justus Fox Sara Righter

John Weaver John Fox

Peter Keyser Amos Crowell

John Sellars Henry Geiger

Peter Bruster David Harley

John Van Lashett Christian Custer
Timothy Bangor

" I have heard all these Brethren preach,

"Your Brother in the Lord,

"John Fox, Elder."

There were also some deacons chosen during this period :

1. Peter K. Gorgas, elected January 13, 1842.

2. John Fox, elected January 13, 1842.

3. John Goodyear, elected February 23, 1858.

4. Christian Custer, elected February 23, 1858.

5. John Fry, elected January 31, 1863.

6. Isaiah G. Harley, elected January 31, 1863.
We now come to what might be called

The Constitutional Period

of the Philadelphia church — a period of reorganization, of
readjustments to meet changing conditions, a period of
transition from the old-time church preachers to the modern
pastorate. During this time the Sunday School gained ad-
mission. The church began keeping regular, systematic
records. Poor funds were developed. The Trustees were
organized. The church was incorporated as a legal body
with a corporate seal. The struggle was begun for the de-
velopment of a church edifice that would properly house her
manifold activities. And she formulated a constitution.

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 113

This period we may say in a general way extended from
1850 to 1870, from the death of the old founder, Peter
Keyser, to the coming of J. P. Hetric, the first pastor.
And yet this evolution was felt before and after these dates.

The Church Property.

In a meeting on January 15, 1850, the surviving trus-
tees were empowered " to remove the discrepancy between
the deed and the article of agreement " (whatever this was),
and the following new Board was elected, to whom the sur-
viving trustees of the original deed were authorized to con-
vey the legal title now standing in their name. The second
Board of Trustees, elected on the motion of John Fox, was
as follows :

John Righter,

John Goodyear,

John Fox, only old trus-

George H. Spencer,

tee.

Jacob Harley,

Joseph E. Mcllhenny,

10.

Benjamin Lehman,

John Hagey,

II.

Peter K. Gorgas,

John Harley,

12.

James Lynd, Jr.

John Dismant,

A meeting was called February 20, 1862, in the meeting-
house, for the purpose of taking into consideration the in-
corporation of the property belonging to the said German
Baptist Church, located on Crown Street, below Callowhill,
east side. Thirty members were present, the names of all
of whom are given in the minutes. Bro. Geiger read the
legal writings drawn up for the above named purpose, in
which the following named persons were named as Trustees :

John Fox,

Isaiah G. Harley,

Stephen Benton,

Jacob Harley,

James Lynd,

Joseph A. Price,

Henry Geiger,

10.

Samuel Hershey,

John Goodyear,

II.

John Fry,

Jonathan Eisenhower,

12.

John Hagey.

The act of incorporation as read was unanimously
adopted.
9

114 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

At this same meeting, on Bro. Fox's own motion, a com-
mittee was appointed to examine the church books, city
bonds or loans, etc., in his possession, for the purpose of
having them transferred to Bro. Goodyear. This matter
involves the poor fund, which we shall consider later.

" Petition to the Court for Incorporation.

" To the Honorable, the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas
for the County of Philadelphia.
" The Subscribers, citizens of the State of Pennsylvania have
agreed to associate themselves for the purpose set forth in the
annexed Article, Constitution of the Society of the Church of
Christ (worshipping in Crown Street, city of Philadelphia)
commonly called German Baptists, and are desirous of acquir-
ing and enjoying, in accordance with the articles, conditions
and objects, and under the name, style and title in said annexed
articles, set forth the powers and immunities of a corporation
and body politic in law, and they pray that your Honors may
examine the said articles, and if the objects and conditions
therein shall appear lawful and not injurious to the Community,
may direct the same to be filed in the office of the prothonotary
of the Court aforesaid and also direct the necessary advertise-
ment of this application.

"And as in honor bound your petitioners will ever pray, etc.
(Signed)
"Joseph A. Price Samuel Hershey

Jacob Harley John Fox

James Lynd Henry Geiger

Isaiah G. Harley Jonathan Eisenhower

John Hagey John Goodyear"

John Fry

The trustees figured very prominently in this work, as
much as to call forth protest. A meeting was held July 5,
1864, to reconsider the Constitution and By-Laws. Bro.
Custer objected to Art. Ill, Sec. 2, on the ground that too
much power was vested in the trustees, and thought that
the word "Church" should be substituted in place of
"Trustees." No motion was made to this efifect, but the
protest went on the minutes.

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 115

It seems that a Constitution is necessary to present to the
Civil Court in order that the church may be recognized as
a corporate body in law. It, therefore, has to do with the
temporal side of church work, and rightly falls within the
sphere of the Trustees. The entering of the protest on the
Minutes seems to indicate that the church recognized the
danger of the Trustees feeling their power, to being led to
usurp authority in the church not belonging to them, but not
recognizing any such usurpation as having taken place.
The Church in her spiritual functions is above, not subject
to Civil Courts, but where she has dealings in the affairs of
this life, she recognizes the Civil Courts as of God to look
after these matters, and submits to their regulations in
matters temporal. The submission of such a Constitution
is not to be interpreted as the Church subscribing to a con-
fession or Creed. The creed of the Church of the Brethren
is as always the New Testament.

On May 25, 1864, the Board of Trustees met and organ-
ized as follows : President, Jonathan Eisenhower ; Secre-
tary, I. G. Harley; Treasurer, John Goodyear. Two days
later, on May 27, Samuel Hershey resigned his trusteeship
and his membership in the church. Silas Thomas was
elected in his place.

A motion is recorded, made likely about this time, the
mover being Elder Jacob Spanogle, as follows : " Resolved,
that the Society of the church of Christ commonly called
German Baptist adopt a corporate seal for the use and pur-
pose of said Society, and that we hereby adopt a said cor-
porate seal, one of which the following is a true and correct
impress."

The first annual meeting of the Trustees was held Jan.
30, 1865. At this meeting it was decided to repair the
church, repairs consisted of "painting and fixing up," cost
$347.35.

To the Trustees is the credit also due of getting the
church to keep regular minutes. The following written
report was submitted on the date of the above meeting.
The report speaks for itself.

116 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

" Philadelphia, Jan, 30, 1865.

"To THE Members and Trustees of the German Baptist
Church.
" Dear Brethren: — Being instructed by the Board of Trustees,
at a meeting held May 25, 1864, to purchase a Book for the use
of the German Baptist Church, and to record therein the Act
of Incorporation, By-Laws, and the Minutes of all meetings
held from that date," etc.

The name of the person who secured the book is not
given. It was likely I. G. Harley.

Jacob Harley is the first secretary of whom we have
record. He served in 1854. Henry Geiger was secretary
in 1856 and 1858; and Silas Thomas in 1864. But these
seem to have been only appointments pro tern.

We find the treasurer's work also being gotten in shape.
In 1865 the treasurer gave reports for several years back,
for 1862, 1863 and 1864; also a report of poor funds since
1858. After 1864 he gave a regular annual report of all
receipts and expenditures, and also separate annual reports
of the poor funds. The total cost of running the church
in 1862, including cost of light, heat, water, $150 interest on
a mortgage, and $80 sexton's salary for eight months,
amounted to $252.97. The next year it was $301.99. In
the light of present day conditions, we may well call this
the day of small things. But even this burden the mem-
bers did not have to bear, the receipts being as follows:

Rents from lot and cellar ($150 and $60) $210.00

Contributions from R. Harley Fund 5.00

Quarterly Collections 1 1.97

From ex-Treasurer John Fox 32.37

Total receipts $2S9.-34

Notwithstanding the low cost of running the church, the
congregation had been borrowing heavily from the poor
funds. Surely the members had not been taught to give.
No wonder that the windows of heaven had not been opened
in blessings. The shortage in funds continued to increase;
and in order to stimulate the members in giving, shortages
for three years were read, being as follows : in 1864, $92.55 ;

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 117

in 1865, $213.54; in 1866, $395.84. It being recognized
as illegal to use the poor funds, the following action was
taken in a special meeting of Trustees at Bro. John Fry's,
on the evening of January 28, 1867 :

"Resolved, That the proceeds of the legacies to the Crown
Street German Baptist Church, be appropriated and used
alone for the purpose for which they were bequeathed — to
the assistance of the Poor members of said church."

John Goodyear, John Fry and I. G. Harley were ap-
pointed a committee to liquidate the debt. The board sug-
gested, "that the present debt of the church be subscribed
for and paid, that a permanent church fund be raised by
quarterly or half yearly subscriptions, from each member of
the church in such amounts as each member may feel able
and willing to pay."

A meeting of the church was called to present the matter
to the members, when it was decided to do away with the
quarterly collection of Sunday morning, "and that each
member subscribe in a book furnished by the deacons, what
they may feel willing and able to give, and that it be pay-
able half yearly, on the first of November and on the first
of May in each and every year." It will thus be seen that
the burden of financing the church devolved largely upon
the trustees.

The personnel of the Board has been kept pretty well
before us.

The following letter was received by the Board :

"Philadelphia, May 18, 1865.
" Mr. Jonathan Eisenhower, President of Board of Trustees
of the German Baptist Church, Phila.
"Dear Sir, — I hereby tender my resignation as a member of
the board over which you preside. Please have my resignation
accepted and entered on the minutes of your transactions.

"H. Geiger."

This resignation was accepted with no little reluctance.
Dr. Geiger's influence for good as a trustee, as well as in
other lines of church work, was considerable. George
Spencer was elected in his place.

118 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

John Fox resigned as a trustee, February ii, 1867, and
Jacob Spanogle was elected in his place. Bro Spanogle was
a preacher and had moved to Philadelphia a few years
before.

Joseph Price having moved to Norristown, resigned as a
trustee, July 26, 1869. Isaac Hunsberger was elected in'
his place.

February 13, 1871, John S. Thomas was elected a trus-
tee in place of George H. Spencer, deceased.

Jacob Harley resigned as trustee, January 29, 1872.
Christian Custer was elected to fill the vacancy. At the
same time John Eisenhower resigned as chairman of the
Board, and was succeeded by John S. Thomas.

The Poor Fund.

In the matter of funds for the poor the Philadelphia
church holds an enviable position. Up to the end of the
period of this congregation's history now under considera-
tion, she had three — The Hannah Keyser Fund, the Rudolph
K. Harley Fund, and the Christian Lapp Fund.

Hannah Keyser by her will left $1,000 as a poor fund, to
the Germantown and Philadelphia churches. The interest
-was to be divided equally between the two churches and to
te given to their poor and needy. The money was invested
in City Loan at 6 per cent. By January i, 1865, the in-
come had amounted to $379.23. Of this amount $260.16
had been paid out, leaving a balance on hand of $119.07.
The funds seem to be in care of the Philadelphia church,
which pays Germantown her share.

Rudolph K. Harley bequeathed to the Philadelphia
Church forty-two shares of Northern Liberty Gas Stock,
$25 per share, making $1,050. John Fox originally had
the care of it, but resigned in 1869. He was succeeded by
I. G. Harley. The income from this fund up to October 5,
1864, was $994.12. $522.14 had been paid out, leaving a
balance, January i, 1865, of $471.98. $5 were given an-
nually to defray expenses of the church. The Gas Stock
paid very large dividends, but in 1865 was likely soon to be
paid over to the church.

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 119

Christian Lapp Fund was originally $470.11. But with
6 per cent, interest by 1864 amounted to $656.23. Of this
amount $512.50 were invested. The balance on hand, Jan-
uary I, 1865, was $i4373-

The total balance from the poor funds, January i, 1865,
was $642.33. As already stated the church had been in
the habit of borrowing from this fund. Nearly $100
were due the poor fund on the preceding date. When the
question of repairing the church came up before the Board
of Trustees, May 22, 1865, the President stated that the
poor fund could not be used and that the amount owed
should be paid back. In 1858 the sole duty of the treasurer
seemed to be disposing of the income from these funds.

The Philadelphia Sunday School.

The following account of the Philadelphia Sunday
School is the one read at the meeting of the Brethren's His-
torical Society at Harrisonburg, Va., in 1909. The infor-
mation concerning its origin was received direct from Sister
Mary Geiger of Philadelphia, the widow of its founder.

" Dr. Henry Geiger moved to Philadelphia in 1852. About
two years later, in 1854, he was elected to the ministry. At this
time no services were held on Sunday except preaching, morn-
ing and evening. This was in the old Crown Street Church."

The Doctor refused to serve unless a Sunday School was
organized. This stand brought the Sunday School, and
brought it permanently. Dr. Geiger was elected superin-
tendent.

During a trip east James Ouinter was with the Philadel-
phia church on Sunday, December 28, 1856. He says::

" The Brethren here have a Sunday School ; and on Sunday
afternoon our talking was more particularly directed to the
teachers and scholars. We were pleased with the interest mani-
fested, and hope God will bless all concerned, and make them
a blessing. Our meetings here were characterized by solemnity
and attention. We felt, I think, that it was good to be together.
There are zealous brethren and sisters in this church. And we
hope God has blessings in store for them. We enjoyed our-

120 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

selves very well with our Christian friends here." — Gospel
Visitor of 1857, pp. 57 and 58.

The Philadelphia school was purely Brethren at the start;
the one at Coventry was union in origin, yet it was securely
intrenched in the church with a brother as superintendent
before the Philadelphia school was started, so it may rightly
claim to be the older school. Many of our church enter-
prises were started as individual concerns. If, however,
the position be taken that that is not a Brethren school which
was not purely one at the beginning, then to Dr. Geiger
must be conceded the distinction of standing at the head
of our Sunday School work. It would give us great pleas-
ure to grant him the distinction, because of the indirect bless-
ing he has been to the church. Dr. Geiger did the work
of a surgeon in the Civil War. This not only brought an
end to his preaching and Sunday School work, but cost him
his membership. May the good he has done the church
return to him in blessing!

The Philadelphia school was the first to receive notice in
our church paper, so that its influence was doubtless more
widespread and called into being more schools than did the
Coventry school. James Quinter's visit was in mid-winter.
He visited Coventry as well as Philadelphia. Coventry is
in the country and her school had likely closed for the
winter.

So much for the account to the Historical Society.

The Sunday School has ever been a potent factor in
shaping church architecture. We shall here insert a state-
ment from the old minute book which may seem out of
place.

"Our holy and beautiful house where our Fathers wor-
shipped was injured by fire, October 5, 1854. We con-
gregated in the old school room, corner of Vine and Fourth
Streets, until January 28, 1855, when we turned our feet
once more to the little Sanctuary." Bro. M. G. Brumbaugh
evidently places this construction on the above : " We con-
gregated in the old school room, corner of Vine and Fourth
Streets, where we had congregated before the Crown Street
house was built."

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 121

The question of leasing again the lot back of the church
was considered at a special meeting of the Board of Trus-
tees, May 26, 1869. It was then stated that the teachers
and scholars of the Sunday School were dissatisfied with
the gallery of the church, the place which was then used
by the school. They complained that they could not build
up the school unless they had better accommodations for the
scholars, and asked that something might be done to relieve
them, whereby they might retain all the scholars and in-
crease the school. It was proposed to erect a school roorn
on the lot, but on this point there was lack of agreement.
The next proposition was to sell the church and lot and to
build a new church elsewhere with basement for Sunday
School, it being thought the church was not in the right
place to do good. It was decided to call a meeting of the
members to consider the matter.

This meeting was held June 24, 1869, in the church build-
ing. The object of the meeting was laid before the mem-
bers by the President of the board, and all were requested to
express their views. Bro. John S. Thomas thought the
church wasn't in a place to do good, being surrounded by
"Lager beer saloons," and other "annoyances," and that
he could not see how any member could object to selling the
church, and building or buying one in some more suitable
place. Brother Spanogle tried to dispel any fears of addi-
tional cost by stating that the property could be sold for
$18,000 or more, and that for this amount a lot could be
purchased and a plain meeting-house erected. Bro. John
Fox had no objection to selling if sufficient could be realized
on the old property. He said that when the house was built
in 18 1 7, it was in the center of the membership, but now the
members were more up town. His remarks seemed to set
forth the general view of the church. Those present were
unanimously in favor of selling and a committee was ap-
pointed to take the vote of those present. A written vote
of the whole membership was taken and resulted as fol-
lows: "Yes," 84; "No," 8; refused to vote, 8; not seen, 5.
It will thus be seen that the membership of the church in
1869 was 105. In 1862 it was 96.

122 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

It was decided in council, September 6, 1869, to sell the
Crown Street property. Isaac Hunsberger, John L. Fry,
Silas Thomas, and I. G. Harley were appointed to attend to
the matter, and also to see about buying a new lot. An
offer of $12,000 for the property was refused. The mat-
ter dragged on till September 3, 1872, when it was decided
to accept an offer of $13,000. A new committee had been
appointed in June of this year — Brethren Hunsberger, Cus-
ter and Fry — to look up a building lot, to draw up a plan
for the new church and to secure estimates of cost. Two
sites were found — one on the corner of 8th and Thompson
Streets and the other on Marshall Street below Girard
Avenue. The latter was taken for $7,600. A two-story
brick church was erected on this lot, and dedicated the
second Sunday in September, 1873. Elder Isaac Price, of
Green Tree, preached the dedication sermon.

The Philadelphia church began keeping council records
apart from the minutes of the trustees in 1865. Troubles
among the ministers seem to have brought this desirable re-
sult. L^ck of harmony, running too fast, unkindness,
assuming authority, jealousy, lack of care in truthfulness,
and attending services elsewhere when there were meetings
in the home church, were faults found in the ministry; and
the chuch was rebuked for schism. The committee of
elders present were Christian Long, John L. Click and Sam-
uel Harley. Elder Andrew M. Dierdorff was also present.

But this committee was not able to put an end to the
trouble. The ministers involved were Brethren Custer,
Heyser and Fox. The committee met the church in Jan-
uary, 1866; but the next year it was necessary to have an-
other. The committee consisted of John Zug, Graybill
Myers, John Wise, Jacob Reiner and Daniel M. Holsinger.
This was November 14, 1867. After the members had sub-
scribed themselves as "willing to abide by the decision of
this committee and never oppose it unless it can be shown
that it is contrary to the Scriptures," the committee gave its
report as follows :

" After patiently hearing all the testimony offered, the fol-
lowing are our

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 123

Unanimous Conclusions.

"Whereas, We, having examined the writing and verbal
declarations made before us, after mature deliberation found
that many members have done wrong ;

"Therefore, Resolved: That after hearing the acknowledge-
ments made by brethren in public council, we do not require any
further acknowledgements from any, but that all the members
shall humble themselves before God, confess their sins to him
and turn from them.

" Also, Resolved, That we set the ministers in order accord-
ing to the general order of the Brethren by promoting Brother
John Fox to the office of Bishop, or Ordained Elder ; and Bro.
Custer be continued in the ministry in the first degree.

" And the members shall submit unto this decision and who-
ever shall stir up anything that has occurred before this time
shall fall into the judgment of the church.
"Philada., Nov. i6, 1867.

" Signed

John Wise, Moderator
Daniel M. Holsinger, Clerk
Graybill Myers
Jacob K. Reiner
John Zug"

Bro. John Fox was very old when he was ordained.
When it came to receive him as bishop, as is the custom,
the brethren received him with the right hand of fellow-
ship and the salutation of the kiss, then the sisters gave the
right hand of fellowship. The first three gave the hand
only but the fourth seized his hand and kissed him. All
the sisters that followed kissed him also.

The next year another committee waited on the church to
set them in order in regard to feetwashing, the supper, the
salutation, and use of the Lord's Supper. In the council of
October 5, 1869, it was decided to carry out the decision of
the committee, to have "Beef, Bread, Rusk and Coffee"
for the Supper.

Action of the church November 10, 1869, Bro. Graybill
Alyers being present, showed further progress in the matter
of getting fully into the order of the Brotherhood. After

124 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

some consultation the following proposition and resolution
were unanimously accepted.

" Whereas, a few of our members have sometimes com-
muned with other denominations, and others have fellowshipped
Wm. C. Thurman, an excluded member of the Brotherhood;
and. Whereas these things are contrary to the order of the
Brethren, and thereby have brought trouble and contentions
into our congregation,

" Therefore, Resolved, that, forgiving one another all that is
past, we will henceforth by the help of the Lord, avoid giving
offence, in the particulars named above, and furthermore, that
we will enforce discipline upon all those members who here-
after thus offend."

Meeting was held for the last time in the old Crown St.
Church, on Sunday, September 22, 1872. Services were
held morning and evening.

" The Brethren and Sisters having tried to worship the Lord
our God, in accordance with the teachings of the New Testa-
ment in that house for fifty-five years, feel sorry to leave the
dear, sad" spot. But believing it to be for the best, to promote
the cause of Christ, and the salvation of precious never-dying
souls, have consented and are willing to make sacrifices, and
thereby assist in the building of a new house, wherein to con-
tinue by the blessing and assistance of our God our worship in
a more convenient place."

Meetings were held in a hall on the corner of 6th St. and
Girard Ave., from September 29, 1872, to the second Sun-
day in Sept., 1873, when as previously stated, the new
house was dedicated.

The first quarterly council meeting held in the Marshall
St. house was on Thursday evening, July 2, 1874. Bro.
J. T. Myers was appointed chairman, and L G. Harley was
secretary.

October i, 1874, it was decided to have a minister read
the opening chapter instead of a deacon as heretofore. It
being stated that reading in order was not the general cus-
tom of the Brethren, Bro. John Fox stated that the read-
ing of the chapter in order, by one of the deacons, has been

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 125

done here and at Germantown, as long as he can remember ;
but he did not object to a change. A psalm was also read
at the opening of the morning service, by the minister, but
he was not in favor of too much reading and thought the
long chapters should be divided.

While the Philadelphia Church was getting in line with
some of the old regulations of the Brotherhood, new meas-
ures were constantly being introduced.

The question of a pool came up at this time. Bro. Fox
thought the time had come for a pool. The readiness of
change in a man so old is remarkable. There was great
difficulty in baptizing in the River. They must always wait
for the tide or baptize in the mud, and they did not know
how soon they would be deprived of that privilege. The
vote was seventeen to one for a pool.

Elder J. P. Hetric first comes to the front in the third
council in the new church, and it was in the interest of
church government. He stated that the order among the
Brethren is, when business is to come before the church of
which the church is not fully informed of its nature, to
submit it to a special council of the official members, who
approve or disapprove as they think proper, and thus occupy
the relation to the council meeting, that the Standing Com-
mittee does to the general Annual Council, after which our
church meetings are modelled; and if the church wishes to
transact its business after the order of the Brethren, this
is the way they should proceed.

Brother Hetric came from Armstrong Co., Pa. John
Wise, of that county, informs the Brotherhood in the Gospel
Visitor of August, 1866, that "The congregation on Red
Bank held an election for a minister — and called Bro. Jesse
P. Hetric to the ministry." Bro. Hetric came to Philadel-
phia in April, 1874, and remained as pastor of the Philadel-
phia church to June, 1882. In this interval, April, 1877,
he met with the great loss and sorrow of his life, in the
death of his estimable wife. He had had the pleasure of
baptizing her into the church for which he was laboring,
September 6, 1874. "Broken down in physical health and
discouraged in heart, he took up the duties of life alone in

126 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the city church." And for five years more he rendered
very acceptable service. During his pastorate forty-three
were added to the church. He held some very successful
revival services in the churches in the country roundabout.
Bro. Hetric wished to go to the country, but not because
of any dissatisfaction in the church, which desired him to
stay. He advocated the election of a minister from the
membership. Bro. Joel Reiner, son of Elder Jacob, was
elected. There was a rival, and dissensions and with-
drawals followed. After some years of service Bro. Reiner
fell away from the church.

Then Brethren from a distance were called in to look
after the flock. These were E. A. Orr, I. M, Gibson and
Howard Miller. Though there are members still living
who have " pleasant memories of Christian fellowship in the
Marshall Street Church," yet the work did not prosper.
The membership became weak and scattered. The church
was sold in March, 1890; and a lot was bought at the N. E.
corner of Dauphin and Carlisle Streets in June of the same
year.

For about a year the members worshipped in a hall at
226. St. and Columbia Ave. During this time the Sunday
School was suppressed. Bro. W. J. Swigart of Hunting-
don preached every other Sunday. The pulpit was filled
on the other Sunday as best they could. Prayer-meetings
were held in the homes. The last sermon in the hall was
preached Sunday, April 26, 1891, by Bro. T. T. Myers, of
Illinois, it being his first to the Philadelphia members.
The new church was dedicated May 3, 1891. Eld. W. J.
Swigart preached the sermon. At the same time Bro.
Myers assumed the pastorate of the little flock, now number-
ing about forty. The total membership in Philadelphia
was seventy-four. This was the beginning of prosperity
for the Philadelphia church. Up to February 8, 1891,
four hundred and nine persons had held membership in the
Philadelphia church.

There were about twenty of the Marshall St. members
who were worshipping at Dover Hall. These too might
have been built up into a strong congregation had they

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 127

been supplied with a good resident pastor. They were
organized into a congregation and became known as the

North Philadelphia Church.

They first represented at District Meeting in the year
1888. This was while E. A. Orr was preaching at Mar-
shall St. J. K. Reiner was the preacher in North Philadel-
phia. He and J. H. Hartman represented the church this
year. These with J. W. Steiner were the only represen-
tatives of this church till 1893, when it was taken under
the care of the District Mission Board. We have the fol-
lowing minutes in the District records of this year :

"The Northern Philadelphia Church at a council in the fall
of 1892 decided to ask the District Mission Board to take charge
of them, which we agreed to do. J. K. Reiner, their only min-
ister, was charged with improper conduct and improper expres-
sions in preaching, to which he plead guilty. Whereupon, in
the presence of the writer (name not given) and Elders Wm.
Hertzler and F. P. Cassel, he was deposed from the ministry ;
and at the next council, he and wife disowned, by their request.
Four councils attended there during the year. This church was
assigned to Elder Wm. Hertzler to care for them in the name
of the Mission Board, and they are supplied with ministerial
service by ministers from other churches."

J. H. Hartman continued to represent this church at Dis-
trict Meeting; and the District Mission Board spent con-
siderable money in ministerial supplies here. Jesse Ziegler
and J. Z. Gottwals preached most frequently.

In 1894 the report at District Meeting was that one was
baptized, that meetings were held every Lord's day, and that
the members are much in need of a better place of worship.

In 1895 the work was in charge of Elder H. E. Light,
and he was unable to give a very encouraging report.
" They still continue to hold their meetings in Dover Hall.
Every Sunday the appointments are filled by supplies from
H. E. Light, Cassel, Gottwals, Price and Ziegler, or their
substitutes. A few had to be disowned, and no addition
during this year. Four councils and one love feast were

128 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

held during the year. The committee appointed to see for
a better place of worship did not succeed as yet in getting
a new place."

The report to the District Meeting of 1896 was: "Phil-
adelphia Northern Church was disorganized by the mutual
consent of the members and the committee from A. M."
The members went to the

Carlisle and Dauphin St. Church.

Here Bro. T. T. Myers was doing a quiet, steady work
that was bringing results. During his first year twenty-two
were baptized; during the second, thirty-five; the third,
thirty-seven; the fourth, twenty-eight; the fifth, nine (this
year he visited the Holy Land) ; the sixth, forty. During
these years he received sixty-two by letter; and dismissed
by letter perhaps twenty.

In the spring of 1892 it was necessary to build a Sunday
School addition. It consisted of two rooms, an infant room
and a general Sunday School room. The building and
furnishing, costing about $7,000, were the gifts of Sister
Mary Geiger. This building was dedicated October 2, 1892.
The first Sunday School at the new Carlisle and Dauphin
St. house was held May 10, 1891, with W. S. Price, now
of Royersford, as superintendent.

Bro. T. T. Myers continued to serve this congregation
till he was called to the chair of New Testament Theology
in the Juniata Bible School, with the exception of one year,
from May, 1901, to May, 1902, when W. S. Long was
pastor. Bro. Long and C. C. Ellis were each assistant
pastor for a short time.

In 1896 a mission Sunday School was started at 26th
Street and Lehigh Avenue. Bro. J. W. Cline was placed
in charge of the work. Through the generosity of Sister
Geiger a lot was purchased and a church and parsonage
built, which were dedicated in the fall of 1898. This
church is fittingly called Geiger Memorial.

The Carlisle and Dauphin St. church was enlarged and a
tower built on it in 1905. Bro. M. G. Brumbaugh preached

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 129

the dedication sermon on Sunday morning, January i, 1905.
A sermon was preached in the evening by Eld. I. N. H.
Beahm. The membership of the church at this time, in-
cluding the mission at 26th and Lehigh, was about four
hundred and fifty. Besides the different departments of the
Sunday School and Bible Classes, there were a Mother's,
a Young People's and a Junior Christian Endeavor, a
Young Woman's Christian Temperance Union, a Society of
King's Daughters, Sewing Circles, a Beneficial Association,
a Young Men's Association, a Junior, and A Young People's
Choral Society. The feeling of the church was : " Surely
the Lord has been and is with us, and He will continue to
be with us if we show to Him a spirit of real devotion."

A brief acquaintance with some of the old preachers of
the Philadelphia Church will be of interest to all. First
and foremost among them will ever be

Peter Keyser.

An interesting account of him is given in the book, " Some
Who Led," which is no doubt accessible to nearly all. He
came of good old Mennonite stock, and little wonder that he
became a tower of strength.

Peter Dirck Keyser, great-grandfather of Elder Peter,
came to America in 1668, and settled at Germantown. The
subject of this sketch was born November 9, 1766. When
he was three years old his father joined the Church of the
Brethren. He himself joined the church, September 28,
1784, in his eighteenth year. In 1785 he was called to the
ministry; and in 1802 was ordained to the eldership. For
sixty-four years he was preacher and for forty-seven years
was bishop of the Germantown and Philadelphia churches.
He died May 21, 1849.

Bro. Abraham H. Cassel has a few words more for us
about him: "I was well acquainted with the Rev. Peter
Keyser. He told me some of his early life; that his father
had been a tanner, and that he was early put at the bark mill
for grinding. Above it he made a shelf, on which he kept
an open Bible, and as the grinding went on he would read
10

130 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

a passage in it, memorize it ; and so he would take up verse
after verse and chapter after chapter, until he had com-
pletely memorized the whole of the New Testament. Of
the Old Testament he memorized the whole of the Psalms
and the Prophets, and the five books of Moses — the whole
of the New and the greater part of the Old Testament."

James Lynd.
James Lynd succeeded Peter Keyser as elder of the Phil-
adelphia Church, and survived him only a little over two
years. He died December 28, 1851. We give the follow-
ing lines written on him after his death by J. E. M. I.
They indicate that the spirit of poetry was cultivated in
this city church.

" He has finished his course,

He has fought the good fight ;
He has reached the bright realms
Of peace and delight.

" No storm of affliction
Shall bear on him now
The crown of rejoicing
Is placed on his brow.

" Then joyfully thronging
With melody sweet.
And harps all attuned.
Their brother to greet.

"The saints of all ages
Appear on the plain.
And join in one sweet
And enrapturing strain.

"What bliss to behold

Midst the bright ones above.
The brethren and friends,
Whom on earth he did love ;

" And join in the praises
That never shall end,
To Jesus their Savior,
Redeemer and Friend."

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 131

John Right er and Thomas Major.

November i8, 1841, a notable event occurred in the Phil-
adelphia church. On this day were elected to the ministry,
one with twenty-nine, the other with twenty-seven votes,
John Righter and Thomas Major, the father and husband
of Sarah Righter Major, the noted woman preacher of
the Church of the Brethren.

The year following this election, in 1842, Sarah ex-
changed her father's home for the home of a husband.
Both guarded and encouraged her in her work of prophesy-
ing. We feel that she was the central figure, and that the
other two existed for her.

For a very interesting account of Sarah Righter Major,
see " Some Who Led," pp. 70-72.

The Gospel Visitor tells us of the home going of John
Righter.

" Died in Philadelphia, August 10 (i860) our beloved brother
in the Lord, Elder John Righter, in the seventy-seventh year of
his age. He was fifty-one years a member of the church, and
nineteen years a preacher of the Gospel. He was in delicate
health for several years, and suffered much, which he endured
with more than usual Christian fortitude. His end was like the
going down of a balmy, summer evening's sun. He was sensible
to the last, and with patience waited for his end, when his dis-
embodied spirit should go home to dwell with the saints, who
have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. Funeral"
services by brethren John H. Umstad and John Fox. Subject —
' It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house
of feasting.'

" We who are left to mourn his departure can say with truth,
— Another of God's servants hath put on the garment of sal-
vation, has laid aside Earth's heavy raiment, and arrayed in
light, has gone to enjoy the house of many mansions. We weep
that he has left us alone. In grief we tread life's desert path-
way, but when life hath passed, we may go to him and claim
his hand, to lead us where the living waters flow."

Thomas Major moved from Philadelphia in 1843 to
Highland County, Ohio. He died in 1888 and is buried
with his wife at Greenfield, Ohio.

132 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Dr. Henry Geiger.

Though Dr. Geiger will never be rated high as a preacher,
will hardly be thought of at all as a preacher, yet his in-
fluence direct and indirect taken together, has perhaps been
greater than that of any other member the Philadelphia
Church ever had. From the angle of finances he has indi-
rectly done more for the Church of the Brethren than any
member on her books. He was active as a trustee, and
likely was instrumental in having the Philadelphia Church
chartered — the first church to be chartered in the Brother-
hood. He it was who brought the Sunday School into the
Philadelphia Church. This Sunday School was the seed
Sunday School of the Brethren Church, the sower of this
seed being James Quinter. The Doctor went out with the
city troop in the Civil War, and thus ceased to be a brother.
He was an able business man and amassed great wealth.
It is his meek, quiet, consecrated wife, who has been and
still is turning his wealth into blessing for the church.
May God bless Sister Mary S. Geiger! Of her it may be
said : " M-any daughters have done well, but she has ex-
ceeded them all."

Jacob Spanogle.

Though not called to the ministry in Philadelphia, yet
Bro. Spanogle was a very useful minister here. He moved
to Philadelphia from Perry County, Pa., perhaps about
i860. He was a tanner by trade and in Philadelphia went
into the leather business. He was active in the church coun-
cils, was a trustee, frequently performed baptisms, and
wielded considerable influence in the church. He it was
who was instrumental in having Bro. J. P. Hetric come to
Philadelphia as pastor. In the church record we find:
"Jacob Spanogle, our beloved brother and minister, died
suddenly, April 19, 1876; aged sixty-two years. Buried at
Germantown."

John Fox.

John Fox was the embodiment of the Philadelphia Church
beyond others. He was the mouth-piece of the congregation.

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 133

This is well brought out when it came to selling the old
Crown Street Church. His remarks set forth the general
view of the church. He was a remarkable old man —
though he knew the past, had lived in it, was a part of it,
yet he had not crystallized in it. He was ready to set aside
the past for new things, if they were for the good of the
church. Nor did his past prejudice his judgment in re-
spect to the merit of new things. He was trusted. He was
interested in all lines of church activity, as can be per-
ceived by reading the history of the Philadelphia Church.
And yet he was not in a hurry to invite Christian Custer
into the pulpit to preach after the latter's election. He
should ever be regarded by the Philadelphia Church as a
father in Israel. He was born October 12, 1786. He was
elected to the ministry September 28, 1844; and was or-
dained elder November 16, 1867. He died in 1880 and is
buried at Germantown.

The Philadelphia Church has produced some saintly
characters.

Catharine Evans

deserves more than a passing notice. We shall leave one
who knew her in life, tell us of her.

" ' Blessed is the memory of the just,

Though dead, in their works they live and shine;
And from the silence of the dust.
Still speak in words divine.'

Heb. 11:4; Rev. 14: 18.

" The above words are eminently appropriate to the honored
and beloved, Catharine Evans, the subject of the following re-
marks, called out by her holy death, and the many Christian
virtues of her long and saintly Hfe; 'by which she being dead
yet speaketh.' The text is peculiarly applicable to her, as we
are constantly reminded of it by hearing her words of exhorta-
tion and pious counsel, repeated by those around us. Know,
too, that they are not without their blessed effects on many.

"Rev. 14: 13 is also beautifully illustrated in the sanctified
influence of her many good works. Of her it may truly be said,
' Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord ; yea, saith the Spirit,
that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow

134 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

them.' Her works follow her in the living members she brought
into the fold by her religious ministrations, who are trying to
walk in the footsteps of her holy example. In every relation
in life, as a wife, a mother, and a Christian, she was a pattern
of propriety, piety and usefulness.

" Her advantages in the way of pious instruction, in early life
were many, for her mother was a Christian of more than usual
excellence. Her pastor also, the late venerated Peter Keyser,
by whom she was baptized and brought into the church, was to
her a Christian minister indeed; and well did she profit by
his ministrations, as in after years by those of her beloved
pastor John Fox, who stood by her dying bed, still exercising
the functions of his holy ministry in her last hours. It was a
blessed sight, when her venerable pastor stood by the bed-side
with her three daughters, and son-in-law, Jacob Reiff, when she
took her last earthly leave of them, giving each a separate
charge, as she did to all around her in her last moments. And
well and long will her holy words be remembered by all who
were privileged to hear them. — A. P. J."

We have spoken of her being the first fruits of the
church in Philadelphia. She died June 25, 1866; and is
buried at Gennantown. Services by John Fox, John Um-
stad and Jacob Spanogle.

Our church history would be more rich, more sanctifying
were more told about the consecrated mothers and sisters
in Israel. We might mention "Kitty" Supplee. Bro. J.
T. Myers tells how she took it to the Lord in prayer when
her teeth (for she had artificial ones) were missing next
morning. Then she dreamed that she should take up board
number so and so of the kitchen floor and she would find
them. She insisted on having the board taken up and
there were her teeth. A rat had evidently been the robber.

And then old "Aunt Becky" Yarnall, the devoted mother
who prayed and prayed and prayed, went to the attic after
dinner to supplicate for her children, would not give up till
she "had them all in the kingdom."

Recent History.
Elder S. R. Zug looked after the Philadelphia Church
while he was a member of the Annual Meeting Committee

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 135

to Eastern Pennsylvania, and was continued after he ceased
to be a member of this Committee, until 1906, when T. T.
Myers was ordained and took the oversight. September i,
1907, Bro. Myers moved to Huntingdon, Pa., having ac-
cepted the chair of New Testament Theology in the Biblical
Department of Juniata College. He had been pastor of
the First Church of Philadelphia for sixteen years. He
found it a mere handful of members struggling for ex-
istence and left it a strong mother church bearing children.

Bro. Charles A. Bame came to Philadelphia following the
removal of Bro. Myers. He took up the pastorate, while
Bro. J. T. Myers was chosen elder in charge. Bro. Bame
continued several years in Philadelphia, and left in the
month of February, 1910. The following month D. Web-
ster Kurtz became pastor of the First Church. Bame was
rather evangelistic. He was, however, ultra-progressive,
progressive beyond possible service. The prevention of a
disruption of the congregation was a heavy task to the
elder, Bro. J. T. Myers. Bro. Myers refused to continue
as elder with Bame in the pulpit. The church to a member
stood with Elder Myers. Bame found an opening as pastor
of a Progressive Church in Dayton, Ohio. He was or-
dained an elder in the Progressive Church of Philadelphia,
however, before he left.

Bro. Kurtz is an able speaker. The attendance under
Kurtz is described as healthy. Kurtz is instructive. Those
who come into the church under Kurtz are likely to remain
loyal. Kurtz is a scholar. He is one of the few ministers
of the Church of the Brethren upon whom has been con-
ferred the degree of D.D.

D. Webster Kurtz was born October 9, 1879, near Hart-
ville, Ohio. His father. Elder John Kurtz, minister and
for many years bishop of the East Nimishillen Church,
Stark Co., Ohio, was born in 183 1 near Reistville, Lebanon
Co., Pa. His grandfather was Jacob Kurtz who migrated
to Stark Co., Ohio, in 1854. His mother's name was Mary
Bollinger, all of whose brothers were ministers in the
Church of the Brethren.

He was the youngest of twelve children and was reared

136 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

on a farm where he spent most of his time till he was of
age. He attended high school and taught three years in a
rural school. He attended college at Ada, and Alliance,
Ohio, and was graduated at Juniata College in the A.B.
course in 1905. After attending Yale Divinity School, he
received the M.A. and B.D. degrees together with the
fellowship of his class, in 1908. This entitled him to a
year's study in European universities. He spent over a
year in the study of theology and philosophy at Leipzig,
BerHn and Marburg universities.

September 7, 1909, he was married to Ethel L. Wheeler,
of Conn. From this time he taught Greek in Juniata
College till April i, 19 10, when he accepted the pastorate
of the First Brethren Church of Philadelphia. About 100
members were added during the first three years.

He was baptized by his father May 5, 1899; elected to
the ministry December 20, 1904; and advanced to the second
degree in 1906 at Brooklyn, N. Y. During the summer of
1913 he took a trip to the Holy Land and to the World's
Sunday School Convention at Zurich, Switzerland.

Ordained to the Eldership, May 20, 19 14.

Resigned at Phila., Aug. i, 1914 to accept Presidency of
McPherson College, Kansas.

B. The Geiger Memorial Church.

For some time previous 'to the founding of this mission
some of the workers of the First Church of Philadelphia
felt the need of branching out in city mission work. God
has always called to the strong churches to give of their
wealth and workers for the further extension of the King-
dom. A committee, consisting of the Pastor T. T. Myers,
S. S. Brownback and J. W. Cline, was appointed to in-
vestigate and report a suitable location for the mission.
After a wide investigation this committee decided that the
best opening available was in the neighborhood of Lehigh
Ave. and 26th St.

The mission was started on November 29, 1896, in the
parlor of the residence at 2610 W. Lehigh Ave. with forty-

w
p
<

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES.

137

five scholars on the first Sunday and sixty on the following
Sunday. Bro. J. W. Cline, who had been recently elected to
the ministry, was chosen superintendent and Bro. S. S.
Brownback was assistant. Those quarters were soon out-
grown, and early in 1897, ^^o. Brownback moved into the
house on the southeast corner of Lehigh Ave. and 26th St.,
whose larger quarters served as the home of the mission
for over a year. On November 2.'j, 1898, the Geiger Me-
morial Chapel was dedicated. Dr. M. G. Brumbaugh
preached the dedicatory sermon assisted by Brethren T. T.
Myers, J. T. Myers and J. W. Cline, the pastor in charge.
A commodious parsonage was also erected by its side.
Here the mission church and Sunday School had its home
until December 29, 1907, when the new commodious
church edifice was dedicated. Dr. M. G. Brumbaugh again
officiated, assisted by Brethren T. T. Myers, I. N. H. Beahm,
C. A. Bame and J- T. Myers, the pastor in charge.

The affairs of the mission were under the immediate
direction of the First Church until 1906. On October 19
of this year the little band of workers were organized into
the Geiger Memorial Brethren Church, the service being
conducted by Bishops S. R. Zug, A. L. Grater, T. T. Myers
and J. T. Myers. Since that time the church has had a
steady growth, numbering at the present time about 140
members. From the founding of the church to the present
time it has had the following pastors :

J. W. Cline, from the beginning to September, 1900; C,
O. Beery, November, 1900, to September, 1901 ; L. M.
Keim, December, 1901, to May, 1905; J. T. Myers, Septem-
ber, 1905, to September, 1911 ; A. J. Culler, September,
1911 to 1914.

The Sunday School has had a continuous growth and
success and has an exceptionally good attendance and in-
fluence when compared with the size of the church and the
surrounding conditions. There are many churches in the
immediate neighborhood and fully one-half the resident
population is Catholic. It has grown from the small be-
ginnings to an enrollment of 440 and an attendance during
the season of about 275. It has maintained every form of

138 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Sunday School activity, Teacher Training, Teacher's Meet-
ings, Cradle Roll, Home Department, Organized Adult
Bible Classes, Circulating Library, Socials, Mid-week enter-
tainments. Lectures, various forms of Athletics, and such
other activities as the live institutional church finds helpful
in winning and holding the young people of the city. Bro.
S. S. Brownback has been superintendent ever since the
beginning and Bro. E. T. Savidge has for many years been
assistant. Great credit is due those who have so well taken
charge of the Primary Department which has always been
quite large. Sister Thomas had it in charge during the first
years followed by Sister Croft, who later with her husband
founded the Bethany Mission, then by Sisters Emily King-
dom, Mrs. J. T. Myers and Mrs. A. J. Culler. During
many of these years Sister Jessie Rae was assistant superin-
tendent of the Primary Department, always being a most
faithful helper. At the present time Sisters Kingdom and
McCarty have charge of the department. The present pas-
tor had the pleasure of baptizing some who started as in-
fants in the Sunday School at the beginning, some of whom
are now teachers and officers in the same school.

From the early days the Christian Workers' Meeting has
flourished. There has also at times been a Junior Christian
Workers' Meeting and at other times a Temperance Society
for the children.

The Try-Circle (name of the Sisters' Aid Society) was
organized about a year ago and has flourished remarkably
well, doing much work for the needy, selling garments, and
helping the church and Sunday School in many ways.

The Pastors.

The first pastor and one of the organizers of the work
was Joseph W. Cline. He was born in the Shenandoah
Valley, Va., in 1866, and received his education at Bridge-
water College and the Temple University of Philadelphia.
He also spent some time in Europe. He was the first super-
intendent and pastor, and remained with the work for three
years. He purchased the ground and directed the erection

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 139

of the chapel and parsonage. In September, 1900, he was
married to Miss Dora Emma Kuns, of IlHnois, after which
they moved to Cahfornia, where they have since resided.
During that time he was pastor of the East Los Angeles
Church (three years) and of the Pomona Church for one
year. He has since then been in business and active in the
district and state Sunday School work. He was elected to
the ministry and advanced to the second degree in Philadel-
phia and ordained to the eldership in California. Bro. and
Sister Cline have been blessed with two sons and one
daughter.

Bro. Chas. O. Beery was the second pastor remaining for
one year. He received his early educational training at
Mt. Morris College and later in Juniata College. He also
took a further course in the Juniata Bible School. He was
married to Miss Ella Replogle, of Iowa, in 1898 and came to
Philadelphia in 1900. From the work here he was called to
the Plum Creek Church, near Elderton, Pa., where he was
pastor for four and one-half years. During the past eight
years he has been pastor of the Tyrone Church. He writes
that he still believes in the Old Book and Its Salvation.

Lewis M. Keim, the third pastor of the church, was born
near Harmonyville, Pa., August 2, 1873. His parents
were members of the church at that place and all the six
children were baptized at an early age, Lewis coming in
at fifteen years of age. He was soon a Sunday School
worker. He attended Brethren's Normal College at Hunt-
ingdon and graduated from its English course in 1894. In
July, 1893, he was elected to the ministry in the Coventry
Church, after which he spent three years teaching school
and preaching in the home congregation with occasional
visits to adjoining congregations.

In order to prepare more fully for the ministry he went
to Juniata College in the fall of 1897 ^^^ was graduated in
the class of 1901 with the degree of B.A. In November of
the same year he became pastor of the mission. Soon after
beginning this work he was married to Miss Mary Myers,
of Shirleysburg, Pa.

During his pastorate of nearly four years about forty

140 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

applicants were baptized, the morning preaching service was
estabhshed and plans for the organization of the mission
into a church were discussed. After his pastorate here he
accepted a call to the pastorate of the Plum Creek and Glade
Run churches, where he remained three years. He is now
Instructor in Ancient History in the Southern High School
of Philadelphia.

Elder J. T. Myers, the fourth pastor of the Geiger Memo-
rial Church, served in that capacity from September, 1905,
to September, 191 1. He was born in Somerset Co., Pa.,
in the Brothers Valley Church, September, 1851, and was
baptized in February, 1867, in the Middle Creek Church,
to which his parents had moved. He was elected to the
ministry in 1871. The following year he came to Phil-
adelphia and received a call to become pastor of the Ger-
mantown Church. He accepted the call and remained as
their pastor until 1877. During this time he studied under
a Jewish Rabbi and attended the Lutheran Theological Sem-
inary at Mount Airy. During 1875-6 he had charge of the
" Briiderbote " or the "Brethren's Messenger." During
the lattei* year, at the request of Brethren J. H. Moore and
M M. Eshelman, he helped to start the publishing of the
" Brethren at Work," he furnishing the printing out of both
English and German type. He continued with the firm for
one year, at the end of which time he sold out his interests
to the other members of the company.

In 1877 he was married to Belle Quinter, eldest daughter
of Elder James Quinter, and having had a previous call to
the Green Tree Church, they immediately moved into the
Green Tree Church, where they served in His cause for
twenty-eight years. He was ordained to the eldership in
1905. In the fall of 1905 he received a call to this church,
where he labored for six years. During his pastorate the
church was organized and the new church built. Elder
Myers is at present living at his home near Phoenixville, his
health not permitting him to engage too actively in minister
rial work.^

3 In 1913 he became pastor of the Parkerford church.

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 141

The present pastor, Arthur J. Culler, was born of Breth-
ren parentage, March 14, 1883. He was baptized when
12 years of age and at sixteen was superintendent of the
Mt. Pleasant Church Sunday School. He graduated from
the Louisville, Ohio, High School, and after teaching school
for one year, he took a full business course. In the fall of
1903 he became a clerk in the editorial office of the Gospel
Messenger, where he remained for one year. In 1904 he
entered Juniata College, from which he graduated in 1908.
In 1906 he was elected to the ministry and in 1907 advanced
to the second degree. During the summer of 1907 he was
supply pastor of the Altoona Church and during the summer
of 1908 he served the Plum Creek and Glade Run churches.
During the winter of 1907-8 he was student pastor of the
Everett Church. During his college work he visited scores
of churches in the interest of the Volunteer Mission Band
of the college.

In the fall of 1908 he came to Crozer Seminary and the
University of Pennsylvania, during which year he assisted
in the work at the Geiger Memorial and preached at the
Bethany Mission, baptizing twenty-three applicants at the
latter place. The following summer he was supply pastor
in the absence of Bro. Myers. He then entered Union
Theological Seminary and Columbia University in New
York City, remaining there for two years. The summer of
19 10 was spent in study and travel in continental Europe.
He received the degree of Bachelor of Divinity in the spring
of 191 1 and accepted a call to the pastorate of the Geiger
Memorial Church for the fall of that year. In September,
191 1, he was married to Miss Mary Stover, of Warriors-
mark, Pa., since which time they have been engaged in the
ministerial work of the church. In 1912 he was awarded
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Columbia University
for his work in the Department of Psychology and Re-
ligious Education.

Sister Mary S. Geiger.

Widely known and loved throughout the Brotherhood for
her devotion and zeal in the Master's cause, and for her

142 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

interest in all the good movements of the church, Sister
Geiger is more closely associated with the success of the
Geiger Memorial Church than any one else. More than
any pastor her consecration and faith has made the
work possible. She still takes a live interest in all its
affairs even though at the advanced age of 85 years. She
was born February 25, 1828, and was confirmed in
the Lutheran Church when fourteen years of age. Dur-
ing her early years she came in contact with the Brethren
at Harleysville and was impressed with their teachings. She
was married to Dr. Henry Geiger in 1848, moved to Phil-
adelphia in 1852 and was baptized in the Delaware River
the same year. Dr. Geiger was elected to the ministry to-
gether with David Harley in 1853 and took a great interest
in the Sunday School and the work of the young people.
During the trying years of the breaking up of the Marshall
St. Church and the reorganization of the new Philadelphia
Church their support in zeal and gifts went far to make pos-
sible the founding of the new church. Dr. Henry Geiger
died in. 1885, leaving a widow, son and daughter. Since
that time she has been found in all good works and it was
her thought to found a mission and later a church in his
memory. She first supported the mission, later she fur-
nished all the funds for the erection of the chapel and par-
sonage, and later still for the present commodious church
building. She has always borne a large share of the neces-
sarily heavy expense connected with a city church, an ex-
pense too heavy to be borne by the mission in these earlier
days. The work is very close to her heart and we pray that
much good may be accomplished in His cause in this part
of His vineyard.

A. J. Culler.

C. The Founding and Development of Bethany
Mission.

Kensington is Philadelphia's manufacturing center. Mills
and factories, in this section of the City, are multitudinous
and the products are of great variety. There are carpet

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THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 143

mills, woolen mills, cotton mills, hosiery mills, and other
establishments that work in wood and metal. Consequently
the residents, for the most part, belong to the laboring class.
Again, as Philadelphia has been characterized as the City of
Homes, Kensington may be described as that part of the
City in which the homes have children in them. A high per-
centage of the families are young and the children are at an
age when they are most susceptible to moral and religious
influence. The forms of vice which thrive in every city
are equally thrifty in Kensington. Drunkenness probably
stands first, followed closely by gambling, sexual immoral-
ity and kindred evils. In a sentence, this is the home of
great industries, of working people, of numbers of children,
and many forms of sin and vice.

It is in the heart of this section that Bethany Mission, of
the Church of the Brethren, is located. From the stand-
point of the need of the field and the opportunity of touching
the youth of the streets, and the masses of laboring people,
the location could not have been better selected. The his-
tory of the Mission is necessarily biographical because two
individuals are responsible for its incipiency and almost
wholly responsible for its support. The two persons to
whom Bethany Mission owes its existence are Samuel B.
Croft and his wife, JuHa Croft.

Samuel Croft was born near Covington, Ohio, on June
TO, 1857. He wa? a son of David and Catherine Croft, the
latter being a member of the Church of the Brethren.

Julia Croft is a daughter of Larkin and Catherine Younce,
both members of the Church of the Brethren, and was born
near West Milton, Ohio, on August 29, 1863.

Brother and Sister Croft were married on September 9,
1882, and one year later came to Philadelphia where they
have since made their home. On February 27, 1887, they
were baptized at the old Marshall Street Brethren Church
which now stands at Carlisle and Dauphin Streets and is
known as the First Brethren Church of Philadelphia. They
were active at the First Church for a number of years and
it was here that Brother Croft was called to the office of
deacon.

144 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

After the building of the Geiger Memorial Church, at the
request of the Pastor and others who were interested in the
work there, Sister Croft devoted her time to that work for
six years, at the end of which time they began work in
Kensington.

Brother and Sister Croft had a strong missionary spirit
from the beginning of their Christian life and at one time
had almost decided to offer themselves to the Mission Board
for the foreign field. They always contended that the
Brethren as a people were too slow in taking hold of new
territory and especially did they believe this to be true of the
Philadelphia churches. With the exception of a few in-
dividuals, the missionary zeal of our people at that time was
exceedingly low.

In the face of discouragements and protests against leav-
ing the other Church, Brother and Sister Croft began to
look out a location for a Mission. In doing this, several
things were kept in mind. In the first place they looked for
a neighborhood that was without a church and in need of
religious influence. Furthermore, they desired to locate in
territory that was untouched by any other Brethren Church,
These two principles have been a great factor in the rapid
growth of the Mission. It was thus that their missionary
zeal and the crying need of the field conspired together in
starting the work in this part of the City.

After some difficulty, a house was rented at 3351 Ken-
sington Avenue. This was a three-story dwelling house.
The front room of the first floor had been used as a store-
room. There was a tobacco store on one side of the build-
ing and a club (speak-easy) on the other. Both were open
seven days in the week and afforded an immediate problem.

At this time the financial problem was perplexing, but
Brother Croft had passed through a valuable apprenticeship
as bookkeeper in different firms of the City and was now
in business as a small manufacturer. He assumed all the
financial burden of the work and Sister Croft took on her-
self the responsibility of pastoral duties. She canvassed
the entire neighborhood the very first thing, going from
door to door in search of children who were not in Sunday-

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 145

school. At the same time she distributed the following
announcement :

BETHANY MISSION

of the

Brethren Church

3351 Kensington Avenue

SUNDAY-SCHOOL 2:30 P. M.

Opens Sunday, June 12, 1904.

A cordial invitation to all.

At the stated time, sixty-seven scholars met in the old
store room for the first Sunday-school session. The only
minister present was Elder Walter S. Long. His wife was
also there. The main audience was made up of boys and
girls, many of whom had never been under religious in-
fluence either at home or church. Thus the work was
launched.

The purpose that Brother and Sister Croft had in view in
starting the Mission was to gather the boys and girls from
the streets into the Sunday-school and give them plain Bible
instructions, and at the same time exert over them the
strongest Christian influence. Thus it was hoped to reach,
indirectly, the parents at home, for it was evident that they
would have to be touched by indirect methods. It is hard
to convince a man who loves his beer better than religion
that he ought to attend religious service even once during
the week. But the desired result came. Sister Croft
gained entrance into the homes where, in many cases, the
moral, religious and domestic conditions were appallingly
abnormal. She plead for a better life, more wholesome
home conditions, and for a family religion. She visited the
sick, conducted funerals, counciled the perplexed, and told
the Christ-story to the sinful. In brief, she superintended
the entire work. Brother Croft devoted most of his time
to business in order to support the Mission financially.
They both spent a great deal of time planning their work
in order to do the most in the shortest time, do it efficiently
and at the least possible expense.
11

146 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

The children of the neighborhood became greatly attached
to the Mission and no less to Brother and Sister Croft, and
they flocked together every Sunday to learn God's word
and absorb, unconsciously, the Christian influence of the
Mission. In a short time, seven rooms of the house were
filled with classes and household furniture had to be sold in
order to provide room for the school.

Besides the Sunday-school, other branches of work were
soon started. The mid-week Prayer Meeting was started
for the older boys and girls. A Mother's Meeting was also
organized. Thus the influence of the Mission began to
touch the homes directly.

It was discovered that many mothers were anxious to
attend religious service but could not on account of home
duties. This called the Home Department into existence.
The home visitation in this work revealed the fact that the
mothers were kept from church on account of having to
care for small children; hence the Cradle Roll was or-
ganized. These two departments have been constant feed-
ing agencies of the main Sunday-school.

One of the greatest problems was that of drink. Beer
and other drinks of similar nature were used freely in the
homes. It was clear that the first task was to save the
children and young people from this awful curse. To do
this the Loyal Temperance Legion was organized in 1905.
During the lifetime of the Legion 205 boys and girls have
taken the pledge against the use of drink, tobacco and pro-
fanity. The influence of this little society has been exceed-
ingly wholesome. A number of our young men who have
never joined the Church are free from the habit of drink
and tobacco.

Up to this time there had been no regular preaching serv-
ice. The " good seed " had been sown quietly and left to do
its work under the influence of the Spirit. On October 6,
1906, the first regular preaching service was held. Charles
C. Ellis, now a professor at Juniata College, conducted the
first service. He continued to help in the work for several
successive weeks and occasionally he preached during his
stay at the University of Pennsylvania. Preachers were

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 147

secured week by week as they could be found. An effort
was made to secure consecrated and spiritual men who loved
children and young people. For four years ministers were
supplied in this way. During this time C. C. Ellis, of the
Church of the Brethren, G. B. M. Clouser, of the Baptist
Church, and C. D. Rischel, of the Church of God, were the
principal preachers, but in all, about forty different men
were engaged.

In 1907, three years after the work had been started,
twenty-five had been baptized into the Church. The Home
Department numbered fifty and the Cradle Roll twenty-five,
while the Sunday-school enrollment had reached two hun-
dred with an average attendance of ninety-five. The school
needed more room. Every available corner of the old build-
ing had been utilized. The neighborhood was not much
built up and afforded no larger building than the one in
which the school was then housed. Appeals for help to
our own people were futile. But the Crofts had been
looking ahead. They expected God to bless their work
with results. One by one they had purchased three
lots side by side at the corner of Willard Street and
Kensington Avenue. This gave them a plot of ground 57
by 103 ft. But the hope of a new building seemed Utopian.
They did not have the means. Their business was small
and profits meager and uncertain. The little congregation
made it a matter of much prayer. Finally a business man
of some means, acquainted with Brother and Sister Croft,
learned of their hopes and anxieties with reference to the
work and agreed to loan money for the erection of a new
building. This was interpreted as an answer to prayer.

After much careful and economical planning, the contract
was let for an $11,000 building. The corner stone was laid
on November 17, 1907. Elder J. T. Myers presided, Charles
A. Bame and Martin G. Brumbaugh delivered the main
addresses. G. B. M. Clouser, President of the Philadelphia
Bible College, and M. C. Swigart, of the Germantown
Church, were present and took part in the service. The
building was pushed rapidly but cautiously in regard to ex-
pense. It was planned with reference to the peculiar needs

148 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

of the work and is entirely removed from ordinary church
architecture both inside and out. It is a plain substantial
brick building 38 by 76 ft. The main floor has four rooms :
The Auditorium, seating about 200 people ; the primary and
Prayer-meeting room, and two class rooms in which Brother
and Sister Croft have lived in order to reduce their expenses.
The basement is ten feet deep and has a heater room, two
dressing rooms and a large room securely cemented and
equipped with swings, sliding-boards, see-saws, etc., where
the children are allowed to play and are thus kept off the
streets. Special attention was given to the arrangement and
location of windows with reference to light and ventilation.
The floors are of hard wood and stained ; only the aisles are
carpeted. These precautions were taken in order that the
building might be cheerful and sanitary. In order to reduce
the extreme heat of summer, three large electric fans have
been installed which add greatly to the comfort of the build-
ing and tend to maintain the attendance of church and Sun-
day-school. In the basement, however, the heaters are run
summer and winter in order to make it comfortable for the
classes which meet there.

On February 20, 1908, the school moved into the new
building. With more room, it began to grow rapidly and
with this increase came new and difficult problems. Teach-
ers were needed, efficient officers were hard to get, and a
Pastor seemed almost imperative, but the congregation was
poor and could not begin to carry the added expense of a
Pastor. But in spite of these things the work grew. It
grew marvelously. At the close of the fiscal year of 19 10
the average attendance of the Sunday-school had reached
186; there had been 80 baptisms, and the average attendance
of the Junior and Loyal Temperance Legion Society was
about 75. The other departments had grown propor-
tionally.

At this point we must turn aside to account for the rapid
growth of the Mission. The thing to be emphasized first
is hard work. Brother and Sister Croft are persistent
workers. Bethany Mission is their only child and they
have given her their undivided attention. Sister Croft has

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 149

been a real mother to the children of the Mission, a light in
numbers of homes, and a power for righteousness in the
community. Few can realize the stress under which she
has labored. In ill health and against the advice of physi-
cians, she stood by the work and never once slacked in her
efforts. Brother Croft has worked for the Mission as few
men work for their families. He and Mrs. Croft donated
the ground on which the building was erected, borrowed the
money which went into the new building, paid the interest,
the coal, water, electric and gas bills, and have been re-
sponsible for the janitor work. They have not spared them-
selves, either in work or expenditure, to make Bethany Mis-
sion a comfortable place of worship. Back of this labor
and sacrifice there has been an ardent love for souls which
has made the work joyful and sweet.

The method of work has been a very potent factor in
the growth of the Mission. The most effective work has
been done in the homes and by house to house visitation.
Special effort has been made to keep in close touch with
every scholar. Books are kept with the accuracy of any
business firm and definite and concise reports given annually.
The support of the work is by free will contributions. The
spirituality of the membership is not imperiled and the sense
of the obligation to support the Master's work willingly and
cheerfully is not stifled by church festivals, bazaars and
similar functions. The keynote of the work has been
evangelism. Rarely has a sermon been preached along
with which an invitation has not been given to the unsaved
to accept Christ.

Finally, Bethany Mission has met a real community need.
This is indispensable to the growth of any institution.
Numbers of people in the community did not attend public
worship anywhere because they were "just ordinary work-
ing people," as they put it, and had a feeling that the larger
churches were too cold and formal for them. Bethany Mis-
sion, with its free, home-like atmosphere, has always endeav-
ored to provide a congenial place of worship for all classes.
It has attempted to be not only the working man's Church
but every man's Church.

150 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Previous to the location of the Mission here there was no
agency in the immediate neighborhood to comfort and coun-
sel homes in times of distress, and domestic irregularity.
There was no voice that cried out in the wilderness of sin
against the saloon, the lewd show, gambling parlors and dens
of vice. But the Mission workers have opposed these things
in no uncertain sound. It has proven its right to the con-
fidence and support of the community by supplying a vital
religious need. These three factors explain, in the main, the
rapid growth and development of the work of the Brethren
in this section of the City.

Now let us turn to the further developments of the Mis-
sion. It was during the summer of 19 lo that the member-
ship decided to call a Pastor. The writer of this article was
chosen and took up the work in September, 19 10, the
Church granting the privilege of attending school at Crozer
Theological Seminary, and at the University of Pennsyl-
vania. In December of the same year we were organized
into a regular congregation. Elders A. L. Grater, J. T.
Myers, and J. B. Shisler, conducted the organization which
resulted in J. T. Myers being chosen as our Elder and S. B.
Croft, Robert G. Jones, and Harvey D. Morton, as deacons.
Owing to the inability of the Church to assume the debt on
the building, the election of Trustees did not occur until July
19 12, at which time the building was transferred to the
Church subject to a mortgage of about $8,000. The Trus-
tees, as elected, were William E. Gotwals, President; S. B.
Croft, Secretary and Treasurer; Julia Croft, William An-
geny and Alexander Dunn.

The present status of the Mission may be gleaned from
the 1913 report. The Sunday-school, with Sister Croft as
Superintendent, has an enrollment of 481, with an average
attendance of 261. The school is divided into three sec-
tions and has a total of 30 classes including the primary de-
partment which is under the supervision of Sister Myra
George. The Home Department is under the direction of
Sister Lillian Young and has a membership of 90, Sister
Jennie Healey is superintending the Cradle Roll and has
72 infants under her care. The Young People's Prayer-

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES. 151

meeting is definitely organized with Brother Herbert Taylor
as President. There are about 40 on the roll and they have
contributed $50 annually to the Building fund for the last
two years besides other benevolences. The Sisters' Aid So-
ciety has been doing splendid work under the leadership of
Sister Sallie B. Schnell of the First Church. They have
just presented to the building fund a check for $100 and
have contributed $26.00 to the general funds during the year,
besides a contribution to foreign missions. The Junior and
Loyal Temperance Legion has maintained an average at-
tendance of 64 for the year and is doing a splendid work
for the children of the neighborhood. Our Teacher-Train-
ing Class has ten prospective graduates for this coming
October (1913). The mid-week Prayer Meeting, and two
separate organizations for young men and young women,
constitute the remaining activities of our work. The sum
total of baptisms since the work started is 187.

The paramount need of the work at this time is a larger
building. The Sunday-school attendance has exceeded three
hundred several times during the past year and the Church
at these times is taxed to its utmost capacity. All space has
been utilized from basement to pulpit. There are hundreds
of children in the community who ought to be in Sunday-
school but the Brethren cannot hope to do much for them
without a church large enough to accommodate them. The
congregation here is poor but liberal with their meager earn-
ings towards the Lord's work. Last year the contributions
to the Building Fund amounted to about $1,100 and the
running expenses for the year were about $1,600. The
Trustees are beginning a campaign to raise $30,000 to en-
large the building. This is a big undertaking for a con-
gregation so poor and small, but something must be done to
save these neglected souls, and we feel that there are those
in the Brotherhood sufficiently interested in the Kingdom of
Christ to help in this great work.

Bethany Mission will stand as a life-long monument to the
devotion and self-sacrifice of Brother and Sister Croft, and
scores of men and women will point to this plain little
Church as a saving factor in their lives.

162 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

I think I could not close this sketch better than to quote
from a letter written to me by G. B. M. Clouser, of the Bap-
tist denomination, who did a large part of the preaching
during the first years of the Mission.

" Pemberton, N. J.

"June i8, 1913.
"Dear Mr. Bowman, —

"... It was my privilege to be associated with Mr. and Mrs.
Croft from the inception of the work in Kensington, and to
watch its growth with keen interest under their patient persever-
ing efforts. . . . The audience that I preached to gave me the
impression that it was a semi-barbarous community, with moral
standards very low, home training and restraint conspicuously
absent, parents and children utterly destitute of religious in-
struction, while the saloon was doing its deadly work — drag-
ging down the home and the tone of the locality, degrading and
damning the souls of fathers and brothers.

" The planting of the mission seemed to work a mighty
change among the people, and a change in every important
sense, — physically, morally, and spiritually. A new light was
seen, and a new life imparted to lives of little promise, but time
has proved them to be of sterling worth. I have never in all my
ministry witnessed such a change wrought in a similar com-
munity in so short a time and one of such permanent char-
acter. This is to be attributed to the policy of the Mission, and
the nature of the ministry fulfilled in the homes of the people
by Mrs. Croft. . . . The Mission was planted at the psycho-
logical moment ; it met a great need in the community and re-
mains as a monument to the consecration of two souls who had
a vision of service, and followed it.

"Yours Verv Sincerely,
" G. B. M. Clouser."
Paul H. Bowman.

CHAPTER III.
UPPER DUBLIN CHURCH.

The history of the Upper Dubhn Church begins with
1840. In this year Bro. John Reiff gave land for a church
and free burial ground; and he was likely the chief mover
in having the house erected. He was the father of Sisters
Anna M. Brunner and Amanda R. Kratz. The deed is
dated September 14, 1840. The lot contained ninety-five
perches of land. It was deeded to the following trustees :
Wm. Jones, John W. Price, John Sperry, Henry Sperry,
John H. Umstad, George Price, Joseph Pennypacker and
Wm. Price. It was designated that the lot shall be and for-
ever remain a free burying ground.

The meeting house itself was erected in 1840. It is a
substantial stone structure, in size about 27 X 36 ft. (See
illustration.)

Upper Dublin is recognized as an offspring of the Ger-
mantown Church, is her youngest child. John W. Price,
of Fitzwatertown, is regarded as the first minister in charge
although the oversight seemed vested in him, John Umstad
and Jacob Reiner conjointly, though this must have been
subsequent to 1840, for at that date Jacob Reiner was
not yet a preacher, and he would not be given immediate
oversight after his election. In other words Germantown,
Green Tree (then hardly recognized as a separate congre-
gation yet) and Indian Creek were interested in the forma-
tion of the new congregation.

John U. Slingluff was about the only preacher who was
called from rank and file of the membership to proclaim the
Gospel. He represented the church in the District Meetings
of 1867, 1868, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873 and 1875. He later
moved to Kansas.

An attempt was made October 28, 1893, to elect a minister
from the membership ; but the effort resulted in no choice.

153

154 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Edwin Kirk who frequently represented the church at
District Meeting, from 1870 to 1875, preached for the mem-
bers at Upper DubHn. In 1876 the delegates from Upper
Dublin were " rejected on account of being members of a
secret society." From this time the name of Edwin Kirk
is not found in the minutes. The minutes of the congre-
gation in 1875 state that there was trouble with secret
societies.

It was a common thing in the early days for members
from adjoining congregations to go to Upper Dublin to
worship. It seems this custom was more general then than
now, likely because each local congregation now has serv-
ices every Sunday. In the diary of Abel Fitzwater of
Lumberville, near Phoenixville we find this entry, " May 1 1
(1845) G. D. Price and John Francis preached at Upper
Dublin." John Francis, who lived at Shannonville, had at
this time regular appointments at Upper Dublin.

The following have been deacons in the Upper Dublin
Church :

1. William Jones, born July 7, 1802; died March 18, 1862.

2. Henry Sperry, born January 8, 1791 ; died July 5, 1859.

3. Henry Slingluff, born January i, 1799; died February

II, 1881.

4. John D. Gamble, died December 7, 1888; aged 65 years.

5. George Allen, died December 31, 1 891, in 84th year. He

succeeded Gamble.

William Slingluff was an active deacon. We find him
occupying the chair in the council of August 29, 1885.

Casper Slingluff and Howard Ellis were elected deacons
August 28, 1886. J. Z. Gottwals was the elder present.

Richard Rayman and John S. Schreiber elected deacons
January 25, 1902.

In the minutes of 1902 we read : " Bro. William H. Sling-
luff one of our Deacons who was always at his place and
gave his attention to all matters of interest to the church
was called to his home beyond on the eighth of February
1902."

At the beginning we have seen who were the original
trustees. February 28, 1885, we find that John D. Jones
was elected a trustee in place of Charles Smith resigned.

UPPEk DUBLIN CHURCH. 155

George D. Price, the one surviving trustee, conveyed the
property to George Allen, Charles Smith and Wm. H. Sling-
luff on August 26, 1879. On the death of George Allen,
Henry J. Walton was elected trustee, August 27, 1892.

Friend Henry G. Slingluff was elected a trustee, August
30, 1902. John S. Schreiber was elected to the same office,
August 22, 1903.

The first secretary of the church on record at Upper Dub-
lin was J. Howard Ellis, who was elected February 27, 1875.
He was a school teacher. February 28, 1885, he resigned
and Henry J. Walton was elected in his place. August 27,
1898, Helen Schreiber was elected secretary. She filled
the office till August 12, 1908, when Sister Amanda R.
Kratz was elected.

We find that J. Howard Ellis was treasurer up to Febru-
ary 23, 1901, when Bro. John S. Schreiber was called to fill
the position. Who cared for the funds before Bro. Ellis
we have not learned.

The Oversight of the Church.

We have seen that in the early days of the Upper Dublin
Congregation she was looked after by Brethren John Price,
John Umstad and Jacob Reiner. John U. Slingluff was a
resident preacher here until about 1875, when he moved
west. Whether or not he had the oversight we cannot at
this writing state, but he likely had the principal care of the
congregation.

In 1885 Israel Poulson from Amwell, N. J., was received
as a minister in the second degree. He had been previously
elder in charge of the Amwell congregation. We find him
in the chair at Upper Dublin, in the council of February
28, 1885, or some months before his certificate was received,
which was on August 29 of the same year. He was recog-
nized rather as the pastor.

Elder Jacob Z. Gottwals was in charge in 1886, and con-
tinued to moderate the councils till March 10, 1888. About
this time the Upper Dublin Church seems to have turned
to the District Meeting to look after her affairs. For in

156 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

1889 Jacob Connor, a member of the District Mission
Board, was appointed to see to the welfare of Upper Dubhn.
In the District Meeting Minutes of this year we have the
following :

" Brother Jacob Conner reports that he, Brother J. T. Myers
and others, visited the Upper Dublin Church and gave them
meetings every two week during the year, or nearly so, and find
that the great need of the Church there in connection with
Germantown, should be supplied with a resident minister, and
until that is done, the work there is not likely to prosper." —
D. M. Minutes, p. 85.

In the next year's minutes, (1890) we find "Brother Jacob
Connor reports that he visited the Upper Dublin church in their
semi-annual council and preached for them occasionally. As
Brother Connor will not further be charged with the care of the
Church, he asks that their wants be considered without delay."
— D. M. Minutes, p. 92.

The minutes of District Meeting continue to tell the story.
We read of 1891 :

" Brother George Bucher was charged to provide during the
year that the Upper Dublin Church be supplied with minis-
terial service. Several appointments failed to be supplied by
ministers appointed on account of sickness and rain. At one
appointment the minister was present, but there were only two
hearers. He reports that this church has warm hearted mem-
bers who apparently pray for the welfare of Zion, but they are
in need of proper and careful instruction by the proper parties
on such subjects as the non-conformed principles of the Gospel,
and the church visit which latter they seem to have lost sight
of." — D. M. Minutes, p. 95.

It would be in place to state here that Bro. Connor, dur-
ing the two years he had charge, got Bro. E. A. Orr of
Philadelphia to come up to Upper Dublin every two weeks
to preach, and that he also had had Bro. J. B. Brumbaugh
of Huntingdon who was attending Crozier Theological
Seminary at Chester, to supply the pulpit for a time. At
the council of February 13, 1889, during Bro. Connor's
oversight, a committee was appointed to see how much could
be raised to support a resident preacher. These were about

UPPER DUBLIN CHURCH. 157

the first practical steps at Upper Dublin toward a regular
pastorate.

We find in one of the councils held by Bro. Bucher that
he had taken Elder Frank Cassel of Hatfield along, and also
had Bro. Connor "present for friendly counsel."

The District Meeting Minutes fail to tell us anything
about the work at Upper Dublin for the next year; but in
1893 we have:

" Elder H. E. Light was placed in charge of the Upper Dublin
Church, and he, by the aid of F. P. Cassel, J. H. Price and
others held meetings every Sunday until December, after that
they had preaching every two weeks. Three council meetings
were held, also one love-feast. The meetings of late have been
increasing and some more interest manifested than formerly.
Since Dec. 4th they paid all the expenses of all the ministers.
They have dispensed with the basket collection and the benedic-
tion. Two of the members have died during the year." — Dis-
trict Meeting Minutes, p. 108.

February 15, 1893, the congregation decided to make an
appeal to the Mission Board for help to support a minister.
This appeal was likely to the District Mission Board.

There was something doing at Upper Dublin during the
year of 1893-94. For the minutes of 1894 give us a new
name in the representation from Upper Dublin — B. F. Kit-
tinger. The minutes of this year have the following report :

"Upper Dublin was placed in charge of H. E. Light, and he,
by the aid of F. P. Cassel, J. H. Price, and others, held meet-
ings every two weeks during the year. Three council meetings
were held. The pastoral visit was made by H. E. Light.

" At the love feast an election was held for a minister which
resulted in a failure. The meetings were somewhat better at-
tended than the year before. Upper Dublin paid all the expenses
of the regular appointments, quite recently, through the Flome
Mission Board, or influence of a part of it. Brother Kittinger,
of Marsh Creek Church, Southern Pennsylvania, moved to
Upper Dublin. He is a minister in the second degree and was
duly installed, and received in his office by the Church in the
presence of Elder H. E. Light." — D. M. Minutes, p. 116.

158

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

In the light of the foregoing facts it is quite evident that
to the administration of Elder H. E. Light is due the credit
of putting the Upper Dublin Church on her feet, which
fact is further emphasized by developments of the follow-
ing year.

"Upper Dublin Church was continued under the charge of
H. E Light, Brother B. F. Kittinger being the resident min-
ister , meetings were held every Sunday. Of late also a Sunday
School was organized. The meetings are still increasing in num-
bers. Two councils and two lovefeasts were held during the
year. Also one protracted meeting. Two were added to the
church by baptism. The prospects for reviving the church is
encouraging, and by proper and judicious training this church
might again be revived to its former strength and spirituality."
— D. M. Minutes, p. 121.

From 1895 to 1900 we find Elder S. R. Zug in the chair.
The church had made an appeal to the General Mission
Board of which Brother Zug was a member. It must have
been a special satisfaction to him to look after the interests
of this congregation for in the Upper Dublin Church he
preached his first English sermon. This was November
25, 1867. It gives satisfaction to the writer to read in the
minutes of the congregation during this time, August 27,
1898, "J. G. Francis read scripture." His paternal grand-
father had preached in this house more than fifty years in
a way that had caused some to marvel, and had not caused
him to find favor in the eyes of some; and his maternal
grandfather had had the oversight of this congregatioM for
a number of years, during the trying period when it was
falling from its early strength to the time it began to look
for a modern pastorate. Upper Dublin has a peculiarly
warm place in the heart of the writer of these lines.

In 1900 we find Elder Jesse Ziegler in the chair, and in
1901 Elder A. L. Grater. January 25, 1902, the Annual
Meeting Committee appointed Jesse Ziegler elder in charge
and he continued until 1913, when he was succeeded by
Elder M. C. Swigart, of Germantown.

UPPER DUBLIN CHURCH,

The Pastorate.

159

Israel Poulson is called pastor in the minutes, but he was
hardly what we would now designate a pastor. He came
to Upper Dublin in 1881, and returned to New Jersey in
1885. Bro. Poulson seemed to do good work at Upper
Dublin notwithstanding his reverses in New Jersey. He
baptized eight persons during his sojourn.

The first pastor properly so-called was Bro. B. F. Kit-
tinger. He was received by letter, April 15, 1894. While
he was not an efficient organizer, he was a good singer and
a good man, one beloved. He remained here a number of
years, likely till 1906, when he moved to Germantown. He
had an interesting family of children, some of whom joined
the church here.

August 25, 1906, it was decided to call Bro. S. F. Myers
as pastor at a salary of $300. He was retained year after
year till 191 1, when Bro. J. M. Booz, the present incum-
bent, was called. Bro. Myers still lives in the congregation.
An Endowment Fund of $200 toward the support of the
pastor was created March 28, 1909.

The Membership.

We have not learned the names of the original members
at Upper Dublin. There are a few families who have been
towers of strength — Slingluffs, the Ellises, and the Reiffs,
including Sister Brunner and Sister Kratz. Sister Kratz's
husband though not a member was very liberal toward the
church, supplying a parsonage free for a number of years.
Of late years Bro. John S. Schreiber and wife have been
pillars. When we enter the city of the dead we find among
others the following names — Smith, Reiff, Gamble, Sling-
luff, McCool, Jones, Sperry, Fry, Thomas, Spencer, Allen,
Haycock, Collom, etc.

Up until 1875, one hundred and fifty persons had been
members at Upper Dublin. From 1875 to 1900, twenty-
eight were baptized and seven were received by letter, the
largest ingathering being in the early part of 1880, when
eleven were baptized by J. Z. Gottwals. Since 1900, twenty-

160 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

three at least have been received by baptism and letter.
Thus the total number of persons who have been within the
fold at Upper Dublin are more than two hundred. Mem-
bership at present twenty-six.

Church Auxiliaries.

The date of the organization of the Sunday School at
Upper Dublin has not been exactly ascertained, but there
was a Sunday School here in the days of Poulson. Perhaps
Harry Walton was superintendent at that time. Other
superintendents since have been Bros. Roman, Kittinger,
Schreiber, Myers and Booz. A Sunday School library was
authorized, January 25, 1902. The present enrollment is
seventy-five. In the Home Department there are about
twenty, and about a dozen on the Cradle Roll. The second
teacher training class has graduated. The class of last year
numbered six. Sister Amanda Kratz is the teacher.

Prayer-meeting is now held every two weeks in the
church on Wednesday evening. This is now the first time
that a prayer-meeting has been authorized.

It was decided, February 25, 191 1, to make an effort to
organize a Sisters' Aid Society. Sister Anna Brunner was
the instigator of the movement. The society was organized
August 26, 191 1, with the following officers : President, Sis-
ter Brunner; Vice-President, Sister W. H. Brooks; Secre-
tary, Sister Shoemaker ; Assistant Secretary, Mrs. Gamble ;
Treasurer, Sister Schreiber. There are twenty-six mem-
bers in the Aid Society, but not all are members of the
church.

A Missionary Committee was appointed August 31, 1912.
An Auditing Committee was authorized in February, 1909.

The Report of the Annual Meeting Committee will likely
be of interest. It was submitted a few years ago, perhaps
in 1904.

" We, the Committee sent by Annual Meeting, submit to the
Upper Dublin congregation the following Report:

" 1st. That all the members of the Official Board work in
harmony with the decision of General Conference as to the

UPPER DUBLIN CHURCH. 161

order of dress and self-denial and to use every endeavor to
mould sentiment in favor of Conference decision and non-con-
formity and to fully instruct applicants for membership in the
above.

" 2d. We further decide to appoint five or more brethren and
sisters to supplement the work of the Official Board to work
for the order privately and from house to house.

" Committee John S. Schreiber, Helen Scheiber, Anna M.
Brunner, Richard Royan, Harvey Godshall.

" Signed : L. T. Holsinger,
P. S. Miller,
D. Hays."

Some important Resolutions were adopted at a Meeting
of the Committee in Norristown, September 22, 1900. We
give them at this place.

" ( I ) Resolved that lines to be established shall not disturb
the present church relationship, in present families of respective
churches, nor their children who wish to connect themselves
with the church.

" (2) Recommended that the Stony Creek R. R. be the line
between Mingo and Upper Dublin.

" (3) Recommended that the line between Upper Dublin and
Germantown be the Philadelphia city limits.

" (4) It was moved, seconded and passed that we recommend
that Norristown be organized into a separate congregation and
to include the borough of Norristown.

" (5) Likewise that Royersford mission be organized into
a separate congregation, limits Royersford and Spring City."

The Upper Dublin Church was presented, August 31,
1912, with a beautiful communion pitcher by Bro. and Sister
Ellis and family of Norristown, in memory of their de-
parted daughter, Anna Myrtle.

Some improvements have been made to the church prop-
erty. There has been a general renovation of the church
inside and out w^ith the coming of new life. A porch has
been built at the front door. Tables were procured for the
backs of the benches for love- feasts, in 1894. A heater
w^as authorized placed in the church, August 13, 1901.

There is considerable sentiment in favor of locating the
12

162 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

house of worship in the town of Ambler. The present
house is a mile or more out in the country with scarcely any
members living in the neighborhood. There was agitation
in 19 1 2 favorable to buying the Methodist Church in Am-
bler, but it was finally decided not to buy ; but this does not
mean that sentiment favorable to locating in town has in
any measure diminished. With a church such as we have
been considering, located in a favorable place in Ambler,
with her present able, cultured young pastor, the Brethren
of the Upper Dublin congregation have a bright outlook,
and we expect them to achieve grand success for the Master
in their allotted sphere.

Overseers of this Congregation:

1. John W. Price, 1840.

2. John H. Umstad.

3. Jacob Reiner.

4. John U. Slingluff.

5. Israel Poulson, 1881-1885.

6. Jacob Z. Gottwals, 1886-1J

7. Jacob Connor, 1 889- 1 89 1.

8. George Bucher, 1891-1893.

9. H. E. Light, 1893-1895.

10. S. R. Zug, 1895-1900.

11. Jesse Ziegler, 1900-1901.

12. A. L. Grater, 1901-1902.

13. Jesse Ziegler, 1902-1913.

14. M. C. Swigart, 1913-.

PART III.
THE CHURCH IN NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCTION.

The history of the Church of the Brethren in New Jersey
begins with 1733. In the fall of this year John Naas with
four other heads of families, viz., Anthony Dierdorf, Jacob
More, Rudolph Harley, and John Peter Laushe, crossed the
Delaware River into what is now Hunterdon County, and
settled at Amwell, thirty-eight miles northeast of Philadel-
phia. The heartless bigotry of Christian Libe at Creyfelt,
Germany, had for a time made John Naas inactive in the
Gospel ministry; but Alexander Mack had gotten him into
working trim again before going to Jersey. The mission-
ary zeal which had characterized him in Germany again
took hold of him at Amwell. Says Abraham Cassel : " Dur-
ing his life time this church was the spiritual birthplace of
more Brethren than perhaps any other in the Union."

The growing work there demanded more preachers. We
find John Bechleshammer a seasoned preacher already in
1738, or only five years after the Brethren went to Jersey.
He likely was elected a year or two after that event. George
Klein was baptized at Amwell in 1739. He was there
elected as an assistant in the ministry, perhaps shortly after
the death of John Naas, who died in 1741. Klein moved
to Northkill in Berks Co., Pa., in 1750, to look after the
little flock at that place. Likely shortly after this date
Gideon Rouser was called to help in preaching, for Morgan
Edwards informs us that Elder Bechleshammer had one
Gideon Rouser for his assistant. In 1790 Edwards gives
us to understand that up to that date no elder had been
ordained in Jersey to take Bechleshammer's place. In 1790

163

164

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the Amwell preachers, not elders, were WilHam Housel and
Abraham Laushe.

So up to 1790, so far as we can learn, the ministers in
Jersey were: John Naas, born in 1669 or 1670; died May
12, 1741; elected to ministry at Creyfelt, Germany. John
Bechleshammer, elected between 1733 and 1738. George
Klein, born October 9, 171 5; baptized in 1739; ordained at
Northkill in 1757. Gideon Rouser. — . William Housel,
born in Newwitt, Germany, 1728. Abraham Laushe, born
at Creyfelt, Germany, in 1732.

There is in the " Chronicon Ephratense " a narrative of
great interest in connection with the colonial life of the Jer-
sey church. We give it herewith.

" In Dec, 1738, Beissel with many of the solitary made a
considerable visit to the Baptists at Amwell, in Jersey. These
people, from the time of their first awakening, had a great love
for the work of the Lord in the Settlement; whereupon this
visit opened the door for the breaking of bread together, which
otherwise, because they were united with a congregation of
Baptists ir^ Germantown, would not have been looked upon with
approval. When the Superintendent returned home, he called
together a church council, and announced with what love they
had been received in those regions by the children of God. At
the same time, he announced how concerned he was for those
poor people, and that they would have to be helped out with a
Brother from Ephrata.

"These good people in Amwell specially availed themselves
of this open Philadelphian church door, and made many a visit
of more than a hundred Eng. miles to the Settlement, and built
themselves up in the unity of the Spirit on the death of Jesus
Christ. Thereby the Superintendent was induced to undertake
another visit, on which he was accompanied only by Solitary
Brethren. As many of the Baptists there stood in judgment
against the work of God in the Settlement, some feared that the
two parties might get into each other's wool, whereby the gen-
eral edification might be hindered. Yea, some sought to bring
the visitors to the then Baptist teacher, Bechtelsheimer (Bech-
leshammer) by name, in hope that then matters might occur
over which they might gloat ; but they were disappointed in
this hope. The Superintendent, who bore in his heart the seal
of the redemption of the whole world, started on his visit, and

THE CHURCH IN NEW JERSEY INTRODUCTION. 165

was received with all affection by the teacher referred to and
his helpmate. They sat down with him and listened to him for
more than an hour, during which there flowed from him in a
flood all that the Spirit gave him. And as everybody thought
the visitors might now be dismissed in peace, these good people
first showed forth their particular love by treating them to a
rich collation. ... So likewise the whole organization helped
the visitors across the water again at its own expense. This is
mentioned here with the intent that, if any of these dear people
should still be living and should read this, they may know that
their faithfulness shown towards the work of God has been
held in hallowed remembrance.

" Meantime some among them longed that there might be
established among them a household, such as they had seen at
the Settlement, for they had well-brought-up young people, and
hoped that something useful might be accomplished among
them. It would indeed have been easy to introduce the form
among them, but to fill this effigy with the Spirit was not a
human work. At that time there was among the Brethren at
the Settlement one by the name of Elimelech, one of the Ecker-
lins, whom the stars had formed for a priest and redeemer of
the bodily life, so that while other Brethren spent their time in
hard labor, he sought his own pastures and imposed his priest-
hood upon people.

" Beissel ordained Elimelech to be teacher at Amwell, and
publicly consecrated him with the laying on of hands. From
this the latter thought he would be the successor of the former,
as he was now his ' right hand.' On his departure Beissel wrote
him a letter which contained the following admonition : ' Con-
tinue steadfast in prayer and with watchfulness of spirit for the
flock of Christ, that thou mayest rightly divide the Word of
Truth which hath been sown in you.'

" This letter he took with him to Amwell, where he showed it
to everyone as his credentials which he had received from the
Superintendent. His people indeed sought to sustain him in his
office, but when they noticed it was an imitated affair and not
inborn, they lost courage, so that when he wanted to institute
midnight meetings, like those in the Settlement, and invited their
daughters to the same, they feared that offenses might arise,
and dismissed him ; whereupon he returned to the Settlement
again in disgrace. Thereupon several families in Amwell left,
and removed to the Settlement, namely, Dietrich Fahnstick,

166 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Conrad Boldhauser, John Mohr, Bernard Gitter, etc., which
added several SoHtary ones to the Sister's House, though none
of them remained steadfast save one, Armella by name, who
ended her course among them." — " Chronicon," pp. 122-125.

In 1790 the Brethren in Jersey were yet so German that
Morgan Edwards had difficulty in conversing with them.
He tells us a little about their manner of worship. The
communion " was administered at no set time ; but as often
as a brother finds himself disposed to give the feast of char-
ity, then the church is invited to meet at his house ( for they
have no meeting-house) and when feet washing is over, and
the right hand of fellowship and kiss of charity given, the
Lord's Supper is administered, with the usual elements and
singing of hymns." While there are things that Edwards
evidently did not understand, yet from the above it can be
gathered that the kiss between feetwashing and the com-
munion is as old as 1790 at least.

The early Jersey church was very active in missionary
work. Already in 1733, John Naas crossed over to Great
Swamp, • Upper Milford, in Bucks Co., Pa., preached to
inquiring souls there, baptized six, thus laying the founda-
tion for the church which was organized two years later,
and which became a strong Colonial congregation. The
interest taken by the Jersey Brethren in the work in Penn-
sylvania is shown by George Klein moving to Northkill,
Berks Co., in 1750, to look after the flock there. Although
Elder Michael Pfautz had administered the Lord's Supper
to a few members in Northkill in 1748, yet George Klein is
really the founder of the congregation. Klein went out
from Northkill into the Little Swatara region, baptized a
number, and organized the Little Swatara Church in 1757.
So Northkill (now Maiden Creek) may be regarded as a
child of Amwell; and Little Swatara as either her child or
grandchild, whichever you please.

P. H. Beaver, of Montandon, Pa., in the "Almanac" of
1872, p. 16, says: "Our great-grandfather, Wendel Becker,
now Baker, immigrated from Palz, Germany, in the year
1749, to America, and anterior to the Revolutionary War,
removed to Buffalo Valley, from the church at Amwell, in

THE CHURCH IN NEW JERSEY INTRODUCTION. 167

New Jersey. . . . He was, therefore, the first, and for a
time, the only member of the Brethren in Buffalo Valley."
So here is another child of Amwell. Time fails us to tell
of more. There are indications that the Jersey church
thinks that she has brought forth so many worthy children
that she is now old enough to lie down and die.

CHAPTER I.

AMWELL CHURCH.

When Morgan Edwards visited the Brethren in New
Jersey in 1790, there were twenty-eight famihes of mem-
bers with a total baptized membership of forty-six. His
"syllabus" of the church there, February 2, 1790, is as
follows :

Churches of Tunkers in Jersey I

Members 46

Famihes 28

Souls (allowing five to a family) 140

Ministers, ordained o

Ministers, licentiate 2

The two unordained ministers of Amwell in 1790 were
William Housel and Abraham Laushe, the latter being a son-
in-law of Elder John Bechleshammer, the second and last
elder of the church prior to 1790. Bro, Abraham Cassel
states in a letter that both of these ministers were ordained :
what his proof is I do not know.

In 1790 the German language was still spoken among the
Brethren, or at least among the descendants of Bechlesham-
mer, for they could neither speak nor understand English.
A great change, however, in the matter of language took
place in the next two decades. In 181 1 Israel Poulson
gave land for a meeting-house. It is likely that at this
date already he was elder of the church, for he acted in that
capacity for a long, long time. He was unable to speak
German, and, being possessed of great influence, he hkely
swung the church into the use of the English language. By
the time of his death, the German had vanished from among
the Brethren of Jersey.

A secular historian of New Jersey states that a church
house was supposed to have been built about a mile north-
east of Headquarters, Delaware Township, as early as 1750.

168

X
u

LlI

AMWELL CHURCH. 169

This is likely a mistake, as Morgan Edwards states in 1790
that the Brethren in Jersey had no meeting-house, the meet-
ings evidently being held in the private houses. By 181 1
the Brethren had decided to build a meeting-house. In this
year, May 27, as before stated, Israel Poulson, St., trans-
ferred to the trustees of the Brethren, Gideon Moore, Sam-
uel Fans and Henry Laushe, a tract of land in Amwell
township 21/40 of an acre, for the purpose of building
thereon a meeting-house. So the first meeting-house of the
Brethren in New Jersey, a frame one, was built in 181 1, on
the same ground on which the present house stands.

April 13, 1839, the church "agreed to take a lot of Gid-
eon Moore for a burying-place." This lot, the present
cemetery, is a short distance south of the church. The old,
original burial place of the first Brethren in Jersey is at
some distance from the present church. The Amwell
Church, the present one also frame, was rebuilt in 1856, at a
cost of $1,600. The church property in 1880 was valued at
$3,500. June 16, 1893, a committee of nine was appointed
to procure a parsonage for the Amwell Church. October
10 of the same year it was decided to build a parsonage,
and the committee of nine was constituted a building com-
mittee. The parsonage in Sergeantsville was the result.
J. R. Laushe, Isaac Haines, and Henry Van Dolah were
elected trustees, October 31, 1893, who were forthwith in-
structed to take upon themselves a name of incorporation.

Up until 1849 there was but one congregation of Brethren
in New Jersey — the Amwell Church. We have stated that
Wm. Housel and Abraham Laushe were the ministers in
1790, and that Israel Poulson, Sr., likely was already before
181 1. Bro. Abr. Cassel states that numerous of Abr.
Laushe's descendants were in the ministry. In 1835 the
Amwell Church began to keep a record of her church coun-
cils. We quote :

"At a meeting of the German Baptist Church which is in
Amwell township, N. J., held on the nth of August, 1835, at
their meeting-house, for the purpose of transacting business
relative to the peace and good order of said church, it was

170 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

resolved that there be a record made and kept of all important
business transacted relative to said church affairs.

" Israel Poulson, Elder,
Gideon Moore, 1 ^
Jacob Waggoner, I ^^^^''"•^^
Abraham Laushe, Clerk."

In the days of Israel Poulson it w^as the custom to call all
ministers elders. If there were more ministers in the Am-
well Church in 1835 than Israel Poulson, this church paper,
an important one, does not show it. In 1790 a definite dis-
crimination is made in the degrees of the ministry; when
Israel Poulson died in 1856 no such discrimination existed.
From this we may form an opinion of his housekeeping. It
is thought that Henry Laushe was a minister before Israel
Poulson : his son Isaac Laushe certainly was. The son
Isaac was unsteady in his walk. He moved to Syracuse,
Ohio, where he was killed in a sleigh by being struck by a
railroad engine.

Then following, on October 10, 1835, Edmund Dalrymple
was elected as an "additional elder." The duties of the
office as stated by the minutes of the council of that date
were " administering church ordinances, baptism, marriage
ceremony, etc." Dalrymple was not much of a preacher,
but a good man and eloquent in prayer. He died August
31, 1847, His death paved the way for division in the Am-
well Church. John P. Moore had been elected a deacon in
1840 in place of his father, Gideon Moore, deceased. John
was elected an "elder," April 13, 1844. When Dalrymple
died in 1847, it was stated that an election would be held for
some one to take his place. Israel Poulson, Jr., was elected
"elder " April 8, 1848. Inasmuch as he was elected to take
the place of Dalrymple his seat was above John P. Moore.
This gives us another glimpse into the housekeeping of the
older Poulson. Here lay the cause of the division which
took place the next year.

But let us look for a moment at the other recorded events
of note before 1849. We have seen the officials of the
church in 1835: Israel Poulson, elder; Gideon Moore and
Jacob Waggoner, deacons ; and Abraham Laushe, clerk. It

AMWELL CHURCH. 171

was resolved apparently at this same meeting " That Gideon
Moore, Henry Laushe, and Asa Moore be the trustees." As
we have seen, in 1839 it was agreed to take a lot of Gideon
Moore for a " burying place " ; and it was agreed at the fall
council of the same year that Israel Poulson build a stone
wall around it. Agreeable to the majority, Henry Laushe
was appointed clerk, April 13, 1839. The election of John
P. Moore to the deaconship and later to the ministry we
have noted. April 11, 1845, Cyrus Van Dolah was ap-
pointed clerk. And April 8, 1848, comes the election of
Israel Poulson, Jr., as an elder in place of Dalrymple, de-
ceased. Then follows this minute :

"October 10, 1848. Our elder, John P. Moore, having
brought confusion into the church and being a disorderly
member and not willing to yield to the requirements of the
church, they have thought proper to disown him as a member
and to have no church fellowship with him." We need
not pass judgment on this action, for we have the judgment
of an Annual Meeting Committee more than thirty years
later.

April 7, 1849, William Waggoner was elected an "elder"
and Enoch Hoffman a deacon. Waggoner likely took the
place of Moore, deposed. At the same council "there was
a piece of writing brought before the church, and was read
by Henry Laushe, containing the following:

*"We, the undersigned, as men and women that feel our-
selves accountable before our Heavenly Father, after serious
consideration in relation to matters and things concerning the
Church in New Jersey to which we once belonged, feel that
under the present state of things we cannot feel reconciled at
this time, therefore we wish our names taken off until such
times as reconciliation can be made. We conclude that you are
aware of the reasons.

" * William Moore Asa Moore

Daniel Moore Sarah Brewer

Catharine Shearman Caziah Cowderick:

Silas Shearman Martha Moore

Anna Moore Elizabeth Trimmer

Mary Dalrymple Hester Carson

172 the church of the brethren.

Catharine Dalrymple William Moore

Martha Cowderick Catharine Moore

Jacob Fauss Lucy Ann Sine.'

"The church took the above in consideration, and granted
them their request. As they brought no accusation against the
church, the church, from the above writing, has disowned them,
and (decides) to have no church fellowship with them."

We must now turn our attention for a time from the
" Mooreites," until we have traced some of the subsequent
history of the Am well Church.

Israel Poulson, Sr., died February 14, 1856. The same
year a committee was sent by the Annual Meeting to adjust
fdifficulties in the New Jersey church. This committee con-
sisted of Andrew Spanogle and Peter Long of Pennsyl-
vania, and John Kline, J. W^ine, and Martin Miller of Vir-
ginia. Elder Israel Poulson, Jr., refers to this committee of
1856 when the committee of 1881 investigated the trouble.
The seceding members knew nothing of this committee, but
it evidently had to do with this trouble. Who had this com-
mittee of 1856 come to New Jersey, and what the finding of
the committee was, we have not been able to ascertain ; but
the committee came immediately after the death of the
older Poulson. It is not likely that the committee came as a
result of his dying request : more likely it came following
action by some one who thought that now, as Israel Poulson,
Sr., was dead, the seceders might get favorable treatment.
The finding of this committee likely suited Poulson, Jr.,
for his reference to the findings of this committee seems
to indicate this. He also refers to the matter having
been before adjoining elders. The seceders knew of the
trial before "adjoining elders," but claimed that they had
not received just treatment. What this finding was we
do not know, but it was likely agreeable to the younger
Poulson. John Umstad was among those who looked into
this trouble. This investigation grew out of a feeling on
the part of some of the Amwell Church that the expelled
members had not been justly treated. We await the judg-
ment of the Annual Meeting Committee of 1881.

AMWELL CHURCH.

173

In the meantime the work of the Lord was moving on
in Am well. February 14, 1861, Robeson Hyde and John D.
Hoppock were elected "elders"; and Cyrus Van Dolah,
William Moore, Paul K. Huffman, and Asa Park were
chosen deacons. There seems to have been a reorganization
or a replenishing of the organization at this time.

There was quite an awakening in the Amwell Church in
1864. From July 11 to 31 of this year John H. Umstad,
John Slingluff, and "E. H." (likely Emmanuel Heyser)
held meetings here. As a result, thirty-two persons were
baptized by Israel Poulson.^

Abram Laushe was chosen a deacon to fill the place of
Asa Parks, deceased, September 8, 1866. Thomas W.
Brewer was elected deacon, September 10, 1870; and Joseph
Haines and Theodore Stevenson, April 15, 1873. These
are the last minutes of importance we have of the Amwell
Church before the notable reversal of conditions in Jersey
in 1880.

We now turn our attention to that field of the Brethren
in New Jersey afterward known as the Bethel Church.

The beginning of the work in this section was due to the
labors of Israel Poulson, Sr. He had preached in the
homes hereabouts before 1848. The fruits of these labors
made a church here a possibility. The first house was
built in 1848 or 1849. The land had been given by Amos
Dilts. This first house was quite small, a frame house,
built at a cost of only $300. Outsiders to stigmatize called
it the Hemlock house, it being built partly of hemlock. The
Brethren gave it no regular name. When the new edifice
was put up in 1878 it was christened " Bethel."

The principal members here at first were Joseph Ruda-
bock, Andrew Shepherd and wife, Annie Baker, Joseph
Woodruff and wife, Samuel Case and Tunis Case. Wil-
liam Waggoner, elected to the ministry in 1849, lived in
this section. Israel Poulson, Jr., became the main preacher
here, John Umstad and Jacob Reiner held special meetings
with considerable success. And this became for years the
main church in the neighborhood.

1 Gospel Visitor of 1864, p. 269.

174 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Bethel seems to have become a separate organization from
Amwell with Brother Robeson Hyde as the presiding minis-
ter. The first record of minutes of councils held here are
dated September i6, 1876.

On this date the church "met at 2^ o'clock. Meeting
called to order by Bro. R. Hyde. Prayer by Brother Hyde.
The church then resolved to have a church record kept of
all the proceedings of council meetings ; and for this purpose
Amos Chamberlain was appointed secretary." Spring and
fall councils, as was the Amwell custom also, were held.

On Saturday, August 3, 1878, the church met "according
to previous appointment, at two o'clock, to take into consid-
eration the building of a new meeting-house on the old site.
Agreed to take one week to raise more money." On August
10, accordingly, the church again met in council and decided
to build. Ephraim Gary, R. Hyde, and H. H. Anderson
were appointed a building committee. It was agreed to tear
down the old house on Monday the twelfth.

"According to previous agreement the new meeting-house
was dedi.cated to the service of Almighty God on December 5,
1878. Services at ten o'clock by Bro. J. P. Hetric of Phila-
delphia, Pa., by reading 225th hymn. Prayer by Brother
Hetric. Bro. James Quinter of Huntingdon, Pa., preached the
dedication sermon from the 27th Psalm, 4th verse."

December 2, 1879, at a special meeting for the purpose,
the following five brethren were elected trustees of the
Bethel house : Ephraim Gary, H. H. Anderson, Servis
Trimmer, Sidney L. Bush and John Heller. The Bethel
Church sent Bro. R. Hyde as a delegate to District Meeting
of 1880. The New Jersey churches were rather loose in
organization, and seldom represented at District Meeting.
While Brother Hyde was sent by Bethel organization in
particular, he is credited in the District Meeting minutes to
the New Jersey Church in general.

Amos Chamberlain was succeeded as clerk by J. T. Gary
in 1880, but as the latter did not come into possession of the
minute book for some time, minutes are not again recorded
till 1884. But we have brought the record of the Bethel
Church down to 1880, the beginning of a new era in the
Jersey church.

Sand Brook Church, N. J.

CHAPTER II.

SAND BROOK CHURCH.

The beginning of the Sand Brook Church takes us back to
1848, to the expulsion of John P. Moore from the Amwell
congregation. On account of this trouble we have learned
that eighteen more brethren could no longer walk with the
Amwell Church, and were expelled April 7, 1849. These
eighteen, with John P. Moore as their speaker, had organ-
ized a separate church already on March 10, or nearly a
month before their "expulsion" by Amwell. This church
was locally called the " Mooreites," but they called them-
selves "United Christians." They organized by adopting
the following Articles of Association :

"We, the undersigned, after careful and serious considera-
tion, do unanimously agree to stand in union together as pro-
fessed Christian brethren and sisters, in-as-much as we think it
is an all-important matter and privilege that we have the indis-
putable right to worship God according to the dictates of our
own consciences, consistent with His word as we understand it,
for which privilege we confess that we have great reason to be
thankful; therefore we have concluded that by the assisting
grace of God we design to try to keep the ordinances of the
Lord's house according to the doctrines and principles of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and His holy apostles, as they
are delivered to us in the Gospel, which our Savior says shall
judge us in the coming day. Therefore we feel that we are
under obligation, as much as in us lies, to try and live in union
together in the church militant (because we feel that it has in
time past done much hurt and made sore by being of different
minds) ; and therefore we would that there should be no pre-
eminence one above another, considered that in regard to the
business that we design to transact of importance we want to
be united in, and agreed to have officers in said church, and also
did legally appoint as elder John P. Moore, and as deacons
William H. Moore and Jacob Bouss (Fauss) ; and further
agreed that our plan of receiving members in said church is

175

176 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

that all the members present must be agreed, and, to excom-
municate, all must be consulted before and agreed to; which
subscribe our names, this tenth day of March in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.

" Signed

"John P. Moore Elizabeth Trimmer

William H. Moore Mary Dalrymple

Daniel J. Moore Catharine Dalrymple

William S. Moore Asa Moore

Sarah Brewer Silas Shearman

Catharine A. Moore Martha Moore

Hester Carson Lucy Ann Sine

Keziah Coudrick Catharine Shearman

Martha Coudrick Anna Moore."

While the " Mooreites " nobly refrained from lodging any
complaints against any in the Amwell congregation, yet the
nature of their sore may be gathered from this agreement.
Preeminence of some in the old church, coercion against
the dictates of conscience, and forcing measures through
council without consulting all the members. They were in
rebellion against the arbitrary kingship of Poulson.

The Sand Brook Church began to grow immediately after
its organization. By the end of the year 1849, they had
received nine members. Their first council was held in the
home of Silas Shearman, May 12, 1849. They lost no time
in building a house of worship, the present stone one. Their
council of April 13, 1850, was held in the meeting-house.
At the first council they decided to observe the salutation of
the holy kiss at communion. In the first council in the
meeting-house, April 13, 1850. William S. Moore was
elected clerk. At this council they also decided to receive
members only by trine immersion. Councils were held in
March and September.

During the first decade, till i860, thirty- four members
had been received. Among these was Charles W. Moore,
who was baptized November 24, 1855. He was afterward
deacon, preacher and elder. A week before Charles Moore
was baptized, the church elected another preacher. We
give the account as recorded in the minutes.

SAND BROOK CHURCH. 177

"Sand Brook, November 17, 1855.
" The church at this place being met together and duly organ-
ized in public meeting, a resolution was passed that the Elder-
elect should be subject to the deacons, and Henry T. Trout hav-
ing received a majority of all the votes cast was elected elder
on the day above named.

" Witnesses present

"John P. Moore
Jacob Fauss
William H. Moore."

September 17, 1864, Charles W. Moore was elected a
deacon.

The total number of persons received into the Sand
Brook Church from its organization in 1849 to its reentrance
into the Brotherhood in 1880 w^as fifty-eight. Adding to
these the nineteen who formed the original organization,
the " Mooreites " as such, in their entire history, had in
their communion seventy-seven persons.

The Sand Brook Sunday School was opened in 1875.
Charles Moore was elected superintendent; he continued in
this office till 1899 at least.

Reentrance into the Brotherhood. Before the Annual
Meeting of 1879, Elder John P. Moore remarked to his
nephew. Deacon Charles W. Moore, that he thought of
going to Annual Meeting that year, and asked him to go
along. The latter, however, received the suggestion with
little favor ; but on thinking the matter over, decided to go.
The elder by this time had given up the idea; but Charles
decision was deep-seated and carried the day. Both went.

On the train thither they met a preacher of the Brethren
by the name of Daniel F. Good. Good became interested
in the work in Jersey. Before reaching the place of Annual
Meeting, Good stopped off, but forgot his baggage. As the
train pulled out, realizing the situation. Good called out to
Charles Moore to take the baggage into his custody. This
the latter did. Good met him again at Annual Meeting and
regained his possessions. This led to warm friendship.

Some time later Good came to New Jersey, and held meet-
ings at Sand Brook. But this action on the part of a
13

178 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

brother was not looked on with favor by the Amwell ad-
herents. A love feast was to be held at Bethel. Good per-
suaded Charles Moore to go with him to the feast. The
presence of these two men threw the good brethren of Bethel
into a complete muddle. Should they ask Good to take a
seat with the other ministers? This question delayed the
opening of the meeting for hours. But the decision finally
went against extending the courtesy to the strange preacher.
An old member of the Amwell Church in those days declares
that the Amwell members would as soon have worshipped
with negroes as with the " Mooreites." After the Bethel
feast, the two visitors made straight for their carriage. For
some time Good was silent. Finally he exclaimed : " Well,
if this is the union you have in New Jersey, I have enough
of it!" On his way home Good stopped off and laid this
matter before Elder D. P. Saylor of Maryland. The next
year a committee was appointed to look into the matter of
receiving the " Mooreites " back into the Brotherhood.
This committee consisted of D. P. Saylor, R. H. Miller, M.
Miller, C. Bucher, and S. Harley. We give the report of
the Committee, which speaks for itself.

"We, the undersigned brethren, a Committee appointed by
Annual Meeting of 1880 to visit a number of petitioners of
Sand Brook, Hunterdon Co., New Jersey, report as follows :

"According to appointment, we the undersigned (Elder
Christian Bucher having failed to come) met with the peti-
tioners in Council Meeting, in the meeting-house at Sand Brook,
on Wednesday, August 18, 1880; and upon investigation we
found that the petitioners were a remnant of members of the
church in New Jersey, who adhered to John P. Moore, who had
been expelled from the New Jersey church about the year 1849
or '50, with others who had united with them in maintaining
and keeping up a separate organization and worship, up to the
present time; but expressing a wish to be in unison with the
order of the general Brotherhood, petitions Annual Meeting
for a committee, etc.

" We find that John P. Moore was a minister in the second
degree, and that a difficulty existed between him and the elder,
and that Moore was finally expelled from the church without
any elder or minister being present but those belonging to the
New Jersey church and they themselves involved in ihe trouble.

SAND BROOK CHURCH. 179

" Such proceedings being contrary to the general order of our
Brotherhood, we decide the expulsion of Moore illegal, and
hence he was never legally expelled; but inasmuch as he and
those members who adhered to him kept up an organization as
fully in the order of the Brotherhood as was the church that
expelled them, we decide that under the circumstances their
worship was in order, and all that were received by baptism
should be recognized as members of the German Baptist
Church.

" Hence we decide it best to hold this organization, comprised
of John P. Moore, those who withdrew and followed him, and
those received into their fellowship by baptism, shall be held a
church of the Brotherhood, and the present organization be
continued as it is till they and the adjoining churches see best
to change it ; and we advise all to work for peace and union
with the other church, and for harmony with the general
Brotherhood.

" Signed by the committee —

"D. P. Saylor,
R. H. Miller,
Moses Miller,
Samuel Harley.

"This report was read and explained to all the members of
both churches present, and the vote of the Sand Brook church
taken, and was by them unanimously accepted ; and a copy of
these same was given to Elder Israel Poulson to be read to the
church where he presides and offered to her members for their
acceptance.

"D. P. Saylor,
R. H. Miller,
Moses Miller,
Samuel Harley."

The Sand Brook Church met in her first council after the
visit of the Committee on September i8, 1880. John P.
Moore presided with Gideon C. Moore as secretary. The
report of the visit was satisfactory, and the church agreed
to hold her love-feast some time in the future, in the old
order. From this time full accounts of councils were kept,
heretofore the minutes preserved having been very frag-
mentary.

180 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

On May ii, 1881, a special council was held for the pur-
pose of electing a minister and deacon. Charles W. Moore,
the only deacon, being elected to the ministry, two deacons
were elected. The choices fell on Gideon Brewer and Asa
Moore. All were then installed into their offices according
to the order of the Brotherhood, by Elder D. P. Saylor.
August 23, 1882, at a special meeting, John P. Moore was
ordained to the eldership, and Charles W. Moore advanced
to the second degree of the ministry. The officiating elders
were Samuel Harley and Christian Bucher.

Re-adjustments in Jersey. In 1881 a protest against re-
ceiving the Sand Brook delegation, likely from the Amwell
congregation, was sent to the District Meeting. The pro-
test was voted down. A petition for an investigating com-
mittee was also sent up to Annual Meeting. The report of
this second committee is self-explanatory, and we herewith
give it in full.

"We, the undersigned, being a committee appointed by the
Annual Meeting of 1881 to meet the Amwell church in New
Jersey to investigate and settle certain difficulties between the
above narned church and the other persons who had been sepa-
rated from said church a number of years, met with the
brethren of the Amwell church in council August 18, 1881.

" The petition for the Committee contained two points. The
first was a request to investigate the proceedings of a committee
sent by Annual Meeting of 1880 to the Sand Brook church;
and, second, to investigate difficulties existing between the
Amwell and Sand Brook churches. The work contained in the
first point devolved upon the undersigned alone, but that of the
second point devolved upon the undersigned and Elders D. P.
Saylor and R. H. Miller. These two brethren, having been on
the committee whose work the undersigned were appointed to
examine, were present at the investigation to present and ex-
plain their proceedings as far as was necessary for them to do.

" Bro. I. Poulson, the elder of the Amwell church, being one
of the petitioners, represented the following charge and objec-
tions to the work of the former committee. We investigated
the objections separately with all the testimony we could obtain ;
but while we investigated the objections of Bro. I. Poulson
separately, we give our decision upon them together, as they
are closelv connected.

SAND BROOK CHURCH. 18 1

" It was plain to us that the proceedings of the church in the
council presided over by I. Poulson, Sen., and which resulted
in the expulsion of J. Moore and others, were not legal, since
the elder and his son, I. Poulson, Jr., were parties in the church
trials, and as they had no other elders present. The trial not
being legal, the expulsion of J. Moore cannot be considered
legal; but it did not seem so plain to us that the seventeen
persons who withdrew from the church were not really sepa-
rated from the church. The testimony that they were really
separated or expelled was not as plain as was desirable to prove
the fact; the difficulty having occurred over thirty years ago,
and many of the witnesses being dead, and others very old, it
IS difficult to obtain the testimony it is desirable to have to prove
the facts in the case. But as the members of the Sand Brook
church have manifested a desire to return to our general Broth-
erhood, and as we are to exercise charity to all, we decide that
the testimony brought before us was not sufficient to reverse
the former committee's (work), and we therefore accept it, and
give it to the Amwell church as the best we can do under the
circumstances, and recommend to all the members of both
churches Christian forbearance and brotherly love.

" The second point in the petition will be investigated in the
proper order and by the full committee, if it is judged neces-
sary. This report was read to the church and explained, and
after an exhortation, the viva voce vote of the Amwell church
was taken ; and seventy-one of her members voted to accept the.
report, and none to reject.

" Signed by the Committee :
"John Wise,

James Quinter,.

Christian Bucher."

" We, the undersigned, being the full committee appointed by
the Annual Meeting of 1881 to investigate matters of difficulty
existing between the Amwell and Sand Brook churches, accord-
ing to the petitioners of the Amwell church to the Annual Meet-
ing for a committee, met in the Amwell meeting-house on the
i8th of August, 1881, continuing the council which commenced
on the previous day.

" The first charge made by Bro. I. Poulson, in behalf of the
Amwell church against the Sand Brook church, is the follow-
ing: The organization of the Sand Brook church, composed of
J. Moore and seventeen members who withdrew until they

182 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

could be reconciled, was illegal; and, they assuming another
name, put themselves beyond the jurisdiction of the church.
On the above charge, we decide that in changing the name for
the purpose of getting rid of the Amwell church they did
wrong ; and we ask an acknowledgment of them.

" Second, Bro. I. Poulson says they claim that they knew
nothing of the committee of 1856, and that they had not a fair
trial before the adjoining elders, both of which we deny. In
regard to the above charge, we decide in regard to the first item,
which relates to the committee of 1856, that the evidence proves
a misunderstanding rather than a misrepresentation; and in
regard to the second item, we decide that it was not clearly
proved that there was a full and satisfactory investigation
before the adjoining elders.

" The third charge of Bro. I. Poulson was as follows : We
purpose to show that the charge was not that J. Moore was the
cause of all the trouble, and that the charge was not brought by
my father alone, but that it was the church which brought it.
On the first specification in the charge, we decide that the evi-
dence proves that the charge of all the trouble was against J.
Moore at the time of his expulsion ; but on the second specifica-
tion we decide that it was not definitely proved who brought
the charge against J. Moore at the time of his expulsion.

"Fourth. The charge of Bro. I. Poulson was: 'They said I
was elected in Dalrymple's place and to fill his place, and that
I was thus installed.' This is not correct. We decide that on
this charge there was not sufficient evidence to prove clearly
that Bro. I. Poulson was installed in the second degree of the
ministry at the time of his election, but it is very evident that
there was trouble growing out of his installation."

" This report was read to the church and explained, and a
viva voce vote taken ; and fifty-five of the Amwell members
present voted to accept it and two to reject; and of the Sand
Brook church twelve members were present, and all accepted it.

" Signed by the committee :
"John Wise,
James Quinter,
D. P. Saylor,
R. n. Miller,
Christian Bucher."

Other clouds were gathering in the sky for Elder Israel
Poulson. He was not as wise in settling up an estate of

SAND BROOK CHURCH. 183

which he was executor as he should have been. He moved
to the Upper Dubhn Church in Pennsylvania, and without
a church letter.

October 24, 1882, the church appointed a committee to
wait on J. M. Smouse, relative to his becoming pastor of the
Am well Church. Smouse was engaged at a salary of $300
per year, and began his labors December i of this year.
Quarterly councils were instituted at the council of Decem-
ber 8, 1882; and the first church treasurer, Cyrus Van
Dolah, also elected. John D. Hoppock was ordained to the
eldership December 28, 1882; bishops present, J. Z. Gott-
wals and J. P. Hetric.

In the council of February 28, 1883, a letter " from the
bishops was read advising the church to take immediate
action in the difficulty existing between the church and
Israel Poulson." There were six charges against Poulson,
embodying unfaithfulness to his bond as executor, causing
division in the church, and removing without a letter of
membership. The church after exhausting in vain all
efforts for home settlement, called in a committee, which
consisted of Elders Christian Bucher, Samuel Harley, and
William Hertzler. This committee seems to have been ac-
cepted by Annual Meeting, with the addition of Elder Moses
Miller as chairman. Elders Gottwals and Hetric were also
advised of the investigation. The committee met August
28, 1883, and found Poulson guilty of procrastination which
caused his bondsmen to suffer unjustly, and of careless-
ness as administrator which led to division in the church,
and was condemned for moving away without adjusting dif-
ficulties and securing a church letter. He was relieved of
the office of bishop, and required to make an humble ac-
knowledgment of his short-comings, after which he was to
be granted a certificate of church membership as a minister
in the second degree. The church accepted the work of the
committee by a vote of fifty-three to twenty-three. Poul-
son met the conditions, and received the certificate of mem-
bership August 29, 1883.

Smouse left Amwell in shame, in the fall of this same
year. At a special council January 5, 1884, Amos Haines

184 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

was called to the ministry — J. Z. Gottwals and J. P. Hetric,
elders present.

And still there were troubles. The District Meeting of
1884 was asked to send a committee to settle them. The
committee appointed was C. Bucher, J. Z. Gottwals and
Samuel Harley. Ten charges were presented to the com-
mittee. Among them were the following : Some absenting
themselves from public worship, validity of changing time
of church meetings, validity of ordination of J. D. Hoppock,
irregularity of the election of a brother to the ministry, the
opening of the church to an expelled minister, and reporting
his meeting in The Evangelist. The first and last were not
commended; the others, not sustained. Other grievances
the committee refused to consider, because they had already
been before a committee from Annual Meeting. This com-
mittee also decided that the Bethel branch was an organized
church, and advised that a line be struck between it and the
Amwell congregation. This committee rendered its deci-
sion August 26, 1884.

Amos Haines was advanced April 26, 1885. June 13 of
this same year, the missionary cause was brought before
the church and received approval. The matter was referred
to the ministers, J. D. Hoppock and Amos Haines. During
the first year $28.12 were collected.

September 8, 1885, Elders Christian Bucher and Samuel
Harley, by request, met with the church. This meeting
was for the purpose of adjusting a general difficulty, which
had its origin in the trial and resignation of Elder I. Poulson.
The friends of Poulson, with few exceptions, absented them-
selves from public worship, after having been repeatedly
visited and admonished to attend. A motion to have Poul-
son come back to Amwell and preach occasionally was lost.
As it seemed impossible to accomplish anything, the matter
was dropped with a recommendation from the elders that
the members try to effect a reconciliation among themselves.

Brother Haines feeling it his duty to prosecute his studies
relative to the ministry asked December 30, 1885, ^o be re-
lieved of his duty as speaker. He was retained till April i
next. March 13, 1886, the Amwell Church changed from

SAND BROOK CHURCH. 185

double to single mode of feet- washing. At the same time it
was decided to have Brother Haines exchange pulpits with
Joel K. Reiner, of Philadelphia, once a month. The Am-
well house was repaired in 1887 at a cost of $140.75.

On January 21, 1890, a committee sent by the District
Meeting to ascertain wherein lay the cause of lack of har-
mony in the Jersey Church met at Amwell. The committee
was S. R. Zug, C. Bucher, and F. P. Cassel, Nothing
seems to have been accomplished.

Juniata College takes up the Jersey Problem. August 10,
1892, Lambert M. Hyde, Clinton B. Wilson, and Henry Van
Dolah were elected deacons. "Amidst a most excellent
feeling of sympathy and Christian fellowship, the meeting
closed with earnest prayer for the newly elected officers and
for the congregation, by brethren John D. Hoppock and
Amos H. Haines. May God own and bless the work." So
writes Bro. W. J. Swigart, of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.

September 10, 1892, the church certificate of F. F. Hol-
sopple, a graduate of Juniata College, was presented,
Brother Holsopple was a son-m-law of Elder James Quinter.
On June 8, 1895, an election for a minister was held, and
the choice fell on Ira C. Holsopple, brother of the pastor,
who for a time had been residing in Jersey. He was in-
stalled into the sacred office August 19, by Elder J. D. Hop-
pock, Elder W. J. Swigart, and Amos Haines.

Brother Frank Holsopple having accepted a call to the
pastorate of the church at Parkerford, Pa., it was decided
September 7, 1895, ^o call Bro. William Howe to Amwell.
He was received into the church December 7. Brother
Holsopple had labored in a judicious manner to bring about
proper fellowship between Amwell and Sand Brook ; but he
and Elder H. E. Light, who had charge at Sand Brook,
failed to understand each other.

There was still considerable indebtedness on the parson-
age, and June 13, 1896, a mortgage of $1,046.80 was placed
on it. Brother Howe was very conscientious, strict in his
living, and laid great emphasis on Bible study. He soon
began to find more favor at Sand Brook than at Amwell.
September 6, 1896, it was decided not to keep him another

186 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

year. He was called by Sand Brook, which about this time
had united with the Bethel congregation.

October 30, 1896, the Am well Church decided to call in
Bro. J. C. Reiff, as a prospective candidate to hold an extra
meeting. Brother Reiff was from the Green Tree Church,
was attending Juniata College, and while there was elected
by the Huntingdon Church to the ministry. He was called
to the Am well pastorate December 19.

To show how Am well stood in the customs of the brother-
hood, a lady, in 1897, being very sick and realizing that her
end was near at hand, and feeling a deep interest in our
church and Sunday School work, desired to give to the
church her organ, to be used in the Sunday School service.
The gift was not accepted.

Brother Reiff, though small in stature, at once started to
straighten things out in Jersey. In the spring of 1897,
Elder Charles W. Moore was informed that because of
alleged charges against him certain members of Am well,
prominently the Haines family, would not recognize him as
a brother. Brother Moore followed the course outlined in
Matt. 18, through the three stages. November 16, 1897,
Elder C. "G. Lint, of Meyersdale, Pa., presiding, after due
notice had been given to all members to attend, this trouble
was considered. No charges were brought against Brother
Moore, though proper notice and opportunity were given.
Brother Reiff submitted the following letter which was
accepted by a vote of seventeen to eight. It was decided to
have it printed for convenience in sending it out.

" Letter.

" Sand Brook, New Jersey,

" Nov 1897.

"Dear :

" In council on November i6th, the Amwell German Baptist
Church finally decided, on condition of his future good conduct,
henceforth to recognize Elder C. W. Moore as an elder in good
standing, and with whom the church shall, on above condition,
be in full fellowship, and not only with him, but also with every
member of the body known as the Union Church of New
Jersey, now under his care.

SAND BROOK CHURCH. 187

" In order that we, the Amwell Church, may know of a
surety upon whom we may, in the future, depend for sympathy,
co-operation, and support in all the various workings of the
church — to the extent only that they shall be in harmony with
the spirit of the Gospel — we ask you to certify by letter, to L.
M. Hyde, of Sand Brook, New Jersey, either your willingness
or unwillingness, in the future, to be one among us — one in
Christian fellowship, one who, by the grace of God, shall en-
deavor to do all in your power to live and work harmoniously,
peacefully, and Scripturally, for the glory of God and of
Christ in the world.

" If we do not hear from you by letter or otherwise, before
Jan. I, 1898, we will take your silence to mean that you do not
desire longer to be with us, and we will drop your name from
the church register, to be replaced at any time thereafter, in
regular order, at the joint pleasure of yourself and the Amwell
Church.

" To be a member of the Amwell Church, from this time on,
shall mean to try to live and act as though our past relations
with the Sand Brook and Bethel churches had been only
pleasant.

" The Amwell Church will welcome with open hearts and
arms all present and past members, who shall be willing to
remain or to come in the way herein indicated.

" This letter cannot nullify any matter other than the one
considered at the council herein specified.

" A copy of this letter shall be sent to every active or inactive
member now living, as they are known to the church.

" Only to promote His cause and His glory.

" The Amwell German Baptist Church.

" L. M. Hyde, Clerk."

Thus were the long ostracised " Mooreites " vindicated.
Those unwilling to accept Brother Moore as designated in
the letter, sent to the Progressive pastor of Philadelphia
to come up and organize them into a congregation. Thus
the old church of Amwell lost about one half of her member-
ship; among them her secretary, treasurer, and a trustee.
But Amwell and Sand Brook began to walk together. It
was unanimously decided, March 5, 1898, that the Amwell

188 SAND BROOK CHURCH.

and Sand Brook worship at Amwell Sunday mornings and
at Sand Brook Sunday evenings.

March 20, 1899, Brother Reiff resigned as pastor at Am-
well, left New Jersey, and joined himself to the ' Dowey-
ites " of Chicago. The Amwell Church now turned to the
Annual Meeting Committee to Eastern Pennsylvania.

CHAPTER III.

BETHEL CHURCH.

The District Meeting Committee of 1884 — C. Bucher, S,
Harley, and J. Z. Gottwals — decided that Bethel was a sep-
arate congregation from Amwell, and advised a hne being
struck between the two. Bethel had been first recognized
by District Meeting as a separate organization in the spring
of this year, with Robeson Hyde as her delegate.

In 1885 Israel Poulson returned to New Jersey and took
up his abode within Bethel limits. It was soon suggested
that Brother Poulson relieve Brother Hyde in preaching one
half of the Sundays. The church refused to vote on this
matter hastily. Herewith is given the action of a commit-
tee which met with the Bethel Church in 1886.

The committee's report follows :

"We convened in council October 2, 1886, at the Bethel
church, New Jersey, to labor with the church on the propriety
of Brother Israel Poulson preaching there for them, according
to the advice of the elders of our late District Meeting.

" Having heard all pro and con, we came to the conclusion
that Brother Poulson should be a co-laborer with Brother Hop-
pock and Brother Hyde, working together to build up the
church, providing he lifts his membership at Upper Dublin and
presents it to this church, helping to work and labor for union
in all church affairs, attend council meetings, as it becometh a
co-laborer; and then the members promise to attend all meet-
ings, no matter who holds them, if otherwise possible."

"William Hertzler
Isaac Kulp.

" P. S'. — By the consent of the church the elders present
wrote the above proposition, which was almost unanimously
accepted.

" I. K., Secretary."

189

190 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Brother Poulson secured his letter from the Upper Dublin
Church, and it was accepted by Bethel. For some cause,
however, Bethel seems to have lost interest in the District
Meeting, for after this she did not send a delegate until
1892, when C. W. Moore represented her conjointly
with Sand Brook. He continued to represent her each
year, excepting 1893, till she united with the Sand
Brook congregation. A very undesirable condition of
affairs existed in the church about 1888. William Hertz-
ler and Samuel Zug were present in council November
9 of this year. They came as a result of a petition to Dis-
trict Mission Board for help. A special hour for private
prayer " for a better state of things in the church " was
decided upon for November 21. On this date Elders Sam-
uel Zug and Frank Cassel met with the church, when the
congregation decided that they were willing to labor for the
upbuilding of the church and for the general order of the
Brotherhood. The brethren felt themselves in shape to
commune, and decided to do so. In the spring of 1891 A.
S. Chamberlain, who had previously been clerk, was the
means of. a Progressive meeting in the neighborhood. A
committee of Brethren was appointed to visit him and
"kindly admonish him to do so no more." It was decided
at the same time to get Brother C. W. Moore to preach
every other Sunday if practicable for him to do so. Here
we begin to see the coming together of the Bethel and Sand
Brook churches. This tendency was furthered by a council
held here April 26, 1892, with the Annual Meeting Com-
mittee, when it was "Resolved that this church, though
keeping its separate organization, is willing to work in union
and harmony with the Sand Brook Church and the Brother-
hood at large." Elder S. R. Zug, then of the Annual Meet-
ing Committee, was prominent in the councils of the church
at this time.

From 1893 to 1895 Elder H. E. Light looked after the
work at Bethel. He worked up interest in missionary con-
tributions. In 1894 C. W. Moore was chosen to represent
Bethel at both District and Annual Meetings. No lovefeast
was held at Bethel in the spring of 1895, o'^t of deference to

BETHEL CHURCH. 191

the one at Sand Brook. In the council of March 28, 1896,
C. W. Moore was chairman. How Bethel now honors the
man, when less than twenty years before she refused to
recognize Bro. Daniel Good as a minister only because he
was a companion to him !

We are not now surprised to read the following minute :
"This is to certify that at the regular fall council, 1896,
Bethel Church agreed to unite or consolidate with the Sand
Brook Church, to be known as the Union Church, holding
services, councils, and communions alternately between the
two churches. Elder S. R. Zug being present and in the
chair." During this time Bro. William Howe was preach-
ing at Sand Brook.

According to the list 134 persons were received into the
Bethel Church from its beginning till it united with the Sand
Brook Church. Not counting officials there were 58 mem-
bers at the time of their union. The two Poulsons preached
here. Robeson Hyde looked after matters, though not or-
dained, when councils were first held. Amos Chamberlain
was clerk and Sunday School superintendent. He was suc-
ceeded as clerk by J. T. Gary in 1880, and as Sunday School
superintendent by Ephraim Gary in 1891. Other prominent
names in the work here are H. H. Anderson, Servis Trim-
mer, Sidney L. Bush, John Heller, Joseph Trimmer, Israel
P. Trimmer, Lambart B. Hann, A. Gary, and Sisters Edith
and Caroline Gary.

Sand Brook Recognized and Independent. — At a council,
November 11, 1882, in the Sand Brook Church, the " report
of the Annual Meeting" was read by Elder John P. Moore,
which was satisfactory to all present; and it was urged by
Elder John P. Moore that all work with the Annual Meeting
and with the order of the Brethren.

From now on the Sand Brook Church kept in close touch
with the District Meeting, never failing to send a delegate.
C. W. Moore represented her every year till and after the
union with Bethel. Sand Brook now begins to fall in line
with all church activities. Elder H. E. Light looked after
her interests in connection with those of Bethel. Solicitors
for the Mission fund were appointed in the spring of 1894.

192 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Councils from 1 894-1 896 were held in the home of Israel
Poulson. First delegate to Annual Meeting was sent in
1894. Jennie F. Green was appointed Messenger corre-
spondent in March, 1896.

The Annual Meeting Committee to eastern Pennsylvania
now advised the Sand Brook and Bethel churches to unite.
The Sand Brook Church in special council May 5, 1896,
agreed to this advice. Bethel accepted it later.

About the time of the union, an incident in connection
with the work at Sand Brook took place which should not
be overlooked. A young girl, a second Syrian maiden,
attended services at Sand Brook. After the meeting she
came to Brother Moore and inquired why he did not, inas-
much as he was holding services in other school-houses,
come to the one on the west side of Sergeantsville. Brother
Moore was strongly drawn to hold a series of meetings in
this school-house. Though dissuaded by many, he went
ahead. As a result of his efforts eleven were added to the
church. The influence of these meetings continued to work
for a long time afterward.

During this period of sixteen years — from 1880 to 1896
— Sand Brook received into fellowship sixteen persons.
Her membership at the time of union was thirty-one.

CHAPTER IV.

UNION CHURCH.

Both the Sand Brook and Bethel congregations met in
council at the Sand Brook house September 19, 1896, and
" unanimously agreed to be known and recognized as the
Union Church of New Jersey." At this council there were
present Elder S. R. Zug, member of the committee to east-
ern Pennsylvania, Elder H. E. Light, member of the Dis-
trict Mission Board, and Elder J. D. Hoppock, as adjoining
elder.

The elders of eastern Pennsylvania, at District Meeting in

1896, appointed S. R. Zug and H. E. Light to effect, if
possible, an ordination for the proposed Union Church of
New Jersey. At the above mentioned council, it was unan-
imously agreed to ordain C. W. Moore, which ordination
was effected " according to the rules of the general Brother-
hood." O. R. Fauss was elected clerk and John Q. Adams
treasurer of the new organization. About this time Brother
Wm. Howe was called in as pastor.

The new congregation called for the District Meeting of

1897. The call was honored. The District Meeting of
1897 was held at Sand Brook, May 12-13. ^^ 1896 the
plan of the Home for the Homeless was adopted. The love-
feasts were to alternate between the two houses. Single
mode of feet-washing adopted March 20, 1897.

Besides the officers there were at the time of union, Sep-
tember, 1896, in the Bethel branch 58 members; and in the
Sand Brook 31 members; there were also five officers, two
ministers, and three deacons ; making a total of 94 members.
By July I, 1899, twenty-one persons had been received into
the Union Church, one disowned, making a membership of
114-

Recent History.

In a letter dated September 24, 1913, Bro. M. B. Miller
thus sums up the recent history of the Brethren in New
Jersey.

14 193

194 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

" In the nineties (last century) J. C. Reiff of Huntingdon,
Pa., took charge of the work in Jersey. Reiff was a strong
factor in driving off what are now the Progressives. He Hves
now in CaHfornia, having a secular calling, and is connected
with some holiness movement. He resigned as pastor of the
Jersey churches, March 20, 1899.

" In council, the churches called Tobias Myers to preach for
them indefinitely; and at this council, April 5, 1902, he was
chosen to represent at District Meeting.

"July 26, 1902, the churches, through the General Mission
Board, called Bro. Hiram Forney of Goshen, Ind., to the pas-
torate. He did not take charge till November, 1902. In the fall
of 1904, Brother Forney resigned and left the work.

" During the pastorate of Brother Forney, Elder Charles W.
Moore died, June 16, 1903. Brother Moore was next to the
last of the old Jersey preachers who had gone through those
turbulent times of the Jersey church's history. He was the last
of the Moores in the Sand Brook church. He was generally
beloved, preached many funerals, and married many.

"Elder Robinson Hyde, who died in 1901, went with the
Progressives, about the time the Progressives organized in
Jersey, which was about the last of the nineties.

" Elder John D. Hoppock died in 1906. He was the last of
the Jersey elders. He was of a genial disposition, of sterling
integrity, and used good common sense and wisdom during
those trying times through which the church went.

" Seth Myers took charge of the Jersey churches in the spring
of 1905, and continued in his work till the fore part of 1907,
when he left.

" During Brother Myers' stay, Henry T. Home was elected to
the ministry. He was a nephew of Elder Charles W. Moore.
Brother Home was a member of the Sand Brook church, but
was elected by both churches in joint council. He was the
only resident minister in Jersey after Myers left, till about July
I, 1907, when Jacob F. Graybill took charge of the work. He
stayed till August, 1909. Myers and Graybill were sent by the
Mission Board of Eastern Pennsylvania.

" Monroe B. Miller came into the Jersey churches April i,
1910, as a volunteer minister in the second degree. Brethren
Home and Miller worked together side by side, with Elder
James Shisler as elder in charge. This kept up till the division
of the District of Eastern Pennsylvania, shortly after which

UNION CHURCH. 195

Elder Shisler resigned. His resignation was accepted Sep-
tember II, 191 1.

" J. Kurtz Miller was then chosen elder in charge. November
5, 1911, H. T. Home and M. B. Miller were ordained to the
full ministry. May 25, 1912, at a special meeting, the Amwell
and Sand Brook churches in joint council almost unanimously
decided to unite, forming one congregation, the same to be
called by the mother name — Amwell Church of New Jersey.
Elder H. T. Home was made resident elder in charge — ^J.
Kurtz Miller retaining general oversight.

"March 29, 1913, in special council assembled, the Mission
Board of S. E, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and E. New York
proposed to the church that M. B. Miller take charge as pastor,
and that he be supported conjointly by the Amwell church and
the District Mission Board. The church accepted the proposal.
This is our position today, with J. Kurtz Miller, President of
the District Mission Board, as general overseer.

" By the grace of God we have a rather live Prayer-meeting
and Ladies' Aid Society ; but our people take so little interest in
Sunday School and preaching service. A new voice or some-
thing entertaining brings people. Oh, for more power to reach
the hearts of these lukewarm Christians ! "

" The Brethren's Sunday School in New Jersey, near Croton,
Hunterdon County, was organized in May, 1873, with Elder R.
Hyde, superintendent, and at present (1876) shows an average
attendance of about thirty scholars and ten visitors, making a
total average of forty, besides teachers and officers. We take
thirty copies of the " Children's Paper," and six of our scholars
have come into the fold within the present year.

"R. S. Chamberlain."^
1 " Brethren's Almanac " of 1876.

CHAPTER V.

BIOGRAPHICAL.
A. John Naas.

John Naas was perhaps the ablest preacher of the early
church of the Brethren. Libe and Martin might be placed
in his class; Naas was born in 1669 or 1670, at Norten, a
town of Westphalia, twelve miles north of Emden, "He
was among the first fruits of the Brethren in Creyfelt, and
on account of his disinterested piety and great natural en-
dowments, he was soon called to the ministry, in which he
manifested so much zeal that his fielld of labor at Creyfelt
appeared too small for his ardent desire to extend the
knowledge of the newly discovered truth. Hence he made
several very successful tours through the adjoining prov-
inces as a traveling missionary, in which he suffered many
privations, and once narrowly escaped being pressed into the
army of the King of Prussia."

Troubles with Christian Libe at Creyfelt caused him to
desist from preaching for a number of years. He is re-
ported, but erroneously, to have come to America with the
second colony of Brethren in 1729. He arrived in 1733.
See Brumbaugh's "History of the Brethren," pp. 108-124,
for a lengthy letter which he wrote to his son in Switzer-
land. He went almost immediately to Am well, N. J., where
he founded an active church, and which remains " his monu-
ment" unto this day.

Abraham Cassel, from whom we quoted above, says fur-
ther of him : " It is said by one of his contemporaries that
knew him well, that he was unequalled as a preacher — being
a German Whitefield or a Boanerges. Several of his hymns
which are still in use by the Brethren also speak well of
him as a poet or hymnologist. He is further represented as
being very mild and charitable, almost to a fault, insomuch

196

BIOGRAPHICAL. 197

that he occasionally differed with the Brethren in the admin-
istration of judgment to offending members. He died ripe
in years and full of faith, on the 12th of May, 1741; and
is buried amidst many of his spiritual children in the Breth-
ren's graveyard at Amwell." It should here be added that
his remains do not repose in the Brethren graveyard near
the Amwell meetinghouse.

He had two daughters and at least one son. One
daughter was married to Bro. Wilhelmus Graw, in Creyfelt,
who never came to America. The other was married to a
Hannes Landis, who afterwards joined the Seventh Day
Baptists and went to Ephrata. He was not long satisfied
here, however, was again reconciled to the Brethren and
became a member of the Conestoga congregation. The son
remained in Switzerland at least for a time after the father
came to America, to whom the father wrote the long and
interesting letter concerning his voyage across the deep.

John Naas may also be regarded as the founder of the
Great Swamp Church, in Upper Milford, Bucks Co., Pa.,
as he was the first to preach there and was present at the
organization in 1735. During his short life in America, of
eight years, from 1733 to 1 741, he frequently appears in the
work of the church. He was visited by George Adam
Martin. In 1736 he accompanied some of the Germantown
Brethren on a tour to Ephrata, where for a time he had a
daughter living. His attitude toward this work is not so
easy of explanation. The "Chronicon" says that he was
greatly enamoured of the way of life of the Settlement.
Again he is said to have opposed, with Peter Becker, Beis-
sel's "awakening" in Germantown in 1738. He was also
still living when Beissel was so hospitably received at Am-
well, but does not figure in the visit. Some years later
Beissel in his extravagant way refers to the Widow Naas
in terms of great Christian love.

Perhaps the truth is something like this. Naas with
Becker saw the danger in Beissel and so concurred with
Becker in opposition ; but not with Becker saw the good in
the ultra-mystic. Naas was a big-hearted, tolerant man.
We cannot but believe that he was back of Am well's attitude

198 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

toward Beissel at the time of the visit. The whole Amwell
organization helped the visitors back over the Delaware.
But Naas kept himself out of Beissel's sight. Perhaps
Beissel's eyes were holden that he saw him not — the state
in which Beissel, in his marvelous spiritual pride, regarded
Alexander Mack as being at Falckner's Swamp.

The " Chronicon " says they broke bread together in Jer-
sey, which certainly means they communed together. Naas,
the tolerant peace-maker, had the spirit of the Brethren.
Yet Naas was not Alexander Mack, our founder. Mack
would not have kept back from personally meeting Beissel
in Jersey. He had the spirit of Him 'who felt under obli-
gation to lay down his life for the Brethren. This is Breth-
renism ; this is loyalty to the Church of the Brethren. But
John Naas was a grand, noble man, and torture could not
make him renounce his Master ; and he yielded to the spirit
that was in Alexander Mack — he was a brother and a Breth-
ren preacher.

B. Israel Poulson, Sr.

The parents of Elder Israel Poulson are unknown. He
was left by them at the age of seven near Centreville, N. J.,
where he was reared. He is said to have had Indian blood
in his veins. He was bound over when a youth to a man
named Jerry King, who utterly neglected his education.
When he married his first wife, he was unable to write his
own name. She taught him to read. She died soon with-
out children. He then married her sister, who was long
and lovingly known as Aunt Hannah Poulson. She was
the mother of all his children. His home was at Head-
quarters, now called Grover. In later life he married the
widow of old Henry Laushe.

He was greatly beloved by children. His habit was to
lay his hand on their heads. He was always a welcome
visitor. Every one clung to old " Uncle Israel." A certain
false prophet once came into the neighborhood, announcing
that the world was about to come to an end. A man not
altogether of sound mind was asked what he would do. He
replied : " I would hold on to Uncle Israel's coat-tail."

BIOGRAPHICAL. 199

He was always in demand as a preacher ; there was always
a place for him. In church visiting he always walked, going
across fields to cut off corners. His cane and his pipe were
his ever-present companions. Unlike most elders in the
Brethren Church, he played the fiddle. He was a man of
medium height, had straight, black hair, and always wore a
pleasant smile. He was not particular in the form of his
dress, yet intended to conform to the order of the Brother-
hood. Nor were the three degrees of the ministry clearly
defined in Jersey in his day. He was a common man and
took an interest in public affairs. He built the stone wall
around the cemetery at Amwell. Three hundred dollars
having been charged for assessing the township, Uncle Israel
declared it was too much; it was robbing the people. He
said he would do it for one hundred dollars. The work
was given to him, and he was assessor for three years.

In the early days, he preached in school-houses and in the
private homes. The people flocked to hear him. And so it
was decided to build a meeting-house. He gave the ground.
If any in the nineteenth century should be called the father
of the Jersey church, it was old Israel Poulson. And he
belonged to Jersey exclusively. Outside of this state he
was little known. In 1846 we find him among the Elders at
Annual Meeting.

Like all, he had his failings, which have been seen in the
election of his son to the ministry and the expulsion of John
P. Moore. But we believe, as in his vision of the scales
which we herewith relate, that his good deeds had the pre-
ponderance, and that he has found acceptance with the Great
Judge of All.

Visions of Israel Poulson, Sr.

(Related to the writer by Bro. Abr. Cassel.)

The Loaf of Bread. Once upon a time he seemed to be in
an immense concourse of people, nothing but people as far
as he could see. All seemed to be slowly pressing toward a
certain point. Looking intently in the direction of the mov-
ing, he could discern a large scales erected. Men were con-
tinually being hfted into one side. Some would hold their

200 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

side down ; but many, many would go up into the air. They
were weighed in the balances and found wanting. Then
it dawned on Brother Poulson that they were in the last
judgment, and that he too must be weighed. How would it
go with him ? He hardly knew. Sometimes he thought he
might hold his side of the scales down, but then he doubted.
They kept pressing closer and closer. Soon he would be
weighed. His heart began to fail. Finally he was at the
scales. He was placed in the balances. For an instant he
seemed to hold his own, then he could feel himself slowly
but surely rising. " Weighed and found wanting." He
was just being condemned, when the judge was halted by
some one running in the distance, frantically waving his
hand, and calling at the top of his voice. It was a boy who
held something under his arm. On he came, pushing
fiercely through the crowd as fast as he could. The judge
waited. The boy forced himself under the scales. Taking
what was under his arm, in both hands, he gave it a toss up
into the scale in which Brother Poulson was standing.
Down came the scale in balance. "Accepted," pronounced
the judge.. Brother Poulson looked down at his feet.
There lay a loaf of bread. He recognized it as the loaf he
had once given to a poor widow.

The Laborers by the Way. At another time he seemed to
be walking along a road. Many men were at work digging
a trench. As he drew nearer there seemed to be a great dif-
ference among the workmen. They divided themselves into
two classes. One class was gloomy and listless. They
worked hard but could make little headway. The others
were cheerful and singing, and made the ground fly as
though it had wings. They accomplished much. Why the
difference? He could see no cause for it. They had the
same kind of work. It seemed that they might be of equal
strength. The gloomy ones were not sick. The sun beat
with equal heat on both. The breeze that fanned the cheer-
ful man, fanned the gloomy ones equally. Their tools were
equally good. Every thmg was the same, yet what a dif-
ference ! Why ? He could not solve the mystery. He
would inquire of the foreman. "Why the difference in

BIOGRAPHICAL. 201

the work of your men ? " " The hard workers keep at their
task only from a sense of duty; the cheerful ones love their
work."

Then Brother Poulson saw that this applied to our work
for Christ.

The Old Fiddle. He played the fiddle and " he could get
music out of it." Once he seemed to have an old fiddle.
He tried to produce music, but none would come. He
tried again and again. He bent himself to the task. He
vexed himself. But all in vain. He could get no music out
of that " darned " old fiddle.

It was a dream, a vision. What did it mean? He be-
lieved the Lord showed him the visions, and that they had a
lesson for him. What meant the vision of the old fiddle?
He could get nothing out of it. The vision was as dry as
the fiddle itself. It needed interpretation.

Soon after he was to preach, but could not hit on a sub-
ject. Finally he decided to take a subject on which he had
preached once before. The sermon was one which seemed
to him to have taken very well. He got up to preach, but it
wouldn't go. He exerted himself, forced himself, worried
himself, yea, even to sweating ; but all in vain. It was dry,
lifeless. The sermon was a flat failure.

"Trying to play on the old fiddle," he afterward said to
himself. God had given him the vision as a warning.

C. Israel Poulson, Jr.

The younger Poulson was born April 14, 1821, at Head-
quarters, N. J, He received his education in Moore's pubHc
school, about a mile from Headquarters. He then clerked
for a time in a store at New Hope, in Pennsylvania, but
practically his life was spent in the vicinity of the Amwell
Church. His occupation was farming, which he began on
his own responsibility at the age of twenty-one. About
this time, October 6, 1841, he was married. The partner
of his new home, immediately north of the Amwell meeting-
house, was Harriet Johnston. His children are Urania and
William J.

202 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

He was elected to the ministry April 8, 1848. The un-
brotherly way in which he suffered himself to be placed
above John P. Moore, even to the extent of expelling the
unyielding Moore from the church, was a sowing which
after thirty years was destined to bring him trouble and
humiliation, and the extinction of his family in the church
of the Brethren. Yet, during these years he did faithful
work as a preacher. The author remembers him yet faintly
when he stopped at his grandfather's home on the occasion
of love- feasts at Green Tree. Our child heart went out
toward him, and from our child impressions we believe he
was a good man.

He moved to Upper Dublin in the spring of 1881, imme-
diately following his reverses in Jersey ; but he returned to
his native state in 1885. He became a member of the
Bethel Church, which, with Brother R. Hyde, he continued
to serve till death, February 28, 1896. He is said to have
been " off hand " in his preaching. The name Poulson
stands out big in the history of the Jersey church during,
and we might say throughout, the nineteenth century. It
is to be regretted that it has not continued prominent into the
twentieth. Let us learn the lesson to be learned from these
two lives !

D. The Two Moores.

They were not father and son, but uncle and nephew.
The name Moore goes back to the beginning of the Jersey
Church, Jacob Moore being one of the five original heads
of fariiilies of Brethren who located at Amwell in 1733.
Gideon Moore, father of John P. and grandfather of
Charles W., was one of the two deacons of the church in
1835, and a prominent and influential member of the Am-
well fraternity. He was a trustee of the Amwell Meeting-
house. In the minute of April 13, 1839, we find these
words : " Agreed to take a lot of Gideon Moore for a bury-
ing place."

John P. Moore. John P. Moore was elected deacon of
the Amwell Church, to fill the place of his father, deceased,
November 11, 1840. April 13, 1844, he was elected

BIOGRAPHICAL. 203

"elder," or, correctly, to the ministry. October lo, 1848,
he was illegally expelled, shortly after the election of the
younger Poulson to the ministry.

He then became the founder of the " Mooreites " who
built their meeting-house at Sand Brook. It was he who,
in 1879, first suggested going to Annual Meeting, which
trip, with his nephew, Charles W. Moore, resulted in the
readmission of the " Mooreites " into the Brotherhood. At
a special council of the Sand Brook Church, August 23,
1882, he was ordained elder — Elders present, Samuel Harley
and Christian Bucher.

He showed himself loyal to the Brotherhood. We find
him reading the report of the Annual Meeting to his congre-
gation, and urging his flock to be true to it and the order
of the Brotherhood. He was also noted for going on the
outer borders, into school-houses, to hold meetings. He
started meetings in the Rockton school-house, which were
kept up for many years.

He lies buried at Sand Brook, which church is his real
monument.

Charles W. Moore. Charles W. Moore, in a sense, was
the complement of his uncle, John P. Moore. Had it not
been for Charles, the " Mooreites " would have fallen short
of getting back into the Brotherhood, and would never have
secured full vindication. He was an earnest, zealous, pa-
tient worker, but not much of a preacher. As he himself
stated, his work was more to go out and gather others in
that another might preach to them. As seen, he was deacon,
preacher, and elder. He organized the Sand Brook Sunday
School and was its superintendent for many years.

Brother Moore was a man of faith. He believed that the
gift of healing was not a lost gift today. He cited more
than one case in his own experience to prove his position.

An infant in the neighborhood was sick unto death. The
doctor had given it up, stating that nothing could help it.
Brother Moore called at the home. At the close of his
visit, in leaving the house, he passed the cradle in which lay
the dying infant. He felt a strong inward impulse to kneel
at the cradle and to ask God to restore the child. He knelt

204 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

and prayed. On reaching home he told his wife that the
babe would recover. In a short time it was perfectly well.
The hospitality of his home made Sand Brook a sacred
spot to at least one heart. He was a good man, and an
humble, and to know him was to love him.

E. John Hoppock and Robeson Hyde.

The leading preachers in Jersey seem to go in pairs. We
have had the two Poulsons and the two Moores, and now we
come to two preachers who were elected to the ministry on
the same day and labored together for many years. Data is
not at hand to give sketches of the lives of either. We can
do little more here than preserve their names.

John Hoppock and his family, through all the troubles in
Jersey, stood by the old church. He was elder of the Am-
well Church for many years. For many years he kept stor-
ing away in his garret our church papers, and gave to the
writer, as a gift, his whole valuable collection for the Breth-
ren's Historical Society. While he was not a specially
great preacher, yet to be in his presence was a sermon — you
felt that you were with a man who was good through and
through.

Robeson Hyde labored chiefly in the Bethel congregation.
See the account of that church. He continued with the
old church until his end, but his able and useful son Lam-
bert cast in his lot with the Progressives. This family, if
any, makes us feel that all the Brethren of Jersey should be
one again. There was in Brother Hyde something primi-
tive, a freedom from conventionality, that made his pres-
ence very enjoyable.

There is within the Jersey homes, often unpainted on the
outside, so much of Christian hospitality, so much of love
and good-will, that one is made to wonder how the spirit of
schism could ever find entrance. Satan is the author of it
all. But as the Jersey Brethren resist him, he will flee from
them. And surely the great home missionary spirit of John
Naas, the father of the church in Jersey, must revive. As
Bro. Frank Holsopple said, the Jersey Church is his mon-
ument, and this monument must not be allowed to tarnish.

PART IV.
THE COVENTRY GROUP.

CHAPTER I.
THE COVENTRY CHURCH.

Coventry, the second oldest Brethren Church in America,
was organized, November 7, 1724. The charter members
were nine : Martin Urner and wife Catharine, Henry Landis
and wife, Daniel Eicher, Peter Heffly, Owen Longacre, and
Andrew Sell. Martin Urner was chosen the preacher ; and
his home seems to have been the chief place of meeting.
Some time after Alexander Mack arrived in 1729, he or-
dained Martin Urner to the office of Bishop. An account
of the facts leading up to the organization of this old
church, only ten months younger than the old Mother
Church at Germantown, will be found set forth in the ac-
count of the Missionary Tour of 1724.

A love feast was held at Martin Urner's on Whitsuntide,
in 1726. Members from both Germantown and Conestoga
were present. But Peter Becker was not among the num-
ber. Conrad Beissel officiated. " Extraordinary powers
of eternity" were manifested; and the followers of Beissel
called it the congregation's Pentecost. Says the "Chron-
icon " : " On the first day of the festival everybody in the
meeting was as though drunken with wine, and it was
noticed that several, who had engaged in prayer, soon after-
ward married, and so dragged the gifts of the Spirit into the
flesh." After the meeting Beissel baptized eleven. This
was the largest baptism up to this time in America.

The Brethren were thrown into a quandary concerning
Beissel. They had to admire his gifts, yet they looked upon
him as a seducer and forbidder of wedlock. Their amaze-

205

206 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

ment and perplexity were increased by a meeting on the
following day, when "the powers of the new world were
again poured out like a river, the singing was Pentecostal
and heavenly; yea, some declared they heard angel voices
mingling with it." Martin Urner became greatly distressed.
He is said to have embraced his wife, exclaiming: " O, my
dear wife ! I pray you for God's sake, do not leave me ! "

Across the Schuylkill from Coventry, in back of Potts-
town, is Falckner's Swamp, where already in 1724 families
of Brethren had settled, and in this year had the Lord's
Supper administered to them by the Brethren on their not-
able Missionary Tour. Here Beissel did not have to en-
counter so much the penetrating eye of Martin Urner, and
here he was victorious. But in Coventry his way was pretty
effectually blocked. Inasmuch as Falckner's Swamp, which
later ceased to be a Brethren's settlement, was nearer to
Coventry than to any other enduring congregation, we deem
it proper at this place to give a brief account of the work
there.

Falckner's Swamp.

A few of the Brethren who had arrived in Germantown
in 1719, had settled shortly after their arrival at Falckner's
Swamp. We have mentioned the love feast there in 1724.
Beissel, on being made teacher in Conestoga, soon began to
regard himself as General Superintendent of the work in
America. Because of several newly awakened ones at
Falckner's Swamp, Beissel in the latter part of 1727, sent
Michael Wohlfahrt to look after the interests of the work.
Wohlfahrt's report was so favorable, that Beissel with three
others visited Falckner's Swamp, and on March 8, 1728,
baptized eleven persons. In the following May five more
were baptized. Through this activity Beissel acquired such
a control of affairs at Falckner's Swamp that the German-
town Brethren, later reinforced by Alexander Mack, were
unable to dislodge him. Andreas Frey was appointed Elder
here. He gave up his office and was succeeded by Michael
Wohlfahrt. " Fie fell from his office with shame and dis-
grace, and thereupon fell at the feet of the Superintendent,

THE COVENTRY CHURCH. 207

who revoked the judgment and received him again into spir-
itual communion." Beissel now placed a John Landes, per-
haps the son-in-law of John Naas, at the head of the work.
But Landes was a novice, became puffed up, and lasted only
six weeks.

Beissel was unreconciled with a brother at Coventry and
had placed two of the Germantown Brethren under the ban.
The Germantown Brethren thought it proper to warn the
newly awakened about Beissel. Beissel then wrote a letter
to the Brethren at Germantown, sternly rebuking them for
the falseness, deceit, and craftiness which they had prac-
tised on the newly awakened ones. The Germantown Breth-
ren showed this letter at Falckner's Swamp, and proposed to
leave the Brethren judge in regard to the " insult " in the
letter, for which purpose they appointed a meeting at which
both Germantown and Conestoga were to be represented.
Beissel was not minded to be subject to this arrangement.
With arch-craftiness he sent six members from Conestoga
to forestall it. Beissel's emissaries were received, and they
maintained his hold.

In October, 1730, Alexander Mack, who had come to this
country the year before, undertook with several of his
Brethren a visit to Falckner's Swamp. Be it remembered
that Beissel had already in 1728 given back his baptism to
the Brethren. Beissel, not knowing of the visit, was at
Falckner's Swamp when they arrived. We quote from the
" Chronicon," pp. 49-50.

" Alexander Mack made an address and said : * The peace
of the Lord be with you!' The Superintendent rephed:
* We have the same peace ! ' Thereupon Alexander Mack
asked why they had put them under the ban; and proposed
that both parties should betake themselves to prayer that
God might reveal to them which was guilty of the separa-
tion. . . . They accordingly fell upon their knees, and after
making their complaints to God, they arose, and A. M.
asked : * Where is Conrad Beissel ? ' They pointed towards
him and said : * There he stands ! ' He answered : * I am a
stranger to him; I do not see him; let him speak,' It seems
that his eyes were holden that he could not see him. This

208 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

happened several times to the Superintendent, as not less to
Christ himself and other holy ones. Thereupon the Super-
intendent answered thus: 'I am the man after whom you
ask.' A. M. then began asking the reasons why such things
had been done. The Superintendent answered : Why they
came here in so improper a manner to disturb the meeting;
they should have chosen a different time for this matter ; and
then spoke not a word more. • Then things became lively.
One brother of Conestoga said : ' Alexander Mack, I regard
you as a servant of God ! ' Peter Becker replied : * What
kind of a servant do you consider him? a servant of his
righteousness ? ' "

Alexander Mack, humanly speaking, the great leader of
the Church of the Brethren, had in the love of Christ won
Beissel and he knew it ; but he realized that it would require
a long time for the fact to become manifest; but in his long-
suffering, he was willing to abide the Lord's revelation of
his victory. The author of the " Chronicon " states that
those who knew how affairs stood between the two congre-
gations, knew also that a close union between them was im-
possible; "for they were born of diverse causes, since one
had the letter for its foundation, the other, the Spirit ; and
while both had the same Father, they had different Mothers."
Alexander Mack taught that the letter and the Spirit go to-
gether.

The Elder at Falckner's Swamp in 1731 had trouble with
his wife. This elder himself adhered to Beissel but the wife
forsook him to be a solitary one with the Superintendent.
The man told his wife that she was his, that he would not
give her up, that she must be subject to her husband. Sev-
eral times he brought her home by force. His outraged
feelings carried him to the extent of violently assaulting
Beissel, who afterward advised the wife to go to her hus-
band. Once when a love feast was to be held, he tied her
fast lest she should run away. After his death she joined
the community, and lived with it till her death in 1779.

"In 1734 the awakened at Falckner's Swamp, it being
the seventh year of their awakening, began to break up and
to move toward the settlement. They bought up the

THE COVENTRY CHURCH. 209

regions around Ephrata, so that in a few years the country
for three or four miles around was taken up by them.
Wherever there was a spring of water, no matter how un-
fertile the soil, there lived some household, waiting for the
Lord's salvation" (p. 66).

Thus did Ephrata absorb Falckner's Swamp, which gave
itself to Beissel. Falckner's Swamp above all other places
seems to have peopled Beissel's newly found home on the
Conestoga. During the troubles between Conestoga and
Germantown when Falckner's Swamp was the bone of con-
tention between them, Coventry though the nearest congre-
gation to Falckner's Swamp, held aloof. Martin Urner
held the love of his wife and the allegiance of his flock; but
not so the Elder across the Schuylkill at Falckner's Swamp.
Beissel carried away some from Coventry but even on them
he did not have a lasting hold. The "Chronicon" tells us,
p. dy, "After these (those from Falckner's Swamp) the
awakened from the Schuylkill (Coventry) also came and
settled down at the Settlement. From these the Sister's
Convent gained a number; but only two, Drusiana and
Basilla, natural sisters, endured till the end."

"The Coventry Church," says Abraham Cassel, "in-
creased fast, and in 1770 would have been a very large con-
gregation had not so many gone away to get better lands
elsewhere, as they were mostly husbandmen. Numbers
went to what was then called the Conococheague, in Frank-
lin and Perry counties, in Pennsylvania, and some also to
Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas.

"The old Brethren were opposed to having a meeting-
house. They held their meetings in a kind of rotation, at
Martin Urner's and at four other places, and the custom
then was that where the meeting was, most of the people
stayed for dinner, and the afternoons were spent in private
conversation, singing, and prayer, which was so edifying to
the people that it was the means of drawing many into the
church."^ Up to 1770 the Coventry Brethren were without
a meeting-house. Only two years later, however, in 1772,

1 See " History of the Brethren Coventry Church," by Isaac Urner,
p. 20.
15

210 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

they built one of logs, on the old Martin Urner homestead,
on or near the site of the present church.

" From corroborative facts known to me," continues
Abraham Cassel, " I have no doubt but that the Coventry
Church had hundreds of additions between its organization
in 1724 and its census of 1770."

There is a blank here in the history of the Coventry
Church which we are unable to fill. No church records kept
within the church herself, as in the Conestoga Church, have
come down to us. Our only sources of information are
external — Morgan Edwards' " History of the Baptists " and
the "Chronicon Ephratense." Isaac N. Urner, LL.D., pre-
viously mentioned, has this to say in the introduction to his
"History of the Coventry Church" : "We are told that no
early records of the Coventry Church were kept. It seems
improbable that such a church would have no records, ' all
the early preachers being men of talent and ability,' that the
reasonable supposition is that the records have been lost."

In 1770 the Coventry Church consisted of about twenty-
two families, whereof forty were baptized. We give the
names of these forty members in 1770 as given us by Mor-
gan Edwards :

Martin Urner and wife, Barbara, Peter Reinhart, Owen
Reinhart, Henry Dasker and wife, Nicholas Harwick and
wife, Abraham Grubb and wife. Christian Monsieur, Bar-
bara Miller, Barbara Welty, Frederick Reinhart and wife,
Barbara Urner, Elizabeth Ingles, Catharine Grumbacher,
Catharine Bach, John Eiker, Jacob Pfautz and wife, Abra-
ham Bach, Andrew Wolff, Esther Switzer {nee Urner),
Wendel Dan f elder, Henry Bear and wife, Jacob Switzer
and wife, Maud Reinhart, Jacob Light and wife, Philip
Waggoner and wife, Elizabeth Halderman, Anthony Ber-
nard and daughter, John Light and wife.

While records of the doings of the early Coventry Church
seem lost, yet we perhaps have a complete list of her minis-
try. Abraham Cassel says : " The Coventry Church always
had a very efficient local ministry, as her early preachers
were all men of talent and ability, and were often visited by
able preachers of other localities and of other denomina-

THE COVENTRY CHURCH. 211

tions, such as Morgan Edwards, Elhanan Winchester,
George De Benneville, Peter Keyser, and others. Coven-
try has always been quite Hberal in receiving good men of
other persuasions." The early bishops of Coventry were
right at the heart of the church. We find Martin Urner
much in evidence in the colonial congregations, being the
officiating elder at many ordinations. The second Martin
Urner was a very able preacher and an intimate friend of
Alexander Mack, Jr. Two years previous to the Revolu-
tionary War the Prices enter Coventry territory. The early
Elders of Coventry were leaders at the Annual Meeting.

There is a peculiarity of the Coventry ministry — families
produced them in groups. There were the three Urners,
the three Reinharts, the three Prices, the two Harleys, the
two Keims ; and the two Holsopples moved in as pastors.

The eldership of the Coventry Church has been as fol-
lows : Martin Urner, St., from 1729 to 1755 ; Martin Urner,
Jr., from 1755 to 1799; Jonas Urner, from 1799 to 1810;
George Price, from 1810 to 1823; John Price, Sr., from
1823 to 1850; John Price, Jr., from 1850 to 1879; David
Keim, from 1879 to 1897; Jesse P. Hetric, from 1897 to
1912; M. C. Swigart, from 1912 to — . Coventry, though
now almost two hundred years old, has only her ninth elder ;
in other words the eight elders who have finished their terms
of services have each been housekeeper on an average of
almost a quarter of a century. Not only have their terms
of service been long, but as intimated they have been ex-
ceptionally strong men.

The assistant ministry of Coventry we perhaps have as
complete as the eldership. The first bishop, Martin Urner,
Sr., had as his assistant one Casper Ingles. All that we
know of him is that he filled this position. In 1770 Eliza-
beth Ingles was the only one in the Coventry membership
bearing the name. Likely before Ingles, however, was
George Adam Martin. This brilliant but top-heavy man
afterward went over to Beissel. He deserves biographical
mention at the proper place. Peter Reinhart, Morgan Ed-
wards tells us, was assistant to Martin Urner, Jr. Martin
and Abraham Reinhart also preached but there is no reason

212 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

to believe they were ever Elders. The last of the Reinharts
died in 1842.

In this same year died Jacob Harley, the older of the two
Harley preachers. John Harley closed his labors in 1895,
but we have not learned when he began them. Peter Hol-
lo wbush was elected to the ministry in 1842, the year in
which as we have seen two of the ministers died. Jacob
Connor was elected May 25, 1872.

Concerning the rest of the ministers called out of the Cov-
entry membership we have more definite facts, as their elec-
tions are recorded in the minutes. Minutes were first kept
in 1872, the year in which Peter HoUowbush died.

December 4, 1875, Isaac Urner Brower was elected to the
ministry. Henry Cassel was the elder present who installed
him. At the same time Jacob Connor was advanced.

Elder David Keim requested, May 8, 1880, the election of
an Elder, a minister, and two deacons. All were elected but
the Elder. The election was held August 7, 1880. The
choice for a minister fell on J. Y. Eisenberg; and Isaac U.
Brower was advanced. Lewis Keim was elected to the min-
istry July 22, 1893. Elder J. Z. Gottwals installed the
newly elected minister. A young man was desired, likely
to become pastor. Bro. Keim went to Juniata College to
prepare for the new duties devolving upon him. He was
advanced to the second degree of the ministry July 25, 1896.
He never became pastor at Coventry, although he served two
or three other churches in this capacity. He is the last
brother to be elected out of the Coventry membership.

January 4, 1902, Bro. Jacob Grater, a minister in the first
degree of the Mingo Church, presented his letter at Coven-
try and was accepted. He had accepted a position in a
Pottstown bank. He entered heartily into the Master's
work. Soon afterward, the pastorate at Parkerford be-
came vacant, and Bro. Hetric promised to fill the place till
a pastor was secured. Bro. Grater then filled the appoint-
ments of Bro. Hetric in Coventry. October 4, 1902, Bro.
Grater was advanced. September 30, 1905, he was granted
a letter, having moved west.

Bro. William Nyce, a minister of Royersford, moved to

THE COVENTRY CHURCH. 2l3

the Harmony ville branch of the Coventry Church, in 1905.
Here his active aggressive spirit soon began to tell. See the
account of the Harmonyville Church.

The First Pastor.

Elder J. P. Hetric was the first pastor of the Coventry
Church. He had previously had charge of the Marshall
Street Church of Philadelphia. Bro. Hetric was born in
Armstrong Co., Pa., December 20, 1843. He had taught
school. He was baptized into the Redbank Church by Elder
Jas. Quinter in 1864. He was elected to the ministry on
June 30, 1866, and advanced to second degree November 3,
1867. He now attended school to fit himself more fully for
his high calling, being graduated from Reid Institute in
1870. He had charge of three churches in his home section
before coming, in 1874, to Philadelphia, and at the latter
place was ordained an Elder in October, 1879. In Novem-
ber, 1882, he moved to Parkerford, Chester Co., as pastor
of the Coventry Church. January 8, 1898, he resigned his
pastorate with the view of securing a younger man for the
place, but still retained the eldership of the church. He
ceased to be elder of Coventry in November, 19 12, but still
has the oversight of the churches at Parkerford and Roy-
ersford. His work proclaims him a man of fine mind.

On January i, 1898, Bro. Hetric had called a meeting of
the officers of the church at Coventry and at Harmonyville
and had given six reasons why he should be relieved of the
burden of regular preaching. The official body appointed a
committee of three to act on these reasons and report. Their
report was as follows :

" We, the committee apointed by the moderator, beg leave to
offer the following as our report,

*' 1st. We, after hearing the six reasons given by Bro. J. P.
Hetric for retiring as the regular pastor of the Brethren's
Coventry and Harmonyville churches, think it would be best
for the good of the two churches to accept his statements as
reasons for procuring more ministerial help;

" 2nd. We recommend a young pastor to take charge of the
regular services of the two churches."

" Signed by the Committee."

214 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

This report was adopted by the church, January 8, 1898.
A committee of three was appointed to procure a new pastor.

Nothing has been said of F. F. Holsopple as a pastor in
the Coventry Church. It will be noticed in the fore-
going action of Bro. Hetric that Parkerford is not included.
Bro. Holsopple had become pastor of the Parkerford branch
of Coventry already in October, 1895, ^^^ under him Park-
erford became a separate congregation in June, 1898.

The Coventry pastor committee secured the services of
Bro. J. J. Shaffer of the Shade Creek congregation. His
letter of membership there was granted him, September 26,
1898. Bro. Shaffer continued with the Coventry Church
only about one year. He resigned as pastor, August 6,
1899.

Ira C. Holsopple, brother of F. F. at Parkerford, was now
unanimously elected pastor. Bro. Holsopple's letter was
accepted at Coventry, October 5, 1899; but he had begun as
pastor already on August 25. He married into the congre-
gation and seems at home here. He has given very accept-
able service to Coventry during the last fourteen years.

The Deacons.

The names of the early deacons of the Coventry Church
we have been unable to secure. August 7, 1880, Jonathan
Keim and Stephen Brownback were elected to this office.
Sept. 5 of the same year Wm. Y. Eisenberg was also elected
a deacon. This election was likely held to fill the vacancy
caused by the election of John Eisenberg to the ministry,
John having previously been a deacon.

J. B. Reiff and David G. Bergey were elected for the
Parkerford field, December 27, 1890. Elder J. Z. Gott-
wals installed them. The meeting was held in the Parker-
ford house.

In Coventry W. W. Kulp and John Buckwalter were
elected deacons, August 13, 1892. Also at Coventry, J. H.
Haldeman and Rudolph Harley were elected, August 4,
1894, the charge being given by Elder J. Z. Gottwals.

the coventry church. 215

Other Officials.

The first clerk of the Coventry congregation was John
Y. Eisenberg. Through his efforts and those of Jacob
Connor regular councils with authorized minutes were kept.
Jacob Connor was made moderator and John Eisenberg
clerk. This was in 1872. This first regular council was
held November 2 of this year. Bro. Eisenberg's account of
the matter is interesting and we record it.

Bro. Eisenberg and Bro. Connor held a sort of caucus be-
tween them and concluded that it would be well to have reg-
ular councils and to have records kept. It would seem from
these words that the councils at Coventry had been like the
General Conferences at the beginning — called only when
occasion demanded. There were no authorized minutes at
this time as yet, says Bro. Eisenberg. John Harley kept a
list of the members, but beyond this there were no records,
unless individuals jotted down happenings for their own
use. We have not been so fortunate as to find any records
prior to 1872.

Brethren Connor and Eisenberg presented the matter to
the church, and the church decided to have regular councils
and a secretary. Unexpectedly to himself, Bro. Eisenberg
was chosen secretary; and Bro. Connor was made moder-
ator. Bro. Eisenberg thought there should be some kind of
a constitution ; so he drew one up, presented it to the church
and it was adopted. Bro. Eisenberg now not wishing to
thrust himself on the church as secretary resigned. But he
was unanimously re-elected. On inquiry how long this was
to continue. Elder John R. Price replied : " For life or during
good behavior, like the members of the Supreme Court."
Bro. Eisenberg continued as secretary till 1894; or one year
after his removal to Royersford, when he resigned. He is
still the custodian of the old minute book, Coventry seem-
ing no more anxious to preserve them in a vault than she
was to preserve her early minutes which Dr. Urner believes
to be lost. ' What a pity ! But she is not the only congrega-
tion thus minded. Bro. Eisenberg was succeeded as secre-
tary by Bro. J. H. Haldeman, who still fills the position.

The adoption of the regular council and the officering of

216 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

it seems to have been a swing from one extreme to another
■ — much elder authority being followed by little. It seems
that the Brethren had been looking to the adjoining elders
to decide matters for them, inasmuch as it was decided that
Bro. R. Harley should hold the documents (a decision of
Elders John H, Umstad, Samuel Harley and Henry Cassel)
concerning the money coming to the church from Bro.
Philip Hoffman's estate, in place of Peter Hollowbush,
deceased.

There seem to have been peculiar conditions in the con-
gregation at this time. At the first council meeting the
question was asked : " Is it the duty of the church to live out
the decisions of the District and Annual Meetings?" This
question was repeated again and again in the councils, but
each time deferred.

It may here be in place to state that there are strong
reasons to believe that Bro. Jacob Connor fully merited the
position he received as moderator of the council, though
only a minister in the first degree. He seems to have been
the embodiment of the missionary life of the congregation.
A call for a missionary convention to be held at Myersdale,
Somerset county, December 4, 1878, was issued. Notice
was given in The Primitive Christian and also in The Pil-
grim. The notice was read to the church on November 10,
and it was decided "to send a delegate and to pay his ex-
penses." Bro. Connor was sent. Three or four years later
Bro. Connor gave an account of a missionary trip he had
made to Lackawanna. It will be here in place to state that
beginning with 1887, Bro. Connor served for one term on
the District Mission Board and during that time looked after
the Upper Dublin Church. Perhaps it was about this time
that Bro. Connor moved to Gratersford in the Mingo
Church. At his new home quite an interest was awakened.
This was also the home of Elder Isaac Kulp and his talented
daughter Emma, afterward the wife of the well known
evangelist, Elder Isaac Frantz of Ohio. A neat brick
church house was built at Gratersford. But the work went
down. Bro. Connor now one of our oldest ministers is at
present living in the limits of the Parkerford Church.

THE COVENTRY CHURCH. 217

For twenty-nine years, ending with 191 1, Wm. Y. Eisen-
berg, brother of John, served the Coventry Church with
great acceptance as treasurer. In recognition of his long
and faithful service, the church presented him with a copy of
the New Testament and Psalms, with appropriate resolu-
tions.

Trustees are officials whose services are too often over-
looked, but as we have not the names of the earlier ones, the
later ones will also be withheld. But April 5, 1902, the
Board of Trustees was fixed at five members, with instruc-
tions to organize. In 1909 the term of trusteeship was fixed
at five years.

The Children of Coventry.

Coventry as a congregation is only a decade less than two
centuries old, and she is a mother congregation. The chil-
dren of her youth are lost to her. To-day she does not
know them when she meets them; and it is impossible for
us in our present capacity to make known to her her early
children — some farther west in the old Keystone State, some
in Maryland, some in Virginia, likely some in the Middle
West, perhaps some farther west. Some likely died many
years ago and to-day have no tombstone to mark their rest-
ing-place. And then her grandchildren, and great-grand-
children, and great-great-grandchildren! What a family
tree would be hers if constructed! But tangible children,
near at home, she has, and she knows them as such.

Coventry's home field was along the Schuylkill River,
above being bounded by Northkill and below by Germantown.
West of her was her sister, younger than she by only a few
days, a sturdy German dame, and perhaps more prolific in
offspring than even herself.

The Nantmeal Mission.

In August, 1773, Daniel Price, of Indian Creek, a descend-
ant of Jacob Preisz, the itinerant preacher of the Brethren
in Germany, bought land for his son George in Nantmeal
Township, Chester Co. In 1774 George's name appears on

218 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the list of taxables. George Price lived in Nantmeal till
1794, when he moved to Coventry Township. But during
his sojourn in Nantmeal he opened up a Brethren's mission.
Although in his later life the eldership of the Coventry
church devolved upon him, he continued to look after Nant-
meal until his death in 1823. Nor is Isaac Urner altogether
correct in stating that the mission there afterward did not
prosper, for the Brethren continued to preach there more
than fifty years subsequent to that event.

Elder J. Z. Gottwals, who preached the last sermon for
the Brethren at Nantmeal, tells us that beside himself David
Keim, Peter Hollowbush, John H. Umstad, and David Rit-
tenhouse preached there. Some of these Brethren certainly
labored in this field as early as 1850. After the death of
George Price in 1823, no doubt his son and grandson took
a lively interest in the work of the head of the Price family
in the Coventry district.

After Green Tree became a separate congregation, likely
about 1845, she maintained a joint interest in the work at
Nantmeal, or at West Nantmeal, as the writer so often
heard his grandfather call it, and gathered some of the con-
verts into the Green Tree fold. Some of the older mem-
bers as Samuel Krause and James Guest came to regard
Green Tree as more of a home than Coventry, though their
membership was never transferred. Those to join Green
Tree were Frances Krause, Levi Krause and wife, Emma
Shick, Louisa Evans, Mary Boyer, — Witmore, Catharine
Shannamon, and John Stover and wife. Among those
holding membership at Coventry were John Essig and wife,
Samuel Krause and wife, Joel Dillsworth, Daniel Krause's
wife and daughter, Samuel Krause's mother, and James
Guest and wife. Some of these members were very sub-
stantial residents of the community. Some died, some
moved away, and some brought reproach on the Brethren
name. In 1880 a committee was appointed by the Coven-
try Church to visit the Brethren in Nantmeal. This com-
mittee, no doubt, recommended discontinuing the work, for
it was about this time that it was dropped. Opposition on
the part of the Methodists seems to have constituted the
death blow.

the coventry church. 219

The Lumberville Mission.

The writer was informed by a Mr. Showalter that the
*' Morgan School-house " in Phcenixville was built by the
Mennonites and Brethren as a place of worship, the two
peoples alternating on Sundays in using it. The ground
was given by the Phoenix Iron Co. As long as they con-
tinued to use the house for worship it was theirs, but in
case they ceased to use it, it was to revert to the Iron Com-
pany. The Mennonites soon built a house of their own,
and it is suggested that the Brethren turned their interest
to Lumberville. This matter, however, has not been prop-
erly investigated.

As early as the beginning of the nineteenth century.
Elder George Price had a preaching appointment every
eight weeks at Methatchton, about two miles northwest of
Norristown. It was a long drive and the old-time mis-
sionary would start on Saturday afternoon and stop over
night with Daniel Brower, a Mennonite, and the farmer im-
mediately east of John Umstad. After service on Sunday
morning, Bro. Price would return to Brower's for dinner.
Frequently in the afternoon, he would hold out-of-door
services in Brower's meadow. The old brother would preach
in German and his son John, who frequently accompanied
him, would speak in English. As a result of these labors,
Mary and Elizabeth Brower, daughters of Daniel, united
with the Coventry Church.

It was not, however, till a number of years later, in 1833,
that a permanent mission was started at Lumberville, now
Port Providence. At this time Abel and Isabella Fitzwater,
Isaac Price and wife, and John Umstad and wife, as the
result of an awakening in the neighborhood, joined the
Coventry Church. This led to the building of a joint house
with the Methodists, at Lumberville, and the establishing of
a permanent work in the neighborhood. For a fuller ac-
count see the history of the Green Tree Church.

The Mission at Parkerford.
Very few members lived in Parkerford in 1840. Isaac
Kulp and wife and Jonas Fisher and wife were among the

220 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

number. Many members by the name of Frick lived not
far away. Sarah Rinewalt is mentioned as an active young
sister. She married James Wells. Susan Sidel, " who
kept a record," lived here. While these members desired
meetings, yet the Coventry Church saw here an opening
for a mission. About 1840 meetings were held in the
school house. All the Coventry ministers preached here,
and these included John Umstad, Isaac Price, and James
Quinter of Green Tree, for Green Tree was yet a part of
Coventry. Father John Price was the elder. In this early
day Sarah Ala j or also preached here.

A notable revival followed these efforts. Perhaps James
Quinter did most of the preaching. Peter Hollowbush,
soon afterward elected a minister, entered the church. The
need of a meeting-house was felt; and the present Parker-
ford house was built in 1843. Jacob Frick superintended
its erection. For a very interesting account of the work at
this place see the history of the Parkerford Church by Dr.
William Brower.

• The Mission at Harmonyville.

The name of Keim stands out above all others in the
work at Harmonyville. The Keim home here was pur-
chased already by Hans or John Keim, the great-grand-
father of Elder David Keim. David Keim moved from
Coventry Township, Chester County, to Harmonyville,
Warwick Township, in 1845. He at once began to build
up a Brethren interest here. " His labors were blessed, and
he lived to see the interest grow and develop into the pres-
ent Harmonyville Church, with its fine commodious Meet-
ing-house."^ Harmonyville has recently been organized
into a separate congregation. For a full account of the
work see the history of the Harmonyville Church.

Efforts in Pottstown.

Pottstown affords to Coventry her city opportunity — an
opportunity not yet improved.

Action was taken, February 11, 1888, toward holding

1 Urner. " History of Coventry Church."

THE COVENTRY CHURCH. 221

meetings in Pottstown. Out of thirty-seven members then
hving there notified to be present with the committee ap-
pointed to consider the matter, only thirteen came. The
committee on its report April 7, 1888, was discharged and
no further action it seems was taken. What a pity, for
with only thirteen, including himself, Christ started the
Kingdom of Heaven.

January 20, 1909, Ira Holsopple spoke relative to start-
ing a work in Pottstown for members there, it being in-
convenient for them to attend at Coventry. But nothing
seems to have been accomplished. May the Brethren yet
have a strong church in Pottstown!

The Coventry Meeting-Houses.

Coventry was only two years behind the old Mother
Church at Germantown in erecting a separate house for
worship. The first Coventry house was built on the Urner
farm in 1772, and was of logs. It stood until 1817, when
it was succeeded by a house of stone. The logs of the old
church were used to build a residence at Cedarville.

Sister Stover and the Old Log Church should not be lor-
gotten. Rudolph Stover had bought the old Urner farm
about 1 8 10, at the time that Jonas Urner moved to Vir-
ginia. His wife was a pious old sister, although her hus-
band was not a member of the church. She loved the old
log meeting-house. Here she had been fed on heavenly
manna; here her thirsty soul had drunk in the water of life;
here she had sat in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The
old log structure became dilapidated, unfit for services,
but she objected strenuously to tearing it down. The place
was dear to her heart For two years or more deference
to the pious sister saved the old log church; but finally the
day of its doom was set. The evening before the day, at
dusk, the aged sister was seen wending her way to the old
Bethel. She entered. Curious persons peeped in at the
door. Old Sister Stover had gone to her accustomed seat,
was kneeling there for the last time to hold communion
with her God.

222 the church of the brethren.

The Second Coventry Church.

This was built in 1817. It was of stone and very sub-
stantially built. It was almost impossible to get the stones
apart when the walls were torn down. The house though
built of stone followed in internal arrangement the frame
house built in Amwell, N. J., six years before. The
benches had no backs till about 1870. The house was
heated by means of two stoves, with pipes coming together
in a big drum over the central aisle. This method of heat-
ing has been pronounced by some as too hot for the head
and too cold for the feet, while others think the comfort
given is not discounted by modern appliances. Elder
George Price was the overseer of the work of construc-
tion, and Bro. James Wells was the carpenter. About
1880 an organ was placed in this church to be used only
in the Sunday School. It was then used for evening meet-
ings; and about ten years after its admission, it was used
in the morning service.

The Third House.

Methods, means of carrying on the work of the Gospel,
may grow old, may not adjust themselves to new condi-
tions, but the truth changeth not. Heaven and earth shall
pass away, but the Lord's words shall not pass away. And
so even the second Coventry meeting-house, well built of
stone, grew old and no longer met the needs of the work.
August 4, 1888, it was decided to rebuild once more; but
the action caused disorder in the flock. The matter was
allowed to rest for a season. March 8, 1890, a plan for
rebuilding was adopted without opposition. The side en-
trances were walled up, and the entrance made through a
vestibule at the end toward the road. The interior was
brought up to date, with a loftier ceiling and an alcove back
of the pulpit. During the rebuilding the Brethren were
allowed the use of the school-house at Kenilworth, formerly
known as Madison. A Sunday School addition, for some
time urged by the pastor, was recently built to the north-
west corner of the church. It is 24 X 26 ft. in size.

Second Coventry Church, from Pen Sketch.

Farm House where Annual Meeting of 1790 was Held, Coventry.

THE COVENTRY CHURCH. 223

The second church handed down the seats with reversible
backs, every third one used at love-feast for a table, dimin-
ishing the seating capacity one third, and placing one half
of the communicants with their backs to the preachers.
The new form of communion table, with table fastened to
the back of each seat, was adopted, February i, 1908. In
1892 a quadrupled silver communion set supplanted the old
pewter vessels. It was decided to put a baptistry into the
church, November 30, 1903. This came after years of
discussion. It cost $161.40.

The Graveyard.

We quote from a letter of Dr. Wm. Brower of Spring
City: "Martin Urner, Sr., donated the Coventry Breth-
ren Graveyard in 1743. Coventry Church erected their
first meeting-house in 1772, twenty-nine years after the
starting of the burying ground. Unfortunately the site
selected for a church house was fully a quarter of a mile
away from the graveyard. In this historic burying ground
lie buried six of the Elders who served the Coventry Church.
I enclose the list.

First Bishop. Martin Urner, Sr., born 1695; died
March 29, 1755.

Second Bishop. Martin Urner, Jr., born September 4,
1725; died May 18, 1799.

Third Bishop. George Price, born November i, 1753;
died September 25, 1823.

Fourth Bishop. John Price, born April 12, 1783; died
April 4, 1850.

Fifth Bishop. John R. Price, born April 3, 18 10; died
March i, 1879.

Sixth Bishop. David Keim, born January 5, 1803; died
March 4, 1897.

Dr. Isaac Urner, a descendant of the Urner fathers in
Coventry and for many years President of a Baptist Col-
lege in Mississippi, rehabilitated the old Coventry burial
ground. He built a substantial wall around it and erected
huge granite monuments to the Urner family. (See cut.)
He left a fund of $5,000, the income of which is to be used

224 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

in keeping up the cemetery. It is one of the best kept
cemeteries in the state.

Auxiliary Organizations.

Coventry was the first of our congregations to adopt a
modern church auxihary. Her Sunday School was started
in 1842 or 1843. Sister Ehzabeth Harley, afterward
Stem, and another young sister were at the bottom of this
organization for the Brethren. A young Methodist was
superintendent, but these sisters soon made it the property
of the Coventry Church. It was first held in the school-
house across the way. Sister Stem used to tell how she
scrubbed up the school-house floor on Saturdays. The
faithfulness of these sisters soon caused the church to
look with favor on the new movement, and before long it
was permitted to move into the meeting-house. But latent
opposition now broke forth, and the Sunday School had to
find refuge again in the school-house. But again it won
its way back into the meeting-house ; and this time the Elder
John Price came out in its favor and urged that it never
again be allowed to go out of the church.

Different Brethren for a short time served as superin-
tendent, but we shall here mention only Jonas Leopold, who
served from about 185 1 to 1858 or 1859, when he moved to
Lancaster County. His missionary zeal led him here
within the present bounds of the White Oak Church, to
blaze the way for Brethren in Lancaster County to conduct
Sunday Schools. Hiram Gibble then a youth attended the
school, and here he caught the unquenchable Sunday School
flame that has ever characterized him since amid strong, un-
yielding opposition. Besides zeal, Jonas Leopold brought
more than ordinary intelligence to the work ; with the result
that the school was lifted to a higher standard.

But opposition continued. It was hoped that if a minis-
ter were superintendent the opposition would cease.
Peter Hollowbush was given charge, but he had no zeal for
this new work. The work lagged. Another preacher was
tried; John Llarley this time was the experiment. He

THE COVENTRY CHURCH. 225

proved a splendid success. He would preach in the morn-
ing at Parkerford, drive to Coventry, feed his horse, eat a
cold lunch, and then spend the remaining time in getting
things in shape for the Sunday School. He always wrote
out notes on the lesson, and Elder J. P. Hetric pronounces
them the best he ever saw.

For a term or two a member of the Reformed Church was
superintendent, thus calling attention to the union origin
of the school.

Subsequent superintendents have been Elder J. P. Hetric,
John Buckwalter, R. E. Harley, W. K. Wise, and Charles
Henzen, the present incumbent.

The Coventry Sunday School at the beginning had a
library. The blue and red ticket system was used. The
superintendent and teachers filled all offices. There were no
graded lessons, and Sunday School helps were undreamed
of. The New Testament, studied chapter by chapter, was
the text-book. But the school has kept pace with modern
developments. A Home Department, with William Keim
as superintendent, and a Cradle Roll, with Mrs. James
Huy as superintendent, were organized at a teachers' and
officers' meeting at Bro. John Buckwalter's in the fall of
1908. The Home Department at present (1912) has a
membership of about 40, with Sister John Buckwalter as
superintendent. There are fourteen names on the Cradle
Roll ; Sister Ira Holsopple has charge. A Teacher's Train-
ing Class was organized also in 1908. There are four
organized Bible Classes, two for men and two for women.
The two sister's classes now look after the Sister's Aid
Society work. The Coventry Sunday School has been car-
rying the front line seal for three years. The present en-
rollment is 236,

The Sisters' Work.

The Sisters' Home Mission work was approved by the
Coventry Church as early as February 9, 1884. This was
certainly one of the sisters' first efforts in the Brotherhood.
The home mission work was construed to mean this society,
to which the home mission funds were to be paid. This
16

226 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

society became dormant for a period. It was revived about
ten years ago (1902), was active for three or four years,
then went to sleep again. As previously stated, the two
organized Sisters' Bible classes now look after the Sisters'
Aid Society work.

The Christian Endeavor.

A meeting for organizing a Christian Endeavor Society
met in the Coventry Church, March 11, 1894. W. W. Kulp
acted as chairman. The following officers were elected :
President, George Smale; Vice-President, Emma Stauffer;
Recording Secretary, Cora Harley; Corresponding Secre-
tary, Ella Miller; Treasurer, Horace Wells.

Three committees were authorized :

Prayer-meeting — J. P. Hetric, chr., W. W. Kulp, Mrs.
Harley, and Amy John.

Look-out — J. P. Hetric, chr., Kate Frederick, Carrie
Stamm, and Emma Stauffer.

Social — Carrie Stamm, chr.. Flora Hetric, and Clara
Frederick.-

The Society met for the first time on Thursday evening,
March 15, 1894. The meetings for a time were during the
week; they were then changed to Sunday evening. For a
number of years the meetings of the Christian Endeavor
Society were the only services on Sunday evening, or until
1899, a short time before Bro. Ira Holsopple came as pastor.
The business meetings are held semi-annually. At first the
Society represented at the conventions of the general Chris-
tian Endeavor, but since 1898 has met with the other soci-
eties of the Brethren in the Schuylkill Valley, the first meet-
ing being at Valley Forge, instigated largely by J. G. Fran-
cis, then a young preacher at Green Tree.

The Coventry Church has shown herself appreciative of
attempts to write up her history. After Dr. Isaac Urner, a
descendant of the old Coventry Urners, had compiled a his-
tory of the congregation and had had it published in hand-
some binding, the following resolution, drawn up by Elder
J. P. Hetric, was adopted by the church:

THE COVENTRY CHURCH. 227

"Resolved, That as a congregation comprising the Coventry-
Brethren Church, we recognize the kindness done us by Prof.
I. N. Urner, in preparing and pubHshing so complete and ac-
ceptable a history of the congregation, as a church in council
assembled do hereby extend to him our most grateful thanks."

Charities.

Coventry has shown the true Brethren spirit in caring for
her poor and afflicted members. She has not tried to shove
them off on secular institutions. Individual cases could be
cited where considerable sums have been expended and have
been continued through a long period of time.

Already in 1872 there were two funds in the church — ^the
Hoffman Fund with interest amounting to $2,597.27; and
the Amole Fund amounting to $1,077.50. But nearly all
of the Hoffman Fund was later returned to heirs, who in
reality had forfeited all legal claims to it. The two Ham-
ilton brothers later also left funds. These funds, however,
were not alone limited to charity.

Elder J. P. Hetric, soon after he began looking after the
Coventry Church, introduced some very wise regulations
concerning the charities of the church, which were adopted
by the council on February 10, 1883.

The Coventry Church has set about solving this congre-
gational obligation in a systematic manner. The need of
a permanent poor fund was realized, and a Poor Fund
Committee was appointed, January 6, 1906, to draft plans,,
for the regulation of such a fund.

Relation to General Conference.

In the troublous times about 1880, tending to division
of the Brotherhood, Coventry held aloof from the General
Conference. She refrained from sending delegates so as to
maintain a neutral position. In 1884 she was unwilling to
accept a committee sent from the General Conference.
January 27, 1887, a committee from Annual Meeting waited
on her to ascertain why she did not represent at Annual and
District Meetings. In 1912 Bro. J. P. Hetric, her elder,.

228 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

represented his district^ on Standing Committee. In 191 3,
the District Meeting, accompanied by other district move-
ments, was held in the Coventry Church. We thus see the
old Coventry Church, after many years of troubles, working
fully in accord with the general church machinery,

Coventry was likely the first congregation of those led
astray to return from the erroneous double mode of feet-
washing to the single mode. An attempt was made to
change, February 12, 1876; but the matter was indefinitely
postponed. A query was sent this same year to District
Meeting, asking if it would be wrong for Coventry to make
the change. The change was consummated, August 9,
1877.

Coventry first elected a Correspondent to the Gospel Mes-
senger March 3, 1897, Sister Essie Kulp being called to the
work. Sunday morning collections were authorized at the
same time. Privilege was extended to each and every mem-
ber to engage in feetwashing, September 26, 1908.

While some are inclined to regard Coventry as a little
too progressive, too ready to fall in line with worldly
churches, and we have seen that her Sunday School and
Young People's Society were started in conjunction with
them, yet deep down in the congregation is a fine conserva-
tive element that has ever brought her finally into proper ad-
justment, and which finds expression in the ready adoption
of the following resolutions :

Elder J. P. Hetric presented several resolutions to the
official members of the church, which were endorsed by them.
The resolutions were presented to the council of July 23,
1898, at the time that Parker ford was about being organized
into a separate congregation. They follow :

"Dear Brethren: It is with pain of heart and much regret,
that we see many members of our congregation depart more
and more from the distinctive principles of pure and primitive
Christianity in those well defined phases of character and con-
duct, that we feel it imperative necessity to call attention to
the same in a public expression by the church.

" Then, first, there seems to be a disposition on the part of

1 Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and eastern New York.

THE COVENTRY CHURCH. 229

some of our members to attend and patronize festivals of any
and every sort gotten up upon the pretext of aiding either
religious or worldly enterprises, while pandering alone to the
desire for carnal pleasure and ministering to the unrestrained
lust of worldly sensualism, thus showing the trend of the
heart to be more inclined to be a lover of pleasure than a lover
of God, thus departing from the way of the Lord; and by
example enticing others in the same way. We earnestly and
urgently entreat our Brethren, old and young, to turn from,
such course of life, and for time to come to refrain from going
to, or patronizing any places that are in the least degree of
doubtful Christian propriety, and especially since the word of
God so plainly and so distinctly forbids it and exhorts us to
forsake the same. 2 Cor. 6: 16-18 and Rev. 18: 4, 5.

" Then, second, there is a disposition on the part of many to
step still farther aside from the Gospel principles of plainness
and modesty in apparel, and to follow more and more in the
foot-steps of the wordly fashions and follies in undue decora-
tions of themselves in the matter of dress—many wear the
very gayest, most gaudy, and most showy feathers and flowers
in their headdress. While some have even so far departed from
the simplicity of Gospel apparel as to wear portions or imi-
tations of birds in their headdress, thoughtless of the innocent
lives of God's songsters thus wantonly sacrificed to gratify a
taste lacking in humane spirit. The Bible enjoins most em-
phatically and most positively modesty in our apparel as well
as in our general tastes of life, i Tim. 2:9 and i Pet. 3:3.

" We may not, yea, dare not disregard these plain injunctions
of the Holy Scriptures, but at the peril of the soul's salvation.
Let all them seek to conform more fully to the plain simple
Gospel methods of life and conduct and thus fully meet God's
approbation."

These resolutions were approved by the church and
ordered placed on the minutes.

CHAPTER II.
GREEN TREE CHURCH.

Perhaps as early as 1800, Elder George Price of Coven-
try, grandfather of Elder Isaac Price, preached at the
Methachton meeting-house, about two miles northwest of
Norristown. The trip of about twenty miles was made by
horse and carriage — rather a long drive before 10 A.M. on
Sunday morning. So the faithful preacher would leave home
on Saturday afternoon, and stop over night with Daniel
Brower, who lived on the old Brower farm adjoining the
Umstad farm on the east. Browers were Mennonites.
After services at Methachton, five miles away, Elder Price
would return to Brower's for dinner. He did not fail to
reward this hospitality, for in the afternoon, in the summer
time, he would hold open air services in Brower's meadow.
Elder George was often accompanied by his son John. The
father preached in German and the son in English. It will
thus be seen that the original services of the Green Tree
Church were German. To-day no German is spoken in
the neighborhood.

The first-fruits of this Gospel seed-sowing in Brower's
meadow were Mary and Elizabeth Brower, who connected
themselves with the Coventry Church. This was a number
of years before 1823, the year in which Elder George
Price died. Elizabeth Brower became the second wife of
Nathan Pennypacker and the mother of Sister Fannie Fitz-
water.

The next important step in the history of the Green Tree
church was the conversion of Bella Fitzwater, the sister of
John Umstad. The Lord laid his hand on her in sickness.
Sarah Righter, afterward the wife of Thomas Major, and
also a prophetess, was called to see the invalid. Because of
Mrs. Fitzwater's illness, her husband objected to her being
baptized; but she was determined and declared that she

230

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GREEN TREE CHURCH. 231

would be baptized though she died In the water. And sick
and alone, she was baptized. This was in 183 1. In this
her determination may be found the faith which brought
forth the Green Tree Church.

There was a general revival all over this section of coun-
try from 1830 to 1840. It was the spirit of this general
awakening that had laid hold on Bella Fitzwater, Later in
the fall of this same year, meetings held by the Brethren
of Coventry in the neighborhood led to a great awakening.
The example and prayers of Bella Fitzwater soon brought
her husband, Abel Fitzwater, to the cross. Both John Um-
stad and Isaac Price were present, but unconverted, at the
baptism of their brother-in-law. John Umstad was inclined
to get fun out of his sister Isabella's piety. But in two
weeks' time both of these two future eminent preachers went
down into the baptismal waters. Many more, during this
year, were gathered into the fold. Among them were
Joseph Pennypacker and wife, George Price and wife, and
Samuel Supplee and wife. Though these events are given
for the year 1831, there is reason to place them a year ear-
lier, for it seems that Lydia Francis, wife of John Francis
of Shannonville, must have been baptized in the early sum-
mer of 1831.

So large had become the flock around Lumberville that
it was necessary to build a special fold for it. An agree-
ment was entered into with the Methodists, who had also
been holding meetings in the neighborhood, to erect a house
of worship at Lumberville. It seems that this house was
built in 1832. It was of stone, two stories high, the upper
story being used for school purposes and the lower for
church services. Nathan Pennypacker, noted for liberality,
was solicited for aid, much being expected. He gave one
dollar. He afterward explained that if it were a " Dunker "
meeting-house, or one of another denomination, he would
have given much more liberally. Subsequent history bore
out the correctness of his anticipation of a union house.

Now occurs an event in the history of this little mission
which is destined to lead to great blessing throughout our
entire Brotherhood — the conversion of James Quinter. Be-

232 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

fore the Lumberville meeting-house was finished the newly
converted Brethren held public worship in the school-houses
and prayer-meetings at their homes. James Quinter, refer-
ring to Bro. Umstad's home at this time, calls it the " Pil-
grim's Rest," and Abel Fitzwater's home he designates a
" Bethel." Among the school-houses utilized for public serv-
ices was the one at the Green Tree. Writing to a sister in
the neighborhood, Bro. Quinter thus describes his conver-
sion : " How distinctly do I remember the meeting in the old
school-house (the Green Tree) not far from your residence,
where the bow, * though drawn at a venture,' sent arrows of
conviction into my poor heart, which produced pain and sor-
row, from which I could find no relief, until I found it in
the healing virtues contained in the stream which flowed
from the pierced side of the dying Savior." After services
were held at the home of Bro. Umstad to a late hour of the
night for the comfort and salvation of those under con-
viction, Bro. Quinter tells of the solemnity to him of that
night as he journeyed homeward toward Abel Fitzwater's,
alone, " without Christ . . . having no hope and without God
in the world." For some time he groped on in darkness,
until one day while working in the barn at Fitzwater's, turn-
ing the windmill, he suddenly stopped, the light beginning to
dawn on his soul. " Fve got — Fve got it ! " he exclaimed,
and ran to the house. " Fve got it — peace with God ! "

The above event must have taken place some time in 1832,
for in 1833 he taught his first school at Hobson's school-
house, a mile from Royersford. In the spring of 1834, he
returned to Lumberville to teach in the newly erected church
and school-house. He taught here from 1834 to 1841.
Soon after his conversion, he was impressed with a call to
the Christian ministry. Although the impression continued
to grow stronger, he quietly awaited the time of the Church's
call. Finally in 1838, in a council meeting held in the home
of Bro. George Price, a short distance west of Green Tree,
he was elected to the ministry.

Bro. John Umstad who was elected to the ministry in
1834 took all the interest of an elder in the young preacher
and opened doors of usefulness to him. During his four

GREEN TREE CHURCH. 233

years of ministry in the Lumberville Church he preached
considerably in the neighboring congregations. He held the
first protracted meeting of the Brethren in Lawrenceville,
now Parkerford, at which place his son-in-law, F. F. Hols-
opple, led for several years the Lord's flock, and where his
other son-in-law. Elder J. T. Myers, is now pastor. Bro.
J. T. Myers was also for many years pastor and is now
Elder of the Green Tree congregation, which was formerly
the old Lumberville mission. How remarkable are the ways
of the Lord ! It seems that he answered the prayers of Bro.
Quinter for the welfare of these churches by placing his
children at the head.

Bro. Quinter also preached at the Union meeting-house,
south of Shannonville, now Audubon. At such times he
was the welcome recipient of the hospitality of John U.
Francis, who joined the Church of the Brethren about this
time, a man liberally educated, but whose wife Lydia had
joined the church years before, and whose personal piety re-
ceived the surpassing praise of Elder John Umstad.

Bro. Quinter also assisted Bro. Umstad in holding a
series of meetings in the little Towamencin meeting-house,
now of the past, within the present bounds of the Indian
Creek congregation. All of this work was not poetical, for
in later years of popularity, Bro. Quinter told to the shame
of the Green Tree Church, how he was obliged to walk
great distances to fill appointments on Sundays while the
horses of the Brethren were standing lazily in the stables.

In 1839, he accompanied Bro. Umstad on a journey as far
as the churches of Western Pennsylvania. The visit to the
George's Creek Church led to his removal to that place in
1842. From this time on, Bro. Quinter labored in other
fields. He was ordained by order of Annual Meeting but
be it remembered that he is a son of Green Tree ; and that
Green Tree furnished this able and holy man to the Brother-
hood.

Let us return to the old mission at Lumberville. The
first love-feast in this section of the country was held in the
new barn of Bro. John Umstad, wherein neither hay nor
straw had ever yet lain — certainly a good way to consecrate

234 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

a building to the office of holding God's blessings of the field.
Be it here said that in those days it was the custom to hold
love-feasts in the barns. It is said that at this love-feast,
the project of building the Union meeting-house at Lumber-
ville was started. If so, this love- feast must have been held
in the spring of 1832, instead of 1833, as has been given.

The members of the mission were zealous, and God
blessed them in increase of both numbers and power. It is
claimed by no less authority than James Quinter that the
first prayer-meetings and protracted-meetings of the Broth-
erhood were held in the Lumberville Church. Referring to
these prayer-meetings in his last years, Bro. Quinter says:
" Our prayer-meetings that were held in the beginning of .the
church here afforded us very good opportunities for exercis-
ing our gifts. While those meetings were excellent pro-
moters of our spiritual life, they were good schools for our
improvement in many ways. In these meetings, we exer-
cised somewhat freely, as did the brethren and sisters gener-
ally." Of the spirit of the meetings he writes : " And what
blessed meetings we had in those days of the planting of the
church at Green Tree. How simple and childlike were our
exercises ! How warm our zeal ! How ardent our Chris-
tian love to one another! How closely were our hearts
drawn together in Christian fellowship ! And we loved
God because He first loved us. Those were happy times,
oases, or green and watered spots in the land of our pilgrim-
age. Our sky was bright, and our sea, with the exception
of some little breezes that would ruffle the surface occasion-
ally, smooth." May the Green Tree Church never depart
from her first love, and if she has or does may she speedily
return that her candle-stick be not moved out of its place!

There was a good deal of missionary activity in those
early days. The Methachton region was in close touch with
Green Tree; and before Green Tree's begmning, with Cov-
entry. William Casselberry, formerly of Worcester town-
ship, and his family were drawn to Green Tree. The first
love feast in Worcester was held at his home. His wife was
a member but he was not. She suggested to him how pleas-
ant it would be, if he were a member, to hold a love-feast in

GREEN TREE CHURCH. 235

their home. Notwithstanding this seeming obstacle, he
offered her the home for the purpose, and the first, and per-
haps only, love-feast in that section was celebrated. This
was about 1820 or a little later. Wm. Casselberry was
one of the first deacons at Green Tree ; and his two maiden
daughters, Mary and Sophia, counted for much in their day
in the life of the church here. As to the extent of the terri-
tory of the Green Tree Church, when the Sunday School
was started in 1869, Sister Maggie Kindy was appointed
to solicit east of the Perkiomen Creek, She solicited as far
as Worcester.

The Brethren also used to hold meetings at what was once
called Krupp's meeting-house at Jeffersonville. The Breth-
ren's effort at Norristown was started by John Umstad.

An effort of some magnitude was made east of the Per-
kiomen Creek, near Shannonville, at that time largely a min-
ing village, the copper mines being in operation. Members
of different persuasions were laboring here with some suc-
cess. The older Wetherills gave land for a union house of
worship. For the erection of the church, money was raised
in the neighborhood by subscription. The Episcopalians,
Methodists, Presbyterians and " Dunkers " preached in the
building.

The Brethren started their work in this neighborhood
about 1840, in the shape of prayer-meetings held in the
homes of the members. Bros. William Cloward and Chris-
tian Dettra, and Sister John U. Francis gave their homes for
this purpose. Later the prayer-meetings were carried into
the public house of worship. Whether this was Jack school-
house or the union church we cannot now say. The meet-
ings led to a series of meetings, which led to the notable re-
vival in this section in 1840 or 1841. A number of miners
were converted, and among others was the husband of
Lydia Francis.

It has been stated, by old members, as noteworthy that
John Umstad held aloof from these meetings near Shannon-
ville. He and John U. Francis were cousins — the latter
being the older. Elder John Price, Sr., of Coventry, had

236

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the oversight of this whole field. Isaac, his son, preached
frequently at this new mission at Shannonville.

The Methodists in their services in the new union church
were rather noisy, and by being so gave offense to the
younger Wetherills, who were Episcopalians. Isaac Price,
being of a somewhat excitable nature, was influenced in his
preaching to some extent by the "amens" of the Methodists
though the " Dunkers " did not approve much of this excite-
ment. It is said that the Episcopalian services were not so
well attended by the neighbors, as were some of the others.
It was thought that this fact was not taken in good part by
the Wetherills. It was also thought that they did not relish
the idea of having the common people on a par in worship,
though they did not object to the poor or common attending
services under Episcopal control. It seems that they
thought the proper thing to do was to have the property
transferred to themselves, which transfer was soon brought
about. A representative of the Wetherills, we are informed
on good authority, arose in the meeting in the church on one
occasion and publicly forbade the use of the church for wor-
ship to all except Episcopalians. The Brethren and perhaps
others then secured Jack school-house, across the road, for
services. John Francis especially was strongly exercised
against the Episcopalians, but finally forgave his beloved
daughter for attending services there against his will.

John Francis was then used for a time as a speaker, but
was never formally elected to the ministry. We find him
exercising at Methachton and Upper Dublin, where his
speaking gave unusual satisfaction. Abraham Cassel tells
of hearing him once at Methachton. No minister came and
a John Francis, he related, was asked to conduct the service,
which he did. Bro. Cassel states that no one was sorry that
no preacher was present. Lack of recognition discouraged
him from service. He was a grandson of Capt. Arnold
Francis of the Providence Militia, who was used by Gen.
Washington at Valley Forge to perform difficult missions,
and who later was a prominent citizen. Many of the de-
scendants of John Francis are to-day members of the Church
of the Brethren, his grandson being the writer of these lines.

GREEN TREE CHURCH. 237

We have seen how active was the Coventry Church in
home mission work. Besides missions at Nantmeal and
Lawrenceville, in Chester county, she had missions in Mont-
gomery county at Lumberville and Shannonville and a joint
interest in the work at Methachton. The work in Mont-
gomery was rapidly developing into a separate congregation.
The Lumberville mission before it was a separate congrega-
tion began already to shoot out branches of her own. We
find John Umstad very busy before he was the overseer. He
had a hand in starting up the work at Upper Dublin. He
was instrumental in baptizing the first ten members taken
in at Mingo. He held aloof, however, from the work at
Shannonville. He was making extended missionary trips
out into the Brotherhood, as when he took James Quinter
to western Pennsylvania. All these things took place be-
fore there was a Green Tree Church. But conditions had
ripened for a new congregation. John Umstad had the
situation well in hand. He gave the ground for the erec-
tion of the new church, — the union house at Lumberville
not being satisfactory. The church received its name from
an enormous evergreen tree, which stood on the corner of
Umstad's lane and the public highway. A tree of the same
kind now stands close to the church on the west side. The
church, a stone one, with two doors on the east side, was
erected in 1845. The house was dedicated June 6, 1845,
and this may be regarded as the birthday of the congre-
gation.

Some entries at this time in the diary of Albert Fitzwater,
son of Deacon Abel Fitzwater, will be in place and of no
small interest.

" April 7 attended a church meeting at George D. Price's in
afternoon.

" April 17 went to mill, stopped at new meeting house, helped
raise.

" April 27, Sabbath. I heard G. D. Price preach at Lumber-
ville. Afternoon was at prayer-meeting at J. H. Umstad's.
Took tea there.

" May II, G. D. Price and John Francis preached at Upper
Dublin.

238 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

" June 6, Clear, flying clouds, and not quite so as yesterday.
Had meeting morning and afternoon at the Green Tree. The
house was dedicated. D. Rittenhouse, G. D. P., W. P., & J. H.
U. spoke.

"June 7, Clear, warm. Afternoon meeting at 3 o'clock. J.
H. U., J. Price & J.Righter spoke. Evening we had love-feast.
J. Reiner and W. P. spoke. We got home from meeting at
12 P. M.

"June 8, Sabbath. Flying clouds, very warm sunshine.
Meeting at Green Tree. W. P., J. H. U. & Isaac Price spoke."

G. D. P. stands for George D. Price; W. P., for William
Price; and J. H. U., for John H. Umstad.

It will be noticed that the writer of this diary attended
a church meeting at George Price's. His was the first farm
west of John Umstad's along the south side of the public
road. It will also be remembered that at a council held at
George Price's in 1838, James Quinter was elected to the
ministry. These facts led us to think that Geo. Price's was
a common place, if not the regular place for holding church
councils. May he have been the original church clerk?

After the church was built at Green Tree and the Breth-
ren began worshipping there, the adopted place for bap-
tizing was the Schuylkill River below Umstad's dam. Down
the lane, across the wooden bridge spanning the canal,
a hymn and a prayer in the open, through the crowds cover-
ing the slope to the riverside, out into the liquid stream,
kneeling in the water. " Dost thou believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God?" ... A threefold immersion, the laying
on of hands, prayer for the bestowal of the Holy Spirit, the
salutation of Christian fellowship — the holy kiss — both in
the water and on the shore, then back into the world but not
of it, a new creature in Christ Jesus ! The banks of the
Schuylkill below the dam is a place too sacred in the hearts
of many for words to express — a scene for the brush of a
master for the preservation of primitive Christianity.

If not the first yet one of the first baptisms at this place
was performed Nov. 11, 1846. Jacob Gottwals, afterward
bishop of the congregation for more than a quarter of a cen-
tury, and Ann, his newly wedded wife, were at this time

GREEN TREE CHURCH. 239

and place, buried with Christ in baptism. There were only-
three on this occasion; and strange to relate the other was
B. F. Price, the only son of Elder Isaac Price, and after-
ward the son-in-law of the other two.

Ingatherings. — The Green Tree Church continued to
grow. Just who and how many were baptized in the dec-
ade that followed we have not been able to tell with abso-
lute accuracy. From 1856 to 1858 was a time of great
ingathering. Bro. Umstad writes in The Gospel Visitor
of May, 1858, p. 159: "We have had quite a revival in
some of the churches east where the Brethren believe in pro-
tracted effort. ... At Coventry they have an unprecedented
revival. Last Sunday they baptized thirty, and on the 15th
of May, there will be forty-one more added to the church.
We at the Green Tree get along more slowly, yet we ought
not to complain, since there have been about twenty added
to the church here this spring, and there seems to be a spirit
of religious inquiry among the people much more than usual."

The revival at Green Tree seems to have started with the
series of meetings of two weeks held here by James Ouinter
in December, 1856. Among other things Bro. Quinter
says of the meetings : "A more solemn meeting throughout,
we never witnessed. The meeting continued about two
weeks; during which time, thirty-two were added to the
church by baptism. And at the close of the meetings, there
were others who offered themselves as candidates for bap-
tism." "The recollection that several of the converts had in
former years been our pupils, and that they had often bowed
with us in our school-room, while we endeavored to implore
heaven's blessing upon them, gave us increased pleasure at
witnessmg their 'good confession.'" John Umstad then
accompanied Bro. Quinter to New Jersey; and after their
return to Green Tree, there was another baptism. Another
revival in 1858, according to an aged sister, was almost a
duplicate of this one. Some of the staunchest members of
the church entered at this time.

Preaching in 1876 by J. T. Myers, then the youthful pas-
tor at Germantown, caused quite an awakening, and was the
cause of his coming to Green Tree. Again from about

240 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

1887 to 1890, under the preaching for four consecutive
years of Bro. W. J. Swigart of Huntingdon, Pa., specially
large harvests v^ere gathered. In 1887, there were at least
fifty-six; in 1889, there were thirty- four.

The Ministry.

We have seen that Elder George Price of Coventry with
his son John were the first ministers of the Brethren to
preach in this neighborhood; but there was no organized
work yet in the days of Elder Price. During the oversight of
John Price, the Lumberville, now Port Providence, Church
was built. About 1834, an election for a minister was
held at Lumberville. Both John Umstad and Isaac Price
were elected. Bro. Price objected; he thought that God
had not called him. John Umstad had no objections, but
entered, as was his wont, into the work with a vim. In
those days of the oversight of John Price, Sr., William
Price of Indian Creek came frequently to Port Providence
to preach. But he was very German. This intermingling
of labors of the Green Tree Church with the "church of
the Plains," now Indian Creek, Hatfield and Springfield,
continued throughout the days of John Umstad and Jacob
Gottwals.

An interesting incident in the lives of these two Prices —
Elder John, Sr., and Elder William — is told by Bro. Jacob
Connor. John and William had been assigned to the same
bed; but there was another bed in the same room occupied
by other Brethren. John and William were talking about
their church troubles. All else was quiet. As to the occu-
pants of the other bed, it seemed that "slumber's chain had
bound them " ; but they hadn't. John complained to William
that in his church (Coventry) he had so much trouble with
"pride," i. e. with fashionable attire: "How is it in your
church, William?" William's church was Indian Creek.
" Well," answered William, " I have no trouble with pride,"
perhaps feeling that he was a pretty good house-keeper.
Whereupon John answered in an undertone, even in the
quiet stillness, as though the walls might have ears, " Then,
my brother, the Devil must be English."

^■HCL^H

^BBllHlil^H

►.>••

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GREEN TREE CHURCH. 241

George Price, the brother of Isaac, was elected to the
ministry a few years later. He never became prominent as
a preacher. He was the last of the Coventry line of Prices
to be elected to the ministry. The first was Elder George,
then his son John, Sr., followed in turn by his son John,
Jr., at Coventry, brother of Isaac and George at Green Tree.

James Quinter was elected in 1838 and in his four years
of ministry at Green Tree left a lasting impression for good
not only in the neighborhood but also in adjoining con-
gregations. As we have seen, there are grounds, consider-
ing the loose methods of the day, for regarding John Francis
as a preacher. He was converted about 1840. His abilities
are spoken of as of a high order, but in a few years he
became discouraged in his labors. By 1845 David Ritten-
house was in the ministry. He was not regarded as able,
but was very strict for the so-called order of the church.
In the early fifties, he accompanied Jacob Gottwals in a
horse and carriage trip to the Publishing House of Henry
Kurtz in Poland, Ohio. This seemed to give to him the
spirit of migration, for in 1854 he organized a company of
Brethren in Eastern Pennsylvania, which migrated to
Northern Illinois. There he became the founder of the
Hickory Grove congregation. Members of his family
founded other churches farther west.

About August I, 1855, Jacob Z. Gottwals was elected to
the ministry. About three or four years later, at the time
that Emmanuel Heyser was elected to the ministry, he was
advanced. At the Harvest Meeting of 1873, following the
death of John Umstad, he, with Isaac Price, was ordained to
the eldership. He continued to oversee the Green Tree
Church till 1897, when he handed the following letter of res-
ignation to the congregation:

" Green Tree, Sept. 26, 1897.
"I hereby kindly request the dear members of the above-
named church to release me of the oversight as house-keeper
of said church.

"Jacob Z. Gottwals."

His request was granted. He also had the oversight of a
17

242 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

number of adjoining churches, and was appointed on several
committees by District Meeting to visit churches. His
unique distinction is that of being moderator of the first
District Meeting in Eastern Pennsylvania.

About 1858, Emmanuel Heyser was called to the ministry.
He was the choice of the young men of the congregation.
Young people's meetings, rather in the undesirable spirit of
opposition to the old members, were held at the time at
Green Tree. He was zealous in the work and found favor.
After the war he went to Georgia and taught school among
the negroes, at the same time preaching the Gospel to them.
His work awakened the interest of the entire Brotherhood
and offerings for his work were lifted throughout the
churches. On the death of his second wife, he remarried
outside of the church, and his work seemed to lose its pur-
pose. The last brother to be elected to the ministry from
the membership of Green Tree was J. G. Francis. He was
born January 13, 1870. After completing the common
school work, he entered Ursinus College, from which insti-
tution he was graduated in 1891 with the degree of A.B.
After a few years in business in Philadelphia, he spent fif-
teen months in the Mt. Morris Bible School. While work-
ing in the slums of Philadelphia, in 1893, the Green Tree
Church had empowered him to exhort. Before going to
Mt. Morris, he was formally elected to the ministry.
After returning, in the spring of 1895, the Green Tree
Church installed him into the ministry. He then spent a
year in preparation for the ministry in Union Theological
Seminary, New York City. The following year he com-
pleted his theological studies in the Ursinus School of The-
ology, receiving the degree of B.D. He also won the
Peter's Prize in New Testament Greek. He was advanced
in the ministry in 1899, before going to Reading.

January 11, 1900, he married Mary Zug of Lebanon, Pa.
He now moved to Reading, but the Mission Board, then in
charge, thought it would not be for the good of the cause to
employ him, because he thought they should do something
toward his support. He later moved to Lebanon, where he
engaged in painting and school-teaching.

GREEN TREE CHURCH. 243

The new church life, marked by the keeping of church
records, laid hold of the Green Tree Church in 1862. The
first minute on record tells of the resignation of Elijah Bil-
lew (Boileau) as treasurer. The minute is dated April 7,
1862. J. Z. Gottwals was moderator. The Green Tree
Church has taken advance steps in the matter of church
records.

The following query was sent to District Meeting in 1881.
" Would it not be well at our next District Meeting to have
a report from each church of the number of accessions,
either by letter or baptism, during the past year; and also
to have a portion of time set apart to discuss the best means
of advancing not only the growth but the spirituality of
the Church?"

It was also from the Green Tree Church that the query
went asking recognition for the Brethren Historical Society.

In 1899 through the instigation of J. G. Francis, the con-
gregation decided to keep a more complete record of church
history. Bro. Francis was appointed the first registrar, and
was likely the first member of the Church of the Brethren to
hold such a position. He was authorized to secure a spec-
ially prepared book in which to keep the records. The
names of all members from the beginning of the congrega-
tion were with great labor hunted up. Space was allotted
in the book for the following information concerning each
member: (i) Name; (2) time and place of birth; (3) time,
place and performer of baptism; (4) marriage, time, to
whom and by whom; (5) death, time of and burial place;
(6) names of parents; (7) number of children; and (8) re-
marks. The record of each individual is kept on one con-
tinuous hne, extending almost across two long pages. The
book is a magnificent one, bound in full morocco.

When J. G. Francis moved from Green Tree in 1900,
Isaac G. Price was appointed registrar; two years later
when Isaac Price also moved away, Arnold Francis was
made registrar. He still retains the position, though the
records are looked after largely by the present pastor, C. F.
McKee.

It was decided September 3, 1862, that all wearing gold,

244 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

etc., should be expelled. The council broke up in confusion.
For a decade the church was practically lifeless. The stern-
ness of Jacob Gottwals made him a terror to his children.
But in after years he confessed with tears in his eyes : " I
am afraid that we have been too severe on our young
people." No records were kept of councils for several
years.

In the latter part of 1876, Bro. J. T. Myers, then the
young pastor of the Germantown Church, was invited to
hold a series of meetings. Children of old substantial lead-
ers were converted. January i, 1877, twelve applicants for
baptism were accepted. The church had tasted a new spir-
itual life, A desire arose to have Bro. Myers as pastor; an
invitation was extended to him ; and we find him accepted at
Green Tree in July, 1877. The pastorate of Bro. Myers
here continued till July, 1905, or for a period of twenty-
eight years. He continues still to be its elder. After a
stay of a few years in Philadelphia, as pastor of Geiger
Memorial Church, he again for a short time resided within
the limits of old Green Tree. The writer is one of many
who would rise and call him blessed because of the work he
did as pastor of the Green Tree Church.

In 1880 the Green Tree Church entertained the District
Meeting. The Committee of Arrangements was Samuel
Griffin, Joseph Griffin, John Harley, Matthias Harley, and
John B. Dettra.

Green Tree has ever been in the van in adopting substan-
tial new methods of church work. James Quinter credited
her with the first protracted meeting and first modern
prayer-meetings. On March 20, 1899, there was presented
a query in regard to Young People's Meetings to be sent to
Annual Meeting but it failed to pass District Meeting.

October 3, 1881, the Sisters were authorized to organize
an Aid Society for the relief of the Huntingdon Orphan
Home. Sister Fannie Fitzwater, wife of Joseph Fitzwater,
was for a long time at the head of this work.

The matter of omitting the salutation before the commun-
ion has been agitating the Brotherhood for years, and the
privilege has finally been granted ; but Green Tree decided to

GREEN TREE CHURCH. 245

omit the salutation before communion, October i, 1883.
The first steps toward a new state district were taken here.
April 3, 1882, a petition was sent to District Meeting asking
for a delegate from the English churches to Annual Meet-
ing; or, in other words, a representative on Standing Com-
mittee. March 28, 1904, Green Tree requested plainly,
sending a petition to District Meeting, asking that the Eng-
lish speaking churches be organized into a separate district.

While Elder John Umstad was a very strong opponent to
Sunday Schools, yet from early Sunday School times. Green
Tree has been a staunch and aggressive champion of the cause.
The Sunday School here was started in 1869 by Joseph Fitz-
water, a nephew of John Umstad. Bro. Fitzwater had
great influence with Bro. Umstad and finally secured his
permission "to go ahead and do all the good he could."
The saving of the young for the Church was Bro. Fitz-
water's great argument for Sunday Schools. He was super-
intendent at the beginning and has been continuously super-
intendent ever since — a record of forty-five years — a
record unique for Sunday School work in our Brotherhood.
For orderliness this school attained a reputation far and
wide, and outside of the Brotherhood. In April, 1883, this
church asked for a reversal of the decision of Annual Meet-
ing against Sunday School conventions.

While on this subject, more should be said about Joseph.
Fitzwater. His mother was in a very important sense the-
mother of the Green Tree Church; and her son since has
been largely its life. He was always the writer's ideal
deacon. He was church clerk. He was at all meetings and
ready unto every good work. His liberality was boundless,
and his home was ever the home of his Brethren. He was
second to none in loyalty to his own church, but not so nar-
row that he could not see good and would not co-operate
with good in others. His soul beaming out through his
radiant face was ever an inspiration. He was not a man to
be driven, but one whose soul would almost leap out of him
in following love. His spirit is revealed by a resolution he
offered in a church council : " Inasmuch as there has been
some misunderstanding between members of the Church in

246 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

regard to various matters, we now pledge ourselves to for-
give and try to forget the past, and henceforth will com-
mune with and love each other as brethren and sisters." He
was a great friend to the young. His cheery, breezy greet-
ings on hot summer days as he entered the church just
before Sunday School drew the boys and girls after him
like a magnet draws iron filings. His after-teaching talks,
always watered with tears, are never forgotten.

At a council in 1898, J. G. Francis inquired if something
could not be done in the congregation to further missionary
enterprise. A committee of five — J. G. Francis, J. T.
Myers, Jos. Fitzwater, John Bechtel and Howard Yocum —
was appointed.

In the cause of temperance Green Tree also has an envi-
able record of loyalty to the order of the Brotherhood.
Isaac Price was a bright and shining light. In 1888 J. T.
Myers presented a query which was sent to District Meeting,
requesting the churches of the District to use unfermented
wine. The sisters' organization of the church was imbued
with temperance zeal. They frequently had members of
the W. C. T. U. to speak in the church.

The doors of the Green Tree Church were thrown open
for anti-secret conventions. For many years the Com-
mencements of Upper Providence township were held within
her walls. By wise policies Green Tree had made herself
the church of the community.

The inner spirit must ever have a formal outward mani-
festation. The old stone walls which encased the life of
the Green Tree Church at the first, built in 1845, was after
the model built by Brethren in that day. On the east side
were the usual old time entrances. On the opposite side
was the table, with its long bench for preachers behind it.
The raised pulpit came. The large ingatherings from 1887
to 1890 awakened a desire to remodel and beautify the old
church home. A Building Committee was appointed consist-
ing of Joseph Fitzwater, Samuel Griffin, Matthias Harley,
Jacob Cassel and John Reiff. The entrance was made from
the north side where an ample vestibule was added. The
pulpit, with an alcove back of it, was at the opposite end of

GREEN TREE CHURCH. 247

the auditorium. South of the auditorium, and capable of
being made one with it by shding doors, was erected the
Sunday School addition. The aisles were carpeted and the
walls papered. Without the walls were plastered and the
roof made more peaked As thus remodeled the cosy coun-
try church along the road at Green Tree gives a feeling of
satisfaction to the most cultured aesthetic taste.

Again in 1907, the inner walls having been frescoed, the
church was repaired and recarpeted at a cost of $455.87.
This was really a reception to the new pastor and his wife,
Bro. and Sister C. F. McKee, who came September 9, 1907.
With such a gracious reception how could the new pastorate
be other than it has proved itself to be — one of efficiency
and blessing?

In 1899 a pool was built into the church. May 9 of this
year was the first baptism. Grace, the daughter of Bro.
Myers, was one of the four baptized.

Green Tree has had many faithful members whose names
are in the book of life, but we cannot mention all here.
Those intimately acquainted at Green Tree will likely feel
that the names of Jacob Oberholtzer, the blacksmith, and
Joseph Umstad, both of whom long served the church as
janitor and sexton, should be mentioned. Wallace Rambo
and Lewis Famous also filled these offices for a short period.

Ushers were first appointed in 1889. They were Lewis
Dettra and John C. Reiff. Both afterward left Green Tree
and were elected to the ministry.

John Dettra, the youngest brother of Lewis, is a conse-
crated business man at Oaks. He started a small flag fac-
tory to the rear of his father's house, and has built it up
till to-day it is claimed to be the largest flag factory in the
world. Recently he fixed up the basement of the Green
Tree Church for church purposes entirely at his own expense.

Trustees. — The trustees of the Green Tree Church to
whom John Umstad and Ann his wife conveyed two acres
of land for $150, February 15, 1858, were John Conway,
Joseph Fitzwater, John Bartholomew, Joseph Pennypacker
and Samuel Supplee. Before this there seem to have been
no trustees. The land that John Umstad gave in 1845

248 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

likely was never legally transferred to the church. Addi-
tional land for the cemetery was likely needed in 1858 and
at this time the old and new tracts combined in one sur-
vey were transferred to the church. The consideration was
likely only the price of the new tract.

By 1887 Samuel Griffin had become a trustee, and three
of the original board were still serving. If others had been
elected in the interval, they had ceased to be trustees by this
time. Amos Gottwals and Abraham Landis were elected
May 5, 1888. John U. Francis, Jr., formerly the eminently
successful and well beloved merchant at Oaks, is also a
trustee.

Deacons. — ^We perhaps have the list of deacons of the
Green Tree Church complete from the beginning. The two
first deacons were Abel Fitzwater and George Price. Then
follow William Casselberry, Elijah Billew, Joseph S. Penny-
packer, John Conway, Joseph Fitzwater, Samuel Griffin,
Jacob Cassel, John Reiff, John Harley, Amos Gottwals and
John Bechtel, elected October 24, 1892. Harry Ellis and
Irwin Force were elected September 3, 1900. Howard
Yocum, Abraham Landis and George Hallman were elected
April 27, 1903.

Abel Fitzwater was the husband of Bella Fitzwater, the
mother of the Green Tree Church. James Quinter was
living in his home at the time of his conversion. The pious
atmosphere of this home did much to direct his thoughts to
religion. Bro. Quinter m later years calls it a " Bethel."

George Price afterward became a preacher, but never
exercised much in his office.

William Casselberry was the father of the "Casselberry
Girls" — Mary and Sophia, who eschewing marriage, de-
voted themselves to the work of the Lord. They occupied
a prominent place in the church work at Green Tree for
many years.

Conclusion. — The membership of the Green Tree Church
at present is 300 in round numbers. The assessed mem-
bership is given in the District Meeting minutes of this
year (1913) as only 275; but only the paying members are
included in this enumeration. Twenty have been baptized

GREEN TREE CHURCH. 249

this year without a special revival being held. Eighty-three
have been received by baptism since Bro. McKee has become
pastor.

The enrollment of the Sunday School is 232. There are
three organized Bible Classes, a Teacher's Training Class,
a Home Department and Cradle Roll. The Ladies' Aid
Society is active. Green Tree still has a Christian Helpers
Society. The Green Tree Church is alive and working.

CHAPTER III.

THE PARKERFORD CHURCH.

The history of the efforts put forth by the Brethren at
Parkerford dates back almost to the commencement of
the last century. As early as 1808 there were then two
preaching points established at which meetings were held
at intervals of four and eight weeks. One of these places
was in the old School House in Parkerford near the mouth
of Pigeon Creek. The other was in what was then Davis'
School House on the opposite side of the Schuylkill, about
two miles from Parkerford. At this early period there
were four sisters living in this territory. One on the op-
posite side of the river near Davis' School House, was sister
Catherine March, or as she was then called, old granny
March. She was the great-grandmother of Mrs. D. W.
Brower, of Spring City. This mother March joined the
church in her youth and died in 1848, in her eighty-fifth
year. The meetings held in the Davis' School House at in-
tervals varying from four to eight weeks were at her solici-
tation. Two of these four sisters lived at the " old Park-
erford Mill" — an aged sister, Mrs. Mary Parker (nee
Hummel), and Mary Wilson, her daughter — mother and
grandmother of the late Sister Susan Sidle, of Parkerford.
The "old Mill" at which Sister Parker and her daughter
Mary Wilson resided was a historic place even in their day
— for it was here that Washington, with Generals Greene,
Sullivan, Stirling and Armstrong with 8,000 Continental
soldiers and 2,000 Militia, crossed the Schuylkill River,
September 20, 1777, after the disastrous battle on the
Brandywine. The third Sister on the Parkerford side of
the river was Mary Shantz — nee Rinehart — wife of old
Jacob Shantz, who lived about a half mile north of the
Parkerford Mill. The place is now owned by Samuel
Pennypacker. In corresponding with Elder Isaac Price in

250

Union Church (Remodeled), Port Providence.

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Parkerford Church.

THE PARKERFORD CHURCH. 251

1882 in reference to the early work of the Brethren at
Parkerford, preceding the estabHshment of the church — I
learned that Elder John Price, father of Isaac Price, was the
pioneer preacher, both at Parkerford and at Davis' School
House across the river. Later on, old Father Price was
assisted in this work by Bro. Isaac Price and Bro. John
Umstad — and at a still later period Bro. James Quinter was
also associated with these Brethren in filling these preach-
ing appointments. The services at the Parkerford School
House were held with some regularity about every four
weeks.

The School House had been built by the community to
serve the double purpose of establishing a pay school and
also a place for public worship. The House was built in
two apartments, separated by a sliding partition — the front
part of the building was fitted up with school desks and seats
for the accommodation of children, — the rear of the build-
ing was fitted up with pews, each rising higher than the
one in front. On preaching occasions the entire house
was made use of. In addition to the services held every
four weeks on Sabbath afternoons, there were occasions
at long intervals when there would be a few night serv-
ices, when special efforts were put forth to reach the un-
saved. But the last of these special evening services was
a most memorable one, a great manifestation of the Spirit's
presence and power to awaken the unawakened, a truly pen-
tecostal season. I can do no better than to quote the exact
language of Dear Bro. Isaac Price. He says: "We had
several protracted meetings at Lawrenceville School House.
But the last, following which the Church House was built,
was a memorable one. We had what we called a ' glorious
time'; preaching came easy. House crammed full, and on
a certain Tuesday evening, sixteen on invitation came for-
ward. The day before, on Monday, I had to go to West
Chester to Court. Father attended Monday night and
Tuesday night — who helped him I do not remember — but on
Tuesday night I think Bro. Umstad was not there — and six-
teen coming out. Father did not know what to do. He had
never then been in such a meeting, with such a state of feel-

252 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN,

ing — swearers, drunkards and such like came forward.
And a great snow had fallen on Sunday, Monday and Tues-
day. The roads were terribly drifted. And Father
thought best to close the meeting. It was a painful thing
to many of us." To those of us who knew Bro. Isaac Price,
we know it must indeed have been a painful thought to have
been deprived from participating in a meeting fraught with
such power from on High. It was indeed a high day in
Zion.

In the spring following the great revival twenty-five or
more were baptized. The following summer, 1843, the
Meeting House was built. Before entering fully upon this
part of our subject, it is proper to add that about 1830 or
probably a little later, Sister Sarah Righter preached for
some time at Davis' School House and also at the Parker-
ford School House. When Bro. James Quinter was elected
to the ministry. Sister Sarah Rinewalt got him to hold meet-
ings at the old farm house, on the summit of Crab Hill,
about a mile south of Parker's Mill. This old house is
located near the big elm tree, which from its high elevation
has stood for years as a notable landmark for many miles
around.

The ground for the new meeting house was bought of
David Y. Custer for the sum of $110. The purchased tract
had a front of one hundred and ten feet, and embraced one
acre of ground. The conveyance was made to Jacob Frick,
Peter Hollowbush and Isaac Kolb, Trustees. Deed was dated
September 16, 1843, ^^^ recorded April 10, 1845. In the
construction of the house, the Brethren entrusted the over-
sight to Brother Daniel Scypes, who did the carpenter work,
while Conrad Longacre had charge of the mason work.
The house was dedicated with appropriate services on Sun-
day, September 24, 1843. The membership as constituted
at the time the house was built, would necessarily include
the entire membership of the Coventry Church at that
period, and this condition of the churches prevailed for
more than forty years afterwards, for the Lawrenceville
or Parkerford Church was so exclusively a branch of the
Coventry Church during all these years, that a quarterly

THE PARKERFORD CHURCH. 253

conference or a single Communion Service was not held
within its sacred precincts. The annual love feast held
every autumn in the old Coventry Church, was always the
happy occasion for a reunion of the entire membership, not
only of the Mother Church but embracing also her two
branches at Parkerford and at Harmonyville. The first
Communion Service held in Parkerford Church occurred
on the fifteenth of May, 1886, just forty-three years after
the church was built. Since 1886 Communion Services have
been observed regularly in the month of May of each re-
curring year. The first quarterly conference was held on
Saturday, November 14, 1885, and from that time forward
they had been alternated every three months with the Cov-
entry Church, until the spring of 1896, when by mutual
consent of the Coventry and Parkerford Churches it was
agreed that Parkerford Church should conduct its own
affairs, have its own quarterly conferences, have a separate
treasury and be entirely free from the jurisdiction of the
Coventry Church, except the church at Parkerford was to
be under the charge of the Bishop of the Coventry Church.

On Sunday afternoon, April 14, 1878, the Brethren of the
Parkerford Church met and organized the first Sabbath
School held in their church. Bro. David G. Wells was
elected the first superintendent, since which time Sabbath
School has been maintained regularly every year, and for
several years past, the school has been kept open every Sab-
bath throughout the year. The following persons have
served as superintendent for a longer or shorter period:
David G. Wells, Isaac U. Brower, Wm. Brower and John
B. Reiff. The latter is our present superintendent and has
served for quite a number of years.

In the spring of 1889 a special meeting of the Brethren
was held, to take into consideration the propriety of re-
seating and remodeling the Meeting House. A Building
Committee of three was appointed to carry out the plans,
Committee Joseph Johnson, Samuel Rosen and Aaron
Keiter. Upon the completion of the house and the refur-
nishing of the same at an expenditure of about $1,200 spe-
cial dedicatory services were held late in the fall of 1889,

254 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Elder J. P. Hetric was in charge, assisted by J. T. Myers,
of Green Tree Church. The trustees of the church at that
period were : Brethren John Frick, Henry Pennypacker and
Aaron Keiter.

The Brethren decided, in the fall of 1895, that hereafter
they would have regular services every Sabbath, and, as a
consequence of this decision, extended a call to Bro. F. F.
Holsopple to become their settled pastor. Upon his accept-
ance, they deemed it wise to procure a suitable house for a
parsonage. On November 13, 1895, the present parsonage
was bought for $1,700. This parsonage is near the Penn-
sylvania depot and within a square of the Meeting House;
it occupies the historic site of the old Colonial log school
house of 1750 or thereabouts, of which records are still
extant, showing that in those early days the length of the
school term was far in excess of what it is even today.

Parkerford Church has had several stirring revivals dur-
ing the last twenty-five years. The first of these was con-
ducted by Bro. J. P. Hetric, while pastor of the Philadel-
phia Church, about 1880, when many precious souls were
born into the Kingdom. About 1882 Brother J. P. Hetric
settled at Parkerford and gradually took the oversight of
the Parkerford Church as well as of the Coventry Church.
He is still the Bishop of our little flock, for we number
about one hundred communicants, whereas the Coventry
Church has more than two hundred members. Bro. F. F.
Holsopple served our church very efficiently for a period
of five years. Our next pastor, Bro. T. R. Coffman, is now
(at the writing of this article) rounding out his fifth year
of very acceptable service in this part of the Lord's vineyard.

The foregoing very valuable account of the Parkerford
Church given by Dr. Wm. Brower, of Spring City, a des-
cendant of the Urners, cannot be supplanted. Yet there are
a few things that may yet be said about the work at Parker-
ford.

When the minutes were first kept in 1885, we find that the
council meetings were already alternating between Coventry
and Lawrenceville, as Parkerford was formerly called. Sep-
arate treasuries were authorized for Coventry and Parker-

THE PARKERFORD CHURCH. 255

ford, July 22, 1893. Charles Urner had, however, years
before been a treasurer at Lawrenceville. Seventy-seven
members in and around Parker ford had signed in 1893 ^
request for a separate treasury at that place previous to one
being authorized. In the matter of sending delegates, Park-
er ford was to pay one third of the expense.

At the council of July 2}^, 1898, F. F. Holsopple, pastor at
Parkerford, presented the following petition for the Parker-
ford Brethren :

" Parkerford, Pa., June 4th, 1898.
"We the Brethren at Parkerford in council assembled this
day do petition the Coventry Brethren's Church to grant at
July council that the Parkerford Branch of the Coventry
Brethren's Church be constituted a separate church to be known
as the Parkerford Brethren Church.

" F. F. Holsopple, Moderator.
"David Bergey, Clerk.
"F. F. Holsopple and David G. Bergey were appointed a
committee to present the above,"

This petition was granted by the Coventry Church, so the
Parkerford Brethren Church was born July 23, 1898.

Bro. F. F. Holsopple was the first pastor of Parkerford
Church proper. Bro. Hetric had lived here while pastor of
the whole Coventry Church. Bro. Holsopple had married
Grace, the youngest daughter of Elder Jas. Quinter, and his
coming here now to build up the work, makes us think that
the Lord still had in mind Bro. Quinter's prayers for the
work at Lawrenceville. Bro. Holsopple is of a family of
preachers. His father is an elder, and two of his paternal
uncles are preachers, his maternal grandfather was the well
known Elder Christian Lehman and two of his own brothers
are preachers, one being Bro. Ira, pastor at Coventry. But
when he entered school at age of six, he believed he would
be a school teacher. After teaching a number of years and
graduating from Juniata College, he became pastor of the
church at Amwell, N. J., September i, 1892 . In October
1895, he came to Parkerford. During his five-year pastorate
more than twenty were added to the church. The prayer

256 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

meeting and Sunday School were revived, a Sisters' Mis-
sionary Society and a Young People's Christian Helper So-
ciety were introduced and the Parker ford Church was or-
ganized into a separate congregation. Then his strong
inclination to teaching caused him to accept a chair in
Juniata College.

For three years or more Bro. Hetric looked after the pas-
toral needs of Parkerford. Bro. T. R. Cofifman came as
pastor, from a pastorate at Tyrone, Pa., on April 3, 1904.
He was born June 27, 1873, ^^ Hagerstown, Md. His edu-
cation and teaching were largely along business lines until
he was elected to the ministry in 1897. When he came to
Parkerford the membership was a few less than one hun-
dred. It is now one hundred and five. But it should be
borne in mind that he has had many deaths to overcome,
many of the old burden bearers of the church having passed
away in the last few years. A Christian Workers' Society
has been- organized, the Sunday evening session being spent
in the study of Jewish history. The Sisters' Society has
been kept active, and the Sunday School, numbering about
one hundred, under the efficient superintendency of Bro.
J. B. ReifT has come to the " front line." The second teach-
er's Training Class is ready for graduation at this writing.
There is a Home Department of thirteen, and a Cradle Roll
of eight. Bro. Coffman was ordained to the eldership,
December 10, 191 1, J. T. Myers and J. P. Hetric officiating.
After the ordination of Elder Coffman, Elder Hetric and
he had joint oversight of the church until the resignation of
the latter in December, 1912, to take up the pastorate of the
Pittsburgh Brethren Church. Elder J. T. Myers, of the
Green Tree Church, is the present pastor.

CHAPTER IV.
ROYERSFORD CHURCH.

As it is necessary to have people before you can have a
church, we shall first consider the members who moved into
this town. But while we speak of the church in Royersford,
we must not forget that some of the most active members in
building up the work here, lived in the twin town across the
river, in Spring City. There were Bro. David Wells, and
daughters, Annie and Katie ; Sister Mary Taylor ; Dr. Wm.
Brower, wife and daughter Blanche. These have all lived
in Spring City for a number of years. All were members
of Coventry.

But we now come to The First Members in Royersford.

Wm. Isett and wife were the first. They came from the
Mingo Church, in the fall of 1882. In the spring of 1884
the Price family moved here from Mingo Church also.
Those members were Mrs. Price, son Wm., who had joined
at Huntington in 1883, daughters Elizabeth and Elmira
baptized at Parker ford in 1886. In March, 1884, Wm.
Dettra and wife of Green Tree Church moved from Oaks
Station to the outskirts of the town. They moved into the
town proper, September i of the same year. Sister Roeller
came from the Parker ford Church in March, 1889. Her
husband was not then a member. Bro. Joel Freed and wife
from Mingo settled down in Royersford. Sister Mary
Freed, wife of Samuel Freed, moved here in July, 1890,
from Mingo Church. In December of the same year, from
the same church, came John Isett and family, consisting of
himself, his wife Hettie, and daughters Kate and Sallie.
Next came Sister Jos. Johnson from Coventry, in April,
1891. Her husband is a member of the German Reformed
Church. David Isett and his wife moved here in March,
1892; and his brother Benjamin and wife, in December of
the same year. Both families were from the Mingo Church.
18 257

258 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Wm., Benjamin, and David are all sons of John Isett. In
May, 1892, Bro. Wm. G. Nyce with his mother came from
Norristown; they were originally from the Mingo Church.
Early in 1893 came C. F. McKee from the Manor Church,
Md. He came to take charge of the books of the Grander
Stove Co., of which Bro. Wm. Price, his old schoolmate at
Huntingdon, was a member and later president. Bro.
McKee was married in 1897 to Sister Iva Kaler, also from
the Manor congregation. Rev. John Isenberg came from
Coventry in 1893. From the same congregation came the
Hunsbergers in 1895, ^^ which year came also Bro. Robert
Jones and family from Illinois. Jacob Grater and wife, a
deacon and son of Elder A. L. Grater, came from Illinois in
1896. Sister Emma Tyson of Coventry, a school teacher
in Spring City, worked here during the school months.

Thus we see that in a period of thirteen years a consider-
able and very complex membership had gathered here, where
before there had been no members. But it was a splendid
body of workers, from which at least four ministers were
made.

The first' form of religious life here was manifested in
prayer-meetings held m the homes of the members. After
the prayer-meeting had been conducted for some time, some
of the members thought it would be well to start a Sunday
School. The idea found favor, but great trouble was en-
countered in finding a place of meeting. Finally the Epis-
copalians agreed to let the Brethren have the use of their
hall, Winter's Hall, on the corner of Main St. and Second
Avenue, in the afternoon, they having their Sunday School
in the morning. The expenses connected with the hall were
to be equally divided, the Brethren's share of the rent being
$1.00 per Sunday.

The first meeting of the Sunday School was held on May
3, 1 89 1. This was the same day on which the Dauphin
Street Church of the Brethren in Philadelphia was dedicated.
The total number present was twenty-nine. There were
five classes in the beginning. By 1898 they had increased
to sixteen classes with one hundred and seventy-six scholars,
making a total enrollment of one hundred and ninety-two.

ROYERSFORD CHURCH. 259

The first superintendent was Bro. David Wells, who the
next year was succeeded by Bro. W. S. Price, who has been
the efficient superintendent ever since.

Men- who do things were connected with this school.
April 5, 1892, W. S. Price, Dr. Wm. Brower and Joel Freed
were appointed a committee to purchase a lot on which to
build a church. A vacant lot on Walnut Street was bought
for $450. W. S. Price, David G. Wells and Joel C. Freed
were appointed trustees. Early in the next year, when it
was decided to " proceed to build a church at once," this lot
was deemed unsatisfactory, and it was sold for $500. The
lot on the corner of Third and Washington Streets was then
bought. It was decided to build of brick with Wyoming
blue stone trimmings. A pool was placed in the church.
The general plan of the remodeled Green Tree Church was
followed, with the exception that the vestibule was within
the main walls. All business was done in the name of the
German Baptist Brethren Sunday School. It was necessary
to mortgage the property to some extent, but the debt was
reduced rapidly. Considerable help was given by neighbor-
ing congregations. January i, 1895, the trustees were in-
creased to five, the new ones being E. L. Markley and Frank
Roeller. The first minutes of the Sunday School were kept
in 1892. In this same year they purchased an organ, and.
have a thoroughly up-to-date Sunday School.

The Home Department of this Sunday School, the first
work of the kind, was organized, November 5, 1896.
Elmira Price was made superintendent.

From the beginning there was preaching, if possible,
every two weeks, after Sunday School. Bro. J. T. Myers
did most of the preaching and did it free of charge; but
Royersford was never lax in giving proper financial aid to
those whom she called in to preach. In May, 1894, the mis-
sion volunteered to pay $25 toward paying the Parker-
ford minister if he would preach for them every other Sun-
day evening. March 6, 1897, it was decided to have regu-
lar Sunday morning preaching. The principal ministering
Brethren who have assisted the church at this place are J. T.

260 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Myers, J. P. Hetric, John Isenberg, Jay G. Francis, Lewis
Keim, Jesse Ziegler, and Abraham L. Grater.

While many members had moved into Royersford, yet
revivals did considerable in building up the membership.
The first revival lasting one week, was held by Jesse Ziegler.
There were no visible results. A year later J. T. Myers held
a few meetings. Soon after they closed, Frank Roeller
joined the church, placing his membership at Green Tree.
He is the first fruits of the Royersford Mission.

In January, 1894, Bro. Myers held a series of meetings
for two weeks with the result that nine entered the fold.
I. N. H. Beahm held meetings for three weeks in February,
1895. He was assisted by J. G. Francis, who gave Bible
readings in connection with the services. Two were added
to the church, and were the first from Royersford to place
their membership at Parkerford. Bro. Beahm preached
some doctrinal sermons which made considerable stir in the
town.

J. T. Myers, Jesse Ziegler and Frank Holsopple held a
series of meetings in the fall of this same year. Seven
were awakened and were the first to be baptized in the
baptistry. The baptism took place, January 24, 1896.

In October, 1896, Bro. W. J. Swigart came two weeks.
While there was only one accession, he awakened consider-
able interest and no doubt did much to prepare the church
for the harvest that soon followed. This harvest was the
direct result of the labors of Bro. F. F. Holsopple, who
garnered nine into the fold.

In the fall of 1897 Elder D. F. Stauffer of Benevola, Md.,
and J. G. Francis conducted meeting. Four were added to
the church. The total number baptized at Royersford up
to 1898 was thirty-three. The number that had moved in
was forty-seven. Deducting two deaths, the membership,
January i, 1898, was thus seventy-eight.

The Christian Helper Society.

On January 2, 1894, it was decided to organize a Chris-
tian Helper Society, and W. S. Price, Wm. Nyce, C. F.
McKee, Frank Roeller, Annie Wells, Emma Tyson, Sallie

ROYERSFORD CHURCH. 261

Isett, Elmira Price, and Irene Frock were appointed a com-
mittee to get it in shape. The idea was to get a society that
would help the church, not one that would run away with it.
Finally on May i of this same year, after two or three times
reporting progress, the committee reported that it had or-
ganized. W. S. Price was elected chairman and E. L.
Markley, secretary. Two committees — the Sunday School
and the Lookout — were immediately appointed. The good
that this society did in inspiring the members and in build-
ing up the young in Christian work was very great. It
proved itself a worthy companion of the Sunday School.
A Junior Christian Helper Society was also organized with
Bro. W. G. Nyce in charge. Several of the churches of the
Schuylkill Valley followed the lead of Royersford and or-
ganized Christian Helpers Societies. The name here was
changed July 6, 1903, to Christian Worker Society.

A Sisters' Missionary Circle was organized in July, 1897.
While clothing was gathered and sent to missions in the
cities, flowers to cheer bestowed, and sewing done for the
home poor, yet the main object at organization was to assist
in paying off the church debt. In 1900 they paid $200 on
the mortgage. April 15, 1901, they gave $100 toward pay-
ing a note. These facts certainly proclaim that the sisters
were doing something.

Royersford Organized.

It was decided, April 2, 1900, to have Elder J. P. Hetric
come to conduct the organization of the mission into a sepa-
rate congregation, with Elders J. Z. Gottwals and A. L.
Grater present to assist. The minutes are as follows :

"Royersford, Pa., Jan. 7, 1901.

"Royersford Mission convened in meeting for the purpose
of organizing said mission into a German Baptist Brethren
Church. Elders present organized by electing J. P. Hetric
chairman and Jesse Ziegler as secretary.

"The boundaries of this organization shall be the borough
lines of Royersford and Spring City, with the understanding
that any modification of such lines as may be deemed necessary

262 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

shall be possible by the mutual agreement with churches
concerned.

"Name. — It was decided that the name shall be the Royers-
ford Brethren Church,

" Officers. — It was decided further that two deacons should
be elected. The choice fell upon Bro. C. F. McKee and Bro.
W. S. Price, who were duly installed into their office by Eld.
J. P. Hetric. Sister Price not being present she will be received
at a later meeting.

" The choice of presiding elder fell on Bro. J. P. Hetric.

" Bro. B. Frank Roeller was elected clerk of the church, and
Bro. C. F. McKee was elected treasurer.

"Jesse Ziegler, Clerk."

It seems that there was some difficulty over this organiza-
tion, and the committee from Annual Meeting v^ras called in.
So we have the following :

" To all whom it may concern, Greeting. This is to certify
that the committee appointed by the Annual Meeting to visit the
churches of Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey recognize
the organization of the Royersford church.

" Respectfully submitted

"W. R. Deeter
"L. H. Dickey
" D. Hays

Com."

February 20, 1902, a committee was appointed to see
about getting a pastor. In three days' time sufficient money
had been subscribed to support one. But subscribing the
money was not the only requisite for getting a pastor.

J. Linwood Eisenberg had been elected to the ministry
here, and on November 29, 1903, he was advanced. Bro.
W. G. Nyce had been elected at Parker ford before the or-
ganization of Royersford ; and J. Y. Eisenberg had for years
been living in Royersford, so the church was well supplied
with resident ministers. But there was no pastor. Bro.
C. F. McKee was also elected to the ministry here, October
24, 1906. But this was only a step preparatory to his be-
coming pastor of the Green Tree Church. He was advanced

ROYERSFORD CHURCH. 263

January 19, 1907, and on April 7 following was given his
letter of membership.

Bro. Alva J. Specht, of Ohio, was secured as pastor. He
had been teaching. He came to Royersford, July i, 1908.
He was a minister in the second degree. He was well hked,
but notwithstanding resigned his pastorate, May 12, 1909.
The church accepted his resignation and passed resolu-
tions expressing appreciation of his services.

Bro. A. W. Dupler, of Ohio, was unanimously elected
pastor, June 25, 1909 ; and Bro. Quincy Leckrone was called,
October 3, 19 10. Bro. Leckrone still serves the charge.
He is a clear thinker and able speaker.

It became necessary to increase the body of deacons ; and
November 29, 1903, Bro. B. Frank Roeller and William
Harley were elected to this office. The board of deacons
was diminished by one when Bro. C. F. McKee was called
to the ministry. So we find that on April 7, 1907, two
more were elected — W. J. Wadsworth and Alvin P. Harley.

The first year the work at Royersford cost the Brethren
there $53.62. For the nine years previous to 1907, the ex-
penditures amounted to $8,299.79, or a little less than $1,000
a year. In 1908 there was paid out $3,037.47. In this
same year the church was chartered.

The present membership is one hundred and two. The
Sunday School has but one hundred and ten members but
this does not include the Home Department and the Cradle
Roll. There is a Teacher Training Class of fifteen. The
Sunday School is thoroughly graded.

CHAPTER V.
HARMONYVILLE CHURCH.

Harmonyville is a small village about a mile from the
famed Falls of French Creek, in Chester County. It has
a graded school and a Brethren's Church. The church was
organized, January 25, 1913, with about 70 members, a
Sunday School of 159 scholars, thoroughly up-to-date, and
a mid-week prayer-meeting. The pastor is Bro. W. G.
Nyce; the deacons are Jonathan H. Keim, Leonard Keim,
Thomas Brewer and Edgar K. Lloyd; the trustees are
Hiram Keim, Jacob H. Stager and Jonathan Keim. At
present the church has no elder.

The prominent name in connection with the work at Har-
monyville is Keim. Dr. Isaac N. Urner, in his history of
the Coventry Church, of which Harmonyville till its recent
organization, was a part, says : " Rev. David Keim ... in
1845 nioved to Warwick Township, and soon commenced
building up a Brethren interest there. His labors were
blessed, and he lived to see the interest grow and develop
into the present Harmonyville Church, with its fine, com-
modious meeting-house. He was a bishop in the Brethren
Church."

Harmonyville is only a few miles from Nantmeal, where
a Brethren's mission was kept up for many years, but the
two were entirely distinct, nor is the Nantmeal Mission in
its death known to have given any members to Harmony-
ville.

Originally the Brethren preached in the old school-house
a short distance out from the village. David Keim
preached here before he moved up to Harmonyville. In a
year or two a new and larger school-house was erected in
Harmonyville, likely in 1846, and the services were trans-
ferred to the new house. Here the Brethren continued to
worship till the meeting-house was built in 1880.

264

harmonyville church. 265

The Sunday School.

The Harmonyville Sunday School is not a new institution.
It was started in 1859 as a union school, the Methodists also
worshipping in the school-house. The first superintendent
was George Wennings, a Methodist, with Bro. Jacob Ehr-
good as assistant and Bro. Jonathan Keim as secretary.
Other Brethren active at the beginning were Hiram Amole,
Keziah Amole and Keziah Keim. The second year Bro.
Ehrgood was superintendent. In 1861 Jonathan Keim
went west but returned two years later. He was now
made superintendent and continued until the Sunday School
had been in the church for a few years. The Methodists,
having built a church in 1878 at some distance, withdrew
and left the Brethren in exclusive control. As superintend-
ent Bro. Keim was succeeded by Bro. Stephen Brownback,
a deacon and son-in-law of Elder David Keim. He con-
tinued in charge till the spring of 1894, when he moved to
Philadelphia, where he became an equally prominent Sunday
School worker. Hervey Keim now became superintendent
at Harmonyville. He was followed by Leonard Keim.
Harry Keim is the present incumbent.

The Sunday School is the strong arm of the church at
Harmonyville. As stated, it has an enrollment of 159.
There are two organized adult Bible classes, numbering 45
members each. The adult members are drawn from a
radius of three miles. The school is graded throughout, there
being twelve classes in all. This Sunday School takes an
active part in the County Sunday School organization; and
District Sunday School conventions have been held here.
Harry Dickinson, teacher of the male organized adult Bible
Class, is mentioned as a worker worthy of note. There are
a Cradle Roll, Home Department and Teacher Training
Class. Harmonyville has a front rank Sunday School.

A Christian Helper's organization was started here, Jan-
uary 5, 1900. It labored with the general organization in
the Schuylkill Valley. The local organization was discon-
tinued; and a Working Committee of Five was appointed
July 21, 1906, to supervise all evening meetings.

As to the church property — the ground was given by

266 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Samuel Keim, father of Jonathan. As stated the house was
erected in 1880 at a cost of $1,000 above the generous free
labor of members and the ground. It is a stone structure
30 X 40 ft. There is a frame vestibule in front, about 10
ft. X 10 ft. In 1895 a pool was constructed out in the
yard, at a cost of $21.74. A stone annex 195^4 X 30 ft. was
built to the rear, for Sunday School purposes, in 1909, at a
cost of a little over $500. The church is lighted by an
acetylene gas plant which was installed at a cost of $300.
There are twenty jets within the building and one outside.
The upkeep averages throughout the year a cost of 35 cents
per week. It is said to be the best lighted church for miles
and miles around.

When the Sunday School addition was dedicated, Sep-
tember 5 and 6, 1909, there was held a Grand Family Re-
union of all who had ever been connected with the work
at Harmonyville.

A number of revivals have been held here. The most
notable was the one held in 1886 by Bro. J. T. Myers, when
22 were converted. There were ten converts in 1903, when
Bro. Chas. Bame of Philadelphia did the preaching.

The first business or council meeting was held at Har-
monyville, December 2, 1893, the work being all the time
till 1913 a mission of Coventry, From 1893 Harmony-
ville, however, has had her own minutes. At the outset
Elder J. P. Hetric was chosen chairman; H. C. Keim,
secretary; and J. H. Stager, treasurer. A Financial Com-
mittee of three was appointed : J. H. Stager, J. H. Keim, and
David Haldeman.

The Coventry council decided, November 26, 1887, on
request from Harmonyville members, to hold a love- feast at
Harmonyville. This was likely their first feast.

July 24, 1909, a request was presented at the Coventry
council, also from Harmonyville, to allow a separate organ-
ization at that place. The Coventry council did not object
if the Harmonyville members wished thus to organize. For
some cause the organization was not effected, as we have
seen, until January 25, 1913.

harmonyville church. 267

The Ministry.

As we have seen, the ministry of the Brethren at Har-
monyville began with David Keim. The Keim family has
been so prominently, so extensively, and so continuously
connected with the work at Harmonyville, that a short
sketch of the family is in place. We glean chiefly from the
History of the Coventry Church by Dr. Isaac Urner.

The first of the Keim family came to America about 1709
and settled originally in Oley Township, Berks Co. Sub-
sequently members of the family moved out in different
directions. One branch located in Reading, one in Bucks
Co., and a third in Chester Co., at Yellow Springs. The
head of this last branch was named Hans or Johannes, —
in English, John. Afterwards this Hans settled at or near
the present village of Harmonyville, in Warwick township.
He had four sons, — George, John, Peter, and Stephens.

George Keim was the grandfather of Elder David Keim.
The parents of Elder David were Jacob Keim and Hannah
Switzer, daughter of Ulrich Switzer and Hester Urner.
The property of Hans Keim, great-grandfather of Elder
David, was still in the Keim family in 1898, its owner then
being Jonathan Keim of Pottstown.

Deacon Jonathan Keim, whose name has frequently been
mentioned in connection with the Sunday School, is a
nephew of Elder David and father of Lewis Keim. His
father Samuel gave the ground for the church. In his old
homestead three generations of Keims have been reared,
each consisting of four sons and two daughters.

David Keim was born in 1802 and was evidently elected
to the ministry before 1845. He was likely ordained before
1872 as no record of his ordination is given in the minutes
which were first kept in 1872. He died in 1897 ; aged about
95 years. As a preacher he was very conscientious, ever
warning against false teachers. He was deliberate, yet
earnest in speaking. He was liberal in giving, having
started the fund for building the Harmonyville church with
a subscription of $100.

Lewis Keim is the second Harmonyville preacher. For
his biography see Geiger Memorial and Coventry Churches.

268 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

William G. Nyce is really the first pastor of the Har-
monyville Church. He was born, October 12, 1869. He
was an aggressive church worker in Royersford, with his
membership at Parker ford, when in 1900 he was called to
the ministry by the Parkerford congregation. He married
Lena Keim, daughter of Jonathan, of Harmonyville, and
November i, 1905, moved to this place. When the church
was organized here in the present year, he was unanimously
elected minister or pastor, with the understanding that his
duties were to begin at once. The entire care of the church
here devolves upon him.

The Deacons.

The first two deacons of Harmonyville were Jonathan
Keim and Stephen Brownback. They were elected at the
Coventry council, August 7, 1880, the year in which the
Harmonyville house was built.

Brownback moved to Philadelphia in 1894; and Thomas
Brewer was elected to fill the vacancy, November 11, of the
same year. ,

The trustees are Hiram Keim, an old stand-by, Jonathan
Keim, and Jacob H. Stager, As before stated, Jacob Stager
was elected treasurer at the beginning. So acceptable have
been his services that on the organization of the church, he
was reelected to the position for life.

The Hamilton brothers — ^John and Frederick — were
bachelors for a long time, finally married, but never had
children. They left a sum of money to the Coventry
Church, known as the Hamilton Fund. The Fund figures
frequently in the worthy doings of the Coventry congrega-
tion. They lived in Harmonyville territory, and so are
now properly claimed for this congregation.

CHAPTER VI.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

A. Autobiography of George Adam Martin.^

In the year 1733, I was strongly moved to repentance and
a change of hfe, and all without any man's intervention,
which confused me so that I did not know what to do. For
my heart was troubled. Wherever I went or was, my
conscience was so disturbed that I avoided all company and
felt grieved at any vanity I met with. I was constantly
frightened and alarmed, for my conscience smote me every-
where; besides I was young, bashful and timid. I therefore
went about like a lost sheep, and thought all people better
than myself, which opinion indeed I still have. I never
looked for much from men, and if I occasionally listened to
some one preaching, I was not frightened by it, because I
felt myself more damned than any preacher could damn me;
nevertheless some little hope remained, and I thought per-
chance I might yet be saved. Being in such a condition, I
was baptized on my faith in the year 1735. This I did
to honor God in Christ Jesus and intended to follow him;
but had no further thought about the piety of a community,
because my inner troubled state did not permit me to think
about other things. All my thinking and striving were only
as to how I might enter the kingdom of God.

After my baptism, when alone in the woods, I knelt down
behind a tree and prayed. After I had finished, it came
into my mind to open the New Testament, and whatever I
found under my right thumb that should be my precept dur-
ing life. Then I turned up : " Study to show thyself ap-
proved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Timothy
2: 15). This troubled my mind excessively; sometimes I

1 From The Chronicon Ephratense.

269

270 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

took it to be a temptation; then, again, as if I had tempted
God ; and again that the Spirit had mocked me. Taking all
together I did not know what to make of it. To become a
workman in the church of God, that I dared not harbor in
my mind. Soon after I was led into such temptation for
about sixteen weeks that I incessantly heard nothing but :
" You are damned ! You are damned ! " This frightened
me so that I enjoyed neither sleep, nor eating nor drinking.
My father asked me what was the matter with me, but I
dared not tell him, for I thought that never before had a
person lived on earth in such a damnable state. At last I
was delivered out of this bondage, received pardon, and be-
came a recipient of the gracious visitation of my God in
Christ Jesus, and of the power of regeneration, of which
before I had known nothing. Thus by grace and compas-
sion alone I became one of the redeemed of the Lord.
After this I became cheerful and joyous in my Saviour,
Jesus Christ, diligently read the Bible, exercised myself in
prayer, took pleasure in divine things, and meddled with
nothing but what concerned my salvation; besides I held
the Brethren in high esteem and had a sacred regard for
everything good.

It happened in the year 1737 that my Superintendent
(Martin Urner) was called upon to go to the Great Swamp,
in order to baptize several persons. When he announced
this at the meeting and asked who was willing to go with
him, I was willing to go. After our arrival, when the
meeting was over, the persons to be baptized were intro-
duced, and a passage from Luke XIV was read to them,
about the building of towers and waging war, which also
was customary among them even in Germany; for when I
was baptized this surprised me, and I did not know what to
think of it. It was done as often as persons were to be
baptized, so that you did not know whether you were to
build or not, to go to war or not, or whether God had
10,000 and the devil 20,000 men. As soon as you came to
the water the hymn was usually sung : " Count the cost says
Jesus Christ, when the foundation Thou wouldst lay," etc.,
which A. M. (Alexander Mack) had composed already in

BIOGRAPHICAL. 271

Germany. When these confused transactions were now
also enacted here, as was customary, it suddenly seized
me so that my limbs trembled, and it flashed like a flame
through my whole being, and before I knew it I heard my-
self speaking in an overloud voice. I was frightened at my-
self, for I thought of nothing less than speaking. I said
that it was not the Lord Jesus' intention to bring such things
before candidates for baptism, for their purpose was to
enter into their covenant with God by baptism, and to build
upon the rock Jesus Christ; those who wished to build a
tower besides the temple of God might have such things
brought before them. This speech frightened everybody,
and all were silent and dumb. At last our Superintendent,
M. U. (Martin Urner), of blessed memory, said, "What
shall we do then, for something must be said to the people."
Without taking thought I answered : " The eighteenth Chap-
ter of Matthew, about exhortation and punishment, might
be read " ; which proposal was adopted from that hour, and
is still customary with them to this day.

This was the first stumbling block I found in their doc-
trine. But because they adopted my suggestion throughout
the whole country, and no person moved against me, but all
were surprised and thought that this movement on the part
of a young man which they saw and heard was the work of
the Spirit of God, I greatly honored them, since they in so
childlike a way gave all honor to God. Moreover they now
noticed me more, especially did my Superintendent love me
until he died, and he was much grieved when he had to lose
me. But I did not respect the household of the Congrega-
tion, and nothing of the kind touched me; but I was earnest
in my calling to gain favor before God by my life and be-
havior. I took no ofifence at any person, nor did I seek
their esteem ; I only endeavored to follow the dictates of my
conscience. But it happened by and by that they, contrary
to my wish, chose me as their Superintendent, after I had
already obediently moved across the waters of the Susque-
hanna.

Before this occurred it happened that Count Zinzendorf
and many of his Brethren came into the country and occa-

272 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

sioned a great stir, especially by his conferences. And be-
cause all denominations were invited to them, I too was de-
puted by my Superintendent to attend them. When I
arrived at the conference, which was held at Oley, I found
there some of our Baptists, Seventh Day men, Mennonites
and Separatists. The Count himself was president, and
for three days I heard queer and wonderful things there.
After my return home I went to my Superintendent and
said that I looked upon the Count's conferences as snares,
for the purpose of bringing simple-minded and inexpe-
rienced converts back to infant baptism and church-going,
and of erecting the old Babel again. We consulted with
each other what to do, and agreed to get ahead of the dan-
ger, as some Baptists had already been smitten with this
vain doctrine, and to hold a yearly conference, or as we
called it, a Great Assembly, and fixed at once the time and
place. This is the beginning and foundation of the Great
Assemblies of the Baptists. After this general meeting had
been established, the opportunity was offered to speak of
various matters whenever we met. . . .

(After 'referring to disputes in which he took part at the
Great Assemblies, he continues:) It may be thought that I
have deviated too far from my reasons why I left the Bap-
tists ; but no, these are the very reasons, for I took offence at
the foundation and origin, because the originators deviated
from their aim and basis, which in my opinion is the love of
God towards all men, and formed a sect like the Inspired,
out of the great awakening which had taken hold of them
in Germany, and aroused strife and hatred by their disputes.

Now I return to our yearly meeting, at which the Euro-
pean ban-branch continually became a topic of conversation,
so that you always had to contend with these quarrels, until
A. D. (Abraham Duboy) and M. F. (Michael Frantz) at
last died. Then other and thinner branches came forth,
with which it was still more difficult to deal, until at last they
put me out. Then I thought the affair would end, but only
commenced in earnest; for as quiet as ever I kept they let
me have no peace. I was heartily tired of their affairs.

BIOGRAPHICAL. 273

Some, however, still adhered to me and could not leave me.
They also were suspected and were avoided on my account,
for whoever would not ban me himself had to be banned.

Now I became puzzled, for the wild European ban-
branches threw such a shade, mist, darkness and gloom over
the eyes of my mind that I could not see the light of the sun
in the Gospel. I still lay buried under the hellish ban-doc-
trine, and my conflict was very great, for I was even afraid
to doubt the ban-doctrine. In Germany I should willingly
have entered the highest classes of the high schools, but here
I had to attend high school against my will, had to learn
the language of Canaan, and to begin with A. This, indeed,
appeared very strange to me, because nearly everybody who
knew me considered me a great doctor of Holy Writ. . . .

(For additional information concerning the life of George
Adam Martin, see "The Churches in Southern Pennsyl-
vania," Chapter 9, Part I.)

B. John Umstad.

John Horning Umstad, the founder of the Green Tree
Church, was born in Philadelphia, January i, 1802; and died
April 26, 1873. When nine years old, his father moved to
the Umstad farm. In 1829 he was married to Ann, daugh-
ter of Daniel and Frances Brower. Daniel Brower's farm
joined the Umstad farm on the east. Daniel was a Men-
nonite and in the meadow of his farm the Brethren first
preached in the neighborhood, perhaps before John Umstad
was born. John H. and Ann Umstad had born to them
four children, one son, who died in infancy, and three
daughters. One daughter, Sarah, the only child to join the
Brethren, died unmarried during the life of her parents.
Catharine B. married Louis Detrich, who moved to Balti-
more ; and Frances B. married Milton I. Davis, who became
the owner of the Umstad homestead.

John Umstad in his early days possessed a vivacity bor-
dering on wildness. His spirit is manifested by different
incidents told of him. His father owned another farm
beyond the Perkiomen Creek. The barn was old and did
not appeal at all favorably to John. One day it took fire
19

274

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

and was well up in flames when John arrived on horseback.
Putting the spurs to his horse he galloped at high speed
round and round the barn, swinging his cap in the air and
shouting: "Now, we'll have a new barn; now, we'll have a
new barn ! "

Young ladies were frequently in summer among the
Philadelphia boarders on the Umstad farm. They were
everywhere, to the extent of being a nuisance; and John
likely loved fun for its own sake. There is a large island
in the Schuylkill belonging to the farm, reached by a ford,
some places upwards of four feet deep. The girls must
go along across in the cart. In midstream John slipped out
the keystaff. Our young ladies got to the rear of the cart.
The picture that followed we leave to your imagination.

He was even inclined to get fun out of his sister Isabella's
piety. But the Spirit of God got hold even of him, and
made of him a new creature. But we are told that with
him, like the rest of us, the old man with his deeds was
not all put oflf at once. He was converted in 183 1. This
occurred at Coventry. He went there while in a troubled
state. In speaking to the elder, " Pappy John Price," as
he was called, he was invited to go along home. With
characteristic openness, Bro. Umstad replied, "That is just
what I expected to do." Soon after his conversion he laid
aside his fashionable attire and conformed to the attire com-
mon among the Brethren, so says his biographer in a history
of "Montgomery County, Pa. But there is reason to believe
that he became especially strict along this line only after
i860.

He along with Isaac Price was elected to the ministry
about 1834; and entered with his accustomed zest into the
work. Isaac was inclined in preaching to give the Spirit
time to move him. On one occasion, Isaac was not imme-
diately moved, or perhaps he was overcome by feeling, at
any rate he stood waiting. Bro. Umstad broke in : " Bro.
Isaac if thee hasn't anything to say, thee had better sit
down!" Whereupon Bro. Umstad got up and began to
preach. After he became a member of the church, he al-

BIOGRAPHICAL. 275

ways used the Friends' language : no doubt he had been
accustomed to it in his childhood days in Philadelphia.

He was a great man for prayer. Often when away from
home, he would arise early on Sunday morning, and, like
the Savior, withdraw from men, perhaps into the woods,
and pray alone to his Father in secret. A tenant farmer
tells that frequently in the barn or elsewhere he would
find him in prayer. One night this man was awakened from
his slumber by a noise outside. On going to his window
he beheld under the large buttonwood tree below the house,
Bro. Umstad on his knees. An amusing incident is told.
Once while visiting with an earnest Brother, the latter be-
gan praying aloud in his sleep. " Brother, pray ! " he ex-
claimed. Whereupon Bro. Umstad got out of bed, down
on his knees, and began to supplicate a throne of grace.

As a preacher, Bro. Quinter says of him : " Brother Um-
stad's labors in winning souls were very successful. He
labored not only in the public ministry, but also much in
private. He was instant in season and out of season. The
cheerfulness of his Christianity, added to his natural vivac-
ity, made him an agreeable companion, and when in private
with his friends he seldom failed to use the opportunity of
recommending Christ to them, which was often done suc-
cessfully. ... In his public preaching he was warm and
pointed, and his direct appeals to sinners was often very
strong."

On meeting strangers his constant question was, "Do
you love Jesus ? " A certain unconverted man once said, " I
hate to meet that man, for he always says : ' Well, Bub, do
you love Jesus ? ' "

He was both a home missionary and a foreign missionary.
He was instrumental in starting several mission points near
home. He opened the work in Norristown, did the first
aggressive work in the Mingo region. But in those days
of the horse and wagon, he did work that may well be called
foreign. We find him as far west as Iowa. While at
times he went alone, he frequently followed the Gospel
method of going two by two. Perhaps his chief traveling

276 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

companion was D. P. Saylor. We give D. P. Saylor's
account of one of these trips.

"Md., Nov. 14, 1855.

"Dear Brother, — By these I inform thee of our health and
happiness; and also (of) a visit of love Br. U. and myself have
performed among the Brethren in Virginia and Maryland. We
left my place on the morning of the 5th of September, and re-
turned on the evening of the 17th of October, being out six
weeks and one day. During this time we attended twelve love-
feasts, ten in Virginia and two in Maryland, besides many other
meetings, (perhaps forty) and traveled nearly 800 miles.

" The next day after our return, being the 18th of October,
our lovefeast at Beaver Dam came off, and on the 20th at
Meadow Branch in the Pipe Creek Church, which made the
number fourteen for Br. Umstad.

" The Lord has remembered Zion, and the refreshing from
His presence has been manifested. From a few of the churches
we have heard since my return home, stating the number they
have baptized since, and when I this evening added the number
together, I find them to be fifty, nearly all young people. From
one church, it is written, that the Lord's day after we had left,
they had baptized 18, and among them only one married man;
the rest were all young people. — 1 1 young women and 6 young
men. The Brethren rejoice greatly ; so do I, and no doubt the
angels in heaven participate in that joy. . . .

"D. P. S."

John Umstad was away from home so much that he al-
most became a stranger to his family. Once on leaving
home he said to his wife of his sickly daughter: " If Sarah
dies bury her." He was comfortably fixed in things tem-
poral, so that hard work was not imperative upon him. His
farm was generally turned over to a tenant. He believed
in a free Gospel, and so always paid his own traveling
expenses. While at home he was always busy. He spent
much of his time at home reading. He was a great reader.
He was very hospitable, had many visitors. He was fond
of fishing, having built a fish pond in his meadow. His
father had built a dam in the Schuylkill River, across to the
island, at which he had erected a carding mill, and later a
grist and saw mill. The story is told that on one occasion

BIOGRAPHICAL. 277

Bro. Umstad had an engagement to preach, but thought
that he would have time to go fishing awhile in the morning
before services. He became so absorbed that he forgot
all about the preaching. Suddenly the thought of his ap-
pointment struck him. On entering the church, he found
a waiting congregation. Without ado he entered the pulpit
and announced his text : " I go a fishing." John 21:3.

His style as a writer and likely as a speaker may be gath-
ered from the following lines from his pen, on the death of
little David Harshberger of Snake Spring Valley, Bedford
Co., Pa.

" Yes, that little David is no more ; he who seemed to be so
lively, and so happy, and so merry, and so pleasing, is no more.
Although he ran about his father's house as if all was his, and
made for him, and the new mill, and father and mother, and
grandmother, all, all seemed to him as his, him to serve, and
him to obey. But he is gone to rest. He slept some ten
minutes only in the great cold spring and never waked. The
mother busy about her domestic duties could not long brook
the absence of her darling boy, sends sis to seek him, but O that
horrible scream ! With a mother's quickened pace she hasted,
drew him from his cold, cold bed, clasped him to her more than
frozen heart, but oh, the spirit's gone, her little boy does not
answer, and the angels shout a new arrival among their
heavenly throng." — Gospel Visitor of September, 1859, p. 288..

He was very liberal to the poor. On one occasion a poor
woman came to his home begging. He gave her five dollars;
whereupon she went to the house. His wife then came to
him and asked what she should give. Not saying anything
about what he had done, he replied : " Mother, just give her
what you think is right." He carried out to the letter the
Savior's command that when one makes a feast he should
not invite his rich friends but the poor who could not recom-
pense him again. On a certain Thanksgiving Day, he in-
vited all the poor of the neighborhood to his festive boards
He became so liberal that interference was deemed neces-
sary. Unprincipled people would take advantage of his
goodness of heart by borrowing money and never repaying.
One such once told him that he would never pay till he waa

278 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

sued. "Very well," replied Bro. Umstad, "then you will
never pay." The man was afterward converted and paid
the money.

He always had family worship. While still young in
Christian experience, he found it necessary to build a new
barn. The workmen boarded with him. So many strang-
ers in the home made the cross of family worship too severe;
so the first morning passed away without the family assem-
bling about the home altar, Bro. Umstad was conscience-
smitten. Next morning he called the men together and thus
addressed them : " I have been accustomed to having family
worship, but thought I would pass it by while you men were
here. I am convinced that I was wrong, so we will have
our worship." His family worship led to the conversion of
at least two of the workmen.

While he was very popular in the Brotherhood, he was
never appointed on a committee to look after church gov-
ernment. On one occasion a query came up to the District
Meeting from the Green Tree Church, asking what should
be done with sisters who insisted on dressing after the
worldly fashions. Isaac Price was puzzled. "From the
Green Tree Church?" He knew of no such question be-
fore a Green Tree council. All eyes were turned to John
Umstad for an explanation. He sprang to his feet and
pointing his finger at the fashionably attired ladies in the
rear, exclaimed: "If those ladies had to dress in those
clothes for Jesus' sake, they would not do it ! "

But he was used on some very important committees. He
was a member of the committee that brought about the re-
entrance of the Far West Brethren into the Brotherhood.
He was member of a committee to revise the hymnal,
though the work finally devolved on James Quinter. He
was also a member of the committee of 1859 that advised
District Meetings as a method of efficient evangelism.

"His health began to decline a few years before his death,
and the winter preceding his departure he did not preach
any, being so advised by his physician. As he lived close
to the meeting-house, however, he occasionally met with
the church and delivered a short exhortation. He preached

BIOGRAPHICAL. 279

his last sermon to the people of his charge, to whom he had
so long ministered, April 13, 1873, and left home on the
fifteenth to visit his daughter and her family at Baltimore,
where he arrived on the sixteenth but little the worse for
his journey. On the following Sunday night, the twentieth,
he was taken with severe pains and paralysis of the lower
parts of the body. The disease ran rapidly to a crisis, and
he expired on the twenty-seventh, just a week after the
attack. He died at the residence of his son-in-law, Louis
Detrich, in that city, in the seventy-second year of his age,
and after about forty years' devoted service in the ministry.
" His remains were conveyed to his home, and on Thurs-
day, May I, he was interred in the cemetery of the church
he had helped to found so many years before. At his fu-
neral there were in attendance nearly twenty ministers, and
an immense throng of sympathizing friends and neighbors."
The funeral sermon was preached by Elder Jacob Reiner, it
having been agreed between them that the surviving one
should preach the other's funeral.

PART V.

INDIAN CREEK GROUP.

CHAPTER I.

" GREATSWAMP."

Among the early congregations organized by the Brethren
was that in the " Greatswamp." The history of this church
has never been recorded, and it ceased to exist so long ago,
that the congregation that now worships in this same ter-
ritory did not know the former ever existed. This was the
first organized congregational activity of the Brethren in
this vast territory where are now located the churches of
the Indian Creek Group. There is so much that is of
interest, and there has been such a far-reaching influence
set in operation, that this early church well deserves a
careful discussion here, and her history recorded. To write
this history required years of research, but the writer feels
satisfied that the fruits of these labors, in the facts of a
unique history recorded for the first time, will be fully ap-
preciated. Here, as elsewhere, we are indebted to Rev.
Morgan Edwards for some of the earliest data and facts,
and quote as follows :

"Greatswamp. This society is distinguished by the
above name, which is a name of a tract of land called the
Greatswamp. The meeting is kept at the house of Mr.
John Prick in Upper Milford Township, in the county of
Bucks, about 40 miles northwest from Philadelphia. The
families belonging to the society are about 20 whereof 28
persons are baptized. Thus stood things with them in i/?^-
Their beginning was in this manner. In the year 1733 one

280

"greatswamp." 281

Salome Miller and Joseph Miller her brother, John Brecht
and wife, Peter Longanacre and Peter Rhode were bap-
tized by Mr. John Naass. In 1735 were baptized by Mr.
Peter Baker and Mr. Martin Urner, one Hanse Zuk and
wife, John Sleifer, and John Frick and wife; and the same
time had the Lord's supper administered to them by Mr.
Peter Baker. This was the period of their existence as a
society; and 11 their number. They have existed for 35
years without any remarkable event, except that Count Zin-
zendorf took away some of them in the year 1752. At first
they were visited by ministers from other parts, and in-
creased fast. Several of the Mennonites joined them. But
since that time the increase has been inconsiderable. The
first settled minister they had was Rev. Abraham Deboy."

Since his ministry covered a period so early in the his-
tory of Greatswamp, a brief biographical sketch is in place
here. Edwards says of him, "He was born in 1679 at
Epstein in Germany. Bred a Presbyterian (Reformed).
Embraced the principles of the Baptists (Brethren), in 1712.
Came to America in 1728. Settled at Perkiomen; and from
thence went to the Greatswamp in 1738, where he died and
was buried March, 1748." This brief record forms the out-
line of his life, but is incorrect as to the date of his com-
ing to America, which should be 1732. See Brumbaugh,
page 144. Elder Duboy, it will be noticed by this date, was
born the same year in which Alexander Mack, Sr., was, and
became his assistant. He joined the church in the Marien-
born district, but a few years later joined the mother con-
gregation at Schwarzenau, and seems to have been a min-
ister of considerable prominence. He was a modest man
and very pious. He was unmarried. Bro. A. H. Cassel
many years ago related to the writer that Bro. Duboy had
a strange presentiment of his death. On the morning of the
day on which he died, he informed the family in which he
lived that the time of his departure had come. He dressed
in a shroud prepared for the occasion and invited the family
to join him in singing, " Nun fahr ich hin mit Freuden, ins
rechta Vaterland," etc., then, after a fervent prayer, he re-
clined on a couch and breathed his last, as one would fall
into a quiet sleep. He was 69 years of age.

282 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Morgan Edwards informs us: "Since that time (1748),
Mr. John Frick hath preached to them ; but is not ordained "
(1770). He gives the following list of members: "John
Frick, exhorter, and wife, Laurence Erboch and wife, An-
drew Meinzinger, John Demud and wife, John Sleifer and
wife, Henry Kun, Philip Goodman and wife, Philip Deal,
Frederick Deal, John Redrock and wife, Egite Christian
and wife, Lodowick Christian and wife, Jacob Staut and
wife, Mary Christian, widow Rinker, Catherine Rinker,
widow dinger, widow Crayling, Freny Trissel."

Reference was made to the baptisms of 1733 and 1735.
George Adam Martin makes reference to the baptism of
1737, — " It happened in the year 1737, that my Superintend-
ent (Martin Urner), was called upon to go to the Great-
swamp, in order to baptize several persons."^ As he re-
ports, in the Chronicon, it was at this baptism, in 1737, that
Martin suggested the reading of Matthew 18, instead of
Luke 14. This suggestion was accepted, and first followed
in the Greats wamp, and has been the rule of the Brother-
hood ever since.

There are several distinct centers around which the his-
tory of Greats wamp clusters. I am greatly indebted to
J. G. Francis for information and facts found in his article,
"An account of the early Brethren in the Greatswamp, as
gathered from John M. Zuck, a great-grandson of Peter
Zuck, one of the original members."

" The Brechts or Brights lived about the center of the
Brethren settlement near Zion Hill, some four or five miles
above Quakertown, on the Philadelphia and Allentown road.
North of Brights, were the Sleifers ; northwest, the Roth-
rocks; west, the Fricks; southwest, the Zucks. The Breth-
ren lived here at an early date. They were pioneers. They
came here when this was virgin territory. It was then
Indian land, and later became a part of the famous Walk-
ing Purchase. It is only a few miles from Springtown, in
the post-office of which we copied the following: ' Spring-
town-Route of the Indian Walk, or Walking Purchase,
September 19, 1739, led through Springtown. Here the

1 Chronicon Ephratense, pp. 243, 244.

"greatswamp." 283

walkers — Marshall and Yates — dined with George Wilson,
the first white settler, who located here in 1728, as an In-
dian trader.' " It will be seen by these dates, that John
Naas preached here, baptized members, and that the church
was organized and a Lovefeast held a number of years be-
fore the Penns had bought this land from the Indians.

Mr. Zuck states, " this land is not swampy and never was.
It is rather level, or not hilly, and the soil is good. The
name Greatswamp is rather misleading. The Brethren lived
in what is now Upper Milford, Richland and Springfield
townships, near the intersection of the three townships, close
to the Lehigh County line."

Bro. Francis's account further states as follows :

"On the north side of the Brecht farm is the old Brecht
cemetery. It is east a short distance from the Philadelphia
and Allentown road, just before you come to Zion Hill Lu-
theran Church, along the road leading down to Shelley's Sta-
tion. It would have been more correct to have called it the
Bright and Rothrock cemetery, for it is right on the line
between the two old farms and taken out of both, and in
it the Rothrocks buried as well as the Brechts. Other fam-
ilies also buried here. The little cemetery, about 40 feet
wide and 60 feet long, is said to be full, but not a stone is
marked, the little sandstones being scarcely visible any
more. The southern part of the cemetery is surrounded
by a crude wall, a wall running almost through the middle.
This walled-in section was especially the Brecht cemetery.
The whole cemetery is overgrown with trees. See cut. As
long as the Rothrocks lived around here, they kept the ceme-
tery fenced, but now it is completely neglected. The
Brights have also all moved away, the nearest one lives in
Springtown.

"But not all of the Brethren of the old settlement are
buried here. A mile, or more, south of this cemetery, along
the Philadelphia and Allentown road is the East Swamp
Mennonite Church with its city of the dead. The Menno-
nites have from the first been numerous here. Here lie the
remains of Peter Zuck, one of the early Brethren, and also
some of the Sleifers who were members. Peter has a well-
preserved tombstone. On it are the words: ' Hier lieght

284 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN,

hegrahen Peter Zuck. Er is geboren den 2oden August,
im Jahr 1728, und is gestorhen den i^ten tag May im
Jahr 1812.' His house was a preaching station. He is the
second generation of Zucks in America. His father bought
the old Zuck homestead in 1727, and it has continued in the
family to the persent day. John M. Zug our informant,
now in his eighties, being owner of a part of it. There was
also preaching in a barn south of Zucks. This old barn
when torn down was found to have some very sound logs.
A certain rather profane fellow declared that the soundness
was due to the preaching of the Brethren."

The Settlement in Sacon Township. — There seem to have
been two somewhat distinct settlements in the Greatswamp
Church, or possibly one earlier than the other. While we
know considerable about this settlement in Sacon Township,
which we are now to consider, it is difficult to fix dates, and
to locate just where the members lived. Several facts,
however, are well established. The membership at one time
must have been quite large, and in a large and flourishing
community. Some of the families of members, of which
we have knowledge, were large and of more than ordi-
nary prominence. Some of these families have continued
through succeeding generations, down to the present.

The Old Cemetery. — So limited were all forms of records,
that for a time it seemed hopeless to unravel the mysteries
of this now historic setlement. The old cemetery was the
only known clue, with which this history might be traced,
but fortunately it turned out to be the key to the whole situa-
tion, and, therefore, because of its importance, a brief de-
scription of it is in place here. The first thing that strikes
the visitor to this ancient God's acre is the substantial
character of the wall, and the large amount of space the
wall encloses. This size shows the great importance of the
place, to a large community in time past. This large space
in this city of the dead is probably fully occupied. There
are many small stones, and plenty of evidence of many un-
marked graves. There are some larger tombstones, and a
few newer ones, and of more recent date, the cemetery itself
being much neglected, and little cared for. Except for the

Brecht and Rothrock Cemetery, Great Swamp.

Mennonite Cemetery, where Peter Zug and Other Early Brethren

ARE Buried.

"greatswamp." 285

size, one might suppose the place to be of Httle importance
by its neglected appearance inside. But the size, and the
substantial enclosure are abundant proof that a community
was greatly interested in perpetuating what to-day is not
visible. This wall is the crystallized thought of a commu-
nity, its visible testimony to buried interests within. This
walled cemetery is about loo feet square, and if the ground
is fully occupied, as it seems to be, about 400 people lie
buried here.

The Old Deed} — Having learned something of the old
cemetery, and its importance to the community, it will be of
much interest to know something about the deed that estab-
lished upon a little spot of ground, of which the cemetery is
a part, such an important educational and religious center.
It was almost three years from the time I began work upon
the history of Greatswamp, until I found trace of this im-
portant old document. I am greatly indebted to Rev. Jacob
Rothrock,^ a lineal descendant of one of the Brethren fam-
ilies of Rothrocks, of Greatswamp, and whose ancestors are
buried in the old cemetery, for the privilege of copying from
the Old Deed. In copying from this historic paper, I have
followed literally the spelling and capitalization, so as not
to destroy its unique identity.

To All To Whom These Presents Shall Come John Kram,
of lower Sacon township in the County Northampton, and
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, yeomen Peter Kram of the
Same Place, yeomen Henry Kram of the Same Place yeomen
Sons of Jacob Kram late of lower sacon township, Deceased
Susana Kram Catarina Rigel Daughters of the Said Jacob
Kram Deceased Send greeting Whereas Jacob Kram aforesaid
Shortly before his Death Did order Peter Rhoads to Devide
his land to and Among his Sons and to make Respective
Draughts thereof and also Did order and Direct the Said Sur-
veyor to Survey off a Certain piece at the Northwest Corner
of his mill land Beginning in the graveyard being the North-
west Corner of this land thence extenting by land of Isaac
Rothdrock South four degrees and a half East eight perches

iThe Original in possession Rev. Jacob Rothrock.
2 Pastor of the Reformed Church, Lansdale.

286 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

and four tenths of a perch to a post thence by his other land
North Seventy-Seven degrees East ten perches and four tenths
of a perch to a post North thirteen Degrees West to a post in in
a line Between the Said Kram and Isaac Rothdrock four
perches and four tenths of a perch thence by land of Said Isaac
Rothdrock North Seventy nine Degrees and three quarters of a
Degree ten perches to the Place of beginning Containing Sixty
four perches of land which land So Described and Containing
Sixty four perches the said Said Jacob Kram being intented by
lawful Conveyance to give grant and Confirm unto the menoist
and Baptice Societice for to Build a house thereon for Keeping
School and Buplic worship therein and also for a graveyard for
the Said Societice and other Neighbours which will chose to
Burying their Deat (which Diet a Christian Death,) therein
and to hold a Burial Sermon in the Said School house.

But whereas the Said Jacob Kram before he could Complete
his intention being taken with hard Sickness and made his last
will and Testament by which he ordained and Devised all his
other land Except the above Discribed Sixty four Perches and
also Did ordain and Devise of all his Personall Estate But
Did not Mention and Direct anything of the aforesaid Sixty
four perches of land it is suposed that he hath forgot by the
hart paine of his Sickness and Did Die in Respect to the Said
Sixty four Perches of land intested. But whereas all the chil-
dren then alive of the Said Jacob Kram being Contented with
the mind of their father and did Wish that the Said Land might
be Confirmed unto the Said Societice.

But being allso Delayed until their two Brothers also Did
Die intested.

Now Know Ye all whom May Concern that we John Kram
Peter Kram Henry Kram Catarina Rigel and Susanna Kram
in Consideration of the love which we bearing to the Said Soci-
etice as also for the Desire which we bearing that the intention
and mind of our father the Said Jacob Kram might be fulfilled
hath Respectively for our Self and our Respective heirs Re-
leased Granted and Confirmed and by these present Do Re-
lease Grant and Confirm unto Samuel Kauffmanof lower Sacon
township County and Commonwealth aforesaid in trust and be-
half of the Said menoist Societice and unto Samuel Rothdrok
of the Same place in trust and behalf of the Said Baptic
Societice all our Right title intress Claim and Demand of in
and to the above Discribed Sixty four perches of land Here-
ditaments and Appurtenances to have and to hold the Said

"greatswamp." 287

Sixty four perches of land Hereditaments and Appurtenances
unto them the Said Samuel Kauffman and Samuel Rothdrock
and their Successors in trust of the Said Societice to the only
and proper use and behoof of the Said Societice for the use
allthough as it is above Declared and Described Being the inten-
tion of the Said Jacob Kram Deceased for ever and the Said
John Kram Peter Kram Henry Kram Catarina Rigel and Su-
sanna Kram Do testify that their Brothers Jacob and Abraham
when they being alive they was of the Same mind with them
and would have Done the Same as they themself have Done
by these Present In Witness Whereof the Said Peter Kram
John Kram Henry Kram Catarina Rigel and Susanna Kram
have to these Present Set their Hand and Seal this first Day of
April in the year of our lord one thousand eight Hundret and
two.

JoHANEs Kram (Seal)
Peter Kram (Seal)
Henry Kram (Seal)

her

Catarina X Rigel (Seal)

mark

her

Susanna X Kram (Seal)

mark

It will be seen by the foregoing deed that the survey was
made during the life time of Jacob Kram, and by his direc-
tion, and likely the ground was occupied as designed many
years before the deed was made. It will be noticed, further,
that the graveyard was in existence already when the survey
was ordered, — " Beginning in the graveyard, etc." How
many years intervened I do not know, but we do know that
Jacob Kram and two of his sons died before the deed was
finally made.

It is impossible to trace the history of the house, that was
used for a long time, for school and church services. It is
said it was destroyed by fire, and rebuilt. It seems in time
there was no minister living there, and the Brethren from
Indian Creek filled the appointments. The house was old
and dilapidated, and the membership having nearly died out,
the place was abandoned. With the introduction of the

288 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

public school system, the place was handed over to the
school directors, with the provision that the meeting house
benches should be stored in the loft of the new school house,
and on funeral occasions, the school desks should be re-
moved and the benches brought down for the seating of
the funeral assembly. Rev. Rothrock informs me, that as
a boy, he assisted twice in making this preparation for
funerals. No funeral probably was held here for many
years. After the building of churches, funeral services
were held elsewhere, and other graveyards located, and the
place is little used now. It is a long chapter that extends
backward into the forgotten past. The history of these
generations is finished, and for the most part it is a sealed
volume. A brick school house still stands on this historic
spot, a living monument that reflects the light that shines out
of past.

w
w

CHAPTER II.

INDIAN CREEK CHURCH.

Geographically, the early Indian Creek field was of vast
extent, without boundaries of any kind, or congregational
lines.

The Brethren have lived and labored here for one hun-
dred and ninety-four years, and the field was once exceed-
ingly rich in religious and family history, but much of it
has passed into oblivion many years ago. While the Great-
swamp Brethren Church was the first organized congrega-
tion, the first preaching services by the Brethren were held
in the present bounds of the Indian Creek, and when the
Greatswamp ceased to exist as an organization, the entire
region became Indian Creek territory, and the Indian Creek
ministers supplied the preaching that revived the work,
which later became the Springfield congregation. It is
impossible to say now when the first regular preaching
services were held in Indian Creek, or, indeed, when the
church was organized. We do know, however, that some
of those who constituted the first emigration of 1719,
settled in the Skippack region, and were visited by the Ger-
mantown ministers even before the Germantown Church was
organized.

" Now we must consider the movements of the Baptists at
Germantown. Peter Becker, in pursuance of the Superin-
tendent's counsel, with two other Brethren, undertook in the
autumn of 1722, a journey to all their Brethren scattered
throughout the land, which was their first church visitation in
America. They traveled through the regions of Shippack
(Skippack), Falckner's Swamp, Oley, etc."^

Again, in 1724, after Germantown was organized, when

^ See Chronicon, page 22.
20 289

290

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the famous Missionary Journey was undertaken, this same
region was visited:

" Now, after God had so manifestly blessed their labors, they
sought to work forward to meet the awakening, and resolved
to undertake a general visitation to all their Brethren in the
whole country. They fixed upon the twenty-third day of Oc-
tober, of the year 1724, as the time for starting on their visita-
tion from Germantown. They first went to Schippack (Skip-
pack), etc."^

It is evident, therefore, from these and other records, that
the Indian Creek territory early received attention from
Germantown, and continued to do so for many years. We
know, furthermore, that one of the Germantown minis-
ters^ settled on the Indian Creek very early, and at the
time of the first Lovefeast in Germantown, he is counted
one of the members of the Germantown Church. It is not
strange, therefore, that Indian Creek seems to have been
regarded for many, many years, as a part, or branch, of
Germantown.

Although I have continued diligent research for several
years, I have been unable to find satisfactory data of the his-
tory of the earlier periods of Brethren activity in the Indian
Creek. I must be content, therefore, with tracing some iso-
lated facts, and a brief history of the lives of some of the
most prominent Elders, and their families. It is altogether
likely that some ministers, even prominent in their day, have
entirely escaped notice. Little remains of the earliest period
after a lapse of one hundred and ninety years. What a
wealth of history has perished where death has garnered
six generations ! The little that remains was far too valu-
able to be consigned to entire oblivion. Even what seemed
to be so barren a field has yielded gratifying results, and I
am sincerely thankful for even meager gleanings from many
\ sources. I can only hope that what is here set forth will
inspire some one to continue a faithful research for rich
rewards that are yet possible, though now covered beneath
the dust of a century, and more.

1 See Chronicon, p. 24.

2 See discussion of the Price family, later in this chapter.

indian creek church. 291

The Price Family.^

The history of this noted family for the past two hundred
years, if it could be written, would fill a large volume. A
brief sketch here is due this family, which has been promi-
nent in the activities of the Church of the Brethren through-
out her history in America. Jacob Price, or (John Jacob
Preis), was the ancestor of the Price family in America.
He was a noted preacher among the Brethren in Europe,
almost as soon as the Church was organized. He came
to America with the first emigration, in 1719. He settled
for a short time in Germantown, where he became acquainted
with Dirk Johnson, who about this time had obtained a
warrant for 500 acres of land, on or near the Indian Creek.
This warrant was granted August 15, 1719, and on Feb-
ruary 19, 1720, 500 acres were surveyed for him. On the
following 20th of June, 1720, Jacob Price purchased 200
acres from Dirk Johnson and wife, Margaret. This lo-
cated Jacob Price on the Indian Creek, where his descend-
ants have resided ever since, and the Price homestead has
continued in the family until the present time. Jacob Price
made considerable improvements on his farm, but he never
became a naturalized citizen. He had an only son, whose
name was John, who was born in Germany, and was in his
seventeenth year when he came to America.

The following published account is quoted in "Sketches,
of Lower Salford Township " :

"Aaron, the brother of Moses, was hardly more distfn--
guished as the lineal head of the Hebrew priesthood, than was
Jacob Price as the progenitor and head of a line of Elders
and ministers among the Germah 'Baptists, or 'Dunkers*
(Brethren), of Pennsylvania, continuing down to the present
day. This Jacob Price, who was born in Witgenstein, Prussia,
about the beginning of the eighteenth century (earlier), emi-
grated in 1719, and settled at Indian Creek, Lower Salford

« We are largely indebted to Abraham H. Cassel for the facts in re-
gard to the earlier history of the Price family. He furnished much
valuable information to Jas. Y. Heckler for his "Historical Sketches
of Lower Salford Township," a copy of which was kindly loaned me
by N. F. Heckler, and I hereby acknowledge my indebtedness to all. —
The Author.

292 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Township, Montgomery County, where he took up land. He
was small in stature — rather imperfectly developed physically —
and not commanding in appearance, but a powerful preacher.

" This man had one son, Johannas, also a minister at an early
age. He became noted for his aptness in writing poetry. In
1753, Christopher Sower, of Germantown, published a col-
lection of his hymns, but in spite of his talents he became so
weakly that his father feared that he would not live to have
issue, and, so anxious was the parent to leave a name and
posterity behind him that he encouraged his son to marry while
still very young. He did so and was blessed with two sons."

It seems to be a well established fact that the wife of this
John was a beautiful Indian maiden who was selected for
her physical perfection. One traditional account states that
when the Indians removed from the neighborhood this
beautiful girl, sick with fever, was left behind. Jacob
Price, the father, was out hunting, and discovered the sick
girl. He took her to his home, where she was tenderly
nursed to health, and became the wife of John the weakly
son. Another account says, her people lived in a log house,
on the farm, on the other side of Indian Creek. She bore
her husband two sons, the second born after the death of
his father. When John Price died, it is said, the young
widow in her sadness, longed for her own people and joined
them, while the grandfather, Jacob, raised the two infant
sons, Daniel and John. Certain it is that this woman has
infused new life into the Price family, that has continued for
a century and a half, and all her descendants may be proud
of such blood and vigor.

Jacob, being well advanced in years and bodily infirm, his
son, John, now being dead, conveyed his plantation, con-
taining 200 acres, to his oldest grandson, Daniel, with all
the power vested in himself, being an alien and no citizen,
February 7, 1741, on condition that he would pay to his
brother, John, £600 in lawful money of Pennsylvania, or
give him his equal half of the 200 acres. To secure the pay-
ment thereof, Daniel gave his bond for the said amount, and
in case Jacob, their grandfather, should die before John was
of lawful age the money was to be given to Jacob Reiff in

INDIAN CREEK CHURCH. 293

trust for the said John Price. The £600 were paid to his
brother, John, April 3, 1753, when the latter signed a
release, acknowledging the receipt of the said sum and re-
nouncing all claim to the land. Daniel Price made applica-
tion to have the plantation legally conveyed to him by patent
which "was obtained from the Honorable John Penn,
Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, December 10, 1742." This
established Daniel Price on the ancestral homestead, and
his male descendants became prominent elders and minis-
ters in Indian Creek, Coventry, Green Tree, Germantown,
Upper Dublin, Hatfield, Springfield, and other churches in
Eastern Pennsylvania. Some of these will be noticed in
proper order, in succeeding pages.

John Price, the younger son before mentioned, in early
life removed to Franklin County, Pennsylvania, where he
and his family won high esteem and material prosperity.
Some of the descendants are scattered throughout the middle
west, — Elder D. E. Price, of Illinois, an ex-moderator of
Annual Meeting, being one of them. But this branch of
the family forms no part of the present history.

Daniel was born December 11, 1723, and he was, there-
fore, within one day of 19 years, when he received the
patent for his grandfather Jacob's farm. Thus was laid
the foundation for the material resources that have served
the Price family for so many generations. He seems to
have been a man of great energy and industry. " He
cleared away the forests and brought the land into service,
the meadows into grass, and the fields under cultivation."
He added to his possessions, until in 1776, he was assessed
for 345 acres. He had thirteen children, but only five sons
and two daughters raised families. In 1783 he sold to
his son John, 130 acres of the farm; and in 1787, 165 acres
to his son William. He died in 1804; aged 80 years, and
2 months. This William increased his holdings until he
owned 322 acres. He died at the age of 45 years, in 1805.
It will thus be seen that some of these early Prices had'
large and valuable possession in farms, and later became
mill-owners and merchants here and elsewhere.

The following is a brief tabulation of ministers in the
Price family at Indian Creek, and elsewhere :

294 the church of the brethren.

Elders and Ministers of the Price Family.

First Generation. — Jacob Price, the great ancestor, was a
prominent minister and elder, in Europe and America.

Second Generation. — John Price, son of Jacob, was a
minister and poet very young. He died at about 22 years
of age.

Third Generation. — There seems to be no record that
either Daniel or John, of this generation, was a minister.

Fourth Generation. — John, son of Daniel, son of John,
son of Jacob, was for many years the elder of Indian Creek.
He died September 7, 1829; aged yy years, 9 months, and 2
days.

George, of the same generation, and a brother to the
above John, moved to Coventry, and was for many years a
prominent minister there, and Elder of the Coventry Church
from 1810 to 1823.

Fifth Generation. — John, son of the above John, of the
fourth generation, was for many years a minister at Ger-
mantown and Upper Dublin.

William W., brother of the above John, was a poet, and
German hymn writer, a sweet singer, and a celebrated
preacher. He was Elder of Indian Creek many years.

John, son of the preceding George of the fourth genera-
tion, was the noted " boy preacher," and succeeded his father
as Elder of Coventry, from 1823 to 1850.

Sixth Generation. — Isaac, son of the above John, of Cov-
entry, was an active and able minister and elder at Green
Tree.

George, brother to Isaac above, was a fellow minister
with him at Green Tree.

John, Jr., a third brother, was a minister at Coventry, and
succeeded his father, John, as Elder of Coventry, from
1850 to 1879.

Henry A., son of Daniel, son of John, son of Daniel, son
of John, son of Jacob, was Elder of Indian Creek. He
died in 1906.

Caleb, son of Daniel, son of Daniel, son of Daniel, son
of John, son of Jacob, was a minister at Hatfield and Upper
Dublin.

INDIAN CREEK CHURCH. 295

Seventh Generation. — Jonas, son of Jacob, son of Wil-
liam W., was for many years one of the leading ministers
at Hatfield.

Jacob M., son of Abraham, son of Jacob, is the present
Elder at Indian Creek.

Biographies, and creditable notice have been given else-
where in this volume to the several Price ministers in their
respective congregations of this District. For lack of ma-
terial and information, as well as lack of space, I can not
give extended biographies of the ministers in the home con-
gregation of the Price family. I wish to add, however, a
few biographical facts, and a few facts of general interest.
The Price family has furnished a large number of teachers
as well as preachers, during its succeeding generations.
Throughout the history of the Indian Creek Church there
have almost always been one or more Price ministers, and
much of the time a Price has been Elder in charge.

Bro. Abraham H. Cassel, many years ago, wrote as
follows :

**As most of the Prices are living in Montgomery County,
and being acquainted with them in all their generations, I
would say for them in general that they have ever been identi-
fied with the most intelligent people of the country, and ap-
pear to have been a priestly race of teachers and preachers as
far back as we have any knowledge of them."

Of William W. Price he wrote as follows :

" William W. Price was the youngest son of Elder John
Price, of the fourth generation. He was born August 29,
1789, on a part of the old homestead at Indian Creek, and
early in life while working yet with his father on the farm
manifested an eager desire for knowledge, so that he embraced
every opportunity to cultivate his mind, occupying all his spare
moments in reading and other studies in which he made great
progress until his sixteenth year when he was apprenticed to
the tailor trade, which he followed till he arrived to manhood ;
then he was requested to teach a school ; he accepted the offer
and was for several years a successful teacher. In 181 3, being
then in his twenty-fifth year, he married Mary Reiff and com-
menced farming, besides working at his trade whenever he

296 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN,

could. They had ten children, nine of which grew to man-
hood and most of them have famiHes. In 1814 he was elected
to the ministry, and about the year 1830, he was advanced to
the office of Elder or Bishop, which he filled with untiring zeal
and unflinching faithfulness until the day of his death, which
occurred August 7, 1849, at the age of nearly sixty years. Of
him it may well be said, 'He preached the word ; was instant, in
season and out of season,' sowing the divine seed on every side.
Besides the cares of a large family and the faithful discharge
of duties to the church at home, he traveled a great deal as an
Evangelist, visiting the surrounding churches and assisting
them at their councils, communion seasons, etc. Occasionally
he also took far trips as missionary to other states, and visited
many of the churches in Maryland, Virginia, and through the
interior of Ohio, long before our modern facilities for travel
had been established, going in his own conveyance and also
at his own expense, thus practically enforcing the precept:
' Freely ye have received, freely give.' . . . He had a powerful
voice and a very retentive memory. Besides his fame as a
preacher he was also a great vocalist, having a thorough under-
standing of the science of music and sang with a wonderful
command and compass of voice. He was also a poet of
considerable ability, and wrote quite a number of German
hymns, besides making many translations of popular and
favorite English verses, a small collection of which were col-
lected by me and were published by J. E. Pfautz, at Ephrata,
Pa., in 1858. He also wrote several sacred poems of con-
siderable length, . . . which were never published ; besides mis-
cellaneous matters in prose and verse."

The Harley Family.

Next to the Price family, in importance, is the Harley
family. The latter having fewer prominent men, but its
history is as old, and it has exerted likewise a very wide
influence in Indian Creek and other Congregations of the
District.

Rudolph Harley, Sr., came to America in the first emigra-
tion of 1719. We have little positive information, but a
few points are important. He is the ancestor of the Harley
family in America, and he was a minister at Indian Creek.
Upon his arrival in America, he settled in Germantown, and

INDIAN CREEK CHURCH. 297

about the year 1733, removed to Amwell, New Jersey.
This was about the time when the celebrated Elder John
Naas established the work in New Jersey. He seems to
have removed to the Indian Creek in 1740, and in the year
1744 purchased from George Stump a farm of 182 acres,
which he owned until 1784.

This brief information is mainly from his great-great-
grandson, Abraham H. Cassel. A little more information
will appear under the head of " Organized Effort."

Information is not at hand to trace this family either
by generations or by individuals, but a few facts are inter-
esting. Some reference is made to Harleys in the history
of other Congregations of the District. The Price and Har-
ley families intermarried, and for several generations the
work at Indian Creek was largely carried on by these two
families. Rudolph Harley, Jr., married Mary, daughter of
Elder Peter Becker; and his son, Samuel, married Cath-
erine, 2d daughter of Elder Christopher Sower. This is
how Elder Peter Becker, Elder Rudolph Harley, Sr., and
Christopher Sower, ist, were great-great-grandfathers to
Abraham H. Cassel. He, therefore, represents, in himself,
four prominent families of Brethren.

There were at least three ministers in later generations, in
the family of Rudolph Harley, Sr., viz. : Samuel, Benjamin,
and Jonas.

Elder Samuel Harley.

I must close this family by a brief biography of its most
celebrated representative. He was " the fifth child of Abra-
ham, born November 26, 1795." He was married to Eliz-
abeth Klein and had two children. Jas. Y. Heckler, in
"Sketches of Lower Salford Township," says of him:

" He was a minister and Bishop, or Elder in the Dunkard or
Brethren Church, and was one of the most eloquent and in-
fluential speakers the church ever had. He became widely
known and highly distinguished as a speaker and orator in the
German language."

298 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

The following is taken from " Cassel Family, by Daniel
Kolb Cassel" :

" Rev. Samuel Harley, son of Abraham, . . . was a farmer
by occupation, and early in life became a member of the
German Baptist or Brethren Church. It was not very long
until he was elected to the office of deacon in which capacity
he was often requested to offer prayer and to bear testimony
to the sermons, which he did with so much ability that he was
soon called to the ministry. He was a diligent reader of
Scripture, of church history, of the church fathers and of
religious authors, and improved rapidly as a speaker and orator.
After the death of Elder William Price, in 1849, he was or-
dained to the position of Bishop by the laying on of hands.
He had much magnetic influence and in his preaching had a
very persuasive way in declaring his ideas, appealing to sinners,
convincing and converting them. He was the most eloquent
German minister in the Brethren Church in his time, and wher-
ever he went he drew large crowds of people. He was also
very sociable and affectionate in his intercourse with his
friends. He often went into other localities to preach, and
when it was known that he was coming, the people would
flock together 'to hear him. It was by his preaching that many
people were converted to God and a number of churches were
started, and eight or more meeting-houses were built under his
care. As a minister and an orator he was very successful, and
his abilities were of the highest order. . . . He died October 20,
1878, aged 82 years, 10 months and 24 days."

Samuel Harley was a son of Abraham, son of Samuel,
son of Rudolph, Jr., son of Rudolph, Sr. Benjamin was his
brother and Jonas was his son.

Other Families. — There are other families, many of
them no doubt, which have entered actively into the work
at Indian Creek during these almost two hundred years,
whose names are not even known to me. There are some,
however, that have furnished prominent workers, ministers
and lay members, that deserve brief notice, in fact deserve
more extended notice than can be given here.

The Nyce family is likely an old one at Indian Creek, and
dates back to Germantown at an early day, and has repre-
sentative workers in a number of Congregations in the Dis-

INDIAN CREEK CHURCH. 299

trict. This family was represented in the Indian Creek min-
istry during the past generation by Elder William P. Nyce.
See " Elders of Indian Creek."

The Cassel family is a very large and influential family,
has had a continuous existence in this country for more than
two hundred years. Members of this family have been in
the Brethren Church for four or five generations. Like the
Price and Harley families this one has also given ministers
to other congregations.

Abraham H. Cassel. — A conspicuous figure in our church
history, and one of the most celebrated laymen in the
Brotherhood, was Abraham H. Cassel. His biography has
been written many times, and very fully in newspapers and
magazine articles, and, also, in "The Cassel Family, by
Daniel K. Cassel," and it is not necessary to record here
an extensive account of his life. The frequent references
to, and quotations from, his writings, in this volume, have
already recorded in part his extensive labors of research
into the early history of the Brethren. It is necessary, how-
ever, to present here some biographical facts that shall give
him a proper setting in his home congregation, four of
whose prominent families, as stated, he so conspicuously
represents. From "Biographies, Men of Montgomery
County, Abraham H. Cassel," by Samuel W. Pennypacker
(Ex-governor), I quote as follows:

" This remarkable man, whose memory will be cherished as
long as the German race exists in Pennsylvania, is a descendant
in the fifth generation of Hupert Kassel (Cassel), who came
to this county about 171 5. . . .

"He was born in Towamencin township, Montgomery
county, on the 21st of September, 1820, and reared in an in-
terior German settlement, at such a distance from the outside
world that only in recent years has a railroad approached
within five miles of his residence; among a people whose
highest ambition is the accumulation of land, which they only
acquire by hard labor and rugged selfdenial ; and whose sole
literary food is the Bible or sermon of the Dunker or Menno-
nite preacher — a farmer like themselves. His immediate an-
cestors and parents were plain and worthy people, whose views
of life were limited to the sowing of the seed and the gather-

300 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

ing in of the harvest ; and who felt in their consciences that
to permit a child to spend his time over books was to start
him upon the broad way which leads to destruction. . . .

" His father finding that his fondness for books was increas-
ing, and fearing that it would lead him entirely away from
useful labor, sternly endeavored to repress it. Fire, money
and light were denied him, and even the rod was not spared
in the effort to crush the supposed evil propensity. The boy
was therefore compelled to pursue his studies by stealth, as
he had opportunity — in the wagonhouse, in the haymow, and
late at night while others were asleep. About six weeks' tui-
tion at a country school house was all the instruction he re-
ceived. . . . He learned to write with a chicken feather, which
a kind relative showed him how to split at the point. When
a young man he began to teach school, and in this occupation
continued for eight years. While boarding around in the
farmers' houses, in lieu of salary, as was the custom, he found
the opportunity of his life in learning the whereabouts of those
rare old tomes, long since neglected and forgotten, which the
religious enthusiasts who settled Pennsylvania brought with
them across the Atlantic, or reprinted here for their spiritual
delectation. In early youth he began to invest his spare earn-
ings in books, and now, at the age of fifty-eight (in 1879), he
has a library of over 10,000 volumes, which is in some re-
spects one of the most remarkable in the world, and in its
own particular specialties stands entirely alone. It would be
impossible within the limits of such a notice as this to give an
adequate idea of his valuable collection. It is in the main a
theological and historical library in English and German,
though not confined to those subjects of language. In the
works of the fathers of the Church of the Reformed of the
sixteenth century, and in the early printed Bible it is particu-
larly rich. The literature of the Dunker Church (Brethren),
specimens of which are difficult to find elsewhere, is here seen
entire. It contains much literary bric-a-brac.

"On the 1st of April, 1843, he married EHzabeth, daughter
of Issachar and Elizabeth Rhodes, and they had eight children.

" In addition to his library he owns a farm of seventy-five
acres, and by industry and frugality has accumulated what is
considered a competence by the unpretentious people among
w^hom he lives."

Bro. Cassel sold his library principally in three collections.

INDIAN CREEK CHURCH. 301

viz. : "Mt. Morris College, Mt. Morris, 111. ; Pensylvania His-
torical Society, Philadelphia, Pa. ; and Dr. M. G. Brum-
baugh, for Juniata College, Huntingdon, Pa.

He died April 23, 1908^ aged 87 years, and is buried in
the Harley, or Klein, Burying ground, at Klein's, or Fran-
conia meeting-house.

The Booz family has been identified with the work for
several generations and has produced some active workers.
Jacob Booz, of the past generation, was a minister for many
years, — and his son, Jacob M. Booz, is now an Elder at
Upper Dublin.

Elder James Shisler, representing the Shisler family, is
a very active minister in the present generation, and has
been non-resident Elder of several congregations in the Dis-
trict.

The Heckler family has furnished active workers for sev-
eral generations, including James Y. Heckler, author of
"History of Lower Salford Township" ; and " Ecclesiatir
them, or a Song of the Brethren."

Jesse Y. Heckler, a brother, was a minister in Nebraska,
and Joseph, another brother, is a deacon, at Hatfield.

Many other families might be mentioned in this con-
nection, but I am either not familiar with their history, or
they have been sufficiently noticed elsewhere.

Organized Beginnings.

Unfortunately we know but little of the earliest Indian
Creek history, except as already noted in the principal
workers and their families. We have already stated, how-
ever, that services were held by the Germantown ministers
from earliest times. Bro. Abraham H. Cassel wrote many
years ago, about these times, viz. :

" Several other Brethren soon settled in the vicinity, promi-
nent among them was Johannes Kempfer, Ulrich Stauffer and
George Reiff, who with their numerous descendants soon con-
stituted the nucleus of the present Indian Creek Church, for
as soon as a goodly number were within convenient distances
they instituted public worship in their private houses and barns.

302 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Rudolph Harley and Jakob Preis (Jacob Price) served as
exhorters or licensed preachers, and as the members here were
mostly the offspring of the mother church at Germantown, they
were for many years regarded as a branch of the Germantown
Church and were therefore under their fostering care, and
frequently visited by the Elders and officials of Germantown."

After the death of his wife, at Germantown, in 1746,
Elder Peter Becker moved to the Indian Creek, and resided
there, with his daughter, Mrs. Rudolph Harley, Jr., until his
death, in 1758. Jacob Price having died, the ministers dur-
ing this period, resident, were Peter Becker and Rudolph
Harley Sr., with frequent visits from Germantown, and
Elder Abraham Duboy, of Greatswamp, also assisted for
several years, until his death, in 1748. These were indeed
the beginnings, but all these workers passed away before
there was an organized and separate congregation.

Generations passed away, and a new era dawns. John
Price, the great-grandson of the above Jacob Price, " was
born in 1751, and became a member early in life, and soon
after an assistant in the ministry, and was ordained about
1785. From that time the Indian Creek branch became an
independent church."^

Eld. John Price was in the Eldership about 44 years, and
seems to have had charge of the Church during the entire
period, which was evidently a period of considerable ex-
pansion of the work. But nothing can be said definitely
about the growth, as there seem to be absolutely no records
of baptisms for the first one hundred years or more.

Meeting-Houses and Burial Grounds.

Indian Creek. — It is impossible to say when the first
meeting-house was built, but it was built on the grounds of
the present Indian Creek Meeting-House, on which grounds
there have been four houses, the first three being on the same
site at the road. The First House was a small one, " like
a small school-house," a frame structure, built of unfinished
boards, painted red and the building was not heated or

1 Notes, by Abraham H. Cassel.

W
H
C^
U

W
H
W

w
u

Grave of Elder Samuel Harley,
Indian Creek.

Gnave ok Elder Hkn'ky Price,
Indian Creek.

INDIAN CREEK CHURCH. 303

lighted. So tradition tells us, and the story is likely cor-
rect enough, — and the picture is, indeed, entirely correct, if
this house existed at an early date, as seems to be the case.
The Second House was also of frame, built on the same
site, but larger in size, — indicating the needs of the growing
interest in the religious activity on the Indian Creek. I
have not been able to find out how long these houses stood,
but it is very evident these two served their purpose as a
place of worship many years. The Third House occupied
the same site, and was much larger. It was a substantial
stone building, with a basement under a part of the build-
ing, and is said to have been erected in 1850, or soon after
that date. This house served the congregation for half a
century, and, though Mingo, Hatfield and Springfield were
cut off, and organized separately, the growing mother con-
gregation could no longer be properly accommodated in the
stone house of the fathers, and it was torn down in 1906.
The Fourth House was built the same year. It had been
decided to repair the old stone house but a strong sentiment
developed for a new house. Elder Jacob M. Price and
deacon Jeremiah Shelly were appointed as solicitors to see if
the money could be raised. They started out, and on the
afternoon of the third day, the amount, $5,500, had been
raised. The stone for the basement wall of the new house
of worship was taken from the old stone one. It is built of
brick, size 50 X 70 feet, slate roof, and full basement story,
audience room heated by hot air furnace. This splendid
new church building was dedicated September 29 and 30,
1906.

Burial Grounds. — There are two burial grounds in this
neighborhood. The Price Burial Ground is located on the
old Price homestead, within sight of the meeting-house, and
is historic, having been used by the Price family for many
generations, likely from the beginning. Family connections
are also buried here, but not many others. Some years ago
a burial ground was opened at the meeting-house, and this
is the general public burial place.

Klein. — This place is also called Franconia. The land
was taken from the Klein farm, and is located in Franconia

304 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

township, hence the two names. This meeting-house is less
than two miles from Indian Creek, is a small, frame house,
not large enough for love feast services. The following
account of the dedication, I find in the notes of Abraham H.
Cassel :

"Dedication of our new Meeting-House, Franconia,
Christmas, 1843. Jacob Wenger and Samuel Gibble with
us all night, father sorely afflicted, could not go out. ist.
Meeting, William Price, (preached) John 10:21, of the
feast of Dedication, — its origin, and meaning. 2nd by-
Wenger. Noon, Jacob Reiner, Hosea 11, 'I have written
unto him the great things of my law but they were accounted
as a strange thing.' 2nd. by Samuel Harley, Morning Jacob
Wenger, John 2:5, German, then Berge and Henry Nice
(Men.) spoke very well, then William Price concluded with
a very appropriate Prayer. House crowded during the
whole time."

The Harley Burying Ground adjoins the Klein Meeting-
house, and is, of course, very much older; for Elder Peter
Becker, who died in 1758, is buried here and it, therefore,
may be almost as old as the Price Burial Ground. This
farm was owned by Rudolph Harley, Jr., and it is possible
that he gave the ground about the time his father-in-law,
Elder Peter Becker, died, in 1758. In the old deed, of 1800,
"The graveyard, known as Harley's burying ground, lo-
cated on this tract, was reserved in the conveyance when the
farm was sold by Henry Harley to Isaac Klein, and was not
sold." According to these facts, the burying ground is
about one hundred years older than the meeting-house.

Towamincin, also called Towamencing, in many old
records. This meeting-house is also known as " Prey's,"
and "Reiff's," and has a very interesting history, and its
locality. John Reiff was a minister among the " Funkites,"
a branch of Mennonites, and had a meeting-house built on
his own land near the Skippack in Towamencin in 18 14.
Upon the death of John Reiff, in 1826, the farm and the
meeting-house passed into the hands of John Reiff, Jr. " By
his will, dated August 14, 1830, he devised his farm and his
mills to his only son, Henry P. Reiff, and the meeting-

INDIAN CREEK CHURCH. 305

house with half an acre of ground, on the Forty- foot road,
to the use of the Dunkard church (Brethren) forever."^

He was known as John Reiff, the miller, and he has been
spoken of by old people who knew him, as a very fine man
and a zealous Christian. He was married to Catherine
Price, and was a faithful member of the Church of the
Brethren. I quote the following from Bro. Abraham H.
Cassel's notes, of this old place of worship: "Protracted
Meetings at Reiff' s Meeting House on Christmas 1841.'*
"Friday Evening, William Price i Mose 49:10 (5 lines
quoted in German). James Quinter Saturday Morning
James Quinter Isaiah 9:6-8 (text quoted in English, and
some outline of the sermon). William Price also Isaiah
1:16.

"Saturday Evening John Umstad I. Kings 4:21 'Why
halt ye, etc' James Quinter II. Cor. 4:13* We believe and
therefore speak we so earnestly' — both with extraordinary
power and ability, ist. night with Mrs. Reiff and daughter
the rest with Bro. M. F. was greatly refreshed and well re-
warded for coming. May the Lord grant me his grace and
enable me to live up to the resolution I then formed — John
Umstad sang the Beautiful Hymn * Hail the blest morn when
the great mediator down from the regions of glory
descended ' — with an effect the like of which I never heard
nor seen before, after having made some remarks over it."
Without any attempt to change, I have copied these per-
sonal notes of a remarkable series of meetings held seventy
three years ago. Such a trio of able and godly men could
perhaps not have been duplicated anywhere in the Brother-
hood. Because these men of spiritual power lived, our in-
heritance is richer, and our opportunities and responsibil-
ities greater. This meeting-house having served the com-
munity so well for several generations, was torn down in
1880, and the new house built almost on the same founda-
tion.

Elders at Indian Creek. — Those who assisted in the work
before the organization, 1723 to about 1785, were as
follows :

1 " Sketches of Lower Salford Township."
21

306 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Elders Jacob Price and Rudolph Harley, Sr., and Peter
Becker from 1746 to 1758, were resident. Elders Peter
Becker, (1723 to 1746), Alexander Mack, Sr., Alexander
Mack, Jr., and Christopher Sower, of Germantown, and
Abraham Duboy, of Greats wamp, were non-resident.

Since the organization, the following are known to have
been in charge: Elder John Price, 1785 to 1829. Elder
William W. Price, about 1830 to 1849. Elder Samuel
Harley, 1849 to 1878. Elder William P. Nyce, about 1886
to 1889. Elder Henry A. Price, 1889 to 1906. Elder
Jacob M. Price, 1906 to present.

I have laboriously gleaned in a wide extended field of his-
tory, and it may be some of the best I did not find, but
I present with joy what I have here brought, in the hope that
it may in part be worthy of those who toiled here in the
past, and with the prayer that it may inspire the present
generation to worthy emulation.

CHAPTER III.
THE MINGO CHURCH.

The history of the Mingo Church in its separate existence
dates from the year 1869 when it was first represented by
its own delegates to the District Meeting of that year.

Prior to the above date when all its territory was still a
part of the Indian Creek Church, there had been much activ-
ity by the Brethren in these parts and a strong membership
had been built up both around the Mingo and the Skippack
houses and also quite a few families lived in the vicinity of
Methatchon House and also quite a little band in Norris-
town where also a house of worship had been built.

So that the territory now known as the Mingo Church,
reaching from east of Norristown west to Pottstown touch-
ing the Schuylkill River east of Royersford and following
that stream for several miles, making the territory covered
about twenty miles long and ten miles wide, at that time in-
cluding Norristown and Royersford (which since have both
been organized separately) contained four houses of wor-
ship and a membership of approximately one hundred.

At this time there were also the following ministers:
Henry Cassel, Abram Cassel, Isaac Kulp, John Gottwals,
John Isett, and Benj. Harley. Henry Cassel was an Elder
and was placed in charge of the church. Also the follow-
ing deacons : John Detwiler, Jacob Harley, Jesse Conner,
Jeriah Saylor, Samuel Markley.

Outside of these with their families, we should mention
Frederick and Samuel Isett, Benj. Keyser, Abraham Alder-
fer, Joseph Tyson, Philip Stearley, Henry Grater, Fred and
John Isenberg, Michael Freed, B, F. Derr, Isaac Grater,
Jesse Cassel, Dr. S. B. Detwiler, Harry Ashenfelter, Philip
Rosenberger, Abram Zollers, Jacob Markley, Andrew Wan-
ner, Abraham Moyer, Charles Starr, Henry Fry, Samuel
Hendricks, Jacob Landis, John Alder fer, John Bean, Eliza-

307

308 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

beth Brandt, Benj. Reiff, William Spare, R. Scheets, Wil-
liam, Benj. and Jesse Clemmer, and their parents, Breth-
ren Christman and Emery. Eighteen of the 46 families
mentioned are represented in the present membership.
Fifty-seven of the present members are direct descendants
of the original families and 20 of these from one family,
that of a deacon. Where are the other families?

There was already about this time and a little before, con-
siderable of an exodus to the west including Samuel Horn-
ing, Minister, John Horning, Deacon, Isaac Conner, Samuel
Horning, Jacob and Lewis Wasser.

On account of some very local trouble there was some
deflection to the River Brethren including among them John
Haldeman, Jacob and Christian Haldeman and Daniel
Harley.

Henry Cassel, the first Bishop of the Mingo Church, was
born July 11, 1814; was elected to the ministry, 1849,
twenty years before the date of organization of the church.
He had charge of the church from its organization to the
time of his death, June 28, 1883. Bro. Cassel was an en-
thusiastic and forceful speaker, and had good executive
ability and the church prospered greatly during his incum-
bency. It is only after his death, however, that any known
records were kept of the church's growth and proceedings.
After Bro. Cassel's death the church was without a resident
Elder for several years. August 8, 1885, ^^ ^^ effort to
have an ordination effected, Abram Cassel and Isaac Kulp
were so nearly tie that both were ordained and they both
took equal part in looking after the interests of the church
without deciding which should be foreman, as is now
usually done.

In the spring of 1885 Abram L. Conner, an efficient young
minister, with his family moved to Virginia. The follow-
ing spring Isaac Harley, a deacon, and his family also went
to Virginia.

The first action that appears upon the church's records in
reference to Sunday Schools was taken in April, 1886, when
it was granted that schools might be organized at both
Skippack and Mingo. There is a very fragmentary record

THE MINGO CHURCH. 309

of a Sunday School that was organized in the spring of
1870 with Isaac Kulp, Dr. S. B. Detwiler, John Reiff, An-
drew Wanner, Abram Zollers and others as leaders. After
continuing for about five years it seems that it was dis-
continued for several years and again had a short existence
after which all records disappear. Since the year 1886,
however, and before our territory was further subdivided,
there have been as many as six Sunday Schools in operation
at one time.

In the spring of 1888, Jesse Ziegler and his family moved
into the congregation and was elected Sunday School Super-
intendent at Mingo. The same spring the District Meeting
was also held at the Skippack House.

In 1889 Jacob Conner, a minister in the second degree,
moved into the Mingo Church from Coventry, Chester Co.,
and helped along in the ministry, which had become con-
siderably weakened through death and emigration and ad-
vancing years. Bro. Isaac Kulp especially about this time
was so disabled physically that he could not serve the church
in any active capacity, and Bro. Abram Cassel, having died,
it also left the church without a resident Elder.

On May 10, 1890, the church called Jesse Ziegler to the.
ministry, and on February 14, 1891, Andrew Wanner was
elected deacon. October 11, 1891, Jesse Ziegler was ad-
vanced to the second degree of the ministry. October 31,,
1 89 1, Samuel H. Price was elected deacon at Norristown..
William Johnson, a deacon, from Carroll Co., 111., having-
moved into the Mingo congregation, his certificate was
accepted, March 21, 1891. May 6, 1893, Bro. Isaac Cassel
was elected to the ministry.

Through the personal efforts of Isaac Kulp and his
daughter Emma and the members at Gratersford, they had
built up there a strong Sunday School and good meetings in
a small and uncomfortable chapel. Bro. Jacob Conner and
his family also having moved close to the village, they felt
justified in making an effort to secure a house of worship.
September 9, 1893, the church decided to build a house at
Gratersford and appointed Michael Freed, Jacob Conner,

310 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Wilson Brunner, John Detwiler and Jesse Ziegler build-
ing committee.

August 17, 1895, Wm. F. Gottshall and Amos Ziegler
were elected deacons. Bro. Robert Jones, a deacon from
Whiteside Co., 111., having moved into the community with
his family, their certificates were accepted March 14, 1896.
In the fall of 1896, Elder A. L. Grater, also from Illinois,
moved into this church, and September 4, 1897, he was
elected as Elder of the Mingo Church. His son, Jacob
Grater, a deacon, was also duly received into his office.
The members at Norristown desiring that a greater effort
be made in the town to do mission work, the church ap-
pointed Sister Elizabeth Grater to take up this work.

December 4, 1897, the church decided to call for next
Ministerial Meeting of the District. This meeting, together
with a special District Meeting, called to convene at the
time of Ministerial Meeting, was held in October, 1898, in
the Mingo House.

After making a special effort to build up the work at
Norristown.it was seen that it was indispensable to the suc-
cess of the work there to have a minister live there and give
the cause much attention. Early in 1898 Bro. William M.
Howe came and took up this work. About this time Levi
Ziegler and family moved in from Lebanon County.

The church, having decided that more workers were
needed, called Brother Jacob Grater to the ministry and
Samuel Jones and Samuel Gottshall to the deacon's office,
and ordained Jesse Ziegler to the Eldership on May 5, 1900.

At this time the church also adopted a plan to take care
of some bequests that had been made for the maintenance
of the several cemeteries of the church, as well as some other
endowment funds. A considerable fund has thus been
gathered and permanently invested to support the work of
the church.

About 1890 the members at Royersford began to have
services and Sunday School, and in 1900 organized into a
church, thus taking a number of the Mingo members at the
time and since, as they have moved into the town.

In 1 90 1, Norristown was organized into a separate

THE MINGO CHURCH. 311

church and most of those living in the town and those who
moved there since have left the Mingo Church and cast in
their lot with the workers there. No less than about sixty
members have taken out their certificates in the above two
instances.

Daniel P. Ziegler, a minister, with his family moved in
from Berks County, and his letter was received, May i8,
1901. In the fall of the same year Bro. Samuel Markley
died, aged 67 years. He was a devoted and active deacon
for many years and in his departure the church lost one of
its most faithful workers.

December 7, 1901, Daniel P. Ziegler was advanced to the
second degree of the ministry. It was also decided on
account of Jesse Ziegler moving to Reading to elect a min-
ister. March 19, 1902, Levi Ziegler was elected.

The cause around the Methatchon House having weakened
through members dying and moving away it was decided,
December 6, 1902, to discontinue services there for the time.
Some effort was made to revive the meetings, but finally the
work was abandoned. Jesse Ziegler and family having
moved back from Reading their certificate was accepted,
March 5, 1904.

Bro. Joseph N. Cassel moved from Hatfield in 1905 and
the following spring was elected Superintendent of the Sun-
day School at Skippack.

P. A. Smith, a minister, from Reading, with his family
having moved into the congregation, their certificate was
accepted, March 7, 1906.

Elder A. L. Grater having moved to Norristown, resigned
as elder of the church and Jesse Ziegler was elected as Elder
and Levi Ziegler and P. A. Smith were advanced to the
second degree of the ministry, September 7, 1907.

John Ziegler, a deacon, moved into this church from
Berks County and May 5, 19 10, the certificates of himself
and family were received; at the same meeting, Joseph N.
Cassel was elected to the ministry and Reuben Haldeman
was chosen deacon.

On Thanksgiving day, 19 10, the local missionary and
Sunday School meeting was held at Mingo.

312 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

The members at Graters ford having nearly all moved
away and the work having decidedly lapsed even after re-
peated efforts to revive it and to keep up a Sunday School,
at a Council, December 3, 19 10, the trustees were authorized
to sell the property, which they did. The Mingo Church
now has concentrated its efforts at Mingo and Skippack, the
members of late years that have not gone into the larger
towns having settled more around these houses.

At the present the church has five ministers, — Elder Jesse
Ziegler, Elder in charge; three ministers in the second de-
gree, Isaac Cassel, Levi Ziegler, P. A. Smith, and one in the
first, Joseph N. Cassel.

The official board also includes seven deacons, Andrew
Wanner, S. H. Price, Wm. Johnson, Wm. F. Gottshall,
Samuel F. Gottshall, John Ziegler, Reuben Haldeman, one
church clerk. Messenger Correspondent, a missionary com-
mittee of three members, and a membership of nearly one
hundred and forty.

The Mingo Church furnished the first foreign Missionary
sent out by Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In the fall
of 1908 Sister Katherine Ziegler, daughter of Daniel P.
and Mary Ziegler, left her mother ( father having died the
same summer) for the India Mission-field as the representa-
tive of the Sunday Schools of the District.

Bishops of Mingo Church: (i) Henry A. Cassel, i869»-
1883; (2) Abram Cassel and (3) Isaac Kulp, 1885-1890;
(4) Frank P. Cassel (non-resident), 1893-1897; (5) A. L.
Grater, 1897-1907; (6) Jesse Ziegler, 1907-.

Jesse Ziegler.

CHAPTER IV.
HATFIELD CHURCH.

It is likely that for a number of years some members
were living in this part of the Indian Creek territory, and
that services v^^ere held once in a while in homes and school
houses. As a young man, Abraham H. Cassel taught school
in this neighborhood, and it was here that he got his wife,
a Miss Rhodes. Among the earliest members here was
Caleb Price, who taught school at the Eight-Square School
House where the Brethren had preaching. He attended
services at Upper Dublin later, was elected to the ministry
there, and later moved to Ohio. His sister Mary was also
a member early, married Abraham Price of Indian Creek.
Among the earliest members, besides Bro. Caleb Price, and
his sister, Mary, were :

Old George Fisher and wife, John Kile and wife, Jacob
Reiner and wife, Peter Custer and wife, Abel Ballew and
wife, and a few other sisters.

The Eight-Square School House. — Here, as in many other
communities, in an early day, the Brethren figured promi-
nently in combining the educational and religious activity of
the community. There was need of a school house in this
neighborhood. The community, or neighbors, proposed
that if the Brethren would assist in this work, the school
house would be built especially large so that the Brethren
could hold preaching services therein. The offer was ac-
cepted and the Eight-Square which became such a conspic-
uous part in the life of this community, was built. I have
not been able to fix the exact date when it was built, but
events that follow will show the time when history was
made in this famous school house ; certain it is, that it was
built some time before 1840. Bro. Jacob Crauthamel, of
Hatfield, says of this period : " I remember going with my
parents to the Eight-Square School House to services when

313

314 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

I was a small boy. My grandfather (Hunsberger) was
active in building it, one of the main men. He was a Men-
nonite, but thought much of the Brethren, and invited them
to his home for dinner, at time of services. The Brethren
had services every two weeks, no one else, but after the
Brethren left, the Methodists had services sometimes."
Just when these services commenced and when they en-
tirely ceased, I can not say, but it was during this period of
preaching at the Eight-Square that the foundation of the
Hatfield Church was laid, many of the substantial famihes
of the community constituting the foundation stones.

The Revival Services at Eight-Square School House. — I
am greatly indebted to our late Bro. Abraham H. Cassel for
a brief record of a few services. It will be noticed that
services were held, according to this record, at least as
early as September, 1839.

"September 29, 1839. 8 sq. School House, Hatfield, Isaac
Lawshe John 5 : 14. Sin no more lest worse things come over
thee, and other passages of the same Chapter,

"William Price, German.

"March 21, 1840. Saturday evening, Hockers old Free
School House, on the cow path Road. James Quinter, John
9: 35-6 (text quoted,) he showed, ist. what believing in him is,
then 2nd. that all are not believers, that pretend to be.

" March 22. School-House, Hatfield, James Quinter Acts
16: 16-40 he showed ist. How happy man was in every event
of his life if he is a Christian and gave a striking example of it
from Paul and Silas singing Praises to God at midnight when
confined in stocks and of their prayer being answered by an
earthquake — also of the jailer's question ' What must I do to he
saved' ist. What he did do and how we should take an example
of him and do likewise.

" Monday, April 27. School-House in Hatfield. John Price,
Sr., I. Tim. 4: 16 (Quoted in English.)

" William Price, Heb. 2 : 1-4. Baptismal services, Mary
Price, Peter Custer and wife.

" Saturday evening, May 2nd. At Bro. Isaac Lawshe's Wor-
rington Bucks County. Israel Paulson I. John 3 : 1-3 (Quoted) .

" Sunday Morning 3rd. Israel Poulson, John 14 : 1-2 Let
not your heart, etc." ''Afternoon, Israel Paulson, Rev. 2 : 1-8.
Quoted.

HATFIELD CHURCH. 315

" Pfingsten, June 8. In School House, Hatfield, William
Price, Ps 29. (Quoted in German.)

"July 12, 1840. School House Hatfield, (Saturday even-
ing,) John Umstead, H. Tim. i Chap. Jacob Reiner a good
exhortation.

" Sunday Morning in woods. John Umstead Rom. 12. Wil-
liam Preis Rom. 12, Ger. Silas Thomas, Baptized.

" Saturday, August 29, evenings at County line School-
House near Lexington. John Umstead, ' I am not ashamed,
etc.

" Sunday Morning, New School House, Hatfield. James
Quinter I. John 5: 8. (Quoted in English.) 4 Baptized.

"April 4, 1841. School House, Hatfield. William Price,
Luke 1 : 74-75 (Quoted in Ger.)

"(2nd. Day Lovefeast May 22^ at Indian Creek,) Sunday
Morning — Zuck (Abraham) done the principal Sermon. In
the afternoon we held an Election for Ministers, on which
occasion the Majority fell upon Jacob Reiner from Line Lex-
ington, and Benjamin Harley of Stone Hill."

Bro. Reiner was for many years the Elder of the Hatfield
Church, perhaps until his death in 1889, and was especially
active, and the main force in building up, and maintaining
Pine Run. Under the head of ''Protracted Meetings," by
Bro. Cassel, I find the following:

" School-House in Hatfield, Christmas 1839, 5 meetings,
evening, Wm. Price, John 3: 33-45, (Quoted Ger.), Jacob
Reiner, Deut. 32: 29, (quoted in Eng.) Forenoon, James
Quinter, Gal. 4: 4-9, Evenings, James Quinter, Phil. 3: 7-9,
Forenoon, James Quinter, Mark 8: 38. (These texts quoted
in English, at length.)

"School-House, Hatfield, April 18, 1840. ist. evening John
Umstead, John 14: 6 (text quoted, Eng.) Closed with a very
warm Prayer-meeting. Morning James Quinter I. Cor. 15:
57-58 (Text quoted.) Noon James Quinter^ I. Tim. 5: 24-
25, (Text quoted in English.) John Price, Acts 17: 30-31,
(Text quoted, Eng.) Very good. 2d Evening James Quinter
I. Cor. 1 : 23-24 (Text quoted, Eng.) John Umstead a short
testimony thereto. 2d. Morning William Price Ps., 2: 8-12
(Text quoted, Ger.) John Umstead, Jacob Stover, James
Quinter, no texts. 3 were received and baptized."

316 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN,

These quotations are brief, but I think understood. They
are exceedingly interesting from several viewpoints. Many
of the important men of all the adjoining churches w^ere
engaged in establishing this infant church. The character
of the texts used from time to time is characteristic, and
instructive. These quotations fix a definite period when
protracted meetings, among us, were in their beginnings.
It was a formative period of vast influence for expansion,
well illustrated in the work at the "8 square/' Here were
men who became national figures. The results are interest-
ing here, and throughout the territory of the Indian Creek
Mother Church, and for this reason I have devoted
considerable space to recording these important matters.
I hope the long research necessary to gather some details of
this earlier period, will be repaid by some permanent inter-
est and value of this record.

The First Meeting-House. — The land was donated by
Bro. Geo. Fisher, who afterwards moved to Ohio. After
some timber had been hauled, before the house was built, the
Brethren made some seats beneath the big white oak trees,
and William Hertzler, then a young man in the ministry,
and unmarried, preached to the assembled Brethren and
their neighbors. This was the first service held upon these
grounds, an appropriate consecration service. This first
meeting-house was built of brick, about 30 by 40 feet, with
preacher's platform and stand. The date seems to be about
1 85 1, when this house was built, and it stood only about 15
years. There were at the time of building about 25 mem-
bers. The revival services at Eight-Square, often called
the " big revival," was the immediate cause for the move to
build the meeting-house. Among the converts were : Jo-
seph Crauthamel and wife, and daughter Mary, Isaac Huns-
berger and daughter Mary, Caleb Price's mother, Elizabeth,
Aaron Wagoner and wife, John Miinsinger and wife, and
others, 15 in all. When these converts from the revival
were taken up, the church met at the home of Jacob Huns-
berger, the friend of the Brethren. For many facts of this
interesting period, from 1850 to 1865, I am indebted to
Jacob and Elder Hilary Crauthamel, sons of Joseph Craut-

HATFIELD CHURCH. 317

hamel, and grandsons of Jacob Hunsberger, who were prom-
inent figures in these times of the " building period."

The Second Meeting-House. — A meeting was called to
consider repairing, when it was found that the foundation
had given way, the gable was cracked, and the house was
too small for the increasing congregation. It was decided
to build a new house at once. The old house was torn
down, and the brick used in the new house, which is also
of brick, and plastered. Joseph Crauthamel was on the
building committee and carried the brick, barefooted. This
house served the congregation until 1906, when a large addi-
tion was built, and a heater placed in the basement. Regu-
lar services commenced in Lansdale, in 1888, and in 1896,
the present meeting-house there was built. Regular serv-
ices are also now held in Souderton. Other church activ-
ities, evergreen Sunday Schools at Landsdale and Hatfield,
cottage prayer-meetings, teacher training class and teach-
ers' meetings are maintained.

May 7, 1874, the District Meeting convened in the Hat-
field Church, and again in 1907.

Minutes have been kept only since 1871, and from them
Bro. Geo. H. Light, the present church clerk, kindly fur-
nished some data.

Ministers. — Elders William Price and Samuel Harley of
Indian Creek were prominent in the work in Hatfield, in the
earlier years, Harley being Elder in charge until the time of
organization. Elder Jacob K. Reiner was born Mar. 22,
1807; elected to the ministry May 22, 1841, and ordained
to the Eldership about 1864, at the time of the organiza-
tion of the Hatfield Church, and became Elder in charge.
Died Jan. 12, 1889, and is buried at Pine Run. Jonas
Price, Sr., moved over from Indian Creek, about the time
of the revival, later elected to the ministry, and advanced.
Moved to Elizabethtown, where he died, and is buried at
Price's graveyard, Indian Creek.

Elder F. P. Cassel was the next minister elected in Hat-
field. He was born Dec. 16, 1849, baptized in 1865, elected
to the ministry before 1879, ordained to the eldership about
1884.

318 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Elder Hilary Crauthamel was born Nov, 14, 1841. He
was elected to the ministry Aug. 9, 1884. Some years later
he was ordained to the elders.hip, and had charge of the
church for a number of years, during the time of impaired
health of Elder F. P. Cassel. Bro. Crauthamel died Febru-
ary 14, 1914, and is buried at Hatfield. Ministers elected
since: W. B. Fretz, May 11, 1889; Jacob M. Booz, Sept. 11,
1909; G. H. Light, May 11, 1912.

Deacons. — The following have been deacons in the Hat-
field Church:

James Custer, John Kratz, Jacob Rosenberger, Jonas
Cassel, Jacob Detweiler, William Kratz, Joseph Heckler,
Peter Frederick, Artemus Rosenberger, Frank Miinsinger.

CHAPTER V.
SPRINGFIELD CHURCH.

Just when Greatswamp Brethren Church ceased to exist
as an organization can not be determined; but it is prob-
able that a few surviving members were the means of reviv-
ing the work that finally led to the organization of the
Springfield Church. Certain it is, that several of the prom-
inent Bishops of the Indian Creek Church, of the past gen-
eration, preached in the old union meeting house ; this region
had of necessity become a part of the vast Indian Creek
domain.

Territorial Extent. — This territory of the Springfield
Church is bounded on the east, by the Delaware River; on
the south, by the territory of the Hatfield and Indian Creek
congregations; on the west, by the Maiden Creek; and on
the north, unbounded by any Brotherhood lines. This is
a vast region of territory, for the most part, unorganized,
extending east and west, 38 miles, and from the southern
boundary indicated, northward as far as the habitation of
man, covering thousands of square miles, and containing
perhaps more than a million of population. Until about
45 years ago, this was a part of the Indian Creek territory.

History of Organised Effort. — While the Brethren began
preaching in this territory in 1733, and continued, perhaps,
for a century, it is probable that for a few years, at least,
preaching had entirely ceased. When the work was re-
vived, the center of activity seems to have been moved some
distance. According to recollections of the older members,
the earliest preaching services that were held in the present
organized territory, which led to permanent results, were
mainly held in the neighborhood of the present Springfield
Meeting-house, at the homes of the following members :

Moses Shuler, Harrison Traumbauer, Samuel Kaufif-

319

320 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

man, David Yoder, Abraham Stauffer, Peter Kauffman,
flenry Mover, Benjamin Price.

Purchasing a House} — The next step in the development
of the vi^ork v^as the purchase of a private home, with the
intention of remodehng the same for the purpose of holding
preaching services. But before the remodeling, Abraham
Hottel offered an acre of ground nearby, for the purpose of
building a meeting-house thereon. This offer v^as accepted,
and the same year, the Springfield Meeting-house was built.
Brethren Jonas Harley and Henry Price constituted a com-
mittee for at least a part of these transactions by the Indian
Creek Church, in what was soon to become Springfield ter-
ritory.

The Stone Meeting-House. — The deed given by Abraham
Hottel, and Hannah, his wife, bears date, April 2, 1866, and
was made to " Harrison Trumbauer and Abraham Stauffer,
Trustees of the German Baptist Congregation at Springfield,
in the county of Bucks." Brethren Daniel Booz, Peter
Kauffman, and Henry Moyer, the latter still Hving, at this
writing 19 13^ constituted the Building Committee. Daniel
Booz was a mason by trade, and as such helped to build the
walls, and also his son-in-law, Benjamin Price, and Henry
Trumbauer. The house is built of stone, with slate roof,
and is 36 X 40 feet, with basement, and an added room,
12 X 12 feet. Much was contributed in lumber and labor
by the members, and by some who were not members.

Elder S. R. Zug informs me, that in 1866, he held a
meeting at Texas in the home of Elder Moses Shuler, and
then held a meeting in the Brethen house in Bethlehem, and
the next day he went to Springfield to the dedication of the
new meeting-house, and attended the love-feast and com-
munion services held at the same place. This indicates
where services were held at this time.

Work in Bethlehem and Allentown. — A meeting-house
was also built in Bethlehem, size 30 by 36 ft., frame, with
slate roof. While some members were living in the city, the
preaching services continued for a number of years. At

1 This house was re-sold afterwards, and continued to be used as a
residence.

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SPRINGFIELD CHURCH. 321

one time there were more than twenty members Hving here,
but some of them proved unfaithful, some died, others
moved away. Some years ago, only a few members being
left, services were discontinued, and the house is now falling
into decay. Perhaps as early as 1850, preaching services by
the Brethren, were held in Allentown. All the ministers
of the old Indian Creek Church preached here, including
Isaac Kulp and Henry Cassel, who later were Elders in
Mingo. These services were continued for a period of
more than twenty years, and at times much interest pre-
vailed, and about 10 or 15 members lived in the city. It
seems, however, there was no effort made at any time to
start a Sunday School, or to build a house of worship, the
services being held in the homes of the members. Many
years ago, the interest was allowed to die out, some of the
members proving unfaithful, the services were discontinued,
and no effort seems to have been made to revive the work.

Organisation. — About two years after the building of the
Springfield Meeting-house, the scattered members in this
territory were formally organized into the Springfield Con-
gregation, in the year 1868. At the time of organization,
Elder Moses Shuler was chosen Elder in charge, with
Jacob Booz, minister, he having been elected at the time of
the dedication of the meeting-house; and Harrison Trum-
bauer and David Yoder deacons. Her name, however, does
not appear in the District Meeting lists of churches, until
1879; and not until 1881 did her first delegates appear at
the District Council. In 1885, and again in 1898, the
District Meeting was held in Springfield.

Sunday-School. — In about 1867, a Sunday-school was
organized at Springfield, and kept up for some years. Daniel
Booz was the first Superintendent, and was followed by
Benjamin Price. A feature of this school was a German
class, taught by Sister Daniel Booz, some of the members
of which committed whole chapters to memory.

After some years this school was discontinued, and no
school held for a long time. Some fifteen years ago, the
school was reopened, and has continued with much interest,
and is at present in a prosperous condition. The Sunday-

322 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

school in Quakertown is also in a flourishing condition, and
both schools seem to be increasing in size and influence.

Prayer-Meeting. — Since much space was devoted in Chap-
ter I, to the Greatswamp Church, much that might be in-
teresting in small detail must of necessity be omitted in the
later life of Springfield. I must, however, call attention to
the Sunday afternoon prayer-meeting, that is said to have
been maintained for many years. I am well satisfied that
this is the type of Sunday afternoon worship which has
come down through the church-life from former genera-
tions, and is the bond of union with the spirit of the past.
Around this home altar, all ages meet to worship, just as
they used to do in the early days, and the early years, down
in Germantown,

The Emigration. — A few years ago a number of Brethren
moved into this territory, in the vicinity of Quakertown,
from central and western Pennsylvania. In all about thirty
members moved in, including several ministers and deacons.
This emigration extended influence and interest into a new
community, that soon centralized in Quakertown.

A New Church House. — A small building was purchased,
and with a spirit of enthusiasm and united effort, the work
of enlarging and improving and remodeling made rapid
progress. The house is 36 X 52 feet, arranged for holding
love-feast services. There is good interest at this preach-
ing point.

Oflicials, at this writing, 1913, are: Elder Benjamin
Hottel, Elder in charge ; ministers, William F. Spidle, James
F. Ream, John Ackerman; deacons, Henry Trumbauer,
Henry Yoder, Allen Mohr, Mathias Steely, Simon Lint,
Jacob Fox, Jacob Holsinger, Thomas Norris.

CHAPTER VI.
NORRISTOWN CHURCH.

The earliest preaching services in the vicinity of Norris-
town were held at Methatchon. When the colonial gov-
ennment confiscated all the property of Elder Christopher
Sower, in Germantown, he retired, penniless, with his daugh-
ter to this community, and they took up their abode in the
spring house loft of some one who befriended him in his
distress. During the years of his residence here, he preached
somewhere around his home neighborhood, for he preached
away from home, during these years. When he died, in
1784, his funeral was held at Methatchon, where he was
buried. It is possible that services were held continuously
from that early date until a few years ago. For in 1800,
and thereabouts, Elder George Price, of Coventry, journeyed
more or less regularly from Coventry to Methatchon to
hold preaching services.^ Alethatchon has much interesting
history, which, however, forms no part of this chapter,
except to show that the Brethren interest began about two.
miles from Norristown.

Elder J H. Umstad was likely the most active in establish-
ing the Brethren cause in the city of Norristown, and per-
haps did the first preaching. Just when these services were
first held, and how regularly, I can not say, but the meeting-
house was built in 1869, and services were likely held for
several years before that time.

Bro. J. Howard Ellis says of this period: "I remember
coming here with Brethren John Umstad, Jacob Z. Gott-
wals and my uncle John Slingluf three years previous to that
time, when services were held in a hall, at the corner of
Main and Barbados street."

1 See " History of Green Tree Church." From other records we also
learn that the Brethren from Indian Creek preached here, and this,
region early became Indian Creek territory, and remained so until it
became a part of Mingo upon the organization of that Church. Ger-
mantown ministers also preached here.

323

324 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

After the new meeting-house was built, Norristown be-
came one of the centers of activity of the Mingo Church,
and continued to be such for almost forty years. About
1896 the members at Norristown desired that a special effort
should be made to do mission work in the city, and upon
this appeal the Alingo Church appointed Sister Elizabeth
Grater to take up this work. " After making a special effort
to build up the work at Norristown it was seen that it was
indispensable to the success of the work there to have a min-
ister live there and give the cause much attention. Early
in 1898, Bro. William M. Howe came and took up this
work."2

Norristown Church was organized Mar. 12, 1901 with
one deacon, J. Howard Ellis and twenty-one members.
E. C. Harley was elected deacon on that day. The preach-
ing for several months was mainly by supplies. On Oct. 12,
1904, Leonard Taylor was elected deacon. There is a well-
attended weekly Prayer Meeting held. The Sunday School
is at present in charge of E. C. Harley as Superintendent and
has an enrollment of over one hundred. The present church
membership is forty.

Pastors. — William M. Howe was elected the first pastor
and served from October 14, 1901 to October 7, 1902. On
July 7, 1903 Elder T, F. Imler took charge as pastor and
served until July 7, 1907. From Feb. 7, 191 1 to March 5,
1912, Elmer F. Nedrow a student of Elizabethtown College
was the pastor having preached a few months at Norristown
before moving his family. Edgar M. Detwiler the present
pastor took charge March 5, 19 12.

Elders. — Elder A, L. Grater from October 12, 1901 to
January 8, 1906. Elder T. F. Imler from January 8, 1906
to June 10, 1907. Elder James B. Shisler from July 5,
1907 to the present.

2 Elder Jesse Ziegler in " History of Mingo."

PART VI.

CONESTOGA GROUP.

CHAPTER I.
CONESTOGA CHURCH.

This congregation was organized on November 12, 1724,
by Elder Peter Becker of Germantown and was the first
organized church of the Brethren in Lancaster County. It
was located south of Ephrata.

The original membership consisted of seven members:
Conrad Beissel, who was the first minister ; Joseph Shaffer,
John Moyer and wife, Henry Hohn and wife and Veronica
Frederick. The first deacon was John Hildebrand. Peter
Becker was their Elder, although non-resident.

Soon trouble arose, caused by Beissel deviating from the
customs of the Brethren, especially by observing Saturday
for the Lord's Day or Sunday. Much admonition did not
help. Alexander Mack came to America in 1729 and the
congregation agreed to let this trouble be decided by a vote
of the majority of the membership. The vote resulted as
follows : six brethren and five sisters voted with Beissel for
Saturday, and twenty-four brethren and three sisters
favored Sunday with Peter Becker.

J. G. Francis contributes the following account of this
division :

" A quotation from Bro. M. G. Brumbaugh's ' History of the
Brethren,' pp. 299 and 300 reads :

"'On the authority of Abraham H. Cassel, the following
somewhat remarkable method was used September 29, 1734,
to determine the loyalty of the members. A great meeting or
council of the congregation was held and Michael Frantz placed
a rail on the floor of the barn in which the meeting was held.

325

326 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

He then requested all who wished to join the new congregation
to step to the right side, he leading the way. He requested all
those who desired to follow Conrad Beissel to step to the left
side of the rail, In this way a peaceful separation occurred.'

" I also had personally from Abraham Cassel an account of
this separation, and it is in my mind that our great antiquarian
stated that the rail was placed on the bridgeway leading to the
barn floor. But I do not wish to be dogmatic. Following my
impression, however, in having a picture of the old barn taken
for this history, I placed a fence rail, as will be seen in the
picture, in the middle of the bridgeway, where if my impression
is correct, Michael Frantz must have placed the original rail.
This old barn is within the present bounds of the Akron con-
gregation, near Millway station, and is owned by the Oil Com-
pany. Some frame additions have been built to the original
barn.

"According to my understanding of the matter the council
was held in the barn, while the dividing was consummated in
the open."

After the reorganization of this congregation. Elder
Becker had the oversight of it until 1734. Conrad Beissel
on his own account founded the convent at Ephrata, leaving
the Church of the Brethren in 1728.

After Alexander Mack's death at Germantown in 1735,
Michael Frantz was elected as minister in the Conestoga
Congregation and Johannis Landis as deacon in 1735.
From 1729 to 1734, thirty-seven persons were baptized by
Elder Peter Becker. Their names appear in a record now
in possession of Elder Hershey Groff, of Bareville, Pa.
Many of the additions to this congregation by baptism and
otherwise, together with elections of deacons, ministers and
elders, are also found in said record and generally agree
with the list given in Brumbaugh's " History of the Breth-
ren," pp. 299-315. In Brumbaugh's work, p. 313, the state-
ment occurs that from 1755 to 1763 no record was made.
From the record above referred to, the following is taken to
supplement the record of Brumbaugh:

In 1753 George Miller, John Bengelbach and wife, Rudy
Yound, Katie Hartman, Margaret Geib were added and
Jacob Stoll elected to the ministry.

Barn where Rail on Bridge-way Served to Divide the Brethren

FROM the BeISSELITES, NEAR MiLLWAY.

Graves of Conrad Beissel and Peter Miller, Ephrata.

Saal and Sisters" House, Ephrata Cloister.

Brothers' House, Ephrata Cloister.

CONESTOGA CHURCH. 327

In 1754, Christian Stauffer and wife, George Ester and
wife, Anna Frick, Elizabeth Frick were added.

In 1755 Peter Wampler and wife, Henry Aller and wife,
Christian Lanecker, Jr. (Longenecker), John Lehman,
Jacob Hernley, Hanickel Ackerman, Barbara Flory, John
Groff were added.

In 1756 were added Henry Ester, Sister Wampler, Elias
Ackerman, Lenhard Sebold and wife, Peter Pebel, John
Frick, Christian Frick.

In 1757 Sister Margreth, Elizabeth Boser, Maria Nus-
baum, Michael Gall, Margred Byer, John Bock, Susan Bau-
man, Sister Mosser were added.

In 1758 Brother Keim and Wendel Mynig were added.

In 1759 Balser Specht and wife were added.

In 1760 no baptisms on account of temptation.

In 1 76 1 were added John Bather and wife, Jacob Zug,
Abraham Frantz and wife.

In 1762 Maria Zug and Sister Hamacker were added.

In 1763 were added Ann Lanecker and Philip Snell.

DIVISIONS AND SUBDIVISIONS OF CONESTOGA

CHURCH.

Elders and Ministers in Conestoga Congregation.

*i. Peter Becker,^ 1724-35.
2. Conrad Beissel. Baptized 1724; left church in 1728.

*3. Michael Frantz, 1735-48. Baptized in 1734; elected
1734; ordained 1735; died September 25, 1748.

*4. Michael Pfautz, 1748-69 (21 yrs.). Baptized in 1739,
September 29; elected in 1744; ordained Septem-
ber 25, 1748; died 1769, aged 59 yrs. Buried at
Middle Creek Church, near Cocalico Creek. 179
persons were baptized under his eldership.

5. Jacob Stoll. Baptized in 1748; elected in 1753; died

in 1822, aged 91 yrs. Buried at Middle Creek
graveyard. In ministry 69 yrs.

6. Jacob Sontag (Sunday). Baptized in 1743; elected

in 1748; ordained 1763.

1 The asterisk (*) means bishop or elder in charge of congregation
for time indicated following the name.

328 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

*7. Christian Longenecker, 1 769-1 772. Baptized in
1755; elected in 1764; ordained in 1769. Seven
persons were baptized under his eldership, 1769-
1772.

First Division of Congregation was Unanimously
Agreed to in 1772.

Ministry at Time of Division.

I. Conestoga.
Bishops Peter Eichelberger and Jacob Stoll.

II. White Oak.

Bishops Christ. Longenecker; Johannis Zug, baptized in
1749; elected in 1770; ordained in 1780.

III. Swatara.

Bishops Han Jacob Beshor, George Kline and others.
*8. Peter Eichelberger, 1772-95. Baptized in 1752.
Under Eichelberger and Jacob StoU's care, 151 per-
sons were baptized.
*5. Jacob Stoll, 1 795-1822. Under Stoll's care, 1795-
1802, 16 persons were baptized.
9. David Kemper. Baptized in 1791; elected in 1801 ;
died in 1832 at age of 81 yrs. Under Stoll and
Kemper from 1802-22, 204 persons were baptized.

*io. Jacob Pfautz, 1823-64. Baptized in 1805; elected in
1815; ordained in 1823. Died in 1864, aged 87.
He was the son of Johannes Pfautz and grandson
of Elder Michael Pfautz. Served as minister and
elder 49 yrs. Buried at Middle Creek graveyard.
Under Pfautz's oversight 484 persons were bap-
tized. Congregation numbered 429 members in
1861.

*ii. Abraham Zug, 1823-41. Elected in 1815; ordained
in 1823; died 1841, aged 69 yrs. Buried at Tul-
pehocken Meeting House graveyard.

DIVISIONS AND SUB-DIVISIONS OF CONESTOGA CHURCH

.o<

CONESTOGA CHURCH. 329

12. Christian Bomberger. Baptized in 1828; elected June

4, 183 1 ; ordained June 4, 1862. Under the over-
sight of Jac. Pfautz and Bomberger, 1842-61,
nearly 500 persons were baptized.

13. Samuel Myer. Baptized in 181 6; elected in 1822 or

1824; moved to Ohio in 1842.

14. Michael Landis. Baptized in 1819; elected in 1822 or

1824. Moved to Ohio and left church.

15. Christian Rupp. Baptized in 1834; elected May 28,

1840; ordained in 1867.

16. Joseph Myer. Baptized in 1840; elected August 31,

1844; ordained in 1887 at age of 80; died in 1892,
aged 85 yrs. Buried at Myer burying ground one
mile south of Bareville.

17. Jacob Reinhold. Baptized in 1844; June 2, 1845, ^ot

elected, but was permitted to preach by a majority
of Congregation; died in 1885 in Lancaster, aged
70 yrs.

18. Christian Brubaker. Baptized in 1848; elected June,

1855, second acceptance April 25, 1889; advanced
April 8, 1895; died 1901, aged 82 yrs. Buried at
Longenecker's near Lititz.

19. Israel Myer. Baptized in 1847; elected June 2, 1849;

died of dropsy, October 4, 1870, aged 56 yrs.
Buried at Mohler's cemetery.

Second Division of Congregation was Unanimously
Agreed to May 5, 1864.

Ministry at Time of Division.

I. Conestoga.

Bishop Christ. Bomberger (non-resident) ; Christian
Rupp and Joseph Myer.

II. West Conestoga.

Bishop Christ. Bomberger (resident) ; Jacob Reinhold
and Christian Brubaker.

330 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

III. Ephrata.

Bishop C. Bomberger (non-resident) ; Israel Myer and

Samuel Harley.

*I2. Christian Bomberger, 1864-1880. Died May 21,
1880, aged yS yrs. Buried at Middle Creek. Un-
der the oversight of Bomberger and Rupp, many
were received into the church by baptism.

*I5. Christian Rupp, 1880-87. Died August 24, 1887,
aged 82 yrs. Buried at Rupp family graveyard.

*i6. Joseph Myer, 1887-92, father of Samuel R. Myer and
of Elder John Myer, of West Conestoga Church.

20. Samuel R. Myer. Baptized in 1864; elected August 9,

1866; died 1876, aged 43 yrs. Buried at Myer fam-
ily graveyard south of Bareville. Had a daughter
who graduated at Millersville S. N. S. and is pre-
ceptress and teacher of English and Elocution in
Elizabethtown College from 1900 to present time.

21. Rudy S. Reidenbach. Baptized in 1861; elected in

1874; ordained in Spring Grove Congregation on
December 18, 1897. Grandson of Elder Jacob
Sontag.

"^22. John W. Graybill, 1892-99. Baptized in 1875 ; elected
May 22, 1876 or 1877; ordained in 1892; died on
October 5, 1899, aged 64 yrs. Was greatly beloved
and his death much lamented. Buried at Earlville.

"^■22,. Hershey Groff, 1900-1902, March 20. Baptized in
1878; elected in 1885 ; ordained July 28, 1900. Re-
signed eldership in charge March 20, 1902. Has
records in his possession of baptisms since 1724,
from which these facts have been largely gleaned
and compiled.
24. Jacob Pfautz. Baptized in 1880; elected in 1889;
advanced to second degree August 5, 1892.

*25. Isaac W. Taylor, 1899-1900; 1902-1911. Baptized
in 1880; elected in 1891 ; ordained in Spring Grove
Congregation on May 22, 1899. Non-resident
elder of Conestoga Congregation from 1899- 1900,
and from 1902-1911.

conestoga church. 331

Third Division of Conestoga Congregation in 1897.

Ministry at Time of Division.

I. Conestoga.
Bishop John Graybill; Hershey Groff and Jacob Pfautz.

II. Spring Grove.

Bishop John Graybill; Rudy Reidenbach and I. W.
Taylor.

III. Mechanic Grove.

Bishop H. E. Light, residing in Mountville Congregation ;
and George Bucher, moved in from Tulpehocken Congre-
gation.

26. Abram H. Royer. Baptized on November 15, 1891;

elected in 1897; advanced 1900.

27. Martin Ebersole. Baptized in 1892; elected in 1899;

advanced in 1906; ordained October 7, 1912.

28. John G. Graybill. Elected in 1900; relieved of minis-

try at his request in 19 10. Reinstated on December

8, 1913.

29. Diller Myer. Baptized in 1898; elected on November

9, 1910.

Deacons in Conestoga Congregation.

1. Henry Mohler, baptized 1809; elected in 181 5.

2. Jacob Bollinger, baptized 1811 ; elected in 181 5 or 1824.

3. George Myer, baptized in 181 6; elected in 1824.

4. Henry Mohler, Jr., baptized in 1813; elected in 1831.

5. Abraham Graybill, baptized in 1816; elected in 183 1.

6. Johannis Myer, elected in 1855.

7. John Mohler, Sr., baptized in 1840; elected 1847, 1^44

or 1845, May 26.

8. David Royer, baptized in 1831 or 1834; elected June 2,

1849.

9. Christian Wenger, baptized in 1854; elected June i,

1855-
10. Michael Weidler, baptized in 1841 ; elected June i or 26,

1855-

332 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

11. Samuel Harley, baptized in Montgomery Co.; elected

May 8, 1861, afterwards in 1864 elected to ministry,
and eldership in 187 1.

12. Rudolph Gunkle, elected May 8, 1861.

Deacons After Second Division in 1864.

13. Isaac Shirk, baptized in 1861 or 1859; elected in 1864.

14. Jacob S. Minnich, elected in 1864.

15. Levi Rupp, baptized in 1861 ; elected May 11, 1866.

16. Daniel Myer, baptized in 1864; elected May 11, 1866.

17. Samuel R. Wenger, baptized in 1883; elected 1885.

18. Isaac W. Taylor, baptized in 1880; elected in 1889.

Afterwards elected to ministry and eldership.

19. Christian Groff, elected 1890.

20. Martin Ebersole, baptized June 12, 1892; elected 1898.

21. John G. Graybill, elected 1899.

22. Rife Myer, elected in 1899.

23. Mahlon Myer, elected in 1900.

24. Reuben Myer, elected 19 12.

The present Conestoga Congregation numbers 212 mem-
bers. Its officials are : Elder S. H. Hertzler, non-resident
elder in charge, since 191 1. The ministry consists of Elder
Hershey Groff, Elder Martin Ebersole, Jacob Pfautz, John
G. Graybill and Diller Myer. Deacons are Samuel R.
Wenger, Rife Myer, Mahlon Myer, and Reuben Myer.

The church houses of this congregation are located as
follows: Eby House, built in i860, 40 by 50, of brick at a
cost of $762; located at Monterey; Bird-in-Hand House,
built in 1888, 50 by 80, donated by Adam Ranck and Sam-
uel Denlinger; cost to church $1,500 in money and plenty
of trouble; Intercourse House, purchased in 1891 from
Methodists at cost of $800; size 36 by 55. Preaching serv-
ices are held at union houses at Earlville, known also as
Carpenter's Church (size 40 by 50), and Bareville (size 30
by 50).

The present church activities consist of Sunday School
organized at Bareville in 1894 and at Earlville in 1910; also
a Sisters' Aid Society organized in 1904.^

2 This congregation held a local Sunday School meeting on Novem-
ber 9, 1912, and a similar meeting November 2y, 1913.

O
X

H
W
W

w
w

CONESTOGA CHURCH. 333

In 1887, May ii and 12, the District Meeting of Eastern
Pennsylvania was held in the bounds of the Conestoga Con-
gregation on Bro. Adam Ranck's farm, one-half mile from
Bird-in-Hand. On October 28, 29, 1903, a Ministerial and
Sunday School Meeting was held at the Bird-in-Hand
House.

CHAPTER II.
WEST CONESTOGA CHURCH.

The West Conestoga Congregation was organized May 5,
1864, being one of the three divisions made of the Con-
estoga Congregation. This occurred near Akron, at the
home of Jacob S. Minnich, and was occasioned by the fact
that the Conestoga Congregation was getting too large,
having a membership of between four and five hundred.

The officials at the time of organization were as follows:
Elder Christian Bomberger, as elder in charge; Ministers,
Jacob Reinhold and Christian Brubaker. The deacons were
Michael Weidler, elected in 1855, and Jacob S. Minnich,
elected at the time of the division. (For further par-
ticulars, see Conestoga Congregation. )

The following officials have been elected since 1864:
Jacob Hackman, baptized in 1862, was elected to ministry,
May 24, 1866, and ordained August i, 1878; George
Bingeman, baptized in 1868 or 1869, was elected to the
ministry, January 18, 1873; John Myer was elected a
minister May 29, 1879, advanced June 3, 1887, ordained,
August I, 1898; Cyrus R. Gibbel, son of John B. Gibbel,
baptized 1887, was elected to the ministry, April 25, 1889,
advanced April 8, 1895. ordained July 26, 1906; David
Snader, baptized 1890, was elected a minister on April 8,
1895, advanced August i, 1898; Edwin B. Brubaker,
baptized 1896, was chosen as a minister on August 6, 1900,
and advanced January i, 1906; John W. G. Hershey's date
of baptism is 1891 and of election to ministry is January i,
1906, advanced January 2, 191 1 ; Adam G. Fahnestock was
called to the ministry on January 2, 191 1, advanced to
second degree on August 2, 191 3; Wallace Zook elected to
ministry, January 15, 1914. All these ministers are living
at this writing except the first two. Elder Jacob Hackman
resigned eldership of West Conestoga Congregation in

884

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\m»

^ ) 7 6 9 '

m^-

r' 'iter .'fc

Grave of Elder Michael Pfautz.

Grave of Elder Jacob Stoll.

Grave of Elder Jacoh Pkattz.

(iu.WK OK I-J.IIKK L'llRISTLW l')0M-
BKRGEK.

WEST CONESTOGA CHURCH. 335

1900; died October 28, 1903, aged 79 years; buried at
Millport. George Bingeman removed to Ohio.

The elders or bishops of the congregation since organiza-
tion are: Christian Bomberger, 1864-80; Jacob Hackman.
1880-1900; John Myer, 1900-1912; Cyrus R. Gibbel,
assistant elder, July 26, 1906 to October 22, 1912; elder,
1912.

The deacons elected since 1864 follow: Joseph Pfautz,
elected May 24, 1866; John Myer, baptized 1858, elected
January 18, 1873; Jacob L. Minnich, elected May 19, 1879;
George D. Schreiner, elected June 12, 1884; Nathan Bru-
baker, elected May 21, 1891 ; Samuel N. Wolf, elected
October 28, 1895; Henry Balmer, elected August 6, 1900;
Andrew Bollinger, elected January 2, 191 1; Harrison
Steely, elected in Mechanic Grove Congregation, May 13,
1899, and moved to West Conestoga Congregation in 1909;
Allen Balmer and Benjamin Bollinger elected January 15,
1914.

The congregation has four church houses described as
follows : Lehn House, a brick structure 40 by 50 feet in
Manheim township; Lexington House, situated at Lexing-
ton, is a frame building 44 by 50 feet ; Middle Creek House,
a frame building 50 by 80 feet, built in 1874, is located in
Ephrata township, Lancaster Co., two miles west of Lincoln ;
Millport House is a union house built of brick and is located
at Disston.

The present activities of this congregation consist of a
Sunday School organized at Lititz in 1896; one prayer
meeting at homes of members held weekly, and a Sisters'
Aid Society organized in 191 2.

Other facts of special interest in the history of this con-
gregation may be noted here. The territory of the West
Conestoga Congregation was the scene of part of the labors
of Elders Michael Pfautz ( 1710^1 769), Jacob Stoll (1731-
1822), Jacob Pfautz (i 776-1864) and Christian Bom-
berger (1802-1880). The graves of these four elders are
at the burying ground of the Middle Creek House and the
photographs of their tombstones are presented herewith.

336 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

For more facts concerning these men see Conestoga Con-
gregation.

The West Conestoga Church was divided a second time
into three divisions on March 24, 191 3: West Conestoga,
Akron and Lititz. This leaves the membership of the West
Conestoga Church about 260.

During the eldership of Jacob Stoll, the Annual Confer-
ence of the Church of the Brethren was held in the bounds
of the West Conestoga Church (then called Conestoga) on
May 19, 1820, at the home of Bro. Joseph Royer, near the
Middle Creek house. In 1873 the District Meeting of
Eastern Pennsylvania was held in the West Conestoga
Church, and the Ministerial and Sunday School Meeting of
said district was held at Middle Creek house, November 12
and 13, 1913.

The present officials of West Conestoga Church are:
Elder Cyrus R. Gibbel, elder in charge ; E. B. Brubaker and
Adam G. Fahnestock, ministers in second degree ; and Wal-
lace Zook in the first degree. Deacons : Henry Balmer,
Andrew Bollinger, Allen Balmer, and Benjamin Bollinger.

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TITLE PAGE STOLL'S BOOK.

CHAPTER III.
EPHRATA CHURCH,
(a) First Ephrata.

The Ephrata Congregation came into existence May 5,
1864, being one of three divisions into which the Cones-
toga Congregation was divided, and named thus on account
of the borough of Ephrata being the chief town in the
bounds of this newly-formed church. See diagram, page
— , and West Conestoga Congregational History for place
and cause of division.

The ojfficials at the time of organization were as follows :
Elder Christian Bomberger, elder in charge, but residing in
West Conestoga Church ; ministers, Israel Myer, and Samuel
Harley, a deacon of the Conestoga Church, was elected a
minister at the time of the division; deacons, David Royer,
Rudolph Gunkle, Isaac Shirk and Jacob S. Minnich. (For
dates of elections of foregoing officials see Conestoga Con-
gregation. )

The following officers have been elected since 1864:

Ministers.

1. William Price (Preis), baptized 1848; elected 1866;
was elected a deacon. May 20, 1865; died November 22,
1892, aged 70 years. Buried near Cocalico at Dissler's
Graveyard.

2. Isaac Shirk (being a deacon already in Conestoga Con-
gregation), elected November 19, 1870; died at Akron,
1885, aged 60 yrs. Buried at Brick Church, midway be-
tween Ephrata and Akron.

3. Israel Wenger, elected May 11, 1878, and ordained
August 8, 1891 ; died December 2, 1907, aged 63 yrs^.
Buried at Middle Creek in West Conestoga Congregation.

4. Isaac Keller, elected October 24, 1882 ; advanced Jan-
uary 25, 1890; died January 12, 191 1, aged 75 yrs. Buried
at Keller Graveyard in Springville Congregation.

23 337

338 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

5. John W. Schlosser, elected October 4, 1890; advanced
September 12, 1896; ordained August 22, 1908.

6. Elias B. Lefever, elected October 22, 1892; advanced
April 9, 1898; removed to California, where he was
ordained.

7. Henry Royer, elected September 12, 1896. He was
suspended from the ministry on September 4, 1905, by a
committee of Elders; then joined the Old Order Church.

Deacons.

1. William Price, elected May 20, 1865; afterwards
elected to ministry.

2. John L. Mohler, elected November 19, 1870.

3. Jacob Kilhefner, elected January i, 1875.

4. Isaac Keller, baptized in 1870; elected May 11, 1878;
elected to ministry on October 24, 1882.

5. Hiram Snyder, elected April 24, 1883.

6. Henry Royer, elected October 5, 1885 ; elected to min-
istry in 1896.

7. Aaron Gibbel, baptized 1881 in West Conestoga Con-
gregation; elected August 8, 1891; elected to ministry in
Springville Congregation.

8. Albert Gelsinger, elected August 8, 1891.

9. J. Bitzer Johns, baptized 1887; elected, October 21,
1896; elected a minister in Springville Congregation.

10. John R. Royer, elected October 21, 1896.

Elders in Charge of First Ephrata Congregation.

1. Christian Bomberger, 1864- 1880.

2. Samuel Harley, 1880-1893.

3. Christian Bucher, September 16, 1893 to April 11,
1896.

4. Israel Wenger, April 11, 1896 to August 5, 1899.

The first Ephrata Congregation kept no minutes of its
proceedings until 1880. Bro. Edwin Konigmacher was the
first clerk. In addition to the deaths above noted, the fol-
lowing ministers died in the bounds of the first Ephrata
Congregation: Israel Myer (see Conestoga Congregation,
page 329) on October 4, 1870, and Samuel Harley on May
6, 1896.

ephrata church. 339

(&) Second or Present Ephrata.

The Ephrata Congregation of the Church of the Brethren
as it exists today was organized on September 2, 1899, in
Ephrata, Lancaster County. This organization is one of the
two divisions into which the first Ephrata Church was
divided on August 5, 1899, from the Conestoga Church in
1864, the other being the Springville Congregation.

At the time of the organization, Elder I. W Taylor, re-
siding in Spring Grove Congregation, was chosen Elder.
The other officials elected September 2 were : David Kil-
hefner, minister, and the deacons, R. Gunkle, J. R. Royer, S.
W. Kulp. There were one hundred and thirty-two mem-
bers in the present Ephrata when the congregation was
divided in 1899. Since that time the following ministers
have been elected: S. W. Kulp, August i, 1903; George W.
Weaver, April 10, 1909; Wm. K. Kulp, August i, 1912.
Three deacons have been elected since the organization as
follows: J. M. Miller and J. K. Kilhefner, August i, 1903,
and S. K. Kilhefner, August i, 1910. David Kilhefner was
advanced to the second degree of the ministry, August 9,
1902. S. W- Kulp was advanced, August 3, 1907; George
W. Weaver was advanced August i, 1910; David Kilhefner
was ordained to the eldership, August 3, 1907. In the
twelve years since its organization one hundred and thirty-
four have been received into the church by baptism.

The present officials are : Elder, David K. Kilhefner; min-
ister, S. W. Kulp; deacons, J R. Royer, J. K. Kilhefner, J.
M. Miller, H. S. Gibble, S. K. Kilhefner and A. Z. Taylor.
George W, Weaver moved to Fairview Church in 19 12
and Wm, K. Kulp moved to Mechanicsburg, Pa., in August,
19 1 3, The present membership is two hundred and forty.

This church has one church-house built of brick, 50 by
65 feet, with a seating capacity of seven hundred, located
in the town of Ephrata. It was built in 1889 at a cost of
$3,000. The following Brethren constituted the building
committee: J. B. Keller, A. W. Mentzer and E. Konig-
macher. The present church activities consist of one Sun-
day School, organized on June 8, 1889; a weekly Prayer
Meeting held in the church; a Christian Workers' Meeting

340 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

organized August i, 1909, and a Sisters' Aid Society, or-
ganized August 9, 1902. The latter has done much in a
practical way and has as its officers : President, Emma Hil-
debrand; Vice-President, Emma K. Seltzer; Secretary, Ger-
trude Shirk; Treasurer, Alice Taylor.

The church has a temperance committee consisting of
J. K. Mohler, H. G. Mentzer and S. W. Martin. The mis-
sionary committee of this congregation consists of J. M.
Miller, J. M. Neff and Miles Keller, and in 1912 was instru-
mental in raising $900 for missions.

Elders in charge of Second Ephrata Congregation : I. W.
Taylor, September 2, 1899, to April 10, 1909; David Kil-
hefner, 1909 to present time.

Ministerial Meetings held in Ephrata Congregation are as
follows : November 2, 3, 1904; October 26, 27, 1910. Spe-
cial District Meeting, September 21, 19 10. District Meet-
ing of 1913 was also held here.

BRETHREN CHURCH, LANCASTER.

CHAPTER IV.

LANCASTER CITY CHURCH.

Lancaster City Congregation of the Church of the Breth-
ren was organized on October 29, 189 1, from territory and
members belonging to the West Conestoga Congregation.
On August 19, 1872, the West Conestoga Congregation
through and by her trustees, Jacob Minnich, Joseph Pfautz
and John W. Byrne, bought a church property located on
northwest corner of Mulberry and Grant Streets, Lancaster,
Pa., belonging to the Evangelical Association of Lancaster,
Pa. The Brethren first held meetings every eight weeks
and later every six weeks, largely in the German language
until the time of organization in 1891. The elders present
at time of organization were: Jacob Hackman, Elder of
West Conestoga Church, B. Z. Eby, Wm. Hertzler, H. E.
Light, J. S. Newcomer, Samuel Harley, and S. R. Zug.
Elder S. R. Zug, of Mastersonville, Pa., was selected as
Elder in charge ; A. J. Evans, Clerk ; J. H. Bushong, Treas-
urer; Benj. Evans, J. H. Bushong, and J. G. Kline, Trustees.

From October 29, 1891, to September i, 1892, services,
were held bi-weekly by such ministers as could be secured..
At the latter date, T. F. Imler and wife Sadie, of Waynes-
boro, Pa., accepted a call to become pastor of the congrega-
tion. A Sunday School had previously been started. At
a church council held October 19, 1892, it was decided to
create a fund for buying or building and the following So-
liciting Committee was appointed : T. F. Imler, Benj. Evans,
J. G. KHne, A. J. Evans, and Anna M. Shirk. The first
love feast was held November 6, 1892, about seventy com-
muning.

On July 26, 1893, Valentine Workheiser made a proposi-
tion to the Church, offering a church property previously
owned by the Western Methodist Episcopal Church in ex-
change for the one now in use. After investigating, the

341

342 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

church accepted this offer, August i6, 1893, making
the exchange and paying $700 for church property 64
by 130 ft. The last services in the old house were held
August 27, 1893, and the first service in the second house
on September 3, 1893. First series of meetings w^ere held
by Elder H. C. Early of Virginia, beginning on October 29,
1893, at close of which seven were baptized. Missionary,
Sewing and Benevolent Society started April 28, 1894.

The second house soon needed repairs and was too small
to accommodate the audiences. A committee consisting of
Benj. Evans, J. H. Bushong, and John Prange was ordered
to purchase additional ground in the rear of the present lot.
This was done for $800, making the entire lot 64 by 270 ft.
On January 13, 1897, the church appointed S. R. Zug, T. F.
Imler, and J. W. Myer as a committee on plans for a new
house. This committee became later also the building com-
mittee. The new house, 50 by 80 ft., was built by Wenger
& Kreider, of Witmer, Pa., for $5,500, heating and seating
excepted. Charter applied for through A. J. Eberly, and
granted by Court, February 9, 1897. Closing services in
second house held June 2^, 1897, S. H. Hertzler of Eliza-
bethtown. Pa., preaching the last sermon. The third and
present house was dedicated November 28, 1897, Elder Silas
Hoover preached dedicatory sermon; Prof. Geo. B. Hol-
singer, of Bridge water, Va., led the song service. The seat-
ing of the second story cost $655 and seats were placed July
16, 1898.

The Girls' Sewing School was started in the missionary
room on October 8, 1898, with Emma I. Welty as teacher.
On July 21, 1899, it was decided to build a parsonage, which
was done at cost of $2,200, 18 >< by 50 ft., completed Jan-
uary I, 1900, and occupied by T. F. Imler, the pastor, Feb-
ruary 12, 1900.

The following ministers were elected since the organiza-
tion: John W. Myer, October 7, 1896; John A. Hollinger,
May 15, 1901 ; David W. Weaver, January 14, 1903 ; Harry
B. Yoder, August 15, 1906; Geo. W. Beelman, January 11,
1907. Deacons were elected as follows: Albert J. Evans,
October 19, 1892; Uriah C. Fasnacht, January 9, 1895;

LANCASTER CITY CHURCH. 343

Amos p. Dubble, October 7, 1896; Daniel Kautz and Hiram
Graybill, on September 14, 1897; John Kline, July 12,
1899; Wm. N. Zobler, April 11, 1900; David W. Weaver,
April II, 1900; Harry B. Yoder, April 11, 1900; Charles
Bower, May 15, 1901 ; Eli Myer, January 22, 1902; J.
Albert Seldomridge, January 22, 1902 ; Wayne W. Felker,
Geo. W. Beelman and Ira W. Miller, on October 11, 1905;
Nathan Kilhefner and Franklin Byer on January 11, 1907.
Advancements in the ministry were made as follows : J. W.
Myer, May 15, 1901 ; D. W. Weaver, April 12, 1905;
H. B. Yoder, January 11, 1907. Elders were ordained as
follows: T. F. Imler, July 12, 1899; H. B. Yoder, August
8, 1910.

Growth and Development.

In 1902 Elder T. F. Imler was called as Business Man-
ager of Brethren Publishing House at Elgin, 111., and his
resignation as elder in charge was accepted by the church,
October 15, 1902. Elder I. W. Taylor was elected as elder
in charge, accepting the call, November 20, 1902. On
December 9, 1902, the church decided J. W. Myer should
occupy the parsonage and take up the pastoral work, which
he accepted.

In 1904, the Brethren conducted Sunday School and
preaching services in the Clay Street Chapel (colored).
This gave practical experience to a number of members in
the slum district of Lancaster.

On April 11, 1906, the church chose Sister Kathryn Zieg-
ler from the home congregation to be presented to the Home
Mission Board of the District as a missionary to the foreign
field. The next District Meeting accepted and recom-
mended Sister Ziegler, encouraging her to prepare for mis-
sion work. Sister Ziegler entered the mission field in India
in the fall of 1908, after completing the English Bible
Course in Elizabethtown College.

In 1906 it was also decided to purchase a tent and work
in the various parts of the city during the summer months.
This work was continued during the year 1907.

In 1906 it was mutually agreed between the West Con-

344 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

estoga Church and Lancaster City Church to extend the lat-
ter's territory. The present eastern Hne from Conestoga
Creek along the road leading to Eden crossing the same road
leading to a point near Henry Hess's place on Lancaster and
Ephrata pike, and thence in a straight line to the Lancaster
and Lititz pike, including this territory from this line to city
limits. By this change the Union House at Eden (where
the West Conestoga Brethren held services) became part of
city church territory. In 1907 regular preaching services
w^ere opened at Eden and are continued at this time.

On January 21, 1908, J. W. Myer asked to be relieved
from pastoral duties. H. B. Yoder was then called to take
up the pastorate and serves in this position, now occupying
the parsonage. On July 9, 1913, Elder L W. Taylor re-
signed as Elder of the church, and Elder H. B. Yoder was
elected as his successor in the oversight of this congregation.

On July 19, 191 1, at a special council, it was agreed to
open a new mission at 221 Coral St., and the following lo-
cating committeee was retained to direct the work: H. B.
Yoder, President; Geo. W. Beelman, Secretary; Ehzabeth
Eby, Treasurer; J. W. Myer and Nathan Kilhefner. This
committee appointed Sunday School ofificers, which were rat-
ified by the church, July 23, 191 1, as follows: Superintend-
ent, Ira W. Miller; Assistant, J. W. Myer; Secretary,
Hannah Seldomridge : Assistant Secretary, Helen Kline ;
Librarian, Eva Witmer; Assistant Librarian, Minnie Fisher;
Treasurer, Walter Stump; Chorister, Ada Beelman;
Mission Visitor, Lydia Baum; Teachers, Ira Miller, John
W. Myer, John Baker, Cora Price, Florence Evans, Mary
Myer, Catharine Wright. At the dedicatory services on
July 30, 191 1, there were 108 persons in attendance.

The present officials are : Elder H. B. Yoder, Elder in
charge and pastor; ministers, J. W. Myer and Geo. W.
Beelman. Deacons : John Kline, Daniel Myer, Eli Myer, J.
Albert. Seldomridge, Wayne Felker, Ira W. Miller, Nathan
Kilhefner, Hiram Graybill, C. Alfred Whisler.

The present church activities consist of a Sunday School,
Christian Workers' Meeting, and Sisters' Aid Society. The
home department of the Sunday School was organized

LANCASTER CITY CHURCH. 345

September i, 1908, with H. B. Yoder, Superintendent. The
temperance committee is Geo. W. Beelman, Emma Landis
and Cora Price.

On April 13, 1904, the church appointed Sister EHzabeth
Miller as city home missionary. She has become an active
and faithful worker, living out the Savior's teaching in
Matt. 25 : 34-40. She has brought many little children into
the Sunday School with garments which she supplied.

On January 14, 1914, the church elected B. F. Waltz to
the ministry and John D. Ebersole and Harry W. Wolge-
muth as deacons.

Bishops of this congregation: (i) S. R. Zug, 1891-1899;
(2) T. F. Imler, 1899-1902; (3) I. W. Taylor, 1902-1913,
July 9; (4) H. B. Yoder, 1913.

CHAPTER V.
MECHANIC GROVE CHURCH.

Before the organization of the Mechanic Grove Church,
among the first members Hving in the territory now consti-
tuting this church were the Eckmans, Cyrus Royer, Adam
Stoneroad and John Hoake. These Hved near Re f ton and
some soon moved to Ilhnois.

Meetings were held from two to four times a year at the
homes of Bro. Eckman, Cyrus Royer, and Tobias Herr, who
Hved five miles east of Refton. It is said that John Um-
stad, Wm. Price and Peter Hollowbush were among the
early ministers to proclaim the Brethren's doctrine here.

About 1890, the Brethren of the Conestoga Church began
to worship at Refton in a meeting house of the United
Brethren built in 1879. On March 19, 1896, Bro. Geo.
Bucher, a minister of the Tulpehocken Church, residing near
Kleinfeltersville, Lebanon Co., moved on a farm near
Mechanic Grove. There were then sixteen members liv-
ing in what is the present Mechanic Grove district. John
L. Minnich of near Lititz, Charles Garner and wife, and
Harrison Steely soon afterward moved in. Thus fourteen
new members were added, and by October, 1898, the mem-
bership reached 34.

Bro. Bucher began to hold services in his home and at
Bro. Minnich's, so that there was preaching in the neighbor-
hood every month. The first members to be received by
baptism which occurred in 1897, were Katie Minnich, aged
fourteen years, and Fianna Bucher, aged ten. Katie Min-
nich soon died and was the first one buried at the Mechanic
Grove burying ground.

The first council was held at Bro. Bucher's, April 17, 1897,
for the purpose of organizing a new congregation. Elder
H. E. Light presided ; Elder John W. Graybill was also pres-
ent. At this council the organization of the Mechanic

346

MECHANIC GROVE CHURCH.

347

Grove Church resulted, being one of the three districts into
which the Conestoga Church was divided in this same year.
The officials of the organization were : Elder H. E. Light
as Elder in charge, but residing in the Mountville Church;
George Bucher, a minister in the second degree, and no
deacons. Of the thirty-four members, twenty-three were
present, nine brethren and fourteen sisters.

The boundary line of this church, as adopted at the first
council, was as follows: Beginning at Conestoga Creek,
where Pequea and Lampeter Townships join, thence south
to Long Lane through Strasburg to Gap ( Strasburg to be-
long to the Conestoga Church). The territory of this con-
gregation embraces the southern third of Lancaster County,
being about twenty miles each way.

At this same council J. L. Minnich was elected and in-
stalled into the deacon's office and also chosen the first treas-
urer. A petition to the District Meeting was drawn up,
asking to be received into the care of the Home Mission
Board, which was granted.

At the second council, also held at Bucher's, George
Bucher was ordained to the eldership, September 4, 1897,
and given charge of the church. Mary Phillipy was ap-
pointed correspondent to the Gospel Messenger. The ques-
tion of building a house of worship at Mechanic Grove was
also discussed. It was decided to begin to build with the
means at hand, provided the Home Mission Board would
assist to the extent of giving $400. This assistance how-
ever was refused. A building committee consisting of J. L.
Minnich, Cyrus Royer and George Bucher was appointed,
the church having decided to build at any rate. Accord-
ingly, a frame structure 50 X 50 ft., suitable for lovefeast
purposes, was erected at a cost of $1,836.53 and dedicated
October i, 1898, at which time the first lovefeast was held
in the new church. The first lovefeast by this congregation
was held at Elder Bucher's home, October 2, 1897.

Next a movement was started to purchase a church build-
ing at Refton. After appeals for aid had been made to
the Conestoga and Spring Grove churches it was agreed to
purchase the Refton House for $775 on January 22, 1898.

348 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Cyrus Royer, John Minnich and Edwin Pehlman were ap-
pointed trustees of this house, which is a frame building 30
X 40 ft. The first love feast held at this house, which was
the second one held by this congregation, occurred May 21,
1898.

About the same time it was decided that the council meet-
ings as well as the love feasts alternate between the Mechanic
Grove and Refton houses. Preaching services from this
time on were held every fourth week at each of these houses
with a monthly service at Elim, on another of Bro. Bucher's
farms, five miles south of Mechanic Grove. Sunday School
was organized in the Mechanic Grove House, April 26,

1903-

The following elections of officials have been held since
the time of organization: On May 11, 1901, U. C. Fasnacht
and Rufus P. Bucher were elected to the ministry ; on Novem-
ber 14, 1909, P. M. Habecker was called to the ministry.
The following were elected as deacons : Harrison Steely,
May 13, 1899; P. M. Habecker, September 8, 1906; Benja-
min Kreider, November 14, 1909; Charles A. Livengood
and Cyrus Stauffer, June 10, 191 1. On January 19, 1908,
U. C. Fasnacht was advanced to the second degree of the
ministry. Rufus P. Bucher was advanced in the ministry,
December 6, 1908.

At a council meeting held at the Mechanic Grove House
in the presence of Elders I. W. Taylor and H. E. Light, a
charge against George Bucher was adjusted. At a council
meeting held September 21, 1907, at George Bucher's home,
where I. W. Taylor, Hiram Gibbel and Hershey Groff were
present, George Bucher was charged with having used the
law against a brother. He refused to comply with what the
church asked of him and stated that he would no longer
work with the Brethren, expecting to unite with the Old
Order Brethren. A council meeting held at the Refton
House at which H. E. Light, Hershey Groff and L W. Tay-
lor were present (the latter presiding), disfellowshipped
George Bucher and wife, they having before this time identi-
fied themselves with the Old Order Brethren.

The present officials are : Elder S. H. Hertzler, Elder in

>
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I— I

X
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in
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MECHANIC GROVE CHURCH.

349

charge, residing in Elizabethtown ; ministers : U. C. Fas-
nacht, R. P. Bucher, P. M. Habecker; deacons; Benjamin
Kreider, Charles Livengood, Cyrus Stauffer.

The growth of the work has been slow but steady, the
membership numbering sixty-five on September 14, 1913.
Of the original 34 members, only four were left on Septem-
ber 14, 1913. In 1901, in the month of October, the Min-
isterial and Sunday School Meeting of Eastern Pennsyl-
vania was held at Mechanic Grove. The condition of the
church in general at this time is good.

Bishops of this congregation: (i) H. E. Light, April 17,
1897, to September 4, 1897; (2) George Bucher, September
4, 1897, to 1907; (3) Samuel H. Hertzler, Jan. 19, 1908.

CHAPTER VI.
SPRING GROVE CHURCH.

The Spring Grove Church of the Brethren was organized
April 24, 1897, at the Blueball meeting house, having been
a part of the Conestoga Church formerly. On this occasion
the following elders were present : H. E. Light, B. Z. Eby,
Israel Wenger, John W. Graybill, the last named being
chosen as Elder in charge. Aaron W. Martin was elected
deacon on the same date, but being absent was installed May
19, 1897.

On December 18, 1897, R. S. Reidenbach was ordained to
the eldership and Samuel W. Taylor elected to the ministry.
Isaac G. Martin and John Buffenmyer, Sr., were elected
deacons. On said date John Graybill's resignation as elder
was accepted and R. S. Reidenbach was given charge of
the church. May 22, 1899, I. W. Taylor was ordained and
by vote elected Elder in charge and served until now. At
the same time, Samuel W. Taylor was advanced to the
second degree of the ministry. The services of said date
were in charge of the Elders, H. E. Light, John Graybill, B.
Z. Eby, and John Herr. On April 23, 1907, Amos Taylor
was elected deacon, Elders H. E. Light and Hershey Groff
having charge of the services. On May 26, 1909, Amos M.
Martin was elected minister and Jacob Redcay and Horace
Buffenmyer were elected deacons. At this service Elders
Hershey Groff, John W. Schlosser and David Kilhefner
were present. On September 9, 19 13, Samuel W. Taylor
was ordained to eldership and Amos M. Martin advanced
to second degree of ministry.

From the organization of this congregation to February,
19 1 2, there have been thirty-two deaths and sixty baptisms.
Twenty certificates have been received and seventy-six cer-
tificates granted. Six members have been disowned and not
reclaimed. The present membership is ninety-one. The

350

SPRING GROVE CHURCH. 351

officials at the time of the organization were R. S. Reiden-
bach, elder, I. W. Taylor minister, S. W. Taylor, deacon,
with a membership of about eighty. The present officials
are: Elder, I. W. Taylor as Elder in charge; Elder, R. S.
Reidenbach, and Elder, S. W. Taylor, and Amos Martin,
minister; Deacons, J. B. Becker, John Buffenmyer, Sr.

The congregation has three church buildings : the Spring
Grove House, a frame building, 40 by 50 ft., located at
Spring Grove, was built in 1892 at a cost of $3,000; the
Blueball House, 30 by 40 ft., frame, located at Blueball, built
in 1875 at a cost of $2,200; Kemper's Church House, near
Murrell, a sandstone structure, built in 1864 at a cost of
$2,000.

The present church activities of this congregation consist
of one Sunday School at Voganville, organized in 1905, for-
merly held at Spring Grove and Voganville, and Prayer
Meeting in private homes of members.

Bishops of the Congregation: (i) John W. Graybill,
April, 1897, to December 18, 1897; (2) R. S. Reidenbach,
1897-1899; (3) I. W. Taylor, 1899.

CHAPTER VII.

SPRINGVILLE CHURCH.

On May 5, 1864, Conestoga Church was divided into
three church districts; namely, Conestoga, West Conestoga
and Ephrata. The Ephrata district consisted of the town
of Ephrata and also of a large territory in the country north
of Ephrata. On August 5, 1899, the Ephrata Church,
numbering about three hundred and thirty-five members,
was divided into two divisions or congregations. The town
of Ephrata constituted the one division, called the Ephrata
Church, and the rural section, called the Springville Church,
constituted the other division. The newly formed Ephrata
congregation consisted of one hundred and thirty-two mem-
bers in the Borough of Ephrata and some adjoining territory
and retained the old name Ephrata Church.

The officials of the Springville Congregation at the time
of its organization in 1899 consisted of Elder Israel Wenger,
Elder in charge ; ministers, Isaac Keller, John W. Schlosser,
and Henry Royer; deacons, John L. Mohler, Jacob Kilhef-
ner, Hiram Snyder, Aaron Gibbel, Albert Gelsinger, J. Bit-
zer Johns. Since the organization the following ministers
have been elected: Aaron R. Gibbel, on October 5, 1907; J.
Bitzer Johns, on August 27, 1908. The following have
been elected deacons since 1899 : Reuben M. Hertzog, and
John G. Martsall, on August 22, 1908. On the same date
Aaron R. Gibbel was advanced to the second degree of the
ministry and John W. Schlosser was ordained to the elder-
ship. Mar. 14, 1914, J. Bitzer Johns advanced to 2d
degree.

The congregation in 19 13 had a membership of two hun-
dred and fifty-seven, with the following officials : Elder in
charge, John W. Schlosser; ministers, Abram H. Royer,
Aaron R. Gibbel, J. Bitzer Johns; deacons, Hiram B.
Snyder, Albert Gelsinger, Aaron H. Royer, Reuben M.
Hertzog, John G. Martsall, Jacob Redcay.

352

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SPRINGVILLE CHURCH. 353

The congregation has five church houses : Mohler's, a
frame building 50 by 80 ft., located near Ephrata, built in
1872, and cost $4,364.34 (this building was destroyed by
fire, April 9, 1898, and rebuilt in the same year at an ex-
pense of $2,414.44) ; the last building committee was Aaron
Hummer, Samuel Mohler, Michael Keller, Levi Mohler,
John L. Mohler ; the Springville House, brick structure, built
in 1854, 36 by 60 ft., at Springville, had an annex built to
it in 1889; the Denver House built in 1877, 36 by 40 ft.,
frame ; the Blainsport House is a frame structure, 36 by 40
ft., built in 1866; the Cocalico House, 36 by 50 ft., built of
brick, in 1909, at a cost of $1,500, with the following build-
ing committee : Daniel Noll, Benjamin Burkholder and Sam-
uel Snyder.

The present activities of this congregation consist of an
evergreen Sunday School at Springville, organized in 1904;
and two midweek Prayer Meetings held at the homes of
members. The following have been elders in charge of this
congregation: Israel Wenger, August 5, 1899, to September
4» 1905; John Herr, residing at Myerstown, 1905 to 1908;
John W. Schlosser, 1908 to the present.

The Annual Conference of 1846 was held on May 29, at
Trout Creek, Lancaster County, in the present bounds of the
Springville Congregation, on John Royer's farm, near
Springville. The District Meetings of Eastern Pennsyl-
vania were held in the territory of this congregation as
follows: at the Mohler House, April 29, 1875; April 30,
and May i, 1890, and May 6 and 7, 1908.

CHAPTER VIII.
AKRON CHURCH.

The Akron Church was organized on April 5, 1913. It
was formed from territory belonging to the West Conestoga
and Springville congregations. At a council meeting of the
Springville Church, held at Mohler's on March 15, 1913,
permission was granted the members living in Akron and
vicinity to join with part of the West Conestoga Church for
the purpose of forming a new congregation, to be known as
the Akron Church. Twenty-seven members were in this
way taken from the Springville Church.

On March 24, 19 13, the West Conestoga Church was
divided into three divisions as follows : West Conestoga,
Lititz, and Akron. The territory of the Akron Church con-
sists of the Borough of Akron, Lancaster County, and
vicinity, and ' some territory including the Brick Church
House (Steinmetz's formerly) of the Springville Church.

Steinmetz's Meeting-house.

Bro. J. G. Francis deserves the credit for the following
interesting history of this ancient landmark :

" ' Memorandum Book of the German Baptist brick meet-
ing-house, near Isaac Steinmetz's generally called Steinmetz's
meeting-house.

Ephrata Township, January the 12th, 1847.
" ' Constitution
" ' We, the undersigned, having agreed to form a constitution
of a meeting house to be erected on the land of Isaac Steinmetz,
in the township of Ephrata, Lancaster county, at the cross-
roads, near Steinmetz's brickyard, as follows, to wit:

'"The said house to be called "German Baptist Meeting-
house." It shall be for the use of the religious denomination,
called German Baptists, for them to hold religious meetings in
the same at any time. Any preacher or preachers of any other

354

Ift

^flPfSti*i«AKiH,

H^^lH^r V 1 vR

Steinmetz's Meeting House, near Akron.

y y

Grave of Elder Samuel Hari.ey,

NEAR EpHRATA.

AKRON CHURCH. 355

denomination, or some person for him or them, must obtain per-
mission from all the Trustees of said house before he or they
can go into the said meeting house, with the intention of
preaching,

" ' A part of said house may be occupied for teaching a day
school any time it is considered necessary by the surrounding
neighbors.

" ' No kind of exhibitions or lectures shall be allowed in said
house.

" ' One half acre of ground shall be given to build the said
house thereon, and for the use of a graveyard.

" ' Three Trustees shall be annually elected by the contribut-
ing subscribers to said house, every year on the second Satur-
day of every March, in the afternoon, between the hours of one
and four.

" ' The election shall be held by the Trustees then in office.
" ' No votes shall be accepted at any of the said elections
held as aforesaid, which are handed in by proxy. The election
shall be held in said meeting-house.

" ' Any man elected Trustee must live within one mile of
said house.

" ' Witness our hands, the day and year above written.

Isaac Steinmetz
David Martin
Charles Bauman
George Frantz
Samuel Wolf
John E. Pfautz*

" All of those signing the Constitution were members of
the Brethren Church but Samuel Wolf, and he later became
one. From this constitution there is no evidence of any
sharp dealing on the part of any Brethren. And the deed
agrees with the constitution. It is dated April i8, 1848.
Isaac Steinmetz received $30 for eighty perches of land,
deeded by him to trustees David Martin, George Frantz and
Isaac Steinmetz. The meeting-house was already erected
at the time of drawing up the deed. It was finished in
1847 ^"d was 36 by 50 ft.

"This farm had belonged to Christian Brubecker. It
came to Steinmetz through his wife Mary, daughter of Bru-

356 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

becker. The south end part, also by the deed as well as by
the constitution, could be used for a school house on consent
of the Trustees. This fact reveals very clearly the relation
of these old Brethren to the cause of public education. The
door at the south gable end was the entrance to the school-
room. The place of the old partition, now torn out, is very
noticeable. In times of worship the partition could be so
removed that those sitting in the school-room part could see
and hear the preacher. The top and bottom parts were
stationary.

" For building the house $686.87 were subscribed by 206
neighbors, or an average of $3.36 per neighbor, certainly a
popular subscription. The heaviest subscribers were David
Martin, John E. Pfautz and Isaac Steinmetz. In the list we
find old substantial Brethren names — Christian Bomberger,
Joseph Myers, Jacob Pfautz, Sr., Christian Rupp, Isaac
Shirk and Michael Weidler.

"The first election for Trustees was held March 11, 1848,
when David Martin, Isaac Steinmetz and George Frantz
were chosen. The following is a list of Trustees up to 1900,
when elections ceased:

1. David Martin, 2 yrs. 12. John Kilheflfer, 8 yrs.

2. Isaac Steinmetz, 12 yrs. 13. John G. Kilheffer, 10 yrs,

3. George Frantz, 8 yrs. 14. Jacob Holsinger, 3 yrs.
4 John E. Pfautz, 19 yrs. 15. Aaron Hummer, 18 yrs.

5. Joseph Landis, 4 yrs. 16. Jacob Neff, 5 yrs.

6. John Albright, 4 yrs. 17. Samuel Kulp, 3 yrs.

7. Charles Bauman, 9 yrs. 18. John Lefever, 7 yrs.

8. Isaac Shirk, 4 yrs. 19. John Kilheffer, 4 yrs.

9. Samuel Wolf, 6 yrs. 20. Wane Gulp, 2 yrs.

10. Jacob B. Keller, 16 yrs. 21. John Klimes, 4 yrs.

11. Jacob Kilheffer, 8 yrs.

"Last election was held in 1900, but the elections were
often neglected and then the old Trustees were simply con-
tinued.

"The house was variously called Steinmetz's, the Brick
meeting-house, and the German Baptist meeting-house. To
whom it belonged and the purpose of its erection are evident.

" Shutters were put on the house in 1853. ^^ ^^5^ it

AKRON CHURCH. 357

was unanimously agreed to make some improvements to
said house, by filling up, making out stone steps, and putting
water spouts in front of said house. Cost $37-77/^.

" School seems to have been held right along. In 1866
it was necessary to lay a new floor in the school-room. This
cost $66.57. These repairs seem to have led to charging
the School Directors for the use of the building, for on
March 30, 1867, the Trustees received from the School
Directors $25, school rent. This sum or a little more con-
tinued to be paid until 1884.

"At a council in Mohler's Meeting-house in 1890, it was
decided *to remodel the German Baptist Brick meeting-
house.' The doors which had been on the side toward the
road were now placed on the opposite side ; the total cost for
remodelling was $245.83 — $9.17 more than necessary hav-
ing been subscribed.

"This is an old house whose history is worthy of pres-
ervation. It is perhaps the pioneer brick meeting house in
eastern Pennsylvania — logs and stones had previously been
used. It is likely the mother of the work at Ephrata as well
as at Akron. When the new house was built in Akron
many wanted to tear down the old brick structure, but it
found a champion in Sister Isabella Smith, who saved it
from destruction. She has now over $200 subscribed to-
ward repairing it. Regular services are no longer held here,
but it will be convenient for funerals. A large cemetery,
surrounded entirely with a neat iron fence accompanies the
old church and will for generations afford a beautiful burial
place for the Akron congregation."

At the time of organization of this church the member-
ship numbered seventy-seven. The officials then were :
Elder in charge, Elder I. W. Taylor, Superintendent and
Secretary of the Brethren Home at Neffsville; minister,
David Snader in the second degree; deacons, S. N. Wolf,
and A. J. Evans. On October 18, 191 3, the following offi-
cials were elected : minister, S. N. Wolf ; deacons, George B.
Wolf and Els worth Wenger.

This congregation has two houses of worship. The Brick
House above described. The Akron House was built in

368 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

1898, a frame structure, 44 by 50 ft., and was remodeled for
lovefeast purposes with a basement, since the organiza-
tion of the church. It was rededicated, October 19, 1913.
Elder John Herr, of Myerstown, preached the dedicatory
sermon. The first lovefeast of this congregation was held
November i, 1913, following a series of evangelistic
meetings conducted by Elder J. H. Longenecker, of Palmyra.
The church has a Sunday School at Akron, organized
March 26, 1906, with the following officers: Superintend-
ent David Snader; First Assistant, S. N. Wolf; Second
Assistant, John P. Snader; Secretary, H. N. Wolf. There,
is a weekly Prayer Meeting held at the homes of members.

CHAPTER IX.
LITITZ CHURCH.

Lititz Church was organized on January lo, 191 4, with
a membership numbering 120. Twenty-three of this num-
ber were from the White Oak congregation. The West
Conestoga congregation, however, furnished the bulk of the
membership; namely, ninety-seven of the charter members.
Elder I. W. Taylor, superintendent of the Brethren's Home,
was chosen elder in charge; J. W. G. Hershey, clerk; and
Nathan Brubaker, treasurer. The resident ministers are:
Elder John Myer, and J. W. G. Hershey, in the second
degree. The deacons are : George Shreiner, Nathan Bru-*
baker and Horace Buffenmyer. The Sunday School of the
new organization with an enrollment of 85 has been placed
under the superintendency of Henry Gibbel. A Teacher
Training Class is maintained. The sisters have an Aid
Society of which Sister J. W. G. Hershey is president and
Sister Florence Gibbel, treasurer. A plain frame house
40 X 50 ft. built in 1887 is the home of this new con-
gregation.

The organization was preceded by a two weeks' series of
meetings conducted by Elder J. G. Royer, of Mt. Morris, 111.
Bro. Royer presided at the organization of the new congre-
gation. His tact fulness likely had much to do with the
frictionless evolution of the church.

The Manheim Road and Market Street in Warwick form
the northern boundary of the new church; the road from
Hess's Mennonite meeting-house to Bushong's Mill bounds
it on the east; the southern boundary is an irregular south-
western line to the intersection of Peter's Road and the
Lancaster and Lititz turnpike; the turnpike is the western
boundary to Macpelah cemetery, thence a line northwest to
southwest corner of Lititz borough, then north along bor-
ough limits and on to Manheim Road. The Lancaster and

359

360 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Lititz turnpike had been the old boundary between the two
old congregations, so it will be seen that a comparatively
small part of the territory was given by White Oak, as was
also the case in the membership. So much for the present
status of the new congregation.

Deacon Jacob S. Minnich was the first aggressive worker
living within the town of Lititz. When the meeting house
was built in the extreme eastern part of the town, Jacob S.
Minnich and John R. Gibbel were the Locating and Building
Committee. Both Bro. Minnich and Bro. John B. Gibbel
lived east of town and John R. Gibbel, son of John B., lived
also in the eastern part. Since then, the location of the
membership has shifted and the church is far removed from
the trolley and membership. There is a strong probability,
therefore, that a new house of worship more conveniently
located will be erected in the not distant future.

In 1888 John B. Gibbel asked permission to hold prayer-
meetings in Lititz on Sunday evenings. The request was
granted. Then came the agitation for a Sunday School
with Jacob Minnich in the lead. The congregation refused
the request for a Sunday School ; but nothing daunted, the
leader went on, declaring that since Annual Meeting upheld
Sunday Schools, one would be organized. The school con-
tinued for two years, when it was forced to close. After a
few years it was revived, the church having later granted
the privilege. It was specified, however, that a minister
must be superintendent. Cyrus Gibbel was placed over the
reorganized school ; he was succeeded by E. B. Brubaker,
who in turn was followed by J. W. G. Hershey, who con-
tinued in office up to the time of organization of the new
congregation. The school has been evergreen since the
reorganization.

The first effort for a new congregation was made by pre-
senting a petition signed by Lititz members to the West
Conestoga council in 1907. This petition was refused. A
number of years having passed, the effort was repeated in
191 3 and now the members of Lititz rejoice in the realiza-
tion that all things come to them who wait. A meeting of
the members of Lititz as an unorganized body was held on

LITITZ CHURCH. 361

New Year's Day, 1914. Elder Samuel Hunberger of the
Brethren's Home presided. It was decided by a unanimous,
rising vote to organize, and also to petition West Conestoga
to change the line from the one formerly suggested by a
committee to the one which was later adopted. The
Brethren west of the pike petitioned White Oak for a line
and for the privilege of uniting with the members in the
West Conestoga portion of Lititz. The petitions were
granted with the happy result which we have noted. The
new congregation has a territory of almost four square
miles, with a population of about four thousand.

CHAPTER X.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
A. Jacob Stoll.

Jacob Stoll was born in 1731, baptized in 1748, elected a
minister in 1753, and died in 1822, in his ninety-second
year.

It is not known positively when he was ordained a Bishop,
but in an old manuscript the writer of this sketch has seen,
it is mentioned that Elder Stoll " was sixty-seven years a
Bishop." Whether the author of that manuscript had in view
the time he was in the ministry, or whether he was really
ordained an Elder two years after his election, we know
not, but if the former, he missed it by two years, for from
1753, when he was elected, to 1822, when he died, was
sixty-nine years — the longest term of any brother in the
ministry in Eastern Pennsylvania we know of. A close
second is Samuel Haldeman, now living in Reedly, Cali-
fornia, who was born, raised, baptized, and elected a minis-
ter, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and afterwards
moved to Schuylkill County, and from there to the West.
He was born in 1820, baptized in 1840, elected in 1847, ^^^
is therefore now (1913) sixty-six years in the ministry.
Both he and his wife are living yet. She will be ninety-
three next April, and they have been married over seventy-
one years. They are both able to attend meeting, and on
last August 14, he gave a ten-minute talk in meeting, both
edifying, and instructive. (From Eld. D. L. Forney, in
Cos. Mess., Vol. 62, No. 39, page 614.)

There was an Esther Stoll baptized prior to 1734. and
also Esther Stoll in 1745, who were likely mother and sister
of Elder Jacob Stoll.

It was said by the old Brethren who lived contemporary
with Elder Stoll that at the time of his call to the ministry,

362

BIOGRAPHICAL. 363

he had an engagement to get married, but after his election
he and his fiancee talked the matter over and mutually
agreed to cancel the engagement, lest his entanglement in a
family relation might be a hindrance to his work for the
Master, and so he was never married.

Just where he was born, or where he had his home during
his earlier life we know not, but it is known that he always
led a simple life, and the probability is that he always lived
in the same vicinity, and when he was older he is known to
have lived alone over a spring house, on the farm of Bro.
Joseph Royer, near where Middle Creek Meeting-house now
stands. There he had his loom, he being a weaver by trade,
and there he slept and lived, when not engaged in his duties
as overseer of a large flock, scattered over a large territory.

By this time some members of Conestoga had moved
across the mountain into what is now Lebanon County,
where the Brethren would have an occasional meeting at the
Brethren's homes, and on such occasions Elder Stoll would
take his staff, on Sunday morning early, and walk across
the mountain, and preach, and in the afternoon walk home
again. On one such occasion, when the meeting was at
Brother Henry Royer's, on the farm now owned by a
Brother Bucher, east of Reistville, when bidding farewell,
sister Royer said she don't know what they will do when
Elder Stoll don't come to preach for them any more; then
he stamped his cane on the floor and said : " Then you have
the same God you now have."

Brother Samuel Gibbel at one time lived in the Conestoga
district, and later moved to Lebanon County. One day he
went to Elder Stoll and complained about a Brother for
being so notoriously untruthful, that the people talk about it,
thus bringing disgrace on the church. After waiting a little
for a reply. Elder Stoll said : " Make him different." That
was all he got. This information the writer has from a
son of Gibbel.

Elder Jacob Hollinger, when he lived, told the writer, that
Elder Stoll was very simple in his living, that he wore knee
breeches made of buckskin, which he wore at all times and

364 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

places, and that by his trade he became acquainted with a
storekeeper in Lancaster, who took such a Hking to him
that he gave orders that when he dies, that preacher with the
" Buckskin breeches " should preach his funeral, and he did.^

In conversation Elder Stoll had little to say, and in
preaching his sermons were short and pithy, so that when
the people were about ready to listen for what comes next,
he would sit down, and when he was urged to preach longer
sermons, he would say, " We must not preach people weary,
but hungry, so that they come again the next time."

When he was old, and knew that at best his life in this
earthly house would be brief he gave instructions that he
should be buried in the Middle Creek Cemetery, just inside
the gate, so that people going in and out would have to walk
over him, and when the grave was dug about the proper
depth, they came upon a flat rock, on which they placed the
coffin.

Some years afterward the cemetery was enlarged which
made it necessary to change the place of entry. His grave
is marked by a small stone, with J. Stoll, 1822, on it.
" Mark the perfect man, behold the upright, for the end of
that man is peace." Ps. 37, 37.

Elder Stoll, some time in his active life, wrote a book on
religious topics and had it published in German, and with
all diligent search so far the writer was unable to find a
copy, but remembers having seen it years ago, and all he
remembers of the title page is the name of the author, the
peculiarity of which made a lasting impression on his mind;
viz., "J. St-11." This proves that he had literary abihties
above the ordinary of his time. (See cut of Title Page).

S. R. ZuG.

1 When Peter Miller, of the Beissel monastic community died, all the
celibates were old and more or less feeble, so that it was determined to
invite a clergyman to perform his last rites. Recourse was had to the
minister of the nearest Dunker congregation, who was Jacob Stoll,
living less than four miles from Peter Miller's residence. It is stated
on good authority that Jacob Stoll preached the funeral sermon of
Peter Miller on September 28, 1796, taking for his text Rev. 14: 12, 13. —
Editors.

BIOGRAPHICAL. 365

B. Abraham Zug.

Abraham Zug was born in Warwick, now Penn Town-
ship, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was the youngest
son of Elder Johannes Zug.

He was married to Susanna Royer, from Middle Creek.
They had four sons and one daughter: John, who after-
wards became the Elder of the Tulpehocken Church ; Daniel,
who moved to, and died in Franklin Co., Pa. ; Abraham and
David, twins, who lived and died in Lebanon Co. ; and
Catharine, who was never married.

He was a tanner by trade and lived in Rapho Township,
about a mile southeast of Mastersonville, where he carried
on his trade for some years. About 1805 they moved to
Lexington, Warwick Township, where he had a tannery,
and where, in 181 5, he and Jacob Pfautz were elected to the
ministry the same day. When his sons grew up, and
needed work he sold out there, and moved to Lebanon
County, where he bought a farm, near where Richland now
is. Here he, and his wife, lived their remaining years, and
now rest in the Tulpehocken Cemetery, not far away.

They still belonged to the Conestoga Church, though
living in another county, so in 1823 he and Jacob Pfautz
were ordained Elders, and the same day Samuel Myer, and
Michael Landis elected ministers, and Henry Mohler, Sr.,
and Jacob Bollinger, deacons.

In July 1841 Elder Zug died in his 70th year. In his
eldership he was frequently called to Little Swatara to
assist in church work. He was a good counsellor, not
radical, but firm, wise, and tactful, making few words, well
considered, in a kind, mild voice, and always to the point.

He stood well in the community in and outside of the
church. At his funeral Thomas Leinbach, a Reformed
minister, asked liberty to say something, which being
granted, he eulogized the departed as a true model Christian,
and his death as an irreparable loss to the community.

S. R. ZuG.

366 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

C. Christian Bomberger.

Christian Bomberger was born in Penn Township, Lan-
caster County, Pa., in 1801. Of his parents Httle is known,
but his mother was a daughter of Christian Graybill, a
prominent Brother. They were of German descent, and
lived on the farm. Christian received a fair education.
When he grew to manhood, he chose the profession of
medicine.

He was united in marriage to a Miss Fahnestock.
Among the Fahnestocks were some prominent physicians,
who proved helpful to him in his chosen profession.

To them were born two sons and four daughters. They
lived on a farm below Lititz until their sons started out for
themselves; then they took to the farm, and the parents
moved to Rothsville, where the doctor devoted his time
to the church and the practice of medicine. In his medical
work he used magnetism and faith cure to some extent and
sometimes obtained results that were positively unexplain-
able by the ordinary laws of Materia medica. He never
undertook important surgical cases, but recommended them
to skillful surgeons in Lancaster.

In 1828 he and his wife united with the church. Three
years later, he was called to the ministry. While he made
a success of medicine, he had little faith in his ability to
preach. So often did he say so to his wife that she grew
tired, and on one occasion replied to him that God could
open the mouth of Balaam's ass to rebuke his master, why
could he not his? This gave him some courage at least to
make an effort. From this time his influence grew, and he
became a physician for both body and soul. In 1862 he
was ordained Elder and given charge of the Conestoga
Church. In 1864 the Conestoga Church was divided into
three churches— Conestoga, West Conestoga, and Ephrata,
with Elder Bomberger in charge of the three for the time
being. He was one of the best counsellors of the district,
and was therefore called from home frequently to aid in
adjusting difficulties in many parts of the district. He was
one of a sextette in eastern Pennsylvania, who were leaders

BIOGRAPHICAL. 367

in the district, the other five being Samuel Harley, St., of
Indian Creek, John H. Umstad, Jacob Hollinger, John Zug
and David Gerlach. His body is at rest in the Conestoga
Congregation (Middle Creek Cemetery) and his labors for
righteousness and peace are still felt among the churches
where he labored. He fell asleep in 1880, in the 79th year
of his age.

S. R. Zug.

D. Samuel Harley.

Elder Samuel Harley, the second elder of the Ephrata
Church, was born and raised in Montgomery County, Penn-
sylvania, and came to Lancaster County while he was yet a
young man. He was called to the ministry in the Ephrata
Church in 1864, after having been elected a deacon in the
Conestoga Church in 1861. He was advanced to the second
degree of the ministry in 1867 ^^^ ordained in 1871.

Elder Harley united with the church in the Indian Creek
Congregation in Montgomery County. He was married
to EHzabeth Johnson on May 14, 1843, ^^^ baptized with his
wife the following spring. Their union was blessed with
two daughters, the older, Mariette, was married to Yelles
Cassel, a son of Abram Cassel, the antiquarian, and the
younger was married to Jeremiah Kurtz, of Ephrata. He
was married a second time on March 15, 1874, to Sister
Catherine Royer, still living.

Elder Harley was a highly respected man in his com-
munity. As an elder, having charge of the Ephrata con-
gregation, he was a good housekeeper, watching over the
flock. His preaching was mostly in his own district and
adjoining districts. He was often called to other churches
for counsel. He officiated at three hundred marriages. He
served several times on the Standing Committee at Annual
Meeting. He was once a member of the Home Mission
Board. He was not a fluent speaker but his words were
to the point and with power.

During the last few years of his life he retired from
active church work on account of both mind and body fail-
ing in health and strength. The call to come up higher

368 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

reached him May 6, 1896, having attained the age of sev-
enty-six years, two days. His funeral was largely attended.
Interment was made at Mohler's Church burying ground.
The text was Daniel 12:2, 3. The pallbearers were the
four ministers of the Ephrata Church. Elders Samuel R.
Zug and Christian Bucher officiated.

E. John B. Gibbel.

John B. Gibbel was baptized in White Oak Congregation
in 1856, elected to the ministry, October 17, 1866, and later
advanced to the second degree of ministry. He moved into
the West Conestoga Congregation, March 18, 1873, near
Lititz and labored in the latter congregation until the time
of his death, January 20, 1889, dying very suddenly of apo-
plexy of the heart, aged 56 years 7 months 22 days; burial
at Middle Creek graveyard. He served 23 years in the
ministry and two of his sons, Cyrus R. Gibbel and Aaron
R. Gibbel, are ministers in the Brethren Church and his
daughter, Elizabeth Gibbel McCann, served as a missionary
in India from, 1897 to 1903 and 1904 to 1907, as wife of
Elder S. N. McCann, of Virginia.

PART VII.
WHITE OAK GROUP.

CHAPTER I.

WHITE OAK CHURCH.

White Oak Church was originally a part of Conestoga,
although history informs us that a few members had settled
in White Oak Land, prior to 1 736, in which year there was
a love feast held. It was a part of Conestoga Church, and,
although a considerable distance from the main body of the
church, it was supplied in the ministry from Conestoga.

The first minister who lived within the bounds of what
later became the White Oak Church district, was Peter
Hummer. He lived on, and owned, a large farm, a part
of which is now owned by Allen Hoffer, about three miles
west of Manheim. Where he came from, or when he was
elected, we have no positive data.

About 1753, or soon after, he bought a farm of 199^
acres, as aforesaid. It is probable that he was elected to the
ministry soon after, for the White Oak settlement had no
minister nearer than Jacob Stoll, and he lived at Middle
Creek, from ten to fifteen miles away. In 1769 he, and his
wife Catharine, sold 62 acres to Stoffel Miller, who, in 1774
sold the same to George Gantz, who started what was long
known as Gantz's tavern. In 1770, Hummer and wife sold
the balance of said farm to his son-in-law Sebastian Keller,
whose wife was Catharine Hummer, of whom more will be
said later on. Sebastian Keller passed it to his son, Sebas-
tian 2d, who spent his life there, and then passed it to his
son Sebastian 3d, who sold it to his sister's son, John K.
Snyder, who sold it to his brother, Samuel K. Snyder, who,
about 1875, sold it outside of the family, thus showing that
25 369

370 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

it remained in the family about 120 years. Peter Hummer
died in 1784, leaving seven children, four sons and three
daughters; viz., Peter (who was married to Barbara, a
daughter of the first elder, Christian Longenecker), Jonas,
Joseph, Abraham, a daughter Susanna, married to Martin
Shuh, one Elizabeth to Casper Lesher, and one Catharine to
Sebastian Keller. One daughter Mary had been married
to Stoffel Miller, but died before her father, making eight
children in all. By a marriage contract, on record in Lan-
caster, made between Peter Hummer and Susanna, widow
of John Spencer, deceased, dated April 19, 1782, it appears
he married his second wife. On September 3, 1784, he
made his will which was probated September 18, 1784,
which shows that he died between those dates.

We may have to draw largely on Dr. Brumbaugh's His-
tory of the Brethren, also as we have orally, from such
men as Elders C. Bomberger, J. Hollinger, John Zug, and
Abraham Gibbel, whose father was Johannas Gibbel, a
deacon, and whose mother was a daughter of Hans Hum-
mer, a brother of said Peter Hummer. These old fathers
all lived contemporary with the fathers who were in touch,
personally, with the work of the church almost from its
beginning in White Oak Land, and their testimony can be
taken as fairly authentic. In Brumbaugh's history, page
520, etc., we have the statement that Catharine Hummer
"made a wonderful stir in the colonial church, that her
father Peter Hummer was a minister, and that she would
accompany him in his preaching tours, and take part." Her
father seems to have had full confidence in her visions, and
he would, in his preaching, sometimes remark that God does
in such a wonderful way manifest himself in his family, and
his daughter would follow it up with relating her visions,
and that in her trances she is permitted to commune with the
spirits of departed saints.

It was related by those who seemed to have it from good
authority that she had these trances for years, off and on,
but, as Dr. Brumbaugh mentions four in the fall of 1762,
it seems they have become more frequent, and of longer
duration.

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 371

On May 27 and ?8, 1763, there seems to have been a
called General Conference (Kurtz's Brethren Encyclopedia,
page 136) at which this trouble was considered by the
Brethren. This meeting was in the Conestoga Church, of
which White Oak was then a part. The decision is as
follows :

"The undersigned Brethren from their different places (of
abode) have been here assembled in the fear of the Lord, in
order to see, in heartfelt and compassionate brotherly love, how
we might advise our Brethren, in God beloved, concerning the
many woundings and different transgressions that have oc-
curred since the exercises, visions, and doings of, and with the
sister Catharine Hummer, in the White Oak country have
happened — after we have yesterday heard the accusations of
the Brethren against one another and their testimony, that they
would not seek any division, but were willing to hear our
brotherly counsel of love — we have (in the next place) all,
every one of us, carefully heard and considered the mind of
each, and every one of us, the undersigned Brethren, has de-
clared his mind and advice freely, one after the other, and then
we have further united in the fear of the Lord in this, that we
would in union counsel our Brethren as follows : First, we be-
lieve and judge, indeed, that Brother Hummer has brought too
much of his humanity, (or human nature) into this movement,
from which different fruits of disunion have grown. In the
second place, however, we consider, that both sides have gone
too far in words and judgmentsagainst one another, and hence
it is our brotherly counsel, that Brother Peter Hummer should
needs make acknowledgments, where he might have offended
with regard of brotherly obedience, and if there are on both
sides conviction and acknowledgment, then we advise, out of
brotherly love, that on both sides, all judgments and harsh ex-
pressions, might be entirely laid down, though we have not the
■ same opinion of that noted (singular) occurrence, so that those
who think well of it, should not judge those who are of the
contrary opinion, and those who do not esteem it, should not
despise those who expect to derive some use and benefit from it.
" For the rest we advise you, beloved Brethren, receive one
another, as Christ has received us, and pardon one another as
Christ has pardoned us also, and let us everywhere consider,
•v^ that all disputing, and judging, and despising should be laid

372 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

aside, and thus remain, that every one leave to the other his
own opinion, in the fear of the Lord, and altogether for con-
science sake. Moreover, it is our advice that all unnecessary,
and too frequent visiting should cease, and every one should
earnestly abstain from all appearance of evil, and aim in all
things after truth and uprightness, in order that truth may
make us free from all that might still keep us in captivity, and
prevent us from coming to a oneness of mind in Christ Jesus
according to the will of God. If now one or the other should
think we have not sufficiently judged the occurrence, let him
consider that we cannot see the least cause for a separation for

^conscience sake. Hence we have felt constrained not to criti-
cise, or judge this (strange) affair, but rather to advise every
one to a godly impartiality and patience that none may judge
anything before the time, until the Lord come, who both will
bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make

-manifest the counsels of the heart, and then shall every man
have praise of God according to his faith and its fruits. Signed
by Jacob Myer, Peter Dirdorf, Martin Urner, Nicholas Martin,
Lorenz Shrab, Henry Naff, George Schreiber, Christopher
Saur, George Etter, Joseph Reutsh, Jacob Stutzman, John
Shlipfer, Jacob Mohr, Mattes Schweitzer, Henry Raudenbush,
Gideon Rausser, Daniel Letterman, Daniel Arnold, Anton
Hartman, Sander Mack, Nicholas Letterman, Stephen Ulrich."

It was further said that when she had those visions, no
one could go into her room, lest they disturb her trance, but
one young man of her acquaintance. He could go in, and it
would not disturb her. In the summer of 1763 it developed
that she was not true, and the church took her case up, and
dealt with her. Then it happened, as it is often the case
when members make mistakes, and are disciplined, they call
it persecution. Hence the letter from her to Alexander
'' Mack dated November 6, 1 763, in which she says :

"The winter of persecution is here. Contempt and persecu-
tion are strong. I am not only persecuted and hated by the
world, but also by those that call themselves believers. They
say that what has been done by me is idolatrous. They blas-
pheme whereof they know not."

" Dear Brother Sander, thou hast written me that the
heaviest will weigh less than nothing in the end. I am imper-

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 373

feet. May the Lord give his good Spirit into my heart, that
when I am weighed I may have the right weight, and may be
taken from this sorrowful world, into eternal rest."

May this have been some of the " tribulation " which
caused Elder Pfautz to fail to keep a record of baptisms
from 1755 to 1763? (Brumbaugh's Hist., page 313.),
Many did not believe in those visions, and therefore it
caused a lot of trouble. It ended in 1763. The blow of his
daughter's fall, in whom he placed so much faith, was so
hard, that he did not preach any more (at least for some
time) and that in a meeting once, when he was urged (it is
said), he got up and quoted the sixth verse of the first
chapter of the Song of Solomon, which reads in German:
" Sehet mich nicht an das ich so schzvart:; bin, dcnn die
Sonne hat mich also verbrannt. Meiner Mutter kinder
sumen mit mir. Man hat mich ziir Hilterin der Weinberge
gesetzt; aber meinen Weinberg, den ich hatte, habe ich nicht
behiitet." Then he sat down again.

By the way, Catharine Hummer afterwards married the
young man who visited her in her trances, and her son
became a prominent witch doctor, known far and wide.
Catharine Hummer's husband was Sebastian Keller, who
got the Peter Hummer farm in 1770. They had six chil-
dren, viz. : John, who lived in Dauphin County, and had a.
daughter who was married to a Mr. Shenk and lived near
Deodate, and one married to John Ruhl, and lived near
Elstonville, Lancaster Co. His second son was Dr. Sebas-
tian the second, who lived on the home farm, and died in
1839. His third child was Esther, married to George Bear.
Next was Jacob, and George, and Rosina deceased, leaving
a daughter, Magdalena Evans.

Sebastian Keller the first was a member of the state legis-
lature, when Lancaster was the state capital, and it was
said he would walk to town, fifteen miles, Monday morning,
and home again on Saturday afternoon. He made his will
February 4, 1808, which was proven March 14, 1808.
Sebastian second had tv^o children; viz., Dr. Sebastian third,
who lived, and died, in Elizabethtown, Pa., whose son,

374 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Sebastian fourth, now lives in Steelton. The other was
Ehzabeth, married to John Snyder, who Hved about one
mile northeast of Mastersonville at a mill, whose children —
four sons and four daughters — are all dead, but the youngest
son, Cyrus K. Snyder, who lives in Pasadena, Cal. Sebas-
tian second died in 1839.

Other ministers were Peter Eichelberger and Jacob Stoll.
who later became elders in the Conestoga Church. Eichel-
berger was baptized in 1752, and Stoll was baptized in 1748.
Hannes Zug was baptized in 1749, George Miller in 1753,
and Christian Longenecker in 1754. Stoll was elected to
the ministry in 1753, Longenecker in 1764, Zug in 1770.
Of the other two, we have no record. Han Jacob Boshor
was baptized in 1747. When elected we know not, but the
record which Elder C. Bomberger, of Conestoga Church,
had, and now in possession of Elder Hershey Groff, states
that "the church district is getting large, and the member-
ship spreading; it was agreed to divide. So they, in 1772,
divided into three districts, with Peter Eichelberger and
Jacob Stoll, ministers in Conestoga; C. Longenecker and
Hannes Zug in White Oak; and John Jacob Boshor and
George Kline in Swatara." The line between Conestoga
and White Oak is mentioned as " the Lancaster and Schaef-
ferstown road," which is to this day the dividing line be-
tween churches. In 1 769, C. Longenecker was ordained to
the eldership, and in 1780 George Miller and Hannes Zug
were ordained by Christopher Sower and Martin Urner.
Regarding the other three — or four with Kline — we have
no record of their ordination, but considering the time at
which they were baptized, and Elder Pfautz having died in
1769, and Jacob Stoll having been elected in 1753, eleven
years before Brother Longenecker, it is highly probable that
they were ordained, at least, before that division of the
church took place in 1772.

Ulrich Zug came from Switzerland in 1727 to his wife's
brother, Michael Bachman, four miles northwest of Lan-
caster, who went to White Oak Valley and preempted by
warrant about 1,000 acres of land which he afterward had
patented. About 1 742, he sold to Ulrich Zug 345 acres and

AflBBT tTSfi- -^

' JOHANNES ZUl

"Ji iO» OF I'lF'C SORK JULY tt i?,

, .1 sa,»ti:eo bi rH£ ehethseh f743.

•!'' a££TE8TCTKt:»«l)(iSIRri77a0R0AIJIEBr -i
f SIS»0? 1780 AHC OlED APS. 2 (821 \ t'

mm zuGf

. ANDREW 7Ur ~" 7

Monument of Ulric Zug, Ancestor of
ZuGs IN America, Erected through the
Efforts of Mary Zug Francis, Lebanon.

N a

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 375

allowance, for "£6o and one ear of Indian corn for every
100 acres to be delivered in Lancaster on November i for
said Bachman yearly to the proprietors forever."

Ulrich Zug had eight children, — six sons and two daugh-
ters. According to the best information we have, they came
to this country Mennonites but his wife was baptized to the
Brethren Church in 1741 and he in 1742, their son Peter
in 1747, John in 1749, Magdalena in 1748, Michael in 1752,
Jacob in 1761 and Christian in 1769.

In the spring of 1759, the children of Ulrich Zug divided
the farm into two equal parts, of 175 acres, one to Jacob,
and one to Michael, the others all releasing for their shares,
all signing their names in German. The last we know of
Peter Zug is in 1762, when he, with others, stood in defense
of Elder George Adam Martin, and "opposed his excom-
munication, and were anxious to reinstate him," etc. (Brum.
Hist., p. 331 ). Whether he was married, or when or where
he died, is all a blank to us. Jacob took half of his father's
farm in 1759, after the death of both parents, but sold it to
his brother Hannes in 1772, and moved to Washington Co.,
Md., where he died in 1794. One of his daughters was
married to a Long, and was the grandmother of Elder David
Long, late of near Hagerstown. One to a Wolf, on whose
grandson's farm the Annual Meeting was held in 1857.
One to Elder Nicholas Martin, who was grandmother of the
late Elder Nicholas Martin of near Hagerstown. One son
John moved to Bedford Co., Pa., and from there to Indiana.
And two sons remained in Welsh Run district, from whom
came Elder David Zuck, who lived in Fulton Co., 111., as
also Elders John Zuck of Clarence, Iowa, and David, now
elder of Welsh Run Church.

Michael married Maria Wolf, and took a half of his
father's farm, but later sold it, and moved to Somerset Co.,
Pa., where he died childless.

Hannes, or John, and his father Ulrich were engaged in
clearing a piece of woodland, when, while at work, he said
to his father that he has it in his mind to take a wife. The
father then asked him: "Hast du dann zvas im Zweck?"
John answered: "Yes, sister Anna Heffelfinger." The

376 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

father answered, " Shon recht. Ich will es den Armen
diener sagen das£ sie gehen sie fragen oh sie dich aiich
haven will. (All right, I will tell the deacons that they go
and ask her whether she will have you.) This was quite a
different way for trying to get a wife, from that now gen-
erally in use.

About 1760 John Zug and wife went with her father to
the Beaver Valley, now Dauphin Co., Pa., near Beaver
station where he had taken up a large tract of land, and
where he promised to give them a farm to clean of brush
and timber; but in 1762 the Tuscarora Indians from the
valley up the river became so dangerous by murder, and
arson, and robbery that by fall they decided to go back to
White Oak until Hfe became safe again. So in that fall
one morning they started on foot with their two children,
each carrying one. After going a little way they saw a
man lying in a buckwheat patch dead. He shouldered the
man, who was yet warm, and took him along to the next
house, not knowing when he might be the next one shot
from behind a tree.

Things in Paxtang and Beaver Valleys grew worse
instead of better, and in 1763 a number of young and
middle-aged men organized themselves into a company, and
assumed the name, "The Paxton Boys," for the purpose of
revenge. But the Indians learned of it, and went to an
Indian town in Manor Township, about six miles southwest
of Lancaster, whence the Paxton Boys trailed them, but
when they arrived there, the marauders had gotten wind of
their coming, and had left. The Indians misdirected the
gang, who essayed to follow, so as to give the fugitives time
to escape. When the neighbors learned of the trick the
Indians played on the Paxton Boys, they had the Manor
Indians placed in the Lancaster Workhouse for their pro-
tection, but the Paxton Boys came back, burned the Indian
village, broke into the workhouse, and killed every Indian.
There was a little boy among them, and one man proposed
to spare him, but before he had done speaking another one
grabbed him by the legs, flung him around, and dashed his
brains out against the wall, the bloody mark of which could

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 377

be seen as long as the old prison remained, which was on the
northeast corner of West King and Water Streets.

Hannes Zug had four sons and four daughters; viz..
Christian, married to a Miss Rupp, and died young, leaving
one daughter who was married to a Frick, two of whose
daughters were married to two Swarrs, and lived near
Landisville. John, married to a Miss Mohler, was given a
part of the home farm, where he lived some years ; then sold
it to David Sahm ; then he moved to Running Pump tavern,
a'bout two miles west of Elizabethtown, where he lived ten
years ; then he bought a farm near Carlisle where he lived,
and died, leaving one son, Jacob, who lived in Carlisle, and
died there. Joseph, married to Barbara Eby. He got the
home farm, where he lived and died, aged 51 years. He
had four sons and one daughter, Andrew, Joseph, John,
Benjamin, and Catharine, who was married to Peter Eby.
Elders S. R. Zug and B. Z. Eby* were grandsons, and S. Z.
Witmer and J. C. Zug great-grandsons of his. Abraham
was a tanner and lived some years in Rapho Township. His
wife was a Miss Royer. Later he carried on his trade at
Lexington, and from there he bought a farm in Lebanon
Co., near where Richland now is. He was elected a
minister in 181 5, ordained 1823, died 1841, aged 69 years.
Of his family more will be said in another chapter. One
daughter was married to Jacob Deardorf, and moved to
Franklin Co. Another was married to a Mr. Ream, and
rnoved to Ohio. One was married to Jacob Kinsey and
lived near Cornwall, Lebanon Co., and one was married to
Abraham Shissler, and the last lived, and died, near Bain-
bridge, Lancaster Co. Hannes Zug was baptized in 1749,
elected a minister 1770, ordained by Christopher Saur, and
Martm Urner in 1780, and died 1821, in his 90th year.

Christian, fifth son of Ulrich, had a farm near Lititz. He
had four sons and several daughters. Jacob lived in Cum-
berland Co., Pa. He was baptized by Elder Moses Miller
at the age of 97 years and his wife at the age of 86. He
lived yet about a year. He had several children, among

1 Elder B. Z. Eby opposed Sunday Schools as long as he could, but
Old Order "^^'^ '"Produced into his church, he left, and went to the

378 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

them a son Christian, living in Pittsburgh, became a multi-
milHonaire. Christian lived at a place called Papertown,
Cumberland Co. Of his descendants we know little.
David lived in York Co. Two of his grandsons, Jacob and
Peter, lived in Bainbridge some years ago. Abraham had
his father's farm, which he gave to his two sons, Christian
and Henry. One daughter of Abraham's was married to
Joseph Aldinger, one to Joseph Graybill, one to Jacob
Stehman, and one died unmarried.

Henry, Ulrich's sixth son, moved to the Potomac River,
in Washington Co., Md. From all the information we
could gather James Zug, or Zook, who lived near Arcanum,
Ohio, was a grandson of Henry. Three of James's daugh-
ters are living there now, one a Mrs. Caylor, and two had
been married to James and Reuben Gilbert.

Ulrich Zug's oldest daughter Magdalena was baptized
1748. She was afterwards married to Michael Frantz, son
of Elder Michael Frantz. He was also baptized in 1748.
Shortly after 1770 they moved to Botetourt Co., Va. Elder
Isaac Frantz, of Pleasant Hill, Ohio, is a great-great-grand-
son of theirs, and their descendants are numerous through-
out the West.

Christina, the other daughter of Ulrich Zug, married a
Musselman, when she was fourteen years old, and they
united with the Mennonites. A son of theirs, many years
ago, had a fruit tree nursery near Manheim, and two of
that nurseryman's children, Jacob, and his sister, about 30
years ago, lived along the state road below Manheim.

Andreas Eby lived about one and one half miles south of
Manheim. He and his wife were baptized in 1767. Some-
time after 1772 he was elected to the ministry, and the
writer heard his grandmother, who was Eby's daughter,
relate that when she was eight years old, which must have
been 1777, the Revolutionary conscriptors came and took
father, and two horses, to the camp in Lancaster, but a man
who knew him, one day came to the camp, and was surprised
to find him there. He then went to headquarters and ob-
tained his release, because he was a minister, but the horses
they kept. When the war was over they brought one horse

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 379

back, but so poor that his ribs could be counted from a dis-
tance. She was then thirteen years old, and said, " Oh, how
I pitied that horse ! " They said the other horse was
dead. Those were troublous times that tried men's souls.
Jacob, known as "Jockley " Hirshy, and wife were baptized
in 1768, and in war times was a deacon, who lived about
a mile west of Andreas Eby. One night the conscriptors
came to his place, and brought a neighbor along by the name
of Long, whom they caught at his home, a little south of
Hirshy's, and he let on as if he would gladly go along, but
Hirshy objected, and while they were fussing around with
him, Long examined the conscriptors' muskets, which had
flintlocks, and slyly shook off the priming from the pans,
and then went for the door, and the men ran for their guns,
and followed, and snapped, but they missed fire, having
no priming, and Long ran, shouting, "Hurrah for King
George." That was the last seen or heard of Long by any
one that knew him. The supposition was they caught him
afterward, and shot him. Hirshy did not go to the war,
but how he got off we are not able to tell.

Next we know anything of Andreas Eby was in 1789,
when he was on Standing Committee. When he was or-
dained, we have no date, but he died in 1 798.

The church prospered after said division. The list of
baptisms contained in the record kept by the Conestoga
Church, after 1772, the time of the division, to 1800, is 138,
and is mentioned to contain only those of Conestoga, while
that in Brumbaugh's history is 68, and most of them, if not
all, are known to have lived in the White Oak district.
From 1772 to 1799 the two lists have not a single name in
common so that it is highly probable that one is the list of
Conestoga, and the other kept by someone of White Oak,
of which Dr. Brumbaugh got possession. It is remarkable
that with all diligent search and inquiry, not a single record,
or mention, of any work done by the White Oak Church,
from the time of its separation from the Conestoga Church,
in 1772, to its subdivision in 1868, could be found, except
said list of baptisms, and the trouble between C. Longe-
necker and J. Zug, which we have in Annual Meeting

380 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

minutes, and what we have orally, by tradition, from the
fathers. So far we see that in 1789 the ministers of the
White Oak Church were C. Longenecker, John Zug and
Andreas Eby. Elder Eby died in 1798, and lies buried on
his farm now owned by S. G. Summy, and his grave is
marked by a rough field stone on which is carved A. E.,
1798.

In 1759 the farm of Andreas Eby was assessed as 200
acres, and his brother Hans Eby's 150, both adjoining, and
constituted their father's farm. Their mother's name was
Barbara, who was baptized in 1749. She had two sons,
Andreas and Hans, and four daughters, Maria, Elizabeth,
Barbara and Regina, all unmarried and members of White
Oak Church.

Andreas and his wife Elizabeth had seven children; viz.,
John who later became the Elder of Codorus Church, York
Co.; Elizabeth, unmarried; one, the wife of Yount; and
Anna, wife of Christian Myers (the last two of Codorus) ;
Madgalena, wife of Daniel Shumaker, who lived, and is
buried on the home farm; Barbara, wife of Joseph Zug;
and Maria, wife of Christian Streit. Four daughters lived
and died in White Oak district, and the other two daughters,
and son John in the Codorus district.

The following minutes partly explain the trouble in the
White Oak Church for years. The initials of names of
Brethren only are given, and to prepare the reader, I will
here give the full names of those signified : Christian Longe-
necker, Johannes Zug, Alexander Mack, Martin Urner (by
J. L. and J. St. we do not know who is meant), Jacob
Hershe, and Johannes Gibbel. In ancient times personal
matters which could not be settled at home were taken to
Annual Meeting, and there considered, instead of sending a
Committee, as is now the rule.

" Annual Meeting, 1799, Pipe Creek, Md.
"Article I. — Whereas there has existed for a long time a
great difficulty between Bro. C. L. and Bro. J. Z., the overseers
of the White Oak Church ; and whereas there have been ex-
pressed very grave accusations, and hard sayings by C. L.

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 381

against some Brethren, who shall be named hereafter, it has
come to pass that Bro. C. L. has selected six Brethren, and J.
Z. has also selected six Brethren, and they (both) have agreed
to obey or submit to the advice or united counsel of those
Brethren to which also the members (of the church) have con-
sented. So we have assembled ourselves, we trust, in the fear
of the Lord, and with a fervent prayer to God, that he would
bless our hearts with wisdom and understanding, in order to be
enabled to counsel our dear Brethren wisely, and to come to
conclusions evangelical, or according to the doctrine of the
Gospel, And after having heard the complaints and accusa-
tions (of both sides) we have become entirely agreed, and be-
lieve all, that Bro. L. has done grossly wrong against Bro. Z.
and also against Brethren A. M. and M, U.'s transactions, and
against J. L. and J. St., and whatsoever else might have been
done (of the same nature).

" Further, we believe also that wrong has been committed by
J. Z. against L, but not so grossly as Bro. L. has done. Hence
it is our unanimous conclusion, that when C. L. believes in his
heart, and cordially makes acknowledgment before this present
brotherly and members meeting, and also before — (his own)
meeting, and asks for pardon, and also makes heartfelt con-
fession for the suspicious (and offensive) expressions against
the old Brethren, and against J. St., then we will, and it is
hoped the members will, bear with him in patience, and he may
continue to serve as overseer in W. O. Church. And what
concerns Z. we have agreed that when he makes acknowledg-
ment before the members, that he has also done wrong, and
asks pardon, he shall also serve as overseer with L., yet so that
in important matters, such as baptism, breaking of bread, re-
ceiving and excluding (members), he should not go on without
L.'s knowledge and consent ; but with regard to holding meet-
ings, attending funerals, solemnizing marriages, he shall have
equal liberty with Bro. L.

" Now whoever of them will not submit to this above stated
counsel and conclusion shall stand still in his office until he is
willing to accept it, and when it is accepted of both, there shall
be hereafter no more heard of those things which are past.

"Unanimously concluded by us, the subscribers: Martin
Urner, Martin Gaby, Henry Banner, Peter Leibert, Jacob Ban-
ner, Philip Engler, Michael Pfoutz, Martin Garber, Baniel
Utz, Philip Levy, Valentine Pressel, Stephen Ulrich."

382 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

It will be noticed that the above minute starts out by say-
ing that "there has existed for a long time a great diffi-
culty," etc. Just how long, or when, or from what, it had
its beginning, we have no means of knowing, but the follow-
ing facts may give some light on this point :

In John Winebrenner's "History of all Religious Denom-
inations," on pages 560-565, we have the facts given that
William Otterbein, formerly a Reformed minister, and
Martin Boehm, a Mennonite minister, have been holding
meetings together, and causing quite a stir among their
hearers, getting many followers, and that in order to ac-
complish more and better results, they had their first con-
ference in Baltimore, in 1789. The writer further says,
" Big meetings were resolved on, the first was held in Lan-
caster county, Pa.," and that it was largely attended by
Lutherans, German Reformed, Mennonites, and others.
They, then, coming together from such various preexisting
orders, and worshiping together, "gave rise to the name
'United Brethren in Christ,' which name was afterward
adopted by the church" (namely in 1800).

They "elected William Otterbein and Martin Boehm, as
superintendents, or bishops; and agreed that each should act
according to his own convictions, as to the mode of
baptism." Now this meeting was said to have been held in
Donegal Township, and resulted in many conversions. But
not all were ready and willing to unite with this new organi-
zation, believing that there is but one mode of baptism, that
is right, and that is triune immersion. Jacob Nissley, a
minister of the River Brethren, who is dead for some time,
told the writer, that a delegation of those dissatisfied ones
went to the vicinity of Manheim, to confer with Elder C.
Longenecker, with a view of uniting with the Church of the
Brethren, but that Elder Longenecker told them that the
Brethren Church was not any more on the true foundation,
that they have the form, but lack life and spirit, and advised
them to start a church for themselves, and build on the true
foundation. Mr. Nissley said he had his information from
the founders of the River Brethren Church. The delega-
tion as abovesaid were : Jacob Engle, Hans Engle, C. Rupp,

WHITE OAK CHURCH, 383

Hans Stern, a Mr. Heiges, and Schaeffer. Some of them,
if not all, came out from the Mennonites, and none from
the Brethren Church. The writer in Winebrenner's history,
on page 553 says, in a footnote, that "they were sometimes
called River Mennonites from the circumstance that some
of their first ministers had stood in connection with the
Mennonites." On the same page, in giving the history of
the church, he says : " At a later period some ministers and
lay members of the Taufer united with them."

Abraham Gibbel told the writer that Hans Stern, one of
the delegation of six, as aforesaid, unhesitatingly told him,
that after they went home from Elder Longenecker, they
consulted and concluded that they would take the advice,
but none of them being baptized, they went across the Blue
Ridge, to Elder George Miller, in the Swatara Church ; and
asked him to baptize them, but told him that they would
then organize for themselves, upon which he refused. This
must all have transpired before 1798, for in that year Elder
Miller died. They then began their church by one baptizing
another, and he then baptized the rest. The difficulties in
W. O. Church, therefore, must have started early in the
nineties, at which time he (Longenecker) published his
pamphlet, in which he made rude expressions, derogatory to
the church and a number of Elders.

It is reasonable to suppose that if Elder Longenecker had
been at peace with the church, and the church with him, and
he had done his duty, the River Brethren Church would
never have been organized; that is, if they had been honest,
and sincere, and the presumption is that they were.

We have no information that anything was done in re-
gard to the said difficulty until four years afterward, in
1803, the case was again taken up in general conference, and
the following action taken :

"Annual Meeting, 1803, place unknown.

" Our cordial and united greeting of love to all our beloved
Brethren and members of the White Oak Church. We wish
much grace, mercy, and blessing from God the Father of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to all our fellow members,

384 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

united with us in love and faith, as also especially to our dear
Brethren C. L. and J. Z. It is our heart's desire that the good
God would make us all faithful laborers in his vineyard ; for
all that were hired by that householder, were hired to labor in
his vineyard, to which we wish you all much grace, blessing,
and salvation from God. The cause of our present writing is
this: Since we, or some of us, have been informed by our dear
Brother Martin Gaby, who, on his journey to us, passed through
White Oak, and also had meeting there, that Bro. C. L., since
the big meeting, has only been a few times at meeting, and now,
for a considerable time has not come any more at all to meet-
ing, so that some Brethren feel oppressed in their minds on
account of the word or expression which is found in that con-
clusion made at that big meeting ; viz. : * That Bro. J. Z. should
not go on with baptism, breaking of bread, receiving and ex-
cluding without L.'s knowledge and consent ' ; hereupon we, the
undersigned Brethren, have conversed on the matter, and are
of one mind on it, and now the same as it was at that time
(four years before), and is in part also expressed in said con-
clusion, though briefly, that we all considered that Bro. L. had
done wrong grossly, and if he would believe it from the heart,
and confess and make acknowledgment, we, and hoping the mem-
bers, would bear with him in patience, and then he should serve
as overseer in W. O., and thus should Bro. Z., in such impor-
tant matters not go on without his knowledge and consent.
But if Bro. C. L. withdraws from the service, or from the duty
of his office, contrary to the doctrine of the Apostle, where he
says: 'If any one has an office let him attend to the same,'
(Ger. translation Rom, 12: 7) if now Bro. L., withdraws him-
self from the service of the church, as overseer, so as not to
attend the meetings, then he deprives himself of this honor,
that Brother Z. cannot counsel with him, if he, Bro. L., does
not attend meetings, according to his duty. So it is our unani-
mous mind, that on this account Bro. Z. should not be bound, or
hindered, to go on in his office, and faithfully discharge its
duties, and prove himself a faithful laborer. But if Bro. L.
acknowledges, according to said conclusion, and endeavors to
be faithful in his office, then we desire and hope the members
will receive him, and not lay obstacles in his way. We mean
on account of things that are past."

(Signed by most of those who signed the other of 1799.)

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 385

The following year, 1804, the case was again before the
conference at the Pipe Creek, Md., and decided as follows:

"Art. 10. Our cordial and united greeting of love to our
beloved Brethren, especially to C. L. and J. Z., and also to
Brothers J. H. and J. G. We desire and wish you all that may
tend to the glory of God, to the salvation of souls, and in the
edification of the church. Inasmuch as it appears that Bro. C.
L. assumes more authority in the service of the church than it
pleases us and the church, and Bro. J. Z. has given more out
of his hands than is pleasing to us and the church, so that it
causes pressure and offense ; therefore it is our loving counsel
to you that you should keep house in the service of the church
in union and control so that Bro. C. L. should make the com-
mencement in meeting, (preparatory) to prayer, and then it is
all the same who is speaking first, and when the meeting is to
be brought to a close, then the beloved brother J. Z. is to make
the conclusion. At the next meeting the loving brother J. Z.
is to make the beginning, and it is immaterial who may speak
first ; and when the meeting is to be closed, the loving brother
C. L. shall conclude, and so on. In important matters, brother
Z. should do nothing without counseling brother L. ; and so
likewise should brother L do nothing without counseling with
brother Z. so that union is preserved. But he who will not
keep house thus and give satisfaction to the church, and will
not accept the apostolic counsel of love of the beloved old
Brethren, such should be silent, and can not serve the church
in his office. Further if a person desires to be baptized, and
makes known a preference by which brother he would like to
be baptized, then that brother, with the counsel of the church,
is to satisfy the candidate, and forward him. With these lines
we have given nothing new, but adhere to the conclusion which
has been laid down already six (five) years ago, by the beloved
Brethren. We have further to notice that there were very
rude expressions made by brother L., saying that ' there is gone
forth a spirit of Satan, and rules in the church, and of this J.
Z. is the head,' etc., and even the church has been compared to
the rebellious company of Korah. Such should be acknowl-
edged and recalled by all means."

Two things stand out very prominent in, and through this
trouble, which lasted ten or more years; namely, if any one
tries to rise in the estimation of the church by pulling
26

386 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

another down, he will make a failure ; and second, the long
suffering, patience, and forbearance the old Brethren had
in dealing with erring members.

In 1808 Elder Longenecker died, aged 76 years, and is
buried at Longenecker's Church near Lititz, with his son
Solomon on one side of him and his grandson, Elder Chris-
tian, on the other, and it was said he was not fully recon-
ciled to the church.

His wife's maiden name was Margaret Geib. They had
nine children, two of them died young, and the other seven
were : First, Solomon, who lived near Lititz, on the farm on
which Longenecker's Meeting House now stands, now
owned by S. B. Longenecker. He had one son Christian,
who later was the Elder of White Oak Church, and was
elected about 1828, or 1830, ordained about 1841, died 1855,
aged 64 years. His grandson Linn Longenecker is now a
minister in White Oak. Second, Abraham, who lived near
Linglestown, Dauphin Co. The late noted and well known
writer, C. H. Balsbaugh, was a grandson of his. Third,
Daniel, who moved to Adams Co., Pa. He had sixteen
children, two of whom, Daniel and Samuel, were noted
ministers. Fourth, Elizabeth, married to Michael Huber,
but died before her father, leaving five children; viz.,
Barbara, Elizabeth, Christina, Mary and Michael. Fifth,
Barbara, married to Peter Hummer, Jr., who also moved to
Adams Co. Sixth, Mary, wife of David Ober. She lived
near Mt. Hope, and belonged to the Mennonites. Prof. H.
K. Ober, of Elizabethtown College, is a great-grandson of
hers. Seventh, another, the wife of Valentine Gensel, of
whose family we know nothing.

Elder Longenecker was born in 1731, and died in 1808,
aged yd. His wife born 1735, died 1796, aged 63. His
father Hans Longenecker was born in Europe in 1703, was
baptized by Elder Michael Frantz prior to 1739, died in
1767, aged 64, and his wife Elizabeth born 1709, died 1781,
aged 72. In 1754 his son Elder Christian was baptized,
who in 1764, was elected minister, and in 1769, at the death
of Elder Pfautz, was ordained Elder. We have records of
four other sons of Hans; namely, Hannes, Jr., Peter,

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 387

Henry, and Ulrich, and his descendants are now found in
Lancaster, Dauphin, Lebanon Counties, widely scattered,
both in location and religious faith.

Elder Longenecker's father-in-law, Conrad Geib, was
born in Europe in 1694, and died in 1762, aged 68, and his
wife Margaret born 1703, died 1765, aged 64.

The land for two miles on both sides of Chiques Creek
from Manheim northward, at some time in the past, belonged
to the Longenecker family. The Fretz family also lived
near Manheim. And Abraham Longenecker and wife, who
was Barbara Fretz, moved from the vicinity of Manheim,
across the South Mountain, and had four sons : Peter, Jacob,
Daniel and Abraham ; and three daughters : one married to
Christian Witmer; one to Samuel Oberholzer; and one to
Isaac Eshelman.

Elder J. H. Longenecker, of Palmyra, is a grandson of
Peter, and as there was but one family of Longenecker's and
Fretz's in the vicinity of Manheim in those days, the pre-
sumption is strongly that Abraham was a grandson of Hans,
Sr., likely a son of Peter. Barbara Fretz, no doubt, was a
sister of Hannes and Magdalena Fretz, who were baptized
in 1776.

After Elder Longenecker's death, Johannes Zug was the
only minister in the White Oak Church. He opposed an.
election, fearing some brother might be elected with whom
there might be trouble again, choosing rather to do all the
work alone, though over 70 years old, than go through
another experience like that which he had. This lasted
several years, when he finally consented to have an election
for a minister. When the time came to hold the election he
declined all responsibility, even refusing to vote. When the
voting was over, the result was a tie, and when it was shown
to him, he said, " Jetzt will ich auch stimmen" (now I will
vote too), and then voted for Henry Gibbel, thus breaking
the tie between him and Joseph Hershy. This election took
place about 18 10, for in 1814 Brother Gibbel was on the
standing committee at Pipe Creek, Md., Annual Meeting.
(Min. of A. M., Pub. 1909, page 36.) He is buried in the
family graveyard on his farm (late Kreider's farm) near

388 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Kreider's Meeting House, and near Manheim. His grave
is marked by a small head stone, on which is carved, " H.
Gibbel, 1825."

Between the election of Elder Gibbel and 1822, were
elected to the ministry, Daniel Fretz, and Jacob Haller.
Just when either was elected or ordained is not known, no
records being kept, but it is known that Brother Fretz was
Elder in charge in 1822 (Elder Zug having died the year
before).

In 1822 Abraham Gibbel was elected to the ministry,
about 1828 Christian Longenecker, who was a grandson of
the first Elder of White Oak, David Gerlach in 1837, John
S. Newcomer in 1841, Peter Werner about the same time,
Philip Ziegler in 1845, Jacob Rider about 1847, Samuel
Graybill in 1855, Samuel R. Zug in 1865, and John B.
Gibbel in 1866. These, so far, were the ministers of White
Oak Land from its first settlement, in 1736, in their order
of election, to the division in 1868.

About 1 84 1 the White Oak Church was divided into two
districts, known as Upper and Lower White Oak, by a line
from the Susquehanna river at Marietta, by the nearest
road, to Sporting Llill, thence by shortest road to where
Union Square now is, thence about one mile, by road, north-
east to the next Manheim road, then by that road to Man-
heim, and from there, by the state road to Schaefferstown.
The distance from Sporting Hill to Manheim, by the nearest
road, is about two miles, and the way the line was made is
about seven. The object of making the line that way was
to cut Elder Fretz into the lower district. Who was re-
sponsible for it we have now no means of knowing, but the
division did not give general satisfaction, and in order to
carry it through, it was suggested that members living in one
district, who would prefer to have their membership in the
other, should have the privilege to do so. With this proviso
the division was effected.

About the same time, that part of White Oak Church, ex-
tending across South Mountain into Lebanon County, with
parts of Conestoga, and Little Swatara, was organized into
Tulpehocken Church.

WHITE OAK CHURCH.

389

By said division the ministers in the lower district were :
Elder Daniel Fretz, Christian Longenecker and David Ger-
lach. Elder Fretz, having the misfortune to be kicked by a
horse, fracturing his leg, and being then 65 years old, his
memory and voice failing, insisted on having Brother
Longenecker ordained, and a minister elected, both which
were accomplished, and brother John S. Newcomer elected.
The upper district had Elder Jacob Haller and Abraham
Gibbel, ministers. The same year Peter Werner was
elected to the ministry in the upper district.

Jacob Haller was not given to preach long, or entertaining
sermons, but very pointed and instructive. The writer well
remembers that at a love feast in 1861, when he was 84 years
old, and in the presence of a number of strange ministers,
he stood up and lifting up his hand, said in German, "I
believe that I could guess what you all think. You think
I might keep my seat, and let the others talk, but if I can I
will try to say much in a few words."

On one occasion when a Brother who was a little forward
had consumed much time, and said but little, Elder Haller
arose and said: "I will say something too if something
comes to me worth saying." Then he stood a little, looking
on the table, and again looking up, said : " I believe nothing
comes, so I will give the time to others who may have some-
thing to say." This, no doubt, was meant as a reproof.

Abraham Gibbel was different. He was a fluent and
entertaining speaker and expounder, voluble in conversation,
with pleasing address, and his services were much in demand
from the beginning. He was elected about 1822. Daniel
Fretz was then Elder in charge of White Oak Church, and
when the members came before the Elders to vote, one after
another said: "Jacob Myers, Jacob Myers." Now Jacob
Myers and his brother (not a member) had a store in
Petersburg, and kept liquor, as all rural stores did at that
time. Then Elder Fretz became excited, and said : " Some-
thing must be done. We dare not elect a man to the
ministry who sells liquor," and went out among the mem-
bers and asked them: "Have you been in to vote?" If
they said : " No," then he said : " Well, go in, but don't vote

390 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN,

for 'Yoke Moyer,' " and when the votes were all in, Brother
Gibbel had a majority, and was declared the choice.

It was, of course, not long until Bro. Myers found out
how the work was accomplished, and went to Bro. Gibbel
and asked him to decline to serve, but he said he has not
asked for it, and will not renounce it. The result was that
Myers left the church, joined the Universalists, preached
for them, and made political speeches, was a ready talker,
and lived to an old age. He was an uncle of Elder Grabill
Myers, remembered by many now living.

Brother Gibbel prospered in the ministry for about ten
years, when, for some mistakes, he lost his membership.
Not long after, he was restored again, and also soon rein-
stated in office, but this proceeding delayed his ordination
as Elder.

In the summer of 1846, a love feast was held on the
premises of Bro. John Grofif, where an election was held for
a minister which resulted in calling Philip Ziegler. Quite
shortly before that meeting it became manifest that Bro.
Gibbel had blundered again, and was disowned, and Peter
Werner soon after also, so that Bro. Ziegler would have
been practically left alone, but he availed himself of the
privilege granted at the division, and, with his wife, they
claimed their membership below, and from that time on the
ministers of the lower district supplied the regular appoint-
ments in the upper district.

These incidents, happening one after another, caused
many members to change their membership to the lower
district, leaving but a small number standing loyal to the
upper church.

In 1847 Elder Jacob Wenger, of Little Swatara, and
George Hoffer (2d degree) of Big Swatara met with the
remnant of the Upper White Oak Church, in council, un-
known to Elder Longenecker, who had practical charge of
both churches, and held an election, which resulted in calling
Jacob Rider to the ministry, and Joseph W. Gibbel, as
deacon, and restored Abraham Gibbel and Peter Werner
to membership.

This work was recognized by some and by others not,

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 391

which created more or less confusion and bad feeHng, and
resulted in a committee from Annual Meeting consisting of
Andrew Spanogle, Peter Long, and Samuel Lehman of
Pennsylvania, and PhiHp Boyle and Daniel P. Saylor of
Maryland who met both churches in joint council, on the
premises of Philip Ziegler, in 1851, who probed the trouble
to the bottom, and by their report wiped away the crooked
line made ten years before, and merged the two churches
into one again, and ordered that Jacob Rider and Joseph W.
Gibbel be recognized and respected in their respective
offices, and that Abraham Gibbel and Peter Werner be held
as private members, which report was almost unanimously
accepted.

In 1855 Elder Christian Longenecker died, in his 64th
year of age. In 1856 David Gerlach was ordained, and
given charge of the church. About this time Abraham
Gibbel and Peter Werner became urgent to be again rein-
stated in their office as ministers, but the Elders (Fretz,
Haller and Gerlach, then living) were slow to make a move,
too slow for them, and they began to appoint, and hold
meetings so that they were both disfellowshipped again.
They had a following of twelve members, including them-
selves. They held one lovefeast, elected a minister and
deacon, and for several years tried to build up a church. In
the meantime they baptized one, but their effort was not
successful and finally quieted down. In 1862 Gibbel and
Werner were again both reconciled and received back into
church fellowship, and one after another of their followers
came back again, with few exceptions. In 1864 Abraham
Gibbel died in his 74th year. The same year Daniel Fretz
died in his 89th year. In 1865 Jacob Haller died in his
88th year. In 1867 Peter Werner died in his 74th year.
Thus four conspicuous characters were removed from the
White Oak Church, by death, in a ripe old age, in less than
three years' time.

In 1868 White Oak Church was again divided by a line
extending from Marietta via Mount Joy and Sporting Hill
to Manheim by nearest road, and thence by nearest road to
Mount Hope. The lower district to retain the old name,

392 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

and the upper chose the name Chiques, after a creek that
passes diagonally through the district. At the division in
1868, the ministers in White Oak were: David Gerlach,
Jno. S. Newcomer, Samuel Graybill and John B. Gibbel,
and the deacons were: Jacob Stehman, Henry Stehman,
John Minnich and Jacob Sonon, with about three hundred
members. The Chiques' ministers were: Philip Ziegler,
Jacob Rider, and Samuel R. Zug, and the deacons were:
Benjamin Zug, Samuel Gibbel, and Joseph W. Gibbel, with
about two hundred members.

In the winter of 1869 ^"d 1870 Dr. J. M. Dunlap, one of
the school directors of Manheim borough, Lancaster Co.,
brought an old deed to the office of an attorney-at-law, in
Lancaster, in presence of the writer of this sketch, and asked
advice in regard to selling the property mentioned in the
deed, and using the money realized by such sale in a school
house then being built. While the doctor and the lawyer
were consulting about the matter, the writer read the deed.
While he has forgotten the date, and the name of the party
who made it, he distinctly remembers the following con-
tents: the deed' was made for the use of four religious de-
nominations, viz. : Lutherans, Reformed, Mennonites, and
Dunkards (Brethren) for the purpose of building a church,
which was specified to be used alternately; namely, one was
to have the use of it one Sunday and the week following,
another church was to have it the next Sunday and the week
following, and so on, so that each church had the use of it
every fourth week. The deed was made to four trustees,
each church being represented by one : namely, the Brethren
by Henry Giebel, the Mennonites by a Mr. Hershy, a Mr.
Bartruff was trustee for one of the other churches, and the
fourth has been forgotten. The house was often seen by
the writer, and was of logs, one story, about 30 X 40 ft.
The house was so used by the churches, but as they got
houses of their own they gradually dropped out.

In 1772 Baron Stiegel, the founder of Manheim, deeded
to the Lutherans the land on which they have their church,
and burying ground ; later the Reformed, in town, and the
Mennonites about one mile north, had their own, and the

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 393

Brethren began to have their meetings in their private
homes, so that this house ceased to be used. Then it began
to be utiHzed for school purposes long before the free
school law was passed, and afterward, until 1870.

It is not likely that the Lutherans would have joined in
this union movement after they had one of their own, and
Henry Giebel was baptized in 1748 and lived to be ^2 years
old, so that in all likelihood this house was built between
1762 and 1770. Although we spent time and money in
search of that deed, we failed to find it. It is even not re-
corded. But we found the lot on which the house stood.
In February, 1870, the legislature of Pennsylvania passed a
special act authorizing the school directors to sell, etc.
They sold it to Benjamin Donavon who lived alongside (in
whose deed reference is only made to the act of assembly),
and he sold a part of it, with the old house, to sister
Barbara Manly, who, with her daughter Ann, lived in that
house some time, and then razed it and built on the spot a
new double dwelling, now owned by the daughter, who was
since married to a Mr. Ritter, now dead, and it is nearly
in the center of the town.

Later White Oak Church.

Before the first division of the White Oak Church terri-
tory in 1868, it contained all of Lancaster County north
and west of Lititz and Lancaster, and extended northward
across the Blue Ridge Mountain into Lebanon Co., west of
Schaefferstown. In 1841, White Oak ceded the part of its
territory in Lebanon Co. to what was then organized into
Tulpehocken Church.

In 1868, White Oak Church was divided into two
divisions known as White Oak and Chiques. Elder David
Gerlach was resident Elder of White Oak after said division
and also had charge of Chiques Church until April, 1869,
when Philip Ziegler was ordained Elder by Jacob Hollinger
and William Hertzler, and given charge. Elder Gerlach
continued in charge of White Oak with ministers John S.
Newcomer, Samuel Graybill and John B. Gibbel, and

394 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

deacons Jacob Stehman, John Minnich, Henry Stehman and
Jacob Sonon. The membership numbered about 300.

In 1871, Dec. 25, B. Z. Eby was elected minister and B.
G. Musser, deacon. In September, 1872, Hiram Gibble
was elected a deacon and on January i, 1873, H. E. Light
was chosen a minister in place of John B. Gibbel who
intended moving- into West Conestoga district. About the
same time, Jacob Stehman, a deacon, died.

In 1876, Elder Gerlach had a stroke of palsy while
preaching at a funeral, which incapacitated him; so in 1878
at a lovefeast held at Bro. John Hernley's, J. S. Newcomer
was ordained by Christian Bomberger and Samuel Harley
and given charge of White Oak Church. In 1879 Elder
Gerlach died in the sixty-eighth year of his age.

In 1877 Hiram Gibble was elected to the ministry, and
Israel Graybill and Tobias Herr to the deacon's office.
About this time Samuel Gibble, a deacon, moved in from
Chiques Church. In 1880 George Bingeman, a minister,
moved in from West Conestoga Church, and Samuel Gray-
bill died in 1881, aged 72 years.

In 1882, White Oak Church was divided a second time
by cutting off the southern end, now known as Mountville,
with Elder Newcomer in charge, and H. E. Light, minister,
and B G. Musser and Tobias Herr, deacons. The northern
division retained the old name White Oak, which constitutes
the present White Oak Church. The White Oak Church
of to-day is bounded on the north by the Blue Ridge Moun-
tain, on the east by the Lancaster and Schaefferstown Road,
on the south by Mountville Church, and on the west by Fair-
view and Chiques churches, with the exception that the
eastern boundary has been slightly moved westward since
the organization of Lititz Church on January 10, 1914.

The officers of White Oak Church after the division of
1882 were: rriinisters, B. Z. Eby, Hiram Gibble, and George
Bingeman ; deacons, John Minnich, Henry Stehman, Samuel
Gibble and Israel Graybill. The membership at the time
of this division is not known, but at present it numbers
about 465.

In 1883, B. Z. Eby was ordained an Elder and given
charge of the White Oak Church. He continued in this

:^
u
w

H-1

WHITE OAK CHURCH. 395

position until 1906 when he moved to Fairview Church. In
1900, Hiram Gibble was ordained and succeeded B. Z. Eby
as Elder in charge. Other ordinations in this church oc-
curred as follows: H."E. Light in 1888; Israel Graybill and
Reuben S. Graybill in 191 o; N. B. Fahnestock in 191 2.
Ministers were elected as follows: Israel Graybill in 1883;
Reuben S. Graybill in 1885; N. B. Fahnestock in 1898;
Linn B. Longenecker in 1906; Charles D. Cassel in 1907;
Israel B. Graybill in 1910. The following were elected as
deacons: Reuben Graybill and Nathaniel Minnich in 1883;
Abraham Longenecker in 1885; Samuel G. Keller in 1888;
N. B. Fahnestock in 1895; T. S. Beck in 1898; Eugene
Brubaker and Israel B. Graybill in 1907; Levi Fahnestock
and Isaiah G. Gibble in 191 1.

Deaths of officials occurred as follows : Elder J. S. New-
comer died in 1902, aged 92 years ; Elder Israel Graybill, in
191 1, aged 74 years; Elder Reuben S. Graybill, in 1913,
aged 74 years.

Prayer meetings are held at private homes. The first
Sunday School in this church, after the division of 1868, by
authority of the church, was organized in 1902 in Manheim,
with Elder Hiram Gibble as superintendent, and T. S. Beck
as assistant superintendent. After an existence of several
years, it was discontinued on account of opposition. In
1912 the congregation by a good majority decided to or-
ganize again and chose N. B. Fahnestock, superintendent.

The building of the first house of worship in the White
Oak Church occurred in 1859, when two were erected: one,
known as Kreider's near Manheim, and the other, Longe-
necker's near Lititz. The latter was rebuilt in 1912 (see
illustration) and made much larger than the former one.
Other meeting-houses in this congregation were built as
follows: White Oak, near Elstonville, in 1872; Grayhill's,
near Elm, in 1881; Manheim, in 1893. Several of these
houses are intended for lovefeast occasions. Prior to 1881,
the communion meetings were held in barns of members.

Bishops of later White Oak Church: (i) David Gerlach,
1868-1878; (2) John S. Newcomer, 1878-1883; (3) B. Z.
Eby, 1883-1904; Hiram Gibble, 1904, September 19, to the
present.

CHAPTER II.
CHIQUES CHURCH.

After the division of White Oak Church in 1868, the
part cut off was organized with about 200 members, three
ministers, PhiHp Ziegler, Jacob Rider and Samuel R. Zug,
and three deacons, Benjamin Zug, Samuel Gibble and
Joseph W. Gibble, under the name of Chiques Church, and
in charge of Elder D. Gerlach. In 1869 Philip Ziegler was
ordained by Elders Gerlach, Jacob Hollinger and Wm.
Hertzler, and given charge of the church.

In 1 871 Jacob L. Eshelman was elected to the ministry,
and died in 1892, aged 68. In 1874 Elder Ziegler died in
his 70th year of age. In 1873 Abraham L. Eshelman was
elected a deacon. In 1877 privilege was granted to raise
funds to re-build the Chiques meeting house.

In i88o- A. L. Eshelman was elected to the ministry, and
B. R. Zug and D. M. Eshelman, deacons.

In 1882 a plan for re-building Chiques meeting house was
proposed in council and passed by a vote of 31 to 8, and
that summer it was rebuilt, by J. G. Stauffer and M. G.
Gibble, building committee. In raising, the framework,
from lack of proper support below, and the weight of people
working above, broke down, by which two men and a boy,
John Shenk, Jacob G. Gibble and John Werner, were killed,
and a number injured, which caused some trouble in the
church for several years.

In 1875 Jacob Rider was ordained, and in 1883 he died,
aged 79 years, whereupon Elder C. Bucher, of Tulpehocken
Church, was chosen Elder in charge, until 1885, when S. R.
Zug was ordained by Elders Samuel Harley and Wm.
Hertzler, in presence of Elders J. Hertzler, C. Bucher, J. S.
Newcomer, and B. Z. Eby.

In 1884 Jonas P. Price came from Montgomery Co., Pa.,
to Elizabethtown, where he married his fourth wife, and

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AND BEFORE THE DaY OF MEETING HoUSES.

CHIQUES CHURCH. 397

lived here until he died in 1895, aged 82 years. He was in
second degree, and is buried in the Price grave-yard, near
Indian Creek Meeting House.

In 1882 John Gerlach, and 1885 Henry S. Zug, received
as deacons, by certificate; and in 1889 H. S. Zug elected a
minister and D. M. Hiestand a deacon.

1 89 1. C. C. Madeira, a minister, first degree, received
by certificate.

1893. Elder Wm. Hertzler presented his letter from
Spring Creek, and in 1896 died, aged 68 years; and same
year A. L. Eshelman died, aged 65 years.

1892. Three deacons were elected, viz.: D. R. Forney,
Eli Brubaker and Isaac S. Gibble. In 1895 Daniel M.
Eshelman was elected to the ministry, and in 1897 S. H.
Hertzler was elected a minister. In March, 1899, S. B.
Fahnestock was elected a deacon, and D. M. Eshleman
advanced to second degree. In December, 1899, S. B.
Fahnestock was elected as minister and S. H. Hertzler
advanced to second degree.

In the spring of 1902 Chiques Church was divided into
four districts, all of which organized soon after, viz. :
Chiques, West Green Tree, Elizabethtown, and Fairview.

Chiques Church, at its organization in 1902, had as
ministers, S. R. Zug as Elder, and H. S. Zug, second degree ;
and as deacons, B. R. Zug, D. M. Hiestand and I. S. Gibble.

In September, 1902, P. C. Geib was elected a deacon. In
1903, I. S. Gibble was elected a minister (died 1906, aged
52), and S. S. Eshleman was elected deacon. In Novem-
ber, 1905, John C. Zug was elected a minister. April, 1906,
S. S. Eshleman was elected a minister, and H. B. Shearer
and S. G. Wenger deacons.

On April i, 1906, S. R. Zug and John C. Zug moved to
Elizabethtown, but by consent of both churches continued
their membership and ministerial labor in Chiques Church.

In 1905, H. S. Zug was ordained Elder. In May, 1909,
Allen B. Ruhl was elected a minister and advanced to second
degree August 24, 1912. In year of 1910 Elder S. R. Zug
and John C. Zug moved their membership to Elizabethtown
where they lived. In 191 2, Henry Hess was elected a

398 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

deacon. On November 29, 19 13, Henry L. Hess was
chosen minister and Monroe G. Hollinger, and Benjamin G.
Stauffer, deacons.

In 1 871 the first Sunday School was allowed and later
was organized in Chiques Meeting House, it being the first
among the Brethren in Lancaster County.

The officials of the church now are : H. S. Zug, Elder; S.
S. Eshleman, and A. B. Ruhl second degree ministers, and
Henry L. Hess, first degree. Deacons are : B. R. Zug, P.
C. Geib, H. B. Shearer, S. G. Wenger, Monroe G. Hollinger
and Benj. G. Stauffer. The membership is 258.

The second Sunday School was organized in 1898, in a
leased meeting house, near Mt. Hope. Both schools have
been kept up since. The first Chiques Meeting House was
built in 1856. It was not arranged for love feast, and
needed much repairing, hence rebuilding.

In 1 910 a new church house was built, suitable for hold-
ing lovefeasts, known as Mount Hope Meeting House, into
which the Sunday School was moved from the leased meet-
ing house.

A Christian Workers' Meeting was organized in this con-
gregation in February, 1907, with M. G. Gibble, president,
and Minnie Ginder, secretary.

Bishops of Chiques Church : ( i ) David Gerlach, 1868-
1869; (2) Philip Ziegler, 1 869-1 874; (3) Jacob Rider,
1875-1883; (4) Christian Bucher (non-resident), 1883-
1885; (5) S. R. Zug, 1885-1910; (6) H. S. Zug, 1910.

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CHAPTER III.
MOUNTVILLE CHURCH.

The Mountville Church district was taken from the
White Oak in 1882, and organized into a separate church
with ministers, Elder John S. Newcomer and Henry E.
Light. The deacons were B. G. Musser and Tobias Herr.
The membership numbered about two hundred.

Since the organization of this congregation, the following
ministers were elected: Tobias Herr in 1883, Amos Hotten-
stein in 1885, Henry S. Sonon in 1890, Milton G. Forney
in 1898, Isaiah N. Musser in 1902 and William N. Zobler
in 1910. Advancements to the second degree of the min-
istry occurred as follows: Tobias Herr in 1885, Amos
Hottenstein in 1890, Henry S. Sonon in 1898, Milton G.
Forney in 1902 and I. N. Musser in 1910. In 1900 Tobias
Herr was ordained. His death occurred in 1901 in the
seventy-fourth year of his age. Other ordinations to the
eldership were made in 1909 when Amos S. Hottenstein and
Henry S. Sonon were made elders.

Deacons were chosen by this congregation as follows:
Henry Herr and John H. Herr, August 13, 1883; P. S.
Hottenstein, November 27, 1890; B. Hershey, April 8,
1898; Henry Bender, May 28, 1902; Benjamin M. Brenne-
man, December 26, 1905 ; Elam Weaver and Daniel S. Neff,
November 16, 1910.

The present officials are: H. E. Light, Elder in charge;
elders, A. S. Hottenstein and Henry S. Sonon; ministers,
M. G. Forney, I. N. Musser, W. N. Zobler; deacons, B. G.
Musser, John Herr, P. S. Hottenstein, H. Bender, D. S.
Neff, Elam Weaver, J. A. Seldomridge. The membership
at present numbers three hundred forty-five.

Church Houses.
Petersburg House. — The Petersburg House is the oldest
place of worship in a special meeting-house in the Mountville

399

400 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

congregation. The old log meeting-house, or block house as
it was called, is still remembered by many. It stood where
the new brick house now stands. It was not built by the
Brethren nor for the Brethren. Jacob Hershey, April 2,
1831, conveyed for one dollar "a certain lot of ground
situated in the township of East Hempfield " with the pur-
pose in view of " promoting the worship of Almighty God
and the Gospel of Jesus Christ ... to and for the use,
benefit and behoof of the society called Mennonists and the
meeting-house thereon erected and being for their place and
hour of public and divine worship and next after and at
all such times when it will actually not be used for that
purpose by the said society called Mennonists, that all and
every Protestant minister or preacher of the Gospel may
hold public meetings therein for divine worship without
hindrance or molestation forever."

The father of Jacob Hershey, himself a Mennonite, was
Benjamin, Jr., who inherited this land from his father,
Benjamin, Sr., in 1790. They were doubtless Mennonites.
The log architecture of the old house was prerevolutionary
and the house itself was likely built before our independence.
In fact tradition tells us that when it was built every
settler brought a log towards its erection. Most of the
logs were likely brought by Mennonites, but enough of other
persuasions to give to the house the union character that was
afterwards recognized in the deed given by Jacob Hershey.
There can be no doubt that it stood for many years on
private property deeded to nobody's trustees.

It was early used as a neighborhood schoolhouse. The
fathers of many of the old residents now living attended
school here. Among them was the father of Elder Amos
Hottenstein, who must have gone to school here as early as
1825. Later, a part of this house was used as a residence.
The Lutherans likely worshipped within the old log walls
until 1847 when they built their present house of worship
in Petersburg.

The Brethren had been worshipping in this neighborhood
in private homes, among them that of Brother Jacob Steh-
man. About 1840 he erected over his spring a house in-

MOUNTVILLE CHURCH. 401

tended especially for worship but only when his turn came
for meeting, perhaps every twelve or twenty-four weeks.
This was a step in the direction of special houses of worship,
which at the time were violently opposed. He lived some
distance north of Petersburg and the said spring is one of
the sources of the Conestoga Creek. Perhaps the Brethren
began to worship in the block house when the Lutherans
withdrew. We were certainly in it by 1850. The meet-
ings in Stehman's spring-house ceased when the block house
was secured for worship. Jacob Graybill's barn just west
of Petersburg was a place long used for lovefeasts.

The Mennonites transferred their remaining claim in this
old property to the Brethren, September 29, 1867, likely
about the time they erected a new house for their own
private use. The tract on which the old log house stood
contained one hundred and twenty perches. The new brick
schoolhouse was erected on this tract where the driveway
now goes in, about i860. It was erected by the permission
of the Brethren and showed the friendly attitude of the
Brethren towards public education. The Mennonite interest
at this time was waning.

The present brick house, 45 X 60 feet, was erected by the
Brethren in 1873 at a cost of $2,674.29. This was the first
lovefeast house in the White Oak congregation, and was
built amidst great opposition. The Graybills were very
anxious to have their old family cemetery incorporated into
the new cemetery of the congregation at this place. The
liberality of Herman Graybill and his father in giving
towards the erection of the new house secured the desired
end. The survey for the Petersburg cemetery was made
July 31, 1878. Including the Graybill cemetery this church
burial place contained 'j'j.y perches, the ground costing the
church $78.25. The tract of land below the church con-
taining 643/2 perches was purchased by the Brethren in 1875
at a cost of $657.50. The brick schoolhouse was removed
some years after the new meeting-house was built. Sunday
School was organized in this house in 1898.

Neffsville House. — On September 28, 1869, Jacob Graver
conveyed to Christian Brubaker, trustee for the West Con-
27

402 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

estoga congregation, and to Henry B. Rohrer, trustee for the
White Oak congregation, for $549-373^ one acre and one
hundred and thirty-three perches of ground in Neffsville.
On this tract perhaps the next year the two congregations
erected the present brick structure, in size 40 X 50 ft. The
house was built on White Oak ground. April 9, 1901, the
West Conestoga congregation for one dollar released her
interest to the Mountville congregation. This is the oldest
meeting-house now standing in the Mountville district, but
in interest it is about the weakest. There are some indica-
tions of reviving interest.

Mountville House. — Mountville is a town four miles east
of Columbia. While this belonged to the White Oak
Church, yet a substantial brick church house, covered with
slate, 70 X 40 ft. with basement, was erected in 188 1 at a
cost of $3,500. The new house of worship was dedicated
September 25 in the same year with services morning, after-
noon and evening, in the presence of a large congregation.
Elder James Ouinter, of Huntingdon, Pa., preached in the
English language in the morning and evening and Elder
Wm. Hertzler of Spring Creek congregation preached in the
German language in the afternoon.

A tract of ground consisting of one acre and ninety-eight
perches on which this building stands was bought March 31,
1881, for $675. On May 2y, 1884, twenty-nine perches
were secured in addition. Both of these tracts were
donated to the congregations by Joseph Stoner. On March
29, 1886, the church bought two acres and two perches addi-
tional at a cost of $600, thus making the church property in
Mountville to consist of three acres and one hundred twenty-
nine perches. On this ground are a cemetery and a sub-
stantial dwelling house for the janitor. Sunday School was
organized here in 1899. This house together with the
Petersburg house are the main lovefeast houses of this
congregation.

Manor House. — The name of Herr stands foremost in
the history of this house of worship. On April 22, 1751,
Abraham Herr bought from the Penns 4243/2 acres of land
in Manor township. Of this tract, Abraham and his wife

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MOUNTVILLE CHURCH. 403

Anna on May 20, 1751, transferred to Jacob Martin,
perhaps their son-in-law, 163 acres. This descended to
Jacob's son Isaac in 1783. May 3, 1784, Isaac conveyed
this land to John Herr, likely a descendant of the original
Abraham Herr. John willed this property to his son
Abraham as his portion, Abraham being the oldest son of
a family of seven children. Abraham still lived in the
original log house but built the large limestone house in
1808. His son, Henry Herr, Sr., as early as 1830 had
joined the Brethren Church. This was the first break the
Brethren made into this old preeminent Mennonite family.
Henry Herr, Sr., had married his grandfather's daughter,
and it was some time after this event that he and his wife
joined the Brethren.

By 1830 John Gerlach, tenant farmer and brother of
Elder David Gerlach and also a member of the Brethren
Church, lived in this neighborhood. Whether statements
by him set Henry Herr to thinking and reading, we know
not; but think and read he did, with the result that he be-
came a member. David Gerlach, Christian Longenecker
and John Newcomer were the first preachers of the Brethren
in this section. Preaching services were held in the home
of Henry Herr as early as 1835. Other families from this
strong Mennonite region to join us were the Witmers,
Lefevers, Shenks, Brennemans, and Neffs. Tobias Herr
was the only minister elected from this section, and Henry
Herr, Jr., and Benjamin Brenneman the only deacons.

April I, 1876, Henry H. Herr, Jr., transferred for one
dollar to Benjamin Musser and Tobias H. Herr, trustees for
the Brethren, one acre and one hundred and thirty-three
perches of land for the erection of a house of worship and
for a cemetery. The Manor church-house was built the
same year, being a brick structure, 36 X 40 ft.

A Sunday School was organized here in 1910. Henry
M. Herr, son of Elder Tobias Herr, was superintendent con-
tinuously to 1914. Henry Gerlach succeeds him.

The old Herr homestead descended to Elizabeth Herr
Brenneman, now the widow of Deacon Benjamin Brenne-
man. She recently sold it to Ephraim Gerlach, a Mennonite,
whose father Daniel was a member of the Brethren Church.

404 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

The Brethren of Manor, however, do not believe that this
has cut them off from Heaven's blessings and are ready to
push forward with undiminished faith.

Salnnga House.— When Bro. John H. Herr and wife
moved to Salunga in 1870, there was only one member
living here, a sister Mary Ann Hoofstetter who, however,
moved away about this time. She had a brother David in
Pittsburgh, Pa., who manufactured Hostetter's Bitters, a
product made by his father in Salunga. The son became
very wealthy. The Hostetter burial ground was located
back of the present Salunga church house. The wealthy
son offered to give five hundred dollars to the congregation
which would build a meeting-house here and keep up the
burial ground.

Prayer meetings well attended were held in the home of
Brother and Sister Herr who were anxious for Brethren
to preach there. Elder Henry Light promised them services
if they would open their house for this purpose. Brother
Light preached about a week to a crowded house and several
united with the church.

Brother Herr was now instructed to buy an acre of land
adjoining the Hostetter cemetery which was transferred to
the Brethren's trustees April i, 1887, for $600. John H.
Herr, elected a deacon in 1883, was one of these trustees.
Mr. Hostetter not only gave his five hundred dollars but
also donated to the church in addition the strip of ground on
which the sheds stand. Later, another small strip of land
was added to the Salunga property.

The house was built in 1887 at a cost of $3,000. It is a
frame structure, 40 X 50 ft., and is arranged for lovefeasts.
The dedicatory sermon was preached by Elder William
Hertzler, December 12, 1887. Sunday School was organ-
ized here in 1908 with Bro. Amos Hiestand as superin-
tendent, who is still serving the church in this capacity.
The average attendance at the Sunday School is seventy-
five. At present twenty-four members live in this village
and ten members live in Landisville.

Although this congregation has four Sunday Schools, it
has as yet no Christian Workers' organizations.

D. C. Reber.

CHAPTER IV.
FAIR VIEW CHURCH.

Fairview Church, one of the four divisions of the former
Chiques Church, was organized June 9, 1902. Elder
Hiram Gibble was elected Elder in charge. Other ministers
were : C. C. Madeira, second degree, and S. B. Fahnestock,
first degree. There were no deacons. The membership
numbered 131. In the same year, H. B. Gibble and J. B.
Brubaker were elected deacons.

1903. Herman Balmer was elected deacon.

1905. S. B. Fahnestock was advanced to second degree
of ministry.

1906. J. B. Brubaker was elected minister, and J. B.
Kolp and Elmer Heisey deacons.

191 o. Allen G. Baker was elected minister.

In 1912, George Weaver, a minister, moved here from
Ephrata.

On August 28, 1913, S. B. Fahnestock was ordained an
Elder.

There is only one meeting house in this district, known as
Fairview, built in 1894, and originally arranged for love-
feast occasions.

A Sunday School was organized here in 1904.

The officers now in Fairview Church are : Elder in
charge, Hiram Gibble; ministers, Elder S. B. Fahnestock,
John B Brubaker, Geo. Weaver, and A. G. Baker; and
deacons, Henry B. Gibble, Herman Balmer, J. B. Kolp,
and Elmer Heisey. The present membership is 134.

405

CHAPTER V.

WEST GREEN TREE CHURCH.

In 1902, a part of former Chiques Church was organized
with a membership of 210, as West Green Tree Church.
The officers at that time were: S. R Zug, Elder, D. M.
Eshleman, second degree minister; deacons: D. R. Forney,
and Eli B Brubaker. In the same year, in Sefytember, an
election was held for a minister and a deacon. The result
was a tie between Hiram E. Kaylor and S. S Shearer,
when both were installed as ministers and Abraham L. Frey
as deacon. In 1906 N. W. Eshelman, in 1907 H. S. Eshel-
man, and in 191 2 Allen Ober, were elected deacons. In
191 1, Nathan Martin brought his letter here from Eliza-
bethtown as a minister in the first degree. In 19 10 A. L.
Frey, a deacon, was granted a certificate and moved to
Elizabethtown. D. M. Eshleman was ordained in 1905,
September 5. • In 191 2, August 17, N. W. Eshelman was
elected a minister, and W. S. Longenecker a deacon.

Advancements of ministers to the second degree of the
ministry were made as follows: September 5, 1905, Hiram
E. Kaylor and S. S. Shearer; March 7, 191 1, Nathan
Martin.

The first Sunday School in West Green Tree Church was
organized at Green Tree House, in 1902, and another in
the Rheems House, 1908. The officers of West Green Tree
Church now are: D. M. Eshleman, Elder; H. E. Kaylor,
S. S. Shearer, and Nathan Martin, ministers in second
degree, and N. W. Eshelman, first degree; and deacons:
D. R. Forney, E. B. Brubaker, H. S. Eshelman, Allen Ober,
and W. S. Longenecker. Membership, 245.

The first meeting-house built in what is now West Green
Tree Church was built in 1869, and the next in 1903, at
Rheems, both arranged for lovefeast occasions.

In 1 91 2 a meeting-house was bought from the Methodists
in Florin.

406

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CHAPTER VI.

ELIZABETHTOWN CHURCH.

Of the beginnings of the Brethren in EHzabethtown,
Elder S. R. Zug says :

"About 1870, the Brethren used occasionally to have a
preaching service in the old United Brethren Church in EHza-
bethtown. At that time there were not over a dozen members
in town.

"In 1875, the old school house on Mechanic Street was sold
and the party who bought it at $425 then offered it to the
Chiques Church at the same price, to be utilized as a meeting
house which offer was accepted and meetings were held there
regularly until the meetings became too large. So then in 1888,
Brother Jos. H. Rider, son of Elder Jacob Rider offered to
donate a large lot of ground on Washington St. for the church
if it would build a meeting house on it large enough to hold
lovefeasts in it. This offer the church readily accepted and the
same year built a brick meeting house on it 50 X 80 ft. with
basement. The other was sold and converted into a dwelling
house.

" A Sunday School was started in the old house some years
before the new one was built and was then transferred to the
new and has since been kept up and has been growing and
prospering."

Thirty-two years later than the time referred to in the
above quotation, namely on May 2, 1902, the Elizabeth-
town Church was organized, having been cut of¥ from the
Chiques Church. Its membership numbered one hundred
and sixty, of whom about one hundred and ten were present
at the organization. This was done in the presence of
Elders J. H. Longenecker, G. N. Falkenstein, H. E. Light
and S. R. Zug. Elder S. R. Zug was elected as the Elder
in charge; J. H. Kline was elected Treasurer; I. W. Eshel-
man was elected Recording Secretary, Jos. H. Rider, Ad-

407

408 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

dison Buch and Tobias Hoffer were chosen trustees. Other
officials at the time of organization were : ministers, S. H.
Hertzler, in second degree, G. N. Falkenstein, an Elder
connected with Elizabethtown College as trustee and Prin-
cipal, I. N. H. Beahm also in second degree; deacons, J.
H. Kline and A. W. Martin.

The territory of this church extends from a mile east of
the town to the Susquehanna River, being bounded on the
east and south by the West Green Tree Church ; on the north
by the Spring Creek Church. In September 1903, the latter
ceded some of its territory to the Elizabethtown Congrega-
tion, making the Swatara Creek at Middletown and the Har-
risburg pike the boundary line, and at the same time also
transferred its interest in the Swatara Hill church house.

The official body of the church has been increased as
follows : D. C. Reber moved here as a minister from
Brooklyn, N. Y., in July, 1902, having been elected a teacher
in Elizabethtown College and at present its President. In
1903 J. H. Kline was elected a minister; in 1904 H. K.
Ober; in 1906, Nathan Martin; in 191 1, R. W. Schlosser
and J. G. Meyer. The last three were called to the ministry
in compliance with the advice of Annual Conference of 1890
requesting churches to hold elections from time to time to
increase our ministry with a view of using such ministers
wherever the church may need them. In 19 10 Elder S. R.
Zug and his son, John C. Zug, a minister in first degree,
placed their membership in this church, but removed to
Palmyra in 19 12.

In 1903, J. M. Pittenger, a minister, located at the college
as a member of the faculty. Other ministers who were
teachers at the college were: J. H. Keller in 1904, W. H.
Sanger in 1905-6, E. E. Eshelman in 1907-10. In 1909
Elder I. N. H. Beahm and in 191 1 Nathan Martin moved
away. In 1910, C. C. Madeira, a minister in second degree
in the Fairview Church, located here. In 1909 Levi Mohler,
a minister in second degree, moved here from Cumberland
Co., and his son, Harry B. Mohler, resided here from
1911-13.
. On account of the college being located in this congrega-

ELIZABETHTOWN CHURCH. 409

tion a number of ministers have come and gone as students,
whose names are omitted here they having been only tran-
sient members.

Deacons have been elected as follows : I. W. Eshelman
in 1902, Isaac L. Hoffer and Amos G. Longenecker in
1903 ; John M. Gibble, J. S. Hackman and David B. Kline
in 1912.

Advancements to the second degree of the ministry were
made as follows: December 15, 1904, D. C. Reber and J.
H. Kline; March 12, 1908, H. K. Ober; February 8, 191 1,
John C. Zug.

On October 20, 1904, S. H. Hertzler and I. N. H. Beahm,
then President of the college, were ordained as elders and
the former chosen as assistant Elder of the church.
Ordination committee was J. H. Longenecker, H. E. Light
and John Herr.

The present officials are: Elder S. H. Hertzler, Elder in
charge; Elder G. N. Falkenstein; Dr. D. C. Reber, J. H.
Kline, H. K. Ober, Levi Mohler, C. C. Madeira, ministers
in second degree; and R. W. Schlosser and J. G. Meyer in
the first degree; and deacons, A. W. Martin, L W. Eshel-
man, L L. Hoffer, Charles Bower, A. L. Frey, John M.
Gibble, J. S. Hackman and D. B. Kline. The membership
is over three hundred.

Church Activities.
After the organization of this congregation, preaching
services were conducted in Elizabethtown every two weeks
in the morning and every two weeks in the evening, preach-
ing in both the German and English languages at the morn-
ing service. On April i, 1904, it was decided to have
preaching every Sunday, one week in the morning, and
the next week in the evening, and also to have services at
the College Chapel every two weeks in the evening while
school was in session. After September, 1906, services
were held at the College Chapel one Sunday in the morning
and the next Sunday in the evening alternating with the
services in town, thus giving the congregation two preaching
services each Sunday while school was in session.

410 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

In addition to the services at college and town, there was
preaching at Bainbridge until 1907 every four weeks and
also at Royalton in U. B. Church, every six weeks until

1907, and at present at Newville, a union church, every
month in the afternoon after the Sunday School. Also
preaching services at Swatara Hill every six weeks at ten
o'clock A.M. Following the Sunday School, every two
weeks there is preaching at the Stevens Hill house. Every
eight weeks the Elizabethtown ministers preach at Middle-
town at 2:30 P.M., alternating with the ministers of the
Harrisburg Church. Thus the Lord's Day program is as
follows: Sunday School in town at 9 A.M. followed by
preaching at 10 A.M. in town or at College at 10:30 and
sometimes at Swatara Hill. In the afternoon, Sunday
School at Newville at i : 30 and at Stevens Hill at 2 o'clock,
preaching at same place at 3 o'clock or at Middletown at
2 : 30. In the evening Christian Workers' Meeting preced-
ing the preaching in town at 7 P.M. or at the college at 7 : 30.

The mid-week services are as follows: Monday evening
once a month the Sunday School teacher's meeting, Tues-
day evening at'7:30 Prayer Meeting, Wednesday evening
Teacher Training Class in town and College Prayer Meet-
ing. Every Saturday evening at the college two classes
meet for mission study.

The council meetings at first were held semi-annually in
March and September. . After September, 1903, they were
held quarterly on the Thursday evening before full moon in
March, June, September and December. In December,

1908, the time for quarterly council was changed to the first
Thursday of the afore-mentioned months in the evening,
but for the March council, the time is afternoon and
evening.

Evangelistic meetings have been held in the Elizabeth-
town Church since the organization as follows :

1903. W.M.Howe at college. 1906. J. K. Miller at college.

1904. W. M. Howe at college. Reuben Shroyer in town.
S. S. Beaver in town. David Weaver in town.

1905. J. G. Royer at college. 1907. F. P. Cassel in town.

ELIZABETHTOWN CHURCH.

411

1908. Jesse Ziegler in town. 191 1. H. K. Ober in town,

1909. J. A. Long at college. John C. Zug in town.
I. N. H. Beahm in town. 1912. G. B. Rover at college.
G. S. Rairigh in town, R. P. Bucher in town.

1910. G. M. Lauver at college, 191 3, W. B, Stover at college.
B. F. Heckman at college. S. A. Honberger in town.

Since the organization, about 125 persons have been re-
ceived by baptism.

Love feasts are held in spring and fall of each year. At
first the time for love feast was during the week, beginning
at 1 130 P.M. and continuing till the following noon, fur-
nishing meals to the public also. In March, 191 1, it was
decided to have the spring love feast on Sunday and the
fall during the week. Since March, 19 12, both feasts are
held on Sunday evening with all-day services and closing
Monday noon. Visitors are entertained at the homes of
members instead of at the church. September, 1910, the
church decided that sisters shall break bread and pass the
cup during the communion service.

Decisions,

On September 6, 1902, Elizabethtown Church decided to use
unfermented wine in communion service at love feast. Also
ministers are excused from financial contributions for defray-
ing current expenses of the congregation.

On March 24, 1904, decided that an indoctrinating talk of
fifteen minutes shall be given to the membership at each regular
council meeting. On December 15, 1904, decided to assess
members for the purpose of raising funds for church expenses
which assessment is made by the official board. At the same
time the method of electing the officers of the Sunday School,
Christian Workers' Meeting, and Missionary Reading Circle
was adopted as follows : A nominating board consisting of the
official board, officers and teachers of the Sunday School, the
Sunday School Advisory Committee shall' nominate the officers
of the various church auxiliaries by ballot to be ratified by the
council.

In September 1905, the pastoral visit to be made by the
Elder was asked for and granted. On March 8, 1906, decided
that all members shall hereafter be received on certificate by

412 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

being asked to promise in open council or to visiting Brethren
to be loyal to church as governed by the Gospel and the de-
cisions of Annual Conference. Also that there shall be Prayer
Meeting and Bible Reading each week on Tuesday and Thurs-
day evening respectively.

In March, 1907, decided that Sunday School shall open at
9 A.M. and preaching at 10 o'clock. In 1908, the qualifications
for Sunday School officers and teachers were adopted as fol-
lows : The Sunday School teachers and officers shall have the
same qualifications as delegates to District and Annual Meeting.
In 191 1 decided to have preaching in town morning and evening
each Sunday during the college vacation.

Permanent Committees,

The church has four standing committees: (i) A Look-
out Committee, created in 1904, whose duties are to invite
people moving into town to come to our church services.
This committee has been abandoned and the work assigned
to the Superintendent of the Home Department and its vis-
itors. (2) A Sunday School Advisory Committee, of five
members, created in 1903. (3) A Temperance Committee,
of three members, created in 1912. (4) A Missionary
Committee, of four members, created in 191 3.

Church Auxiliaries.

At the initiative of J. M. Pittenger a Missionary Read-
ing Circle was organized in June, 1904, while he was a
teacher at the college. The circle consists of a Town
Branch and a College Branch. The town branch held bi-
weekly meetings for a number of years studying mission
books under the direction of a teacher. Their offerings
were placed in the Church Fund for the support of a Foreign
Missionary. The organization consists of a president, vice-
president, secretary and treasurer.

The following have been most actively identified with
the town branch : A. G. Longenecker, C. M. Neff and
Martha Martin as Presidents ; Martha Martin and Elizabeth
Hoover as Secretaries and S. G. Graybill as Treasurer. One
hindrance to the success of this branch has been the lack of

ELIZABETHTOWN CHURCH. 413

a suitable time for holding its meetings and so it was aban-
doned December ii, 19 13.

The college branch of the Circle holds weekly meetings on
Saturday evening during the school year. This branch reg-
ularly subscribes for the Missionary Review of the World
for the college library. For several years a beginner's
class and an advanced class in mission study have been con-
ducted simultaneously studying books on missions. Several
members of these classes have volunteered to give their lives
to mission work. Elder J. F. Graybill and wife, Elder J.
M. Pittenger, B. Mary Royer, Kathryn Ziegler, all of whom
are now in foreign mission work, have been active members
in the college branch. Also Elmer F. Nedrow and Elder
R. A. Nedrow, who are now in the Lake Ridge Mission in
New York State. Some of the funds raised by this branch
have been used to purchase mission books for the college
library and some funds were sent to mission points. Dur-
ing revival services at the school, it cooperates actively for
the saving of souls and holds religious services at the homes
of aged, or shut-in members in town.

A Christian Workers' organization was effected in 1907
by electing the following officers: J. Z. Herr, President;
Martha Martin, Secretary; and H. H. Nye, Treasurer, to
serve for one year. Others who have since served as pres-
ident of the organization are M. A. Good, S. B. Kiefer, R.
W. Schlosser, and Isaiah F. Basehore.

On March 29, 1900, a Sisters' Sewing Circle was organ-
ized with the following officers: President, Lizzie Master-
son, Vice-President, Lizzie Will ; Secretary, Salome Engle ;
Assistant Secretary, Mary Stauffer; Treasurer, Annie E.
Hertzler. Others present were Mary Rider, Annie Hawk,
and Amanda Witmer. The present membership is about
forty. Meetings are held every other Wednesday after-
noon.

The practical work of the Circle consists of making gar-
ments, quilts, and cash donations. From 1903 to 1906,
sixteen dollars was paid annually for the support of an
India orphan. Nine dollars was sent to India sufferers in
1902. Boxes of clothing were sent to Washington, D. C,

414 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

St. Joseph, Mo., Chicago, 111., Brooklyn, N. Y., Reading,
Pa., Mt. Carmel, Pa. About one hundred dollars was do-
nated to Elizabethtown College, and ten dollars to Kansas
sufferers.

Mrs. J. H. Rider has been president for twelve years and
Mrs. S. H. Hertzler was treasurer from the beginning until
her death in October, 19 12.

The Sunday School has been the strong right arm of the
church in Elizabethtown and one of the chief factors in
church growth and progress. Before the organization of
the congregation, even before the present commodious house
of worship was built, the Sunday School was there, not how-
ever without considerable opposition. Among the pioneer
Sunday School workers in Elizabethtown may be mentioned
I. N. S. Will, S. H. Hertzler, Jos. G. Heisey, J. H. Kline,
Jos. H. Rider and wife Mary. J. H. Eshelman has been
superintendent continuously since 1903. Among the as-
sistant superintendents may be mentioned S. P. Engle, A. G.
Longenecker, S. G. Graybill and Chas. Bower.

The Sunday School officers are chosen for one year and
assume their duties the first Sunday in January. The offi-
cers consist of Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent,
Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treas-
urer, Chorister, Assistant Chorister, Superintendent of the
Primary Department, Superintendent of the Home Depart-
ment, Superintendent of the Cradle Roll. The method of
choosing these officers is described on page 411.

Outpost Sunday Schools have been conducted at Mount
Ober, Newville and Stevens Hill. In the summer of 1906,
the Mount Ober Sunday School was superintended by
Nathan Martin and conducted two quarters. In 1908 E. E.
Eshelman was superintendent and preached every two
weeks at the same point.

Newville is a village one mile west of Elizabethtown,
where the Brethren have conducted Sunday School in a
union house since 1902. W. A. Withers and S. G. Gray-
bill had charge of this Sunday School the first few years.
Others who have served as Superintendent at this place are
A. G. Longenecker, Daniel V. Shenk, Leah Sheaffer, Martha

ELIZABETHTOWN CHURCH. 415

Martin, David Kline. Other denominations also conducted
Sunday School here at times.

The most flourishing outpost Sunday School is the one at
Stevens Hill, about five miles west of Elizabethtown. Here
in a school house, Sunday School was conducted almost
uninterruptedly since 1904. Those who have labored in this
work here are A. G. Longenecker, D. C. Reber, Elizabeth
Kline, B F. Wampler, Mrs. B. F. Wampler, M. A. Good,
I. W. Eshelman, Isaac Madeira and wife.

After the house at Bainbridge was sold, April, 1908, and
much interest was manifested in preaching services at
Stevens Hill, the advisability of erecting a house of worship
there was considered in June of 1908. The matter was re-
ferred to the Sunday School Advisory Committee, who was
instructed to canvass the sentiment of the community, in
regard to the project. The community favored the work.
Later, plans for a church house adapted for Sunday School
purposes were presented by the same committee and on
March 2, 191 1, the church decided to build a church house
40 by 60 feet frame structure, about a quarter of a mile
east of the school house. (See picture of this edifice.)
The building committee consisted of D, C. Reber, Chair-
man; A. G. Longenecker, Secretary, and L W. Eshelman,
Treasurer; John M. Gibble and Jos. G. Heisey. On
Thanksgiving Day of 191 1 the house was dedicated with
services forenoon and afternoon conducted by Elders John
Herr and J. H. Longenecker. The cost of the church was
$3,191.33 and the land and shed for horses cost $350. A. Z.
Witmer, John M. Gibble, and A. G. Longenecker were
appointed trustees for this house of worship. When A. G.
Longenecker resigned as superintendent in December, 19 12,
prior to moving to Palmyra, R. W. Schlosser was appointed
by the church to have charge of the Sunday School and
preaching at this point for the year 191 3, and J. S. Hack-
man was elected trustee in Longenecker's place. Revival
services were conducted at this house in August, 19 12, by
Elder H. B. Yoder, of Lancaster, and several were received
into the church by baptism. In 1913, this congregation
conducted three evergreen Sunday Schools.

416 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

The supervision of these Sunday Schools is given into
the hands of the Sunday School Advisory Committee. This
committee is organized according to the following consti-
tution :

Constitution of Local Sunday School Committee.

I. Object:

1. To inspire.

2. To guard.

3. To direct.
II. Field:

1. The entire Local District.

2. With all its resources.

III. Formation:

1. Five members.

2. Named by official Board, confirmed by open council.

3. Except the beginning, one to be nominated every

year for three years.

IV. Qualifications:

1. Sound in the faith.

2. Organizing ability.

3 Same as delegates to Annual Meeting or to accept
such.

V. Duties:

1. To discern all the Sunday School resources and needs of
the district, and to endeavor to meet them.

2. To decide places and number of Sunday Schools, if more
than one.

3. To organize any new Sunday Schools where needed, and
wisely give any and all necessary assistance.

4. To advise all Sunday School officers and teachers with
regard to any improvements that may be made, or thus mutu-
ally to consider.

5. To make full report of the Sunday School work, and
when properly accepted, such report to be sent to State Dis-
trict Sunday School Secretary,

6. To hold Sunday School meetings quarterly in harmony
with Annual Meeting Minutes, Ans. Article 7, p. 158 of A. M.
Minutes, 1897.

7. To make the Sunday School a nursery to the Church, en-
deavoring to further the Sunday School cause, and to keep

ELIZABETHTOWN CHURCH. 417

the entire work in harmony with the teachings and simplicity
of the Gospel.

8. To organize themselves with rules to be confirmed by
official Council.

9. To gather and compile statistics.

a. Giving No. of pupils in each and all schools in church.

b. Number of members' children not m any of the

Brethren's Schools.

c. Number of members' children in other Sunday

Schools.

The following Rules and By-Laws to further govern the
work of this committee were adopted in 1908:

Rules and By-Laws of the Local Sunday School Com-
mittee OF Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren.

I. Officers.

The ofiicers of this Committee shall consist of Chairman,
Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer.

IL Duties of Officers.

1. The Chairman shall preside at all business meetings of
the Committee; he shall represent the Committee in general
supervision of all the Sunday Schools in the Elizabethtown
district, and also serve as a member of the Library Committee
of each Sunday School.

2. In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall
perform the duties of that officer.

3. The Secretary shall keep a full record of the proceedings
of all business and public meetings, present the same for ap-
proval, and when approved, record them in a minute book; he
or she shall perform all other duties common to this office.

4. The Treasurer shall have charge of all moneys of the
Committee, and shall pay all expenses incurred, when so
ordered by the Committee.

in. Business Meetings.

I. This Committee shall hold its regular business meetings
on the first Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise agreed
upon by the Committee.
28

418 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

2 Special meetings may be called at the request of the
Chairman.

IV. Quorum.

Three members of this Committee shall constitute a quorum,
one of the three to be the Chairman or Vice-Chairman.

V. Order of Business.

The order of business shall be as follows, subject to such
change as the Committee may decide :

1. Prayer.

2. Reading and approval of minutes.

3. Unfinished business.

4. Miscellaneous business.

a. Report of officers.

b. Report of out-post Sunday Schools.

c. Election of officers in January.

d. Arrangement of programs for the April and October

public meetings.

e. Organization of Sunday Schools.

/. Reports to be presented at Spring and Fall Councils.

5. New business.

The Sunday School Advisory Committee originally con-
sisted of three persons : a deacon, a lay brother and a lay
sister. The first committee appointed, March 6, 1903, was
J. H. Kline, H. K. Ober and Elizabeth Myer. In June,
1908, the committee was enlarged to five members without
any restrictions. The following have served on this com-
mittee :

1. J. H. Kline, 1903-1904. 6. D. C. Reber. 1908-

2. H. K. Ober, 1903-1905. 7. I. W. Eshelman, 1908-

3. Elizabeth Myer, 1903- 8. Martha Martin, 1910-11.

4. A. G. Longenecker, 1904-12 9. Elizabeth Kline, 191 1-

5. Nathan Martin, 1905-10. 10. J. G. Meyer, 1912-

This committee makes a statistical and general report of
the condition of each Sunday School under its oversight
annually and in a large measure deserves credit for bringing
about the following marks of progress in Sunday School
work:

ELIZABETHTOWN CHURCH. 419

1. Superintendent of Primary Department since 1907.

2. Teacher Training class since October, 1908.

3. Home Department since September, 1909.

4. System of Grading and Promotion since 191 1.

5. Two local Sunday School meetings annually since 1907.

6. Monthly Teachers' Meetings, 19 12.

The first class in teacher training, consisting of Martha
Martin, Laura Hess and Ada Leicht, was graduated in
1910 with E. E. Eshelman as teacher. The second class
consisted of seven ladies taught by Lydia Stauffer and was
graduated with public exercises in the church in 19 12. The
third class taught by Martha Martin consists of eight per-
sons and graduated in 19 14. The superintendents of
the Primary Department were Mrs. G. N. Falkenstein, Mrs.
B. F. Wampler, and Elizabeth Kline. Elizabeth Myer was
the first Superintendent of the Home Department and is the
present incumbent. There are three organized adult Bible
Classes in the Elizabethtown Sunday School.

General Meetings.

The District Meeting of Eastern Pennsylvania was held
in Elizabethtown in 1902. The first Ministerial Meeting of
the same district was held on November 21-23, iS93- Both
these meetings were held while Elizabethtown was yet a
part of the Chiques Church. Since the organization of the
Elizabethtown Church, the Ministerial, Sunday School and'
Missionary Meetings of Eastern Pennsylvania were held at
EHzabethtown on November i, 2, 1905, and October 30, 31,
1907. The Local Sunday School and Missionary Meetings
of the District were held here July 4, 1907, July 5, 1909,
and July 4, 19 12.

Missionary Activity.

A healthy missionary sentiment exists in this church fos-
tered by missionary teaching in Sunday School, preaching
and Reading Circle. The annual missionary offering
ranged from sixty-three dollars to $127, half of which was
given to home mission board and the other half to the world-

420 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

wide work. The total missionary funds thus raised in the
twelve years by solicitors amounted to $1,048. This does
not include about $200 given toward the building of the
Harrisburg Church, nor the Annual Conference offering.
The congregation contributed between four and five thou-
sand dollars to the Brethren Home at Neffsville, $450 to the
erection of the Orphanage at the same place, and $32,300
to Elizabethtown College.

In 1906 the question was asked, "Will the Church support
a foreign missionary if funds can be raised?" The church
said, "Yes." In June, 1907, a plan for raising money to
support a foreign missionary was adopted. At the close
of each council meeting, a collection of envelopes previously
distributed to the members is lifted. The matter of sup-
porting a brother or sister in the foreign field by this church
after having been repeatedly agitated, was decided Decem-
ber II, 1913, by authorizing the official board to find a suit-
able person to be approved by the church at a future time.

Pastoral Visit.
The pastoral visit was made by Elder S. R. Zug from
1905 to March, 191 1. Then Elder S. H. Hertzler was
asked to make it. The work of the Elder in charge is espe-
cially arduous because of the college being located here.
Elder Hertzler has been paying an annual pastoral visit to
the teachers and students of the college with a view of bring-
ing about cooperation and unity in church and school, and
through these means a cordial relation has been established
that has been very helpful in maintaining the observance of
those practices of the church which most colleges of the
Church of the Brethren have lost.

Miscellaneous Matters.

Since the election of J. H. Kline to the ministry, the office
of treasurer of the church was ably filled by A. W. Martin.

The temperance committee of the church consists of D, C.
Reber, Martha Martin and J. Z. Herr.

The missionary committee is composed of Martha Mar-
tin, Elizabeth Hoover, John Buffenmyer, Anna Wolgemuth.

ELIZABETHTOWN CHURCH. 421

In March, 19 13, the following committee was appointed
to provide better accommodations for the growing needs of
the Sunday School in town: S. H. Hertzler, D. C. Reber,
John M. Gibble, J. H. Eshelman, Jos. G. Heisey, Addison
Buch and Tobias Hoffer. This committee's plan was
adopted December 11 and Jos. G. Heisey, John M. Gibble
and D. C. Reber were appointed to execute it.

Bishops of the Elisahethtown Church: (i) S. R. Zug,
1902-1912; (2) S. H. Hertzler, Assistant Elder, 1904-12;
(3) S. H. Hertzler, 191 2.

On June 4, 19 14, C. C. Madeira, Levi Mohler, and D. C.
Reber were ordained elders. Ordination commitee : S. R.
Zug, J. H. Longenecker, and John Herr.

D. C. Reber.

CHAPTER VII.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

A. Peter Hummer.

Peter Hummer, the first minister living in what later
became the White Oak Church, resided about three miles
west of Manheim. He had a brother, Hannes Hummer,
not a minister, who lived about two miles northeast of him,
in a direct line, whose wife was Veronica Heffelfinger, a
sister to the wife of Elder Johannes Zug.

We have no data as to when Peter was baptized, or
elected, and about all we have of his life and family is given
in connection with his work under head of the activities of
White Oak Church.

B. Christian Longenecker.

The biography of Christian Longenecker, the next min-
ister in White Oak Church, is given as fully as we can give
it, in connection with his work, under White Oak Church,
with this exception, that his father, Hans, was a brother in
the church in 1739, who had five sons we know of, Hans, Jr.,
Peter, Christian, Henry and Ulrich, who were all members,
except Peter we know not, but his wife was.

C and D. Johannes Zug and Andreas Eby.

The biographies of these Elders are given so fully under
the head of the White Oak Church, that we deem it super-*
fluous to add much more.

These are all the ministers the White Oak Church district
ever had prior to 1800, and were elected in the order here
named. Andreas Eby died in 1798, age unknown, and
Elder Zug died in 182 1, in his 90th year, and is buried in
the family graveyard, on the home farm, where his father

422

BIOGRAPHICAL. 423

and mother were buried, about 60 years before, and where
his son Joseph, in the fall of 1821, and his grandson
Andrew, in 1824, were buried, — four generations. The in-
scriptions on the gravestones are almost entirely worn away
by age and weather, so that some of their descendants
erected a new wall around the graveyard, now belonging to
them by deed, on record about 40 years ago, and erected a
large granite stone, with the inscription of all on, in memory
of loved ones gone before. An illustration of said new
granite stone, which weighs about 25^ tons, is herewith
given, all in the rough, but on the side of the inscription.

E. Henry Gibbel.

Henry Gibbel lived a little south of Manheim, and was
elected to the ministry about 1810. When he was ordained
we know not, but he served on Standing Committee in 18 14.
He died in 1825, and is buried on his farm.

He had no children, but they adopted his brother's daugh-
ter, who was married to Andrew Hoerner, who got the
farm. After them, their son-in-law, Cornelius Kreider,
had it, and after his death, their son John Kreider had it,
and is living there now. Andrew Hoerner was a deacon
in the church.

F. Daniel Fretz.

Sometime between 181 2 and 1822 the White Oak Church
had two elections for ministers, just in what years we know
not, but the result was the election of the following, in the
order named :

Daniel Fretz and Jacob Haller.

Elder Fretz had charge of the church in 1822. He was
married to Jemima Sullivan, of Scotch descent. He lived
about 2^ miles northwest of Manheim, adjoining land with
Elder C. Longenecker, and he, in connection with Abraham
Longenecker, a son, were the executors of Elder Longe-
necker, who died in 1808.

He was a shop carpenter, turner, and undertaker. He

424 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

wrote many wills, always in German, which, when probated,
had always to be translated. He had three sons and three
daughters, all dead now, and all died outside of the father's
church. They belonged to other churches, but had faith in
their father, as a Christian, and at his funeral selected
Dan. 12: 3 as a text.

Elder Fretz was a devout Christian, a ready and fluent
speaker, always in German. In council he was ready to
give expression to his views, but always in a mild way, so
that he had many friends, and few enemies.

When he became older his mind gradually failed him.
He said some things, and after a few moments he would
repeat the same, having forgotten that he had said it, and
so in his preaching. His voice was naturally weak, and in
his preaching his sympathies were sometimes aroused, which
caused him to weep. Then his voice was hardly more than
a whisper.

In the spring of 1864, the writer, with another Brother,
paid the church visit to Elder Fretz. He was sitting up in
his room. His youngest son lived with him, in a small one-
story house, which, with the surroundings, and no doubt the
attention he received, was not at all inviting. Yet he was,
like John on the Isle of Patmos, " in the Spirit," and did
not notice material things around him; for he repeatedly
said : " There is nobody in the world that has it as good as
I have. When I need anything, it is brought to me, and
I need not worry about anything." He often repeated the
poet's language : " Ich weisz ich musz von allem los, eh' ich
in deinem Friedenshoosz, kann bleiben ohne wanken,"

In going away from his place our conclusion was, that
while his mind and body were strong, he worked himself,
through the merits of his Redeemer, into Heaven, and now,
when both fail him, he is there, waiting for his transition
into the spirit world, there to enjoy the full fruition of his
labor in life.

In his preaching he would often say : " We have three
principal enemies to contend with, viz. : The Devil, the
world, and self; and when we have once conquered self, then
the other two cannot affect us much."

BIOGRAPHICAL. 425

In the summer of 1864 he died in his 89th year, and is
buried in the family graveyard, by the side of his wife, who
preceded him about 20 years.

When he was about 65 years old, he and his son Daniel
were out riding on horse-back, and they had occasion to go
through a field, when the son got off and opened the bars.
The father rode through. When the other horse was led
through, he turned around and kicked, fracturing Elder
Fretz's leg below the knee, which was not set properly, and
healed crooked. This caused him to limp, and made walk-
ing a task for him all the rest of his life.

G. Jacob Haller.

Elder Jacob Haller lived about a half mile east of Man-
heim, on the same little farm where his father, Jacob Haller,
lived. He was born, and elected to the ministry, and died,
in each case, but shortly after Elder Fretz, and always lived
and labored in the same church, except a few years when it
was divided, and afterwards merged again. This is our
reason for taking the two together in giving their biog-
raphies. Each of them labored in the ministry for about 50
years, nearly the whole time together. They lived only
about three miles apart, and were never known to disagree.

Elder Haller was not a fluent and entertaining preacher,
but his remarks were always to the point. He was some-
times hard to understand, and would frequently use parables
and allegories, so that many hearers might have had occasion
to say, like the people in the Savior's time, " explain unto us
the parable."

When Elder Haller was old, he related, in conversation,
his experience in the ministry. When he was elected it
made him feel good that the church had so much confidence
in him; but when he came to meeting, he was expected to
preach, and when he had made the attempt in the morning,
he would go home, and in looking over his effort, and seeing
the many imperfections, he would be placed upon the rack
of torment all that afternoon, because of which he knows
that he stayed away from meeting more than a hundred

426 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

times ; but when he was older he got over that, and said he
would try to redeem some of his lost time.

He had a sister, married to a man named Smith, whose
son Joseph was married to Elizabeth, a daughter of Elder
Haller (first cousins), who both lived in the Lost Creek
Church, in Juniata County, Pa., about 80 miles from Elder
Haller's home, to whom he made frequent visits, always on
foot, having no horse. He made those visits when over 80
years old, so on one visit a brother of Lost Creek Church
said to him : " You are reputed to be rich, and we cannot
understand why you always walk so far." His answer
was : " Yes ; I am rich, but I own no horse. I am content,
and godliness with contentment is great gain, — the greatest
wealth a man can have in this life." On his trips he visited
and rested along the way.

He was twice married. His first wife was Elizabeth
Gibbel, a daughter of Jacob Gibbel, and she died young.
He afterwards married Polly Kinsey, who also died long
before his death. She was a daughter of Jacob Kinsey, and
a granddaughter of Johannes Zug.

He had one- son Joseph (who was weak-minded, but en-
tirely harmless) and four daughters, viz. : Elizabeth, before
mentioned; Mary, married to Jesse Heslet; Barbara and
Katie, both single, who kept house for him until he died.

When he was old, he related his experience in his con-
version. He and his wife were under conviction sometime,
but labored against it in different ways, to no purpose. So
one Saturday evening they went to a dance in Manheim and
spent the night in a frolic. This only made matters worse,
so they yielded, and in two weeks later they were baptized,
having in the meantime changed their mode of dress to the
order at that time prevailing in the church. This they did
as a precaution against drifting back again into their former
life.

Sometime in the late summer of 1865, he was bitten by a
dog, in the hand, which developed into blood poisoning,
which, after much suffering, caused his death in November,
1865, ""^ ^^is 88th year, and is buried in the Gibbel grave-

BIOGRAPHICAL. 427

yard, less than a mile southeast of Manheim where his two
wives are buried. Thus ended the lives of two (the other
being Elder Fretz) of the most noted, as well as the most
consecrated Christian Elders of the Church of the Brethren
of their time. Peace to their ashes !

H. Christian Longenecker, Second.

He was born in Warwick Township in Lancaster Co.,
in 1 791. He was a grandson of Christian Longenecker, the
first Bishop of White Oak Church, and the only child of his
father, Solomon. He was married to a Miss Becker, with
whom he had four sons and four daughters, viz. : Peter,
Christian, Emanuel and Abraham ; Elizabeth, married -to
John Minnich, who afterward became a deacon; Barbara,
married to Christian Brubacher, who was later elected
minister ; Leah, married to Henry Zimmerman ; and Rachel,
married to Abraham Kreider, — all dead now. He was
elected a minister about 1828.

In conversation once, in a company of Brethren, he said
he never was angry. When the others expressed surprise,
he said there was one occasion when he had a horse that
balked, and refused to work, he felt a little different. If
that was not anger, then he was never angry.

He was the only Brother in all the surrounding churches,
that wore a full beard, at that time, and when he was urged
to change, he said it cost too much. He explained the cost
this way. His conscience required him to wear a full beard,
for some time, but he did not want to appear odd from his
Brethren ; so one day a choking spell came on him, without
any known cause. He thought he was dying. There
he vowed that if God would spare him, he would obey his
conscience. The spell passed, and now it was up to him to
pay the vow. He was ordained about the year 1841, and
in 1855 he died in his 64th year. He is buried by the side
of his wife, who preceded him, and on the same block with
his father and mother and grandfather, in the cemetery at
Longenecker's Church, near Lititz.

428 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

I. David Gerlach.

David Gerlach united with the church young, and was
elected to the ministry in 1837. Some years later, he
married Sister Catharine McGinn, and moved to Mount Joy,
where they lived all their subsequent life.

He was one of a family of five sons and one daughter
that we know of, viz. : Henry, John, Jacob, David, Samuel,
and Mattie; three of the sons, and the daughter, were mem-
bers of the church. It is not known whether the parents
belonged to any church.

Elder Gerlach was ordained in 1856, and immediately
placed in charge of the White Oak Church, rather under
Elders Fretz and Haller. The latter said : " Another may
willingly have the line, if he is allowed to keep a hold of the
brakes."

He was an eloquent preacher of the whole truth, yet he
would handle his subjects in such a way as to give no
offense, even though some would disagree with some of his
views. He was known to say that he cannot eat, or sleep
well if he knew that some truth-loving soul was grieved by
anything he did, or said.

His kindheartedness sometimes would lead him to do
evil, that good may come. As an instance, the church de-
cided a case by a large majority, according to advice of
Annual Meeting, but some Brethren were sorely displeased.
At the next council he brought it up again for reconsidera-
tion. The result was the same as before, but still failed to
satisfy all; so he brought it up the third time with the same
result, when he stood up in council, declaring that under the
circumstances he cannot carry out the decision, because of
opposition, not because he was opposed, but because he could
not muster up courage enough to quell the opposition,
though he had the body of the church to back him up.

During the first ten years of District Meeting, from 1867,
he served six times as Moderator, and five times on Stand-
ing Committee.

In 1879 Elder Gerlach died in his 68th year, and is buried
at Kreider's Church near Manheim. The text used at his
funeral was his own selection, I Cor. 15 : 58.

biographical. 429

/. John S. Newcomer.

Elder John S. Newcomer, of Mountville, Lancaster
County, died May 20, 1902, aged 92 years and 20 days.
The deceased was blind for over three years. In his
younger days he served several years as a deacon in the
Church of the Brethren and was then elected to the ministry
which ofifice he held for about fifty-seven years. However,
during his later years he could not serve owing to his ad-
vanced age. Funeral services were conducted by Elder B.
Z. Eby and the home ministers from 2 Tim. 4 : 5-8.

H. E. Light.

K. Samuel R, Zug.

Ancestry. — ^Ulrich Zug and wife, whose maiden name
was Bachman, came from Switzerland about the year 1727
and settled in Lancaster Co., Pa., where they raised a family
of six sons and two daughters.

They were Mennonites, but in 1742 he was baptized to
the Brethren Church. He died in 1758.

John or Hannes Zug, one of his sons, was born in 1731,
and was baptized in 1749. He married Anna Heffelfinger
about 1758, was elected to the ministry 1770, and was or-
dained as an Elder in 1 780 by Martin Urner and Christopher
Saur. He died in 1821 in his 90th year. They had four
sons and four daughters. One son Joseph, about the year
182 1, while overheated took a cold plunge bath, took sick,
and died, aged about 51 years. He was married to Barbara
Eby, and they had four sons and one daughter. One of
his sons Benjamin Zug was born July 12, 1802. He
married Elizabeth Ruhl in 1824. They were baptized about
the year 1828. He was elected to the office of deacon in
1848, and died in 1886, aged 83 years. She died in 1892
at the age of 90. They had five sons and two daughters.

Birth and Early Life. — One son, Samuel Ruhl Zug, the
subject of this sketch, was born February 29, 1832, and was
reared on the farm. As was customary in those days,
farmers' boys were not expected to go to school before the
holidays, especially not when they were old enough to work.

430 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

When frost set in, causing other outside farm work to
cease, then getting in the winter's supply of firewood was
in order. This was made ready for the stove, by hand with
ax and saw. Threshing at that time was not finished in a
few days by steam and separator, but by the slow process
of treading out the grain on the barn-floor by four and six
horses guided by a little fellow that sat astride the leader.
This continued for weeks, Saturday being the cleaning up
day. Rye usually was thrashed with flails.

School Privileges. — From the above it is easily under-
stood that his school privileges were meager indeed. In
1850 Samuel asked his father for the privilege to learn the
trade of blacksmithing. The father said : " No, not this
summer; we want to build a house, but if you stay at home,
and help us until fall, you may either learn a trade, or go to
school at Lititz, Pa." This came to the young man as a
genuine surprise; especially so, since the Brethren at that
time were opposed to high schools.

On the 1st of October, he went to Mr. Beck's school at
the above named place, and the following March, he was
taken sick with typhoid fever and never went to school
afterward. After this, he taught school for four winters
in succession.

His Marriage. — In 1852, he was united in marriage with
Fannie W. Shelly, and in 1861 he and his wife were con-
verted, and were received into the Church of the Brethren
by baptism at a lovefeast on the farm of Samuel Graybill
near Manheim, Pa.

Ministry and Eldership. — He was called to the ministry,
October 11, 1865. In the year 1868, the Chiques Church
was cut off from the old White Oak congregation, and
organized with about 200 members and 3 ministers, viz. :
Philip Ziegler, Jacob Rider, and S. R. Zug. The new
organization received 89 accessions during the year. In
1 871 Brother Zug was advanced to the second degree, and
in 1885, on Thanksgiving Day, ordained to the Eldership,
and was given the oversight of tlie church. The older
ministers at this time had died. The membership now
numbered about 400. In the fall of 1867 through the effort

BIOGRAPHICAL. 431

of Brother Zug, the first series of meetings were held in
the Chiques house, this being the first among the Brethren
in the county, and continued every year since.

Sunday School. — In 1878, he asked permission to organ-
ize a Sunday School, which privilege was granted, but not
to be held in the church. In the spring of 1879 he renewed
his request when the use of the meeting-house was granted,
and the first Sunday School among the Brethren in the
county was organized.

New Organisations. — As time went on, the membership
of the Chiques congregation grew until they numbered over
700. The subject of dividing the same was agitated for
years. Several efforts having failed, Elder Zug by request
of the church finally submitted a plan at a special council
held March 28, 1902, recommending that the church be
divided into four congregations, which plan was adopted.
This gave to each church a good lovefeast house, and to
the weakest church numerically 125 members. The four
churches were formally organized and named as follows:
Chiques, West Green Tree, Fairview, and Elizabethtown, all
except Fairview retaining Elder Zug as their Elder in
charge.

When S. R. Zug was elected to the ministry, there were
but two organized churches in Lancaster County, three
ordained Elders (one of those dying three weeks later), and
ten ministers in first and second degree, with a membership
of about 1,000. At this time (191 3) there are 14 organ-
ized churches, 20 Elders, and 38 ministers in first and second
degree and over 3,000 members.

At the time when Bro. Zug was called to office, there were
no series of meetings, no Sunday Schools, no English
preaching, except at funerals and by special request. The
members generally were opposed to more than a common
school education, but a marked change has come. The
above named things, which as a rule were regarded as in-
novations, are not only tolerated now, but are regarded as
indispensable to the cause. Elder Zug held the oversight of
the Chiques Church until 1910, when he resigned, and was
relieved, and the charge given to Elder Henry S. Zug.

432 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

In 191 2 he resigned the charge of Ehzabethtown con-
gregation. In 1905 he was also reHeved of the care of the
West Green Tree Church.

Other Orga7tications. — On July 23, 1891, the West Con-
estoga Church, of which Lancaster City was a part, con-
cluded that the city should constitute an organization of its
own. October 29, 1891, the church was organized with a
membership of 31, without a resident official. On this date,
Elder S. R. Zug was chosen as their Elder in charge. For
a time he had to depend on ministerial help from other
churches. By solicitation of the Elder, T. F. Imler, of
Waynesboro, moved to Lancaster and by the united effort of
these two good men many people were added to the Lord
and a fine, large, substantial church building erected, which
was soon paid for.

On July 12, 1899, T. F. Imler was ordained, and the
church placed in his care, thus relieving Elder Zug. The
church at this time numbered about 140.

July 20, 1895, the York City Church was organized with
a membership of about 160, Elder Zug being chosen as their
Elder. This charge he held until 1899, when Jos. A. Long
was ordained to the Eldership, and was chosen as Elder in
charge. So in two days, Elder Zug was relieved of the
charge of two city churches. The York congregation at
this time had about 230 members, and a project was set on
foot before Elder Zug left, to erect a large new house of
worship, which was since built.

On the evening of November 19, 1895, the church at
Harrisburg was organized, with 15 members and no resi-
dent official. Elder S. R. Zug was chosen to take the over-
sight. Here as at Lancaster the Elder had to depend on
ministerial help from other churches, holding their services
in rented halls. In 1899, a lot was bought with a one story
dwelling for $3,000. This was converted into a place of
worship and was used until 1904, when a large new brick
building was erected, and was dedicated in May, 1905.
Several ministers moved in temporarily but did not stay
more than about a year each. On January 7, 1901, Brother
A. L. B. Martin was elected to the ministry. Elder Zug

BIOGRAPHICAL. 433

resigned in 19 ii, when Elder G. N. Falkenstein became his
successor by choice of the church. The membership at this
time was 92.

Elders Wm. Hertzler, S. R. Zug and others had been
engaged in evangelistic work at Ridgely, Md., for several
years, and in the fall of 1883, Brother Zug attended the first
love-feast ever held on the eastern shore of Maryland, said
service being held in an old saw mill.

On August 2, 1884, the above-named Elders assisted in
organizing the Ridgely Church, with a membership of 22.
The oversight was placed in the hands of Elder Zug, which
charge he held for a number of years. About the year
1901, he was also chosen as Elder of the congregation in
Philadelphia under the supervision of the Committee from
Annual Meeting.

Mission Board and Missions. — From its incipiency, Elder
S. R. Zug was a leading spirit in missionary effort in eastern
Pennsylvania. In 1879, he was elected a member on the
Home Mission Board, and was re-elected from time to time,
continuously, with the exception of one year until 1894.
During this time he rendered much valuable help by his
wise counsel and active service in the field. At this time
he resigned from the Home Mission Board, giving as his
reason his appointment on the General Missionary and Tract
Committee, he being chosen as a member of said committee
in 1893, and two years later, was reappointed for a term
of three years. During this time the India Mission was
established.

District and Annual Meeting. — The first District Meeting
was held in 1866, where Elder Zug was present, and he
has attended every District Meeting ever since without a
break, covering a period of 47 years. This is remarkable
indeed. He was also elected either as Writing Clerk, Read-
ing Clerk, or Moderator of the meeting for upwards of
twenty years in succession. Four times he was sent as a
member of standing committee, and represented the local
church at Conference for many years. He attended 11
Annual Meetings prior to 1883, and every one since.

Ministerial Meetings.— He was the prime mover for the
29

434 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

first Ministerial Meeting In eastern Pennsylvania, which
was held in Elizabethtown in 1893. These meetings have
been held annually ever since with the exception of the year
1894, — all of which he attended.

Home for the Homeless. — Through his efforts and those
of Elder B. Z. Eby of Manheim, Pa., who enlisted others
in its favor, after obtaining permission of District Meeting
of 1895, the Home for the Homeless was established with
considerable opposition. He was a Trustee of the insti-
tution from the beginning until 191 2, being relieved at
this time on account of age. A farm of 75 acres was
bought near Manheim, for $4,500. Additional buildings
were put up at an expense of about $7,000. In 1909, the
location of the Home was changed, and a large substantial
brick building erected near Neffsville, Pa., in which Elder
Zug took a prominent part.

Financial Reverses. — Financially, Elder Zug had his mis-
fortunes. From 1889 to 1894, he lost about $10,000 in
different ways, principally the result of misplaced confidence
in a friend who failed, which almost made him bankrupt;
which, in addition to his church work, was enough to un-
nerve, and even unbalance, an ordinary man; but by the
help of God, and his wife, and children, he survived it all;
and has as he believes sufficient to keep him the short time
yet allotted to him on earth.

Brother Zug was blessed with a good wife and helpmeet
in his ministerial duties. She traveled with him over 53
years in wedded life; over 40 in the ministry. He recog-
nizes that she is entitled to much credit for any good or
success that has come to the church and the world through
his instrumentality and labors.

In times of sorrow, trouble, or trial, she would always
encourage him not to pout, or show any signs of displeasure,
but to deport himself in a way that is characteristic of
Christ, our elder Brother. On July 10, 1905, she passed
over into the spirit world. Together they had four sons.
Since her departure, he has had his home with the youngest
son, John C. Zug, who was born April 26, 1866, elected to
the ministry in the Chiques congregation, November 25,

BIOGRAPHICAL. 435

1905, and advanced to the second degree at EHzabethtown,
February 8, 191 1. At the earnest soHcitation of Elder J.
H. Longenecker, he moved to Palmyra in the fall of 1912,
where he was ordained to the Eldership on September 6,
1913. Here the aged father now lives, is well cared for,
and is contented and happy, still rendering acceptable service
in the ministry.

Method of Work. — Of Elder Zug it may appropriately
be said, "he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost,
and of faith, and much people was added unto the Lord."
He is a born leader, a wise counselor, and a man of strong
convictions, but always open for better light. His spirit of
aggressiveness (as is always the case) has often brought
him enemies.

His method of church work, however, was not to rule
with a rod of iron, " neither as being lords over God's
heritage." Possibly he had the spirit of forbearance and
leniency almost to a fault. The writer often heard him
remark that he would rather err on the side of mercy, than
on the side of enforcing rigid discipline, and in meting out
justice. When his views would not prevail in a council, he
made special effort to exercise a forbearing spirit toward
those who may have differed with him, only asking similar
treatment when the majority came to vote his way.

His long self-sacrificing life has been crowned with great
blessings, and with marked success. May many stars be
added to his crown !

One of these days it will be said of Elder Zug, he has
passed away, and many of us will say what Jonathan said to
David: "Thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be
empty."

J. H. Longenecker.

PART VIII.
SWATARA GROUP.

CHAPTER I.
BIG SWATARA CHURCH.

At the time of the separation of the Swatara Church from
the main body of the Church of the Brethren north and
northwest of, and including Lancaster County, in 1772, it
included as elders and ministers : Han Jacob Boeshor and
George Klein, in the eastern settlement of members, at Little
Swatara and North Kill Creeks, respectively; and George
Miller and Adam Hamacher, in the western settlement at
Conewago and Big Swatara Creeks.

George Milkr was baptized in 1753. He lived and raised
his family near Conewago Creek, and his was the only
family of members known to have lived on the Lancaster
County side of Conewago, belonging to Swatara Church.

The families of Jacob Metzger and Christopher Brauser
lived on the northwest side of Conewago, below Middle-
town. These are the only members known to have lived
near Conewago at that time, prior to Elder Miller's death,
which occurred in 1798, aged 76 years, 9 months, and is
buried on his farm by the side of his wife, who died two
years previous, aged 69 years, 6 months, about two miles
northwest of Elizabethtown. A more extended account of
his work, and family, will be given in connection with that
of Elder George Klein under the head of Little Swatara
Church, because Henry Miller, a son, married into the Klein
family, thus bringing the two families, and their work, into
a closer relationship.

Nothing is known of Adam Hamacher, or his work in
the church, since 1770, when Morgan Edwards mentions

436

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BIG SWATARA CHURCH. 437

him, and his wife and daughter, as a minister, and members
of the church. We have a record which states that about
1798 or 1800, the Swatara Church was divided into two
parts: the one, called Big Swatara; and the other Little
Swatara, from the fact that the one is traversed by the
main stream of Swatara Creek, and the other by a branch
of the same, called Little Swatara. The Heffelfingers,
Hamachers, Balsbaughs, Henrys, Etters, and others lived
in the Swatara Valley, on both sides of the Creek; hence the
settlement received the name Swatara Church.

No records being kept in many of the churches, in ancient
times, much of what is now known of their work is from
hearsay, and from results that followed.

What became of Adam Hamacher, or when he died, is
not known ; but it is known that Valentine Balsbaugh, a son
of Bro. George Balsbaugh, and grandfather of the late C. H.
Balsbaugh, the noted writer, was married to Elizabeth, a
daughter of Elder George Miller, and was forty-three years
old at his father-in-law's death, and has long been the
Bishop of the church ; the presumption is that he was elected
to the ministry in Miller's lifetime, as assistant, and after
his (Miller's) death had charge of the church.

In 181 1 George Basehore moved from Little Swatara to
a farm near Hornerstown, in Big Swatara, where he lived,,
and in 1841, died and is buried on the farm on which he
lived. He was married to a Fackler from that locality,.,
which may have had something to do in his moving there-
He was a minister before coming there, and was a son of
Jacob and Christina Basehore. He was born in Schuylkill
Co., Pa., in 1775, and was in his 67th year when he died.
He had a brother, Benjamin, who was born in 1768 and
moved to the valley of Virginia. Where he lived, in Vir-
ginia, we failed to find, but we found a German poem the
heading of which states it was composed by him, while in
jail, in Virginia, and, by request of his children, printed, as
follows :

EiN ScHoNES Geistliches Lied,
welches von einem Mann namens Benjamin Boeshor, im Staat
Virginien, aufgesetzt wurde, wahrend er im gefangnis^

438

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

schmachtete, und welches nunmehr auf verlangen seiner Kin-
der gedruckt worden ist.

1 Bewahre mich O Gottes Sohn, —
In dieser bosen Zeit,

Und shau herab von deinem Thron,
Auf die Unbarmherzigkeit,
Und verlasz uns nicht.

2 Erhalt uns doch zu deiner Treu,
Und mach in uns doch alles Neu,
Und mach uns von der Siinden frei,
Dasz wir zu deinem Lob und Dank
Dienlich sei, wie es der Herr begehrt.

3 Nimm von uns Herr du treuer Gott,
Die schwere Straf, und grosze Noth,
Die wir mit Siinden ohne Zahl,
Verdienet haben alzumahl,

Dasz wir dir dienen Treu.

4 Ja nimmer gehe falsch im Handel,
Noch im reden, noch im thun,
Willt du fiir den Herren wandeln,
Dermaleins auch seelig ruhen,
Vater hilf mir doch.

5 Ach wollst du Gott bewahren,
Rein vor diesem argen geschlechte,
Und lasz uns dir befohlen,

Dasz sichs uns nicht fehle

Der Gottes Hauf im Volk erhaben.

6 Mein vertrauen stets zu dir,
Mach mich an meiner Seelen reich,
Reichthum Zeitlich Gut das wahret
Nur ein kleine Zeit

Und hilft doch nichts zur Seligkeit.

7 Es liesz auch nicht der treue Gott,
Die drei Manner im Feuer ohne Noth,
Sein Engel sandt' er bin,

Bewahrt vor des Feuer's Gluth,
Und half ihnen aus aller Noth.

BIG SWATARA CHURCH. 439

8 Nun well ich doch verurtheilt bin,
Durch Bosheit und verdrisz,

So schafft doch Gott gewisz dahin,

Wie es endlich bleiben musz,

Und kanns kein Mensch verhindern.

9 Wie ich verspert in starker Mauer,
Und eiserne Thiir und Fenstern dran,
So kann ich doch dem Herren vertraun,
Dasz ers gewisz doch andernkann, Halleluja!

10 Es wird gewisz doch arger sein,
Die ewige Grub und Finsternisz,
Wo Finsternisz und ewige Pein,

Der verlorne leiden musz unendlich da.

11 Solche art der Schalkheit Briider,
' Welches Gott verboten hat,

Schandet alle meine Glieder
Und beraubt mir was ich hab —
Herr vergib es doch.

12 Himmel Schreiend sieht es aus,
Wann man hilft in groster Noth,
Und der falsche Bruder geht voraus,
Scheriff und Layer nimmt doch Rath,
Schweisz und Blut ist Preis.

13 O was Greul finden wir,
Hier in diesen guten Zeit,

Ach was Geitz und Wucher hier,
Mit grosser Unbarmherzigkeit,
Und denket nicht an sein End,

14 Recht getreu ist hoch zu preisen,
Heuchelei ist Gott ein Greuel,
Will man Gottes Kindlein heissen,
So verscherze doch nicht dein Heil,
Zur ewigen Freude zu gehen ein.

It was learned from Samuel Basehore, a grand nephew
of said Benjamin Basehore, that his imprisonment was for
debts which he was unable to pay, and that after his release

440

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

he returned to Lebanon County, Pa., and lived, and after-
wards died, near the Union Canal water works ; but it is not
known when he died, or where he was buried. In 1815 he
was a member of Standing Committee It is not known
whether George Boeshor was ever ordained, but the pre-
sumption is he was not.

Elder Balsbaugh was a son of George Balsbaugh and
wife, who came to America from Germany, in company
with George Henry and wife, and others, in 1754, and took
a farm, jointly, on Spring Creek, where Spring Creek meet-
ing-house now is on their farm. There is where Valentine
Balsbaugh was born, in 1755, on St. Valentine's day, Feb-
ruary 14.

Sometime after, on account of some disagreement, the
Balsbaugh family moved to the west side of Swatara Creek,
on a farm, about a mile east of Hanoverdale, where George
Balsbaugh lived the rest of his days, and where he died in
1802, and is buried at Spring Creek, in his 66th year of age.

On this farm his son Valentine lived, and died November
26, 1 85 1, in his 97th year of age, and where his remains lie
buried in the family graveyard, on the farm.

He had a daughter Elizabeth who was married to Lorenz
Etter, who was born April 2, 1 787. He was a minister, but
when elected we have no record, neither of his ordination,
but it is known that he was ordained, and given charge of
the church, when Elder Balsbaugh became too old and
feeble to attend to the needs of the church, probably between
1836 and 1840. He died November 9, 1853, and is buried
in the Balsbaugh graveyard.

Jacob Hollinger was born in Lancaster County in 1797,
and died in 1877, in his 80th year. His wife Catharine died
same year, in 84th year, both buried at Spring Creek.

They moved to Dauphm County about 1826, where
shortly after he was elected to the ministry. He was
married to Catharine Shumaker and raised two sons and
six daughters. The sons, Joseph and Daniel, were both
ministers, and ordained elders. Joseph died some years
ago, in Illinois, and Daniel now lives in Conewago Con-

BIG SWATARA CHURCH. 441

gregation, recently organized, having been a part of Spring
Creek district, and he being over 80 years old.

Sometime between 1835 and 1840, George Hoffer was
elected to the ministry, but some years after, he began to
preach a doctrine different from the way the Brethren did,
and after several years' trial to get him to desist, he was
silenced, and about 1857 he left the church, and united with
the Zion Children, commonly known as Brinserites, and
preached for them the rest of his life. The doctrine in
dispute was Acts 2 : 38, Hoffer maintaining that baptism is
not essential to remission of sins.

In 1 85 1, William Hertzler moved from Tulpehocken
Church, Lebanon Co., where he was elected to the ministry
in 1847, to his father-in-law, John Hoffer's farm in the
Big Swatara Church district, in Dauphin Co., about 3 miles
northwest of Elizabethtown, where he lived until 1894,
when he moved to Elizabethtown, where he died of cancer,
in 1896, and is buried in the Spring Creek Cemetery,
Dauphin Co., In his 69th year of age.

David Etter was elected to the ministry in 1867.

In the fall of 1868 the Big Swatara Church was divided
into two districts, by making Swatara Creek the line between
them. The meeting for that purpose was held in the old
Spring Creek meeting-house. At the same meeting, John
Etter and William Hertzler were ordained to the Eldership
by Elders John Zug, and David Gerlach, Bro. Etter to have
charge of the district northwest of Swatara Creek, under
the old name of Big Swatara; and Bro. Hertzler as assistant
to Elder Hollinger, but he practically had charge of the
church.

Benjamin Kline, a minister, had moved from Little
Swatara Into this district in the vicinity of Hilemandale, and
was ordained an Elder after Jacob Hollinger, but at the
time of the division of the district, he was fallen asleep.

The Big Swatara Church, under this new organization,
had about 200 members, and ministers : Elder John Etter,
who was elected In 1853; Jacob Kiefer elected in 1858; and
David Etter In 1867; and deacons: Peter Balsbaugh and

442 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

David Smith. In the following year, this church had a
very successful revival, and over 60 accessions by baptism.

In 1869, David Smith was elected to the ministry, and
Isaac M. Gibble, John Kiefer, Samuel Reed, and Benjamin
Basehore, deacons.

In 1871, Samuel Reed was elected a minister, and Adam
Shope and Abram Balsbach, deacons.

In 1877, John H. Witmer and Christian Hernly were
elected deacons.

In 1882, John H. Witmer and Adam J. Shope were
elected ministers, and Abraham Fackler and Andrew Miller,
deacons.

In 1889, Samuel Balsbaugh and John Aungst were elected
deacons.

In 1904, Emanuel Kline and Isaac Baker were chosen
deacons, and in 1908 Clayton Miller and Josiah Gingrich
were elected deacons.

In 1899, John A. Landis, and in 1901, Thomas Patrick
and David Etter, Jr., in 1904, Amos M. Kuhns, and in 1912,
Clayton B. Miller, were elected ministers, and in 1910
George Aungst and David Baker were chosen deacons.

In 1884, Elder John Etter died in his 65th year.

In 1887, David Etter was ordained an elder, and in 1899,
he died in his 80th year.

He died while he was baptizing his granddaughter.
When he had immersed her the second time, he fell over,
and when he was brought out on the shore, he was dead.
This caused a wonderful stir, and ended the baptismal
service for that day. It caused the question to be raised
whether that girl should be baptized as if no effort had been
made, or whether the ceremony should be finished from
where it was broken off. It was made a question to Elders
at District Meeting, and discussed from both angles, and
was decided according to the latter view.

In same year Samuel Reed and John H. Witmer w^ere
ordained elders, so was David Smith. Elder Smith died
in 1900, in his 83d year, and Elder Reed died in 1901, in
his 68th year. The four elders, John and David Etter,
David Smith and Samuel Reed are buried in the Hanover-

BIG SWATARA CHURCH. 443

dale Cemetery; also Jacob Kiefer who died in 1884, in his
80th year.

In 1905, Adam J. Shope was ordained an elder.

The officials now are : Elder J. H. Witmer, who has
charge of the church, and Elder A, J. Shope, and John
A. Landis, Thos. Patrick, David Etter, A. M. Kuhns and
Clayton B. Miller, ministers; and Abm. Fackler, S. Bals-
baugh, Jno. Aungst, Emanuel Kline, Josiah Gingrich, Geo.
Aungst and D. Baker, deacons, with a membership of 310.

On November 19, 1896, a council meeting was held in
the Hornerstown meeting-house at which, by request, Elders
S. R. Zug and J. H. Longenecker were present, where a
petition, signed by eighteen members of Harrisburg and its
suburbs, was presented, asking to be organized into a church,
which was granted, making the city limits the line between
this new organization, and the mother church, from which
it was taken. More of this organization will appear under
the head of the Harrisburg Church.

In 1905, some of the rural territory of Big Swatara
Church was ceded to Harrisburg, including Steelton, High-
spire, and Middletown.

Sunday School. — The first Sunday School in the Big
Swatara Church was held in the Conewago meeting-house,
about 1865. It was a union school, and its first superin-
tendant was Elder Wm. Hertzler, but the first Sunday
School held in Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster, or Berks
County, by authority of the Church of the Brethren, was
organized in 1876, in the Hanoverdale House, and proved a
success, in spite of opposition. They now have four Sun-
day Schools : at Hanoverdale, East Hanover, Hornerstown
and Paxton.

In March, 1905, a Sisters' Aid Society was organized in
this congregation.

Meeting Houses. — The first church house built by Big
Swatara Church was built on land then of Wendel Henry,
in 1848, of limestone, 38 X 42 feet, and was known as the
Spring Creek House, after a stream passing nearby.

The next church house was built in Conewago Township,

444 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

not far from a creek of that name, a brick house, in 1854,
known as Conewago House.

The third meeting-house built by this church was in Han-
over Township, known as Hanoverdale House, built in i860.
This was larger than the others, intended for lovefeast oc-
casions. For up to this time lovefeasts were held in barns,
and always in summer.

The fourth was built in Paxton Township, known as
Paxton House, in 1865. These four meeting-houses were
built before the division in 1868, and by that division, the
two first came on the side, called Spring Creek, of which
more later, and the two last named, in the Big Swatara
Church. We now continue with this church after the divi-
sion. In 1869 a church house was built in East Hanover
Township, and is known by that name, located about 5
miles east of Hanoverdale.

In 1878 another house was built at Hornerstown. and in
1 881, one was built, across the mountain, in Fishing Creek
Valley.

By a hurricane at night in September, 1896, the Han-
overdale House was partly demolished, so that the church
decided to take it down entire, and rebuild, which they did,
and after the division, the East Hanover House was built
in 1869, the Hornerstown House in 1878, and the Fishing
Creek Valley House in 1881. The Hanoverdale House is
the only one arranged in which to hold lovefeasts.

Bishops of Big Swatara Church.

1. Valentine Balsbaugh, 1798-about 1840.

2. Lorenz Etter, about 1840 to about 1853.

3. Jacob Hollinger, about 1 853-1 868.

Bishops of Later Big Swatara.

4. John Etter, 1 868-1 884.

5- •

6. David Etter, 1 887-1899.

7. John H. Witmer, 1899-

CHAPTER IL
THE LITTLE SWATARA CHURCH.

"In 1745, George Besher, Michael Frantz, Peter Heck-
man, John Frantz and others settled in this district. They
were baptized by Elder George Kline of the Northkill con-
gregation. Elder Kline was the first elder (in charge, or-
dained in 1750), assisted by Peter Heckman, who was or-
dained soon after 1770. On August 12, 1780, the above-
named Michael Frantz was ordained elder by Elders Sower
and Urner, and George Beasher (Baszhaar) and Jacob
Moyer were ordained deacons (ministers). As early as
1770, there were forty-five active communicants. Their
names follow: Peter Heckman, minister, and wife, John
Heckman and wife, Michael Frantz and wife, Nicholas
Gerst and wife, Jacob Moyer and wife, George Beasher,
David Marge and wife, Simon Merrich and wife, John
Frantz and wife, Christian Frantz and wife. Rose Schnables,
Jacob Smith and wife, Eliza Kentzel, Adam Henrich, Mrs.
Cryder, Philip' Ziegler and wife, Jacob Breneisen and wife,
David Kleine and wife. Widow Benedict, Elizabeth Bene-
dict, Sophy Kish, Leonard Sebalt and wife, John Grove,
Jacob Baker and wife, Jacob Deal and wife, Hans Stohner
and wife, Jacob Beashor and wife."^

It is unfortunate that there is no record of this historic
church that we know of from 1780 to 1858, — a space of
78 years, excepting statement in account of Big Swatara
Church. Nevertheless, by strenuous research, we were en-
abled to find data to fill up this gap, at least so far as elders
are concerned. We do not claim accuracy in every detail,
but in the main, facts are obtained from reliable sources.

Elder Hans Jacob Beashor (Baszhaar) was the son of
Hans George Beashor, who immigrated to America prior to

^ Brumbaugh's History, p. 320.

445

446 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

1738, and settled a few miles northwest of Millersburg,
Dauphin Co., Pa.

He was married to Christine Alderfer, and had a family
of nine children.

Elder Hans Jacob Beashor is without doubt the Jacob
Beashor who signed the Annual Meeting minutes of 1790
and 1814.

Elder Hans George Beashor, son of Elder Hans Jacob
Beashor, was born February 8, 1775, and was married to
Christine Fackler, of Big Swatara, and no doubt it was this
marriage that caused his removal later to Big Swatara.

Elder Joseph Merkey was born November 28, 1782. It
will thus be seen he was about 30 years of age when Elder
Hans George Baeshor moved to Big Swatara about 18 12.
It is stated by Dr. Basehore, of Palmyra, that Hans George
Baeshor was Elder in charge of Little Swatara at the time
he moved away. Joseph Merkey being 30 years of age
may at this time already have assumed considerable of the
burdens of the ministry. He was a small man and rather
weak physically. His talk was good, and to the point, but
there was not-much of it. He died March 12, 1869; buried
at Merkey's Cemetery.

David Merkey was born May 11, 1795. He was the
youngest brother of Joseph, and Elder before John Hertzler,
but John moderated the council meetings before David died,
and before his ordination, being better adapted to the work.
David Merkey died December 2, 1873; buried at Merkey's
Cemetery.

Elder Jacob Wenger, son of Christian Wenger, was born
March 10, 1801. He was elected to the ministry in the
Brethren Church about 1835. He was ordained by 1850,
his Eldership coming in between that of Joseph and David
Merkey. He was a big, strong man, and had a powerful
voice. He was a man of high standing, of pleasant ap-
proach, and was regarded as a strong preacher. It is
thought by his daughter that he was preaching as early as
1835. He was associated with Joseph Merkey, who was
about 20 years older. The question arises whether Joe

THE LITTLE SWATARA CHURCH. 447

Merkey was Elder before Wenger? But Wenger was the
controlling and leading spirit in the church.

"Watch and pray" was not duly observed on his part.
The tempter was on his track, and lo, behold, he made a
misstep, which he at first confessed, and afterwards denied,
and of course, he was disowned by the church. Because of
his denial, it was impossible for him to return to the
Brethren. This occurred between the years 1854 and 1856.
Afterwards he first held meetings of his own, but during
this time baptized but one person — a woman, who said she
was deceived, thinking Wenger a minister of the Brethren.

She wished to come to the Brethren later, and would have
been admitted, without re-baptism, had it not been for the
presence of who, though a young minister, in-
sisted on the order of the Brotherhood being read to the
congregation.

She then joined the Brinsers, and afterwards came back
to the Brethren by re-baptism. Wenger also joined the
Brinser Church, and quite a large number of Brethren went
with him, but practically all came back.

Truly this was a trying time for the Little Swatara
Church. At times the clouds rose so black and thick that
there was apparent danger of the church being disrupted,
but the tide turned, the storm was subdued, there was a
great calm, and Israel again prevailed.

He died January 6, 1881. He was married to Lydia
Frantz, who was born February 27, 1801, and died October
14, 1853. It was the year after her death he made the
misstep.

He and his wife, his father and grandfather, with their
wives, are all at rest in the Wengert graveyard, near
Jonestown. His son, Jacob F., was a preacher of the
Brethren. He was elected late in life, and never attained to
fluency of speech. He was born 1831, and is buried at
Jonestown. His son David had also belonged to the Breth-
ren, but while yet young joined the Brinsers, among whom
he became a preacher in his old age.

Benjamin Kline was born July 12, 1791, and was elected
to the ministry in the Little Swatara Church. Inasmuch as

448 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Benjamin Kline was lo years older than Jacob Wenger, he
may have been preaching as early as 1825. He moved
away from the Little Swatara congregation, during the time
of supremacy of Jacob Wenger, to the Big Swatara district,
where he was later ordained to the Eldership. This was
not far from 1865. Kline was a good talker. He died
September 11, 1868, and is buried at Kauffman's meeting-
house, 2 miles north of Annville.^

The following elections for officers were held in this
church: 1858, John Hertzler was elected to the ministry;
i860, Abraham Pfautz was elected to the ministry; date of
advancement unknown; ordination a few years before his
death. April 24, 1875, John Hertzler was ordained; Jacob
W. Myer, Senior, was elected minister, and Henry Lentz
and Elias P. Ziegler, deacons. Elders present : Samuel
Harley, John Etter, and Christian Bucher. June 7, 1876,
Jacob W. Myer, Senior, was advanced to second degree, and
Daniel R. Kline and Jacob F. Wenger were elected ministers.
At the same time, Benjamin Balsbaugh was elected deacon.
April 7, 1883, at Frystown House, Samuel Myer was
elected minister, Samuel Z. Gettel, deacon, and Daniel R.
Kline advanced to second degree of ministry. January i,
1890, Samuel Myer was advanced to the second degree of
the ministry and William Oberholtzer elected deacon.
Present: S. R. Zug, and David Etter. October 13, 1894,
Edward M. Wenger was elected minister, and Jacob Pfautz,
deacon. August 8, 1898, Edward Wenger was advanced
and J. W. Myer and John Ziegler, who moved to Mont-
gomery County in 1910, were elected deacons. December
II, 1899, Jacob Pfautz was elected minister. December 10,
1900, J. W. Myer, Junior, was elected minister, and Elias
W. Edris and Alfred M. Lentz, deacons. May i, 1901,
Jacob W. Myer, Sr., was ordained to the full ministry, and
Jacob Pfautz advanced to the second degree. June 10,
1902, Elias W. Edris was elected minister. December 8,
1902, Ira D. Gibble was elected deacon. August 8, 1904,
E. M. Wenger was ordained to the Eldership, and J. W.

2 For much of the foregoing information, the writer is indebted to the
extensive genealogical writings of Michael Zug, late of Lebanon, Pa.

THE LITTLE SWATARA CHURCH. 449

Myer, Jr., advanced to the second degree. August 14,

1905, Ira D Gibble was elected minister and Samuel Sher-
man, deacon. April 14, 191 1, Henry Z. Ziegler was elected
to the ministry, Ira D. Gibble advanced to the second
degree, and Jacob Merkey and Samuel Ziegler elected
deacons. August 13, 1906, Jacob Pfautz was ordained,
Elias Edris advanced to the second degree, and Henry
Ziegler elected deacon. January 2, 1892, John H. Lentz
was elected deacon.

Officials that Served in the Church that Are Not on
Record. — Elders : Joseph Merkey, David Merkey, and Jacob
Wenger; Jonathan Hunsicker, Benjamin Kline, and Samuel
Gettle, ministers ; and deacons : Samuel O. Myer, George
Gibble, John Grouse, Peter Gettle, and John Merkey.

Present Officials of this Church. — Elder E. M. Wenger,
who has charge of the church; Elder Jacob Pfautz, Jacob
W. Myer, Elias W. Edris, Ira D. Gibble, all in the second
degree, and Henry Ziegler in the first degree; and deacons:
John H. Lentz, Alfred M. Lentz, Samuel N. Sherman,
Jacob Merkey, and Samuel Ziegler.

Obituaries of Ministers. — John Hertzler, born September
10, 1826; died August 27, 1901. Buried at Frystown.
Abraham Pfautz, born June 17, 1826; died February 2,

1906. Buried at Frystown. Jacob W. Myer, born Jan-
uary 29, 1832; died May i, 1906. Buried at Myer Home-
stead. Samuel Myer, born May 21, 1857; died April 19,
1894. Buried at Myer Homestead. Jacob F. Wenger,
born October 7, 1831 ; died December 15, 1881.

Houses of Worship. — This church at present has six
houses of worship the oldest of which is the Merkey
House, near the Blue Mountains. This house was built in
the year 1848, stone building, having a seating capacity of
about 500. Valuation $1,500.

The Ziegler House, near Rehrersburg, was a brick build-
ing having a capacity of seating about 300. This, how-
ever, was rebuilt in the year 1875, placing in Its stead a new
frame building 50 X 70 feet, seating about 900. Valua-
tion $4,000.

Frystown House, a frame building erected in the year
30

450 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

1875, having a capacity of about 700. Valuation $2,500.
Thus we notice that in one year two houses of worship
were built. Hereby we can see what may be done where
there are willing minds to promote the cause of Christ and
His Church. The Moyer House is a brick building erected
in the year i860, having a capacity of about 500. This
was rebuilt in 1884, brick, 50X72 ft., capacity about 900.
Valuation $4,000. Light's Meeting House was built in
1877, a frame building, capacity about 700. Valuation
$2,500. Fredericksburg House is the last built in the year
1 910, a brick building, capacity about 600. Valuation
$2,500. In the Moyer and Ziegler Houses, lovefeasts are
held alternatively. Other houses, not belonging to the
Brethren where regular worship is held, we may name —
Union House, Kutztown, and Shuberts.

Union Meeting House,

This is one of the old landmarks of Bethel Township,
and deserves more than a passing notice. This meeting-
house land was given by Rudy Hunsicker, who died in 1768.
More land was given by his son, Jacob Hunsicker, for the
only use, purpose, and benefit of the different congregations
in that part of the country.

" This Indenture Made the Fifth day of August in the year
of our Lord one thousand, eight Hundred and twenty-six, etc."

On the land donated by Rudy Hunsicker, a school house
and dwelling house, combined, was erected. On funeral
occasions this building was used for preaching services. In
1812, this building was repaired. After serving its useful-
ness, a new meeting-house was built in the year 1859.

At this time there was considerable friction. The
Church of the Brethren desiring to have a church of their
own, built suitable for lovefeast purposes, is what brought
about the commotion. Preparations were made to build a
church, on the opposite corner where the Union Church
stands, which again was reconsidered, and decided to build
a house, about a mile further east, and thus we have the
Moyer House built in i860.

THE LITTLE SWATARA CHURCH. 451

The Brethren have regular services at both houses,
although close together, and the attendance is good at both
places.

The meeting-house built in 1859 again had served Its use-
fulness, and a new house was built in its stead in the year
1913, 40 by 60 feet, 14 feet high, with a basement 40 by
40 feet for Sunday School, and 20 by 40 feet for preparing
meals on funeral occasions if wanted. Building Committee,
E. W. Edris, W. H. Hunsieker, and Sol. Meyer. The
house was dedicated August 30 and 31, 1913. The follow-
ing ministers representing the different denominations
officiated, viz. : Saturday afternoon, Alfred Gingrich and
Henry Kreider; Saturday evening, Ammon Brubaker and
Geo. Lentz; Sunday forenoon, Jacob Longenecker, Jacob
Pfautz and E. W. Edris; Sunday afternoon, A. J. Bachman
and Oliver Bitner; Sunday evening, Rufus Bucher, Henry
Light, John H. Bicksler and Emanuel Garis. Preaching in
main room and basement. All the services were well at-
tended. E. W. Edris, Moderator.

Union House Cemetery.
The first land given for a burial ground was first owned
by Christian Brightbill and Christian Lantz. Christian
Brightbill purchased his land from Thos. and Richard Penn,.
then Bethel Township, Lancaster County, dated the 6th day
of February, 1738, and Christian Lantz purchased his land{
from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, then Bethel
Township, Dauphin County, dated the 19th day of Sep-
tember, 1752. It is believed that the first land was given
by the said Christ Lantz, and the executors of the said
Christian Brightbill, somewhere between the years 1750 and
1769. But no deed was given that time. It was given
free. The next land was also given free without a deed by
Abraham Lantz, son of the said Christian Lantz, and Chris-
tian Brightbill, son of the said Christian Brightbill, some-
where between the years 1769 and 1798, and the land was
given again free by Abraham Lantz, and John Brightbill
between the years of 1833 and 1840. Then it again being
necessary to have land, when John Brightbill, son of John

452

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Brightbill, and Michael Wolf, son-in-law of Abraham
Lantz, gave or sold land and gave each a deed to Joseph
Hunsicker, Abraham Lantz, and John Light, appointed
trustees for the said graveyard, or burial ground, dated 25th
day of March, 1853. They each gave a deed for all the
land given by their forefathers, so there is a full right for
the property, as the deeds will show. It was again neces-
sary to have land; accordingly, land was purchased in the
year 1886, from Adam Brightbill, son of John Brightbill,
by A. G Gettel, H. M. Lentz, and Wm. H. Hunsicker,
trustees. A deed was given dated April 23, 1886. This
last bought land was laid out in blocks, and sold from five
to ten dollars each. At this time also a committee was ap-
pointed to frame rules to govern the association. As to the
name it was decided that this association shall be known and
styled by the name of "The Union Cemetery Association"
of Bethel Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.

The present officers of the Association are : President, E.
W Edris ; Secretary, W. H. Hunsicker ; Treasurer, Monroe
Wolf.

This city of the dead is nicely located, and many, many,
have been laid to rest there, awaiting the general resur-
rection in the last day.

The following clipping from a certain periodical dated
January 5, 1900, sets forth the Union Meeting House in its
true light :

"A Liberal Church

Bethel Township Landmark's

Wide Open Doors

Union Meeting House

Successor of a Haven of Religion and Education — Large
Enough to Take in Those of All and No sects — The Graveyard.

"At a cross-roads in Bethel township, half way between Mt.
Zion and Fredericksburg stands what is known as the ' Union
Meeting House.'

"On its site stood fifty years ago one of the first school-
houses of the country, which served both as dwelling house,
and school house, as was generally the case in ye olden time.

THE LITTLE SWATARA CHURCH. 453

" When the free schools were forced on Bethel and on most
of the other Townships of the County, a brick building was
erected on an opposite corner of the cross-roads, and the old
structure, having served its time and uses, was torn down.

" In its stead was built the above-mentioned * Union House.*
The name was a good and expressive one, for it was erected
by a veritable union among the good folk of the vicinity, a
union of purpose — the purpose of having a convenient, com-
mon, liberal place of worship for all Christian creeds and be-
liefs, and the doors have always stood wide open to all who
accept the Bible and the doctrine of the New Testament as the
foundation of their religious belief. Close by is a graveyard,
where repose the remains of some of the early settlers of the
countysite, among whom are numerous members of the old
and respected Grove family, now almost extinct ; the Hun-
sickers, the Wolfs, the Moyers, the Brightbills, the Lights, the
Lentzs, and many others.

" The Burial Ground.

"Burial lots are for sale to all on reasonable terms, to Jew
and Gentile, Baptists and Lutheran, High Church and Low
Church, and within its consecrated precincts may lie down
together, the infidel with the orthodox believer, the one with
the privileges of the other.

"Among the sects that make use of building as a place of
worship, are the ' German Baptists,' the ' River Brethren,' and
the 'United Brethren in Christ,' though a number of other
denominations have conducted services in it.

" The German Baptists have preaching every four weeks,
and their services are conducted by Revs, Jacob W. Moyer,
Abraham Pfautz and Edward Wenger.

" The River Brethren, another branch of the Baptists, hold
meetings only four times a year — every twelve weeks. The
latter held a protracted series of meetings, lasting a week, in
the latter part of December, conducted by Revs. Jacob Martin,
and Jacob Brubaker, both of Lancaster County, Pa.

" The U. B. people also have at different times, more or less
regularly, held church services, but were on several occasions
grievously annoyed by the beastly rowdy element among the
big boys, which exist to a more or less disgraceful extent in
even the quietest and most Christian community.

454 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

" Color and a Name.

" The church building bore for many years the name of the
'Brown meeting house,' owing to the color of its paint, but
last summer it underwent some necessary repairs when it was
painted white, and it will of necessity lose that cognomen. It
is also known as Wolf's meeting house.

" A Union Sunday School is held during the warmer seasons
of the year; most of the officers being German Baptists, be-
cause they are the most numerous in the neighborhood. The
books used are in the English language, but the singing is un-
accompanied by instrumental music. The German Baptists are
opposed to organs.

" The affairs of this Union Church are managed by a Board
of Control elected annually. The regular election was held on
New Years day, with the following result : President Elias W.
Edris; Treasurer, Edward Wolf; Secretary, Wm. H. Hun-
sicker ; Trustee, Adam H. Hunsicker ; Janitor, Ezra Hummel.

" It is a fact significant of the wide-open-door policy of this
organization, that at least two of the above named officials are
not connected with any Church as members.

"E. G."

Sunday Schools. — The church is alive along the different
lines of church activities. At present it has four organized
Sunday Schools. The first Sunday School was organized
at Frystown in the year 1887. In 1898, it was divided into
four different schools at different places, viz., Frystown,
Merkey's, Ziegler's, and Union House. All these schools
are fairly well attended. Frystown Sunday School is an
evergreen.

The present superintendents are, viz., Frystown: Henry
M. Frantz; assistants, Geo. Miller, and William Ziegler.
Ziegler's : Jacob Merkey ; assistants, Samuel Ziegler, and
Elias Frantz. Merkey's: Samuel Sherman; assistants,
Calvin Boeshore, and Frank Ebling. Union House: Adam
L. Light; assistants, Elias Myer, and Levi Wenger.

District and Annual Meetings. — The District Meeting of
the Eastern District of Pennsylvania was held twice in this
church, the first time in the Frystown House in the year
1 88 1, and the second time in the Moyer House in the year
1901.

THE LITTLE SWATARA CHURCH, 455

In the year 1871 the Annual Meeting was held in this
church on the farm of John Merkey, 9 miles from Myers-
town, the nearest railroad station. The delegates and all
those that came by railroad were taken to the place of
meeting by private conveyance. Quite a contrast to present
facilities at our Annual Meetings. Forty years have made
a wonderful change in our Brotherhood. Who would now
think of locating Annual Meeting 9 miles from a railroad
station?

Prayer Meetings, Etc. — The church has its weekly prayer
meetings the year round, and during the summer at three
different places, making actually three weekly prayer meet-
ings. During this last winter (1912) a revival meeting
was held at Frystown; during these meetings 39 expressed
their desire to embrace their Savior, and to be joined to the
body of believers. The church is in a fairly healthy and
prosperous condition, yet not without their trials and ad-
versities which meet the faithful ones on the way. The
present membership reaches about 350. May the future
become brighter and brighter for this old historic church!
Little Swatara Church held a local Sunday School meeting
afternoon and evening, November 2, 1912, and a similar
meeting in 1913.

Elders in Charge of this Church.

1. George Klein, 1 757-1 783.

2. Han Jacob Beshor, .

3. Hans George Beshor, -18 12.

4. Joseph Merkey, -1869.

5. Jacob Wenger, .

6. David Merkey, about 1 869-1 873.

7. John Hertzler, 1875-1901.

8. J. W. Meyer, Sr., 1901-1906.

9. E. M. Wenger, 1906-

Ohituaries of Officials of Little Swatara Church. Not on
Record. — Ministers: Benjamin Kline, born July 12, 1791;
died September 11, 1868. Buried at Kauff man's meeting-
house, north of Annville. Joseph Merkey, born November

456 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN,

28, 1782 ; died March 12, 1869. Burled at Merkey's Ceme-
tery. David Merkey, born May 11, 1795; died December
2, 1873. Buried at Merkey's Cemetery. Philip Ziegler,

born January 25, 1764; died . Buried at Ziegler

farm. Jacob Wenger, born March 10, 1801 ; died January
6, 1 881. Buried near Jonestown. Jonas Hunsicker, born
January 2.y, 1813; died December 12, 1869. Buried at
Union House. Samuel Gettle, born April 20, 1828, elected
1867; died August 17, 1874. Buried at Ziegler House.
Daniel Kline, born August 20, 1837; died November i,
1899. Buried at Ziegler House. Deacons: John Merkey,
born January 10, 1803; died January 22, 1885. Buried at
Ziegler House. Peter Gettle, born October 21, 181 7; died
February 12, 1892. Buried at Union House. William
Ziegler, born January i, 1825; died January 29, 1875.
Buried at Ziegler House. Elias P. Ziegler, born May 18,
1835; ^^^^ October 9, 1882. Buried at Ziegler House.
Henry L. Lentz, born December 22, 1830; died July 7, 1904.
Buried at Union House, John Crouse, born November 3,
1820; died April 18, 1901. Buried at Frystown. Ben-
jamin Balsbaugh, born November 14. 1821 ; died November
I, 1905. Buried at Merkey Cemetery,

CHAPTER III.
TULPEHOCKEN CHURCH.

The history and record of the Tulpehocken circuit of the
" Church of the Brethren," Lebanon County, Pennsylvania,
follows :

Abraham Zug's moved from Warwick Township, Lan-
caster County, as members of the Conestoga circuit, to
Jackson Township, Lebanon Co., near to where now Rich-
land Station is, in the month of April, 1813, — there being
already three families, as members there, which made them
four families — nine members. In October or November,
181 5, Abraham Zug was elected to the ministry by the
Conestoga circuit, this territory was yet a part of the
Conestoga circuit. Jacob Pfautz was elected to the ministry
the same time, he living near the Middle Creek meeting-
house, Lancaster Co. In the year 1823, the said Abraham
Zug and Jacob Pfautz were ordained to the full ministry,
or as Elders, or Bishops of and for the Conestoga circuit.
The said Abraham Zug died July 18, 1841, aged 69 years,
4 months and 2.2. days, in the above-mentioned home. At
the death of Elder Abraham Zug, there were about fifty__
members in the Lebanon Valley, holding their membership
in the three following circuits : Conestoga, White Oak, and
Little Swatara.

Adjoining Elders advised an organization, to be known
as the Tulpehocken circuit, which advice the members hold-
ing their membership in the Conestoga and Little Swatara
circuits accepted, and an organization was effected on the
5th day of October, 1841, electing John Zug, son of afore-
said Abraham Zug, to the ministry; and Daniel Royer and
Jacob Oberholtzer as deacons. About 35 votes were cast.
The following Elders were present to officiate : Jacob Pfautz,
Daniel Bollinger, William Price, John Price, and David
Shallenberger.

457

458 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

In September, 1842, Moses Pfautz was elected to the
ministry. Elders Jacob Pfautz and John Price officiated.
f In the fall of 1844, those members which held their mem-
\ bership in the White Oak circuit, also agreed to hold their
Vmembership in the Tulpehocken circuit. (In the spring of
1844 the White Oak circuit held their love feast at Jacob
Bucher's, near Cornwall.) May 2"^, 1846, John Gibble and
Jonathan Hertzler were elected deacons. May 29, 1847,
Daniel Royer and William Hertzler were elected to the
ministry, and John Zug advanced to second degree. Elders
Jacob Pfautz and Daniel Bollinger, present. September 18,
1853, Isaac Brubaker was elected to the ministry. Elders
Daniel Bollinger and Christian Longenecker, present. June
5, i860, at love feast at Elder John Zug's, Christian Bucher
and Samuel Kurtz were elected deacons. June 10, 1861, at
lovefeast on farm of Samuel Kurtz, tenant to Samuel Loose,
Jr. (Graybill's old farm). Christian Bucher was elected to
the ministry. Elders Jacob Hollinger and Daniel Keller,
present. John Zug was ordained to the full ministry in the
year 1861. Elders Jacob Hollinger and Joseph Merkey,
present. September 21, 1865, at the home of George
Bollinger, near Reistville, George Bucher was elected to the
ministry, and John Kline to the deaconship, and Christian
Bucher advanced to second degree. Elders Jacob Hol-
linger, and David Gerlach, present. May 18, 1871, at
Heidelberg House, George Bucher was advanced to second
degree, John Herr was elected to the ministry and Abraham
Myer, deacon. One hundred and sixty-eight votes were
cast. Elders Jacob Hollinger, and John Etter, and min-
isters, John Hertzler, Abraham Pfautz, Joseph Hollinger,
and S. R. Zug, present. April 3, 1875, at Heidelberg
House, Christian Bucher was ordained, John Herr advanced
to second degree, and Abraham Myer elected to the min-
istry, and Jacob Nissley to the deacon's office. Only 119
votes cast, roads very bad. Elders William Hertzler, and
John Etter, present. May 27, 1879, at lovefeast at Heidel-
berg House, Martm Heisey was elected to the deacon's
office. Elders Jacob Rider, and John Hertzler, present.
April 30, 1 88 1, council meeting in Heidelberg House.

TULPEHOCKEN CHURCH. 459

Jacob Nissley was elected to the ministry, and Benjamin
Smith and Cyrus Bucher, deacons. Elders Samuel Harley,
and John Hertzler, present. April 29, 1882, at Heidelberg
House, Reuben Royer was elected deacon. Elders Samuel
Harley, and John Hertzler, present. April 25, 1885,
George Gibble received as deacon by letter from Little
Swatara Church. Accepted April 2^, 1885. October 20,
1885, at lovefeast, Heidelberg House, Martin Heisey was
elected to the ministry. Elders William Hertzler, Samuel
Harley, and John Hertzler, present. January 30, 1886,
council at Heidelberg House, Nathan Gibble, Ephraim
Brubaker and Levi Bollinger were elected deacons. Only
two were intended, but the last two were tie. Elder Samuel
Harley, present. In April, 189 1, Deacon George Hess
from Maiden Creek, and Deacon William Oberholtzer
from Little Swatara Church, moved into our circuit, and
were received as deacons by letter July 25, 1891. De-
cember 21, 1896, William H. Oberholtzer was elected to the
ministry, and Martin Heisey advanced to second degree.
Elders H. E. Light, J. H. Longenecker, and Israel Wenger,
present. In Heidelberg House. December 20, 1897, in
Heidelberg House, John Herr was ordained, Joseph Wil-
helm and Edwin Kurtz elected deacons; one was intended,
but these two were tie. Elders John Hertzler, J. H. Longe-
necker, and Israel Wenger, present. August 20, 1900, at
Heidelberg House, Jacob Nissley was ordained ; William H.
Oberholtzer was advanced to second degree; Joseph L,
Wilhelm was elected to the ministry ; and Mohler Bucher, a
deacon. Elders J. H. Longenecker, John Hertzler, and
Israel Wenger, present. Two hundred and fifty votes cast.
March 16, 1903, at Heidelberg House, John L. Royer was
elected to the ministry. All the adjoining Elders were
present. August 21, 1905, at Heidelberg House, Benjamin
Zug was elected to the ministry; Harry Hacker and John
Gibble, deacons ; John L. Royer, advanced to second degree.
Elders present : C. Bucher, Jacob Myer, and E. M. Wenger.
July 15, 1906, S. Z. Gettle was received as deacon, by letter
from Little Swatara Church. March 28, 191 1, at Heidel-
berg House, Michael Kurtz was elected to the ministry.

460 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Jacob Wenger to the deacon's office, and Benjamin Zug ad-
vanced to the second degree. From the time of organiza-
tion, 1841, up to January i, 191 2, there were 17 Brethren
elected to the ministry and 21 to the deacon's office.

Official Force, January i, 1^13. — Ministers : Elder John
Herr, Elder Jacob Nissley, Elder W. H. Oberholtzer, J. L.
Royer, second, B. F. Zug, second, Michael Kurtz, first.
Deacons: S. Z. Gettel, Harry Hacker, John Gibble, Jacob
Wenger.

Obituaries of Officials. — Elder John Zug died July 19,
1873, at 8 o'clock, at the advanced age of 76 years, 2
months and 5 days. Interment and funeral services at the
Heidelberg House, July 23, in presence of the largest
funeral gathering ever witnessed in this part of the county.
The last night he lived on earth, he desired that those by his
side should sing the hymn :

Meine Seele lobe Gott.

Meine Seele lobe Gott.
Der ein machtig heilig wesen,
Gans volkommen auserlesen,
Der dir hilft aus aller Noth,
Meine Seele lobe Gott.

Moses Pfautz died December 29, 1845, aged 33 years, 6
months and 11 days. Buried at Tulpehocken House.
Jacob Oberholtzer died November 14, 1865, aged 60 years,
9 months and 10 days. Preaching in mansion, buried in
Gibble's graveyard, now Heidelberg House. Daniel Royer
died August 11, 1862, deposed from the ministry about one
year, aged 55 years, 2 months and 6 days. Buried at Mill-
bach House. William Hertzler moved to Big Swatara
circuit, now Spring Creek, Dauphin Co., in 185 1. John
Gibble died June 25, 1881, aged 78 years, 3 months and 14
days. Funeral Tuesday, June 28, at the Heidelberg House.
Jonathan Hertzler died December 25, 1887, aged 86 years,
6 months less 2 days. Funeral Friday, December 30, at
Tulpehocken House. Isaac Brubaker died April 8, 1866,
aged 50 years, 3 months and 24 days. Services in mansion,
buried in family graveyard. Samuel Kurtz died October

TULPEHOCKEN CHURCH. 461

25, 1897, aged 70 years and 8 months. Buried at Heidel-
berg House. George Bucher, left with family for Con-
estoga Church, March i8, 1896. John Kline disowned
September 25, 1880. Abraham Myer expelled from the
church January 29, 1891. Cyrus Bucher moved to Astoria,
Illinois, in spring of 1882. Reuben Royer moved to
Newton, Kansas, in spring of 1886. George Gibble again
moved to Little Swatara in spring of 1893, died August 7,
1894, aged 88 years, 3 months and 23 days. Buried at
Heidelberg House. Benjamin Smith died June 18, 1898,
aged 50 years, 5 months and 9 days. Buried at Cornwall
House. George Hess died January 22, 1902, aged 78 years,
10 months and 21 days Edwin Kurtz resigned March 19,
1906. Ephraim Brubacher died May 16, 191 3.

There is no record of names of members, at the time of
organization of the church. However, among the earlier
members, we would mention the Zugs, Bollingers, Widders,
Gibbles, Royers, Buchers, Geibs, Brubachers, Klines,
Weavers, Oberholtzers, Hertzlers, etc.

In our church record we find 23 Bollingers, 23 Klines, 24
Buchers, 25 Gibbles, 25 Weavers, 27 Brubachers, 32 Geibs,
56 Royers.

Division of Tiilpehocken Church District. — March 18,
1901, Elder Christian Bucher asked to be relieved of the
charge of the church on account of age and failing health;
the church granted it, and gave Elder John Herr the charge
of the church. The church numbered 483 members. De-
cember 16, 1 901, the church agreed to divide into two
districts, making Crowstown road the line. East of said
road retains the name of Tulpehocken, with a membership
of about 300, having John Herr as their Elder, Jacob
Nissley and W. H. Oberholtzer as ministers; Ephraim
Brubaker, Levi Bollinger and Ed. H. Kurtz as deacons.
In the spring council of 1903, it was unanimously agreed
by both districts that the line be changed from Crowstown
to Prescott road, with the exception of Elder C. Bucher, and
deacon N. P. Gibble and their household, who shall hold
their membership in the Midway district. June 7, 1842, it
was agreed that the line between the counties of Lancaster

462 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

and Lebanon, shall be the line between Conestoga and
V/hite Oak circuits in Lancaster Co., and Tulpehocken
circuit, Lebanon Co., in the presence of Elders David Pfautz,
Christian Long, Joseph Rothrock, Daniel Bollinger, and
John Price. April 30, 1887, the Tulpehocken Church
agreed with the Little Swatara Church, that the line between
the two circuits shall be one mile north o£ the Reading and
Harrisburg turnpike, and run parallel with it. On the east,
the Tulpehocken Church extends to the city limits of
Reading.

Houses of Worship. — Five houses of worship, viz. :
Tulpehocken, Millbach, Heidelberg, Myerstown, and Rich-
land.

Tulpehochen House (Royer's) was built in the year 1840.
Building Committee : Daniel Zug, Johan Weber, Jacob
Royer. Seating capacity 600. Valuation $3,000. Stone*
building, 30 X 40 ft. This being the oldest house, we here-
with present copy of conditional part of deed, Jacob Royer
and wife to German Baptist Church.

This Indenture made the 7th day of December, 1840, Be-
tween Jacob Royer of Jackson Township, Leb. Co., Pa., and
Catharine his wife, of the one part, and Jacob Bollinger, of
Township, County and State aforesaid, Trustee of the German
Baptist, who call themselves Old Brothers Society Meeting
house, and the lands and burying grounds belonging thereto,
and Abraham Zug, Jr., and Jacob F. Diener of the same place.
Trustees of the School Department to be established in the
above named Meeting house, and the School room, wherein the
School is to be held, of the other part; Whereas John Lantz
and Anna his wife by their Indenture &c. did grant &c. unto
said Jacob Royer &c. &c. And whereas the members of the
said Old Brothers Alias German Baptist Society of the Cone-
stoga family, them belonging thereto, do view the necessity of
a meeting house for public worship, or divine service for them-
selves their own use and behoof of the said German Baptist,
Alias Old Brothers, which is to say and them who belong to the
Conestoga Family, have agreed amongst themselves & for their
heirs and successors to build and erect a meeting house for the

* About 25 years later, an annex 24 by 30 feet of brick was made.

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TULPEHOCKEN CHURCH. 463

purpose aforesaid, and whereas others of the neighborhood
which do not belong to the same Society; However stand in
need of a Burying ground and a School house. Now compro-
mise with the members of the said Old Brothers Alias German
Baptist Society belongmg to the Conestoga family, therefore
the said Jacob Royer and others the members of the said Con-
gregation belonging to the Conestoga family, with others, their
neighbors also view the necessity of a good Education as
essential to the rising generation and to the form of our Re-
publican institutions as forming the only true political and
moral basis of the same. Now have agreed to build, and did
erect and build the said meeting house, on the following de-
scribed piece or parcel of land, for the purpose of Public
worship in the second Story, and for a School to be taught in
the first Story of said house as aforesaid, Agreeably to their
written and verbal contract made as follows, in writing, says
that the said Jacob Royer Sr. Give the following described lot
of Ground for a Burying Ground, to erect a house thereon for
a School and meeting house to the Old Baptist Brotherly So-
ciety belonging to the Conestoga family, On the following Con-
ditions agreed upon: Every person, or persons who die a
natural and honest death be it a member of said Society, or
any body else, is and shall be admitted and allowed to be buried
on the said burying grounds, no matter to what Society they
belong, without hindrance or molestation, and the funeral
sermon to be held in the meeting house by such persons, as he,
or they who have the funeral shall choose to have for to Preach
the funeral Sermon, and that the meeting and School building
be erected, the meeting room for Divine Service to be in the
upper part, or second Story in said house, and the School room
to be in under, in the lower part, below the meeting room, say
in the lower Story of said house. And that every person, or
persons, who was helping to erect or supported, or taking part,
or hath taken part or share, or do take part or share at the said
School house and School by supporting the same, shall have a
right to the rules and regulations of the School and School
room, which the same shall require as a member to vote for
trustees, as far as respecting the School apartment, in lower
Story, &c. &c.

There are a few living yet, who remember that they went
to school in the basement of Tulpehocken Church before

464 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the public schools were fully inaugurated. There were
only two desks, one on either side; but they extended
through the w^hole length of the building, and the teacher's
desk at the end. Among the teachers were — Hoffman, Levi
Carver, William Killinger, Jacob Kline, and William
Hertzler. The school term was four months in the year
during the winter. It was a subscription school, 3 cents a
day, only when present, and children came from near and
far, and many are the fond recollections of the fathers and
mothers yet living, of the school in the basement of the
church.

Even when public schools were fully established in the
township, several terms were yet held in this church under
the supervision of the school board, after which a separate
building was procured close by, and today there is a newly-
built school house only about fifty feet from the church.
Truly church and school go together.

Millhach House was built in the year 1850, with Daniel
Zug and Daniel Royer as Trustees. Seating capacity, 350.
Valuation $2,000; brick building.

Originally Seth Royer and Isaac Gibble, of the neighbor-
hood of Klein feltersville, thought that a church should be
built in their neighborhood, and offered to give very sub-
stantially towards its erection. Their action led to the erec-
tion of the brick house, 36 X 46 ft. The original cost of
erection was $1001.72, of which there was paid

By members, excepting Isaac Gibble. . . .$ 321.82

By Friends 200.93

By Isaac Gibble 105.00

By Seth Royer 373-97

$1001.72

The Building Committee consisted of Seth Royer and
Isaac Gibble. In former years there was considerable con-
fusion and contention about this meeting-house, when on the
17th day of April, A. D. 1861, an Act of Assembly was
passed authorizing Daniel Zug and Daniel Royer, the
trustees, to sell the aforesaid meeting-house. This was
done by public vendue on the 6th of July, A. D. 1861. The

TULPEHOCKEN CHURCH. 465

property was purchased by Seth Royer and Isaac Gibble, for
the use of a meeting-house and graveyard for the sum of
twenty-five dollars. May 9, 1875, Seth Royer died; and on
July 8, of same year, Allen W. Mentzer was elected trustee
in his place. In 1876, the house was blown down. The
cause given was that the carpenter work was not sufficient.
Besides gratuitous labor, the cost of repairs was $449.31.
Money was raised by subscription — 1 1 7 subscribers. April
2, 1878, A. W. Mentzer moved to Ephrata, and John Erb
was elected in his place. Isaac Gibble, undoubtedly a
trustee since 1861, died in 1881 ; and April 7, 1882, Reuben
Bollinger was elected to the office. After his death
Ephraim Erb filled the place. February 2;^, 1889, one
fourth acre of ground was bought of George Bucher for
$50, for burial purposes. In 19 10, land was given by
Ephraim Erb, on which sheds were erected. At present we
have abundant shedding at all of our meeting-houses, to
shelter the horses, during our worship. " A righteous man
regardeth the life of his beast."

Richland House was deeded to Adam Schaeffer in trust
for the use of the German Baptist Brethren, German Re-
formed and ITutheran congregations September 9, 1870.
In 1896, the Lutheran members disposed of their undivided
third to the other two. In 1901, the Brethren received sole
control and ownership of the house. Seating capacity, 300.
Valuation, $2,000. Brick building.

Richland Hall Converted into a House of Public
Worship.

Rules and Regulations.

Richland, June 3, 1870.

Your committee to whom was referred the duty of drafting
suitable rules and regulations for the control and government
of the joint ownership and use of the Hall after its purchase
and conversion into a house of public worship and for Sunday
School purposes — beg leave to present the following as the
result of their deliberations :

I St. The property shall be conveyed to the use of the Ger-
man Baptist, German Reformed, and Lutheran denominations
31

466 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

of Richland, and shall be owned and controlled by the mem-
bers of said three denominations exclusively — each denomina-
tion to pay its proportionate share of the purchase money for
the building.

2nd. Whenever circumstances should render it necessary to
promote the cause of religion and preserve the peace and good
ends of these several denominations that either the one or the
other should prefer to withdraw its claims to worship in said
building, in such case the party withdrawing shall effect an
amicable settlement with the parties remaining in possession of
said building for such consideration in money to be paid the
party withdrawing as their interest in said building and Justice
may demand, provided that such money paid to the denomina-
tion withdrawing must be again invested for a house of public
worship within the limits of Richland.

3rd. The limits or boundary within which these regulations
shall exist and operate shall be known as follows, viz. : Com-
mencing at dwelling of Jacob K. Landis thence to George Stief
— thence to Adam Loose — thence to tenant house of John
Smaltz — thence to John Kreitz — thence to Peter Forry — and
thence to Jacob Landis the place of beginning — including all
those named but none beyond, and none shall be chosen a
Trustee whose residence is not within these prescribed limits
unless no member capable of serving of either one of said de-
nominations should be found within, in which case the nearest
resident of said denomination may be chosen.

4th. The time for occupancy of the house shall be amicably
divided by weeks into three equal parts, and each denomination
shall have its allotted and regular week for worship, but should
any one denomination not fully occupy its time, it may be
allotted to another on application to the proper trustee. The
Sabbath School shall be conducted on the Union System which
heretofore existed in this place. Ministers in good standing of
other religious denominations shall be permitted for special
and funeral occasions to preach in said building when not en-
gaged by regular or previous appointment — Funeral occasions
are to take special precedence.

5th. As soon as convenient after the adoption of these regu-
lations— and at a meeting of which due notice shall be given,
each of said denominations shall elect one of its own members
a Trustee and elect their successors annually on the second
Tuesday in May of each year. The qualification of voters for

TULPEHOCKEN CHURCH. 467

said Trustee shall be prescribed by each denomination as it
seems fitting. In case of death, removal, or resignation of any
member serving as a Trustee, the vacancy shall immediately be
filled by the denomination in which it occurs.

6th. The said Trustees shall immediately after their election,
organize by designating one of their number for President, one
for Secretary and one for Treasurer.

7th. The President shall call all meetings and preside at
same. Sign all orders for money drawn and attested by the
Secretary.

8th. The Secretary shall keep correct account of all business
of the board.

9th. All money collected and received shall be promptly paid
over into the hands of the Treasurer, who shall charge himself
therewith — and keep strict accounts of all moneys received and
paid out.

loth. The duty of Trustees shall be to complete the purchase
of the building, and without delay attend to making all neces-
sary alterations, and repairs in manner following — Have the
stage now in the room taken down, and lay an even floor
through — excepting an ordinary sized platform raised eighteen
inches above the floor with common pulpit fixtures and arrange-
ments, and good close backed seats for the whole room some-
what similar to those few now in the Hall. Have substantial
steps put up at front door, and pavement laid in front of build-
ing, and make such improvements as a majority of the board
of Trustees shall deem necessary. Provide fuel and light, allow
regular and special appointments, and have general supervision
over the building.

nth. All expenses incurred by the Trustees for alterations,
repairs, fuel and light, shall be defrayed with money collected
at dedication of building, and by general contribution.

I2th. No one of these three denominations shall act arbi-
trarily, or independent of the others respecting any matter in-
volving the rights of all. Nor shall any voting or election be
had, except as already provided, for Trustees, who in the dis-
charge of their duties shall respect the wishes of a majority of
contributors.

Richland, June 3, 1870.
Pursuant to public notice previously given, the members of
the several denominations, met at the depot office, — and on

468 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

motion Abraham Zug was called to preside — After a free dis-
cussion and interchange of opinions — the foregoing regulations
were unanimously adopted. C. E. Hoffman,

Daniel Hostetter,
William Becker.

September 9, 1870, a deed was tendered by Edwin W.
Landis and Malinda his wife, Levi D. Landis and Amelia
his wife, to Adam Schaeffer in trust for the use of the
German Baptist, Reformed, and Lutheran congregations.
March 28, 1896, the Lutheran members of the church at
Richland disposed of their one undivided third part of, or
interest of, said church conveyed by deed to Jacob Dillman
and Isaac F. Landis in trust for the German Baptist and
Reformed denominations. On October 12, 1901, the Ger-
man Reformed members of the church at Richland disposed
of their one undivided one-half part of or interest of said
church conveyed by deed to deacons of the German Baptist
Brethren in trust for Tulpehocken Church. Thus ends the
Union Church. The house now belongs wholly to the
Brethren. However, for want of more room, the proba-
bilities are that in the near future the Brethren will follow
suit, and dispose of the whole, and invest the money in a
new church building, at a new place where there is more
space.^

Myerstown House was built in the year 1876. Seating
capacity, 500. Valuation $3,000. Brick building.

Heidelberg House was built 1867. Original size,
50X70 ft. In 1900 an annex of 12 feet in length.
Present seating capacity, 900. Valuation $4,500; stone
building. The first meeting was held November 23 and 24,
1867, Saturday afternoon and evening and Sunday fore-
noon. The first hymn that was sung was " Lobe den Herrn
den Machtigen Konig der ehren." The first Scripture was
read by Bro. Jacob Reinhold, reading Hebrew 3 : 1-9, taking
the 4th verse for his text. In the evening Bro. William
Hertzler took for his text Heb. 4: 12-13, followed by
Brethren Hollowbush and Kiefer.

' In 1913 the old church was sold and a new church was built on
Race St., 50 by 80 feet, brick, which was dedicated February i, 1914.

TULPEHOCKEN CHURCH.

469

First Lovefeast Held in Heidelberg House.

Extract from Elder John Zug's record :

" 1869, October den 15, und i6'«°-
Wurde zum ersten mal Liebes und Abendmahl gehalten in dem
Heidelberg Versamlung Haus, von der Tulpehocken Gemeinde
von Lebanon und Berks Co. Es war schon angenehm Wetter
wahrend der ganzen Zeit, und Freitag Abends bei dem Abend-
mahl herschte eine angenehme Stille bei der Volksmenge im
Haus und zusehende und der Herr war mit uns.

Die predig Briider die gegenwartig waren von den angrenz-
enten Gemeinden und Districten der Briiderschaft, waren Elder
und Bruder David Merky, Elder und Bruder David Eshleman
von Maiden-Creek, Elder und Bruder William Hertzler von
Conewago, Dauphin Co Bruder Samuel Graybill von Weis-
eichen land, Lancaster County, Bruder Samuel R. Zug, von
Mastersonville, Bruder Jonas Price, von Hatfield, Montgomery
County, Bruder Daniel und Jacob Hollinger von Ober Cumber-
land, Bruder George Smith von Schuylkill Co. und Bruder
Joshua Koenig von Berks Co. Maidencreek District. Diese
oben erwehnten Bruder predigten aus dem Wort des Herrn zu
den Menschen wahrend der Zeit das die Versamlungen im
gang waren, welche anfingen Freitag Morgens den I5*'°- Octo-
ber um 9 Uhr, und Samstags Mittag um 12 Uhr zu ende ging
als den i6*«°-

Des Herrn Abendmahl und Brod brechen wurde geleited
durch den Eltesten und aufseher Bruder von der Tulpehocken
Gemeinde. Die lehr Briider John Hertzler und Abraham
Pfautz, von der Kleine Swatara Gemeinde, waren auch gegen-
wartig, aber sie entschuldigten sich weil sie so wie einheimisch
und nahe bei uns sein, und iieberliesen es den vorerwehnten
Bruder.

Im ganzen genommen, waren die Versamlungen gesegnet
mit Gnade und Liebe Gottes. Demselbigen Gott der allein
weise ist, sei ehre durch Jesum Christ in ewigkeit. Amen.
Romer, Cap. 16. v 27

Das vorhergehende ist geschrieben fiir Unterricht und An-
decken fiir die Nachkommeschaft in der Tulpehocken Ge-
meinde, und soil aufbewahrt bleiben in der Gemeinde bei den
vorgesetzten Bruder. So viel von mir, einem geringen alten
Bruder von etwa mehr als 'J2 Jahr alt

John Zug.

470 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Sunday Schools. — The first Sunday School was organized
by George Bucher in the Cornwall House (now Midway
district), in the year 1880. This was kept up for several
years. In 1881, Bro, Cyrus Bucher organized the first
Sunday School in the Heidelberg House. This also was of
short duration, owing to the fact that following year, Bro.
Bucher moved to Astoria, 111. At present, there are four
schools, viz. : Heidelberg, Tulpehocken, Myerstown and
Richland. These schools owe their existence to the Heidel-
berg school, which was reorganized in the year 1891, with
John Herr as superintendent, and N. P. Gibbel, assistant
superintendent, Ed. H. Kurtz, secretary, and S. G. Spayd,
treasurer. At this time very few of the members took an
interest in Sunday Schools. There were no members as
teachers, and even the officers, aside from the superin-
tendents, were outside of the church. However, by the
grace of God, in the course of a few years nearly all became
members of the church. In 1897, the Tulpehocken and
Midway Sunday Schools were organized, W. H. Ober-
holtzer, superintendent, and F. L. Reber, assistant of the
Tulpehocken, and Benjamin Smith, superintendent, and
Joseph Wilhelm, assistant of Midway. In 1901, a Sunday
School was opened in Richland for the winter months, with
Isaac King, superintendent, and Jacob M. Gettel, assistant.
This was kept up for two winters. Second year Jacob
Dillman was superintendent. In 191 1, this school was re-
organized for the year round, with Harry Hacker as super-
intendent, and Michael Kurtz, and Jacob Wenger as assist-
ants. The Myerstown Sunday School was organized in fall
of 1910, with W. H. Oberholtzer as superintendent, and
Peter Phillippy, assistant. Each of the respective schools
have an enrollment of 100 and over. The present super-
intendents are, viz.: Heidelberg: H. F. King, C. R. Bucher;
Tulpehocken : Samuel Wenger, David Layser ; Myerstown :
W. H. Oberholtzer, Peter Phillippy ; Richland : F. L. Reber,
Jacob Wenger.

In the fall of 191 1, the Tulpehocken Sunday School was
closed, and not reopened in the spring, on account of its
close proximity to Myerstown and Richland, being only

TULPEHOCKEN CHURCH. 471

about one and one half miles distant from either. In the
spring of 1912, a Sunday School was organized in the Mill-
bach House, with J. L. Royer as suj>erintendent, and Baron
Heisey and Harry Dubble as assistants. This seems to be
a very promising field for Sunday School, having over 100
enrolled, with an average of about 80. On November 16,
1912, a local Sunday School meeting was held at the Tulpe-
hocken House, and November 8, 191 3, a joint Sunday
School meeting of the Tulpehocken and Midway Churches
was held at Myerstown. In December, 191 1, a Sisters' Aid
Society was formed with headquarters in Richland, Mary
Hess Reber, President ; Mary Brubaker, Secretary ; and
Lydia King, Treasurer. There are in progress three weekly
Bible classes, viz., Myerstown, Richland, and Reistville.
Under the blessing of God, there was a steady growth in
the Tulpehocken Church. At the time of organization,
1 841, there were 50 members. Under the Eldership of
John Zug, and Christian Bucher up to 1901, the church
grew to the number of 483. After the division of the
district, December 16, 1901, under the Eldership of John
Herr, up to 191 1, the church grew from 300 to 400, the
present membership. Praise God from whom all blessings
flow!

Bishops of Tulpehocken Church.

1. Jacob Pfautz, 1841-

2. John Zug, 1861-1873.

3. Christian Bucher, 1875-1901.

4. John Herr, 1901-

CHAPTER IV.
SPRING CREEK CHURCH.

At the division of Big Swatara Church in 1868, Spring
Creek Church had as officers : Jacob HolHnger and WilHam
Hertzler, Elders; and Joseph HolHnger, minister; and
Abraham Balsbaugh, Samuel Gibble and Daniel HolHnger,
deacons. About 250 members. Elections for deacons :
1869, Joseph Witmer and Isaac Struphaar; 1873, M. R.
Henry and J. H. Longenecker; 1881, Henry S. Zug; 1885,
Daniel Struphaar and Benjamin Longenecker; 1890, S. Z.
Witmer and Jacob Heagy; 1895, John Booser and Allen D.
Bucher; 1900, J. H. Gingrich and Jos. B. Aldinger; 1904,
Andrew Clendenen; 1903, Harvey S. Gibble; 1906, George
Hoffer.

Election of Ministers. — 1869, Geo. S. Becker and Daniel
HolHnger; 1876, J. H. Longenecker; 1878, Cyrus Bom-
berger; 1881, John Ensminger; 1887, D. Struphaar and
Alfred B. Gingrich; 1894, H. B. HolHnger and S. Z.
Witmer; 1900, Allen D. Bucher; 1906, Daniel K. Kreider;
1909, Jacob H. Gingrich; 1910, Aaron H. Hoffer.

Ordinations Since 1868. — 1893, Geo. S. Becker and Jacob
H. Longenecker; 1903, Cyrus Bomberger; 1905, Alfred B.
Gingrich; 1909, H. B. HolHnger and S. Z. Witmer. Elder
George S. Becker died December 4, 1904, in his 76th year,
and his wife the day following, in her 78th year, buried in
one grave, in the Spring Creek Cemetery.

The old Spring Creek meeting-house, near Hershey, on
the late Henry farm, was built in 1848, of limestone,
38 X 42 feet. In this house the meeting was held which
divided Big Swatara district in 1868. In 1854, the Cone-
wago meeting-house was built, less than two miles north of
where Elder George Miller was buried in 1798. In 1869, a
meeting-house was built, known as South Annville, 2^

472

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SPRING CREEK CHURCH. 473

miles south of Annville. This was the first house built
after the division. In 1886, the first lovefeast house was
built near the old Spring Creek House, and known by the
same name, 50 X 80 feet, with basement, and the old house
was converted into a dwelling for the janitor.

The Palmyra House was erected in 1892, and is 40 X 50
feet; and the Annville House, built in 1906, 48 X 78 feet,
was the second lovefeast house in the Spring Creek district.

Another lovefeast house was built in 191 1, known as the
Bachmanville House, 40 X 55 feet, and dedicated May 16,
1912. John Herr and Rufus P. Bucher preached the dedi-
catory sermons. The Building Committee consisted of J.
B. Aldinger, A. H. Hoffer, J. F. Booser, Wm. Gruber, A.
Y. Gruber. All these meeting places are well supplied with
shedding for teams, and their aggregate cost is over $30,-
000, free of debt.

The first Sunday School, organized by authority of the
church, was in the Spring Creek House, in 1889, and was
kept up ever since; that at South Annville in 1891 ; Cone-
wago in 1893 ; Palmyra in 1894; Bachmanville in 1908; and
Annville in 1907. All these schools have been reorganized
from year to year ever since.

The Missionary Committee of the Spring Creek congre-
gation consists of Frank S. Carper, Aaron Grubb, and
Harrison Gipe. The Sunday School Advisory Committee
is composed of Geo. W. Henry, A. G. Longenecker, Aaron
Grubb, W. E. Glasmire, and Benj. Ebersole.

In the spring of 19 12, Spring Creek Church district was
divided into three separate churches, which were all organ-
ized soon thereafter, viz. : the one retaining the name Spring
Creek, having the Spring Creek and Palmyra Houses, and
ministers: J. H. Longenecker, Elder; and deacons, Andrew
Clendenen and Geo. Hoffer. A few weeks after organiza-
tion, Frank S. Carper was elected minister, and Harrison
Gipe and Milton Basehore, deacons. In the fall of the same
year. Elder S. R. Zug, and J. C. Zug, a minister, moved
here from the Elizabethtown Church. On September 6,
^9^3> ]■ C. Zug was ordained to the Eldership by Elders

474 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

S. H. Hertzler and John H. Witmer. The membership is
254.

Bishops of Spring Creek Church.

1. Jacob Hollinger, Elder, 1 _^_ .

2. Wm. Hertzler, Assistant Elder, j'^^^~^ ^77-

3. Wm. Hertzler, 1877-1893.
4- J- H. Longenecker, 1893-

CHAPTER V.
MAIDEN CREEK CHURCH.

Maiden Creek Church is located north and east of the
city of Reading. It contains territory that is of historic
note in the Church of the Brethren. Northkill congrega-
tion, Falkner's Swamp, and Oley are within its bounds.
As early as 1724, Peter Becker preached at Oley, and a love-
feast was held. A number of members joined the church.
The church was from the first a prey for Moravian and
Ephrata missionaries, and that spirit has not died out to this
day. Elder George Kline ministered to them for many
years.

In 1770 about twelve families were identified with the
Oley congregation. Twenty persons were in communion,
as follows: Martin Gaby, minister, and wife; John Yoder,
minister, and wife; Conrad Price and wife, David Price
and wife, David Kinsey and wife. Christian Kinsey and
wife, Peter Kleine, Elizabeth Ellis, Margaret Harpine,
Catherine Plank, Daniel Kleine and wife.^

August 12, 1780, at a meeting held at Little Swatara,
Elders Christopher Sower and Martin Urner ordained Mar-
tin Gaby as Elder, and Bro. David Kinsey as minister, in
the Oley congregation.

Owing to frequent removals, and being a hotbed of sec-
tarianism, the church did not prosper. Even to this day,
there is no church in our district that is making less prog-
ress, although lawful efforts have been made to revive the
work, but in vain. Pricetown meeting house is the second
or at most third meeting house built in this country by the
Brethren. At this time it is the only original house stand-
ing without being remodeled, in a fairly good condition.

The deed to this property is well preserved by the church,
given in the year 1807, by Elder Martin Gaby.

1 Brumbaugh's History, p. 298.

475

476 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

" This denture made the i6th day of Sept. in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and Seven, Between Martin
Gaby of Ruscombmanor Township in the County of Berks, and
State of Penna., the Elder, and Susanna his wife of the one
part, and the Society called Old Baptist Society, in and about
the Township of Ruscombmanor Aforesaid, of which the said
Martin Gaby, David Kinsey, John Beyler and Christian Kinsey
are the present Trustees of the other part Witnesseth, that the
said Martin Gaby and Susanna his wife for the promotion of
the Gospel, and for and in consideration of the sum of Five
Shillings to them in hand paid by the said, etc., etc.

It is a fact, however, that the house was built about
thirty years before the deed was given, as may be seen by
an article which appeared in The Reading Eagle of August
1 8, 1894. This article in the main is correct. It is here-
with given in full:

" At Pricetown, on an eminence near the fork of the road,
leading to the ruins of the Oley Furnace, stands the old stone
church of the German Baptist denomination, popularly known
as Dunkers. This is said to be the oldest building of the kind
in the United States. It was erected in 1777. In its archi-
tecture it has not been changed a particle since, though its walls
show the wear of the elements.^

" Ministers of the denomination who have traveled all over
the country, occasionally visit the building, and these say that
while there were churches of this kind built sometime before
the date just mentioned, all these have disappeared or were re-
modeled to such an extent as to make it impossible to see what
the original building looked like. But the one at Pricetown re-
mains unchanged and will probably stand as it does today for
many years to come, since good care is taken of it.

"It is a plain 30X25 one story building with a 16X16 ad-
dition, both parts being constructed of rough stone. The walls
are nearly two feet thick and have outworn several shingle
roofs. In the early part of the last century, love feasts were
held in this building regularly.

" The cooking was done in the addition for which purpose it
was erected, and the sisters then brought the food into the main
building, where the feast was held. In those days, a culinary

2 The Germantown house was erected in 1770, but has been altered.

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MoHKsviLLE Meeting House.

MOUKSVILI.K CeMKTERY.

MAIDEN CREEK CHURCH. 477

department was distinctly necessary here. People from all
over the country and from many beyond its borders attended
these feasts. There was no other Dunker Church then within
a radius of 40 miles, and with the exception of the Wertz and
Spies churches there were no other houses of worship for a
great distance. Services held in the old Dunker church were
always well attended, no matter how bad the weather. But
now at least a dozen churches have sprung up in the territory
formerly covered by this one.

" The first members of this denomination who reached Amer-
ica landed in 1719, having emigrated from Holland and Ger-
many. The greater number settled in Germantown, but a few
reached Oley Township and Lebanon and Lancaster counties.
From 1730 to 1745, they were numerous in Oley, but by 1760
many had moved away. In 1724, a general meeting which was
attended by members from all over the colonies was held in
Oley in one of the large farm houses. There was no house of
worship in that section at this early date. In the same year
that this big meeting was held in Oley, an extended pilgrimage
was made by 14 brethren to all parts of America where there
were Dunkers. This was called an ' Apostolischer Kreutzung.'
Seven of these Brethren were on foot and seven on horseback.
At all points they passed where there were Dunkers living, they
stopped several days to preach the Gospel. In many places the
whole party of fourteen stopped at one place. In 1742, another
well attended conference^ of this denomination was held in
Oley.

"About the year 1766, Martin Gaube,* one of the most en-
thusiastic of the Oley Dunkers, became of the opinion that the
church could do much more work if it had a regular building
in which to worship. By this time there were quite a number
of Dunkers in what is known as Ruscombmanor and Alsace
townships, so Mr. Gaube decided to move to the former place
and build a meeting house on his own account. He purchased
a number of acres of land of Conrad Price, who then owned
all the land on which the present village of Pricetown stands,
and about the year 1775, erected a dwelling on his tract.

" Two years later he built the meeting house. From 1778 to
the opening of the last century services were held here about 7
times a year by itinerant ministers. Between 1775, when Gaube

•3 This was not a Brethren conference but one of the several instituted
by Zinzendorf. — Editors.
* Gaby.

478 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

moved to Ruscombmanor into his newly erected house, and 1778
when their meeting house was finished, services were held
during the summer under a large oak tree that stood alongside
the Gaube residence, and in winter in his house or barn. It is
traditionary that these open air services always attracted such
large crowds that, although the tree's shadow was large, many
had to stand in the sun, which was considered a great concourse
in those days of widely separated homes. The meeting house
was afterwards erected quite near this tree, and the house of
Mr. Gaube.

"This tree^ stands today. It must be considerably over 150
years old, but its appearance suggests a tree in its prime. It casts
its big shadow over its old companion, the meeting house, and
far beyond into the graveyard which is just back of the house
of worship. Its height is over 60 ft. and the trunk has a di-
ameter of about 5 feet.

" The lower part of the tree appears to be solid, which prom-
ises many additional years of life for the historic old oak. As
is shown by the picture accompanying this article the tree is not
gnarled or scantily branched, but it exhibits all the vigor of a
young tree.

" In 1807, Martin Gaube conveyed to the Baptist Society, com-
posed of members in Ruscombmanor and the surrounding town-
ships, a one Acre lot of ground and the house of worship erected
thereon, together with the burying ground bounding the church
on the west side. Outside of the private burial places, this was
the first graveyard in that section of the country. Before the
erection of the numerous other churches all people who had no
burial places of their own interred their dead here irrespective
of denomination.

" The trustees of the society at the time Mr. Gaube gave the
church and ground were : Martin Gaube, David Kinsey, Chris-
tian Kinsey and John Beyler. Among the principal members
were the Kenzie, Rublemoyer, Faint and Price families.

" Between 1807 and 1830, the church flourished but then many
of the members gradually moved away. Shortly after 1832, it
is said that there was not a single member living in the town-
ship. There were, however, a few in Alsace, who kept their
eye on the property and gave Lutheran and Reformed ministers
the privilege of using the building occasionally.

'^ The old oak tree has since given way to the elements, and is no
more, but one very big maple tree still remains on the south side of
the grounds.

MAIDEN CREEK CHURCH.

479

" They also allowed a Union Sunday School to be held in the
Church. This Sunday School has been kept up every year ever
since, and, outside of Reading is the oldest in the county. Among
the early ministers who occasionally preached in the meeting
house were : George Price, John Price, Henry Kassell, (Cassel),
John Tzug (Zug) Samuel Harley, Jonas Price, William Hart-
zell (Hertzler) and Christian Bucher.

" Sometime before 1846, Samuel Fox moved from Alsace to
Ruscombmanor. Mrs. Fox, who was a very enthusiastic
worker, of the denomination, was instrumental in getting Bun-
ker ministers to visit the place more frequently.

" On Christmas eve, 1846 Rev. Tzug held services, and from
that time on ministers paid regular visits to the place, and the
church commenced to assume a more thriving aspect. Jeremiah
Rothermel, of Temple, was the first regular minister of the
church. Since his election, services have been held every six
weeks. He delivered an occasional sermon up to a short time
before his death, which occurred a few years ago. Subse-
quent preachers were: Augustus Hoch, of Pricetown, Jacob
Yoder of Centreport, David Eshleman of near Centreport who
was made a bishop while preaching here; Joshua and Israel
Koenig, Chas. Madeira, Henry Kline, of Muhlenberg, and Jona-
than G. Reber of Centreport. The last two are serving at
present (1894)

" To this day, the meetings are in most cases well attended
by people who are not members. Protracted meetings are held
nearly every winter. Services are always attended by members
of the church from distant parts of the county, even during
inclement weather, when the carriages of the members can be
seen going through the village. They use only the very plainest
pattern of carriage, and they are very nearly all alike, dura-
bility and strength being the primary consideration. When the
writer visited the church on a recent beautiful Sunday fore-
noon, the services were opened by the singing of a familiar
German hymn by the congregation, the preacher reading off
line after line to his audience.

" The interior consists of a plain room. The walls are en-
tirely free of paper,' paintings, fresco or kalsomine. The win-
dows are without ornament or decoration of any kind. The
seats are plain wooden benches with a straight board for a back.
There is no pulpit or pulpit furniture. The preacher is not
even given the prominence of having a raised platform on which
to stand while addressing his audience. His bench is no softer

480

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

than that of any of his hearers. He has a long table in front
of him, on which is placed his Bible and hymn book. Back of
the table stands a long bench. His bench and desk face the
audience, and this is the only distinction that his office affords.
The graveyard just back of the church, the wall of which can
partly be seen in one of illustrations accompanying this article,
presents an appearance as plain and unassuming as the edifice.
There is a high and substantial wall around it. None but the
very plainest of tombstones are allowed to be ereceted here, not a
particle of ornamentation being tolerated, high stones and monu-
ments being out of the question, as are also ornamental fences.
In this burial ground there are no family plots, but all rest side
by side like members of one family. Around the church are
scattered a number of big trees, and under these hitching posts
were formerly planted. One of the finest of these trees was
struck by lightning several years ago and subsequently had to
be removed. Since then a comfortable and substantial shed
has been erected along the side of the graveyard wall.

"Martin Gaby died in the year 1812, and was buried in the
Pricetown Cemetery. The inscriptions on the tombstone are
in German and somewhat hard to decipher. As nearly as can
be made out it is as follows :

Hier ruhet

Martin Gaby

Er wurde geboren

den g^^"" tag May, 1742

und Starb

den 20^^'' January, 181 2

Er war ein lehrer der

Deutschen Taufer Gemeinde

Wurde Alt 69 yr. 8 mo. 10 tag'

Elections held before Organization. — April 8, 1864, an
election was held at the house of Bro. Jacob Yoder for two
deacons, but after the election, three were declared elected
viz. : A. Godwalt, V. Hartman, S. Klein. Present : Elder
John Zug, Joseph Merkey, David Merkey, Jacob Kline, John
Hertzler, George Gibble, and John Merkey. May 15, 1865,
an election was held at the house of Bro. Valentine Hartman

MAIDEN CREEK CHURCH. 481

for a minister, in the presence of Christ. Bomberger and John
Zug. The lot fell on Bro. Augustus Hoch; at the same
time, Bro. Jacob Kline was advanced to the second degree.
30 votes were cast. Bro. Hoch refused to serve. He was
admonished time and again, but still refused, and also blas-
phemed the Brethren and ministers, and was finally dis-
owned.

April 28, 1866, an election was held for a minister at the
house of Jacob Yoder, and the lot fell on Jeremiah Roth-
ermel. At the same time, three deacons were elected, viz. :
Jacob Yoder, John Kemerer and Emanuel Yoder, in the
presence of Elder John Zug and officials of Little Swatara
Church.

Apparently about this time a separate organization was
effected. The minutes were lost.

The above elections were all held in this district while yet
identified with the Little Swatara Church.

There are two church houses : Mohrsville and Pricetown.
Mohrsville House, built 1867, brick, capacity 400, valua-
tion $2,000, and Pricetown House previously described.

Mohrsville House Remodeled.

April 15, 1899, it was decided to remodel the Mohrsville
meeting house so as to be suitable for lovefeast occasions.^
Considerable work had to be done to get the basement into
a proper condition. New benches were placed in the main
room, a platform was erected, with other minor changes.

Lovefeasts were held before this meeting house was re-
modeled at the following places, viz. : Elias Geib's near
Fleetwood; George Hess's, near Fleetwood; Mary Levan's,
near Pricetown; 1887, Daniel H. Reber's, near Bernville;
1888, John Kline's, near Bernville; 1890, Friend William
Ernst's; 1891, Daniel H. Reber's, near Bernville; 1892,
Henry Miller's, at Bern; 1893, Harrison Stoudt's, near
Centreport; 1894, Sister Rachel Fox, Stoudt's Ferry Bridge ;
1895, Isaac Degler's, south of Bern.

Elections after Organisation. — Joshua King was baptized
in July, 1868, and within one year was elected to the min-

* Up to this time lovefeasts were held at private homes, in the barn.
82

482 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

istry. Later on, he moved to the eastern shore of Mary-
land. About the year 1874, Israel King was elected to the
ministry. After serving a number of years, he died.

George Hess and John Kline were elected as deacons at
the same time. Date unknown.

David Eshleman moved into this church, and was re-
ceived as a minister. Later on was ordained. Died and
buried at the Mohrsville graveyard.

November 26, 1887, Henry S. Kline and Charles Madeira
were elected to the ministry, and Elias Kemerer and Daniel
H. Reber as deacons. Elders present : Samuel Harley and
John Hertzler.

April 18, 1 89 1, a certificate was granted to Charles Ma-
deira and wife, who moved to Chiques Church; also to
George Hess (deacon) and wife, who moved to Tulpe-
hocken Church.

April 18, 1 89 1, Jonathan G. Reber was elected as minis-
ter; advanced in 1900.

April 24, 1898, Nathaniel Yoder was elected to the min-
istry. Believing his ministry was not edifying, he for-
warded a petition to Elders' Meeting of the District for a
committee to relieve him of his office. Said committee,
with the church, granted his request, and he was relieved of
his office September 25, 1909.

Spring of 1900, Elder C. Bucher resigned as Elder in
charge. His resignation was accepted, and John Herr was
elected to take charge of the church.

March 16, 1904, Elias G. Reber was elected as deacon. A
certificate was granted to him and his wife in 1907, for
Elizabethtown. However, before he left, he took sick and
died.

April, 1902, Henry S, Kline moved to Reading Church.

October 19, 1907, lovefeast was held at Mohrsville House.
Brethren Edwin Ernst and Benjamin Fox, Junior, were
elected to the office of deacon. At the same time John Herr
handed in his resignation as Elder in charge, which was
accepted, and William H. Oberholtzer was elected in his
stead.

MAIDEN CREEK CHURCH.

483

In the spring of 1909, Elder Spencer Beaver and wife
were received in their office by letter.

The present officials of the church are: Elder W. H.
Oberholtzer, Elder in charge, assisted by Elder Spencer
Beaver, and Jonathan G. Reber in 2d degree ; deacons : Ed-
win Ernst, and Benjamin Fox. The present membership
is 45. The church is not making much progress; however,
the little band of members seem to be in earnest in the cause
of the Master, having their regular worship at the Mohrs-
ville House, and also at Pricetown, and occasionally at the
home of members. They have their weekly prayer meet-
ings and a Sunday School at the Mohrsville House with an
average attendance of about 30. This Sunday School was
organized April 14, 1901, with J. G. Reber as Superintend-
ent and Absalom Yoder, Assistant. A sister, whom the
Lord has blessed with considerable means, having the wel-
fare of the cause of Christ at heart, especially the Maiden
Creek Church, bought a property close to the Church, erected
a double brick building thereon and donated the whole to
the church. At present Elder Spencer Beaver and wife
occupy one part of the house, and the other part is rented
by the church. Would there were many more members so

Obituaries of

Officials of Maiden Creek Church.

Names.

Bom.

Died.

Buried.

Deacons:

(i) Adam Godwalt. . .

Moved to Ohio.

(2) Valentine Hartraan

Dec. 7,

1807

Aug.

16, 1867

Mohrsville.

(3) Samuel Kline

Sept. 3.

1819

Sept.

9. 1865

Becker's premises, near
Hamburg.

(4) John Kemerer ....

Oct. 3,

1801

Jan.

27, 1882

Mohrsville.

(5) Emanuel Yoder . . .

Feb. 19,

1819

Feb.

18, 1886

Mohrsville.

(6) John Kline

Oct. 28,

1837

Oct.

15, 1894

Mohrsville.

(7) Elias Kemerer. . . .

Aug. 22,

1827

Jan.

14, 1902

Mohrsville.

(8) Daniel H. Reber. .

Apr. 28,

1836

July

6, 1912

Reber Cemetery, near
Bernille.

(9) Elias G. Reber

Dec. 6,

1864

Mch.

28, 1907

Reber Cemetery, near
Bernille.

Ministers:

(i) Jeremiah Rother-

mel

May 17,

1822

Feb.

12, 1890

Hinnershitz Church

(2) Jacob Yoder

May 2,

1818

Sept.

26, 1881

Mohrsville.

(3) David Eshleman. .

June 22,

1798

Oct.

4. 1873

Mohrsville.

(4) Israel King

Apr. 10,

1844

Jan.

29. 1888

Mohrsville.

484

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

fully consecrated to the Lord, as to do service unto Him,
that will speak after our bodies moulder in the earth!

In 1883 the district meeting of Eastern Pa. was held at
the Mohrsville House.

Elders in charge of this church: i. 2. Jere-

miah Rothermel, -1890; 3. Christian Bucher, 1890-1900;
4. John Herr, 1900-1907; 5. Wm. H. Oberholtzer, 1907-.

CHAPTER VI.
SCHUYLKILL CHURCH.

The Schuylkill Church occupies the southwestern part of
Schuylkill Co., that section lying between the Blue Mt. on
the south, and Second Mt. on the north. It is bounded on
the west by the Big Swatara congregation, the line being
near Inwood. It extends indefinitely east, its horizon in
that direction apparently being Cressona. Tower City
(now Shamokin) Mission bounds it on the north; on the
south it is bounded by the Little Swatara Church, of which
it was originally a part, until 1877, when by mutual agree-
ment it became a separate church, and organized under the
present name, with Elder Geo. Smith as the housekeeper,
and Bro. Joshua Struphaur as one of the ministers, and
John Haldeman, Levi Butz, and David Yothers as deacons.

Bro. Smith had charge of the church until 1885, when for
some gross charge he was disowned. He was a man of
considerable talent, and before he became identified with
the Church of the Brethren, he was a prominent minister in
the U. B. church. About the year 1879, Bro. Michael Hal-
deman was elected to the ministry, in which capacity he
served until 1899, when he left the church, and became iden-
tified with the Old Order Brethren.

In the fall of 1893, D- C. Kutz was elected to the ministry.
After the disowning of Bro. Smith, Elder John Hertzler be-
came the Elder in charge, which place he filled until his
death in 1901.

In the fall of 1901, Elder J. W. Myer was chosen as their
Elder, serving in said capacity until he resigned on account
of ill health. Since then Elder E. M. Wenger had charge.
Elias Kintzel also served the church in the office of deacon,
but is deceased. Other Brethren serving in the deacon's
office are Edward Herring, Samuel Zerbe, John Neidlinger,
and Frank Haldeman. William Kintzel was elected to the

485

486 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

ministry in the year 1904, while still unmarried. Another
election was held in the spring of 191 1, which resulted in
the electing of Elias Morgan to the ministry and Frank
Haldeman as deacon.

Samuel Haldeman moved to Schuylkill Co. in 1852 and
later on moved out west. He was elected to the ministry in
the Indian Creek Church in 1847. He was born October
25, 1820, and was married to Harriet Horning August 14,
1842. His wife was born April 24, 1821, being younger
by six months. Both have attained the age of ninety-three
years. On Aug. 14, 19 13, they rounded out seventy-one
years of married life. Few, if any, have attained to the
age of Elder Samuel Haldeman and wife, who at present
are living at Reedley, Cal. He has been in the ministry
sixty-six years. For some years, Bro. Haldeman has been
able to use his voice but little in public speaking, but his
occasional short talks are much appreciated by the con-
gregation, and few are more regular in church attendance
than our aged brother and sister. The Wednesday evening
prayer meeting finds them often in their accustomed places.

John Holdeman moved here in 1853. The next year he
taught schobl. In 1854 he was married to Sarah A. Strup-
haur, whose grandfather, Michael Struphaur, was the first
preacher of the Brethren in Schuylkill County.

George Smith was the first Elder of the Schuylkill
Church. He joined the Brethren Church about 1870. He
was received without re-baptism, having been immersed
thrice, in entering the United Brethren Church, where he
had formerly been a minister, preaching at Highspire, Pine
Grove, and other places. He was an excellent German
preacher, well versed in the Scripture, and widely read.

All is well that ends well, but to be true to history we
are obliged to put on record that he did not die as a brother.
Because of misconduct on his part (see Romans, i : 27), he
was disowned by the church.

Meeting Places. — In the early part of this church's his-
tory, the meetings were principally held in Struphaur's
meeting house. Later meetings were held in several school
houses, and some private homes. The church in council

SAMUEL HALDEMAN LETTER.

H
W

m
o

SCHUYLKILL CHURCH. 487

decided to build a meeting house in Swope's Valley in the
summer of 191 1. This church was dedicated April 14,
1912.

In the absence of suitable church houses, the love feasts
were so far held in barns. The principal places for the
love feasts were : John Haldeman's, William Kintzel's,
Widow Elias Kintzel, and Jacob Morgan's. This is the
only church in the district where love feasts are yet held in
barns.

Houses of Worship. — Old Struphaur, built about 1865,
frame, about 24 X 30 ; cheaply built. New Struphaur,
built in 1888. Cost $836, frame, 34 X 36. Swope's Val-
ley, built in 1911-12, frame, about 32X38. Bro. Wolf
undertook to build it if church gave $250.

Sunday Schools. — The church early became interested in
Sunday Schools. Having at present an interesting Sunday
School, a number of the Sunday School pupils united with
the Church. Visiting members always feel at home with
the saints at Schuylkill. They are especially noted for
their hospitality and good will. Probable size of member-
ship is 85,

Bishops of this Congregation: (i) George Smith, 1877-
1885. (2) John Hertzler, 1885-1901. (3) J. W. Myer,
Sr., 1901-1905. (4) E. M. Wenger, 1905-.

CHAPTER VII.
HARRISBURG CHURCH.

This church was organized from a part of Big Swatara
Church, at a council held in the house of brother and sister
Joseph C. Eshleman, No. 340 S. 14th Street, Harrisburg, on
the evening of November 19, 1896, by Elders David Etter,
Jacob H. Longenecker, and Samuel R. Zug, with three
Brethren, and about twelve Sisters.

After the members present had unanimously voted in
favor of an organization, with the approval of the Elders
present, Elder S. R. Zug was chosen to have charge of the
church.

There being then no minister or deacon in the city, it
was decided that the officials of Big Swatara Church should
be asked to supply them until they are in a condition to help
themselves, which was kindly accepted.

The first meetings were held in a hall, on the third floor,
at the corner of 13th and Market Streets, but in the spring
of 1897, Studebaker Hall, on the second floor, on north 3d
Street was leased, where Sunday School and meetings were
held, until 1899, when the lot, with an old one story frame
dwelling, on Hummel Street, was bought for $3,000. This
house was changed, by removing partitions, into a meeting
house, and was so used until 1904 when the new church
was built, at a cost of over $8,000, on the same lot, large,
with movable partitions, which is expected to last for some
time, and is all paid for.

In 1897, Frank Haas, minister, moved here, but left again
in 1898.

In 1898, Brother John M. Mohler was engaged as Pastor,
and labored and cared for the spiritual needs of the little
flock for a year or more. After he left, his son-in-law
Harry Spanogle came for some time, and by the combined

488

HARRISBURG CHURCH. 489

efforts of all concerned, there were soon some additions by
baptism, and removals from neighboring churches.

In 1898, A. L. B. Martin was elected a deacon, and in
1900, J. C. Eshleman and A. H. Maugans were elected
deacons.

In 1 90 1, A. L. B. Martin was elected a minister, and
Aaron H. Hoffer a deacon.

In 1903, J F. Graybill was elected a minister, and in 1906
D. H. Widder.

In 1906, D. E. Miller was elected a deacon, also in 1906
Addison Hoffer. In 1909, Isaac Baker, a deacon, moved
here.

In 1906, D. E. Miller, a deacon, in 1907, J. F Graybill, a
minister, in 1908, A. H. Hoffer, a deacon, and in 191 1, A.
L. B. Martin, a minister, all moved away. In 19 12, Adam
Hollinger and Abraham K. Hollinger moved in.

In May, 1906, a Mission Sunday School was started in
the northwestern part of the city, which was kept up since.

In 1905, more territory was ceded by Big Swatara Church
to Harrisburg, including Steelton, Highspire and Middle-
town, and in 1907, August 4, a regular meeting once a
month, in the old Lutheran Church in Middletown, was es-
tablished, and has been kept up since.

In 191 1, Elder S. R. Zug resigned as Elder in charge, and
pressed its acceptance which was granted, with the proviso
that he be retained as advisory Elder, and Elder G. N.
Falkenstein was elected to have charge.

The officials now are G. N. Falkenstein, Elder in charge ;
the ministers are D. H. Widder, Adam Hollinger and Abm.
K. Hollinger, and the deacons J. C. Eshleman, Addison
Hoffer and Isaac Baker, and the membership numbers 90.

CHAPTER VIII.

SHAMOKIN CHURCH (FORMERLY TOWER CITY MISSION).

The work of the Tower City^ Mission, now known as the
Shamokin Church, was organized as early as the year 1889.
Of course the field had been canvassed a number of years
previous to this time by a number of ministering Brethren,
Brethren Hiram Gibble and D. P. Ziegler having labored
more extensively than any other of our Brethren. Bro.
Hiram Gibble, as we will notice later, was Elder in charge
for a number of years.

Among some of the first Elders that took an active part
in this mission were William Plertzler, John Hertzler, David
Etter, J. H. Longenecker, H. E. Light, John Herr, Hiram
Gibble, and some Brethren in the second degree. Elders
William Hertzler, John Hertzler, and J. H. Longenecker
were among the first to have charge of the mission, fol-
lowed by H. E. Light, Hiram Gibble, and E. M. Wenger.
The last named having charge of the church at the present
time, by authority of the church and Home Mission Board.

Bro. D. P. Ziegler was elected as early as 1891, as one
of the ministers located in this territory. Later on Bro.
William Kopenhaver was elected to the ministry, followed
by placing their choice on Bro. Geo. H. Miller, now located
at Mt. Carmel, about 8 miles from Shamokin, where his
services are rendered. Bro. Kopenhaver is at the present
located at Pottsville. The Brethren that served the Church
in the capacity of deacons were Bro. Lucas, George Tobias,
Geo. B. McKinney and William Forry. The first two
named have died, and the last two in recent years moved
to the Midway Church, in Lebanon, Pa.

1 Since there are no members now living at Tower City, from
whence the name was derived, it was decided by District Meeting of
191 1, to so change the name of the Mission, that hereafter it will
be known as Shamokin Mission, or Shamokin Church.

490

SHAMOKIN CHURCH. 491

The importance of the work of the Sunday School too
was not overlooked by the Brethren, having organized a
Sunday School as early as 1896, In the year 1906, the
Mission Board decided to locate S. S. Beaver and wife at
Shamokin to act as pastor and missionaries, which position
they filled for nearly three years. During the greater
part of this time, the services were held in Schleif's Hall, at
a rental of five dollars a month. Part of this was formerly
paid by the Mission Board, but now it is self supporting for
the last five years.

This territory formerly belonged to the Schuylkill Church,
that is, it was regarded as such. In the year 1897, by a
committee appointed by the Schuylkill Church and the Mis-
sion Board the Shamokin Church was cut off from the
Schuylkill Church, by making as its southern boundary the
Sharp Mt., and not making a special line to the east and
north.

CHAPTER IX.
READING CITY CHURCH.

While yet belonging to the Maiden Creek Church district^
quite a number of members living in the city of Reading,
application was made to have regular worship. To this end
the old Quaker Church on North 6th Street was rented
where for a number of years regular services were held, a
Sunday School organized, and other church auxiliaries,
giving new life and impetus to the work. Finally the
Quaker Church could no more be rented, and the Brethren
succeeded in renting the old Baptist Church on Chestnut
Street where the work was carried on a few years.

Church House Built. — Through the instrumentality and
liberality of Bro. Percival C. Nyce, a lot was bought, and a
house built on Church Street, near Greenwich, in the year
1897. The building committee consisted of Elder C.
Bucher (who at this time had charge of the Maiden Creek
Church), Percival Nyce, and George Sherman.

The church house is a brick building, having a capacity
to seat about 400. Valuation $4,000.

A debt of $1,600 remained on the house, due P. C. Nyce,
one third to be paid in 1898, one third in 1899, and one third
in 1900. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania took hold
of the matter and the debt was canceled January i, 1899.
The canceling of the debt of sixteen hundred dollars ($1,-
600) resting on the Reading Church must be credited to
Bro. P. C. Nyce, as may be seen by the following proposi-
tion:

At a Special District Meeting held in the Mingo Church,
October 27, 1898, called by Annual Meeting Committee, the
following proposition by P. C. Nyce was presented to the
Meeting :

492

P
u

READING CITY CHURCH. 493

"Reading, Pa. Aug. 29, 1898.
" To THE Missionary Board of the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania, Greeting:

" Believing that it is the will of God that the Reading Church
should be credited with a donation of ($500) five hundred dol-
lars to the Home for the Homeless at Manheim, Pa.; ($500)
five hundred dollars to the General Missionary and Tract Com-
mittee as endowment for World wide missions; ($500) five
hundred dollars to the Missionary Work of Eastern District of
Pennsylvania, and ($100) one hundred dollars to the Brooklyn
Mission in New York, care of Alice Boone, therefore upon the
condition that these amounts above named, be all paid and re-
ceipted on or before Jan. I, 1899, the claim of ($1600) sixteen
hundred dollars, now held by me against the Missionary Board
of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania shall be cancelled in
full."

" The above proposition was unanimously accepted by the
above named Special District Meeting, and a quota of thirty
cents per member suggested to be forwarded to Treasurer H.
E. Light, and it was also resolved that the above be placed on
the District Minutes of 1899.

John Herr, Clerk."

" Treasurer H. E. Light now reports the money was paid to
the Home, and Several Missions, and settlements made with
Bro. P. C. Nyce, on Dec. 31, 1899, who gave a receipt for the
four receipts, and cancelled his claim as per said proposition.

" Accepted."

The wisdom and prudence of Bro. Nyce, and the un-
assuming manner in which this proposition was made, is
verily to be admired. He did not wish to have the credit to
himself, but rather that the struggling Reading Church
should have the credit for these valuable, and highly appre-
ciated donations, " believing that such was the will of
God." The Spirit of Christ "Who gave His life for the
church."

Organization. — The Reading City Church was organized
January i, 1898. An election was held for a minister and
two deacons. The result was no minister, the neutrals hav-
ing the majority. A. H. Longenecker and Daniel M.
Stoufifer were elected deacons. John Herr was elected as

494 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Elder in charge. Elders present : C. Bucher, Israel Wenger,
John Herr. April 8, 1898, the church was placed under
the care of the Home Mission Board. At the same time
also the single mode of feet washing was adopted. The
first love-feast was held May 14 and 15, 1898.

Ministers. — April 5, 1901, John Herr resigned as Elder
in charge, which resignation was accepted. However, as the
church failed to procure an Elder in charge, Bro. Herr kept
the oversight of the church, and finally Elder Jesse Ziegler
was induced to move into Reading as a resident minister
and took charge of the church. His certificate was accepted
March 28, 1902. In the course of a few years. Elder Zieg-
ler again moved out of Reading, and his resignation was
accepted September 10, 1903.

July 5, 1904, John Herr was again elected Elder in charge.

April I, 1905, Bro. Herr again resigned and E. M.
Wenger, the present Elder in charge, was elected.

July 7, 1902, George Sherman was elected deacon. April
10, 1903, Peter Smith was elected to the ministry. Henry
H. Moyer was elected a minister, June 17, 1912. In 1913,
Daniel I. Trutt and John King were elected to the office of
deacon. •

The only resident ministers were : Jesse Ziegler, Peter
Smith, Jay G. Francis, and David Weaver. Each one
served only for the course of a few years and then moved
away again. The remainder of the time the church was
supplied by ministerial aid from adjoining churches, as is the
case at the present time. Bro. David Weaver held out
longest. He was received with his office as minister by
letter October 13, 1906. Resigned April 10, 191 1. The
church granted him leave of absence for one year. Because
of having a large family of children, he thought it advisable
to move into the country. His heart is still in the work at
Reading.

Church Activities. — The church has regular preaching
services, morning and evening, each Lord's day ever since
its organization. At first the services were conducted in the
German language in the morning, and in the English in the
evening. At present the services are mostly English, very
seldom that a German sermon is delivered. There is a pros-

READING CITY CHURCH. 495

perous Sunday School with an average attendance of about
50. Christian Workers' Society meets every Sunday previ-
ous to evening worship. There is a Sisters' Aid Society,and
also an organized Bible class and a Cottage Prayer Meeting.
Thus we see that the church is alive and at work. At times
dark clouds gathered over it, but as often disappeared and
again the sun shone in all its brilliancy. The present mem-
bership is about 75. Not all are active members, but as is
the case in all churches, too many only are honorary mem-
bers. The active members have stuck to the old ship Zion,
through good and evil report. To know the members of
Reading means to love them for their zeal and devotion
to the Lord's house and cause. I think we are justified in
saying that there is hardly a church in the District that is
making more sacrifices financially than the members in
Reading. Very few are blessed with this world's goods.
Bro. Nyce is one of them, and to his honor be it said that he
devotes much of his means to the glory of God.

Occasionally when questions arise in the Church requiring
money, Bro. Nyce makes the proposition : " I will pay one
half if the remainder of the members pay the other half."
Many of the members who are employed and work as day
laborers pay monthly into the church treasury, and pay
more annually than many Brethren in other churches valued
by the thousands. At present they are giving full support
to two poor members at the "Brethren Home." During
1912, while having a series of meetings more than a dozen
confessed Christ and united with the church. This occa-
sioned new life and inspiration in the church, looking for
still greater things in the future. What is most needed at
the present time is a resident minister, to be a shepherd to
the sheep. Truly, "Thou Bethlehem in the land of Juda,
art not the least among the princes of Juda."

The present officials are : Elder in charge, John C. Zug of
Palmyra ; ministers : Elder D. W. Weaver, Henry H. Moyer,
in the first degree of ministry; deacons : Allen Longenecker,
George H. Sherman, Daniel I. Trutt, John King. The fol-
lowing constitute the trustees : Emerson Wickle, Allen Long-
enecker, George Sherman, Henry Kline and Lovington
Royer.

CHAPTER X.
THE MIDWAY CHURCH.

The Midway Church was organized March 24, 1902, at
the Midway House. Prior to this, the Midway Church
formed a part of the Tulpehocken Churcn, and owing to
the strength of the membership who could not all be accom-
modated with seats at the love feasts any more and the ex-
tent of territory to be worked, it was decided at regular
council at the Heidelberg House, December 16, 1901, to
divide the congregation; hence the above organization.

The officials at the time of organization were as follows :
Elder in charge. Christian Bucher ; ministers, Martin Heisey
and Joseph L. Wilhelm; deacons, Nathan P. Gibble and
Mohler Bucher; clerk, J. L. Wilhelm.

There were 195 members in the new church, the names
of which will all be found in the history of the Tulpehocken
Church prior to the division.

Ammon H. Brubacher was elected to the ministry March
28, 1904; Jay G. Francis was received by letter as a min-
ister, June 13, 1905; Abraham Z. Brubaker was elected
August 30, 1909; John H. Smith was elected deacon March
23, 1903 ; Henry M. Patches, August 30, 1909. William A.
Forry was received by letter as a deacon August 24, 1908,
and George McKinney, July 23, 191 1.

Martin Heisey was ordained and A. H. Brubacher ad-
vanced to the second degree of the ministry August 30,
1909.

April 2, 1912, at a Council Meeting held in Lebanon
William A. Forry was elected to the ministry and Allen
Edris to the deacon's office. Jan. 18, 19 13, Samuel Wenger
and Howard Weiss were elected to the office of deacon.

August 25, 1913, A. H. Brubacher was ordained to the
eldership, and A. Z. Brubaker advanced to the second dgree
of the ministry.

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THE MIDWAY CHURCH. 497

July 17, 1912, Joseph Wilhelm was relieved of his office.

September 7, 1912, John H. Smith was relieved of his
office, and on January 18, 19 13, disowned by the church.

August 30, 1909, J. G Francis was silenced.

February 16, 1913, George McKinney moved to
Shamokin.

Mar. 23, 1914, J. G. Francis was reinstated to the min-
istry.

The church has been growing steadily since the organiza-
tion with Elder C. Bucher and later John Herr, elders in
charge. Notwithstanding the church's difficulties at times,
there was a goodly number of accessions. Instead of serv-
ices at the several churches every four weeks, there are serv-
ices every two weeks, and since the church owns her own
house of worship in Lebanon, there are services in the fore-
noon and evening every Sunday. The Sunday Schools
have both become evergreen and have each been supporting
an orphan in India and also contributed to the orphanage
work in the district. About 50 of our Sunday School pupils
have become members of the church.

The present officials are as follows: Elder Jno. Herr,
Elder in charge, non-resident ; C. Bucher, Martin Heisey, and

A. H. Brubacher, Elders; J. G. Francis, A. Z. Brubaker
and William A. Forry, ministers; N. P. Gibble, Mohler
Bucher, Henry M. Patches, Allen Edris, Samuel Wenger
and Howard Weiss, deacons.

The present membership is 246.

The Midway Church has three houses of worship, one at
Midway, one at Cornwall, and one on south Ninth St. in
Lebanon. All are frame buildings. The size of the Mid-
way House is 80 ft. by 50 ft., built at a cost of $3,850.65,
in 1895 5 building committee, Benjamin Smith and Jeremiah

B. Light. Bro. Smith took sick during the time of building
when Elder C. Bucher with Bro. Light acted as building
committee. The house was dedicated October 27, 1895,
with preaching on Saturday evening, October 26, Sunday
morning and evening, October 27. Brethren Amos S. Hot-
tenstein and Reuben Graybill were the officiating ministers.

The size of the Cornwall house is 40 ft. by 60 ft., built in
33

498 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

1871, at a cost of $2,957.29. The building committee con-
sisted of Jacob Bucher, Samuel Brubacher, and Jonathan
Geib.

The size of the Lebanon house is 28 ft. by 40 ft., built by
the "Followers of the Living God" in 1903 and purchased
from them by the Brethren in 1908. Brethren N. P. Gibble,
A. H. Brubacher and J. G. Francis, purchase committee,
bought it for $2,400. With later purchase of more ground
and improvements made, the church cost about $3,000.

Midway Church has a Sunday School at Midway house
organized March 28, 1897, and one in Lebanon organized on
Easter Sunday, April 2, 1899. There are weekly prayer
meetings in Lebanon and vicinity, — in the church when no
fire is needed, and in the homes of those who call for them,
at other times. A Christian Workers' Society was organ-
ized in Lebanon in 1907. Quite a number take an active
part. The Sisters' Aid Society in Lebanon was organized
in 1909 and is under the control of the Sunday School there.

The church in general is in a fairly prosperous condition
at present.

A. H. Brubacher.

The foregoing account of the Midway Church is sup-
plemented by sketches of the work done at Cornwall and in
Lebanon. Elder John Herr gives the following history of

"Early Meetings around Cornwall.

"Before the Cornwall House was built, there was preach-
ing at the houses of members in the neighborhood. The
following are at least some of the places where there was
preaching : Samuel Brubaker's, Isaac Brubaker's, a preacher,
where his grandson Abraham now lives ; at Jonas Geib's, at
Jacob Bucher's ; at Abraham Geib's ; at Henry Horst's, Sr.,
the present mill property; at Peter Heisey's where Bro.
Martin now resides ; and at Cyrus Brubaker's. At some of
these places there were meetings only in the summer time;
but Jacob Bucher, Isaac Brubaker, and Abraham Geib had
meetings all the year round, every twelve weeks, making
regular preaching every four weeks. The other Brethren
had meetings only in the summer time and held them in the

THE MIDWAY CHURCH. 499

barns. But when visiting preachers came around, they also
had preaching in their homes in the winter. Among these
visiting preachers were Graybill Myers, Wm. Hertzler,
Christian Brubaker, Jacob Reinhold, Adam HolHnger, Jacob
HolHnger, Daniel Longenecker, Jonas Price, Adam Brown,
and Solomon Sieber, of Juniata Co. These Brethren would
hold series of meetings, going from one house to another
evening after evening, and sometimes holding meetings dur-
ing the day. Love feasts were held at Cyrus Brubaker 's,
Samuel Brubaker's, Isaac Brubaker's, Jacob Bucher's, and at
Abraham Geib's. These were held just before hay making,
when the barns were empty."

Bro. Abram Z. Brubaker furnished the following history
of Bucher's Meeting House, now called Cornwall House:

" Prior to the year 1871, religious services were held by
the Brethren in private houses and barns in the vicinity of
Bucher's Meetmg House. There are several graveyards in
this locality. One known as Bucher's graveyard is on a
hill near the town of Rexmont; the other, known as Bru-
bacher's graveyard, is on the farm of Cyrus Brubacher east
of the former place. When burials took place at these places,
the funeral services were held either at the house or in a
near-by school-house which often proved inadequate.

"As necessity is frequently the mother of invention so
inconvenience was the mother of our meeting house. The
idea of a union house was frequently discussed by the neigh-
borhood's thinkers but no active steps were taken until the
summer of 1870 when by chance it happened that Mr. A.
*Wilhelm, manager of the Coleman estate, of Cornwall, Pa.,
Ezra Bucher, and J. H. Bucher in conversation drifted to
this subject. Mr. Wilhelm, who had the reputation of be-
ing a far-sighted man and also of a philanthropic disposition,
grasped the situation and said : ' I see the necessity of such a
church building and I will give $100 towards building such a
house; and I will see to it that Robert and Anna Coleman
will also give $100 each.'

"A little later Henry Dohner promised to give one acre
of land on the northwest corner of his farm for $300 and to
contribute $50 towards the building, provided he could
be buried there when he died.

"During the winter of 1870 and 1871, the Brethren took

500 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

hold of the matter. J. H. Bucher, of near Rexmont, is the
owner of a little book in which the subscriptions were en-
tered. The subscriptions are headed by the following :

"TuLPEHOCKEN Church, Feb. 8, 1871.
"Whereas, we the members of the Tulpehocken Church of
the Brethren sometimes called German Baptists and citizens of
South Lebanon and Cornwall Townships, Lebanon Co., Pa., are
seriously impressed with the necessity of a suitable house for
holding religious services at funeral and other occasions, have,
therefore, come to the conclusion to erect such a house on a lot
of about one acre of land on the northwest corner of Henry
Dohner's farm on the old Schaefferstown road in South Leb-
anon Township aforesaid, which building shall be erected
under the supervision, and remain under the control, of the
Brethren.

" At funerals the house and graveyard shall be open for all
persons, who may choose to bury their dead there, who have
died a natural death and get ministers of any persuasion to offi-
ciate at such occasion but at all other times of religious services
shall be only for the use of the said Church of the Brethren.
Any person wishing to hold a funeral in said house whether
they bury in graveyard attached or at some other place shall
apply to the trustee living nearest to the house, provided more
than one is appointed who shall also designate where to dig the
grave.

" The said trustees to be appointed by the aforesaid church
and to be members of the church. All persons using the grave-
yard are entitled to contribute towards keeping the fence around
it in order and repair.

" Now know all men that we the undersigned have agreed to
pay the amounts set opposite our names respectively for the
purposes above mentioned."

"Then follows a list of the contributors, of which I will
name a few: Jacob Bucher, Sr., $100; Jonas Geib, $100;
Samuel Brubacher, $200; A. Wilhelm, $100; Robert Cole-
man, $100; Anna Coleman, $100; W. G. Lehman, then
County Superintendent of Schools, $5, and a host of others.
Jacob Bucher, Jonas Geib, and Samuel Brubacher were the
first trustees. The last named soon resigned when Cyrus
Brubacher was appointed in his place. Samuel Yeagley, C.
R. Bucher, and a few others were the carpenters.

THE MIDWAY CHURCH. 501

" Later, an additional acre was bought from Wm. Yeagley,
so the property now consists of two acres. The building is
a 40 X 60 frame structure. A substantial shed was also
erected. In 1880, a Sunday School was organized under
the leadership of Bro. Geo. Bucher."

Geo. Bucher gives the following account of The Breth-
ren's Sunday School at Cornwall :

"The first Sunday School in the Tulpehocken Church
was organized at Cornwall, by the Brethren on September 5,
1880, by selecting Bro. George Bucher, superintendent and
treasurer, and Bro. Benjamin Smith, assistant superintend-
ent. Twenty females and twenty-three males expressed
their intention to attend. The instigation of this first Sun-
day School came from the heart and mind of the writer.
The object was not to substitute the S. S. for proper family
training; neither for a stepping-stone to the church in place
of the drawings of the Father (see John 6: 44). But I
thought by my much absence from home, our children, and
others, would have a good place to go, where there were
some prospects for them to learning something of Jesus.

" We used nothing but the New Testament, the fount of
truth. The Brethren's Hymn Book was used. Thus they
learned church service music. We had neither tickets nor
pennies.

"The school was partly evergreen. During the winter
we had it only on meeting Sundays, — every four weeks.
After running two seasons, it stopped for want of support,
— not in money, but in officers and teachers. I found it
impossible to be present at two places at one and the same
time, — at Sunday School and also at church service, and no
one else would do it. After the Sunday School's demise, I,
as a father, had but one alternative with the children on
Sundays — to take them along to church service, if possible.
To this and proper family training, the divine record bears
ample witness."

Bro. J. G. Francis contributes the following about

The Brethren in and around Lebanon.

" The Brethren first began work in the city of Lebanon orr
the invitation of Mr. Shomo, associated with Mr. Fauber,
proprietor of the Union House of Prayer on South 7th

502 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Street, and of Mr. Young, publisher of a German paper in
Lebanon. It was soon after the Cornwall meeting-house
was built. These two gentlemen had attended services there
and invited Bro. Christian Bucher to preach for them in
Lebanon. He entered the open door. At first the preach-
ing was irregular and was done only on invitation; but be-
fore long the Brethren rented the house for preaching every
four weeks. This was about 1873. Bro. Bucher now be-
gan to send Bro. John Herr and George Bucher to fill ap-
pointments. The preaching was about all German at first,
now and then a visiting English preacher would exercise.
Bro. Wm. Oberholtzer preached English once or twice.

** By permission of the church, the Brethren Sunday
School of Lebanon was opened Easter Sunday, April 2,
1899, in the house of Bro. Michael Zug, 138 Cumberland
St., Lebanon, Pa. The school was opened through the
efforts of Sister Martha Eckert, who was anxious to have
her boys attend a Brethren's Sunday School. Sister Mary
F. Zug was made superintendent and her sister Martha
Eckert, assistant. The school was opened at 10 A. M. by
singing * Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove.' There was a
total attendance of 20.

" Sister Mary Zug was married the beginning of the fol-
lowing year to J. G. Francis, a minister from Green Tree.
"They moved to Reading. The Sunday School was reor-
ganized on April i, 1900, with Bro. Peter A. Smith as super-
intendent. But the school did not seem to prosper and was
closed July i. Late in the summer of 1901, Bro. and Sister
Francis returned from Reading, and others had moved into
Lebanon, notably Ella and Anna Biever. The Tulpehocken
Church gave consent to reopen the school. December 27,
1901, a meeting with Bro. John Herr in attendance was held
at Michael Zug's. The school was reorganized with Peter
Smith as superintendent. An Advisory Board consisting
of teachers and officers was authorized. It was also decided
to have prayer-meetings every Sunday evening at the homes
of the members. An effort to secure the Union House of
Prayer for the Sunday School was successful, and from
thenceforth till the house was bought on South 9th St., the
Sunday School was held there. Superintendents of the
Lebanon Sunday School following Bro. Smith have been:
J. G. Francis, Grant Yeagley, George Keeney, Emory Trim-
mer, William Forry and Allen Edris. A Home Department

THE MIDWAY CHURCH. 503

of the Sunday School was authorized Aug. 3, 1902. Octo-
ber 5, 1902, marks the beginning of the hbrary of the Leb-
anon Sunday School, which has attained to a fair size and
is considerably used. Since 1903, the Sunday School has
been supporting an orphan in India. The Sunday School
has also an Infant Roll and maintains Teacher's meetings,
and has taken several classes through a teacher's training
course.

"The first revival meeting in Lebanon was held by Bro.
Edward M. Wenger in March, 1903, One joined the church
— Bro. Dana Eckert; and the mother who was the instiga-
tor of the Sunday School in Lebanon had the joy of seeing
one of her sons brought into the fold. In 1905, J. G.
Francis preached for two weeks in his own home. Two
were received into the church. A series of meetings was
arranged by Bro. Francis, acting under Elder John Herr, to
be held in our present house on S. 9th St. David W. Weaver
of Reading was secured. Twenty-one came out on the
Lord's side. Within a year, Bro. Levi Mohler held another
revival, with a result of ten converts. Thus within the space
of one year thirty-one were awakened. The Lord was bless-
ing the work abundantly. The most noteworthy revival in
the last five years was held by Bro. Rufus Bucher when ten
precious souls declared for Christ.

" Following the revival in 1908, by Bro. Weaver, a Chris-
tian Workers' Society was organized in place of the previous
organization known as Christian Helpers. The first presi-
dent of the Christian Workers' Society was Dana Eckert,
who ably looked after the work till his recent removal to
Pittsburgh. Through its offerings taken on Sunday evening
the Christian Workers have been able to give financial aid
on a number of occasions.

"Under the Sunday School superintendency of Bro.
Emory Trimmer, a Sister's Aid Society, formerly agitated,
was organized with the unique distinction of being a part of
the Sunday School. Bro. Francis was instrumental in hav-
ing a Bi-Centennial meeting in Lebanon in 1908.

" Finally when the series of meetings by Bro. Weaver in the
South 9th St. house proved so successful, that house was
bought. It cost $2,400. Additional ground was added to
both sides. The building is frame and capable of seating
about 300 persons. The property has been further im-
proved and some souls have been garnered."

CHAPTER XL
ANNVILLE CHURCH.

The congregation known as the Annville Church of the
Brethren was organized on March 25, 1912, from ter-
ritory and members formerly belonging to the Spring
Creek Church. Elder John H. Witmer and Elder S. H.
Hertzler were present to assist in the work of organization.
The election for officials resulted as follows : Elder A. B.
Gingrich, Elder in charge; John H. Gingrich, Treasurer;
Jacob Heagy, Clerk.

The boundary line of the territory of this congregation is
described as follows : Beginning on the Conewago Hill about
midway between Colebrook and Lawn, the line runs in a
northern direction to the Swatara Creek to a place formerly
known as Maulfair's Mill, thence east along Swatara Creek
to a point near Jonestown (the line not fully known at Jones-
town), thence south to i6th St., Lebanon City, thence in a
bee-line to the road past Henry Herr, deceased, thence by
said road to the Horse Shoe pike to the farm known as the
Zimmerman farm, thence south in a bee-line across the
mountain to a point close to Mt. Gretna, thence west along
the Conewago Hill to the place of beginning, leaving Cole-
brook in the Annville district. It is bounded on the north
by Big Swatara Church and Little Swatara Church, on the
east by Little Swatara and Midway Churches, on the south
by the Chiques Church and on the west by the Conewago
and Spring Creek Churches.

The present official body of this church consists of Elder
A. B. Gingrich, Elder in charge ; ministers : Elder H. B.
Hollinger, A. D. Bucher (2d degree), and Jacob H. Ging-
rich (ist degree), and deacons: Jacob Heagy, John H.
Gingrich, H. H. Gingrich, and Cyrus Winters, the last two
having been elected since the organization. The member-
ship at time of organization was 134.

504

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ANNVILLE CHURCH. 505

The congregation has two houses of worship: Annville
and South Annville. At the Annville house, preaching ser-
ices are held three Sundays out of four. The Sunday
School here organized on May 5, 1907, meets every Sunday
in the year. The first Superintendent was A. S. Kreider.
For 1 9 14, the following are the officers: Superintendent,
C. H. Winters; Assistant Superintendent, Jacob Heagy.
The average attendance is 86. There is a Cradle Roll with
an enrollment of 30 and a Teachers' Meeting which meets
occasionally.

At the South Annville house, services occur every two
weeks with Sunday School during the summer since 1891.
A. B. Gingrich was the first superintendent. In 19 14, the
officers were as follows: Superintendent, B. H. Gingrich;
Assistant Superintendent, H. H. Gingrich, with an average
attendance of 50. A singing school was conducted at this
place in 19 12 by A. H. Brubacher.

A Sewing Circle with 12 members was organized in 191 2
with Katherine Basehore as President and Annie Minnich as
Vice President. For the year 191 3, the average attendance
at weekly meetings was six. The work of the Circle con-
sists of making clothing and sending money to missions and
needy causes. Clothing valued at $50 was sent in 1913 to
Neffsville Orphanage and Brooklyn Mission. Ten dollars
was sent to Bro. Warstler, Grand Rapids, Mich., and thirty
dollars was given to procure carpet for the Annville house
of worship. The officers for 1914 are: President, Leah
Hollinger; Vice President, Anna Minnich; Secretary,
Susan Ziegler; Treasurer, Emma Yake.

This congregation has a weekly prayer meeting at the
homes of members. The first temperance committee ap-
pointed in 1912 consisted of Cyrus Winters, Elmer Minnich,
and Aaron Gingrich. Isaac J. Kreider appointed as the
first correspondent to the Gospel Messenger still serves in
that capacity. The 191 4 Temperance Committee is: Cyrus
H. Winters, Aaron Gingrich, and B. H. Gingrich. Florence
Keller and Cora Kettering are the missionary solicitors.

D. C. Reber.

CHAPTER XII.
CONEWAGO CHURCH.

In the spring of 1912, Spring Creek Church with a mem-
bership of 475 was divided for the first time into three
divisions : Spring Creek, Annville and Conewago. On
March 27, 1912, one hundred and twenty members thus
cut off from the original Spring Creek congregation and
residing in the southern part of Dauphin Co. were organized
into a separate congregation known as the Conewago Church.
Elders S, R. Zug and S. H. Hertzler were present to assist
in the organization.

The organization resulted in selecting Elder S. Z. Wit-
mer, Elder-in-charge ; J. S. Baker, Clerk ; Jacob W. Brandt,
Treasurer. The official body at the time of organization
was as follows : Elders Samuel Z. Witmer and Daniel Hol-
linger; Aaron H. Hoffer, rriinister in first degree; deacons:
John F. Booser, J. B. Aldinger, and Jacob W. Brandt, the
latter having been elected on the day of organization.

The boundaries of the Conewago Church are as follows :
The Conewago ridge in northern Lancaster Co. forms the
southern boundary line. Starting at Wagner's Park on
this ridge, the line runs northwest to Running Pump, thence
along the Lancaster and Harrisburg pike to Royalton;
thence in a northern direction toward Hummelstown along
Swatara Creek about two miles ; thence almost due east leav-
ing Stoverdale and Fishburn Church south of the line and
Campbellstown north of it, to the western boundary line of
the Annville Church; thence following that line south
to a point on Conewago Hill about midway between
Colebrook and Lawn. It will be seen then that Conewago
Church is bounded on the north by Spring Creek Church;
on the east by the Annville Church; on the south by Eliz-
abethtown Church, West Green Tree Church and Chiques

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CONEWAGO CHURCH. 507

Church; on the west by Elizabethtown and Big Swatara
Churches, and that its territory lies partly in Dauphin,
partly in Lebanon, and partly in Lancaster County.

On November 2^, 19 12, an election was held for a min-
ister at the Bachmanville house just before lovefeast. As
a result, John S. Baker was elected. Since the organization,
eighteen persons have been received into the membership by
baptism and two have been reclaimed.

The present officials of this church are : Elder Samuel Z.
Witmer, Elder-in-charge ; ministers, Elder Daniel Hollinger,
Aaron Hoffer in first degree and John S. Baker in first
degree; deacons, John F. Booser, Jos. B. Aldinger, and
J. W. Brandt.

The congregation has two houses of worship, namely,
Conewago and Bachmanville. At each of these places a
Sunday School is maintained. At Conewago, J. W. Brandt
is the superintendent and the average attendance is 60. At
Bachmanville, the superintendent is Thomas Geib and the
attendance averages 50. Special efforts are made to bring
the Sunday School officers and teachers to the highest state
of efficiency by conducting Sunday School meetings or in-
stitutes. In this way the teachers are instructed in the
principles of education pertaining to correct methods of
teaching and to successful management of children.

This congregation is active in the temperance cause. Dur-
ing 19 1 3, four temperance meetings were held, which were
previously advertised in the local newspapers. The tem-
perance committee is composed of Joseph B. Aldinger,
Aaron H. Hoffer, and Eli Boozer.

A weekly prayer meeting is conducted at the homes of
members, one week at the Conewago end and the following
week in the vicinity of Bachmanville.

Brethren John Booser, Jos. S. Risser and Hiram Gibble
constitute the missionary solicitors for 1914. Edgar M.
Hoffer is the Gospel Messenger correspondent. A charter
has been granted for the cemetery at the Conewago house,
which is known as the "Conewago Cemetery of the Church
of the Brethren."

508 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

The home and chief scene of the labors and activities of
Elder George Miller and Elder William Hertzler was the
territory now constituting the Conewago Church. And
the work of these notable pillars in the church is a constant
inspiration to the members of the Conewago congregation.

D. C. Reber.

CHAPTER XIII.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

A. George Klein.*

Elder George Klein was born in Zweibriicken, Rhenish
Bavaria, South Germany, October 9, 171 5, and came to
America in 1738, in the ship Glasgow, with 384 other pas-
sengers. Walter Sterling was master of the ship. They
sailed from Rotterdam, and later from Cowes, England.
He landed in Philadelphia, and settled at Amwell, New
Jersey.

He was married to Miss Dorothy Rebman. They are
buried on a plot near where the North Kill Brethren Church
was located, now owned by Percival Troutman. Here lie
the remains of Elder George Klein, together with his faith-
ful wife Dorothy, and many of his descendants — pioneers,
evangelists, and missionary workers. (See Illustration.)
The burial ground, graves, etc., were on the verge of de-
struction, when Jerome I. Kline, of Reading, Pa., and A. S.
Kline, of Upper Bern, Pa., took the matter in hand
and got possession of the property. Elder George Klein
died January 2, 1783. His wife, Dorothy Rebman,
died August 24, 1777. Common plain field stones mark
their resting place. On the one are the words "Anno
Jan. 2, 1783." On the opposite side is the one word, Vater
(father). On the other stone are the words "Anno, Aug.
24, 1777." On the other side is the word Mutter (mother).

1 For this sketch the committee is greatly indebted to the " Elder
George Klein Association," and more especially to Prof. A. S. Kline,
Upper Bern, Pa., secretary of said association.

Officers of The Elder George Klein Association.
President, Dr. W. F. Klein, Lebanon, Pa.
Secretary, W. B. Kline, merchant, Berks P. O., Pa.
Assistant Secretary, A. S. Kline, teacher, Upper Bern, Pa.
Treasurer, Newton Kline, cashier National Bank, of Pottstown,
Pottstown, Pa.

509

610 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Since the wife of Elder George Klein died first, no doubt
he carved the inscription on his wife's grave stone, which
inscription indicates that the engraver was very accurate,
as the three sevens (7) are so exactly engraved that there
can scarcely be seen any difference in the execution of the
sevens.

Elder George Klein lived 12 years at Am well, New Jer-
sey, where he received his Christian training under the
noted preacher Johann Naas, who fled to this place from
Germany, and found at Amwell, New Jersey, a place of
religious safety. Elder George Klein made visits as early
as 1745 and 1747 to Berks Co., Pa., and it is supposed he
had 4 more brothers in America. One settled near the
boundary lines of Bucks and Montgomery counties. One
of his brothers is supposed to have settled in eastern Berks
Co., Pa.; one, about 4 miles west of Reading, Pa., and one,
at Bernville, Pa. No doubt while being a minister. Elder
George Klein visited the struggling Brethren churches as
a missionary minister along the route from Amwell, New
Jersey, to Bernville, Pa., where he purchased lands in 1747.
He owned considerable lands near the Old Northkill
Church. His trade was no doubt carpentry and turning,
as his sons and grandsons were among the best turners and
grain cradle makers. Some of his descendants are still
following the same trades. While at Bernville, he was
laboring under difficulties as this region was then settled by
those of different church inclinations. There seems to have
been religious dissatisfaction existing among the people, and
his own members were constantly leaving for the western
sections of Pennsylvania. His labors in the Christian min-
istry were confined to western Berks, Lebanon, and Lancas-
ter counties.

He had six sons and one daughter. The daughter was
married to Joseph Sollenberger, who took up his abode
somewhere near Carlisle, Pa. His son George Klein settled
near Broadway, Virginia. Here the martyred Elder John
Klein, who was a great grandson of Elder George Klein,
was raised. Two sons settled in Lancaster Co., Pa., and

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Graves of Elder Gkok(;k Miller and Wife.

BIOGRAPHICAL. 511

the other sons in Berks Co., with the exception of Joseph
Klein who has not yet been located.

The descendants of Elder George Klein have built a fine
wall around the graveyard, and propose to erect a suitable
monument to his memory. The present resting place is on
a gently sloping hill near the Northkill Church, about one
and a half miles northwest of Bernville, Pa., where Elder
George Klein served so faithfully. After a long and useful
career in the ministry, he was gathered home into the gar-
ner of the Lord. Now the graveyard is being properly put
in shape by some of his offspring.

The descendants of Elder George Klein have been dili-
gently at work for over eight years in gathering facts to
print or publish a history, and upon the completion thereof,
the offspring expect to hold a reunion at the Old Northkill
Church.

B. George Miller.

We have no data as to where George Miller was born, or
who his ancestors were, but he united with the Church of
the Brethren in 1753. He lived, and raised his family,
about two miles northwest of Elizabethtown, Pa., near the
Conewago Creek. It is not known when he was called to
the ministry, but Morgan Edwards, in his history, says that
in 1770, George Miller and Adam Hamacher were the min-
isters of Big Swatara. Brother Hamacher lived near Hum-
meistown, and the last account we have of him, either oral,
or written, is 1772, and the presumption is that he died not
long after.

Elder Miller was ordained Bishop, by Elders Christopher
Sower and Martin Urner, in 1780, and died in 1798, aged
y6 years. He is buried on his farm, by the side of his wife,
who preceded him in death two years.

A fuller biography of Elder Miller, and his family, fur-
nished by the late Elder Moses Miller, of Cumberland
County, Pa., who was a grandson of Elder Geo. Miller and
a great-grandson of Elder Geo. Klein, and procured for this
history by Elder John Herr from the Secretary of the Elder
George Klein Association follows next.

S. R. ZuG.

512 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

C. Who My Ancestors Were; and What I Know
ABOUT Them.

By Elder Moses Miller, of Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Having frequently been asked whether I was related to
such and such a Miller family, and generally would have to
say no, not to my knowledge, at least not according to flesh,
and as my mother was a Kline, and many of our kindred
are scattered over a number of states, it may be a great sat-
isfaction, to some at least, to know who their ancestors were
and what they were. I will here say that, both sides being
German, both names have been changed, or altered; Miller
was formerly written Muiller, and Kline, which some write
Cline, was formerly written Klein.

First, then, my grandfather, Geo. Miller, was born in
Switzerland (if I am rightly informed) in January, 1722,
and emigrated to America when a boy. His father's name
was Michael. Of the latter I know nothing. Grandfather
settled near Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, Pa., and not
far from the line between Lancaster and Dauphin counties.
Here he became a member of the Church of the Brethren
and also a minister in the church, his field of labor being
principally in Dauphin Co., and was the first preacher in the
Big Swatara Church. He would take his staff on Saturday
and walk fifteen miles to the place of meeting; next day
after preaching return home, and that without dinner, save
a piece of dry bread by the way, frequently stopping, or
visiting by the way; saying that if we stop but five or ten
minutes, the Brethren can see that we have not forgotten
them.

In council with the church, he would stand back so that
the members should not talk after him; consequently not
a great speech maker. Although he carried on farming, like
many others at that time, he was also a weaver by trade, and
when people brought yarn, he would hear how they wanted
their work done, etc. As soon as that was said, he began
to speak on the subject of religion. When some were will-
ing and glad to hear, others said, "Yes I must go; I have
not time to stay." I have also from good authority, that

BIOGRAPHICAL. 513

he had an ox stolen from him. He knew where the ox
was, but Hved what he preached, "If any man take away
thy goods, ask them not to return them again." But his
neighbors had the thief arrested, and lodged in the Lan-
caster jail Being yet under the British lav/, he feared his
neighbor would be brought to the whipping post, and pitied
him very much. He also feared he might not have a bed in
jail, and the weather being cold, he went to Lancaster, over
twenty miles, to see, intending if he had none, he would
bring him one.

He was beloved by many. One reason for this was, when
he would hear anything bad about his neighbors, he would
tell no one, but if he heard anything good, he would tell
everybody. He died in September, 1798, aged 76 years,
and 9 months, and is buried on the farm where he had lived,
near the old road which leads from Hummelstown to Eliz-
abethtown. Peace to his ashes !

He left ten children behind, — three sons and seven daugh-
ters. Abraham moved to Mifflin County, Pa., was a min-
ister in the church, and instrumental in building the Lewis-
town Church. Died September 28, 1843. George was also
a Brother, at one time, but moved to Erie County, Pa.,
where there were no Brethren. There he joined in with the
Baptists, and also became a preacher of that faith. Barbara
was married to Jacob Smith. Eve was married to Daniel
Keefer, who was the fourth preacher in the Big Swatara
Church. Elizabeth was married to Valentine Balsbaugh,
fifth preacher of Big Swatara Church, who was in his
ninety-seventh year when he died. He was the grandfather
of C. H. Balsbaugh. This was the first preacher the writer
heard. Catharine was married to George Minnich; Maria
to George Fackler; Magdalena was married to Abraham
Snyder. Fanny died single. My father raised fourteen
children, nine sons and five daughters, myself being the
youngest, and the only one who has the solemn charge upon
him to watch over the flock, yet three of my brothers are
deacons in the church.

Secondly, my mother's side. From manuscripts in pos-
session of my cousin and Bro. David Kline, of Stonersville,
34

514 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Berks Co., Pa., I have learned that my great-grandfather,
Elder George Klein, was the first minister of the church at
North Kill, now Little Swatara, the church in which our
last Annual Meeting was held. He was born in Zwei-
Bruicken in Germany, on theQthof October, A. D. 171 5. He
emigrated to America and settled near Amwell, N. J., where
he soon became acquainted with the Brethren, and was bap-
tized to their faith in 1739, by Johann Naas, who was at
that time presiding Elder at that place. He was soon after
chosen an assistant in the ministry. In 1750 he removed to
North Kill, on the Tulpehocken, to take charge of said
Church, where he was ordained in 1757, by Elder Michael
Pfautz, and Martin Urner. Of his family I know not
much, but I do know that our deceased Bro. John Kline's
(of Va.) grandfather was a son of this George Klein, and
my mother's father was also a son of his. His name was
David, and he was also a minister in what is now called
Little Swatara Church. He had a number of children,
nine of whom I was acquainted with. Their names were :
David, Jacob, Abraham, Benjamin, Esther, Christiana,
Catharine, Sally, and Elizabeth, the latter being my mother.
Benjamin was also a minister in the same church as his
grandfather and father were, but moved into Big Swatara
Church, where he died a few years ago. Christiana was
married to Joseph Merky, who was a minister and lived
and died on the farm where the last Annual Meeting was
held (see photograph) and where his daughter now lives.
Sally was married to Lorentz Etter, who was a minister,
and long a faithful servant in the Big Swatara Church.

So I have a little to glory in the flesh. One great-grand-
father, two grandfathers, and at least six uncles, with a
number a little further off, who ministered in holy things,
though I be nothing. But I am well aware that it is written,
"He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord," and again,
"Let no man glory in men, etc."

I hope that many who may read this, not only those who
are akin to those whose names are in this article, but even
others, who were acquainted with some of those names, will
rejoice with me, and my friends, for the blessed hope we

BIOGRAPHICAL.

515

can have for our ancestors, who are gone before us; for we
have more inducements to meet with our friends, than if
they had Hved and died out of Christ, and their prayers, or
some of them at least, were for us, who are now in the
warfare. May we then, by God's grace, be enabled to meet
not only our fathers and friends who have proved faithful,
but all God's children and with them rest from our labors,
and sing the glad song of deliverance in eternal bhss.
Amen.

D. Valentine Balsbaugh.

George Balsbaugh and his brother Peter, and brother-in-
law George Henrich, came from Europe, in 1754 or I755»
and settled in Pennsylvania. George Balsbaugh and George
Henry settled on the same farm, near where the town of
Hershey now is, which farm was, until recently, still in the
Henry name, where Valentine was born February 14, I755-
A few years later, Henry and Balsbaugh had some misun-
derstanding and Balsbaugh went to near where Linglestown
now is, and bought a farm, and made a small payment on
it (it being the farm now owned by Dr. Charles Smith).
But when he came back and told his wife, she said: "I am
not going there. The Indians will kill us." It was the
time when the Tuscarora Indians from the valleys up the
river, had been very troublesome. So he bought another
on Manada Creek, about a mile east of Hanoverdale where
he moved with his family, and where Valentine always lived
and died. George Balsbaugh and his wife were baptized in
1763, and George Henrich and wife in 1766. Valentine was
married to Elizabeth Miller, a daughter of Elder George
Miller, who died in 1798, at which time Valentine was 43
years old.

We now give our conclusions after bringing together all
we have on record, and the reader can take it for what he
thinks it is worth. We conclude that Adam Hamacher died
not long after 1772, the last we know of him; that Bals-
baugh was elected a minister before Elder Miller's death;
and that from that time he was the only minister in the Big
Swatara settlement of members, until 181 1, when George

516 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Beshor moved in from Little Swatara, unless his son-in-law,
Lorenz Etter, was elected prior to that, which is not likely.

We know that Elder Balsbaugh had three sons: — John,
Henry, and Peter, and three daughters, — Elizabeth, a Mrs.
Reichard and Christina. There may have been more.
Peter succeeded his father on the old farm, where he was
born, lived, died and is buried, and where he raised his fam-
ily of five sons, — Valentine, Benjamin, Abraham, Christian
H., the noted writer, and Samuel, and one daughter, Eliza-
beth Zortman. He was a deacon, and so were three of his
sons. His wife was Elizabeth Longenecker, a granddaugh-
ter of the first Elder Christian Longenecker, of White Oak
Church.

Elder Valentine Balsbaugh's father, George, died in 1802,
aged 65, and the mother in 1798, aged 55, and his Uncle
Peter in 1796, aged 58, all buried in Spring Creek cemetery.
In his preaching he was in earnest, entering into the spirit of
his subject with feeling, sometimes with weeping, thereby
arousing his congregation into a feeling of sympathy, caus-
ing many to weep with him. There was a man named Fish-
burn, living about 5 miles away, of about the same age.
When they came to be over 90 years of age, they would
sometimes send greetings to each other. When he was
nearly 97 years old, in 1851, one evening, he said to his son
Peter that he prayed God to take him away suddenly without
making trouble, and he beheves that his prayer will be
answered.

The next day he was repairing his chair, and in the ad-
joining room he was heard to hammer. Then there was a
thud as of some one falling. Hastening in they found him
lying on the floor, conscious, but unable to speak. All he
could do was to nod, or shake his head to anything they said ;
and in thirty minutes he had fallen asleep. Thus ended a
long, useful, and venerable life, and his remains now repose
in the Balsbaugh family graveyard, and his grave is marked
by a stone erected to his memory.

S. R. ZuG.

Graves of Eldkr Jacob Holi.tnger and Wifk (p. 518).

Graves of Elder Wm. Hertzler and Wife (p. 523).

BIOGRAPHICAL, 517

E. LoRENZ Etter.

Lorenz Etter was married to Elizabeth Balsbaugh, a
daughter of Elder Valentine, and lived about a mile due
northwest of his father-in-law. He was born April 2,
1787, and comes from the Etter stock, who were prominent
in the church from its beginning in this country. We find
the name of a "sister Eter" who was baptized prior to
1739. Again George Eder and wife in 1753, and at the
general conference held in Lancaster County, in 1763,
among the committee having that meeting in charge, we
find the name George Etter, no doubt the same, baptized
ten years before, only spelled differently. In 1770 there
was a Jacob Etor living in Big Swatara, who, with his wife,
were members of the church. They lived at the place where
Brother Aaron Grubb now lives, with a larger scope of land
to the farm, near Palmyra. It is known that the farm of
over 200 acres belonged to Samuel Etter, over a hundred
years ago, and after him, to his son Samuel for whom it
was sold by the Sheriff, in 1859, to Geo. Tice. It is not
known when Elder Etter was elected to the ministry.
Neither is it known when he was ordained, but likely some-
time from 1835 to 1840. He was married to his second
wife, who was Sally Klein. A large portion of the Etter
biography is given in connection with the history of the
Big Swatara Church.

Elder Lorenz was a fluent speaker, and his services were
often required on funeral occasions, far and near. He
died in 1853, in his 67th year, and is buried in the Bals-
baugh graveyard.

F. George Beshor.

The biography of the Beshor family (pronounced Base-
hore) is partly given in the history of Big Swatara Church,
but we may here add that the great-grandfather of George,
we are told, came from France, and settled in New York
state, by his French name Jacques Milne la Baseaur. From
there he, and others, came to Pennsylvania, and settled in
the middle Swatara region, in 1724. He had a son Mathias

518 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

who is said to have been an Indian fighter, and fond of
liquor. Mathias had a son Jacob, who and his wife, we
learn, were members of the church in 1770. The record
of Conestoga Church informs us that in 1772, when the
church district was divided, Han Jacob Beshor and George
Kline were in charge of Swatara Church.

We hereto give a copy of the inscription on Elder George
Beshor's grave stone.

"Hier ruhen

" Die gebeine von Georg Beshor Wird gebohren 8ten Horn-
ung im Jahr 1775, and starb den I4ten October 1841, und
brachte sein alter auf 66 Jahr 8 monat und 6 tag.

Jacob Beshor und seine Frau Christina ist eine Tochter
zur welt gebohren.

Anna Maria born Aug 11: 1767
Benjamin

Christina

Elizabeth

Georg

Lydia

Michael

Margretha

Catharine

Nov 16: 1768
July 28: 1770
July 31: 1772
Feb 8: 1775
Mar 14: 1780
Sept 13: 1782
May 3: 1785
May 7: 1787."

The writer has seen one of this list, Michael, when he was
said to be over 90 years old, at Little Swatara. Elder
George Beshor had five sons, viz. : George, John, Abraham,
Daniel and Wendell; and many of the descendants of Elder
Han Jacob Beshor are now active members of the Church
of the Brethren.

G. Jacob Hollinger.

Elder Jacob Flollinger and wife, who was Catharine
Schumacher, were both born, raised, and married in Lan-
caster County. In 1826 they moved to Dauphin County,
west of Campbellstown. Soon afterward he was elected to
the ministry. At that time the ministers of Big Swatara
were Elder Valentine Balsbaugh, Lorenz Etter, and George

BIOGRAPHICAL. 519

Beshor (pronounced Basehore). Brother Hollinger was
put to work right away. The territory was large and the
membership scattered, and the meetings held in houses and
barns. His preaching was always in the German language.

He was a strong man, both physically and mentally. His
motto was : First be sure that you are right, then persevere.
He often visited and preached for the churches in adjoin-
ing counties.

He had two brothers, John and Daniel, and one sister,
married to David Landis, living in southwestern Ohio.
Abraham Minnich, who was also married to one of the
Schumacher daughters, had a brother, and other relatives,
living there; so they decided to pay them a visit. About
1840, or soon thereafter, they made the trip, and all went
fairly well going out, and while visiting, but when they were
getting ready to start home, intending to make the trip on
horse back, Brother Minnich took sick so that he could not
ride horse back. After much planning, and consultation, it
was decided to sell their horses, and take the hack to where
they could get a railroad that would take them east, for rail-
roads did not go to every village then.

Elder Hollinger sold the horses and took the money and
they took the hack in the evening, making some kind of a
berth for Brother Minnich, Elder Hollinger, and one other
man, a stranger, sitting up, and the driver on the outside.
After going some distance, with the road on both sides
skirted by timber, and the night very dark, the stranger took
something out of his baggage, that seemed like a large
knife, and with it reached out through a little ventilator hole,
and rattled, as if giving a signal, whereupon the driver
whipped up his team and drove like Jehu. Then turning
to Hollinger, he said : " Take your leg over that way." He
answered, " My leg is not in your way." Again in a harsh
voice he repeated : " Take your leg that way." Upon this
he thought the crisis had come, and jumped up, and ran
against the door in the rear, forced it, and rolled out. By
the time the vehicle had stopped, and returned, he had
scrambled up, and turned into the woods. They called him,
but he did not like their company, and did not answer.

520 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

He continued to walk, until he came to a hollow, which was
filled with water ; he pulled off his boots, and waded through
some places knee deep, and so he met several ponds, until he
reached an opening. Then he considered what to do next ;
and while he was thinking, all at once he saw a light some
distance away. He started for it. When he came there
it was two o'clock, and the people were getting ready to go
to the Dayton market. They took him along, and there he
found Minnich, safe, and the stranger of the 'bus, who
approached him, and said, "Why did you run away last
night." He answered him : " I think you know, and if this
is the way you treat people when they come here, we would
better prepare to meet such emergencies," and went across
the street to a hardware store, as if to buy some weapon of
defence. They took the same hack, minus the stranger,
and reached home safe and well, and both lived to a ripe
old age, all through life believing they had been among
robbers, and that God had protected them.

He was a ready speaker, and in his preaching was em-
phatic, so that people could always know where he stood on
any subject. The writer heard him say in his preaching
that he never voted at a political election; that in fifty years
he has not taken more medicine than he could bear in his
eyes; and that he has never taken a penny for his services
as a minister. Elder Hollinger was the grandfather of
Elder Jacob H. Longenecker, of Palmyra, who has charge
of Spring Creek Church, and also great-grandfather of
Elder H. B. Hollinger, of near Annville, Lebanon Co., Pa.

Much of the biographies of the Etters and Hollingers is
given in connection with the history of Big Swatara Church,

S. R. ZuG.

H. John Zug.

John Zug was born in 1797 in Rapho Township, Lancas-
ter County, Pa. He was the eldest son of Elder Abraham
and Susanna Royer Zug and worked for his father in the
tannery, and later on the farm until he was over lawful
age.

He was married to Eva Margaret Lehn, and they had

BIOGRAPHICAL. 521

eight children, — five sons and three daughters. Abraham,
the oldest son, died many years ago — before his father —
aged 44, leaving one son and two daughters, one of them
the wife of our dear brother. Elder John Herr, of Myers-
town. The second son Israel moved to Illinois, where he
united with the church, but later left and united with a
people called Soul Sleepers, and died at Franklin Grove, 111.
The third son, Nathan, went west, on a visit, single, and
took sick and died 1854, aged 22 years. His fourth son,
John, lived between Lebanon and Myerstown, where now
his son Ephraim lives, on the Pike, whose brother Benja-
min, now a minister, lives near Myerstown, and a daughter
Lizzie lives where their father lived before he bought the
pike farm. The fifth son, Reuben, lived on his father's
farm near Reistville. He had five children, — one daugh-
ter, Lizzie, and a son, Morris, died single; another, Mary,
was married to J. H. Gingrich, and dying, left several chil-
dren. His son Lane has his father's farm, and Aaron lives
in Richland. One daughter Mary died single, aged 24
years. Rebecca was married to Henry Bollinger, and died,
aged 25, leaving two sons, Cyrus and Nathan, and Catharine
married to David Yingst, died aged 29, leaving one daugh-
ter, Margaret, married to Samuel Royer.

Elder John Zug and his wife were baptized in 1826, and
he was elected a minister in the fall of 1841, shortly after
his father's death, and the same day Daniel Royer and
Jacob Oberholzer as deacons. This election was held with
the object in view of forming a new organization out of
parts of Conestoga, White Oak and Little Swatara terri-
tory. Then in 1842, the following Elders, viz. : Jacob
Pfautz, Daniel Bollinger, William Price, John Price, and
David Schallenberger, met with the members of the pro-
posed new district, and organized them into a " separate con-
gregation under the name Tulpehocken, and that they shall
now keep house, with the counsel and assistance of the
Conestoga Brethren." Two years after the organization
of the new church they had a large ingathering of souls,
mostly young people. The writer heard Elder Zug himself
say, they had meeting every Sunday somewhere, and it was

522 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

never safe for him to go to a meeting without a change of
clothes, for they had appHcants for baptism at nearly every
meeting, and sometimes quite a number.

Thus seeing the need of more workers, they had an
election in 1847, and elected Daniel Royer and William
Hertzler as ministers. Brother Hertzler moving away in
185 1, Isaac Brubacher was called to the ministry, but he
dying not long afterward, Christian Bucher was elected in
1861, and George Bucher in 1865. Thus the work was
kept up in earnest as long as Elder Zug lived.

He was a very alert housekeeper, and left the church
in good condition to his successor, Elder Christian Bucher,
both spiritually and numerically, so that the church has
since been divided, and Midway formed, and organized, of
a part of it, and Elder John Herr, whose wife is a grand-
daughter of Elder Zug, is now in charge of both, and the
membership of both together now numbers about 660.

On July 19, 1873, Elder John Zug fell asleep, at the age
of 78 years, 2 months, 5 days, and his remains repose by the
side of his wife, who preceded him a few years, in the Heid-
elberg Cemetery, there awaiting the sound of the last call on
the resurrection morn, to receive the reward of their labor
in life.

In disposition Elder John Zug, and his father. Elder
Abraham Zug, were vastly different. The father was cau-
tious of his words, both in public and private, weighing
them well, before uttering, and in dealing with erring mem-
bers, though they manifested an obstinate disposition, he
had forbearance, so that on one occasion, when he was cen-
sured for being too easy, he quoted part of 2 Cor. 5, 11 :
" derweil wir denn wissen dasz der Herr zu f iirchten ist, so
fahren wir schon mit den leiten." He was reserved, with
little visible difference whether in joy or sorrow, while the
son, under similar circumstances, manifested the extremes,
ready to speak, both in public and private; it did not take
him long to show on which side of any question he was.
In dealing with erring members, when penitent, he was as
ready to forgive as any one, but if they were obstinate and
rebellious, he soon lost sympathy. They were both honest

BIOGRAPHICAL. 523

and sincere, but being so differently constituted, they used
different methods to accompHsh the best results to the honor
and glory of God.

S. R. ZuG.

/. Philip Zeigler.

The Ziegler family is one of the Brethren families. The
original Ziegler, Philip by name, was a member of the
Little Swatara congregation in 1770. He was born in 1734
in Bern, Switzerland. He came to America in 1746, and
before 1758 settled on the farm, on which the present Zieg-
ler meeting house is built. A large part of his descendants
have belonged to the Church of the Brethren; not a few
have been ministers, some have attained to eminence.

His son Philip, born January 25, 1764, was for a time
Elder of the Little Swatara congregation. Philip, Jr., mar-
ried Elizabeth Smith. They lived on the old homestead.
They had seven children. He lies buried in the private cem-
etery of the Zieglers on the Ziegler farm, but his grave is
unmarked. His son Jacob was the grandfather of Elder
Jesse Ziegler. His son Philip moved to Lancaster County
and became the first elder of the Chiques congregation.

John Ziegler, a grandson of the original Philip, married
Elizabeth Kline, moved to Rockingham County, Virginia,
and became the ancestor of the Rockingham County Zieglers
prominent among whom is Elder D. H. Zigler, of Broad-
way, Va., author of the " History of the Brethren in Vir-
ginia."

J. G. Francis.

/. William Hertzler.

Elder William Hertzler was born near Myerstown, Leb-
anon County, Pa., December 30, 1827. He was second of
a family of sixteen children, seven sons and nine daughters,
born to Jonathan and Elizabeth Royer Hertzler. His par-
ents were Germans of that substantial type that imparted
good ideals to each of their children.

William enjoyed a common school education, worked on

524 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

his father's farm till twenty-one, and then started out for
himself. In 1848 he married Mary Ann Hoffer, and by this
union three sons and two daughters were reared, Elder S.
H. Hertzler, of Elizabethtown, Pa., being the third child of
the family. In 185 1 William moved upon a farm in Big
Swatara congregation, about three miles from Elizabeth-
town, where he resided till his children were grown. In
1894, he moved to Elizabethtown, where he lived a re-
tired life until its close.

When sixteen years old he united with the church. In
1847, when but nineteen years old, he and Daniel Royer
were elected to the ministry, in the Tulpehocken Church,
on the same day. In 1868 he was ordained, first to assist
Elder Jacob Hollinger in the care of the Spring Creek con-
gregation, and later he was given the full oversight, and
retained it till 1895.

In 1865, he, with some others, started a Sunday School
in the Conewago house. He served a number of years as
superintendent, and was a strong advocate of such effort
long before the Conference recognized Sunday Schools. He
served for a number of years on the District Mission Board
of Eastern Pennsylvania, frequently was appointed Moder-
ator of District meeting, and served several times on Stand-
ing Committee of the General Conference. His judgment
and manner of church work were so good that he was often
called to visit churches in the District. He was a peace-
maker, an earnest worker, and very considerate of the feel-
ings of others.

He was a man of convictions, and was willing to maintain
them, not in an overbearing, but modest, quiet way. It
took good, sound reasoning to move him from his opinion,
but when convinced of an error he would yield like a man,
and not try to defend his error against better knowledge. If
he noticed trickery or deception in any one concerning
church work, he was not slow to reveal it, and in that
way encountered the enmity of some who should have stood
by him. When called to the ministry he was young and his
mind active, so what he lacked in school, he made up in
reading. He used his spare moments to read his Bible, and

BIOGRAPHICAL.

625

commit select portions to memory, rehearsing them while at
work on the farm, until he had fixed them in his mind. It
was his understanding with his fellow laborers, when any
minister misquoted or misapplied a scripture, that the one
noticing it should go to him in love and call his attention
to his mistake.

His closing years were full of pain and suffering caused
by cancer, which at last caused his death, February lo, 1896,
in his 69th year. He is buried in Spring Creek Cemetery,
where his wife was since laid by his side.

S. R. ZuG.

K. John Hertzler.

Elder John Hertzler, brother of Elder William Hertzler,
and son of Jonathan and Elizabeth Hertzler, was born Sep-
tember 10, 1826, in Jackson Township, about one mile east
of Myerstown, along the Berks and Dauphin turnpike.

He was the oldest of a family of sixteen. He was mar-
ried to Catharine Myer, sister of Elder Jacob Myer. They
had no children. He was elected to the ministry in the
Little Swatara Church in the year 1858, and ordained to
the eldership April 24, 1875.

He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence. Al-
though he had no high school education, yet he was well
read, and knew his Bible well. In delivering a sermon, there
was quite a contrast between the two brothers, John and
William. The latter was considered as one of the most
prominent and able ministers in the District, powerfully ap-
pealing to his audience with tears in his eyes, touching many
a sympathetic heart. Yet some said they would rather hear
John preach, who did not have that sympathetic strain, but
rather used sound logic, enlightening the mind and judg-
ment. Very little wee chaff in his sermons. Every word
counted, and when he got fired up, he made the chips fly,
irrespective of where they landed. His one weakness was,
he was too reserved or backward. It was thought that
sometimes he managed to get to meeting late, so as to avoid
leading off in the services. He was a good housekeeper.
Along with Little Swatara Church he also had in charge

526 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Schuylkill Church. He died August 27, 1901, not far from
Millersburg, Berks Co., and his remains were laid at rest
in Frystown Cemetery.

John Herr.

L. Jacob W. Meyer, Sr.

Elder Jacob W. Meyer was the son of Samuel O. Meyer.
He was born January 29, 1832, on the old Myer homestead,
which has been in the Myer family since 1732. The present
owner is the ninth generation. He was married October
28, 1853, to Sarah Wenger, daughter of Elder Jacob Wen-
ger, who for some time was an Elder of this congregation.
He was elected to the ministry April 24, 1875, advanced to
2d degree June 7, 1876, ordained to the full ministry, May
I, 1901.

He was unassuming in his manners, was much beloved
by his flock, and enjoyed the high esteem and entire con-
fidence of his neighbors and friends. He preached the
old time Gospel, in an old-time way, and the audience never
got tired of listening to him. It was not stuck up so high
that the sheep could not reach it. The congregation could
not help but feel that it was not him, but the Lord by his
Holy Spirit that brought the message.

He had six children, one of whom died in infancy. All
of the five were members of the church. Two of the sons
— Samuel and Jacob — were elected to the ministry. Samuel
was born May 21, 1857, on the old homestead. After leav-
ing public school, spent several sessions at Millersville, and
taught school seven terms. Elected to the ministry in
March 1883. Married to Anna Gibble, October, 1877.
Died April 19, 1884.

Thus ended the short career of this useful, talented
young minister. " What I now do, thou knowest not, but
shalt know hereafter."

Elder Jacob W. Myer died May i, 1906, and was peace-
fully laid to rest in the family graveyard, on the old home-
stead.

"Though dead yet he speaketh."

John Herr.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

M. Abraham Pfautz.

527

Abraham Pfautz, son of Jacob, son of Michael, who was
the brother of Conrad, the sons of John Michael Pfautz, the
first, who was born and raised in Switzerland, Europe; but
a persecution drove him and others to the Palatinate. From
thence he emigrated to America, and landed at Philadelphia.
Here he settled, lived, died, and was buried at Germantown,
near Philadelphia, Pa. His birthday, time of death, and
age could not be ascertained.

Abraham Pfautz was born June 17, 1826, in Lancaster
County. He was the second youngest of a family of 13.
He was married to Elizabeth, a daughter of Henry Royer,
of Reistville, Lebanon Co. They only had one child — a son,
Jacob by name, who also is in the ministry, and an Elder
in the church. They moved from one mile south of Myers-
town, to Little Swatara Church about 1853. Abraham
Pfautz was elected to the ministry in i860, and ordained a
few years before his death.

He was widely known in the District. Occasionally he
officiated at series of meetings in various churches. The
writer remembers having accompanied him on a preaching
tour about 40 years ago, in York County. At that time it
was the custom for two ministers to travel together, and
have services morning and evening during the week.

Only one or two meetings at one house, and then proceed
to the next, until the whole territory was covered. Pro-
tracted meetings were then unknown. One morning being
Bro. Pfautz's time to preach, and not having much inspira-
tion, after speaking about 15 minutes, said: "You cannot
make good flour, unless you have sufficient power," and sat
down. After services a Brother came forward and said:
"Bro. Abe, I am a miller by trade, and if I do not have
sufficient water power, to make flour, I go to work and
make chicken feed. That also is of use."

The hint was well taken. Bro. Pfautz fell asleep Febru-
ary 2, 1906. His remains rest in Frystown Cemetery.

John Herr.

528 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

A^. Christian Bucher.

Christian Bucher was born November 4, 1833, on the old
Bucher homestead in South Lebanon Township. He is the
son of Jacob and Veronica (Brubaker) Bucher. His great-
grandfather was Dr. Benedict Bucher, who was born in
Switzerland in 1717. He settled on the present site of Den-
ver Station, Lancaster County, in 1759, and died in 1787.
His grandfather was also Dr. Benedict Bucher, who was
father of eleven children, and died in May, 1830. Jacob
Bucher, the father of Elder Christian Bucher, was born in
1807. Married Veronica Brubaker in 1830, and died in
1 87 1. They had eight children: Lydia, Christian, Anna,
Jacob, Susanna, Veronica, George, and Elizabeth,

C. Bucher, as he modestly prefers to write his name, was
reared on the farm, and was educated in the public schools.
He taught school from 1853 to 1861, and won the distinc-
tion of being one of the six best teachers in the county. He
was afterward always concerned in getting the best of
teachers for the school to which he sent his children.

In 1 85 1 he married Eliza Dohner, daughter of John and
Katharine (Smith) Dohner, of South Lebanon Township.
They have had seven children, all living : Mohler and Alice,
twins, the former a deacon, and farmer, the latter married
to Jonas Brubaker; Allen, a minister of the Brethren, and
a farmer; Esther, wife of Isaac Heagy, Clara, wife of Sam-
uel Lentz, Ada and Amy, twins, the former wife of Mon-
roe Keller, and the latter unmarried. All his children are
members of the Church of the Brethren.

He bought the ninety-acre farm of John Funk, deceased,
of Heidelberg Township, and worked it a number of years.
He also did surveying and conveyancing. After some years
he moved to Schaefferstown, where in partnership with
Allen Mentzer he engaged in mercantile pursuits. After a
time he returned to his farm. He was also appointed to
superintend some iron-mining operations in the vicinity. In
1887, he left his farm in the hands of his son Mohler, and
retired across the road, on a place of a few acres. Here he
lived till, with his wife and unmarried daughter, he took up
his home with his son-in-law, Samuel Lentz, near Midway.

BIOGRAPHICAL. 529

Here his wife died and is buried in the Cornwall cemetery.
Bro. Bucher was elected to the office of deacon June 5, i860,
at the lovefeast held at Elder John Zug's, having been bap-
tized August 6, 1854. He was elected to the ministry June
10, 1 86 1, at the lovefeast held on the farm of Samuel Kurtz.
He was advanced September 21, 1865 ; and was ordained to
the eldership in the Heidelberg House April 3, 1875. He
had the oversight of the church, however, two years before
his ordination.

As a preacher Bro. Bucher was much in demand. He
brought things new and old out of the treasury of God's
word. To listen to him was to learn something. He was
liked none the less for hewing close to the line. When
called to the ministry, he was impressed with the respon-
sibility of being a watchman, and ever strove to warn of
danger. His blunt way of putting things made him enemies.
He was ever anxious to keep his hands from being tied. He
was used very much at funerals, not only at home, but also
in adjoining churches. He preached 728 funeral sermons
that he had jotted down; some were sure to have escaped
unrecorded.

He became known at home as a very efficient housekeeper.
He was also much used away from home to adjust difficul-
ties. He served on the following committees to churches :
To Philadelphia in 1875; to carry out Art. 16 in 1879; to
Ephrata in 1880; to Sandbrook, N. J., in 1880; to Amwell,
N. J., in 1881 ; to Berhn Church, Pa., in 1881 ; to Amwell,
N. J., in 1883. A number of times he was elected by Dis-
trict Meeting on the Standing Committee.

He figured largely at our District Meetings, and also to
some extent at our Annual Meetings. One of his hardest
lessons to learn was, that when decisions were made con-
trary to his way of thinking, to submit to them. This weak-
ness could be less overcome, in his declining years, and he
lost courage, became dissatisfied with many of his co-Elders
in the District, and became inactive in church work.

John Herr.

PART IX.
MISSIONARY GROUP.

CHAPTER I.

PEACH BLOSSOM CHURCH.

In September, 1875, Brother S. C. Rittenhouse and family
moved to Talbot County, Maryland, from Ohio. Also his
father. Elder Joseph Rittenhouse and his wife came with
them. Early in the spring of 1876, Elder Rittenhouse be-
gan to preach in a schoolhouse near Easton, Maryland, serv-
ices being held every two weeks. A Sunday School was
opened and held every Sunday with good attendance. One
was baptized that summer. On account of his wife's health
Brother Joseph and his wife returned to Ohio that fall.
Shortly ^fter that time Brother N. C. Rittenhouse and
family, a brother to S. C, also moved from Ohio.

In March, 1877, Joseph D. Wingard, a deacon, and family
moved in from Ohio. These members who had come in up
to this time, six in number, presented their letters of mem-
bership to Pipe Creek Church, Maryland, the ministers of
which church preached for them at intervals until 1880.
During that time a union meeting house was built at the
river called the Peach Blossom.^

Elder William Hertzler and J. T. Myers, of Pennsyl-
vania, came and preached in the new house, October 16,
1 88 1. They at this time organized the Peach Blossom
Church. Brother J. D. Wingard was elected to the ministry,
and S. C. Rittenhouse was elected deacon. During these
meetings ten were baptized. The Peach Blossom house was
built by four denominations: Methodist, Reformed, Lu-

^It is said the first peach tree in Maryland was planted near this
stream; hence the name.

530

PEACH BLOSSOM CHURCH. 531

theran, Swedenborg and the Brethren. Each denomination
was to have services every fourth Sunday. But as the
others did not have services regularly the Brethren soon had
preaching every two weeks.

February, 1882, Caleb Secrist and family — a minister in
the second degree — moved here from Kansas.

October 13, 1883, Brother Francis Schwaninger, one of
the ten baptized at the organization, was elected to the
office of deacon.

In 1885, Joseph Longanecker and family came here from
Western Shore of Maryland.

In 1887, Brother Daniel Geib and family moved here
from Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.

Also in same year, Brother H. E. Sanger and family, a
deacon, came from West Virginia.

In 1888, a dividing line was fixed between this and the
Ridgely congregation by a joint committee representing both
congregations and locating the same as follows : Beginning
at Federalsburg, Dorchester County, running direct to the
mouth of Tuckahoe Creek ; thence up the creek to Hillsboro
bridge ; thence by the public road to Centreville, Queen Anne
County.

In fall of 1891, Brother James A. Hutchison, a minister
in second degree, and family moved in from West Virginia.

The Fairview Meeting House, near Cordova, was built in
1893 and dedicated December 24, of same year. Seating
capacity 300 or more. Estimated cost $2,000.

August 30, 1894, Brother Aaron Royer was elected
deacon.

In 1896, Brother Allen A. Oberlin, a minister in second
degree, and family moved here from Indiana. A Sunday-
School was organized at Fairview House, March 18, 1897,
with Brother Oberlin as superintendent. August, 1897, J-
Roy Rittenhouse was elected deacon.

In 1898, Elder Isaac Barto moved here from Pennsyl-
vania, and shortly afterward took charge of the church.
About this time the church passed from under the District
Mission Board, under whose care it had been up until this
time. April 11, 1901, Elder Barto resigned, and Elder

532 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

J. Y. King of the Ridgely Church took charge, which posi-
tion be held until his death in November, 1906. Follow-
ing Elder King's death the oversight of the church passed
to our present Elder in charge in 1907, Elder S. K. Fike,
who with his family moved here from Garrett County,
Maryland, in April, 1906.

In 1897, with aid from the Mission Board, a house of
worship was built for the colored people, a number of whom
had united with the church.

September 19, 1902, a building was purchased, in Easton,
which after remodelling was dedicated as a house of wor-
ship on September 13, 1903. Seating capacity about 225.
Finished cost for house and lot about $2,000.

November i, 1902, Wm. E. Sanger was elected a deacon.
One of our deacons, Brother A. H. Royer, moved to Penn-
sylvania. May 21, 1904, Brethren F. H. Rittenhouse and
M. J. Hutchison were elected deacons. April 2, 1908, W.
F. Snively, a deacon, and family moved in from Ohio. On
September 3, 1908, Wm. E. Sanger was elected to the
ministry and advanced to second degree September i, 1910.
On September 5, 1912, Brother O. S. Miller was elected a
deacon. November 23, 1912, during a series of meetings
nine were baptized, all Sunday-school scholars.

On December 31, 1912, the membership numbered 85:
I Elder, 3 ministers in second degree and 7 deacons.

In closing we feel inclined to make special mention of our
indebtedness to the Mission Board of Eastern Pennsylvania
for their interest and care and financial assistance in build-
ing church houses, during the earlier years of our history.
And we acknowledge the care and grace of our Father
above, and feel that a more earnest purpose and a stronger
missionary spirit obtain at this time with our little band
than ever before.

Caleb Secrist, Wm. E. Sanger.

CHAPTER II.
RIDGELY CHURCH.i

The official record of the organization of the Ridgely
Church is as follows: "Ridgely, Caroline County, Mary-
land, August 2, 1884. The Ridgely Church, Caroline
County, Maryland, was this day organized, (with the un-
derstanding that they, with the Peach Blossom Church, de-
cide what the line shall be between them, before long), with
Conrad Imler as their minister, being in the second degree,
and Geo. Brumbaugh and Jos. D. Snowberger as deacons.

The private members now living here are: Elizabeth
Brumbaugh, Peter Bechtel, David S. Stayer, Trusanna
Stayer, Mat. McDaniel, Sister McDaniel, Sarah Catharine
Imler, Susan Imler, Annie Bechtel, Alex. Dasher, Hannah
Smith, Hannah Snowberger, Levi R. Brumbaugh, D. B.
Stayer, Barbara Stayer, C. O. Biddle, Babara Biddle, Annie
Ober, Agnes Blackburn."

(See Part X, Chapter IV.) ''Missionary History/'—^
for history Eastern Shore of Maryland Mission.

This organization was effected at the Boonsboro School-
house near Ridgely, with the following Elders present:
Solomon Stoner and Geo. Hoover in behalf of the District
of Eastern Maryland; William Hertzler and S. R. Zug in
in behalf of the District of Eastern Pennsylvania. The
Elders organized by electing Elder Stoner, Moderator of the
meeting, and Elder Zug, Clerk. The Elders decided that
the members composing this new congregation should decide
by vote, their preference as to which state district they would
belong. The vote was as follows: 15 for Eastern Penn-
sylvania, 3 nays, i neutral.

At the first council held October 24, 1884, Brother
Matthew McDaniel was appointed clerk, and Brother Jos.

1 1 am indebted to Elder T. F. Imler for much information con-
tained in this sketch.

533

534 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Snowberger treasurer, and decided that the love- feast and
communion service shall be held at the home of C. H. Imler,
and adopted the single mode of feet v^ashing. The two
deacons were appointed a committee to look up a location
for a church building and cemetery, and on January 31,
1885, submitted two locations, but neither was accepted by
the congregation. Some time later, ground was secured
near the schoolhouse, where the organization was effected,
and afterwards a frame church building was erected thereon,
40 X 40 feet, and a 14 foot ceiling.

On July 2^], 1889, a- second house was ordered built, size
■>i(i by 40 feet, the former to be known as the Boonsboro, and
the latter as the Bethel house.

Officials Received by Letter. — The work of the Brethren
on the Eastern Shore is largely the result of emigration in
the earlier years, and the first members there had all emi-
grated. On April 2t„ 1885, the certificate of Elder J. Y.
King and wife was received, and Brother King became the
assistant to Elder William Hertzler, who had charge since
the organization. Other officials were received as follows :
December 29, 1896, Elder Geo. S. Rairigh; March 20, 1897,
William Shimer, deacon; March 29, 1899, Benjamin Stewart,
deacon; September 2y, 1899, D. R. Heddings, deacon;
March 28, 1900, Brother Levi Spicher, deacon; March 29,
1905, J. H. Beer, Elder, and Milan H. Spiker, minister in
•second degree; September 27, 1905, E. F. Clark, a minister
in the second degree, and O. P. Pherson, deacon; March
28, 1906, Edward Steel and George Steel, deacons; August,
1907, Elder T. F. Imler; May 12, 1908, J. W. Arnold,
deacon; July 14, 1909. Solomon Longenecker, deacon; Sep-
tember 20, 1909, A. R. Kitchen, a minister in the second
degree.

Elections. — November i, 1890, L. R. Brumbaugh was
elected to the ministry, and D. B. Stayer and D. K. Grouse,
deacons. August 26, 1897, L. R. Brumbaugh was ad-
vanced. July 4, 1902, John P. Holsinger and Aaron C.
Reber were elected deacons. "March 30, 1904, Milton F.
King and Harry R. Holsinger were elected deacons. Janu-
ary 16, 191 1, Levi K. Ziegler was elected to the ministry.

5
w

RIDGELY CHURCH.

535

On October 22, 1909, the Ridgely Church was divided by
an Elder from an adjoining state district. The irregular-
ities of this move were called to the attention of District
Meeting, and after careful consideration a committee of
three Elders was appointed to go to Maryland, and investi-
gate the case. The Committee met the members of the
former Ridgely Church in joint session, May 3, 1910.
After a long and careful investigation the committee pro-
nounced the work illegal, because of the irregularities, but
recognizing the fact that conditions seem to make a division
desirable, proceeded in a regular way to divide the Church,
the one part retaining the name Ridgely, and the other
being called Denton. Each part accepted the decision of the
committee. The Ridgely Church had about 150 members
before the division, and the line of division was so fixed as
to divide the membership about equally.

The new Ridgely Church is fully organized and active in
all the church auxiliaries, Sunday School, prayermeeting,
Christian Workers, missionary and temperance committees,
and efficient work is done. The following have been Elders
in charge of Ridgely : William Hertzler, J. Y. King, Geo. S.
Rairigh, S. K. Fike, T. F. Imler, the latter being the present
Elder.

On November 11-12, 1914, the Annual Ministerial Sun-
day School, and Missionary Meeting was held in the Ridgely
Church.

Note. — The Denton Church without being released by the
Eastern District of Penna., made application to be received
into the Eastern District of Maryland and was received by
that district. See Minutes of District Meeting, 1913.

CHAPTER III.

BROOKLYN CHURCH.

Mission Work in Greater New York City. — The begin-
ning of mission work by the Church of the Brethren in
Greater New York City dates back to the year of 1892.
Several of Brother Hope's converts of Malmo, Sweden,
came to America and making this city their home appealed to
the General Mission Board for services. Pastor T. T.
Myers, of Philadelphia, Pa., was empowered by the Board
to come here and conduct the first services. He baptized
several young people and as the outlook for a Mission
seemed hopeful, the General Board took steps to open a Mis-
sion by appointing Brother J. Kurtz Miller and wife to
pioneer the work.

It is worthy of mention that Sister Alice Boone rendered
valuable assistance in work amongst the children for a year
or so. The first Sunday School was opened April 2, 1897.
Also Bro. J. Edson Ulery and wife who succeeded Sister
Boone gave much valuable services to the Mission work in
its early struggle. The Mission Church was organized Octo-
ber 4, 1899, consisting of five brethren and five sisters.
This organization was effected by the General Mission
Board. On account of failing health, Brother Ulery with-
drew from the work in the fall of 1901 and Bro. J. Kurtz
Miller then took full charge of the Mission, November 24,
1901.

At the Harrisburg (Pa.) Conference (1902) Bro. Miller
made a strong plea before the Mission Board to take definite
steps toward building a Mission Home and Church. The
Board granted him the privilege to solicit funds to this end.
By January 10, 1905, he had sufficient funds to buy a plot of
ground 66 X 100, for which he paid $4,300, spot cash. At
the Springfield (111.) Conference (1906) he presented plans
for the proposed Mission buildings which were adopted by

536

X
u

o
o

BROOKLYN CHURCH. 537

the Mission Board. Brother Miller threw all the "Caleb
blood " that he possessed into the good cause, and after hav-
ing many, "never-to-be-forgotten-experiences," he broke
ground for the Mission buildings on April 29, 1908. Seven
months later the buildings were dedicated, on November 29,
1908. It is worthy of note that this was our Bi-Centennial
year, and was a worthy event in a great year for us as a
Brotherhood. The General Mission Board was represented
at the dedication in the person of Charles D. Bonsack who
with a number of ministers from adjoining congregations
took part in the dedicatory services. The Mission Church
property was dedicated free of debt and Bro. Miller had
$400 (left over after all obligations were met) which he
turned over to the General Mission Board for World Wide
Mission work.

At the day of the dedication the Mission Church num-
bered thirty members but doubled its membership by a year
later. At this writing (1913) the membership is 115, with
a growing Sunday School numbering (in all departments)
about 275. The Italian Sunday School numbers about 150
in addition to the English school. The Italian Mission is
one of the activities of the Brooklyn Church.

Ministers elected so far in the Brooklyn Church were :
D. C. Reber (1902), M. B. Miller (1904), J. H. Hollinger
(1906), John G. Caruso (1907), A. M. Dixon (1909),
A. P. Geib (1910). Ministers advanced to the second de-
gree: J. E. Ulery (1899), M. B. IMiller and D. W. Kurtz
(1906), G. C. Myers (1910), A. P. Geib (1911).

Ministers ordained: J. Kurtz Miller (1903) by Elders S.
R. Zug and F. P. Cassel. M. B. Miller was ordained ( 1912)
by Elders J. Kurtz Miller and P. B. Fitzwater. The ordi-
nation of A. P. Geib is proposed and ratified by the Elders
of the southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New
York Conference.

Paul Robert Miller.

The foregoing account of the Brooklyn Church may be
supplemented with additional data gleaned from various
sources.

The first systematic work done by the General Mission

638 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Board to open a mission in Brooklyn was the appointment
of Sister Alice J. Boone on February 8, 1897. She was
assisted by T. T. Myers in organizing the above-mentioned
Sunday School, which consisted of twelve scholars at the
beginning. During the same summer, the General Mission
Board sent Bro. Christian Hope to Brooklyn to help estab-
lish a mission. He remained only two months, baptized
one, and held the first communion with seven members. In
August, 1897, the Board recalled Bro. Hope to the west,
asked Sister Boone to visit the churches to raise a fund for
more aggressive work and closed the work till the next
spring. Then Bro. J. Kurtz Miller was appointed to the
work but he declined to accept on account of wishing to
complete his preparation for city mission work.

Sister Boone withdrew from the work in the spring of
1899, and in June of that year J. Edson Ulery and wife
assumed charge. In October following, Elders S. F. San-
ger and A. B. Barnhart representing the Board, organized
the congregation known as " The First Church of the Breth-
ren" in Brooklyn. Elder George S. Rairigh of Maryland
was chosen, bishop and he had the oversight of this church,
until the ordination of J. Kurtz Miller in 1903. The other
officials were : J. Edson Ulery who was now advanced to the
second degree of the ministry; and Ephraim Strayer, deacon.
The names of the charter members are: J. Edson Ulery,
Sylvia Ulery, Ephraim Strayer, Hannah Strayer, Lewis B.
Flohr, Anna E. Flohr, Mrs. Goff, Agnes Texiere, Anna
Gran, Martin Texiere, Jacob Texiere.

In September, 1900, Lewis B. Flohr was elected to the
office of deacon at the time Bro. Adam Eby and wife, and
Eliza Miller first sailed for India. In February, 1900,
Sister Elizabeth Grater came to assist Bro. and Sister Ulery
in the Mission, In September, 1901, Bro. and Sister Ulery
left Brooklyn Church to enter other fields of church activ-
ity. Bro. J. K. Miller was then invited to become the pastor
again and accepted, preaching his first sermon, November
29, 1901. Beginning with 1901, D. C, Reber was elected
treasurer of the church and assisted in the Sunday School
and other forms of church work until June, 1902. In the

BROOKLYN CHURCH. 539

early struggles of the work in Brooklyn, two attempts were
made to have the Eastern District of Pennsylvania take su-
pervision of the newly organized congregation, viz. : in Feb.
1900, and in Sept., 1903, but they were unsuccessful.

Sister Grater withdrew from the mission work in the
summer of 1902 and was succeeded by Sister Elizabeth
Howe. Sister Howe did several years' earnest and effective
work here. Other assistants to Bro. Miller in the work
were: Sister J. Kurtz Miller, Sister L. Margaret Haas,
Amos P. Geib, and Densie Hollinger.

John Caruso, an Italian, united with the church in 1900
and immediately dedicated his heart to the service of the
Lord. His zeal and effort, seconded by the Board, resulted
in opening a mission at 207 21st Street, Brooklyn. Sunday
School was carried on here and up to this time about 30
Italians have been received into the church by baptism in-
cluding a number of Bro. Caruso's relatives. Bro. Caruso
sacrificed time and money for the success of the Italian Mis-
sion, and was called to the ministry in 1907. He is still
loyal and active in the work.

The mission under Sister Boone was opened in South
Brooklyn on 52d St between 2d and 3d Avenues. During
her stay, it was moved to the corner of 3d Ave. and 60th
St. While Bro. Ulery had charge, it was changed to the
corner of 3d Ave. and 59th St. As above stated, to Elder
J. Kurtz Miller the Brooklyn Church and the Brotherhood
at large is in a great measure indebted for his efforts in
devising ways and means for the erection of the present
commodious church and parsonage located at 354 60th St.

The committee on plans which also served as building
committee consisted of Chas. D. Bonsack, J. Kurtz Miller
and M. B. Miller. The total cost of ground, church and
parsonage was $29,300. This has been truly a church home
not only for the members residing in the city but also for
members coming into the city on short visits or for study in
New York City. It has been a resting and waiting place
for outgoing and returning missionaries while in New York.
In 191 1, the new state district known as Southeastern Penn-
sylvania, New Jersey and New York, was formed and the

540 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Brooklyn Church with its large field was transferred to the
care of the mission board of this district, May 31, 1912.
The present officials are: Elder J. Kurtz Miller, Elder-in-
charge; Elder A. P. Geib, minister; deacons, Ephraim
Strayer, Benjamin Biershing, J. C. Maugans, Martin Tex-
iere, and Horace Gould.

Besides the preaching services and two Sunday Schools,
the Brooklyn Church has a Sewing Circle, Prayer Meeting,
Christian Workers' Meeting, and a Missionary Committee.
On January 25, 1914, Elder J. G. Royer, of Mount Morris,
111., began a series of evangelistic services in this congrega-
tion, A. P. Geib was ordained to the eldership in 1914-

D. C. Reber.

PART X.

MISCELLANEOUS.

CHAPTER I.

ANNUAL MEETINGS.
A. Those Held in Eastern Pennsylvania.

There were eighteen yearly meetings, or more properly,
general conferences, held in Eastern Pennsylvania, since the
Brethren were first organized into churches in America that
we know of. If the conference of 1742, held presumably
in the Coventry Church, was " The beginning of Annual
Meeting," as is stated in Brumbach's " History," page 490,
we must infer that there were such conferences every year.
Might it not have been the custom for some time after that
date that, when a church had a case, or a trouble that, after
repeated efforts, they could not adjust, and threatened to
disrupt the church, and scatter the members, for some of
the elders who were aware of the case, to call for a general
conference to meet in the church where the trouble was ? If
it was from the beginning held every year, then it was east
of the Susquehanna River, often, of which we have no
record.

After twenty-one years from the first such conference,
namely on May 27 and 28, 1763, there was such a confer-
ence held in the Conestoga Church, which, at that time, em-
braced all of Lancaster, Dauphin, Lebanon, and part of
Berks counties. We have no record to show on whose
farm it was held, but pointers indicate it was on the farm
of Christian Longenecker, several miles west of Manheim.
A full account of the minutes, and names of its signers, is
given under the head of "White Oak Church/'

541

542 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

By reference to Brumbach's "History," page 503, we
have the first intimation of another great meeting, but no
place or minute given, but the year was 1775. In 1777 ^^
Conestoga Church, Lancaster County, Pa.

From this time on, if not before, it seems these meetings
were annual, but of quite a number it is not known, where
held, or the work done, up to about 1830, since which we
have the report pretty full. In 1779 it was in Conestoga
Church.

The next Big Meeting as called in those days, in Eastern
Pennsylvania, was in 1780, and another in 1781, both in
Conestoga, and another in 1785 and in the same church,
two again in 1788 and 1789; and in 1790, at the home of
John Bach, in Coventry, and again in Coventry Church, in
181 3, probably again at the home of John Bach, as before.
In 181 5, the conference was in White Oak Church, on the
farm of Joseph Hershey, between Manheim and Junction.

The following letter, translated from the German, has
never been printed, and would be of interest to some. The
letter was addressed to this meeting.

Morrison's Cove, April 9, 1815.
Heartily much beloved Brethren in council of the Great Meeting.

We, the Brethren in Morrison's Cove, wish to you, with all
fellow members in your vicinities, much grace, love and peace
from God the Father, and our Savior Jesus Christ, with the
comforting communion of the Holy Spirit, to a life and conver-
sation devoted to God so that we may together be faithful pro-
fessors, and true followers of Jesus Christ, so long as we are
yet here in the Church Militant, who hold fast to the once
known and confessed truth, so that we may walk in one Spirit
and mind of the Truth of the Glorious Gospel, to the end, Amen !

The reason of our writing is this : Because we noticed that
there is not that oneness of Spirit according to the Truth, pre-
vailing among you, for we hear there is a disturbance among
you, on account of the New Mennonites, that you have too
much fellowship with them, contrary to the resolution passed at
the council meeting at Conecocheague, not to have any fellow-
ship with them, because they introduce doctrines, and confess
that which is not according to the Gospel, so that we in our

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ANNUAL MEETINGS. 543

churches in Morrison's Cove have no fellowship with them, and
with such as have, we cannot break bread, because the calling
is so much in our time, lo here is Christ, and lo there — Oh, how
needful it is for us to hold fast to God from our heart, that He,
by His Spirit, may lead us in all truth, as Christ has promised !
We wish for you, beloved Brethren, light and grace, wisdom
and prudence, you and us, that we may, with our mind's eyes,
look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, and to
the advice of Paul, " as ye have received Christ, so walk ye in
him," and be grounded in him. For if, we, in oneness of mind
and belief, hold fast to the teachings of Christ, and live and
walk in love , and peace, and union of the Spirit of Christ,
according to God's counsel and will, we will depart, and keep
ourselves f re^ from all strange spirits and their deceptions.

Therefore the Lord speaks by the prophet Jeremiah (15,
19) : " If thou hold thyself to me, so will I hold myself to thee,
and thou shalt be my preacher, and if thou teach the righteous
to be separate from the wicked, thou shalt be my teacher, and
before thou shalt fall to them, they must come to thee " [Lit.
from Ger.]

It is our well meaning advice to you, beloved Brethren, to
warn you from harm, while they teach that the word of God
is a dead word, but Christ says that "the words that I speak
are Spirit and Life," and the Apostle writes to the Hebrews:
" The word of God is quick and sharper than any two edged
sword, etc.," and John writes : " Many spirits are gone out, judge
the spirits whether they be of God," and if we shall judge the
spirits, we must necessarily judge them by the word, and not
by their magnificent speeches.

For many shall come in that day, and say, have we not prophe-
sied in thy name, cast out devils, and done many works, but the
answer to them was, depart from me, I know not whence ye are. *-
^' Further, beloved fellow members, we commend you heartily
unto God and the word of His grace. So much from us weak
pilgrims and fellow travellers to the heavenly Fatherland.

Conrad Brumbach,
Samuel Ulrich,
Christian Huber,
Michael Etter,
Johannes Holsinger.

The action of the meeting on this letter is lengthy and
can be found in the minutes, published in 1909, page 38. -

544 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

The Great Meeting held in Eastern Pennsylvania was in
Conestoga Church, on the farm of Joseph Royer, in 1820.
In 1827, at the home of Daniel Schumacher, in White Oak,
formerly the Andreas Eby farm, now S. G. Summy; in
1 83 1, in Conestoga Church; in 1846, in Conestoga Church,
at the home of John Royer, on Trout Creek.

In another place of this work will be given a full account
of this meeting, taken from a diary of brother A, H. Cassel, -'
who was an eye witness.

The next meeting in Eastern Pennsylvania was on the
farm of John E. Merkey, later his son Joseph, in Little
Swatara Church in Berks County, in 1871. The next
was at Harrisburg in 1902.

SUMMARIZED.

Year. Church District. Place.

1742 Coventry Probably Martin Urner.

1763 Conestoga (now White Oak) Probably Christ. Longenecker.

1780 Conestoga (now White Oak) Unknown.

1781 Conestoga (now White Oak) Unknown.

1788 Conestoga (now White Oak) Unknown.

1789 Conestoga (now White Oak) Unknown.

1790 Coventry John Bach.

1813 Coventry John Bach.

1815 Whife Oak Joseph Hershe.

1820 Conestoga Joseph Royer.

1827 White Oak Daniel Schumacher.

1831 Conestoga Unknown.

1846 Conestoga John Royer.

1871 Little Swatara John E. Merkey.

1902 Harrisburg Paxtang Park.

Standing Committees of the aforesaid meetings, so far as
known, were as follows :

1742. Unknown.

1763. Jacob Myer, Peter Dirdorf, Martin Urner, Nicholas
Martin, Lorenz Shrab, Henry Naff, George Schreiber, Chris- '
topher Saur, George Etter, Joseph Reutsh, Jacob Stutzman. ^
John Schlipfer, Jacob Mohr, Mattes Schweitzer, Henry Rau-
denbush, Gideon Rausser, Daniel Letterman, Daniel Arnold,
Anton Hartman, Sander Mack, Nicholas Letterman, Stephen
Ulrich.

1780. Unknown.

1 78 1. Unknown.
1788. Unknown.

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 545

1789. Daniel Letterman, Martin Urner, Jacob Banner,
Heinrich Danner, Jacob Stoll, Johannes Funk, Heinrich Naff,
Conrad Brumbach, Nathaniel Schreiber, Daniel Utz, Andreas
Eby, Samuel Gerber Herman Blasser, Jacob Lashet, Abraham
Oberholzer.

1790. George Preiss, Martin Myer, Michael Frantz, Daniel
Bollinger, John Landes, Christian Lawshe, Justus Frichs,
Martin Gaby, Peter Keyser, Sander Mack, Nathaniel Schreiber,
David Kuntze, Martin Urner, Peter Leibert, Jacob Boeshor,
Jacob Danner, Abraham Lawshe.

1813. Unknown.

1815. Johannes Zug, (?) George Price, Samuel Gerber,
Jacob Stoll, Herman Blasser, Nicholas Martin, Daniel Stober,
George Petry, Daniel Gerber, Benjamin Beshor, Michael Schlot-
hauer, Valentine Balsbach, John Price, Johannes Eby, Andreas
Mayer.

1820. Unknown.

1827. Unknown.

1 83 1. Unknown.

1846. David Pfautz, George Hoke, Jacob Pfautz, Christian
Long, John Bowman, Daniel Bollinger, Andrew Spanogle,
Peter Nead, Dan Miller, Dan Bernhart, Jacob Fahrney, John
Funk, Peter Long, Dan Fretz, John Price, John H. Umstad,
James H. Tracey, David Shallenberger, Henry Kurtz.

1871. John Zug, Moses Miller, John Wise, D. P. Saylor,
David Long, Peter Crumpacker, Solomon Garber, Martin Coss-
ner, David Derrick, F. W. Dove, D. J. Peck, John P. Ebersole,
H. D. Davy, J. Miller, Jacob Karns, George Hoover, D. Fry,
John Metzger, John Harshey, Benjamin Beeghly, James
Quinter.

1902. Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, S, J. Bowman;
First District of Virginia, T. C. Denton, D. A. Naff; Second
District of Virginia, Daniel Hays; First District of West
Virginia, Jeremiah Thomas ; Eastern Maryland, E. W. Stoner ;
Middle Maryland, Absalom Mellott ; Western Maryland, W. T.
Sines; Eastern Pennsylvania, J. H. Longenecker; Southern
Pennsylvania, Isaac Barto; Middle Pennsylvania, T. B. Mad-
docks ; Western Pennsylvania, Jos. Holsopple ; Southern Ohio,
J. C. Bright; Northeastern Ohio, Samuel Sprankle; North-
western Ohio, C. L. Wilkins; Southern Indiana, L. T. Hol-
singer ; Middle Indiana, Daniel Snell ; Northern Indiana, W. R.
Deeter ; Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, C. P. Roland ; South-
36

546 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN,

ern Illinois, S. W. Garber, J. C. Stoner; Southern Missouri,
Northwestern Arkansas, C. Holderman ; Middle Missouri, E.
E. John ; Northern Missouri, L. H. Eby ; First Arkansas and
Southeastern Missouri, J. H. Neher; Southern Iowa, C. M.
Brower ; Middle Iowa, F. M. Wheeler ; Northern Iowa, South-
ern Minnesota and South Dakota, A. P. Blough; North Da-
kota and Northern Minnesota, Levi Mohler ; Michigan, Isaiah
Rairigh ; Nebraska, Uriah Shick ; Northeastern Kansas, George
Manon; Southeastern Kansas, M. O. Hodgden; Northwestern
Kansas and Northern Colorado, C. S. Holsinger ; Southwestern
Kansas, Southern Colorado and Northwestern Oklahoma, M.
Keller ; Texas and Southwestern Louisiana, Jos. Minix ; Okla-
homa and Indian Territory, Samuel Edgecomb ; Oregon, Wash-
ington and Idaho, George Wise ; Denmark, D. L. Miller ;
Sweden, A. B. Barnhart; First District of India, W. B. Stover;
D. L, Miller, Moderator ; L. T, Holsinger, Reading Clerk ; L.
H. Eby and W. B. Stover, Writing Clerks ; Wm. Oberholzer,
Doorkeeper.

B. Those Held Elsewhere.

We have now given about all that we have at hand con-
cerning Annual Meetings, held east of the Susquehanna
River. We shall now proceed to give what we have of
those held by the Brethren elsewhere, south and west. We
regret very much that we cannot give a full account of them
all. From 1742 to 1763 we have no account of any Gen-
eral Conference held anywhere — a space of twenty-one
years — and from that time to 1775, again twelve years, we
have no data. From 1775 we have no record of any Big
Meeting till 1778, but from that time on we have reason
to believe that the meeting was held annually ; prior to that,
probably only when called to consider special work, which
could not be adjusted by the home church.

All we know of the 1775 conference is from a letter
written by Elder A. Mack to John Price, dated March 11,
1775, in which he says : " I have duly received thy dear little
letter, but I cannot know yet if I shall be able to come to the
next Great Meeting. I have been speaking to Brother'
Christopher Sower, to ask if he meant to go. He then had
no mind to go, but if I should succeed to persuade him I

ANNUAL MEETINGS, 547

would gladly stay home myself this time, according to the
body, but according to the spirit I would be there in heart-
felt love and well wishing. But if it should happen that he
insists on his refusal to go, and if it should be convenient
for me to go, I would first like to have his own, and the'
Brethren's consent before starting on the journey," etc.^

It would seem from this letter that the meeting was to be
held at some point remote from Germantown, which would
make the trip quite a task. Following will be a list of
Annual Meetings, outside of Eastern Pennsylvania, the year
when, the place where, and the names of Standing Commit-
tee, where we have them, omitting the minutes, which would
make a book in itself.

1778. Pipe Creek, Md.

1779, Conewago, York Co., Pa.

1782. Place unknown.

1783. Pipe Creek, Md.

1785. Big Conewago, Pa. Jacob Saur, Valentine Pressel,
Michael Bosserman, Martin Reinhart, David Studebaker, Peter
Dirdorf, Martin Urner, Jacob Stoll, Christian Longenecker,
Henry Neff, Lorenz Beckner, Philip Lewig.

1793. Conewago, York Co., Pa. Standing Committee un-
known.

1794. Shenandoah, Va. Unknown.

1797. Black water, Va. Unknown.

1798. Conewago, York Co., Pa. Unknown.

1799. Pipe Creek, Md. Martin Urner, Martin Gaby, Henry
Banner, Peter Leibert, Jacob Banner, Philip Engler, Michael
Pfoutz, Martin Garber, Baniel Utz, Philip Levy, Valentine
Pressel, Stephen Ulrich.

1800. Place unknown, also Standing Committee.

1803. Place unknown. The minute says : " Signed by most
of those who signed in 1799."

1804. Pipe Creek, Md. Standing Committee unknown.

1805. Place and Standing Committee unknown.

1 8 10. Antietam, Franklin Co., Pa. Heinrich Banner, Wil-

helm Stober, Bavid Long, Martin Gerber, Johannes ,

Peter Keyser, Nicholas Martin, Herman Blasser, Christian
Long, Mathias Schneider, Jacob Kiinsel, Christian Huber,
George Preis, Baniel Stober.

^ Brumbaugh, " History," p. 503.

548 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

i8i2. Place and Standing Committee unknown.

1814. Pipe Creek, Md. Samuel Garber, Benjamin Bow-
man, George Preis, Daniel Stober, Nicholas Martin, Jacob
Beshor, Samuel Arnold, Martin Garber, David Pfautz, John
Eby, Christian Long, John Schleifer, Daniel Long, Daniel
Garber, Michael Etter, Henry Gibbel, Herman Blasser, George
Petry, Daniel Arnold, David Albaugh, John Diel, Jacob Shene-
felt, John Price, Isaac Long.

1817. Place or Standing Committee unknown.

1818. Place or Standing Committee unknown.

1 81 9. Conewago, York Co., Pa. Daniel Stober, Christian
Long, Jacob Mohler, Benjamin Bauman, Samuel Arnold,
Daniel Gerber, Daniel Seiler, Johannes Gliick, Abraham Gerber,
Johannes Gerber, Michael Pfautz, David Engler, Jacob Price,
Johannes Stauffer, Benjamin Eby, John Triimmer, Heinrich
Lescher, Peter Aschenbach, Henry Etter, David Vogelsanger,
Jacob Hollinger, Frederick Klein, Daniel Jund, Philip Engler,
Daniel Reichardt.

182 1. Glade, Somerset Co., Pa. Standing Committee un-
known.

1822. Canton, Ohio. Standing Committee unknown.

1825. D. Mohlers. Cumberland Co., Pa. Standing Com-
mittee unknown.

1826. Daniel Reichard, Washington Co., Md. Michael
Myer, Daniel Gerber, Samuel Arnold, Johannes Flory, Chris-
tian Long, Daniel Bollinger, Johannes Gerber, George Brum-
baugh, Daniel Seiler, Nicholas Martin, Johannes Brumbaugh,
Daniel Arnold.

1828. Bro. Gungles, York Co., Pa. Standing Committee
unknown.

1829. Geo. Royer, Antietam, Franklin Co., Pa.

1830. Pipe Creek, Md. Unknown.
1832. Rockingham Co., Va. Unknown.

^ 1833. Lost Creek, Juniata Co., Pa. Unknown.

1834. Stark Co., Ohio. Unknown.

1835. Cumberland Co., Pa. Unknown.

1836. Cumberland Co., Pa. Unknown.

1837. Linville Creek, Rockingham Co.. Va. Daniel Gerber,
David Pfoutz, George Hoke, John Gerber, Jacob Holsinger,
David Engler, Sr., Abraham Yundt, John Funk, John Brower,
Christian Johnson, Jacob Pfautz, Daniel Arnold. Christ. Long,
John Price, John Royer, Lorenz Etter, John Fahrney, John
Beeghly.

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 549

1839. Huntingdon Co., Pa. Standing Committee unknown.
> 1840. Morrison's Cove, Bedford Co., Pa. Daniel Gerber,
David Pfoutz, Daniel Arnold, Jacob Holsinger, Christian Long,
George Hoke, John Price, Abm, Yundt, Daniel Reichard,
Michel Dickey, Peter Kober, Isaac Shoemaker, Henry Kurtz.

1841. Somerset Co., Ohio. (Wm. Miller's.) Daniel Ger-
ber, David Pfoutz, Christian Long, Daniel Arnold, George
Hoke, Abraham Yundt, John Hart, John Price, Daniel Reich-
ard, Henry Kurtz.

1842. Beaver Dam, Md. Daniel Gerber, Christian Long,
John Beeghly, John Price, Dan Bollinger, David Pfoutz, Jacob
Pfoutz, Christian Janson, David Ecker, John Sprogle, George
Hoke, Jacob Long, And. Spanogle, John Gerber, James Tracey,
Henry Kurtz.

1843. Mohican Church, Wayne Co., Ohio. George Hoke,
John Brower, John Hart, George Shively. Henry Metzger,
Joseph Showalter, Isaac Beery, John Cable, Daniel Miller, John
Shoemaker, James Tracey, Henry Kurtz.

1844. Peter Deardorf, Conewago, York Co., Pa. David
Pfoutz, Christian Long, John Price, And. Spanogle, of Penn-
sylvania ; George Hoke, George Shively, Henry Kurtz, of Ohio ;
John Bowman, Benjamin Bowman, Daniel Miller, of Virginia,
John Gerber, Jacob Long, of Maryland ; and the following
other Brethren; Peter Nead, John Mineely, Peter Long, John
H. Umstad, Jacob Pfoutz, Jacob Brubacher.

1845. Daniel Barnhart, Roanoke Co., Va. George Shively,
Abraham Crumpacker, Peter Frantz, John Bowman, Benjamin
Bowman, Daniel Barnhart, Peter Miller, Peter Nead, Christian
Bowman, Samuel Garber, Austin Hylton, John Gerber, John
Kline, Henry Kurtz.

1845. Special Annual Meeting in Indiana. By reference to
the minutes of 1845, as published in 1909, pages 87 and 88, we
find that there was a special general conference held that year,
on September 26 and 2y, in Elkhart County, Ind., in which
query 6 was relative to admitting such as are not members, in
our church council. We know of no record of any other busi-
ness of that meeting, and believe it was probably of a local
character.

Prior to 1849 the general conference did not work by com-
mittees in local churches, since which date there was no special
general conference held, but prior to that, frequently.

1846. A special conference was held in Tennessee, Septem-
ber 4, at meeting-house near Jos. Bowman's, in Washington Co.

550 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

1847. Isaac Deardorf, Franklin Co., Pa. David Pfoutz,
John Price, George Hoke, Daniel Bollinger, Jacob Holsinger,
Jacob Pfoutz, John Funk, Jacob Fahrney, John Molsbaugh,
Philip Boyle, Samuel Miller, David Hartman, John H. Umstad.

1848. This year there were two general conferences held;
the first, June 12, in Wayne Co., Ohio, at Jac. Kurtz's. Stand-
ing Committee — George Hoke, Joseph Gerber, John Hart,

Henry Kurtz, Philip Boyle, Peter Nead, John Kline, ■

, James H. Tracey, Michael Moyer, John Metzger, John

Molsbaugh, George Shively, Joseph Showalter, Benjamin Bow-
man, John Shoemaker, George Rarigh, John H. Umstad, Jacob

Myer, , David Shoemaker, Daniel Miller, John

Shively, John Holsinger. The other was held September 23-25,
at the house of Bro. John Koontz, near Delphi, Carroll Co.,
Indiana. Standing Committee — George Hoke, George Shively,
Joseph Showalter, Henry Kurtz, of Northeastern Ohio ; Joseph
Gerber, Peter Nead, of Southwestern Ohio ; Dan.Cripe, of Elk-
hart, Indiana; J. Molsbaugh, D. Miller, J. Hart, H. Metzger,
J. Metzger, Jac. Brower, etc.

1849. Somerset Co., Pa. George Hoke, J. Showalter, Henry
Kurtz, Peter Nead, A. Spanogle, J. Molsbaugh, Peter Long,
John Kline, Jacob Sayler, Samuel Wampler, Peter Kober,
Jacob Meyer, Daniel Yundt, George Shafer, John Holsinger,
J. Stutzman, D. Shoemaker, Jos. Arnold, Thos. Clarke.

1850. Bear Creek, Montgomery Co., Ohio. George Hoke,
Peter Nead, James Tracey, Samuel Gerber, Joseph Gerber,
John Brower, Benjamin Bowman, Daniel Yundt, Daniel Barn-
hardt. Other Elders, Jacob Miller, George Hoover, David
Hartman, John Myer, J. Leatherman, John Shively, Henry
Neff, John Hart, Jos. Harter, David Miller.

185 1. New Hope, Augusta Co., Va. George Hoke, John
Bowman, John Leatherman, Christian Longenecker, John
Kline, D. P. Savior, Dan. Brower, James H. Tracey, Jacob
Meyer, Henry Kurtz.

1852. Turkey Creek, Elkhart Co., Ind., June i. George
Hoke, George Shively, Jos. Emmert, John Kline, Dan. Barn-
hart, D. P. Sayler, Ben Bowman, D. Miller, H. Kurtz.

1853. Beaver Dam, Md. George Hoke, Daniel Miller, Elias
Dickey, of Ohio, Benjamin Bowman, David Miller, of Indiana,
Joseph Emmert, of Illinois, Ben. Bowman, John Kline, of
Virginia, Christ. Longenecker, Peter Long, of Pennsylvania,
Jacob Leatherman, Jacob Sayler, of Maryland, Henry Kurtz,
Clerk.

ANNUAL MEETINGS.

551

1854. Ashland Co., Ohio. (Elias Dickey's.) For Ohio,
George Hoke, George Shively ; for Virginia, John KHne, Joseph
Arnold ; for Maryland, Philip Boyle, Dan. P. Sayler ; for Penn-
sylvania, Christ. Longenecker, John Berkley ; for Indiana, Jacob
Miller, George Hoover ; for Illinois, Joseph Emmert, Christian
Long.

1855. Aughwick, Huntingdon Co., Pa. For Ohio, George
Hoke, John Molsbaugh ; for Indiana, J. Leatherman, John
Metzgar; for Illinois, Daniel Fry; for Virginia, John Kline,
Daniel Brower ; for Maryland, D. P. Sayler, George Bear ; for
Pennsylvania, Daniel BolHnger, J. H. Umstad, John Berkley,
Andrew Spanogle; Henry Kurtz, Clerk, James Quinter, As-
sistant Clerk.

1856. Waddams Grove, Stephenson Co., 111. George Hoke,
George Shively, Jacob Long, John Leatherman, Peter Nead,
James Tracey, Joseph Emmert, John Berkley, Andrew Span-
ogle, John Kline, Joseph Arnold, Daniel Miller.

1857. Manor Church, Washington Co., Md., May 31. John
H. Umstad, Andrew Spanogle, John Wine, Christ. Keefer,
Abraham Neff, J. P. Ebersole, George Hoke, John Metzger,
Abraham Moss, Jos. Emmert, Samuel Gerber.

1858. Bachelor Run Church, Carroll Co., Ind. George
Hoke, John Brower, Peter Nead, Daniel Miller, of Ohio, John
Berkley, of Pennsylvania, John Kline, Peter Nininger, of Vir-
ginia, Isaac Pfoutz, of Maryland, John Moyer, George Shively,
John Metzger, of Indiana, John Emmert, of Illinois.

>< (^1859. Elk Creek Church, Somerset Co., Pa. For Virginia,
John Kline, Jacob Thomas ; for Maryland, D. P. Sayler, Isaac
Pfoutz ; for Ohio, J. P. Ebersole, H. D. Davy, James Quinter ;
for Indiana, Jacob Miller, John Metzger; for Illinois, Samuel
Layman, David Rittenhouse; for Pennsylvania, J. H. Umstad,
Peter Long, John Berkley. D. P. Sayler, Moderator, D. P.
Sayler and J. Quinter, Clerks.

i860. Lime Stone Church, Washington Co., Tenn. For
Ohio, Peter Nead, J. P. Ebersole ; for Maryland, Henry
Koontz, D, P. Sayler ; for Virginia, John Kline, Daniel Barn-
hart, Abraham Neff, Peter Nininger; for Indiana, John Metz-
ger ; for Illinois, Christian Long ; D. P. Sayler, Moderator ;
D. P. Sayler and J. Quinter, Clerks.

1861. Beaver Creek Church, Rockingham Co., Va. Joseph
Arnold, Geo. Shaver, P. Crumpacker, Martin Miller, Dan.
Miller. John Kline, Moderator ; B. F. Moomaw, Clerk.

1862. Erbaugh Church, Montgomery Co., Ohio. John

552 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Berkley, John Zug, of Pennsylvania ; D. P. Sayler, Maryland ;
John Kline, John Wine, Virginia ; John Brower, Henry Kurtz,
Joseph Showalter, Ohio ; John Metzger, Jacob Miller, Indiana ;
Sam. Garber, Dan. Sturgis, of Illinois ; John Brower, Kansas ;
John Ogg, Minnesota; Abraham Replogle, Iowa. J. Kline,
Mod. ; D. P. Sayler, J. Quinter, Clerks.

1863. Clover Creek Church, Blair Co., Pa. Virginia, John
Wine, John Kline, Moderator; Maryland, D. P. Sayler; Illi-
nois, Sam. Layman, Christian Long ; Pennsylvania, And. Span-
ogle, Isaac Meyer, John Holsinger ; Ohio, H. D. Davy, Daniel
Miller; Indiana, John Metzger, F. P. Loehr; Iowa, David
Brower; H. Kurtz, James Quinter, Clerks.

1864. Hagerstown Church, Wayne Co., Ind. For Virginia,
John Kline, John Wine ; for Maryland, D. P. Sayler ; for Penn-
sylvania, Leonard Furry, D. Gerlach ; for Ohio, H. D, Davy,
James Quinter; for Indiana, John Bowman, Daniel Bowman,
David Miller; for Illinois, Sam. Gerber, Christian Long; for
Iowa, Jacob Brower ; for Kansas, John Bower.

1865 Rock River Church, Lee Co., 111. For Maryland,
D. P Sayler ; for Virginia, Joseph Arnold ; for Pennsylvania,
John Wise, J. R Hanawalt ; for Ohio, Peter Nead, H. D. Davy ;
for Indiana, Jacob Miller, Hiel Hamilton; for Illinois, Isham
Gibson, John Metzger ; for Michigan, F. P. Loehr ; for Iowa,
David Brower ; for Kansas, John Bower ; H. D. Davy, Mod-
erator; James Qumter, Clerk.

1866. Antietam Church, Franklin Co., Pa, For Pennsyl-
vania, Daniel Keller, John Wise ; for Ohio, H. D. Davy, J. P.
Ebersole ; for Maryland, Christian Keefer, Henry Koontz ; for
Virginia, John Wine, Daniel Thomas ; Jacob Miller, Jno.
Knisely, of Indiana ; for Illinois, C. Long, S. Gerber ; for Ten-
nessee, D, Dernch ; H. D. Davy, Moderator.

1867. Pipe Creek Church, Md. For Ohio, Joseph Riser,
H. D. Davy, James Quinter ; for Indiana, Dav. Miller, Jac.
Metzger, Jesse Meyers ; for Illinois, Christ. Long, John Fitz ;
for Pennsylvania, Peter Long, And. Miller, John Holsinger;
for Virginia, P. Crumpacker, Dan. Thomas, John Wine; for
Iowa, David Rittenhouse, John Murray ; for Michigan, F. P.
Loehr; for Maryland, Henry Koontz, Isaac Pfoutz, D. P.
Sayler; H. D. Davy, Moderator; J. Quinter, D. P. Sayler,
Clerks ; J. Weybright, Doorkeeper.

1868. Jacob Berkey, Elkhart Co., Ind., June 23. J. P.
Ebersole, Daniel Miller, H. D. Davy, James Quinter, B. F.
Moomaw, Daniel Thomas, Jacob Wine, D. P. Sayler, Isaac

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 553

Pfoutz, David Long, C. G. Lint, D. M. Holsinger, Joseph
Rohrer, David Bechtelheimer, Jacob Miller, Dan. Bowman,
F. P. Loehr, C. Long, John Metzger, Sam. Layman, J. Wise,
Jacob Brower, A. Replogle, H. Brubaker, H. Kurtz, Peter
Nead.

1869. Peters Creek Church, Roanoke Co., Va. Abm. Neff,
John Wine, Peter Nead, J. P. Ebersole, H. D. Davy, Robert H.
Miller, Jacob Flory, Jacob Berkey, John Metzger, Sam. Lay-
man, D. Brower, E. K. Buechly, John Wise, Grabill Meyers,
David Gerlach, Isaac Pfoutz, D. P. Sayler, Dav. Long, A.
Malsby, F. W. Dove, James Quinter.

1870. Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa, June 7-9. J. D.
Trostle, D. Long, D. Gerlach, Isaac Myers, John Wise, H. D.
Davy, D. Brower, D. J. Peck, F. P. Loehr, P. Nininger, Jacob
Wine, J. Quinter, Christ. Wenger, Jacob Metzger, Hiel Hamil-
ton, E. Eby, M. Sissler, John Metzger, Jac. Hauger, G. R.
Baker, A. Replogle, G. Witwer, Wm. Gish.

1872. Wayne County, Ohio. H. D. Davy, Jacob Garver,
John Brown, D. B. Sturgis, Jacob Metzger, R. H. Miller, S.
Layman, John Metzger, E. K. Beeghly, Christian Long, Daniel
Zook, William Gish, Sam. Mohler, A. Malsby, Abe Naff, Solo-
mon Garber, Martin Cosner, D. Long, D. P. Sayler, Jacob
Riner, J. R. Hanawalt, J. Wine and J. Quinter.

■ 1873. Myersdale, Pa., June 2-4. Henry Garst, B. F.
Moomaw, S. Garver, M. Cosner, D. P. Saylor, D. Long, D.
Gerlach, Jacob Price, John Wise, H. D. Davy, John Brillhart,
Jacob Garver, D. B, Sturgis, John Baker, Jos. McCarty, E.
Eby, John Metzger, Henry Strickler, Rob. Badger, C. Harader,
J. Quinter.

1874. Macoupin Co., 111. Henry Swadley, B. F. Moomaw,
Martin Cosner, D. P. Sayler, D. Long, D. Gerlach, J. Myers,
Jas. Quinter, Jacob Garver, J. P. Ebersole, H. D, Davy, J.
Lichty, George Long, D. B. Sturgis, Jacob Flory, R. H. Miller,
D. Rittenhouse, Rufus Gish, David Wolf, E. K. Beeghly, C.
Long, C. Harader, G. Witwer, J. Hershey, Jesse Studebaker,
Enoch Eby.

1875. Covington, Ohio, at Brother Cassel's, May 17. A. H.
Senseney, Em. Slifer, Wm. Hertzler, Jos. R. Hanawalt, J.
Quinter, H. B. Hylton, Jacob Wine, Elias Auvil, Jacob Garber,
J. P. Ebersole, H. D. Davy, D. B. Sturgis, Jesse Meyers, Hiel
Hamilton, Enoch Eby, John Metzger, James R. Gish, Tobias
Musser, C. Long, J. Brower, S. S. Mohler, Sam. Stump, Isaac
Miller, J. W. Brumbaugh.

554 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

1876. De Graff, Logan Co., Ohio, June 5-7. D. P. Sayler,
D, Long, Samuel Harley, Moses Miller, J. Quinter, E. Flesh-
man, Isaac Long, D. B. Arnold, Geo. Irvin, J. Brown, H. D.
Davy, M. Shotts, J Flory, R. H. Miller, E. Eby, D. E. Price, J.
Metzger, Joseph Ogg, Abm. Stamy, Daniel Zook, Wm. Gish,
Isaac Miller.

1877. New Enterprise, Pa,, May 21-23. Jonathan Lichty,
G. R. Baker, J. A. Murray, E. Eby, D. E. Price, J. R. Gish,
D. B. Sturgis, J. S. Snowberger, R. H. Miller, Moses T. Bare,
S. Garber, Jos. Kauffman, John B. Mishler, Henry Swadley,
Samuel A. Fike, J. H. Lemon, Solomon Garber, John Wise,
J. Quinter, S. Harley, D. Long, D. P. Sayler, J. D. Trostle.

- 1878. North Manchester, Ind., June 10-12. S. Harley,
Moses Miller, C. G. Lint, D. K. Sayler, Jer. Beeghly, C. Wertz,
Martin Garber, D. B. Arnold, Elias Auvil, Geo. Irvin, J. P.
Ebersole, Samuel Garber, John Knisely, David Neff, R. H.
Miller, Enoch Eby, J. R. Gish, Joseph Hendricks, J. F. Iken-
berry, R. Badger, D, D. Sell, John Hershey, Jonathan Lichty,
Isaac Miller ; Enoch Eby, Moderator ; J. Quinter, Writing Clerk ;
R. H. Miller, Reading Clerk ; S. R. Zug, Doorkeeper.

1879. Broadway, Va., June 2-4. And. Hutchinson, Michael
Sisler, E. K. Bueghly, Edm. Forney, Jos. Hendricks, J. R. Gish,
Jesse Calvert, Jos. Amick, R. H. Miller, Isaac Miller, J. P.
Ebersole, S. Z. Sharp, Abm. Flory, Mark Minser, Moses Miller,

C. Bucher, E. Auvil, Sol. Buckalew, J. H. Lemon, Isaac Long,
Jac Thomas, Jos. Wine, David Long; R. H. Miller, Moder-
ator ; J. Quinter, Writing Clerk ; E. Eby, Reading Clerk ; Wm.
Hertzler, Doorkeeper.

1880. Lanark, 111., June 1-3. C. Bucher, J. Quinter, L.
Kimmel, D, P. Sayler, D. Long, P. Nininger, J. H. Lemon, J.
Thomas, P. J. Brown, J. P. Ebersole, J. Kauffman, J, Calvert,
R. H. Miller, D. Bechtelheimer, E. Eby, D. Deardorf, J. Wise,
J. S. Snyder, J. Thomas, C. C. Root, S. S. Mohler, J. Lichty,
M. T. Bare, I. Miller, J. Berkey ; E. Eby, Moderator ; J. Quinter,
Writing Clerk ; J. Wise, Reading Clerk ; J. Flory, Doorkeeper.

1881. Ashland, Ohio, June 6-8. J. S. Flory, C. C. Root, R.
Badger, E. Forney, J. Rife, D. Sturgis, R. H. Miller, C. G.
Lint, S. Harlev, J. D. Trostle, D. B. Arnold, J. H. Lemon, Isaac
Miller, A. Hutchinson, J. Thomas, E. Eby, J. Wise, D. E.
Wolfe, D. Brower, Jos. Kauffman, Moses Miller, D. P. Sayler,

D. Stouffer, Isaac T^ng, C. Bowman, D. Hays ; E. Eby, Moder-
ator ; J. Quinter, Writing Clerk ; J. Wise, Reading Clerk ; S.
Myers, Doorkeeper.

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 555

1882. Arnolds, Kosciusko Co., Ind., May 29-31. Jesse
Crosswhite, Joel Naff, John Eller, D. Baker, D. B. Arnold, J.
Reiff, Joseph Leedy, Jere Gump, Isaac Miller, D. E. Price, D.
P. Sa)'ler, D. Long, Nich. Martin, C, Bucher, J, Quinter, J. I.
Cover, G. Irwin, J. C. McMullen, Jos. Kauffman, G. W. Stude-
baker, D. Vaniman, J. Wise, S. S. Mohler, S. A. Honberger,
John Thomas, M. Sisler, A. Hutchison, Henry Brubaker, L.
Hillery, J. Forney. Officers same as 1881, except John S.
Holsinger for Doorkeeper.

1883. Bismark Grove, Douglas Co., Kan., May 1 1-13. Abm.
Molsbee, B. F. Moomaw, Jacob Thomas, Samuel Myers, S. A.
Fike, J. D. Trostle, David Long, C. Bucher, James Quinter,
J. S. Holsinger, Noah Longenecker, R. H. Miller, J. C. Mc-
Mullen, John Smith, Jacob Reifif, W. R. Deeter, John Brillhart,
Daniel Deardorf, John Wise, T. D. Lyon, Geo. Bollinger, G.
Barnhart, C. C. Root, Isaac Barto, W. Wyland, John Earley,
D. Bechtelheimer, W. Gish, M. T. Baer, G. W. Fesler ; Mod-
erator, Enoch Eby ; Writing Clerk, James Quinter ; Reading
Clerk, John Wise; Doorkeeper, J. S. Flory.

1884. Miller's Crossing, near Dayton, O., May 30, etc. Eli
Renner, John Forney, M. Sisler, W. B. Sell, D. Vanirrtan, D. E.
Price, J. H. Miller, Hiel Hamilton, L. H. Dickey, C. G. Lint,
J. Quinter, David Long, S. Buckalew, B. F. Moomaw, H. Garst,
Sydney Hodgen, D. Bechtelheimer, S. Flory, S. S. Mohler,
Edm. Forney, E, Bosserman, R. H. Miller, Jacob Garber, N.
Longenecker, S. Harley, G. Leatherman, Isaac Long, J. W.
Eller, D. D. Derrick ; Enoch Eby, Moderator ; J. Quinter, Writ-
ing Clerk ; John Wise, Reading Clerk.

1885. Mexico, Juniata Co., Pa., May 22, etc. Samuel
Molsby, J. S. Holsinger, M. J. McClure, J. Crosswhite, Sam.
Garver, P. E. Whitmore, John Eller, J. C. McMullen, Isaac
Barto, Daniel Hays, J. N. Kauflman, Rob. Badger, Jacob
Thomas, J. W. Metzger, H. P. Strickler, D. B. Arnold, R.
Fisher, J. S. Snowberger, Sol. Stoner, W. R. Deeter, J. D.
Trostle, John Brindle, E. Bosserman, M. M. Eshelman, Wm.
Hertzler, G. D. Zoller, J. S. Mohler, J. F. Oiler, Daniel Dear-
dorf, John Wise; John Wise, Moderator; J. Quinter, Writing
Clerk ; W. R. Deeter, Reading Clerk.

1886. Pittsburg, Darke Co., O., June 11, etc. Hen. Bru-
baker, J. R. Gish, Wm. Howe, John Hollinger D. Vaniman,
S. Harley, Wm. Davis, I. Billhimer, D. R Sayler, Wm. Wy-
land, David NeiT, C. Cassel, S. S. Mohler, Jere Gump, Asa Har-
man, C. C. Root, Isaac Miller, Daniel Hays, John Thomas, L.

556 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

H. Dickey, John B. Naff, S. M. Goghenour, David Young, Dan.
Peters, S. H. Miller, John Smith, G. C. Bowman, D. E. Price,

C. G. Lint; D. E. Price, Moderator; D. Hays, Writing Clerk;

D. Vaniman, Reading Clerk ; John Flory, Doorkeeper.

1887. Ottawa, Kans., May 27, etc. Standing Committee:
F. W. Dove, J. D, Trostle, Jacob Thomas, Isaac Barto, Sol.
Buckalew, Geo. Barnhart, David Long, Enoch Eby, James
Quinter, M. M. Eshleman, I. D. Parker, B. F. Mommaw, Jesse
Stutzman, S. H. Myers, L. W. Teeter, E. W. Stoner, Edmund
Forney, Wm. Hertzler, M. J. McClure, J. C. Johnson, S. M.
Loose, J. H. Miller, R. H. Miller, J. R. Gish, Daniel Chambers,
D. E. Brubaker, S. B. Shirkey, C. Holdeman, J. E. Hilkey, B.
F. Flory; Enoch Eby, Moderator; M. J. McClure, Writing
Clerk ; R. H. Miller, Reading Clerk ; Samuel Driver, Doorkeeper.

1888. North Manchester, Ind., May 18, etc. Isaac Stude-
baker, J. G. Royer, Lemuel Hillery, David Eby, George Myers,
Benj. Fryfogle, George Stambaugh, Peter Long, C. C. Root,
Daniel Snell, Fred. Gulp, Wm. Harshberger, J. S. Gable, Landon
West, A. M. Dickey, L. H. Dickey, Marcus Fowler, D. N.
Workman, Thos. D. Lyon, J. Holsinger, C. L. Pfoutz, C.
Bucher, N.-Martin, W. Franklin, Jonas Graybill, Jacob Thomas,
J, W. Eller, D. B. Arnold, Geo. C. Bowman, C. Hope ; Enoch
Eby, Moderator; J. G. Royer, Writing Clerk; D. N. Work-
man, Reading Clerk ; S. S. Mohler, Doorkeeper.

1889. Harrisonburg, Va., June 7, etc. John Brubaker, Jesse
Stutzman, Samuel Flory, J. W. Eller, N. Longenecker, S. B.
Shirkey, Isaac Long, L. H. Dickey, S. S. Mohler, S. H. Myers,
L. W. Teeter, W. M. Harvey, D. B. Arnold, J. W. Wright,
John Wise, Geo. Leatherman, A. B. Peters, J. A. Root, S.
Stoner, E. Bosserman, J. Hollinger, D. F. Stouffer, D. B. Gib-
son, B. F. Flory, S. R. Zug, Dan. Deardorf, M. M. Bashor,
Jac. Hollinger, J, F. Ikenberry, J. S. Flory, Val. Blough,
Steph. Johnson, C. Hope ; S. S. Mohler, Moderator ; J. G.
Royer, Writing Clerk ; John Wise, Reading Clerk ; Enoch Eby,
Doorkeeper.

1890. Pertle Springs, Johnson Co., Mo., May 23, etc. S.
S. Barklow, W. R. Deeter, J. S. Flory, David Neff, B. B.
Whitmer, L. T. Holsinger, John Forney, John Smith, Enoch
Eby, S. Driver, D. Bechtelheimer, I. D.' Parker, S. H. Miller,
Hiram Musselman, J. S. Snyder, Wm. Howe, Hiram Berk-
man, C. Bucher, W. B. Sell, David Long, A. Hutchison, Uriah
Bixler, C. Holdeman, John B. Naff, Geo. W. Cripe, Jonas
Graybill, S. Buckalew, Daniel Hayes, D. E, Price, Aaron Fike,

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 557

Dan. Chambers, J. B. Bowman, C. Hope; Enoch Eby, Mod-
erator ; J. G. Royer, Writing Clerk ; John Wise, Reading Clerk.

1891. Hagerstown, Md., June 2, etc. M. M. Bashor, Thos.
D. Lyon, William Hertzler, Daniel Vaniman, D. L. Miller,
Jere. Beeghly J. Ikenberrv, Isaiah Rairigh, E. A. Brunner,
J. S. Mohler, J. H. Miller, D. R. Sayler, John Gable, Jacob
Rife, D. J. Miller, John Zuck, R. H. Miller, John C. Frantz,
John Early, John Smith, Isaac Long, J. E. Ellenberger, J. C.
Whitmore, S. H. M^^ers, Jac. C. Whitmore, George Worst,
Jonas Graybill, Samuel Click, J. C. Johnson, Geo. C. Bowman,
M. J. McClure, J. F. Oiler; Daniel Vaniman, Moderator; D.
L. Miller, Writing Clerk ; M. J. McClure, Reading Clerk.

1892. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 2, etc. G. C. Bowman,
Steph. Johnson, Robert Goshorn, Daniel Peters, J. J. Hoover,
J. C. Murray, Geo. S. Arnold, B. B. Whitmer, E. Forney, D.
F. Stouffer, John Wise, David Troxel, James A. Sell, I. M.
Gibble, David Bowman, Edward Loomis, D. L. Miller, Samuel
Flory, I. J. Rosenberger, John B. Naff, J. W. Trostle, Jacob
S. Snell, Daniel Hays, Wm. Davis, Isaac Rairigh, E. W.
Stoner, J. H. Neher, D. B. Eby, S. R. Zug, Henry Brubaker,
C. Holdeman, J. C. Johnson, Samuel Barklow, Chas. H. Brown,
L. H. Dickey ; Daniel Vaniman, Moderator ; D. L. Miller, Writ-
ing Clerk ; M. J. McClure, Reading Clerk.

1893. Muncie, Ind., May 23, etc. Sydney Hodgden, Samuel
Edgecomb, Frank McCune, J. S. Flory, J. S. Mohler, John
Gable, Jac. Appleman, Uriah Shick, S. B. Shirkey, John Wise,
Isaiah Rairich, M. T. Bear, C. S. Holsinger, W. G. Cook, W.
M. Harvey, John Harshberger, N. Longenecker, Samuel H.
Utz, D. E. Price, Henry Frantz, Jere. Thomas, Geo. D. Zoller,
J. S. Holsinger, D. J. Miller, W. R. Deeter, H. B. Brumbaugh,
P. S'. Miller, D. P. Shively, Jacob Hollinger, S. F. Sanger,
L. W. Teeter, C. Bucher, J. P. Zeigler, S. A. Walker, David
Long, J. G. Royer; D. E. Price, Moderator; J. G. Royer,
Writing Clerk; John Wise, Reading Clerk.

1894. Myersdale, Pa., May 29, etc. John W. Filer, Tobias
Kreider, S. M. Miller, W. H. Naff, Samuel Sprankle, John
Zuck, Levi A. Wenger, L. H. Dickey, Abm. Wolf, D. B.
Arnold, Wm. Harshberger, I. F. Rairigh, W. A. Gaunt, D.
Bechtelheimer, S. M. Forney, E. W. Stoner, A. H. Puterbaugh,
Geo. E. Wise, G. K. Sappington, S. Buckalew, Chas. M. Year-
out, S. A. Miller, Jos. Amick, B. B. Whitmer, F. P. Cassel,
J. H. Moore, Enoch Eby, C. L. Pfoutz, J. Rufus Gish, Abm.
Molsbee, H. B. Brumbaugh, M. T. Bear, John Metzger, David

558 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Hildebrand, G. W. Clemens, L. W. Teeter; Enoch Eby, Mod-
erator; J. H. Moore, Writing Clerk; L. W. Teeter, Reading
Clerk.

1895. Decatur, 111., June 4, etc. D. L. Miller, S. B. Shirkey,
C. G. Lint, P. S. Myers, Fred. Gulp, Jas. A. Sell, A. W. Austin,

C. Holdeman, E. D. Book, Jacob Whitmore, Sol. Buckalew, C.
Bucher, John Hollinger, M. J. McClure, D. F. Stouffer, W. B.
Sell, D. B. Eby, Ed. S. Brunner, I. H. Crist, J. H. Miller, Z,
Annon, Owen Peters, S. Leckrone, T, S. Fike, Daniel Cham-
bers D. F. Hoover, L. A. Wenger, J. A. Murray, Christ. Kra-
bill, S. F. Sanger, J. W. Diehl, F. B. Weimer, G. W. Hutchison,
John Gable, Henry Frantz, C. H. Diehl ; Enoch Eby, Moder-
ator; D. L. Miller, Writing Clerk; M. J. McClure, Reading
Clerk.

1896. Ottawa, Kans. Henry Sheets, W K. Simmons, John.
M. Follis, W. H. Naff, Tobias Hoover, Stephen Johnson, P.
S, Miller, L. H. Dickey, Harvey Ikenberry, J. P. Zigler, G. L.
Studebaker, Isaiah Rairigh, G. S. Arnold, S. S. Ullery, J. L.
Snavely, E. W. Stoner, I. D. Parker, Archy Vandyke, S. H.
Utz, D. E. Price, W. B. Sell, Eli Yourtee, P. R. Keltner, C. S.
Holsinger,- F. P. Cassel, D. B. Gibson, John Wise, Jas. Hol-
linger, Geo. Barnhart, M. M. Ennis, Jas. A. Sell, D. M. Mohler,
J. W. Metzger, G. S. Rairigh, J. E. Ellenberger, C. Hope;

D. E. Price, Moderator; I. D. Parker, Writing Clerk; D. L.
Miller, Reading Clerk.

1897. Frederick, Md., June 8, etc. G. E. Studebaker, D. B.
Eby, S. R. Zug, John Wertz, Henry Martin, Nich. Martin, S.
Hodgden, J H. Miller, W. S. Reichard, J. D. Trostle, Dorsey
Hodgden, Sol. Stoner, Isaac Rairigh, L. W. Teeter, Z. Annon,
J. E. Ralston, S. M. Loose, B. W. Smith, J. D. Haughtelin,
Edw. Loomis, Daniel Hays, L. M. Kob, Hen. Frantz, J. P.
Zigler, D. Hildebrand, Jasper Barnthouse, P. S. Miller, D. M.
Mohler, H. B. Brumbaugh, G. C. Bowman, C. Holdeman, John
Lehner, J. H. Moore, Conrad Fitz ; L. W. Teeter, Moderator ;
J. H. Moore, Writing Clerk ; D. Hays, Reading Clerk.

1898. Burlington Park, Napierville, 111., Mav 31, etc. John
Brubaker, Henry Keller, S. H. Miller, W. H. Naff, C. L.
Wilkins, J. C Seibert, S. Crumpacker, J. W. Rarick, Dan.
Chambers, L. A. Wenger, J. H. Wright, S, M. Forney, Jere.
Thomas, W. R. Deeter, Wm. Davis, G. W. Annon, P. R.
Keltner, Caleb Fogle, G. K. Sappington, S. Buckalew, S. L.
Myers, Eli Yourtee, M. Florv, Michael Keller, J. H. Longe-
necker, F. W. Dove, A. Molsbee, E. D. Book, M. T. Bear, S.

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 559

Edgecomb, S. J. Swigart, J. E. Ellenberger, A. Hutchison, W.

A. Gaunt, John P. Bailey, D. L. Miller, J. C. Bright, G. A.
Shamberger; W. R. Deeter, Moderator; D. L. Miller, Writ-
ing Clerk; P. R. Keltner, Reading Clerk; G, N. Falkenstein,
Doorkeeper.

1899. Roanoke, Va., May 23, etc. C. Hope, John Zuck,
W. K. Simmons, John Bonewitz, C. M. Brower, Jas. A. Sell,
J. S. Flory, G. W. Ellenberger, Jac. Hollinger, A. W. Austin,
David Bowman, J. Y. King, J, A. Miller, Henry Brubaker, I.
W. Abernathy, Enoch Eby, M. J. McClure, A. B. Barnhart,
I. S. Lerew, J. H. Baker, Thomas J. Kolb, W. B. Sell, I. B.
Trout, D. J. Miller, Geo. F. Wise, A. H. Puterbaugh, G. S.
Arnold, J. B. Moore, L. T. Holsinger, J. P. Zigler, S. M. Smith,
D. C. Campbell, D. A. Naff, J. L. Thomas, L. H. Dickey, J. B.
Pence, O. J. Beaver, H. M. Shutt ; L. T. Holsinger, Moderator ;
J. H. Moore, A. H. Puterbaugh, Writing Clerks ; I. B. Trout,
Reading Clerk.

1900. North Manchester, Ind., June 5, etc. Jos. B. Bow-
man, C. L. Wilkins, Jos. Myer, P. S. Miller, L. W. Teeter, I.
F. Rairigh, W. H. Naff, J. H. Wright, A. D. Sollenberger,
Daniel Havs, J. C. Murray, R. A. Yoder, Jere. Thomas, D. E.
Price, E. M. Wolf, Albert Hollinger, C. P. Rowland, L. E.
Keltner, W. S. Reichard, John Arnold, A. F. Miller, S. K.
Fike, Samuel Weimer, J, F. Neher, John Herr, G. W. Lentz,
J. Appleman, Wm. C. Koontz, S. B. Shirky, P. S. Myers, H.

B. Brumbaugh, J. H. Neher, Geo. C. Carl, Jasper Barnthouse,
John P. Bailey, D. L. Miller, J. C. Bright, S. M. Gochenour,
S. R. Zug, N. Longenecker, Harvey Eikenberry ; D. L. Miller,
Moderator ; Daniel Hays, H. B. Brumbaugh, Writing Clerks ;
L. W. Teeter, Reading Clerk ; David Hollinger, Doorkeeper.

1901. Lincoln, Neb., May 28, etc. Daniel Vaniman, John
Zuck, Tobias Hoover, Thos. Barklow, J. M. Follis, I. J. Rosen-
berger, Stephen Yoder, B. E. Kesler, C. G. Lint, N. S. Cripe,
J. E. Shamberger, W. J Swigart, J. A. Miller, D. M. Mohler,
Jos. A. Long, John Wise, J. P. Harris, J. Y. King, G. M.
Throne, J. H. Baker, D, Asherman, John Sherfey, I. B. Trout,
Uriah Bixler, I. L. Hoover, John Heckman, G. S. Arnold,
Conrad Fitz, I. L. Berkey, H. G. Miller, John M. Lair, Dorsey
Hodgden, H. C. Early, J. A. Weaver, D. F. Hoover, G. W.
Hutchison, S. M. Miller, L. H. Dickey, M. Nead ; Daniel Vani-
man, Moderator ; L B. Trout, I. J. Rosenberger, Writing Clerks ;
H. C. Early, Reading Clerk ; S. P. Van Dyke, Doorkeeper.

1903. Bellefontaine, O., June 2, etc. G. J. Fercken, John

560 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

P. Bailev, E. D. Book, D. C. Campbell, H. J. Lilly, John Herr,
A. C. Wieand, J. D. Hildebrand, John T. Green, J. U. G.
Stiverson, C. M. Yearout, David Zuck, Edm. Forney, Geo.
Barnhart, Uriah Bixler, Henry Brubaker, J. H. Baker, E. L.
Lockard, G. W. Weddle, I. B. Trout, T. S. Fike, J. W. Jarboe,
S. F. Sanger, H. G. Miller, Salem Beery, David Dilling, J. P.
Zigler, Wm. Davis, D. F. Hoover, W. H. Naff, Conrad Fitz,
L. H. Dickey, Jacob Wine, S. M. Smith, W. F. England, Geo.

A. Branscom, H. C. Longenecker, L. A. Bookwalter, John
Zuck, W. H. Lichty, C. G. Lint, S. J Swigart, Sol. Buckalew ;
S F, Sanger, Moderator; A. C. Wieand, Writing Clerk; L

B. Trout, Reading Clerk; J. D. Mishler, Doorkeeper.

1904. Carthage, Mo., May 2^, etc. John C. Woodie, Jasper
Barnthouse, E. G. Rodabaugh, N. B. Sherfy, J. C. Bright, L
W. Brubaker, P. S. Miller, D. M. Garber, J. E. Rolston, C. D.
Hylton, C. J. Workman, J. A. Weaver, Daniel Hays, David
Lytle, C. L. Wilkins, H. C. Early, L. W. Teeter, S. M. Forney,
G. S. Arnold, L D. Parker, R. A. Yoder, Z. Annon, L. H. Eby,
E. M. Wolf, Samuel H. Utz, W. R. Deeter, A. C. Daggett, A.
B. Barnhart, L L. Berkey, G, E. Studebaker, W. T. Sines, John
Heckman, J. A. Miller, I. W. Taylor, S. W. Garber, N. S.
Gripe, J. H. Longenecker, F. W. Dove, S. E. Yundt, W, A.
Anthony, G. W. Lentz, J. H. Stover, H. B. Brumbaugh, M. E.
Stair, D. L. Forney, D. H. Walker, Ira P. Eby ; H. C. Early,
Moderator; H. B. Brumbaugh, Writing Clerk; I. D. Parker,
Reading Clerk ; W. C. Hanawalt, Doorkeeper.

1905. Bristol, Tenn., June 6, etc. C. A. Williams, H. J.
Lilly, James A. Sell, G. F. Chemberlen, D. A. Miller, E. X.
Miller, A. L. Boyd, D. Bowman, Tobias Myers, M. H. Peters,
Wm. Harvey, John Herr, J. J. Yoder, D. J. Blickenstaff, W. S.
Reichard, L S. Lerew, D. E. Price, Thos. J. Kolb, John Sherfy,
W. B. Neff, Z. Annon, Geo. Manon, A, G. Crosswhite, Jere.
Thomas, D. G. Wine, D. F. Hoover, H. G. Miller, S. M. Smith,
G. W. Sellers, J. M. Kagey, Levi Mohler, Wm. Dessenberg,
Wm. H. Naff, H. F. Maust, L J. Rosenberger, T. C. Denton,
John Zuck, D. S. Filbrun, S. J. Bowman, C. M. Brower, C. G.
Lint, H. M. Griffith ; John Zuck, Moderator ; A. G. Crosswhite,
Writing Clerk ; D. F. Hoover, Reading Clerk ; J. S. Geiser,
Doorkeeper.

1906. Springfield, 111. S. P. Jones, D. H. Walker, J. Q.
Goughnour, A. E. Nead, J. C. Bright, O.J. Beaver, P. S. Miller,
Jesse Stutzman, D. M. Shorb, C. M. Yearout, James Murray,
A. W. Hawbaker, H. C. Early, D. D. Thomas, Geo. Mishler,

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 561

Daniel Hays, L. W. Teeter, R. F. McCune, D. B. Arnold,
Frank Fisher, E. E. Joyce, D. W. Kirk, S. F. Sanger, D. A.
Crist, E. A. Brunner, I. B. Trout, S. J. Miller, A. B. Barnhart,
Sol. Buckalew, M. H. Peters, S. K. Fike, J. B. Hylton, A. J.
Smith, J. H. Longenecker, M. S. Mohler, J. W. Trostle, I. W.
Taylor, John Mason, L. E. Keltner, C. L. Baker, J. W. Gep-
hart, Peter Brower, J. B. Brumbaugh ; S. F. Sanger, Moder-
ator ; I. B. Trout, Writing Clerk ; H. C. Early, Reading Clerk ;
J. Kurtz Miller, Doorkeeper. i^ ^

1907. Los Angeles, Cal., May. J, H. Stover, H. C. N. Coff- '^^J^s^
man, W. J. Swigart, Edm. Forney, J. H. Keller, W. A. An- f"'
thony, David Snyder, G. W. Lentz, J. T. Myers, S. Edgecomb,

F. W. Dove, John Herr, A. A. Sutter, D. J. Blickenstaff, D.
V. Long, M. Keller, John Heckman, G. K. Sappington, T. E.
George, L L. Berkey, H. G. Miller, S. E. Lantz, Daniel Snell,
A. S. Thomas, Wm. Davis, L. T. Holsinger, J. A. Dove, N. B.
Wagoner, L. H. Dickey, H. Ikenberry, Geo. Stryker, N. Long-
enecker, John H. Garst, J, E. Ralston, D. M. Garber, J. H.
Peterson, S. N. McCann, L J. Rosenberger, L. W. Brubaker, .
S. S. Blough; L. T. Holsinger, Moderator; S. N. McCann,
Writing Clerk; John Heckman, Reading Clerk; J. W. Lear,
W. C. Hanawalt, Doorkeepers.

1908. Des Moines, la., June 9, etc. C. H. Diehl, James
Murray, A. C. Snowberger, P. S. Miller, G. A. Snyder, W. H.
Lichty, W. H. Naff, L. W. Teeter, J. E. Joseph, H. C. Early,
Frank Fisher, J. B. Moore, D. C. Flory, J, H. Wright, George
Manon, Jere. Thomas, S. F. Sanger, George Eller, Z. Annon,
Manly Deeter, B. E. Kesler, T. J. Kolb, C. L. Wilkins, J. E.
Crist, John A. Myers, A. C. Wieand, J. C. Minix, J. H. Long-
enecker, J. W. Harshberger, A. J. Smith, L W. Taylor, H. J.
Lilly, H. F. Maust, E. S. Miller, A. Killingsworth, D. A. Nor-
cross, James A. Sell, E. E. John, Geo. C. Carl, P. J. Blough,
J. E. Ellenberger, Adam Ebey, J. C. Bright, D. F. Sink, David
Hollinger ; H. C. Early, Moderator ; A. C. Wieand, Writing
Clerk ; S. F. Sanger, Reading Clerk ; John C. Zug, Doorkeeper.

1909. Harrisonburg, Va., June i, etc. H. Eikenberry, M.
Keller, J. S. Secrist, J. A. Miller, John H. Utz, John Herr,
Wm. Eisenbise, John Rowland, F. P. Cassel, D. T. Wagoner,
W. T. Sines, H. B. Brumbaugh, D. J. Lichty, J. M. Smith, H.
Beelman, A. G. Crosswhite, G. W. Lentz, Albert Hollinger,
S. S. Ullery, J. S. Kline, J. Barnthouse, J. W. Kitson, Noah
Oren, J. J. Shaffer, I. L. Berkey, Levi Snell, P. M. Correll,

562 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

J. W. Rarick, G. A. Branscom, H. M. Peters, John Zuck, D.

F. Landis, D. N. Eller, Silas Gilbert, N. Longenecker, C. D.
Hylton, H. C. N. Coffman, J. W. Keiser, Daniel Hays, I. L.
Hoover, D. M. Garber, D. H. Zigler, D. A. Crist, D. S. Filbrun,
Emra T. Fike, Chas. A. Miller, W. P. Bosserman, Z. Annon;
D, M. Garber, Moderator; A. G. Crosswhite, Writing Clerk;

G. W. Lentz, Reading Clerk ; Ira Kreider, Doorkeeper.

1910. Winona Lake, Ind., June 7-9. J. F. Ross, D. B.
Eby, R. A. Yoder, A. W. Arnold, I. H. Miller, J. D. Brower,
J. M. Kagey, J. C. Bright, A. P. Blough, H. C. Early, David
Hollinger, W. E. West, S. A. Sanger, G. A. Snyder, L. W.
Teeter, H. G. Miller, A. S. Workman, Eli Roose, P. S. Miller,
Isaac Miller, Daniel Wysong, W. H. Naff, James Gish, A. L.
Wright, P. D. Reed, R. F. Bowman, G. E. Swihart, J. C.
Minix, E. G. Rodabaugh, Jesse Emmert, D. H. Walker, D. L.
Mohler, J. W. Lear, J. F. Dietz, P. B. Messner, G. B. Royer,

C. L. Baker, J. T. Green, S. Z. Sharp, E. S. Miller, Caleb Long,
W. F. England, J. A. Sell, C. D. Bonsack, J. H. Stober, J. C.
Swigart, J. J Yoder, H. J. Lilly, I. W. Taylor, W. C. Watkins,

A. C. Daggett, Jesse Ziegler ; H. C. Early, Moderator ; J. W.
Lear, Writing Clerk ; G. B. Royer, Reading Clerk ; A. L. B.
Martin, Doorkeeper.

191 1. St. Joseph, Mo., June 6-8. W. T. Price, S'. E. Lantz,
L. E. Keltner, D. L. Forney, John E. Crist, J. H. Longenecker,
W. Q. Calvert, Geo. S. Harp, John Herr, J. E. Bryant, J. C.
Garland, J. Kurtz Miller, P. R. Keltner, W. T. Sines, John
Bennett, Henry Lilligh, J. E. Ullery, J. A. Long, J. M. Blough,
Chas. A. Lentz, W. A. Anthony, D. B. Garber, S. B. Shirkey,
W. M. Howe, David Dilling, Rufus Wyatt, Silas Hoover,
Manly Deeter, Geo. Mishler, J. A. Miller, Frank Kreider, G. A.
Branscom, D. N. Eller, D. F. Hoover, J. H. Brubaker, D. C.
Naff, C. B. Rowe, James Murrav, A. S. Thomas, Sam. Bowser,

B. F. Snyder, I. A. Miller, H. C. N. Coffman, D. M. Garber,

D. H. Zigler, H. F. Crist, D. S. Filbrum, D. Hays, D. A. Crist,
J. H. Gordon, E. T. Fike; D. M. Garber, Moderator; J. M.
Blough, Writing Clerk ; P. R. Keltner, Reading Clerk ; Edgar
Rothrock, Doorkeeper.

1912. York, Pa., June 4, etc. J. W. Deardorf, H. C. Early,
Brice Sell, J. P. Dickey, D. M. Zuck, J. P. Hetric, J. H. Gray-
bill, I. W. Abernathy, C. R. Oellig, I. B. Trout, C. L. Wilkins,
D. A. Foust, J. W. Lear, T. J. Simmons, J. H. Cassady, I. S.
Long, G. W. Ellenberger, H. S. Replogle, A. L. Wright, J. B.
Hylton, A. M. Laughrun, Frank Fisher, D. G. Wine, K. G.

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 563

Tennison, Dav. Metzler, D. F. Landis, P. S. Miller, E. L.
Heestand, N. Longenecker, D. A. Naff, L. T. Holsinger, L. H.
Dickey, H. G. Miller, W. I. Buckingham, J. C. Bright, S. A.
Sanger, J. F. Souders, B. F. Petry, P. S. Thomas, G. W.
Burgin, A. L. Boyd, J. A. Garber, H. L. Brammell, Geo. C.
Carl, M. F. Woods, A. C. Daggett, F. P. Cassel, Jere. Thomas,
John S. Clark, I. W. Taylor, A. C. Auvil, M. Keller, T. T.
Myers; H. C. Early, Moderator; J. W. Lear, Writing Clerk;
I. B. Trout, Reading Clerk; W. Carl Rarick, Doorkeeper.

1913. Winona Lake, Ind. H. J. Lilly, D. R. Holsinger,
Geo. H. Bashor, Salem Beery, C. Fahrney, O. F. Shaw, Geo.
W. Miller, W. B. Stover, J. H. Wright, David Dilling, Frank
Kreider, W. R. Deeter, L. W. Teeter, W. E. West, J. Q.
Goughnour, D. F. Sink, O. O. Button, Geo. Filer, F. G.
Edwards, J. J. Yoder, T. S. Fike, John Rowland, S. M. Smith,
Geo. W. Lentz, S. B. Shirkey, D. W. Teeter, D. G. Wine, G.
A. Branscom, J. W. Shively, R. R. Shroyer, D. M. Carver,
J. W. Fidler, B. F. Snider, Jacob Appleman, H. H. Keim, M.
C. Swigart, J. H. Longenecker, John Herr, W. J. Swigart,
John Bennett, C. L. Baker, Albert Hollinger, P. J. Blough,
Levi Rogers, D. F. Bowman, M. H. Peters, L A. Miller, D. C,
Naff, D. H. Zigler, J. M. Kagey, A. S. Thomas, S. N. McCann,
L. A. Bowman, D. B. Eby, Emra T. Fike, J. F. Ross ; D. M.
Carver, Moderator; G. W. Lentz, Reading Clerk; S. N. Mc-
Cann, W^riting Clerk ; M. R. Wolf, Doorkeeper ; O. P. Haines,
Assistant.

C. Changes in Holding Annual Meetings.

In 1849, a brother with his family moved from Lancaster
County, Pa., to northwestern Ohio. After a lapse of thirty-
seven years, he made his first visit east, and, when brought
from the station to his brother's home, the place where both
were born and raised to manhood, he at first would not be-
lieve that it was the place where father had lived, but when
assured that it was, and taking another look, he said yes,
there is the creek that used to flow through the meadow,
now a tilled field, and there stands the pear tree that stood
at the corner of the old house, and the slope of the land is
the same, but the buildings, fences, and fields were all
changed, timber cleared away, and the land under cultiva-
tion, and other new houses built in the vicinity, all of which

564 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

made a great change in the landscape, and all these changes
seemed to be an improvement for the farm.

We were wondering if the Macks, Peter Becker, the Ur-
ners, Prices, Saurs, Elder Michael Frantz, the Pfautzs,
Longeneckers, Zugs, George Miller, and more recently, the
Harleys, Peter Keyser, Daniel Fretz, Jacob Haller, David
Gerlach, Valentine Balsbach, Lorenz Etter, the Beshores,
Klines, Hollinger, all of Eastern Pennsylvania, and many
others beyond the Susquehanna River, who are dead forty,
fifty and more years, and who have attended Annual Meet-
ings of long ago, could now attend one of ours, whether they
might not have a feeling akin to that of the visitor from the
West, when told that this now holds the place of the " Big
Meeting," which they used to have in their time.

The first General Conference that we have any record of
was a called one, and likely held at the home of Martin
Urner, in Coventry Church, near where Pottstown now is,
in 1742. It appears that this meeting was called to more
firmly establish the members in the principles and doctrines
of the church, as contained in the New Testament, and to
protect them from the erroneous and misleading teaching of
Count Zinzendorf and others, in an effort to unite the Prot-
estant churches.

The next General Conference we have any record of was
held in Lancaster County, in 1763, on account of trouble
arising from the claims of Sister Catharine Hummer, that
she had trances, frequently, for years, and while under their
spell she had visions, and communication with departed saints.
Some of the members had faith in her claims, and some had
not, and her father, Peter Hummer, being a minister, would
give her liberty in public meetings to relate her visions,
which was so objectionable to some, that, according to the
decision of the conference, the church was at the point of
division, as in the Conrad Beissel case.

It was the rule of the Brotherhood from the beginning
until 1848, when a church had trouble that could not be
adjusted at home by the aid of adjoining elders, to take it to
the " Big Meeting," and there if not always, at least often,
it was taken up in open council and decided.

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 565

It is not known when the conferences began to be held on
Pentecost, but that of 1763 was May 27 and 28. I was
wondering whether the meeting in Germantown, mentioned
in Brumbaugh's "History," page 504, held on June 11,
1791, was not one, since in the list of conferences that year
is left blank; because he says there "many brethren from
near and far came together ; several Elders from other con-
gregations were also present." The question considered at
this meeting pertained specially to Germantown, and the
meeting was held at the time the conference was usually
held, i. e., June.

On October 30, 1794, a conference was held at Shenan-
doah, Va., and in the autumn of 1797, at Black Water, Va.
These may have been special meetings, and the regular meet-
ings unknown, the same as in 1846, the regular meeting was
at John Royer's, in Lancaster Co., Pa., and the same year
was a special held at the Meeting House near Joseph Bow-
man's, Washington Co., East Tennessee, on September 4;
and on June 12, 1848, the regular meeting was held at the
house of Bro. Jacob Kurtz, Wayne Co., O., and September
23 and 24, same year, a special was held at the house of Bro.
John Koontz, near Delphi, Carroll Co., Ind. The business,
of these special meetings, the minutes inform us, was largely
of a local character.

The first commitee sent by Annual Meeting consisted of
Peter Long, Andrew Spanogle, John Holsinger, of Penn-
sylvania, Jos. Arnold, Jac. Byser, of Virginia, Geo. Hoke,
H. Kurtz, of Ohio, in 1849, to go to the Glade Church,
Somerset Co., Pa., and assist them in dividing their territory
into four or five districts. The following year two com-
mittees were sent to adjust troubles, one to Eel River, Ind.,
the other to Mansfield, O. This was the beginning of send-
ing committees to churches, authorized to settle difficulties,
and if they were successful this ended the trouble; if not,
they were to report back to the next Annual Meeting, and
this is the rule yet. Since this rule is in force, personal
matters are not accepted at the conference, unless commit-
tees fail to adjust the same.

Prior to 1866, the Standing Committee was appointed by

566 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

the elders of the church where the meeting was held, they
to receive all papers sent up by the churches, and to supply
them with answers to be considered by the meeting in open
Council, but the membership, and the number of churches
increasing, which naturally increased the amount of work
at the conference, made it necessary to make some change;
therefore in 1848 we find the following on the minutes:
" Whole number of delegates was 95, and among them were
ordained elders 24, elders 31, teachers 14, deacons 15, pri-
vate members 11, churches represented 59, and though as
fully represented as ever before, it is believed that only
about one third of the churches had sent messengers. The
number of papers handed in amounted to 63. Considering
that the reading of all the papers by one committee would
take up too much time, it was concluded to distribute them
among ten committees, which were to examine them and
report thereon to the meeting. These committees were ap-
pointed from the delegates," etc. In 1862 we find the fol-
lowing : " It was ascertained that there were represented at
this council meeting 136 congregations by about 240 dele-
gates. The General Committee, having received the papers
addressed to the meeting, distributed such as contained
queries to twenty sub-committees," etc. There were this
year seventy-two papers brought to the meeting.

The plan of appointing sub-committees was continued
until 1866, when there was a radical change made in holding
Annual Meeting (see minutes of that year), but appointing
Standing Committee was left the same way until 1868, after
which each state district was to appoint one Elder to serve
on the committee, and one Brother to accompany him as a
delegate, and that local church delegates be discontinued.

In 1885 it was decided that no elder shall serve on Stand-
ing Committee more than two years out of four, and in
1897, that no officer, or member of the committee shall serve
two years in succession, which is still the rule.

In 1879 and 1880 the districts having the meeting were
permitted to charge for boarding the people. Before that
it was expected that board be furnished free.

In 1883 the local churches were allowed to represent,

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 567

those having two hundred members, or less, by one dele-
gate, and those over two hundred by two, and the accom-
panying delegate from District Meeting be discontinued.

In 1903 it was decided that state districts having over
3,500 members shall be entitled to two members on Stand-
ing Committee.

The first time the Sunday-school question was before the
conference was in 1838, and the decision was " Considered
most advisable to take no part in such things." In 1857
the question was up again, and the answer was : " We know
of no scripture which condemns Sunday-schools, if con-
ducted in gospel order," etc. From that time on it was
frequently before conference on some point connected with
the Sunday-school question, and at this time it is considered
indispensable to the church, and has a prominent place at
every conference.

In 1852 the mission question was first considered and
sanctioned, but no plan adopted. The question was up sev-
eral times afterwards but nothing came of it to set the work
in motion for some time, until 1884, when a missionary
plan was formulated, and a committee consisting of E. Eby
and C. P. Roland for one year, D. Vaniman and S. Rid-
dlesberger for two years, and D. L. Miller for three years,
were appointed, to carry out the plan. In 1885 a Commit-
tee on Book and Tract Work was appointed, viz. : S. D.
Royer and S. W. Hoover, three years, Adam Minnick and
B. F. Miller, two years, J. Hepner, Saml. Bock, one year;
and in 1893 the two works were consolidated under the
following committee, viz., D. L. Miller and E. Eby, three
years, S. F. Sanger and S. R. Zug, two years, and S. W.
Hoover, one year. The plan thus adopted, with some
amendments added since, now forms the basis on which
mission work is carried on by the brotherhood, both home
and foreign.

In 1 83 1 it was decided not advisable for a Brother to
send his son to college. In 1853, "Considered that we
would deem colleges a very unsafe place for a simple fol-
lower of Christ," etc. In 1888, "it is conforming to the
world," etc. In 1871, "allowed to engage in college work,

668 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

yet not as a church school," and in 1883, " forbearance is
urged," etc. More recently our colleges are nearly all under
the supervision of the conference.

Brethren's Homes and Children's Aid Societies are of
more recent introduction, and have had little change.

Fifty years ago and more there was little or nothing done
at our Annual Meetings concerning Sunday-schools, mission
work, colleges, brethren's and orphans' homes, but matter
pertaining to church polity, while more recently this is mani-
festly changed and reversed. The temperance question was
always a live question with our church, but only as touching
the members, but in recent years the Church has broadened
out.

If any one wishes to know how the Annual Meetings were
conducted sixty or seventy years ago, read the description of
one in another part of this work, held in 1846, at John'
Royer's in Lancaster Co., Pa., where the people met Thurs-
day, had council Friday and Saturday; after that a lovefeast.
Preaching. Sunday morning, commenced at seven o'clock,
and continued until 12.30, without intermission, where
twenty Brethren would preach, one after the other, each
on an average, occupying about fifteen minutes, both in Ger-
man and English, while the people sat five and one-half
hours, on improvised seats, made of rough boards, without
backs, listening to men of mature age and experience, whose
dress, hair and beards would make them recognizable as
Brethren anywhere. It was required in those days that
ministers, especially elders, should be fully in the order,
and not be without beard. Oh, what a change from then to
now!

D. Abraham H. Cassel's Account of Annual
Meeting, 1846.

Friday morning May 22, 1846, to yearly meeting with
the Rev. Samuel Harley and wife and Samuel M. Harley,
passed through to Boyerstown and Reading to Bro. Isaac
Smuckers. Next morning through Adamstown and Reams-
town to Samuel Landes for dinner. From there through
Ephrata and Lititz to Bro. Christian Longenecker's all

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 569

night. Met many Brethren there from Franklin County
and elsewhere. Had meeting there next morning. Samuel
Harley spoke about the woman of Samaria; after him old
Jacob Haller, Daniel Fretz and David Gerlock. Through
Manheim to Philip Ziegler's. But I went from Longe-
necker's with Bro. John Young near Mt. Joy, eighteen miles.
Conversed till near 3 o'clock in the morning, principally con-
cerning the Essenes whether they were Christians or not,
and the Millenium. Next morning, he took me to Eliza-
bethtown where we had meeting in a Winebrenarian Church.
Our horses were all ungeared and stabled at the tavern and
hay and water ordered and paid for by Bro. Jacob Rider.
Went with him from meeting for dinner to Bro. Isaac Esh-
leman's. For tea and all night at John Keyser's. Meeting
there next morning where Harley spoke from Hebrews 2 : 3.
Ziegler and Hoffer also spoke a word of testimony. From
there we all went to John Young's over night. Had meet-
ing next morning in a school house close by. Text Phil. 2.
In the afternoon we had a large Council Meeting at his
house concerning the affairs of Abraham Gibble. Next
morning to Sister Shoemaker's where many Brethren, min-
istering and others met us from Maryland, Virginia and
other places. Had a very interesting meeting there in the
barn. Jacob and Daniel Saylor were also there and spoke
with such power and energy that I never heard its equal in
my opinion. From there to old Bishop Pfoutz's and next
morning to Konigmacker's in the vicinity of the Yearly
Meeting. Left our horses and baggage there during the
meeting which commenced on Friday morning 8 o'clock.
Present about twenty-five bishops, one hundred and twenty-
six preachers and perhaps 10,000-15,000 hearers. Regular
worship lasted till noon. Then the Council commenced
which lasted till Saturday dinner when regular worship be-
gan again and the balance of the queries were decided by the
Standing Committee in a private room after which two
candidates were baptized in Royer's Meadow. Then began
the preparation for the love feast. They erected a large
canvas tent for an eating saloon with five tables for two
hundred and forty to sit up at a time. The cooking was

670 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

performed in a large wash kitchen where they had two fifty-
gallon kettles over the fire to heat water for coffee and to
boil meat and broth for the communion supper which was
partaken of by at least two or three thousand communi-
cants. Next morning (Sunday) public worship began at
7 o'clock and closed at half past twelve during which time
twenty sermons were preached from different texts. The
principal speakers were George Hoke from Ohio, John
Kline from Virginia, James Tracey from Ohio, Israel Poul-
son from New Jersey, Peter Nead from Staunton, Virginia,
Henry Kurtz, Ohio, Adam Brown from Missouri, James
Quinter, Philip Eshleman from Chickahog Valley, Christel
Funk from Greencastle, Pa., the two Saylors from Mary-
land, Henry Koons from Washington, Andy Miller, old
Spanogle, old David Shollenberger, Peter Long, Lorenz
Etter and Jacob Brown and Samuel Harley. From there
we went that afternoon yet down to Isaac Smucker's.
From there home the next day. Arrived at about 8 o'clock
in evening; absent thirteen days and traveled about two
hundred miles — was much refreshed and well pleased with
the journey — been well all the time and had very favorable
weather.

The questions discussed in my presence were as follows :

1st. About making different arrangements for holding
yearly Meeting. Ans. Laid by.

2d. Whether private members should have the privilege
of bringing difficulties before the Y. M. before consulted
at home. No.

3d. Whether imposition of hands should be observed in
electing deacons. Ans. Left undecided.

4th. Whether one elder or bishop should be vested with
more than another. Ans. No.

5th. When an offensive member should be ex-communi-
cated public before all — or received — or privately before the
members only. Ans. Left undecided, as circumstances
may require different.

6th. Whether conjugal embraces between promise and
marriage should be considered and punished as whoredom.
Ans. Yes, with certain restrictions.

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 571

7th, Whether a gross transgressor can be received upon
again confession only without visible marks of a true and
thorough repentance and humility for the crime committed.
Ans. Under certain circumstances.

8th. Whether a member upon commission of a gross sin
must be formally excummunicated if he shows satisfactory
marks of repentance and contrition of heart for his guilt.
Ans. Undecided.

9th. Whether a Brother may work in a distillery for
wages and whether a Brother farmer or miller may sell and
grind to and for a distiller. Ans. Best not.

The rest were decided privately for want of time.

E. Report of the Annual Meeting, Held in Berks

Co., Pa., on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday,

May 30, 31, and June i, 1871^

The meeting was held on the premises of brother John
Merkey, in Berks county, this state, about nine miles north
of Myerstown station on the Lebanon Valley Railroad.

Brother Merkey's large commodious barn was fitted up —
well arranged — with the design of holding the meeting in
it; but as the congregation was large and constantly in-
creasing, and as Tuesday morning gave promise of a beau-
tiful day, it was concluded to move to the pleasant grove
not far distant. The action was suited to the word, and in
due time the necessary arrangements were made, and the
council assembled.

The exercises were introduced by Elder John Zug, by
lining and singing the io8th hymn, in the new German
hymn book commencing:

" Komm, O Komm, Du Geist des Lebens."

Elder John Wise then proposed to open in one language
and close in another. Accordingly Elder Samuel Lehman
proceeded to open the meeting by exhortation and prayer in
the German. Wise then read the 15th chapter of Acts.

Elder Henry Davy remarked in substance as follows :
As Acts 15th has been read as a basis for our meeting, we

* Contributed by J. G. Francis.

572 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

are together in the name of God; and therefore we ought
to be very solemn. That in so far as doctrinal points were
involved, there would not be much occasion for such coun-
cils : this was also the case in the chapter read.

Lehman recapitulated in German what Davy had said in
English: especially regarding the small matters that so often
divide the Brotherhood. He exhorted to humility, and
carefulness, and a proper premeditation of what we say.

The following officers were elected :

Elder Henry Davy, Foreman; Elder D. P. Saylor, Ass't
foreman; Elder John Wise, Reading Clerk; Elder James
Quinter, Writing Clerk; Elder F. P. Loehr, Interpreter, to
read queries and answers in the German. D. M. Holsinger
was also called as interpreter.

The delegates from Eastern Pennsylvania were David
Gerlach and S. R. Zug.^

The speeches of the first day were taken down by a
stenographer sent by the Phila. Press. This is likely the
first Annual Meeting of which a stenographic report was
ever given. The first day's speeches are given in the
Christian Family Companion of June 2y, and July 4, 1871.

The question discussed at greatest length was that of a
plan of amending the method of holding Annual Meetings
— that each state district send one delegate to represent it on
Standing Committee, that each congregation send one rep-
resentative, and that these compose the Annual Council, and
all questions be decided by that body alone. The chief
champions of the old way were D. P. Saylor and Jacob
Miller; of the new way as proposed, H. R. Holsinger and
Joseph Hanawalt.

We are told that the meeting closed at 3.30 P.M. Thurs-
day, and that before night the vast concourse of people had
dispersed.

The "General Remarks" of H, R. Holsinger are as
follows :

2 Holsinger in his report says that David Gerlach and S. R. Zug were
the delegates from Eastern Pennsylvania. This is an error. The
delegates were David Gerlach and John Zug. S. R. Zug was serving
on the Committee of Arrangements in place of his father, Deacon
Benjamin Zug.

< >-

ANNUAL MEETINGS. 573

" There was nothing unusual connected with the meeting.
The attendance was about the average. There was pro-
vision in abundance for all. The accommodations were as
good as could have been expected. The place was well
adapted to the holding of such a meeting, having four
pumps on the premises ; but we regard it as a great mistake
to have such a meeting so far from the railroad, and we
heard very severe censures expressed for that part of the
arrangements. It was certainly very imprudent to compel
so many persons to travel so far over rough roads, on
rough conveyances, and spend their time and money, when
there was no occasion for so doing. — Hundreds of dollars
might have been saved to the brethren and sisters, if the
meeting had been near the railroad. We hope this will be
taken into consideration in selecting locations for future
meetings.

"Among the peculiarities of the meeting, may be men-
tioned that there was more German speaking, both public
and private, than at any previous meeting we attended.
There were many persons present that understood scarcely
any English. Another was that there was less tobacco
smoking. This was remarked by several persons on the
ground. It is certainly a hopeful indication. Only occa-
sionally you would see a Brother so imprudent as to come
among the people with burning tobacco; and we saw but
one 'smoking union' among the sisters, and they had the
prudence to retire to themselves."

Holsinger also states that he " obtained the notes of the
first day's doings from one of the Associated Press Re-
porters, who was on the ground the first day; but left on
the second day for want of proper accommodations, and on
account of annoyance from impertinent inquirers. . . . Had
he received the courtesies of the meeting, in the shape of
a few square feet of our rough board table, we might have
been permitted to lay before our readers the entire pro-
ceedings of the Annual Meeting, to the joy and satisfaction
of thousands who could not attend the meeting," etc. It
would be no small satisfaction to have the great speech of
Isaac Price which is described as passing Beecher in elo-
quence.

574 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

This Annual Meeting seems to have blazed the way for
full reports, and also to have blazed the way for our modern
system of district and congregational representation at An-
nual Meeting.

We have also words from one of those who bore the bur-
dens and responsibilities of the Meeting, who felt the fears
and anxieties, Elder F. P. Loehr. He writes : " But I have
digressed, and must return and say, that on Monday I re-
turned to the place of Annual Meeting, where I enjoyed a
season of extraordinary refreshing; especially as those
queries most dreaded were disposed of without much ex-
citement; and I trust we are all more confirmed that the
Lord has not forsaken them that put their trust in him.
We have had again lessons of self-denial and submission
to one another for Christ's sake, thereby to become more
and more combined as members of one body; and such as
have dreaded a disruption of the brotherhood, may take
courage, and begin anew to work in the vineyard of the
Lord with redoubled zeal to keep up the unity of the spirit
in the bond of peace."

"Sketches Outside," by Bro. P. H. Beaver, will tell us
things we should like to know.

"Annual Council,
May 29, 1871.
"Dear Brother: We propose giving you a few familiar
sketches of our impressions and emotions, as well as some
of our experience in getting here. Some of our Brethren
took the first forenoon train from Lewisburg this morning,
and some of us took the second or eleven o'clock train and
beat the rest of the company to Harrisburg by about five
minutes. Here we found an excursion train making up to
take the Bretliren to Myerstown the place of A. M. which
would be ready to move out of the Lebanon Depot at 2
o'clock, one hour after our arrival, so we had a very agree-
able hour for interchange of greetings amongst Brethren,
and the formation of new acquaintances. Then at the
appointed hour we sped away in the direction of Myers-
town through as beautiful and fertile a valley as ever our
good Father laid down anywhere in America, or elsewhere.
This was our first experience upon a R. R. train overflowing

ANNUAL MEETINGS.

575

with Brethren and our reflections soon resolved into poetry
of music. One hour brought us to our stop-off — Myers-
town. Here we found about forty wagons of all con-
ceivable patterns from the lightest to the most heavy and
capacious. We learned that there were ten miles of coun-
try road lying ahead of us to the place of Annual Meeting,
which is being held at the house and upon the spacious
premises of Brother John Merkey, near the village of Bethel,
in Berks Co., Pa. Our trip from the railroad station to
this place was full of unusual experience to a north Penn-
sylvanian. In many respects it was pleasant. Perched
high upon the top of an old fashioned wood and (l)eather
spring four-horse stage coach, we enjoyed a fine view of the
magnificent country through which we passed, to the grate-
ful emotions to our great good Father, which a sight of
these golden grain fields inspire in our hearts ; But darkness
— deference. So we delay our scribbling until morning,
and look about for quarters over night, which at first appear
to be a discouraging undertaking, judging from the dense
mass of human figures moving about in the twilight. As
the shadows of night crept over the landscape, a sense
of loneliness appeared to settle down upon our heart — lone-
liness in the midst of a multitude, the first thought appears
like a paradox yet when you are a stranger in a strange
place, your affections naturally reach out in quest of famil-
iar evening scenes and evening customs, and faces at home.

" In the midst of our mental reveries, we hear a welcome
voice, and we have room for some more Brethren, who are
willing to sleep on the garret. This was a good * show ' and
was gratefully accepted. We were soon decoyed into the
arms of Nature's Sweet Restorer, balmy blessed sleep.
Two ranks thirty feet long and very sensibly to the heat of
a warm garret. This is true without any controversy; but
the whippoorwill in an adjacent tree did his utmost to make
us forget the rough grating of untoward circumstances.

" ' The morning bright with rosy light ' and the familiar
feathered songsters of Summer mornings waked us out
of sleep and back into the world to serve out our proba-
tionary state. After the morning ablutions, the morning
service to the Father of all, and the morning meal, we again
ply our pencil and now the Brethren announced that they
want help to move the seats out of the barn into the grove,

576 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

a most beautiful and delightful grove, a very 'nature
bower,' canopied all over with stately widespreading oaks,
that is indeed agreeable to the sweltering mass. Thither we
resort by and by. Here comes the Standing Committee,
and occupies the stand erected for it. O the scene and
the occasion. Proceedings open by singing *Komm, O
Komm, du Geist des Lebens.' Exhortation by Brother S.
Lehman, followed by prayer. What an impressive occa-
sion. Truly numbers add eloquence and inspiration to such
a meeting. It being no part of my design to report the
regular proceedings we will here rest till noon.

"Here come the dinner hour and summons; and so we
repair to the tent of refreshments, with no disposition to
play reporter of the regular proceedings again. Now let
us look through this tent constructed of fine boards, about
ten hundred feet having been consumed in its construction.
One hundred and ten feet long and about forty- feet wide;
extending from the pump and back porch of the dwelling
house eastward to a large open wagon shed. In this latter
building were stowed away when not in use all the table
paraphernalia — dishes almost by the cord, knives, forks,
spoons, literally by the bushel baskets full. Three tables
through the entire length of this tent accommodated from
three fifty to four hundred persons, and on Tuesday at noon
very nearly two thousand Brethren and Sisters were sup-
plied with dinner. The number of persons attending the
council on this day reached three thousand. The floor of
the boarding tent was nicely carpeted with tan bark which
answered well *for wet or dry weather. A brick cooking
range, about six feet square, covered with four square cast
iron plates each having a circular opening sufficiently large
to receive a large iron kettle, such as is commonly used to
render lard, all of which were used at times, to their utmost
capacity in the preparation of meat, soup and coffee. Nine
churches furnished the labor of cooking and serving tables,
forty males and fifteen females. This labor was furnished
on Monday and Tuesday by the Lancaster churches; and
on Wednesday and Thursday, by the Berks, Lebanon and
Dauphin churches. Three thousand dollars were contrib-
uted toward defraying the expenses of holding this meet-
ing, which is supposed to be ample to cover the bills. From

ANNUAL MEETINGS.

577

the way the Brethren have gone about this work, it is clearly-
presumable that they either have money in sufficient abund-
ance, or that they are not seriously cursed with 'the love
of money.'

" On Wednesday morning the sky looked lowering, with
a light sprinkling of rain, and threatening more; so the con-
gregation 'took up' their boards and benches, as well as
their ' line of march ' to the spacious barn upon the premises.

" The council was held in the Little Swatara congregation,
about a mile from their meeting house, and here as well as
at all other accessible points in the neighborhood, the Breth-
ren held meeting for public preaching every evening at 6
o'clock, which arrangements had the effect of very mate-
rially scattering the members and securing for them com-
fortable quarters to lodge at night.

" We supposed that on Wednesday the general attendance
would not be so large, but the falling off, if any is very
slight. The Peanut and Panacea venders are also still on
hand. Just here let us notice a circumstance which proves
the influence for good that the discussion of the tobacco
question has exerted. We saw some Brethren, and a num-
ber of our always dear Sisters literally hid themselves for
the purpose of enjoying and regaling themselves with the
peculiar sweets to be extracted from cigars and 'meer-
schaums' after their kind.

" Now we will again look in upon the council and see
what we can see there. Evidently there are some ' charac-
ters ' whose * points ' and foibles, as well as other peculiar
traits might be sketched with telling zest and relish, if it
were considered profitable to do so; but to faithfully de-
lineate * Points of character,' with the mention of names are
matters too personal to be edifying to the more conservative
portion of the Brethren, of whom a majority of this council
is evidently composed; but the liberalists have still an im-
mense advantage, because they hold within their ranks a
greater amount, height, and depth, and width of intellectual
grasp — not to put too fine a point on it — and questions are
not decided by numbers, but by weight of council. So we
find some of the Brethren to be great sticklers for technical
formalities of the most minute, not to say trifling character
upon the one hand, and upon the other side the opposite ex-
treme. Those liberal, easy, indulgent and sometimes im-
38

578 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

pulsive, who look much less to form than substance, these
are mostly the zealous, earnest evangelists or revivalists of
the church, who carry their points and their audiences by
a storm of eloquence and fervent pathos.

" Here we must conclude our sketches and get ready to
leave for * Home, sweet home,' before the meeting is over.
Good by.

"P. H. Beaver."

CHAPTER II.

HISTORY OF DISTRICT MEETINGS.

A. The First District Meeting of Eastern
Pennsylvania.

The honor of originating our District Meetings is claimed
for Virginia by Elder D. H. Zigler, of Broadway, that
state, author of "The History of the Brethren in Virginia."
The Virginia Brethren from their "General Council" of
1856 sent a query to Annual Meeting on the proposition
to district the churches, and have general council meetings
in those Districts. Art. 23 of A. M. Minutes is no doubt
the answer to this query. It reads as follows : " A pro-
posal of forming districts of five, six, or more adjoining
churches for the purpose of meeting jointly, at least once a
year, settling difficulties, etc., and thus lessening the busi-
ness of our General Yearly Meetings; we believe this plan
to be a good one, if carried out in the fear of the Lordv"
This is a conditional approval.

A plan to district the churches, attributed to a Virginia,
pen, was presented to the Annual Meeting of 1858.

General Councils were not alone confined to Virginia.
One was held in Milford, presumably Indiana, in 1857. In
the same year there are indications that a similar meeting
must have been held in Maryland. In 1859, likely at
Annual Meeting, the Brotherhood was divided into eleven
districts, for the purpose of raising money, to pay Bro.
Samuel Garber for expenses incurred in a lawsuit grow-
ing out of his preaching against slavery. Elder J. H. Um-
stad represented Pennsylvania east of the Susquehanna
river. Elder D. P. Saylor was the dominant figure in this
work.

It should not be overlooked that the " Western Brethren "
held a general council, November 22, 185 1, in Adams Co.»

579

580 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Illinois. The object of the meeting was to consider dif-
ferences between themselves and the Eastern Brethren.
But this was not intentionally a District Meeting subject
to Annual Meeting, though these Brethren later became
subject to Annual Meeting.

In order to help missionary work the District Meeting
plan of 1858 was brought before the Conference. It was
not thought good to adopt the proposition, but was recom-
mended to the prayerful consideration of the Brethren.

When the Conference in 1859 says, "This Meeting
recommends and gives liberty to any of the Districts or
States to make a move on the subject of spreading and
sustaining the Gospel," etc., we have a recognition of Dis-
trict Meetings.

Then in 1859, this same year, because the missionary work
continued to be urged, the Conference appointed a commit-
tee "to propose some plan by which the Brotherhood in
general may take a part in this good work." The com-
mittee which was to report at next Annual Meeting, con-
sisted of D. P. Saylor, John Kline, John H. Umstad, Sam-
uel Layman, John Metzger, and James Quinter. The com-
mittee in its report gave the following advice: "That the
churches of the Brotherhood form themselves into districts,
. . . that each of said districts have its treasury," etc. The
report of this representative committee was cerain of adop-
tion sooner or later; but because of the slim attendance at
the Annual Meeting of i860, which, with the war spirit in
the air, was held in Tenn., the report was only spread on
the minutes.

Elder John Umstad, whether he regarded the report as
practically adopted, which was the case, whether he looked
upon the missionary cause as of sufficient importance to run
ahead of formal adoption or whether prompted by the
spirit of leadership, but certainly not without authority
from Annual Meeting, called a District Meeting in the Green
Tree Church, September 2.2, i860. We give the minutes as
reported by the secretary to The Gospel Visitor.

" Pursuant to the advice or suggestion of the committee ap-
pointed by the Y. M. (Yearly Meeting) of 1859, who reported

HISTORY OF DISTRICT MEETINGS. 581

to the Y. M. of i860, Bro. J. H. Umstad of Green Tree Church,
Montgomery Co., Pa., issued a call to the Brethren of the
churches East of the Susquehanna river, to send delegates or
letters to a meeting of delegates to be held at Green Tree Church
on the 22d of September, to consider those suggestions for the
furtherance of the Gospel in the work of Evangelism.

" The meeting was organized by appointing Jacob Gottwals,
Moderator, and Isaac Price, Secretary.

" The following named churches were represented on said
day at said place:

Green Tree, Montgomery Co., Pa.

Delegates, John H. Umstad and Jacob Gottwals.
Indian Creek Church, Montgomery Co., Pa.

Delegates, Samuel Harley, Jacob Price and Jacob Reiner.

William Nyce and Abraham Cassel, volunteers to the call.

White Oak Church, Lancaster Co., Pa., was represented by

letter.
Conestoga Church, Lancaster Co., Pa., by letter
Big Swatara, Dauphin Co., Pa.

Delegates, William Hertzler and Wendell Henry.
Tulpehocken Church, Lebanon Co.

Delegates, Christian Bucher and John L. Zug.
Little Swatara Church, Lebanon and Berks Co.

John Hertzler and George Gipple.
North Coventry Church, Chester Co., Pa.

Delegates, John R. Price, A. Grubb and William Perches.
Philadelphia Church.

Delegates, John Fox. Christian Custer, volunteer.
Germantown Church.

Delegate, John Price.
New Jersey Church.

Delegates, Israel Poulson and Enoch Hoffman.
"If there be organized churches East of the Susquehanna
river of the Brethren not named in the above, we desire that
they may report to the next meeting.

"On motion, it was resolved that the deliberations of the
meeting be open to participation to all the above named Breth-
ren, but in any vote of action taken, each church be entitled to
two votes.

" There was expression of desire on the part of all the
churches to do what was best for the cause of the Master. All
appeared burdened with a sense of the responsibility we are
resting under to promote Gospel truth and Gospel life.

582 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

" There was, however, a fear manifested in relation to the
pernicious effect that might result from the new feature of a
treasury provided for that purpose.

" To provide money funds to promote gospel truths struck
the minds of many as a new and dangerous feature. And it
was feared that there was a disposition to pattern after other
than gospel examples.

" There was unity of thought or voice, that the responsibility
of spreading the Gospel rested on each individual member.
But whether a few should give all their time and effort, and be
supported by the remainder, while all that other portion of the
church should each cast in a mite in pecuniary form or whether
each should be an evangelist in life, teaching by practice how to
obey the gospel — and such only go forth as felt deeply im-
pressed with the duty relying on the faithfulness of the body
of the Brethren to sustain them as aid was needed, were the
points upon which a diversity of opinion obtained. There
were strong fears expressed by several, perhaps by a large
majority, of the pernicious tendency of a treasury. Yet all
were anxious that more effort should be made. Those dis-
cussions arose under the consideration of the text referred to
in the minutes of Y. M. on i Cor. i6: 2. That store, it was
argued, was for the poor. Some thought for a special oc-
casion. But manifestly, the majority appeared to think it was
not for evangelism in the way now proposed, though it might be
for evangelism in the indirect mode of reaching needy souls by
supplying their most pressing wants — and thus proving the
spirit of Christ in the donor. There was life in the meeting —
love manifested — amidst strong zeal, and a tenacity that the
ancient characteristics of the Brethren be maintained. If we
have departed from the humility, zeal, self-sacrificing spirit of
our old Brethren who have gone before us, let us labor to get
back from whence we departed, rather than mark out new
modes of evangelism, seemed to the reporter to be the burden
of many minds. Yet all felt a strong call for action, and midst
the discussion, the following resolution was offered :
" * Resolved that the churches of the Brethren east of the River
Susquehanna constitute a district for the more efficient promo-
tion of the work of evangelism.'

" There were a few who desired no other organization than
heretofore, — while others in argument favored the district
effort, yet none seemed to be prepared for any definite action

HISTORY OF DISTRICT MEETINGS. 583

acceptable to the whole. And some of the delegates desired
to return home to receive more definite instruction,

" Near the setting of the sun, it was resolved that we
adjourn to meet on Friday, the 26th of October, at the same
place, at the hour of nine, A. M., for worship — and at lo A. M.
enter again into further deliberations on the same subject.

" Further resolved, that these proceedings be offered to the
Gospel Visitor for publication.

"Isaac Price, Secretary.
Jacob Gottwals, Moderator."

As looked at from many points of view, this was a regu-
lar District Meeting of the Brotherhood. It was called pur-
suant to action of Annual Meeting, and professes to have
been so called. It was called by one who in a way had been
placed by Annual Meeting over the district in question. It
had a regular official representation from its churches either
by delegates or letter. It was organized by having a moder-
ator and secretary and thus preserved a record of its doings.
It was the first to send a report of itself to the church
paper. It will also be noticed that a record of this meeting
was taken some time before the Annual Meeting for a short
time forbade District Meeting from so doing; hence no
violation of Annual Meeting decision.

This District Meeting stood out through the Visitor as an
example to the whole Brotherhood. The District Meetings,
however, held the following year in Northern Virginia and
in Middle Pennsylvania, did not wholly follow this example.

Some would make it appear that the action of the Annual
Meeting of 1856 was a recommendation of District Meet-
ings (see Minutes of 1862, Art. 58) but this is putting too
much into Annual Meeting's action at that time. Her first
recommendation for District Meetings was the recommen-
dation of her committee of 1859 made in i860 after Con-
ference had practically given recognition to District Meet-
ings. The open unequivocal recommendation for District
Meetings did not come till 1866 (see A. M. Minutes).

At the beginning of this article we stated that Elder D. H.
Ziegler, of Broadway, Va., claimed for Virginia the honor
of originating our District Meetings. But a new claim

684 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

presents itself in the Brethren Almanac of 19 13. On page
13, Elder James A. Sell makes the following claim for Gray-
bill Myers : " It may not be generally known that the plan
of dividing the church into State Districts originated with
him. Wherever he went in his frequent visits among the
churches of Pennsylvania he talked about it, both in private
and in public. To him belongs the honor of bringing to pass
the system of State Districts throughout the Brotherhood.
He lived to see his plans fully adopted and never, while
health permitted, failed to attend and take an active part in
the District meetings of Middle Pennsylvania. And such
was his inbred modesty that he never referred to the work
he did in giving to the church this new order of things. It
is also worthy of notice that this departure was adopted with
little opposition."

Elder Sell sets aside the claim of Elder Ziegler for Vir-
ginia without producing a single reason for so doing. Elder
Sell mistakes the Middle District of Pennsylvania for the
Brotherhood, a mistake which has also been made for Vir-
ginia in Virginia, as may be readily seen by comparing the
Conference in Virginia in 1861 with the one in Middle
Pennsylvania of the same year. We are ready to acknow-
ledge that Graybill Myers gave to Middle Pennsylvania
her District Meeting, and that the honor claimed for him
above is true of him as regards that state district; but here
the correctness of these claims end.

We shall now give the facts in the case as read beefore the
Annual Meeting in 1910 at Winona Lake. The first Dis-
trict Meeting held after the one at Green Tree in i860, of
which we have learned was the one in Middle Pennsyl-
vania in 186 1. We give the announcement of Graybill
Myers in regard to it in The Gospel Visitor of April, 1861,
p. 126. It is headed in The J'^isitor,

" A General Council Meeting.

Altoona, Pa., March 12, 1861.
" Editors of the Gospel Visitor :

Dear Brethren: I hereby inform you that the Middle Dis-
trict of Pennsylvania has appointed a council meeting for

HISTORY OF DISTRICT MEETINGS. 585

said district, at the Aughwick meeting-house, Huntingdon
Co. Mt. Union on the Pennsylvania R. R. is the nearest
Station. This district Hes between the Susquehanna river
on the east and the Allegheny mountains on the v^est. The
north and south boundaries are the boundaries of the state.
The meeting will commence on the 9th of May, at 10 o'clock
in the morning. It is expected that each sub-district will
hold a council meeting and be represented by delegates or
letter to the district council meeting above named. It is
further expected that each sub-district will take the Oregon
and home missions into consideration, and present their
plans for operation. The proceedings of this council meet-
ing will then be presented to the annual meeting for con-
firmation of amendment. A hearty invitation is given to all
the churches comprised in the district in which the council
meeting is held."

" Graybill Myers."

We shall yet add our remarks on this announcement of
Graybill Myers, and shall then leave the matter to the con-
sideration of our intelligent, fair-minded readers.

This announcement of Graybill Myers is a thorough,
practical, statesmanlike one. If not in the lead like John
Umstad, yet with steady continuance when started. It was
a wise thing to call attention to the Oregon Mission which
was then agitating the Brotherhood. It gave the meeting
something to take hold of. It is not likely that a District
Meeting was held before to determine on holding this one.
Elder Graybill Myers, the leader, had likely conferred with
the elders of the district.

J. G. Francis.

B. District Meetings.

[It will be noticed that the foregoing article of a District
Meeting was concerning a Meeting wholly in the interest of
evangelistic work. — Editors.]

At the Annual Meeting of 1866, in Franklin County, Pa.,
a radical change was made in holding the Annual Meeting.
Among other things, it was decided " that states should form
themselves into convenient districts, as follows : We recom-

586 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

mend that each state form itself into convenient District
Meetings. These meetings shall be formed by one or two
representatives from each organized church, and we recom-
mend that each church be represented in District Meeting,
either by representative or by letter. We think it best to
hold those meetings in simplicity, and as much like the com-
mon council meetings are held, as possible. A record of
the District Meetings may be kept, but not published. They
should endeavor to settle all questions of a local character,
but those of a general character, or those that concern the
Brotherhood in general, should be taken to the Annual Meet-
ing. And all questions that cannot be settled at the District
Meetings should be taken to the Annual Meeting," etc., as
appears in Minutes published 1909, page 246.

The Middle District of Pennsylvania had already several
years before, held a District Meeting, yearly, including all the
churches between the Susquehanna River on the east, and
the Alleghany Mountains on the west, thus leaving all the
churches east of the Susquehanna unorganized. Therefore,
some of the Elders in eastern Pennsylvania called a meeting
in the Tulpehocken Church, in Lebanon Co., in the fall of
1866, notifying all the churches in East Pennsylvania, of
the time and place and purpose of the meeting to organize
one or more districts. This being something new, the
Elders also invited Elder D. M. Holsinger, of Blair Co., Pa.,
to be present, because they had several years' experience.

The date of the meeting is not at hand, but it was either
in September, or October. The churches were well repre-
sented, and Brother D. M. Holsinger, and his son, Henry
R., were there.

The Elders prevailed on Elder Holsinger to preside at
the meeting. Elder C. Bomberger was appointed clerk, and
he appointed S. R. Zug his assistant.

The meeting being now organized, and the purpose of the
call of the meeting being stated, and declared open for re-
marks, it soon developed that there was a difference of
opinion as to forming one, or two districts. Those favoring
two were, as a rule, from the German churches, and the
strongest pleas for one district came from the English.

HISTORY OF DISTRICT MEETINGS. 587

The arguments for two was the difference in language, and
the laxity of discipline of some churches on the matter of
dress, while on the other side, it was argued, and that with
tears, by some that by staying together, the influence of the
plain churches might have a salutary effect on those dressy
churches, by mingling together. It may be in place here to
state that the difference in language at that time was much
more marked than it is now.

All business brought before the meeting had to be pres-
ented in both German and English, and the minutes had to
be printed in both languages. The outcome finally was a
decision, unanimously, to organize, into one district, all the
churches east of the Susquehanna River.

The next matter taken up was : when and where shall the
first District Meeting be held for church business? Elder
David Gerlach offered to take it in the White Oak Church,
Lancaster County. The offer was accepted, and it was de-
cided that it shall be held on Ascension Day, 1867, to meet
the evening before to organize, and get things in shape for
business next morning.

Ascension Day in 1867 coming on May 30 the delegates
from the churches met at the Chiques Meeting-house, in the
White Oak District, on May 29. 1867, at 6 o'clock P. M.

Following is a copy of the officers and delegates of that
meeting, viz. :

"Elder Samuel Harley, Moderator.

Elder C. Bomberger, Clerk.

S. R. Zug, Assistant Clerk.

Jos. Myer, Interpreter.

" The churches comprising said district are :

1. White Oak, Elder D. Gerlach, J. S. Newcomer, Philip

Zigler.

2. West Conestoga, Elder C. Bomberger, J. Reinhold, C.

Brubaker.

3. Ephrata, Israel Myers, Samuel Harley.

4. Conestoga, Christian Rupp, Jos. Myer.

5. Big Swatara, Elder Jacob Hollinger, Wm. Hertzler.

6. Tulpehocken, Elder John Zug, S. Kurtz.

7. Little Swatara, Elder D. Merkey, S. Gettle, Levi Light.

8. Coventry, Peter Hollowbush, Jacob Conner.

588 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

9. Green Tree, Isaac Price, Jacob Gottwals.

10. Germantown, John Price.

11. Upper Dublin, John U. Slingluff.

12. Philadelphia, Jacob Spanogle.

13. New Jersey, not represented.

14. Indian Creek, Elder Samuel Harley, Henry Cassel."
After receiving the credentials of delegates, the meeting

adjourned to meet to-morrow morning at 7.30 A. M."

It will be noticed that there were then fourteen organized
churches in the district, and the officers and delegates num-
bered 27 of whom only two are yet living (in 1914) namely
Jacob Conner and S. R. Zug. There were at that time only
9 ordained Elders in the district. Now, at the time of our
District Meeting of 191 1, there were 47 Elders, 76 officers
and delegates, and 43 organized churches, with about 7,600
members. Lancaster County alone has about 3,200 mem-
bers, 18 Elders, and 15 organized churches. Prior to 1872,
the Elders present at the District Meeting, organized the
meeting by appointing its officers, and that year, for the first
time, the delegates, with the Elders present, elected them by
vote, the delegates and Elders going before the tellers and
giving their votes private, while quite recently (it was de-
cided) that all elections shall be by ballot.

At the beginning, the time of meeting was the evening be-
fore Ascension Day. In 1871 it was made one week earlier.
In 1887 two weeks before Ascension Day, and more recently
another week was added, so that now the time is the third
Wednesday after Easter, the Elders at 9 A. M., delegates
at 3 P. M.

In 1896 it was decided that none but regular delegates
shall have a right to vote. The Elders in 1866 were C,
Bomberger, D. Gerlach, Jac. Hollinger, David Merkey,
John Zug, J. H. Umstadt, Benj. Harley, Saml. Harley, and
Jac. K. Reiner, and but one brother in the District who has
so far attended every Dist. Meeting, both regular and spe-
cial and largely on his own expense. Years ago some
churches considered it wrong to give a preacher money,
even for travelling expenses, as a delegate.

A list of District Meetings is hereto attached, giving the

HISTORY OF DISTRICT MEETINGS.

589

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HISTORY OF DISTRICT MEETINGS. 591

place where held, the year, the Moderator and Clerks, and
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delegates. After that until 1882, inclusive, the District
appointed one member on Standing Committee, and a dele-
gate. From that time on it had only one member on Stand-
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the local churches could represent.

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M M M ii

CHAPTER IV.

MISSIONARY HISTORY.

Introduction.

The first missionary effort by the District was made a
number of years before a Mission Board existed in the
District.

A request came from the state of Maine, whereupon in
the year 1872, District Meeting passed the following reso-
lution, viz. :

" Resolved, That the request of John Dennis and his Breth-
ren in the State of Maine, in regard to a ministering Brother
being sent to them to preach the Gospel, and make known to
them the order of the Brethren, should not be slighted but
prayerfully considered by the Annual Council, and measures
adopted to carry the same into effect."

Whereupon Brethren Daniel Holsinger, and Daniel Long-
enecker were proposed to look up this field. They being of
Middle Pennsylvania District, the following resolution was
passed in 1873 •

" Resolved, That if the Middle District of Penna. feels will-
ing to send missionaries to Maine this summer, this District
will bear part of the expenses, if requested; if they do not, this
meeting requests Brethren D. M. Holsinger and D. Longenecker,
or two other Brethren, to be sent there, and the expenses be
borne by this District."

Middle District not taking any action, the Eastern Dis-
trict sent the above named Brethren on their mission in the
summer or fall of 1873.

On their return, their report was not very favorable, and
there the mission ended.

The following from manuscript of Elder Christ. Bom-
berger who was clerk of District Meeting during this time,
may be of interest:

39 593

594 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

"Assessment made for all the churches of the East Penna.
District to pay the expenses to the Brethren Daniel Hol-
singer, and Daniel Longenecker who will go to the state
of Maine to preach as follows :

Chiques Congregation $ 12.00

Conestoga Congregation 12.00

Conestoga West Congregation 12.00

Coventry Congregation 10.00

Ephrata Congregation 12.00

Green Tree Congregation 10.00

Germantown Congregation 5.00

Hatfield Congregation 10.00

Indian Creek Congregation 12.00

Maiden Creek Congregation 6.00

Mingo Congregation 10.00

New Jersey Congregation 10.00

Philadelphia Congregation 10.00

Spring Creek Congregation 12.00

Swatara Big Congregation 12.00

Swatara Little Congregation 15.00

Tulpehocken Congregation 15.00

Upper Dublin Congregation 5.00

White Oak Congregation 12.00

Arriount $202.00

"Hier kennet ihr sehen wie viel vor die gemeinschaften
gelegt ist. Es ist besser zu viel, als zu wenig Geld. Wann
es nicht alles nimt dann wird es wieder Zuriick gegeben
und wann ihre Weiber mit gehen dann wird es alles nehmen.

" Sie daten gleichen eine Schwester, eins von ihren Wei-
bern mit nehmen oder alle beiden, von wegen wann sie
Weibspersonen taufen wollen, wegen handreichung im auf-
nehmen. Sie wollen sterten bis den 20 oder 25 October,
wann der Herr will, 1872. Ich will das Geld furnishen, aber
es ist mir gans recht wann ihr eiier Theil geben woltet auf
die Zeit. Es ist 12 Dollar.

" Die Gemeinschaften haben alle eingewilliget das ihre zu
bezahlen im Eastern District.

" So ist es meine Pflicht es zu sagen zu alle Gemeinden.
Ich will sorgen vor das Geld, wann ich es nicht bekommen
kann, dann lehne ich es auf den District.

"Christ Bomberger."

The foregoing statement was forwarded to all the
churches of the District.

missionary history. 595

History of Home Mission Board of Eastern

Pennsylvania.

In the year 1878, the first effort was made to carry on

mission work in the District. To this end a committee was

appointed. In 1879, the following plan was adopted, viz. :

(a) Two Brethren to be chosen, one an ordained Elder, and
one may be a minister in the second degree, — All the ministers
in the District being candidates.

(b) They are to be chosen for one year — from one District
meeting to the other.

(d) All reasonable expenses to be borne by the District.

(e) They to report to the ensuing District Meeting, both giv-
ing an itemized bill of expenses, and of success.

(/) All expenses to be raised by voluntary contribution.

(g) All housekeepers to urge the contribution on the mem-
bers of their Church.

(h) That the District treasurer also act as treasurer of the
Mission Board.

Elder Wm. Hertzler and S. R. Zug were elected. In
1880, the number was increased from two to three, and Bro.
J. T. Myers was added. In 1885, it was decided that being
the present plan for carrying on Missionary work was'
thought not to be, as effective as it could be, our present plan
was adopted, viz. : (a) That the board of missionaries shall
consist of six ministers, two to be chosen each year and to
serve for three years, to be chosen by the District Meeting.
At least two of them shall be ordained Elders. (b) That
said board so chosen shall be styled as required by Annual
Meeting, "The Church erection and Missionary Board of
the Brethren of Eastern Pennsylvania," etc.

In 1900, the manner of electing members on the Mission
Board was so changed, that the Board nominate two Elders,
two ministers of either first or second degree, and two dea-
cons and that the delegates elect two of the six by vote. No
member of the board shall serve two terms in succession.

First Report of Missionaries.
In 1880, filled a call at Smithville and Conestoga Centre,
Lancaster County. Also filled a call from Tomkinsville,

696 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Lackawanna Co., Pa. This last mission was kept up for 6
years. Two were baptized.

Eastern Shore of Maryland Mission. — In 1881, a Mis-
sionary effort was made in Eastern Shore of Maryland, by
J. T. Myers. Reported good prospects.

In 1882, Elder Wm. Hertzler and Bro. J. T. Myers re-
port^ having labored in Talbot Co. over three Sundays, bap-
tizing 10 and organizing a church of 18 souls. Held an elec-
tion for one speaker, and one deacon, under the name of
Peach Blossom Church.

At the time our Brethren first came to Eastern Shore,
they found some six members there without a preacher, and
unorganized.

1 In connection with this, the following remarkable circumstance
may be of interest, as related by Bro. J. T. Myers, viz. : " While we
were holding a series of meetings together in the Peach Blossom
Church, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, having been sent there
by the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, we went home with a man,
not a member of the Church, and took dinner with the family in the
early stage of the meeting. Bro. Hertzler felt a little discouraged over
the meeting, not being well at the time. He asked about going back
home, saying he was but of little account to me in the meeting — I said
to him: 'No, Bro. Hertzler, you stay with me. Your company is help
to me, and you can pray for the meeting, and help along in that way.' —
Lo, on a certain day, in the early stage of the meeting, I missed Bro.
Hertzler near dinner time, at the place where we were staying. I
looked around for him about the barn, here, and there, but could
not find him. Near by was a large forest. I walked out toward it.
As I got near, I heard a voice that interested me. I walked closer, and
closer towards the place of the voice, it became more and more
distinct, as I got closer. By and by, I got nearer to the place in the
woods from which the voice came. I stood awhile and listened
intently. At last, I discovered it to be Bro. Hertzler's voice. I stood
and listened, and watched. At last I saw Bro. Hertzler behind a large
oak tree, on his knees, praying in all the earnestness of his heart for
the meetings, and for me. I walked away and never said a word to
him about it.

" That night we had a larger attendance at meeting and quite a stir
in the meeting, several coming forward to give their hearts to God.

" We continued the meetings for about ten days or so, when a num-
ber were baptized, and we organized the Peach Blossom Church on
the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the result largely, or mainly, through
the earnest prayer of Bro. Hertzler, beside the oak tree in the woods.
Truly, Bro. Hertzler was a man of God, and I hear his earnest prayer
in the woods beside the oak tree every day I think of him. ' Though
dead, yet he liveth,' can truly be said of this great and good man of
the Eastern District of Pennsylvania— Bro. William Hertzler."

MISSIONARY HISTORY. 597

In 1883 and 84 about 20 members from Middle Penn-
sylvania, moved into Caroline County, among them one
minister and two deacons.

In 1884, a committee from Eastern Maryland, and East-
ern Pennsylvania, met to decide on representation. The
Peach Blossom Church decided not to change her representa-
tion.

The Brethren in Caroline Co. decided by a vote of 15 yeas,
to 3 nays, and one neutral to belong to Eastern District of
Pennsylvania, and forthwith our Brethren proceeded to or-
ganize them into a separate church with one resident minis-
ter, and two deacons. Name : Ridgely Church.

While under the care of the Home Mission Board from
1882 to 1897, there were 66 received into the church by
baptism, and quite a number received by letter.

Expenses of Board for Ministerial Aid from 1882 to
1903, $613.14. Besides donated towards building meeting
houses $1,725,00 as follows: Ridgely Church, Two houses,
$875 ; Peach Blossom, Two houses, $650 ; Peach Blossom,
Colored, $200.

Tower City Mission. — In 1886, Bro. Wm. Hertzler went
to Tower City, Schuylkill Co., Pa. and held three meetings.
Reported interest good. Left another appointment.

In 1887, once a month a brother went to Tower City, Pa.^
during the year, and once two went together. One visit was
made to Auburn, Pa. A brother also went to Englewood,.
near Newark, N. J.

In 1888, a love feast was held in Tower City Church.

In 1889, the church was organized.

In 1890, meetings were held in Tower City, Clark's Val-
ley, Pine Valley, and Tremont.

1892, Two new openings were effected, one in Mohon-
tonga Valley, and the other at Williamstown. Meetings
were also held at Mahonoy Valley, and Minersville.

1898, Advised to rent hall at Shamokin to hold services in.

191 1, The name was changed from Tower City Church to
Shamokin Church, where the meetings and Sunday School
are still held in the hall. At present an urgent request ta
have a new church building.

698 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

From 1886 to 191 1, there were 70 received into the church
by baptism. Expenses for Min. Aid, hall rent, and support
for poor $5,085.73.

Mission efforts were made as follows, viz. :

(a) Clarence, New York. — In 1891, about 35 meetings
were held by different brethren. A report not so favorable.
Expenses from 1891 to 1893, ^or Ministerial Aid, $149.13.

(b) Pine Run Mission. — In 1898, a series of meetings
was held, in all 15 sermons were preached.

In 1900, some 40 meetings were held besides the regular
appointments. 9 were received into the church by baptism.
Forthwith an organization was effected.

In 1 90 1, Montreal, Can., Church was given over to Gen-
eral Missionary Board, as a foreign Mission point. Ex-'
penses for Min. Aid and hall rent $575.48.

(d) Lakesville, Md., Mission. — In 1906, meetings were
held once a month in the home of Bro. J. Roy Rittenhouse,
usually in the yard, among the shade trees. Three meetings
each trip. One week protracted meeting. Good interest
reported. Expenses for Ministerial Aid $67.73.

{e) Alderson, Luzerne Co., Mission. — In 1907, a mis-
sion was opened at Alderson. One was baptized. There
were some hindrances but at present the outlook is more
favorable. Expenses for Ministerial Aid from 1907 to
191 1, $550.94.

Aid given to weak churches, viz.:

(a) Bethel Church, N. J., and Upper Dublin, Pa. — In
1888, a request came to the board from these churches for
help to revive them and help them along.

In 1889, Elders visited Bethel Church 5 times during the
year, met them 3 times in council meeting, held one Love-
feast, besides preaching for them several weeks in the
aggregate.

Same year Brethren visited Upper Dublin Church and gave
them meetings every two weeks during the year.

" For a number of years, ministers were located in these
churches by Home Mission Board, assisted by General Mis-

MISSIONARY HISTORY.

599

sion Board. Five were received into the church by baptism
in New Jersey. Paid for Ministerial Aid out of Home
Mission Board fund, from 1889 to 1910, $1,044.11.

Paid for Ministerial Aid to Upper Dublin from 1889 to
1902, $324.58.

(b) Philadelphia Northern Church. — In 1892, Mission
Board was asked to take charge of it.

In 1894, The Phila. Northern Church was supplied with
Ministerial Aid during the year. Had meetings every Lord's
Day.

One was baptized. Expenses for Ministerial Aid from
1892 to 1896, $189.22.

(c) Reading Church. — Jan. i, 1898, Reading Church
was organized with 46 members, and received into the care
of the Home Mission Board.

In 1902, the Board was relieved from the care of the
church. While under the care of the Board, 26 were re-
ceived into the church by baptism.

Expenses for Ministerial Aid from 1895 to 1903,
$263.04.

(d) Mechanic Grove Church. — In 1897, a request to be
received into the care of the Home Mission Board was
granted.

In 1900, Board was relieved from care of church. Paid
for Ministerial Aid, $15.20.

(e) MaidenCreek Church. — Received Ministerial aid from
1905 to 191 1. 4 were baptized. Expenses $550.94. Dur-
ing this time church paid towards Home Mission, $410.05.

(/) Norristown Church. — Received from Home Mission
Board for Ministerial Aid from 1895 to 191 1, $419.50.
Reed, into the church by baptism 7 ; by letter 30.

{g) Harrisburg Church. — Support given to a Sister to do
Missionary work in Harrisburg, from 1898 to 1900 amount-
ing to $146.

Mission Board donated to the following churches to-
wards building houses of worship, viz.:

(a) Ridgely Church, E. Shore Maryland, for two houses $ 875

(&) Peach Blossom, Md 650

600 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

(d) Mechanic Grove lOO

(e) Harrisburg 500

(/) Schuylkill 200

(g) Reading 1,600

Members Elected on Mission Board by District Meeting
from 18/P to 1914.

1879. Wm. Hertzler and S. R. Zug.

1880. J. T. Myers.

These three were re-elected up to 1885.

1885. I. Kulp, 3 yr., S. Harley, 3 yr., J. Conner, 2 yr., Geo.

Bucher, i yr., S. R. Zug, i yr., Wm. Hertzler, 2 yr.

1886. S. R. Zug and Geo. Bucher, re-elected.

1887. Wm. Hertzler and J. Conner re-elected.

1888. John Hertzler, F. P. Cassel.

1889. Hiram Gibble, Geo. Bucher.

1890. S. R. Zug, J. H. Longenecker.

1891. F. P. Cassel, J. H. Price.

1892. Geo. Bucher, Hiram Gibbel.

1893. S. R. Zug, J. H. Longenecker.

1894. Geo. Bucher and S. R. Zug resigned; elected, H, E.

Light, F. P. Cassel, J. T. Myers, John Herr.

1895. H. E. Light, Hiram Gibble.

1896. J. H. Longenecker, John Herr.

1897. J. Y. King, J. T. Myers.

1898. H. E. Light, L W. Taylor.

1899. John Herr, John Witmer, Jesse Ziegler, unexpired

term of J. T. Myers, resigned.

1900. J. H. Longenecker, Hiram Gibble.

1901. Jesse Ziegler, S. Z. Witmer.

1902. L W. Taylor, Wm. Oberholtzer.
1903- John Herr, E. M. Wenger.

1904. John Witmer, J. W. Myer.

1905. J. H. Longenecker, David Kilhefner.

1906. L. R. Brumbaugh, Jeremiah Shelly.

1907. S. H. Hertzler, Amos Kuhns.

1908. L W. Taylor, John Herr.
1909- Jesse Ziegler, David Weaver.

1910. J. H. Longenecker, H. B. Yoder.

191 1. S. H. Hertzler, David Kilhefner.

MISSIONARY HISTORY.

601

1912. Rufus P. Bucher.

1913. J. H. Longenecker, H. B. Yoder.

1914. David Kilhefner, 5 yrs. ; E. M. Wenger, i yr.

By the foregoing list we find that from the time of the
organization 1878 up to 1911, 27 different Brethren served
on the Board.

A number of Brethren have made considerable sacrifice to
labor in the various fields, and although the results may not
have met our anticipations, yet we feel that some good has
been accomplished. May a great door and effectual be
opened in the future for the Board, to the salvation of sin-
ners, and the advancement of His cause.

In 19 12, the Board had in charge the following missions,
viz. : Shamokin, Alderson, Oley Valley, and Tompkins Co.,
N. Y., called Lake Ridge Mission.

The Board at this time gives support to the following
Evangelists, viz. : Bro. Wm. Fretz, who has the work in
hand at Alderson. Elder D. W. Weaver and wife, located
at Oley, east of Reading. Bro. E. F. Nedrow and wife
who have charge of the work in Tompkins Co., New York,
on the east side of Lake Cayuga.

Lake Ridge Mission.

On April 3, 19 12, Bro. E. F, Nedrow and family moved
from Norristown, Pa., to Lake Ridge, N. Y., to take charge
of the work in this new territory. After much patient work
and some opposition an old Baptist Church at this place was
secured as a house of worship. Conveyance of the same
was made October i, 19 12. The place had been very much
neglected, but by the aid of the Mission Board and the help
of the people of the community we succeeded in making
the place presentable and comfortable, much to the satisfac-
tion of all.

On February 2, the house was dedicated. Elder Jesse
Ziegler, of Royersford, Pa., delivered the address. An
encouraging number was in attendance and regular services
have been held each Sunday since.

On April i, 1913, Elder R. A. Nedrow and family moved

602

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

into our midst from Fredrick City, Md., and are very help-
ful in the work here.

On Sunday, April 6, Sunday School was organized and
has continued to the present with an average attendance
of thirty-eight. The work here is encouraging, since a num-
ber of families of members have moved in, making the
total membership 13.

Annual Missionary Contributions of the District. — H. E. Light.

Year.

Home.

Foreign.

Charity.

Tract.

Total.

1889
1890
189I
1892
1893
1894
189s
1896
1897
1898
1899
1900
I901
1902
1903
1904

1905
1906
1907
1908
1909
I91O
I91I
1912

230.64
193.71
97-63
338-88
321.70
324.16
387-27
277-69
298.48
384-99
226.79
577-75
383-97
804.89
657-30
715-83
615-57
63307
718.8s
1,800.41
884.46
871.81
926.84
874-45

295-49
211.39
128.80
121.75

300.34

178.64

342.44

623.91

625.56

780.54

959.40

1,064.34

1,071.35

1,191-49

1,494-46

1,118.58

1,216.72

1,095.90

2,149-65

2,407.43

2,870.60

1,918.4s

3,042.49

1,699.12

Charity and
church
houses

etc.
Brethren

Home

62,000.00

not included

25.07
61.20

II. IS

40.30

77-54
112.29

25-79
24.00

601.00
466.30
237-58
500.93
699-58
615-09
755-50
901.60
924.04

1.165-53
1,212.38

26.19

2,704.89
1.435.49

4,346.98

2,891.81

6.00

2,002.38

1,245.82

1,246.6s

2,005.2s

992.54

201.30

1,377.50

57-64

964.26

910.17

1,079.46

3.397.58

3,081.06

34-60

3.872.14
2,721.51

3,069.80

5,585.34

3,812.70

3,754-62
4,879.50

3,653.03

11,847.14

26,778.8s

14,220.97

444-13

55,249.09

Members^ of the Mission Board of Eastern Pennsylvania.

1. Elder William Hertzler served

2. Elder S. R. Zug served

3. Elder J. T. Myers served

4. Elder Isaac Kulp served

5. Elder Samuel Harley served

6. Jacob Conner served

7. Elder George Bucher served

8. Elder John Hertzler served

9. Elder F. P. Cassel served

10. Elder Hiram Gibble served

11 years;

elected first

1879-

13 years;

elected first

1879.

9 years ;

elected first

1880.

5 years ;

elected first

1883.

3 years;

elected first

1885.

5 years

elected first

1885.

9 years;

elected first

1885.

3 years;

elected first

1888.

9 years;

elected first

1888.

12 years;

elected first

1890.

1 Compiled by J. H. Longenecker.

MISSIONARY HISTORY.

603

11. Elder

12.

13. Elder

14. Elder

15. Elder

16. Elder

17. Elder

18. Elder

19. Elder

20. Elder

21. Elder

J. H. Longenecker served

J. H. Price served

H. E. Light served

John Herr served

J. Y. King served

I. W. Taylor served

Jesse Ziegler served

S. Z. Witmer served

Wm. Oberholtzer served

E. M. Wenger served

J. H. Witmer served

Jno. W. Myer served

D. Kilhefner served

L. R. Brumbaugh served

Jeremiah Shelly served

A. M. Kuhns served

H. B. Yoder served

S. H. Hertzler served

David W. Weaver served

Rufus P. Bucher served

This covers a period of

17 years
3 years
7 years
14 years
3 years
9 years
6 years
3 years
3 years
years
years
years
years
years
years
years
years
years
years
— years
33 years

elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected
elected

first 1890.
first 1891.
first 1894.
first 1894.
first 1897.
first 1898.
first 1901.
first 1901.
first 1902.
first 1903.
first 1904.
first 1904.
first 1905.
first 1906.
first 1906.
first 1907.
first 1910.
first 1907.
first 1909.
first 1912.

Mission
Mission Board,

Mission Board,
Mission Board,
Mission Board,
Mission Board,

Mission Board, 1884:

Boards of Eastern Pennsylvania.

I year.

1879: Eld. Wm. Hertzler,
S. R. Zug,

}■

1880: Wm. Hertzler,
S. R. Zug,
J. T. Myers,

188 1 : Wm. Hertzler,
S. R. Zug,
J. T. Myers,

1882:

Wm. Hertzler,
S. R. Zug,
J. T. Myers,

S. R. Zug,

J. T. Myers, resigned.

Isaac Kulp in his stea I 2 years.

Wm. Hertzler, i year.

I year.

3 years.
2 years.

1 year.

2 years.
I year.

3 years.

Wm. Hertzler,
S. R. Zug,
Isaac Kulp,

Mission Board, 1885: S. Harley,
Isaac Kulp,
Wm. Hertzler,
J. Conner,
S. R. Zug,
Geo. Bucher,

3 years.
2 years.
I year.

3 years.
2 years.
ri year.

604

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Mission Board, 1886: S. R. Zug,
Geo. Bucher,
Samuel Harley,
Isaac Kulp,
Wm. Hertzler,
Jacob Conner,

Mission Board, 1887: Wm. Hertzler,
Jacob Conner,
S. R. Zug,
Geo. Bucher,
Samuel Harley,
Isaac Kulp,

Mission Board, 1888: Jno. Hertzler,
F. P. Cassel,
Wm. Hertzler,
Jacob Conner,
S. R. Zug,
Geo. Bucher,

Mission Board, 1889: Geo. Bucher,
Hiram Gibble,
Jno. Hertzler,
F. P. Cassel,
Wm. Hertzler,
Jacob Conner,

Mission Board, 1890: Eld. S. R. Zug,

J. H. Longenecker,
Geo. Bucher,
Hiram Gibble,
Jno. Hertzler,
F. P. Cassel,

Mission Board, 1891 : F. P. Cassel,
J. H. Price,
S. R. Zug,
J. H. Longenecker,
Geo. Bucher,
Hiram Gibble,

Mission Board, 1892: Geo. Bucher,
Hiram Gibble,
F. P. Cassel,
J. H. Price,

Mission Board, 1893

S. R. Zug,

J. H. Longenecker,

S. R. Zug,
J. H. Longenecker,
Geo. Bucher,
Hiram Gibble,
F. P Cassel,
J. H. Price,

MISSIONARY HISTORY.

605

Mission Board, 1894:
Mission Board, 1894:

Mission Board, 1895 :

Mission Board, 1896:

Mission Board, 1897 :

S. R. Zug and

Geo. Bucher resigned.

Mission Board, 1898:

Mission Board, 1899:

Mission Board, 1900:

Mission Board, 1901 :

F. P. Cassel,

3 years.

H. E. Light,

I year.

J. H. Longenecker,

2 years.

Hiram Gibble,

I year.

J. T. Myers,

3 years.

John Herr,

2 years.

H. E. Light, 1

i ,

Hiram Gibble, J

>-3 years.

F. P. Cassel, ]

J. T. Myers, J

>-2 years.

J H. Longenecker, |

John Herr, J

M year.

J. H. Longenecker, ^

John Herr, J

^3 years.

H. E. Light, i

Lo «. ,.

Hiram Gibble, J

y2 years.

F. P. Cassel, )

J. T. Myers, J

i-i year.

J. Y. King, 1

J. T. Myers, j

^3 years.

J. H. Longenecker, |

John Herr, J

f-2 years.

H. E. Light, 1

Hiram Gibble, J

yi year.

H. E. Light, 1

1 „

L W. Taylor, J

\'3 years.

J. Y. King, 1

Lo 0 .0

J. T. Myers, j

>-2 years.

J. H. Longenecker, |

John Herr, J

M year.

Jno. Herr, ^
J. H. Witmer, J

^3 years.

H. E. Light, ]
L W. Taylor, J

!-2 years.

J. Y. King, 1
J. T. Myers, J

^i year.

J. H. Longenecker, "|

Hiram Gibble, J

'■3 years.

John Herr, |

J. H. Witmer, j

-2 years.

H. E. Light, 1

L W. Taylor, J

-I year.

Jesse Ziegler, "|
S. Z. Witmer, J

'3 years.

J. H. Longenecker, ^
Hiram Gibble, J

>2 years.

John Herr, 1

J. H. Witmer, J

-r year.

606

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Mission Board, 1902: I. W. Taylor,

Wm. Oberholtzer,
Jesse Ziegler,
S. Z. Witmer,
J. H. Longenecker,
Hiram Gibble,

Mission Board, 1903: Jno. Herr,

Ed. M. Wenger,
I. W. Taylor,
Wm. Oberholtzer,
Jesse Ziegler,
S. Z. Witmer,

Mission Board, 1904: Jno. H. Witmer,
Jno. W. Myer,
Jno. Herr,
E. M. Wenger,
I. W. Taylor.
Wm. Oberholtzer,

Mission Board, 1905: J. H. Longenecker,
David Kilhefner,
J. H. Witmer,
Jno. W. Myer,
Jno. Herr,
E. M. Wenger,

Mission Board, 1906: L. R. Brumbaugh,
Jeremiah Shelly,
J. H. Longenecker,
David Kilhefner,
J. H. Witmer,
Jno. W. Myer,

Mission Board, 1907: S. H. Hertzler,
Amos M. Kuhns,
L. R. Brumbaugh,
Jeremiah Shell)^
J. H. Longenecker,
David Kilhefner,

Mission Board, 1908: I. W. Taylor,
John Herr,
S. H. Hertzler,
Amos M. Kuhns,
L. R. Brumbaugh,
Jeremiah Shelly,

Mission Board, 1909: Jesse Ziegler,
David Weaver,
I. W. Taylor,
Jno. Herr,
S. H. Hertzler,
Amos M. Kuhns,

MISSIONARY HISTORY.

607

Mission Board, 1910 : J. H. Longenecker,
H. B. Yoder,
Jesse Ziegler,
David Weaver,
I. W. Taylor,
Jno. Herr,

Mission Board, 191 1: S. H. Hertzler,
D. Kilhefner,
J. H. Longenecker,
H. B. Yoder,
Jesse Ziegler,
David Weaver,

Mission Board, 1912 : Rufus Bucher,
S. H. Hertzler,
D. Kilhefner,
J. H. Longenecker,
H. B. Yoder,

Mission Board, 1913 : R. P. Bucher,
S. H. Hertzler,
David Kilhefner,
J. H. Longenecker,
H. B. Yoder.

Mission Board, 1914:

R. P. Bucher,
J. H. Longenecker,
David Kilhefner,
E. M. Wenger,
H. B. Yoder.

CHAPTER V.

BENEVOLENT ACTIVITIES.
A. Brethren Home.

It has always been the rule of the Church of the Brethren
to provide for the poor, aged, and infirm members of the
church, and not suffer them to become a public charge.
And as it was sometimes almost impossible to find a home
for them except with strangers, and even sometimes they
were placed in homes isolated from church services, where
the church would pay for their support, and they would
only be taken for the money that could be made out of it,
they were often neglected both from a temporal and spir-
itual point of view, so much so that they felt that people
would be glad if they were out of the way.

Circumstances being such caused some of the leading
Elders of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to agitate the
project of establishing a home somewhere in the District
where such homeless members could be placed and properly
cared for. The result of this agitation was a query coming
to District Meeting in the spring of 1893, ^s follows :

"Art. 12. After maturely considering the propriety and
necessity of establishing somewhere in the district a Home
for the aged, who require the support of the church, we
heartily invite and entreat the District Council to consider
this proposition in the hght and principles of the life and
Gospel of Jesus Christ.

" Ans. F. P. Cassel, Geo. Bucher, and H. E. Light were
appointed a committee to inquire into this matter, and to
report to next year's District Meeting."

In the spring of 1894, the following report was presented
to District Meeting:

608

benevolent activities. 609

"7. Report of Committee for Home for the Aged

" We, your Committee, appointed to inquire into the propri-
ety and necessity of establishing a home for the aged and poor,
beg leave to present the following report:

" After prayerfully and maturely considering the matter,
we unanimously give, as the result of our investigation, that
such a home, when properly conducted, has spiritual and tem-
poral advantages for its inmates, which they do not have when
supported as they are now, which we conclude is in harmony
with the spirit of the Gospel, and for these reasons we rec-
ommend such a home."

" Ans. The report of the Committee is respectfully received,
but as there seems to be a difference of opinion, we deem it
best for the union of the District to defer the matter for one
year."

The District Meeting of 1895 took up the case again as
unfinished business and decided as follows:

"The report of committee to inquire into the propriety and
necessity of a 'Home for the aged and poor' (see minutes
of 1894, art. 7) was adopted with the understanding that
it is only to be considered as granting the privilege and
liberty of getting up such a home by a free will offering."

April 16, 1896, a meeting was held at Manheim at which
a number of churches were represented, and at which meet-
ing the following committee on location and plan was ap-
pointed, viz. : Nathaniel Minnich, B. G. Musser, S. R. Wen-
ger, H. E. Light, B. Z. Eby, S. R. Zug, T. F. Imler.

" At this meeting it was also agreed to call a meeting later
of all church members of the District friendly to such a
Home."

This meeting was called to be held at Kreider's Meeting
House, in the White Oak Church to be held on August 4,
1896, when and where the following plan, offered by Elder
S. R. Zug, was adopted, upon which to draw for the con-
struction of the Charter and By-laws, by which the Home is
to be conducted, viz. :

" I. The Home is to be located near Manheim, within the
bounds of Chiques Church on the farm of Brother Adam S.
Basehore, if the farm can be bought on fair terms.
40

610 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

2. The Home shall be known as " The German Baptist
Brethren Home for the aged, infirm, poor and homeless of the
church, for the Eastern District of Pa., and for such others as
may hereafter be determined upon, and its corporate name
shall be the " Home for the Homeless."

3. The funds to buy and furnish the Home shall be raised
by free-will offerings and any member contributing from one to
twenty-five dollars as hereinafter specified shall be entitled to a
vote for Trustees, which sum shall be considered a share, or
interest and will entitle any brother or sister holding such share
or interest, or interests to as many votes as they hold shares.

4. The Home shall be under the control of seven competent
Trustees who shall be elected as follows: One shall be the
Elder of the church in which the Home is located, and shall be
a member of said Board ex officio, and the other six shall hold
their office for three years, except at the first election, when
two shall be elected for three years, two for two years and two
for one year, after which two shall be elected every year for
three years.

5. Said Trustees shall, every year, soon after such election,
meet and organize by electing a President, a Secretary, and
Treasurer, and shall meet as often as is found necessary for
properly maintaining the Home.

6. Said Trustees shall appoint a Steward and a Stewardess
to superintend the Home under the direction of the Trustees
to whom they are amenable.

7. The services of the Trustees shall be free of charge, and
they shall fix the wages of their employes.

8. Whatever, if any, lack of funds from free will offerings,
may be supplied by loans of not less than twenty-five dollars
each, without interest, for not less than five years, which will
make such lenders shareholders as aforesaid while such loan
lasts.

9. The fiscal year shall be from New Year to New Year, and
the annual election of Trustees shall be at the Home, on the
first Tuesday of February, and the six to be elected as afore-
said, shall be two Elders, two rninisters and two deacons.

10. The Trustees, Treasurer, and Steward shall keep proper
records of all their work, and their books shall be open for in-
spection by any contributor.

11. The use of tobacco or opiates shall be prohibited, if pos-
sible; if not, it shall be so regulated as to reduce it to a
minimum.

BENEVOLENT ACTIVITIES.

611

12. The President shall have power to call a meeting at any
time, and all needs and suggestions shall be reported by the
Steward to the President.

13. The number of inmates shall be regulated by the capacity
of the buildings or the funds on hand, and shall consist of the
homeless members of the churches, and who are without means
of support except from the church, and none shall be received
except recommended by the church, which is expected to pay
actual cost of keeping and supporting such members.

14. Persons of means, yet homeless, may be taken into the
Home upon them paying for boarding, etc., as may be agreed
upon by said Trustees.

15. Said Board of Trustees shall use their discretion as to
who should be taken in, even if they are recommended by the
church.

16 The Trustees shall engage a Physician to be called on in
case of sickness, and in case of death, the friends or church of
such inmate shall immediately be notified, and if they wish to
do so, they can remove them, and see to the funeral, and all,
and if they do not take charge of them, they shall have a decent
Christian burial by the Home, and expenses paid by the church
from whence they came.

17. In case of a vacancy in said Board of Trustees, by death
or otherwise, the Board has authority to fill said vacancy for
the unexpired term thereof.

18. Both Treasurer and Steward shall make report to said
Board of Trustees, at all their regular meetings of all money
received, or paid, and of all the work performed by them, by-
virtue of their office, and said Board shall make a full report,
of the Home, yearly, to the share-holders, at their meeting the
second Tuesday of February.

19. Visitors at the Home, staying for meals, and horse feed,
are expected to pay for the same, for the benefit of the Home,
as said Board may direct.

20. All churches of the E. District of Pa., N. J. and E. Shore
of Maryland may enjoy the benefit of this Home on equal
terms, if they, by action of the church, decide to do so. Others
will come under section 14.

21. The Trustees shall provide to have regular religious
services for the benefit of the inmates.

22. There shall be power by a two thirds vote of the share-
holders present at the election of Trustees to change the fore-
going plan, or any part thereof."

612 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

This plan was adopted by the meeting, practically unan-
imously.

August 20, 1896, Nathaniel Minnich resigned as one of
the committee on location, which was accepted, and the Base-
hore farm viewed by the committee, for the last time, Sep-
tember 17, 1896, and decided to take it on the following
terms, viz.: about 65 acres $4,200, payable April i, 1897,
and $300 five years after, without interest. John W. Gra-
bill appointed to fill vacancy on committee made by resigna-
tion of N. Minnich.

October 2.^, 1896, resignation of B. G. Musser accepted,
and M. R. Henry appointed to fill vacancy.

According to announcement, a meeting was held in the
Brethren Church in Manheim January i, 1897, at which the
first Board of Trustees was elected, viz. :

For 3 years S. R. Wenger and I. W. Taylor, for 2 years
H. E. Light and B. Z, Eby, for one year T. F. Imler and
M. R. Henry.

S. R. Ziig being a Trustee by virtue of being the Elder
in charge of the Chiques Church, in the bounds of which
the Home is to be located.

The Board organized by electing Elder B. Z. Eby, Chair-
man; H. E. Light, vSecretary; S. R. Wenger, Treasurer.

February 15, 1897, a charter was granted to T. F. Imler,
H. E. Light, B. Z. Eby, S. R. Zug and S. R. Wenger.

Brother and Sister Jonathan Weaver were appointed
Steward and Stewardess, and moved to the Home about
April I, 1897, and one or two days afterward, the first in-
mates arrived, namely, Lizzie Weaver and Annie Adams.

April 16, 1897, besides the two already there, the following
were accepted as inmates: Levi Moyer, Martha Fullerton
David Troup, Henry Willower, Sister Miller, with several
not accepted for want of room.

At this meeting the project of building an annex was first
discussed, and deferred.

July 22, 1897, the Board of Trustees decided to build
an annex 34 X 36 feet and at a called special meeting
of the shareholders, held at the Home on August 5, 1897, the

BENEVOLENT ACTIVITIES. 613

meeting passed the following paper by more than a two third
vote.

"Whereas there are no less than seven applicants to enter
the Home this fall for whom there is no room, and whereas the
charter and by-laws do not give authority to build except by
consent of the shareholders. Therefore, Resolved that we give
our consent to the Trustees to build addition or additions to the
Home this fail. And if the funds by donation cannot be fully
raised in time, we authorize them to borrow the balance."

August 19, B. Z. Eby, T. S. Beck and S. S. Graybill ap-
pointed as building committee.

September i6, resignation of S. R. Wenger, as Treasurer,
accepted, and T. F. Imler appointed in his stead.

January ii, 1898, resignation of S. R. Wenger, as Trus-
tee, accepted, and D. M. Hiestand appointed for unexpired
term.

The building of annex has cost $2,621.78.

About this time there was a debt on the Home of over
$3,000, Sister Geiger having at the start given $500, and
now promised to give $1,000, if the balance is raised by
April I, 1899. It was raised and the debt paid. In the
Spring of 1899, J. Weaver and wife left as Stewards, and
Amos L. Brubaker and wife succeeded them.

On February 6, 1900, at the organization of the Board of
Trustees Elder I. W. Taylor was elected Secretary, and has
been re-elected every year since.

April 9, 1902, a plan was presented to again enlarge the
Home by an addition of 32 X 60 feet, which was accepted,
and S. R. Zug, T. F. Imler and Samuel Keller appointed as
building committee.

In the spring of 1901, Brother and Sister Brubaker, re-
tired from the stewardship, and Elder B. Z, Eby and wife
succeeded them.

Elder Eby same time resigned as Trustee, and Elder
Hiram Gibble, was appointed to succeed him and S. R. Zug
was appointed President in place of Elder Eby, and has held
that position ever since, and John Herr, of Lebanon Co.,
was appointed to fill the vacancy as Trustee, occasioned by
the resignation of Elder Eby.

614 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

During the summer oi 1906 the Trustees purchased five
springs on the farm of Abraham Hernly, about a mile north
of the Home, and also right of way of Mr. Hernly and
Milton Nauman, to lay pipe to convey the water from those
springs to the Home by gravity. The Trustees were about
ready to begin ditching for laying the pipe that fall, when
an injunction from the Court was obtained by the Manheim
Water Company, against the Home, preventing them to pro-
ceed.

That injunction was answered by the Trustees, and the
following spring a hearing had by the Court, which decided
in favor of the Home, and dissolved the injunction at the
cost of the water company.

Simultaneous with the water trouble the Manheim people
circulated a report that the Home is polluting the stream
from which they get their supply of water, about a half
mile below the Home, in view of which the following com-
mittee was appointed to consider the legality and advisabil-
ity of changing the location of the Home, viz. : John Herr,
I. W. Taylor and H. S. Gibble, and report later.

The committee looked at a number of places in Lancaster
and Lebanon Counties, and finally selected Elizabethtown, as
the most suitable site, and the Trustees so recommended to
the shareholders, February 4, 1908, but the vote was 19 in
favor and 23 against instead of 2/3 in favor.

John Herr was re-elected a Trustee, but declined to serve,
and Ammon H. Brubacher was appointed in his stead.

A public meeting of shareholders and friends of the Home
was called by the Trustees, to be held in the Brethren Church
in Manheim, October 22, 1908, to discuss the propriety of a
change of location, which meeting was largely attended,
and the sentiment seemed strong in favor of a change. So,
at the next shareholder's meeting February 2, 1909, their
vote was taken as to giving the Trustees authority to select,
and secure a proper site, build thereon, and sell the old home,
and the result was 25 for, 6 against, i neutral. The option
on the Elizabethtown site having expired, and the Masons
having since obtained one, we had to look elsewhere; and
after viewing different places at Columbia, Mountville, Lan-

BENEVOLENT ACTIVITIES. 615

disville, and Neffsville, the Board of Trustees decided on a
site near Neffsville, where Nathan Brubaker offered to give
ID acres of land, along the Lancaster and Lititz Pike and
Trolley, without money, provided the Home pay him, and
his wife, during life, an annuity of fifty dollars every six
months. One of the seven Trustees held out for Columbia
for a while, but finally withdrew his vote, that the choice
is unanimous.

In the Spring of 1909, B. Z. Eby and wife left the Home
as Stewards, and Elder I. W. Taylor and wife were ap-
pointed in their stead.

April 26, 1909, on Plan and Specification, and as building
Committee I. W. Taylor, Jacob Heagy, H. S. Gibble, Nathan
Brubaker and Nathaniel Minnich were appointed.

The building committee organized : I. W. Taylor, Chair-
man; H. S. Gibble, Secretary; N. Brubaker, Treasurer; and
D. M. Rothenberger, of Lancaster, was appointed architect.

Plan of Building.

Main building 200 X 36 feet. Rear building 78 X 32
feet, with basement under the whole, two and a half stories,
with dormer windows on third floor. The two houses are
12 feet apart, with gangway 12 feet wide from cellar to
attic, so as to make it practically one house.

The basement wall is solid concrete, as is also the floor.
The basement contains the hot water heating arrangement,
by which the whole house is heated, and also the laundry,
ironing apparatus, cellar, etc.

The first floor in the main building has an ofiice, two sit-
ting rooms, .and the rest is divided into guest and toilet
rooms. The second floor is entirely used for guest and toilet
rooms, and the third floor can also be made into guest rooms,
several of which are already prepared. The rear building,
first floor, is entirely used for a chapel, dining room and
kitchen, and the second floor as an infirmary.

The amendments to the Charter are :

I. " The name shall be the * Brethren Home of the Church
of the Brethren.'

616 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

2. "The place where the business of said corporation is
to be transacted is at the Home, along the Lititz Pike, near
the village of Neffsville, in Manheim Township, Lancaster
County, Pennsylvania.

3. "The Board of Trustees shall consist of six members,
and any member of the Church, in good standing, over
twenty-one years of age, may be elected a Trustee, and the
member ex-officio shall be discontinued.

4. "The election of Trustees shall be held on the first
Tuesday in November, instead of February."

The new Home was occupied on November3, 19 10, and
dedicated November 17, 19 10, Elder D. L. Miller of Illinois,
being on a visit here, and Elder John Herr, of Lebanon Co.,
Penna., preached the dedicatory sermon, and Elder S. R.
Zug gave a historical sketch. The new Home, with fixtures
and furnishings, cost about $48,000, and the old Home was
sold to H. H. Cassel for $6793.42.

The financial condition of the Home in 19 12 is as fol-
lows : It is paid for with the price realized for the old Home,
and by donations, of which $24,439.97 was donated on
which the Home is to pay to the donors annuities during
life, aggregating $948.91 yearly and the Home has an en-
dowment fund of $12,600, loaned out, for which they re-
ceive $490 interest, thus leaving a difference between annui-
ties paid, and interest received, of $458.91, which must be
raised by charging more to keep guests and inmates. As
the donors die the annuities cease, but it will be a long while
until the last one is gone.

We still hope to raise the endowment to an amount, the
income of which will be sufficient to provide our poor mem-
bers of the whole District, free of charge, which now in-
cludes the Southeastern District of Pennsylvania, New Jer-
sey, and Eastern New York; and that some of our members,
and others, who are philanthropically inclined, will come
to our aid by donations and bequests.

In the spring of 1912, Elder S. R. Zug, being over 80
years old, spoke of resigning as Trustee, but was urged to
stay on to the end of his term, which would be December 31,
1912.

H
W

BENEVOLENT ACTIVITIES, 617

On November 5, 19 12, at the annual meeting of share-
holders he was relieved, and Nathaniel Minnich elected in
his place, Jacob Heagy being re-elected. At the organiza-
tion of the Board of Trustees, after that election, Jacob
Heagy was appointed President; I. W. Taylor, Secretary;
and Ammon H. Brubacher, Treasurer.

B. History of the Children's Aid Society Movement

IN THE Church of the Brethren in the Eastern

District of Pennsylvania.

For a number of years several of the Elders in the Eastern
District of Pennsylvania felt that there was a great field
open for doing effective and far-reaching work in the way
of caring for homeless and orphan children. This convic-
tion grew and among those who first agitated the matter
may be mentioned Elder Jesse Ziegler of Royersford, Elder
I. W. Taylor of Vogansville, Elder David Kilhefner of
Ephrata and Elder H. E. Light of Mountville. After the
Annual Meeting held at Bristol, Tennessee, in 1905, had
endorsed this kind of work as it was then carried on in the
State District of Oklahoma and Indian Territory and fur-
ther recommended that the several State Districts over
the Brotherhood awaken to this important work (see Annual
Meeting Minutes, page 6, Art. 2) the matter was more fully
agitated, so that the Ephrata Church and the Spring Grove
Church each came to the District Meeting of Eastern Penn-
sylvania of 1906 with similar queries asking that the District
Meeting carry out the recommendations of Annual Meeting
on this point. This resulted in the appointment of a com-
mittee of three Brethren consisting of H. E, Light, Jesse
Ziegler and David Kilhefner with instructions to prepare a
plan and present the same to the next District Meeting ( See
District Meeting Minutes, 1906, page 2.) This committee
presented the following report to the District Meeting of
1907 which was ordered to be spread on the minutes for
one year :

618 the church of the brethren.

"Report of Committee to Care for Homeless Children.

" We your committee, appointed by District Meeting of 1906
to prepare plans for organizing the work of saving orphans
and homeless children, after much deliberation and investiga-
tion, desire to submit the following report :

" * The word of God and observation teach us that here lies
a large field of useful and commendable work, which has hardly
been touched by us as a church.

" * First. We are convinced that to undertake this work
simply upon the plan of an agency would be altogether im-
practicable and unsatisfactory, and that in order to succeed in
the undertaking we would need a detention home, where no
less than twenty children could be cared for at a time.

" ' Second. In order to reach this we would recommend that
the District Meeting appoint one or two Brethren to visit the
churches of the District in behalf of this work, with the fol-
lowing points in view :

'"(a) To create sentiment in favor of a work of this kind,

" '(b) To secure some guarantee of regular financial support.

'"(c) To have a delegate elected from the official body
(Brother or Sister) of each local Church to represent such
church in aflfecting an organization for carrying forward this
work.

" ' Third. As soon as a majority of the churches shall re-
spond by taking action favorable to the movement, then the
delegates elected above described shall be called to meet by the
Brother or Brethren appointed by District Meeting to visit the
churches, and shall elect twelve Trustees who shall have au-
thority to incorporate and elect a manager and transact such
business as may be needful to carry forward this noble work.

" David Kilhefner.
" H. E. Light,
Jesse Ziegler, Clerk.'"

The District Meeting of 1908 took up this report and
after some discussion decided that the report be adopted
except Section C of Article 2 and Article 3 and appointed a
committee of two Brethren consisting of T. F. Imler and
H. K. Ober who were to canvass the district with a view of
finding out what sentiment exists for pushing this noble
work. This committee came up to District Meeting of 1909
with the following report :

benevolent activities. 619

"Report of Committee on Orphanage.

*' To the Brethren of Eastern Pennsylvania in District
Meeting_, Greeting:

"We, your committee, offer the following report: Shortly
after District Meeting of 1908, the home duties of the elder
member of the committee were so confining as to make it im-
possible for him to do any active work in the field. And as
the other member did not have time except some Saturdays
and Sundays the District was not thoroughly canvassed ; how-
ever, at such times and places as opportunities presented them-
selves, the matter was taken up, largely with individual mem-
bers of congregations. In the opinion of the commitee, a
healthy, favorable sentiment to the project of establishing an
Orphan Home exists over the District, with the proposed idea
that such a home should be a place of detention for any orphans
until a proper, permanent home has been secured with some
family. The committee believes that the Christian home is
the best place in which a child can mature and that our District
has many homes who are ready to assume the responsibility
of caring for orphans as soon as there is a definite point to
which they may apply. Therefore, we feel that this matter
ought to take definite shape, and that such arrangements ought
to be made so as to make the project possible and practical, and
as such we humbly submit this as our report.

" T. F. Imler,
" H. K. Ober.''

The above report was thoroughly discussed and a com-
mittee of five were appointed to carry out the committee's
recommendations as they appeared in the above report. The
committee consisted of T. F. Imler, Samuel Z. Witmer,
H. K. Ober, H. B. Yoder, and Henry R. Gibbel.

This committee organized and a fairly complete report of
their first year's work is found in the minutes of the District
Meeting of the Church of the Brethren of Eastern Pennsyl-
vania of 1910, as well as a number of recommendations.
The District Meeting of 1910 passed a resolution that this
committee be continued another year and that they present
to the next District Meeting a Constitution and By-laws for
adoption, rejection or amendment and that meanwhile the

620 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

committee be instructed to carry out the recommendations
in their report.

Immediately after the adjournment of the District Meet-
ing of 19 lo, the committee organized and during the year
five regular meetings were held, besides a number of subcom-
mittee meetings and presented to the District Meeting of
1911a Constitution and By-laws which were adopted. This
Constitution and By-Laws will be found on pages, two, three,
four, and five of the minutes of the District Meeting of
Eastern Penna. of 191 1. As this Constitution provided
for a Board of Trustees, the District Meeting of Eastern
Pennsylvania of 191 1 at once elected a Board of the follow-
ing five Brethren for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania :
T. F. Imler, H. B. Yoder, H. K. Ober, H. R. Gibbel, and
Jacob W. Meyer. At this District Meeting there were steps
taken and provision made to divide the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania.

The new District which was thus formed adopted the
name of Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and East-
ern New York and elected five trustees as follows : Mary S.
Geiger, Amanda R. Kratz, C. F. McKee, Ira Holsopple and
Ouincy Leckrone to serve in connection with the five mem-
bers elected by the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

On the third Monday of July, A. D. 191 1, these ten trus-
tees met in the First Brethren Church in Philadelphia and
organized as a full board.

During the year 191 1, plans were studied and perfected
for building a detention Home. Sites and locations were
carefully considered. The District Meeting minutes of the
Church of the Brethren of Eastern Pennsylvania for 1912
contain a report of the said Board of Trustees which shows
that the work has been actively carried on. A beautiful lo-
cation adjoining the Brethren Home at Neffsville, Pa., was
finally selected as the place for erecting this building. This
site was donated by the Board of Trustees of the Brethren
Home. A substantial brick building was erected upon this
site during 1912 and completed in the spring of 1913. Sub-
sequently the building was furnished and is now fully occu-
pied and is named " Home for Orphan and Friendless Child-

BENEVOLENT ACTIVITIES. 621

ren." The dedicatory services for the same were held on
the afternoon of October i6, 1913, when the following pro-
gram was rendered :

Devotional Exercises Elder S. R. Zug.

Dedicatory Services:

(a) Elder M. C. Swigart.

(b) Elder J. H. Longenecker.

Brief Report of Board of Trustees by H. K. Ober, Secretary.
Offering.

Closing Exercises Elder S. Z. Witmer.

Elder I. W. Taylor in connection with his duties as Super-
intendent of the Brethren Home has been elected Superin-
tendent of this Home for the children. Brother and Sister
Heagy, of Ephrata, are serving as the first steward and
matron of sanie.

The Children's Aid Society in addition to being fully
authorized and owned by the two State Districts is also in-
corporated under a charter issued by the Court of Common
Pleas of Lancaster County. Up to this time the Society has
received and placed eighteen children. The work is now
fully organized and eternity alone will reveal the very im-
portant work which the church is carrying on through its
servants in rescuing young lives and training them with a
view of saving them for useful lives of Christian service.

H. K. Ober,
Secretary.

CHAPTER VI.

HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE.

I. The Founding.

For some years before the formal opening of Elizabeth-
town College, there was felt a need in eastern Pennsylvania
for a school where the children of the members of the
Church of the Brethren might have opportunities for a more
extended education than it was possible to get in public schools^,
and at the same time make it possible for them to remain
loyal to the Brethren Church, chiefly along the line of non-
conformity to the world. | It was furthermore decided to
extend the privileges of higher education to such members
as would , obtain the same at State institutions unless
afforded by schools in the church of their choice where they
would be surrounded by a Christian environment, 'free from
atheistical and other influences that tend to make shipwreck
of their religious life. Withal there existed many good
schools so far as intellectual training was concerned, but up-
holding wrong ideals and tolerating, if not fostering, per-
nicious features such as intercollegiate athletics, hazing,
students' fraternities, class rushes, etc. Those interested in
the school were moved by a lofty purpose which may be con-
cisely stated thus : to found and establish a school where
Christian education was obtainable under the fostering care
and in the interest of the Church of the Brethren. This pur-
pose, more formally stated in the Constitution, adopted by
the Board of Trustees and friends of the school was as fol-
lows: "The object of this school shall be such harmonious
development of the physical, mental, and moral powers of
both sexes as will best fit them for the duties of life and
promote the spiritual interest of its patrons. While under
the control and management of the Church of the Brethren
and primarily intended for the education of our own child-

622

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HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE. 623

ren, the school shall be open to all such as desire to avail
themselves of its privileges." '

In response to a widely-extended written call issued by
J. G. Francis, of Oaks, Pa., to meet at Reading, November
29, 1898, to discuss the advisability and feasibility of start-
ing a new college in eastern Pennsylvania, there met in
the Church of the Brethren in Reading on said date twelve
Sisters and twenty-two Brethren. The meeting was called
to order by Brother Francis and the following organization
was effected: Elder John Herr, of Myerstown, Moderator;
Elder G. N. Falkenstein, of Germantown, Secretary. After
devotional exercises conducted by Brother Wm. Howe, of
Norristown, the object of the meeting was stated by the
moderator. Brother Francis then read some correspond-
ence from a number of prominent Brethren expressing fav-
orable sentiment for a school in Eastern Pennsylvania and
tried to show the need of a school in our District that was
of a higher standard. Brother Francis then moved that
we in the fear of God proceed to establish a school in
Eastern Pennsylvania. This motion was seconded by Bro.
F. F. Holsopple, of Parkerford, Pa. At Elder Falken-
stein's suggestion this motion was not put to a vote in order
that there might be a fuller discussion of this important
movement. Brother Francis then argued the necessity of a
school by presenting statistics of members' children at other
schools, chiefly schools outside of our church, and said there
was need of facilities for preparing ministers in our church.
Elder J. H. Longenecker, of Palmyra, said that he was in
favor of education, but our State District was not united on
this question and this was shown by the small representation
at this meeting. He said that much prejudice exists against
higher education in our Church. Elder H. E. Light, of
Mountville, expressed himself favorable to the movement
of starting a school. He said we do not have too many
schools and cannot educate too much, but our children need
to be educated in our own schools and especially in a school
that is loyal to the Church. There was considerable pres-
sure in the meeting to decide at once upon the building of
the proposed school. Brother Francis read a paper from

624 THE CHUkCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Ephrata inviting the school to locate here. Brethren E. B.
Lefever and Samuel Kulp, of Ephrata, were representing
the people of that town and stated a number of advantages
that the place offered for the new school.

This meeting had both a forenoon and afternoon session,
and after considerable discussion, a motion was passed that
a committee of five be elected by ballot to take preliminary-
steps for finding a location for establishing a Brethren
school in this District and report at a future meeting. The
committee elected by ballot was as follows : John Herr, J. H.
Longenecker, H. E. Light, G. N. Falkenstein, Elias Lefever,
The meeting instructed this committee to decide a time and
place for the next public meeting. This committee organ-
ized by electing John Herr, Chairman; G. N. Falkenstein,
Secretary.

The locating committee appointed by the Reading meeting
underwent some important changes. The chairman, John
Herr, resigned on account of ill health. In his stead the
committee .elected S. H. Hertzler, of Elizabethtown. J. H.
Longenecker also handed his resignation to the committee,
but the reasons seemed insufficient to grant it. The com-
mittee agreed to meet at Mountville on March 6, 1899, the
object being to visit school sites. Four members of the
committee met there and organized as follows : Chairman,
H. E. Light; Secretary, G. N. Falkenstein; S. H. Hertzler
and E. B. Lefever being the other members present. Mount-
ville, Columbia, Pottstown, Ephrata, Norristown, and about
a month later Elizabethtown, were visited by this committee.
Permission was given by Elder S. R. Zug, of Mastersonville,
to have a public meeting of the Brethren interested in this
movement in the Brethren Church in Elizabethtown on
April 5, 1899. All churches of the District were notified of
this meeting on March 23. The meeting convened at the
time and place stated at 9 : 30 A. M. and was opened with
devotional exercises by the Secretary. A committee of
five Brethren offered the following nominations for officials
for this meeting which were ratified by it : Chairman, S. R.
Zug; Secretary, G. N. Falkenstein; Treasurer, S. H. Hertz-
ler. Elder Zug made a brief address and then called for the

HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE. 625

report of the locating committee which was read by the
Secretary. Representatives of the following places pres-
ented sites for the new college : Mountville by H. E. Light,
Columbia by H. E. Light and B. G. Musser, Ephrata by
A. W. Mentzer, Norristown by letter, Pottstown by J. G.
Francis, Elizabethtown by F, H. Keller who read a paper
from the town council.

At the afternoon session, Elder George Bucher called for
information by what authority this meeting is called. J. G.
Francis stated that it originated in his mind. The Secre-
tary, G. N. Falkenstein, spoke of the sentiment for a school
throughout the District. The meeting then .was declared
open for further discussion of the following questions : first.
Shall we have a school? second, What kind of a school do we
want to establish? A number of speeches were made on
these questions. George Bucher said : " I am in favor of a
Brethren school on Gospel principles, but it must be subject
to the Church and located in a loyal congregation." S. H.
Hertzler said if some schools are improperly managed, we
need one that is properly managed. After further discus-
sion George Bucher moved that we have a school. This
was seconded by Elder Jesse Ziegler, of Royersford and
passed unanimously. The next question to be decided was
What kind of a school shall it be? S. R. Zug said " coedu-
cational for young people." George Bucher said " for the
old ones too. We want a higher school. A college to com-
pare favorably with any in the country. A safe school."
J. G. Francis said : " We want a school in which the Bible is
the text book, also offering scientific and classical courses."
L. M. Keim said : " The new school shall have an agricultural
department." Jesse Ziegler favored this also. G. N. Falk-
enstein said a commercial department was also needed.
After further discussion G. N. Falkenstein moved that we
establish a school of such a character that compares favor-
ably with any of our schools including Bible, academic, and
collegiate departments, — a school to be at the same time a
home and a church. The motion was passed by the
meeting.

The meeting then decided that a committee of ten be
41

626 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

appointed to be fully authorized to select a site for the loca-
tion of the school. This committee consisted of H. E. Light
G. N. Falkenstein, S. H. Hertzler, George Bucher, Jesse
Ziegler, S. R. Zug, J. G. Francis, Abram Royer, Benjamin
Hottel and William Oberholtzer. The committee named
was also to draft a Constitution and By-laws for the new
school and present the same at a future meeting. The com-
mittee decided to meet at District Meeting for organization
on April 20. The organization resulted as follows : Chair-
man, H. E. Light ; Secretary, G. N. Falkenstein ; Treasurer,
S. H. Hertzler. All towns offering sites were to place their
proposals in the committee's hands not later than May 10.
Meantime the offer of Lititz was to be investigated.

The locating committee met again at the Annual Confer-
ence at Roanoke, Virginia, May 24, 1899. Of the commit-
tee of ten the following were present: H. E. Light, S. R.
Zug, George Bucher, S. H. Hertzler, G. N. Falkenstein, and
J. G. Francis. William Oberholtzer resigned. H. B. Hol-
hinger was elected in his stead. After devotional exercises
and the purpose of the meeting having been stated, it was
moved and seconded that sealed offers for the new school be
read, and that a majority of the committee be required to
decide its location. There were only two offers presented;
namely, Ephrata and Elizabethtown. The advantages
offered by these places were considered with reference to
the following points : drainage, railroad facilities, money,
church, water. Three ballots were cast without any deci-
sion. The places voted for were Mountville, Elizabethtown,
and Pottstown. Following some speeches made in favor of
Pottstown and Elizabethtown it was unanimously voted to
locate at Elizabethtown. The following subcommittee was
appointed to prepare a Constitution and By-Laws for the
school: G. N. Falkenstein, Jesse Ziegler, J. G. Francis.
The committee decided that the next public meeting shall
be at Elizabethtown on June 7.

The committee on Constitution and By-laws met at Royers-
ford. Pa., June i with all present. This committee recom-
mended that the name of this school be Conestoga College.
After a day's work, the work of the committee was com-

HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE. 627

pleted. The locating committee met at Elizabethtown, June
6, at noon, the following being present : H. E. Light, Chair-
man; G. N. Falkenstein, Secretary; S. H. Hertzler, Treas-
urer ; S. R. Zug, George Bucher, Jesse Ziegler, Abram Royer
and J. G. Francis. A formal protest was received from
Ephrata in regard to locating the school at Elizabethtown
and an informal protest was made in behalf of Pottstown.
It was then moved and decided to reconsider the location.
It was also decided not to admit new offers for the school
unless open to all upon due notice. Three minutes' time
was allowed each representative for presenting each site.
H. E. Light spoke in favor of Mountville, S. R. Zug for
Elizabethtown, Abram Royer for Ephrata, and J. G. Francis
for Pottstown. On the third ballot eight votes were cast in
favor of Elizabethtown.

The committee then adjourned to view several sites about
Elizabethtown, after which they met at the home of S. H.
Hertzler at 2 : 30 P. M., where the citizens' committee also
met the locating committee. Many speeches were made in
favor of two sites, one at the east end of town and the other
at the west end. After some balloting which did not decide
the location, many warm speeches were made and the matter
was left undecided until the public meeting on the following
day. The committee then took up thejreport of the com-
mittee on Constitution and By-laws, flhe name proposed by
the Committee on Constitution and By-laws provoked con-
siderable discussion. The name Mack College was pre-
sented by J. G. Francis. George Bucher opposed this name
on account of it being the name of a man, but liked Con-
estoga College. H. E. Light thought that Conestoga Col-
lege was too local a name for the school. Jesse Ziegler
presented the name East Penn College. A motion to adopt
the last name failed to pass. Finally the name Conestoga
College was passed by the locating committee. " There were
slight changes made in the statement of th'e~object of the
school, but in the main the Constitution and By-laws were
adopted by the locating committee. On Wednesday morn-
ing, June the seventh, the locating committee had another
session prior to the public meeting which convened at 9 : 30

628 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

in the Brethren Church. Devotional exercises were con-
ducted by George Bucher. The minutes of the former pub-
lic meeting having been read, the decision of the locating
committee as to the site of the new school was announced.
The Constitution and By-laws were also presented for the
consideration of the meeting. After an extended discussion
on the name question, the meeting decided to adopt Eliza-
bethtown College instead of Conestoga College as the name
for the proposed college. Each section of the Constitution
and By-laws was then taken up and after considerable discus-
sion it was adopted. The meeting proceeded to elect trus-
tees, Brethren and Sisters voting by ballot. The following
persons were nominated by the locating committee to serve
as trustees : from Lancaster County, S. H. Hertzler, J. H.
Rider, H. E. Light, George Bucher, C. R. Gibble, L W.
Taylor, T. F. Imler; from Berks County, P. C. Nyce; from
Montgomery County, Jesse Ziegler; from Lebanon County,
F. L. Reber ; from Chester County, Nathan Hoffman ; from
Philadelphia, T. T. Myers, G. N. Falkenstein; from Mary-
land, L. R. Brumbaugh, J. Y. King; from Dauphin County,
M. R. Henry, John Landis. While the votes were being
counted for trustees, George Bucher moved to insert a clause
in the Constitution and By-laws prohibiting instrumental
music. The meeting, however, decided to leave this matter
in the hands of the trustees. The By-laws were then read
and adopted and the tellers made the following report of the
election of trustees : for three years, G. N. Falkenstein,
Jesse Ziegler, S. H. Hertzler; for two years, J. H. Rider,
Nathan Hoffman, M. R. Henry ; for one year, P. C. Nyce,
T. F. Imler, and L. R. Brumbaugh. It was then decided
by motion that the trustees be authorized to call a meeting
of the contributors whenever deemed necessary.

After adopting the Constitution and By-laws as a whole
unanimously, the meeting closed at five o'clock. The com-
mittee on location, Constitution and By-laws was then for-
mally discharged and the meeting closed with devotional
exercises. The writer is indebted to Elder G. N. Falken-
stein of Elizabethtown for the minute details setting forth
how Elizabethtown College was founded, he having been

HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE. 629

Secretary of all the committees and of the three public meet-
ings that were held until the school was formally established.

Elizabethtown had two good locations for the school but
the spot where the newborn college was finally to rear its
walls was on a beautiful elevation at the eastern end of the
borough on the farm of Brother B. G. Groff, a business
man. The deal for ten acres of land as a nucleus for a
campus was made by Royer S. Buch. He secured the land
for the college at $150 per acre by the following proposi-
tion : Royer S. Buch and his brother J. Harvey Buch guar-
antee to pay for 1/3 of this tract, their father Addison
Buch guarantees another third and B. G. Groff donated the
remaining third. This original tract was increased later
by the purchase of four acres from Bro. Groff. ,

The first board of trustees held its first meeting at Potts-
town at the home of Nathan Hoffman on June 16. The
organization of the board resulted as follows: President,
Jesse Ziegler, of Royersford; Vice President, T. F. Imler of
Lancaster; Secretary, G. N. Falkenstein of Germantown;
Treasurer, S. H. Hertzler, of Elizabethtown. Elder Imler
soon resigned and Brother J. H. Rider, a hardware merchant
of Elizabethtown, was elected Vice President in his stead.

On September 23, 1899, a charter was secured. The in-
corporators were : S. H. Hertzler, J. H. Rider, S. P. Engle,.
J. H. Eshleman, Jos. G. Heisey, all of Elizabethtown. The
trustees at once set out to raise funds for the erection of a
building. The ground was broken for the first school
building on July 10, 1900.

Arrangements for a Faculty preceded the erection of the
first building. Elder I. N. H. Beahm, of Lordsburg, Cali-
fornia, was elected the first head of the school with the title
of Principal. Elder G. N. Falkenstein, Secretary of the
Board of Trustees, appeared second on the Faculty as pub-
lished in a blue sixteen-page catalogue issued in August,
1900. Miss Elizabeth Meyer, of Bareville, was the first
lady in the faculty and had charge of the lady students.

November 13 had been set and announced as the time for
the dedication of the first building, since called Alpha Hall,
but the building was not completed by that time. Neverthe-

630 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

less school was formally opened on November 13, 1900, in
the Heisey Building, corner of Market and Bainbridge streets,
Elizabethtown, with six students and three teachers. The
students were all boys as follows : Kurvin Henry, of York
County, Warren Ziegler and Walter Kittinger, of Mont-
gomery County, Rufus P. Bucher, John Boll and Willis
Heisey, of Lancaster County. Professor Beahm was not
able to assume his duties when school opened, being con-
fined to bed with nervous prostration. The principal's du-
ties were performed the first year by Professor Falkenstein.
The other teachers were Elizabeth Meyer and J. A. Seese,
of Virginia.

The first week school work was conducted in the Heisey
Building, third floor. Then for two months school was
held in J. H. Rider's private dwelling on Washington Street,
which was bequeathed to the Elizabethtown Church of the
Brethren at Brother Rider's death. On January 2, 1901,
the school was moved to College Hill in Alpha Hall which
was not yet' fully completed at the time. On March 4, 1901,
the building was dedicated with appropriate exercises.

n. Experimental Stage.

The educational work so auspiciously though modestly
inaugurated was not without trials, difficulties, and obstacles.
The fate of the institution so untried and young was un-
known and its future success not fully assured as yet. It
passed through a period of development that may well be
characterized as its experimental stage. In this critical
period, who were the makers of Elizabethtown College?
These may be classified as consisting of certain staunch
trustees, some sacrificing teachers, and numerous fast
friends.

A brief record of the early trustee meetings will furnish
the names of the leading trustees who have been found true
and tried in this educational project. At the first meeting
at Pottstown, P. C. Nyce, of Reading, resigned his trustee-
ship. George Bucher was elected in his stead. At this
meeting the following were appointed a committee to secure
a charter and also a seal for the new institution: Jos. H.

HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE. 631

Rider, S. H. Hertzler, and T. F. Imler. The Secretary,
G. N. Falkenstein, was instructed to have Constitution and
By-laws of the Board of Trustees printed. At this meet-
ing the Eastern District of Pennsylvania was divided among
the different trustees for the purpose of soliciting funds to
erect a school building. The following reported success in
their work: Geo. Bucher, Jesse Ziegler, J. H. Rider and
S. H. Hertzler. The total pledged was $4,815, of which
$3,150 was subscribed by Elizabethtown and community.
This report was given at the second Board meeting at
Ridgely, Md., at District Meeting on August 15, 1899. The
third meeting was held at home of J. H. Rider, October 3,
1899, seven trustees being present. Here a petition circu-
lated by J. G. Francis to change the location of college from
Elizabethtown to Ephrata was presented but not favorably
considered. A committee was appointed to secure an archi-
tect. This committee consisted of T. F. Imler and S. H.
Hertzler. The fourth meeting of the Board was at John
Herr's home at Salunga October 18, 1899. The following
building committee was appointed : T. F. Imler, S. H.
Hertzler and George Bucher. At the fifth meeting held at
S. H. Hertzler's home in Elizabethtown on Dec. 14, 1899,
T. F. Imler was excused from building committee at his
request. At the sixth meeting on April 12, 1900, at J. H.
Rider's home, A. A. Richter of Lebanon was emplo3^ed as
architect. At this meeting steps were taken to elect the
first principal. I. N. H. Beahm was provisionally elected
to this position. At the seventh meeting which was
held at the Middle Creek Church in West Conestoga
Congregation on May 2, 1900, there were seven trustees
present. Nathan Hoffman's resignation was received, but
not accepted till a later meeting. On June 11, 1900, at S. H.
Hertzler's the eighth meeting convened when I. N. H.
Beahm and Elizabeth Myer were formally hired as members
of Faculty. Also G. N. Falkenstein was elected as teacher.
B. G. Groff was awarded the contract to build the first build-
ing, the price to be $14,250. J. G. Heisey, of EHzabeth-
town, was appointed on Building Committee instead of T. F.
Imler, resigned. At the ninth meeting held August 16,

632 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

1900, the officers of the board were reelected for one year.
The following were elected trustees for three years : George
Bucher, T. F. Imler, D. Kilhefner. L. R. Brumbaugh was
elected for one year. Isaac Royer of Reistville was elected
a trustee but refused to accept. The following were ap-
pointed a committee on catalogue and also to prepare a pro-
gram for Opening Day: G. N. Falkenstein, Jesse Ziegler,
Elizabeth Myer and I. N. H. Beahm. Sister I. N. H. Beahm
was elected as matron.

At the tenth meeting held October 2, 1900, a vault was
purchased. Ed. Wenger was elected a trustee. The Open-
ing Day occurred on November 13, 1900, at which time the
nth Board Meeting was held. At S. H. Hertzler's the
twelfth meeting was held January 8, 1901. Trustees Kilhef-
ner and Bucher resigned. The first Bible term was ap-
pointed for March to be conducted by J. Kurtz Miller. At
this meeting a loan of $9,000 was made with the Lancaster
Trust Co. Total cost of Alpha Hall, the first building was
$14,318.71. , Other trustees of the earlier history were
M. R. Henry, Benjamin Hottel, Isaiah Musser, S. P. Engle,

B. G. Groff (did not accept), A. S. Kreider, S. G. Graybill.
In addition as trustee, S. H. Hertzler served as business
manager in 1902. I. N. H. Beahm was business manager
in 1903-04. Mrs. Beahm was matron from 1903-07. The
management of the school was assumed by an administra-
tive committee consisting of I. N. H, Beahm, President; D.

C. Reber, Vice President and Registrar; H. K. Ober, Secre-
tary and Treasurer in 1904 for three years.

The faculty for the second year's work consisted of G. N.
Falkenstein, Principal; Elizabeth Myer, C. F. Weaver, J. H.
Keller, Mrs. G. N. Falkenstein. In 1902, D. C. Reber
and H. K. Ober entered the faculty. Professor Falken-
stein resigned as Principal in October, 1902. For 1903-04,

D. C. Reber was elected as acting Principal. Elizabeth
Myer and H. K. Ober also remained in faculty. J. M^
Pittenger, of Ohio, an A.B. graduate of Juniata College be-
came teacher of Latin and Science, in 1903. In 1904, Prof-
essor Beahm was elected the first President of the school,
and D. C, Reber, Vice President. Besides Professor Ober

HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE. 633

and Miss Myer, the following were employed to teach in
1904: P. S. Davis, W. H. Sanger and Flora H. Good, the
latter as the first instrumental music teacher. In 1905, B. F.
Wampler, J. G. Meyer and J. Z. Herr, the latter two being
Alumni of the school, were employed as teachers. In 1906,
E. C. Bixler, A.M., was employed to teach Greek and Latin
and continued with school two years. Luella G. Fogel-
sanger, after completing the Pedagogical Course in 1906, en-
tered the faculty as a full teacher and remained till 19 10.
In 1907 the first regular Bible teacher was secured in the
person of E. E. Eshelman of Waynesboro. He taught in
the institution three consecutive years. In the earlier period
to the close of the active administration of President Beahm,
the following served as assistant teachers in the school : M.
Alverda Stayer, S. B. Kiefer, I. E. Shoop, Luella G. Fogel-
sanger, Nathan Martin, L. Margaret Haas, L. D. Rose.

Of the teachers of the earlier experimental period, five
may be mentioned for their efficient and faithful services,
which laid a strong foundation for the permanence of the
school. Professor G. N. Falkenstein, a graduate of Breth-
ren's Normal College in 1882, and a student for two years
in Mount Morris College and the University of Michigan,
acted as chief executive during the first two years of the
school's existence. Under many trying and discouraging
circumstances, he conducted the school while the principal-
elect. Professor I. N. H. Beahm, was ill and unable to teach.
His health necessitated a change of occupation and the Vice-
principal, D. C. Reber, a graduate of Juniata College in 1897
and of N, Y. University in 1902, performed the duties of
acting Principal the third year and was eleced Principalof
the school the fourth year.

In 1904, Professor I. N. H. Beahm, a graduate of Bridge-
water College in 1889, formerly Principal of Prince William
Academy, Va., and President of Lordsburg College, Cal.,
was able to assume the duties of President of Elizabethtown
College and remained actively in charge of the institution for
three years, a part of the third year of his administration
being devoted to travel in Palestine and Egypt. During
his term of of^ce, the instrumental music department was

634 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Opened. Also a two year's course in agriculture was out-
lined. During his trip abroad Vice President Reber pre-
sided over the institution. In 1905, need of a second build-
ing became apparent. This was completed in 1906 and
dedicated on March 4 of that year.

H. K. Ober entered the faculty as commercial teacher in
1902 after graduating at the Millersville S. N. School in
1898 and from Penna. Business College at Lancaster in
1902. In 1903 he was elected Vice Principal of the school
in addition to his duties as commercial teacher. In 1904
he became one of the administrative committee, filling the
responsible position of acting treasurer of the institution.
He also served as the first business manager of our College
Times, and as Principal of the Commercial Department
from 1904-1907. As chairman of the Physical Culture
committee he was largely instrumental in shaping the future
policy of the institution regarding athletics.

Miss Elizabeth Myer, a graduate of the Millersville Nor-
mal School in 1887, has held her position in the faculty from
the school's inception. She taught reading, grammar, elo-
cution, literature and rhetoric during the first seven- years
of the school. She has given excellent service not only as
teacher but also as preceptress and as a member on the dis-
cipline committee. To her loyalty to the principles of the
church along the line of non-conformity and to her influence
over the lady students who were members of the church,
the school owes a large debt for its position of loyalty to the
church in its student body. She also served as Editor of
Our College Times for five years in which she wielded a
widespread influence for the welfare of the school. She also
had a supervisory and stimulating influence over the literary
organizations of the school.

Outside of the Board of Trustees, and teachers, there
have been many substantial friends whom space forbids to
mention. Of those who have subscribed liberally in money,
time and influence may be mentioned B. G. Groff, Mrs. J. H.
Rider, Mrs. Mary S. Geiger, Joseph Oiler, Jos. G. Heisey,
Addison Buch and his sons, Royer and Harvey, and others
whose names appear as electors on the second page of the

HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE. 635

annual catalogue of the college. B. G. Groff built all the
buildings on the campus up to the time of his death in 1907.
He also served as Superintendent of the Grounds and Build-
ings as long as he lived. As contractor of the first building
he donated nearly a thousand dollars of contract price. He
was a member of the building committee for Memorial Hall,
and showed a constant interest in the college by his presence
at educational and religious gatherings at the school.

The largest donor of this early period is Jos. H. Rider.
His donations amount to about $10,000 and in his memory
the second college building has been named Memorial Hall.
As Vice President of the Board of Trustees Bro. Rider
rendered valuable services to the College.

With a very meager equipment the school began to do its
work. But through the kind assistance of teachers and
students this increased from year to year. The first build-
ing had modern equipment such as electric light, steam heat,
bath rooms, electric program clock, and well-lighted class
rooms. Later increased supply of black-boards, hydrant
water, three pianos, six typewriters, laboratory stand and
fixtures, science cabinet, maps, globes, a second building
with increased facilities for library, a physical culture room,
and beautifully furnished chapel were secured in this experi-
mental period of the school's history. To this may be added
a double cottage, a large shed, and a small stable.

HI. Growth and Development.

The enrollment of students increased gradually from year
to year. The first gentleman student was Kurwin D.
Henry, of Big Mount, York Co., Pa., and the first lady
student was Anna Brenneman, of New Danville, Lancaster
Co., Pa. The table on next page shows the enrollment by
years.

With the beginning of the eighth school year, a change
in administration was made and this marks the beginning of
a new epoch in the history of the school. Professor L N. H.
Beahm was retained as the nominal head of the institution
with an advisory relation to the management of affairs. He
devoted much time to preaching and representing the school

636

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

Students.

Faculty,

Graduates.

Bible Term.

I900-I90I

190I-I902

173

I902-I903

108

210

I903-I904

106

334

I904-I905

128

334

1905-1906

148

323

I906-I907

177

312

I907-I908

196

30s

I908-I909

183

356

I909-I9IO

188

232

I9IO-I9II

204

160

I9II-I9I2

178

220

I9I2-I9I3

195

323

I9I3-I9I4

182

32s

in the field, teaching only during the annual Bible term.
The Vice President, D. C. Reber was made Acting President
in 1907 and served under this title for three years. In
1910 he was elected President of the college to succeed
President Beahm, who resigned his position in 1909.

In addition to his duties as the executive, D. C. Reber con-
tinued in charge of the Department of Pedagogy and de-
veloped the Pedagogical Course of the school as it exists at
this writing. In 1909, he received the degree of Master of
Arts from Ursinus College. It was the policy of the new
President to make the school a college in fact as well as in
name. In 1907 the first students enrolled in the Classical
Course. Then this course was revised and began to attract
students who had finished the Pedagogical Course. A few
college students attended the Ursinus College summer term
in 1908 and thereafter and in this way the advanced work
of Elizabethtown College received some recognition so that
the school became affiliated with Ursinus College, which ac-
cepted the work done by this school under college or univer-
sity graduates. Among the teachers whose work helped
to gain this recognition were President Reber, E. C. Bixler,
Mary E. Markley and E. E. Eshleman. The Classical Course
is operated since and other college teachers such as J. S.
Harley, J. G. Meyer, and R. W. Schlosser have helped to
maintain the required standard of teaching.

The College Preparatory Course was revised at this time
and is beginning to attract more students. A number who

HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE. 637

completed this course have entered Lebanon Valley College,
Juniata College, State College, Oberlin College, Franklin
and Marshall College and the University of Penna. without
entrance examinations.

The framing and correlation of literary courses has been
the work of Pres. Reber. Under his administration the first
class in the Classical Course was graduated in 191 1. The
growth in material equipment has not been so marked during
the last six years, but there has been an internal development
of various departments of the school's work.

Under the new administration the library has been greatly
enlarged and improved partly by means of conducting a
lecture course. The museum has been classified under the
curatorship of M. A. Good and C. E. Resser. In 191 1 an
advanced literary society was formed for classical students.
The Bible Department was fully organized by revision and
addition of courses and the employment of a regular Bible
teacher. Under the tuition of E. E. Eshelman and Lydia
Stauffer this department is doing a work that has a helpful
religious influence in the school.

The Commercial Department organized and developed
by H. K. Ober lost his services in 1907 and he thenceforth
devoted his energies to the Science Department. After
several years of effort, the equipment was greatly increased
both for teaching physics and biology. And as an out-
growth of the science work, he also took charge of the
Agricultural Department in 19 10 upon his election to the
Vice Presidency of the school. At the same time at the
direction of the management he outlined a course in Sew-
ing. Professor Ober continued as treasurer of the school
from 1904-1910. In all these years he continued his
scholastic studies partly in Elizabethtown College, and at the
Millersville Normal School finished the regular Normal
Course and received the degree Master of Pedagogics in
1910. He also spent a summer session at the University of
Pennsylvania. As a member of the discipline committee
and as field worker and financial secretary to the trustees he
has rendered efficient services to the school.

Another department that was developed under the Reber

638 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

administration is the vocal and instrumental Music Depart-
ment. This was under the competent direction of B. F.
Wampler from 1905-11. His assistants at various times
were Mrs. B. F. Wampler, Leah M. Sheaffer, Elizabeth
Kline and W. E. Glasmire. The three last named are
alumni of the school. Although these teachers labored
under prejudices against instrumental music among the
membership of the church yet they succeeded in a measure
to disarm criticism from this source and a large percentage
of the student body were enrolled in the department. This
department is well established and continues to render good
service under competent teachers.

The Commercial Department was several years without
a principal until J. Z. Herr who had been H. K. Ober's
assistant in this work for two years became principal in
19 10. The new principal revised the courses of study, re-
organized the work on a broader and more modern basis
until it is a well-equipped and well-patronized department
of the school Professor Herr was also Professor Ober's
successor in the office of treasurer of the faculty.

At the urgent suggestion, solicitation and aid of H. K.
Ober, six acres were purchased on the southwest side of the
campus by the trustees, a number of them making them-
selves personally responsible for the purchase. The campus
with its growing maple trees planted on April 6, 1901, makes
a fine appearance and is a source of gratification to all who
contributed money or trees to this project. The campus
now consists of twenty acres, a part of which is utilized
for orchard, garden or farm purposes.

Trustees of recent period not heretofore named are J. W.
G. Hershey, H. B. Yoder, A. G. Longenecker, J. H. Keller,
R. P. Bucher, J. Kurtz Miller, John M. Gibble, D. K. Kil-
hefner, W. H. Holsinger.

Other teachers of this later period were M. A. Good, L.
Margaret Haas, W. K. Gish, Anna Wolgemuth, Laura Hess,
first teacher of Sewing, and Kathryn E. Miller. Some stu-
dent teachers were Daisy P. Rider, C. E. Resser, H. H.
Nye, L Z. Hackman, L. W. Leiter, J. D. Reber, L J.
Kreider, Carrie Dennis, Gertrude Miller, Lilian Falken-

HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE. 639

stein, Laura M. Landis. Mrs. E, G. Reber was matron
from 1907 to this writing.

IV. Elizabethtown College in the Eyes of
Educators.

The pedagogical senior class is required to take a final
examination before graduation. Since 1905 the following
city or county superintendents served in this capacity and
spoke in praiseworthy terms of the work of the school:
M. J. Brecht, of Lancaster Co.; H. J. Wickey, of Middle-
town; J. Anson Wright, of Bedford Co.; H. V. B. Garber,
of Dauphin Co., J. Kelso Green, of Cumberland Co. ; L. E.
Smith, of Franklin Co. ; H. M. Roth, of Adams Co. ; Daniel
Fleisher, of Columbia; Edgar Reed, of Lebanon; L. E.
McGinnes, of Steelton; C. W. Stine, of York Co.

On November 13 and March 4 annually anniversary pro-
grams are rendered commemorating the founding and dedi-
cation of the school buildings. On such occasions the fol-
lowing educators have delivered addresses at Elizabethtown
College : Hon. N. C. Schaeffer, E. O. Lyte, R. N. Roark,
A. S. Martin, H. C. Early, Wm. Wine, D. W. Kurtz, T. T.
Myers, J. L. Eisenberg, George L. Omwake, George W.
Hull. At Opening Day or other occasions the following
distinguished speakers have lectured at the college : D. L.
Miller, L. S. Shimmell, M. G. Brumbaugh, A. A. Willets,
Henry Houck, H. M. Rowe, H. Frank Eshelman, F. J.
Stanley, A. B. Van Ormer, George P. Bible, R. M. McNeal,
Lawrence Kiester, C. A. Bowman, C. A. Spangler, J. P.
McCaskey, W. U. Hensel, R. C. Schiedt, J. G. Royer, H. H.
Apple, J. S. Stahr, J. Kurtz Miller. Not only by educators
but also by a number of colleges in Pennsylvania has the
work done at Elizabethtown College been recognized as be-
ing meritorious. From four institutions this recognition
has come unsolicited.

V. The School of the Present.

Elizabethtown College stands as the exponent of Chris-
tian education. Compared with similar institutions, she is

640 THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

one of the youngest institutions in Pennsylvania that are
striving to afford opportunities for higher education. Be-
cause a number of good friends have stood by her in her
infantile struggles she is on a fair footing to fill the mission
of her founders. Its supporters are to be congratulated on
past progress and achievements and may entertain sanguine
hopes for the future. While there has been opposition to
its founding and growth, while there have been obstacles to
surmount and discouragements to overcome, yet Elizabeth-
town College thus far had no serious reverses due to epidem-
ics, fires, or immoral conduct on the part of officials or
teachers. She has a splendid record of achievement to
which we may call attention.

A thousand young people (in 191 3) have been students of
the school and have been touched to live a life of usefulness.
Nearly 200 (191 3) of these have finished one or several
courses and are out molding the lives of those they influ-
ence for good. Scores of young people have been converted
to the religion of Jesus Christ through the influence set in
motion at the school. Thousands have been inspired in Bible
study and at lectures, educational or missionary programs
to make the most of themselves — these all will rise and call
the school a blessing to themselves and their posterity.

There is a movement on foot to transfer the College to
the Church as the property of the two state districts. At
the District Meeting of 1913 held at Ephrata, the Ephrata
Church petitioned the District Meeting to have a committee
appointed to consider the advisability of taking over Eliz-
abethtown College as the property of the church. The fol-
lowing committee was elected : John Herr, F. P. Cassel and
J. H. Longenecker. This committee was to represent the
Eastern Pennsylvania District in its conference with repre-
sentatives from the college.

Is the school fulfilling its mission ? The record thus far
is cause for rejoicing, and convincing to the doubters of the
project thirteen years ago. But the College continues to
have needs which must be supplied sooner or later. The
financial problem needs serious consideration. A $10,000
debt is now being discharged. An endowment fund of

HISTORY OF ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE. 641

$100,000 is a potent need. Many strong educational institu-
tions are her competitors. She needs ever to be loyal and
true to the ideals of her founders. With a resourceful and
devoted board of trustees, with an earnest and self-sacri-
ficing corps of teachers, vi^ith a loyal and prosperous alumni
to pray and push forw^ard the work, the prospect of Eliza-
bethtown College is bright. Long live our College in East-
ern Pennsylvania!

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650

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

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Ziegler farm.

Tulpehocken.
Heidelberg M. H.

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651

C. Sunday School History.*

The Annual Conference of 1898 advised that *'each
State District appoint a Sunday School Secretary whose
duty it shall be to inspire the Sunday School work of the dis-
trict and also to supply the Sunday School Advisory Com-
mittee with such statistics and other information as that
Committee may ask."

The Eastern District of Pennsylvania in the same year ap-
pointed Samuel H. Hertzler as the first Sunday School Sec-
retary of said district. He served until he resigned in 1901.
E. M. Wenger was his successor in this office serving until
1905. Then George W. Henry was appointed. After serv-
ing a year he was appointed for three years and the term of
office thereafter was fixed at three years. Bro. Henry is the
only lay brother serving in this office thus far.

Name of Secretary.

Term of
Office,

Assistant Secretary.

No. of
Schools.

s.s.

Enroll-
ment.

Conver-
sions.

I. S. H. Hertzler. . .

1898-1901

none

2. Edward M.

Wenger

1901-I9OS

none

5.000

188 (19OS)

3. Geo. W. Henry. .

1905-1906

none

5.054

148

4. George W. Henry

1906-I909

none

16,051

421

S. H. K. Ober

1909-1912

Geo. H. Light,

1911-1914

55-74

19.15s

SOS

6. Nathan Martin . .

1912-I9IS

Abram A. Price,

1914-1917

13,2622

323»

1 For history of local Sunday Schools, see history of local churches.
2 For first two years only.

652

THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

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INDEX

Ackerman, John, 322
Akron Church, 326, 336

Organization, 354

Steinmetz's meeting house, 354
Albertus, 28

Albrecht, Count Heinrich, i
Aldinger, Joseph B., 472, 473, 506,

507
Allen, George, 154
Amwell Church, 55, 168, 188, 202,

297
Annual meetings, 272

In Eastern Pennsylvania, 541-

544
Those held elsewhere, 546
Changes in holding, 563
Cassel's account of, 568
Report of 1871 meeting, 571

Annville Church, 506
Organization, 504

Antietam Church (Franklin Co.),

74
Arnold, Daniel, 372, 544, 548
Arnold, J. W., 534
Aungst, George, 442, 443
Aungst, John, 442, 443

Bach, John, 542
Baker, Allen G., 405
Baker, David, 442, 443
Baker, Isaac, 442, 489
Baker, J. S., 506, 507
Balmer, Allen, 335, 336
Balmer, Henry, 335, 336
Balmer, Herman, 405
Balsbach, Abram, 442, 472
Balsbaugh, Benjamin, 448, 456
Balsbaugh, C. H., 386, 437, 513,

516
Balsbaugh, Peter, 441
Balsbaugh, Samuel, 442, 443
Balsbaugh, Elder Valentine, 440,
444, 513, 517, 518, 545, 643,
644
Biography, 437, 515
Bame, Charles A., 135, 137, 147,

266
Ban, 272, 273

Bangor, Timothy, no, in, 112
Baptists, 79, 492, 513
Baptists, German, 92, 116, 117, 186,

272, 281, 291, 298, 453, 454, 462,

465, 468, 476, 500

Baptists, Seventh Day, 74, 82, 164,

1 07 272
Barnhart, Elder A. B., 538, 546,

561
Barto, Elder Isaac, 531, 545, 555,

556
Basehore, Benjamin, 542
Basehore, Elder Benjamin, 437,

439, 545
Basehore (Beshor), Elder Hans
George, 78, 445, 446, 455,
519, 644
Biography, 437, 517
Bashore, Milton, 473
Basehore (Beshor), Elder Hans
Jacob, 328, 374, 436, 445, 446,
455, 518, 545, 644
Bauman, 29

Beahm, Elder I. N. H., 129, 137,

260, 408, 409, 411, 590, 592, 629,

630, 631, 632, 633, 635, 636, 645

Beaver, P. H., 166, 574, 578

Beaver, Elder S. S., 410, 483, 491,

645
Bechleshammer, Elder John, 163,

164, 168, 644
Bechtel, John, 248
Beck, T. S., 395, 613
Becker, Elizabeth, 76
Becker, Elder George S., 472, 645
Becker, J. B., 351
Becker, Mary, 76

Becker, Elder Peter, 6, 10, 14, 17,
20, 38, 52, 53, 65, 69, 74, 75,
76, 78, 98, 102, 197, 205, 208,
281, 289, 297, 302, 304, 306,
325, 326, 327, 475, 564, 642,
644
Chosen elder, 20
Missionary tour, 26-30
Relation to Beissel, 39, 47
Biography, 76-78
Character, 70, 77
Beelman, George W., 342, 343,

344, 345
Beer, Elder J. H., 534
Beery, C. O., 137, 139
Beissel, Conrad, 19, 30, 31, 45, 54,
73, loi, 197, 205, 207, 208,
209, 325, 326, 327, 364, 564
Biography, 32-43
In New World, 38
At Germantown, 39, 63

653

654

INDEX.

Beissel, in Conestoga Country, 40,

Baptism, 43

Ordination, 46

Manner of preaching, 46

Doctrines, 47

Attack on Becker, 47

Baptism renounced, 48

Relation to Alexander Mack,
49, 52, 56, 163

Destructive policy, 52

In New Jersey, 164

At Falckner's Swamp, 206
Bender, Henry, 399
Benson, Charles M., 94, 104
Bergey, David G., 214
Berleburg, i, 2
Bermudian Church, 72, 74, 79
Bethany Mission Church, 142-152
Bethel Church, 189
Biershing, Benjamin, 540
Billew, Elijah, 248
Bingeman, George, 334, 335, 394
Bixler, E. C, 633, 636
Boehm, Martin, 382
Boehme, Jacob, 15
Bohemian Manor, 40, 41
BolHnger, Andrew, 335, 336
Bollinger, Benjamin, 335, 336
Bollinger, Elder Daniel, 457, 458,
462, 521, 545, 548, 549, 550, 551
Bollinger, Jacob, 331, 365, 462
Bollinger, Levi, 459, 461
Bomberger, Elder Christian, 329,
330, 334, 335, Z27, 338, 356,
370, 374, 394, 481, 586, 587,
588, 589, 593, 594, 642, 645

Biography, 366
Bomberger, Elder Cyrus, 472, 645
Bonney, Andreas, 90, 91
Bonsack, Elder Charles D., 537,

539
Boone, Alice, 493, 536, 538, 539
Booser, John, 472, 473, 506, 507
Booz, Jacob, 321
Booz, Elder J. M., 159, 301, 318,

645
Boyle, Philip, 391
Bower, Charles, 343, 409, 414
Bowman, Paul, H., 150, 152
Brandt, Jacob W., 506, 507
Brecht (Bright), 282, 283
Brethren Home

Early history, 608; locations,
609, 615
Brenneman, Benjamin M., 399,403
Brewer, Gideon, 180
Brewer, Thomas W., 173, 264, 268
Brooklyn Church

Early history, 536

Brooklyn Church
Elections, 537
Italian mission, 539
Brower, Daniel, 230, 250, 273
Brower, Elizabeth, 230
Brower, Isaac U., 212, 253
Brower, Mary, 230
Brower, Dr. William, 220, 223, 253,

254, 257, 259
Brown, Adam, 499
Brown, George, 72
Brownback, S. S., 136, 137, 138
Brownback, Stephen, 214, 265, 268
Brubacher, Elder Ammon H., 451,

496, 497, 498, 505, 614, 617, 645
Brubaker, Abraham Z., 496, 497,

498, 499
Brubaker, Christian, 329, 334, 355,

401, 427, 499, 587
Brubaker, Edwin B., 334, 336, 360
Brubaker, Eli B., 397, 406
Brubaker, Ephraim, 459, 461
Brubaker, Eugene, 395
Brubaker, Isaac, 458, 460, 497,499,

522
Brubaker, J. B., 405
Brubaker, Nathan, 335, 359, 615
Brumbach, Conrad, 543, 545
Brumbaugh, George, 533, 548
Brumbaugh, Elder H. B., 558, 560
Brumbaugh, Elder J. B., 156, 561
Brumbaugh, L. R., 533, 534, 600,

628, 632
Brumbaugh, Dr. M. G., VI, VII,
9, 12, 27, 60, 66, 67, 76, 78, 98,
102, 105, 107, no, 120, 128, 137,
147, 196, 281, 301, 325, 326, 370,
379, 445, 475, 541, 542, 547, 565,
639
Brunner, Anna, 153, 159, 160, loi
Bucher, Allen D., 472, 504, 528
Bucher, Elder Christian, 178, 180,
181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 189,
203, 338, 368, 396, 398, 448,
458, 459, 461, 471,' 479, 482,
484, 492, 494, 496, 497, 502,
522, 554, 555, 556, 557, 558,
581, 589, 590. 643, 645
Biography, 528
Bucher, Elder Cyrus, 459, 461, 470
Bucher, Elder George, 156, 157,
162, 346, 347, 348, 349, 458, 461,
46s, 470, 501, 522, 589, 590, 592,
600, 608, 625, 626, 627, 628, 630,
631, 632, 645 „

Bucher, Mohler, 459, 496, 497, 528
Bucher, Elder Rufus P., 348, 349,
411, 451, 473. 503, 592, 601, 630,
638, 652
Buckwalter, John, 214, 225

INDEX.

655

Buffenmyer, Horace, 350, 359
Buffenmyer, John, Sr., 350, 351
Butz, Levi, 485
Byer, Franklin, 343

Carper, Frank S., 473
Caruso, John G., 537, 539
Casimir, Count, 2
Cassel, Abraham H., 129, 163, 168,
169, 196, 210, 211, 236, 281,
291, 295, 297, 301, 302, 304,
305, 313, 314, 325, 326, 367,
544, 568, 581
Biography, 299
Cassel, Elder Abram, 307, 308, 309,

3^2, 64s
Cassel, Charles D., 395
Cassel, D. K., 9, 298, 299
Cassel family, 299
Cassel, Elder F. P., 127, 157, 185,
190, 312, 3^7, 410, 537, 557, 558,
561, 562, 563, 589, 590, 592, 600,
608, 640, 642, 645
Cassel, Elder Henry, 212, 216, 307,

308, 312, 321, 479, 588, 642, 645
Cassel, Isaac, 309, 312
Cassel, Jacob, 248
Cassel, Jonas, 318
Cassel, Joseph N., 311, 312
Casselberry, William, 234, 235, 248
Catholics, Roman, 8,11, 49, 51, 137
Children's Aid Society
Early history, 617
Detention home, 620
Chiques Church, 392, 393, 394, 407,
418, 430, 431, 482, 504, 506,
523, 594, 609, 612
Organization, 396
Divisions, 397
Christian Family Companion, 572
Church of Brethren, 7
Origin of, 52, 57
A missionary church, 6
Persecution of, 7
No creed, 52
Clark, E. R, 534
Clendenen, Andrew, 472, 473
Cline, J. W., 128, 136, 138
Clouser, Rev. G. B. M., 147, 152
Codorus Church, 72, y^, 79
Coffman, Elder T?. R., 254, 256,

645
Colonial churches

Southern Pennsylvania, 73
Maryland, 71-72
In Pennsylvania in 1770, 79
Conestoga Church, 52, 55, 73, 75,
79, 197, 350, 352, 367, 369,
371, 379, 457, 461, 518, 521,

541, 542, 544, 594
Conestoga Church,First lovefeast,

.31. 44 . .
First division, 47
Account of early, 81-87
Early baptisms, 81-87, 326
Organization, 325
Elders and ministers, 327
Subdivisions, 328, 329, 331
Deacons, 331
Present officials, 332
Conestoga country, 29, 31, 40, 45,

207
Conestoga Church, West, 329, 344,
352, 354, 359, 360, 361, 401,
594 .
Organization, 334
Elders and ministers, 335
Conewago Church (Dauphin Co.),
440, 504
Organization, 506
Conewago Church (York Co.),

73, 79
Conewago Church, Little, 72, 73,

79
Conner, Abram L., 308
Conner, Jesse, 307
Connor, Jacob, 156, 157, 162, 212,

215, 216, 240, 309, 587, 588, 600
Conococheague, 71, 209, 542
Constitution

Of Philadelphia church, 112-
115
Coventry Church, 28, 44, 65, 75,
79, 120, 139, 239, 253, 274,
293, 323, 541, 594
Organization, 205
Elders of, 211
First pastor, 213
Deacons, 214
Children of, 217
Meeting houses, 221
Graveyard, 223
Auxiliary organizations, 224
Charities, 227
Convv^ay, John, 248
Crauthamel, Elder Hillery, 316,

318, 645
Crefeldt, 5, 6, 11, 12, 15, 18, 39,
44, 65, 76, 163, 164, 196, 197
Congregation at, 7, 9, 10
Place of refuge, 9, 10
Emigration from, 13
An asylum, 39
Croft, Julia, 138, 143-152
Croft, Samuel B., 143-152
Crouse, D. K., 534
Crouse, John, 449, 456
Culler, A. J., 137, 141, 142

656

INDEX.

Custer, Christian, 107, m, 112,

118, 133, 581
Custer, James, 318

Dalrymple, Edmund, 170
Banner, Henry, 381, 545, 547
Banner, Jacob, 381, 547
Bavy, Elder Henry, 552, 553, 554,

571, 572
Beclaration of Trust, 92, 93
Beeter, Elder W. R., 262, 545, 555
Denton Church, 535
Bettra, John, 247
Bettra, Lewis, 247
Betwiler, Edgar M., 324
Betwiler, Jacob, 318
Betwiler, John, 307
Bickey, L. H., 262
Bierdorflf, Andrew M., 122, 163
Birdorf, Peter. 372, 544, 547
Bistrict meetings

A district meeting, 579

History of, 585

Table of, 589
Bixon, A. M., 537
Bompelaers, 12
Bonner, Elder Jacob, 72, 73, 78,

545
Bouglass, Susan, 96
Bubble, Amos P.. 343
Buboy, Elder Abraham, 6, 78, 272,
302, 306, 644
Biography of, 281
Bunkers, 231, 235, 236, 297, 299,

300, 30s. 364, 392, 476, 477
Bunlap, Br. J. M., 392
Bupler, A. W., 263

Early, Elder H. C, 342, 559, 560,

562, 639
Eberbach, 32, 35
Ebersole, John B., 345
Ebersole, Elder Martin, 331, 332,

645
Eby, Elder Adam. 538, 561
Eby, Elder Andreas, 378, 379, 380,

422, 544, 545, 644
Eby, Elder Benjamin Z., 341, 350,

377, 394, 395, 396. 429, 434, 609,

612, 613, 615, 64s
Eby, John, 380

Eckerling, Michael, 6, 34, 165
Eckstein, Christian, 70
Eckstein, Elizabeth, 70
Eder, 2, 19

Edris, Allen, 496, 497, 503
Edris, Elias W., 448, 449, 45i,

452, 453

Edwards, Rev. Morgan, 56, 74, 75,
79, 166, 168, 169, 210, 211, 280,
281, 282, 429, 511

Eichelberger, Elder Peter, 328, 374,

644
Eicher, Baniel, 29, 53, 205
Eisenberg, J. L., 262, 639
Eisenberg, J. Y., 212, 215, 258, 260,

262
Eisenberg, W. Y., 214, 217
Eisenhower, John, 113, 114, 118
Elders, before Revolution, 78

Before 1800, 644

Since 1800, 645
Elizahethtown Church, 431, 506

Organization, 407

Church activities, 409

Church auxiliaries, 412

Missionary activity, 419
Elizahethtown College, 324, 343

Founding, 622

Experimental stage, 630

Growth and development, 635
Ellis, C. C, 128, 146, 147
Ellis, Harry, 248

Ellis, J. Howard, 154, 155,161,323
Endt, Theobold, 92
Engler, Philip, 381
Ensminger, John, 472
Ephrata Church, 330, 352, 367, 594,
617

First Ephrata, 337

Present Ephrata, 339
Ephrata Community, 34, 41, 65, 68,

69, 76, 77, 79, 89, 164, 197, 209
Episcopalians, 235, 236, 258
Epstein, 5

Congregation at, 7, 9
Ernst, Edwin, 482, 483
Eshelman, Abraham L., 396, 397
Eshelman. Elder Baniel M., 396,

397, 406, 643. 645
Eshelman, E. E., 408, 414, 419, 633,

636, 637
Eshelman, H. S., 406
Eshelman, I. W., 407, 409, 415, 418
Eshelman, Jacob L., 396
Eshelman, Nathan W., 406
Eshelman, M. M., 140
Eshelman, Elder S. S., 397, 398
Eshleman, Elder Bavid, 479, 482,

483, 645
Eshleman. J. C, 488, 489
Etter, Elder Bavid, 441, 442, 443,

444, 448, 488, 490, 645
Etter, Bavid, Jr., 442
Etter, George, 372, 544
Etter, Elder John, 441, 442, 444,
448, 458, 645

INDEX.

657

Etter, Elder Lorenz, 440, 444, 514,
516, 5 18, 548, 5/0, 64s
Biography, 517
Etter, Michael, 543
Evans, A. J., 341, 342, 357
Evans, Catherine, iii, 133

Fackler, Abraham, 442, 443

Fahnestock, Adam G., 334, 336

Fahnestock, Alpheus, 105

Fahnestock, Levi, 395

Fahnestock, Elder N. B., 395, 645

Fahnestock, Elder S. B., 397, 405,
64s.

Fairview Church, 431
Organization, 405

Falkenstein, Elder G. N., V, VII,
VIII, IX, IDS, 407, 408, 409, 433,
489, 559, 590, 592, 623, 624, 62s,

626, 627, 628, 629, 630, 631, 632,
^i2, 643, 645, 652

Falckner's Swamp, 15, 28, 62, 198,

206, 207, 208, 289, 475.
Falkner, 20, ^7

Fasnacht, Uriah C, 342, 348, 349
Fauss, Jacob, 175, 177
Felker, Wayne W., 343, 344
Fike, Elder S. K., 532, 535, 643,

64s
Fitzwater, Abel, 154, 219, 231, 237,

248
Fitzwater, Isabella, 219, 230, 231
Fitzwater, Joseph, 244, 245, 246,

248
Fitzwater, Elder P. B., 537
Flohr, Lewis B., 538
Force, Irwin, 248
Forney, Elder D. L., 362
Forney, D. R., 397, 406
Forney, Hiram, 194
Forney, Milton G., 399
Fox, Benjamin, 482, 483
Fox, Jacob, 2^2

Fox, Elder John, 109, iii, 112,
121, 123, 124, 131, 581, 645
Biography, 132
Forry, Wm. A., 490, 496, 497, 503
Francis, J. G., V, VIII, IX, 158,

226, 242, 243, 246, 260, 282, 283,

325, 354, 494, 496, 497, 498, 501,

502, 503, 523, 585, 623, 62s, 626,

627, 631

Francis, John, 154, 231, 233, 235,

236, 2Z7
Francis, Mary Zug, 242, 502
Frantz, Elder Isaac, 216, 378
Frantz, Elder Michael, 78, 81, 83,

272, 325, 227, 378, 386, 445, 545,

564, 644
43

Frantz, Michael, Jr., 378
Frederick, Isaac, 30
Frederick, Peter, 318
Frederick, Veronica, 30, 325
Fretz, Elder Daniel, 388, 389, 391,

423, 424, 425, 427, 428, 545, 569,

645
Fretz, Elder William B., 318, 601
Frey, Elder Andreas, 206, 644
Frey, A. L., 406, 409
Frick, John, 281, 282
Friends, 275
Friesland, West, 50

Gaby, Elder Martin, 381, 384, 475,

476, 477, 478, 480, 545, 547, 644
Galliond, Stephen, 29
Gantz, George Balser, 6, 17, 20
Gantz, Johanna, 20
Garber, Martin, 381
Geib, Elder A. P., 537, 539, 540,

645
Geib, P. C., 397, 398
Geiger, Dr. Henry S., 107, ill,
112, 114, 116, 117, 119, 120, 132,
142
Geiger, Mary S., 128, 132, 141, 613,

620, 634
Gelsinger, Albert, 338, 352
Gerlach, Elder David, 369, 388, 389,
391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 398,
403, 441, 458, 552, 553, 569,
572, 586, 587, 588. 589, 643,
64s
Biography, 428
Gerlach, John, 397
Germantown, 13, 20, 27, 37, 39, 44,
48, 58, 63-70, 75, 76, 77, 79,
197, 239, 289, 298, 323, 476,
594
Arrived at, 14
Church organized, 17
Reaction at, 67

Sunday afternoon meetings,69
A divided congregation, 69
The exodus, 70
Changes at, 75
History of church property,

89-93
Old Folks' Home at, 93
Stone meeting house, 94-96
Parsonage, 96
Old cemetery, 97
Prominent bishops, 97-103
Later history, 103
Recent pastors, 105
Germany, i, 7, 8, 10, 15, 19, 25, 3i,
36, 27, 38, 47, 270, 272, 273, 281,
291, 440, 477, 514

658

INDEX.

Gettel, Peter, 449, 456

Gettel, Samuel Z., 448, 449, 456,

459, 460, 587
Gibbel, Aaron R., 338, 352, 368
Gibbel, Abraham, 370, 383, 388,

389, 390, 391, 569
Gibbel, Elder Cyrus R., 334, 335,

336, 360, 368, 628, 642, 645
Gibbel, Elder Henry, 84, 387, 388,

392, 393, 423, 548, 645
Gibbel, Henry R., 359, 619, 620
Gibbel, John B., 334, 360, 388, 392,

393, 394, 589
Biography, 368
Gibbel, John R., 360
Gibbel, Johannas, 370, 380
Gibbel, Joseph W., 390, 39i, 392,

396
Gibbel, Samuel, 392, 394, 396
Gibble, George, 449, 459, 461, 480
Gibble, H. B., 40S
Gibble, H. S., 339, 472, 614, 615
Gibble, Elder Hiram, 224, 348, 394,

395, 405, 490, 590, 592, 600, 613,

643, 645, 652
Gibble, Ira D., 448, 449
Gibble, Isaiah G., 395
Gibble, Isaac M., 442
Gibble, Isaac S.,- 397
Gibble, John, 458
Gibble, John, 459, 460
Gibble, John M., 409, 415, 421, 638
Gibble, Nathan P., 459, 461, 470,

496, 497, 498
Gibson, I. M., 126
Gingrich, Elder Alfred B., 451,

472, 504, SOS, 643, 645
Gingrich, H. H., 504, 505
Gingrich, Jacob H., 472, 504
Gingrich, J. H., 472, 504, 521
Gingrich, Josiah, 442, 443
Gipe, Harrison, 473
Glick, John L., 122
Godwalt, A., 480, 483
Goebel, 11, 14

Gommere, John, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24
Good, Daniel P., 177, 178, 191
Gorgas, Widow, 70
Gorgas, Miriam, 70
Gospel Messenger, 312, 347, 362,

50s, 507
Gospel Visitor, 239, 276, 580, 583,

584
Gottshall, Samuel, 310, 312
Gottshall, William P., 310, 312
Gottwals, Amos, 248
Gottwals, John, 307
Gottwals, Elder Jacob Z., 127, ISS,
159, 162, 183, 184, 189, 212,

214, 218, 238, 240, 241, 243,
244, 261, 581, 583, 588, 645
Gottwals, Jacob Z., baptism, 238

Election to ministry, 241
Gould, Horace, 540
Graff, Johannus, 29
Grater, Elder A. L., 137, 150, 158,
162, 258, 260, 261, 310, 311, 592,

645
Grater, Jacob, 212, 2S8, 310
Graybill, Abraham, 331
Graybill cemetery, 401
Graybill, Israel B., 39S
Graybill, Elder Israel, 394, 395,

64s
Graybill, Elder J. P., 194, 413, 489,

645 .
Graybill, Hiram, 343, 344
Graybill, John G., 331, 332
Graybill, Elder John W., 330, 331,

346, 350, 351, 612, 643, 645
Graybill, Elder Reuben, 395, 497,

645
Graybill, Samuel, 388, 392, 393,

394, 469
Greatswanip Church, 55, 75, 79,
197, 270, 280, 289, 319, 322

Early history, 282

Brecht cemetery, 283

Sacon Township, 284

Old cemetery, 284

Old deed, 285
Green Tree Church, 202, 259, 293,
S8o, 581, 594

Early preaching, 230

Ingatherings, 239

Ministry, 240

Trustees, 247

Deacons, 248
Green Tree Church, West, 431,
506, 594.

Organization, 406
Griffin, Samuel, 248
Groflf, B. G., 629, 631, 632, 634,

635
Groff, Christian, 332
Groff, Elder Hershey, 326, 330,

331, 332, 348, 350, 374, 645
Gumre (Gommere), Anna, 20
Gunkle, Rudolph, 332, 22>7, 339

Haas, Frank, 488

Habecker, P. M., 348, 349

Hacker, Harry H., 459, 460, 470

Hacker, William, 10

Hackman, Elder Jacob, 334, 335,

341, 646
Hackman, J. S., 409, 4i5
Haines, Amos H., 183, 184, 185

INDEX.

659

Haines, Joseph, 173
Haldeman, Frank, 485, 486
Haldeman, John, 485, 487
Haldeman, J. H., 214, 215
Haldeman, Michael, 485
Haldeman, Reuben, 311, 312
Haldeman, Elder Samuel, 646

Biography, z^^^y 486

Letter of, 486
Haller, Elder Jacob, 388, 389, 391.

425, 426, 428, 569, 646
Hallman, George, 248
Hamacker, Adam, 436, 437, 511,

515
Hamilton, John, 268
Harley, A. P., 263
Harley, David, 107, iii, 112, 142
Harley," Elder Benjamin, 297, 298,

307, 31S, 588
Harley, E. C, 324
Harley family, 296
Harley, Isaac, 308
Harley, Isaiah G., 112, 113, 114,

116, 122, 124
Harley, Jacob (Mingo), 307
Harley, Jacob (Coventry), 212
Harley, John (Coventry), 212,215,

224
Harley, John (Green Tree), 248
Harley, Jonas, 297, 298, 320
Harley, Rudolph (Coventry), 214,

216
Harley, Rudolph (Philadelphia),

116, 117, 118
Harley, Rudolph, Jr., yd, 297, 298
Harley, Elder Rudolph, Sr., 163,

296, 298, 302, 306, 644
Harley, Elder Samuel (Ephrata),
330, ZZ2, Z7,7, 338, 341, 394,
448, 459, 587, 646
Biography, 367
Harley, Elder Samuel (Indian
Creek), 122, 178, 179, 180,
183, 184, 188, 203, 216, 304,
306, 317, 367, 479, 482, 554,
555, 568, 570, 581, 587, 588,
589, 600, 646
Biography, 297
Harley, William, 263
Hartman, Anton, 372, 544
Hartman, J. H., 127
Hartman, Valentine, 480, 483
Harmonyville Church, 213, 253
Mission, 220
Organization, 264
Sunday School, 265
Ministry, 267
Harrishiirg Church, 410, 420, 443
Early history, 488

Harrisburg Church, election, 489

Hatfield Church, 240, 293, 303, 594
Organization, 313
Eight-Square school house, 314
Revival services, 314
First house of worship, 316
Second house of worship, 317
Ministers, 317

Hays, Elder D., 161, 262, 545, 554

Heagy, Jacob, 472, 504, 505, 615

Heckler, James Y., 291, 297, 301

Heckler, Jesse Y., 301

Heckler, Joseph, 301, 318

Heckler, N. F., 291

Heckman, B. F., 411

Heckman, Elder Peter, 445, 644

Heddings, D. R., 534

Heffly, Peter, 29, 205

Heidelberg, 33, 34, 35, 36-

Heisey, Elmer, 405

Heisey, Elder Martin, 458, 459,
496, 497, 646

Heisler, John, 109, iii, 112

Henry, M. R., 472, 612, 628, 632

Henrich, James, 73

Henry, Prince, 2, 4, 50, 51, 57

Hermits, 21, 45

Hernly, Christian, 442

Herr, Elder John, V, VIII, IX,
350, 353, 358, 409, 415, 421, 458,
459, 460, 461, 470, 471, 473, 482,
484, 490, 493, 494, 497, 498, 501,
503, 511, 521, 522, 526, 527, 529,
559, 560, 561, 562, 563, 589, 590,
592, 600, 613, 614, 616, 623, 624,
640, 643, 646, 652

Herr, Henry, Jr., 399, 403

Herr, John H., 399, 404

Herr, Elder Tobias, 346, 394, 399,
403, 646

Herring, Edward, 485

Hershey, B., 399

Hershey, Jacob, 379, 380

Hershey, J. W. G., 334, 359, 360,
638, 652

Hershey, Joseph, 542

Hertzler, Jonathan, 458, 460

Hertzler, Elder John, 396, 446, 448,
449, 455, 458, 459, 469, 480,
482, 485, 487, 490, 581, 600,

643, 647
Biography, 525

Hertzler, Elder S. H., 332, 342,

348, 349. 397, 408, 409, 414, 420,

421, 474, 504, 506, 524, 590, 592,

600, 624, 625, 626, 627, 628, 629,
631, 632, 642, 643. 647. 651, 652

Hertzler, Elder William, 127, 183,

189, 190, 316, 341, 393, 396,

660

INDEX.

397, 402, 404, 433. 441, 443.
458, 459. 460, 464. 468, 469.
472, 474, 479. 490, 499, 5o8,
522, 525. 530, 533. 534, 535.
553. 554, 555, 556, 557, 581,
587, 589, 595. 596, 597, 600,
643, 647
Hertzler, Wm., biography, 441, 523
Hertzog, Reuben M., 352
Hess, George, 459, 461, 481, 482
Hess, Henry L., 397, 398
Hetric, Elder J. P., in, 125, 126,
132, 174, 183, 211, 212, 213, 225,
226, 227, 228, 254, 25s, 256, 260,
261, 262, 266, 562, 642, 647
Heyser, Emmanuel, 173, 241, 242
Hiestand, D. M., 397, 613
Hildebrand, Johannes, 20, 47, 53,

69, 70, 81, 325
Hildebrand, Maria, 20, 81
Hoch, Augustus, 479, 481
Hochmann, Ernest Christoph, 57
Hocker, Heinrich, 70
Hocker, Louis, 70
Hocker, Maria, 70
Hocker, Margretta, 70
Hoech, Bastian, 92
Hoech, Johanna, 92
Hoerner, Andrew, 423
Hoffer, Aaron H., 472, 473, 489,

506, 507
Hoffer, Addison H., 489
Hoffer, George, 390, 440
Hoffer, George (deacon), 472,473
Hoffer, Isaac L., 409
Hoffman, Enoch, 171
Hohn, Henry, 29, 30, 31, 54
Hollinger, Adam, 489
HolHnger, Abraham K., 489
Hollinger, Elder Adam, 499
Hollinger, Elder Daniel, 440, 469,

472, 506, 507, 647
Hollinger, J. H., 537
Hollinger, J. A., 342
Hollinger, Elder H. B., 472, 504,

520, 626, 647
Hollinger, Elder Jacob, 363, 3^7,
370, 392, 441. 444, 458, 469,
472, 474. 499, 524, 587, 588,
643, 647
Biography, 440, 518
Hollinger, Monroe G., 398
Hollowbush, Peter, 212, 216, 218,

220, 224, 252, 346, 468, 587
Holsinger, Elder D. M., 122, 123,

553, 572, 586, 593
Holsinger, George B., 342
Holsinger, Harry R., 534
Holsinger, H. R., 572

Holsinger, John P., 534
Holsinger, Jacob, 322
Holsinger, Johannes, 543
Holsinger, Elder L. T., 161, 545,

546, 559
Holsinger, Elder W. H., 638
Holsopple, Frank F., 185, 204, 211,

214, 233, 254, 255, 260, 623
Holsopple, Ira C., 185, 211, 214,

221, 226, 255, 620
Holtzappel, Henry, 6, 20
Hoover, George, 533
Hoover, Elder Silas W., 342, 562
Hope, Elder Christian, 536, 538
Hoppock, Elder John, 173, 183,
184, 185, 193. 194, 647
Biography, 204
Home, Elder H. T., 194, 195, 647
Horning, John, 308
Horning, Samuel, 308
Hottel, Elder Benjamin, 322, 626,

632, 642, 647
Hottenstein, Elder Amos S., 399,

400, 497. 592, 647
Hottenstein, P. S., 399
Housel, William, 164, 168, 169
Howe, Elder WiUiam M., 185, 191,

193. 310, 324, 410, 562, 623
Huber, Christian, 543
Huffman, Paul K., 173
Hummer, Catherine, 369, 370, 37i»

372, 373, 564
Hummer, Peter, 369, 370, 37 1, 373,

422
Hunberger, Samuel A., 361, 411,

555
Hunsicker, Jonas, 456
Hunsicker, Jonathan, 449
Hutchison, James A., 531
Hutchison, M. J., 532
Hyde, Lambert M., 185, 187, 204
Hyde, Elder Robinson, 173, I74.
189, 191, 194, 195, 202
Biography, 204

Imler, Elder T. F., 324, 34i. 342,
343. 345, 432, 533, 534, 535, 592.
609, 612, 613, 618, 619, 620, 628,
629, 631, 632, 643, 647
Imler, Conrad, 533, 534
Indian Creek, 76
Indian Creek Church, 153, 240,
287, 296, 319, 594
Earliest preaching, 27, 28
The Price family, 291
Elders and ministers, 294
The Harley family. 296
Other families, 298
Organization, 289, 301

INDEX.

661

Indian Creek Church

Meeting houses, 302

Burial grounds, 303

Towamincin, 304
Indian maiden, 292
Ingles, Casper, 211
Inspirationist, 34, 35, 36
Isett, John, 257, 307

Johns, J. Bitzer, 338, 352
Johnson, WilHam, 309, 312
Jones, Robert, 310
Jones, Samuel, 310
Jones, William, 154

Kagey, Elder J. M., 590
Kalkloser, John H., 6, 68, 69, 70
Kampfer, Johannas, 20, 301
Kautz, Daniel, 343
Kaylor, Elder Hiram E., 406
Keim, Elder David, 211, 218, 220,

223, 264, 26s, 267, 647
Keim, Jonathan, 214, 264, 265, 267,

268
Keim, Leonard, 264, 265
Keim, L. M., 137, 139, 212, 260,

267, 625
Keim, Samuel, 266
Keller, Daniel, 458
Keller, J. H., 408, 632, 638
Keller, Isaac, 2Z7, 338, 352
Keller, Samuel, 395, 613
Kelpius, 21, 36, Z7
Kemerer, Elias, 482, 483
Kemerer, John, 481, 483
Kemper, David, 328
Keyser, Abraham, 96
Keyser, Hannah, 118
Keyser, Elder Peter, loi, 107, 109,
no, 134, 211, 545, 547, 642,
647
Biography, 103, 129
Kiefer, Daniel, 513
Kiefer, Jacob, 441, 443, 468
Kiefer, John, 442
Kilhefner, Elder David, 339, 340,

350, 592, 600, 601, 617, 618, 632,

638, 642, 647, 652
Kilhefner, Jacob, 338, 352
Kilkefner, J. K., 339
Kilhefner, S. K., 339
Kilhefner, Nathan, 343, 344
King, Israel, 479, 482, 483
King, John, 494, 495
King, Elder Joshua Y., 469, 479,

481, 532, 534, 535, 559, 590, 592,

600, 628, 647
King, Milton F., 534
Kinsey, David, 475, 476, 478
Kinsing, Martha, 70

'TCintzel, Elias, 485, 487
Kintzel, William, 485, 487
Kitchen, A. R., 534
Kittinger, B. F., 157, 158, 159
Klein Association, Elder George,

509, 511

Klein, Elder George, 78, 328, 374,
436, 445, 455, 475, 5i4, 5i8,
643, 644
Baptism, 163, 164
Founder of congregations, 166
At Little Swatara, 436, 445
At Maiden Creek, 475
Biography, 509, 512
Klein, S., 480, 483
Kline, Elder Benjamin, 441, 447,

448, 449, 455, 514, 647
Kline, Daniel R., 448, 456
Kline, David B., 409, 415
Kline, Emanuel, 442, 443
Kline, Henry S., 479, 482, 495
Kline, Jacob, 480, 481
Kline, John (Lancaster), 341, 343,

344
Kline, John (Maiden Creek), 481,

482, 483
Kline, John (Tulpehocken), 458,

461
Kline, Elder John (Virginia), 172,

510, S14, 549, 550, 551, 570, 580
Kline, John H., 407, 408, 409, 414,

418, 420
Klingin, Anna Margaretha, 57
Koch, Jacob, 20
Koch, Stephen, 6, 11, 20, 65, 66, 70

Visions of, 66, 69
Kolb, J. B., 405
Kopenhaver, William, 490
Koster, 2i7

Kratz, Amanda, 153, 159, 160, 620
Kratz, John, 318
Kratz, William, 318
Kreider, Benjamin, 348, 349
Kreider, Daniel K, 472
Kuhns, Amos M., 442, 443, 600,

652
Kulp, Elder Isaac, 189, 216, 219,

307, 308, 309, 312, 321, 589, 600,

647
Kulp, S. W., 339, 356, 624
Kulp, W. K., 339
Kulp, W. W., 214, 226
Kurtz, Elder D. W., 2, 3, 50, 537,
639. 647
Biography, 135-136
Kurtz, Edwin, 459, 461, 470
Kurtz, Elder Henry, IX, 75, 87,

241, 371, 545, 549, 550, 56s, 570
Kurtz, Michael, 459, 460, 470

662

INDEX.

Kurtz, Samuel, 458, 460, 587
Kutz. D. C, 485

Labadists, 40, 41, 49
Lake Ridge Mission, 413
Lancaster City Church

Organization, 341

Growth and development, 343
Landert, Sigmund, 31
Landis, Abraham, 248
Landis, Henry, 18, 20, 29, 205
Landis, Johannis, 326
Landis, Michael, 329, 365
Lang, Frederick, 18, 20
Laushe, Abram, 173
Laushe, Abraham, 164, 168, 169,

170, 545
Laushe, Henry, 170, 171, 198
Laushe, Isaac, 170, 314
Laushe, John Peter, 163
Lauver, G. M., 411
Lawrenceville, 237, 251, 252, 254,

Leatherman, Elder Daniel, 72, 72,,

78
Leckrone, Quincy, 263, 620
Lefever, Elder Elias B., 338, 624
Lehman, Christian, 255
Lehman, Samuel^ 391, 571, 580
Leibert, Peter, 77, 92, 112, 381,

545, 547

Leinbach, Rev. Thomas, 365

Lentz, Alfred M., 448, 449

Lentz, Henry, 448, 456

Lentz, John H., 449

Leopold, Jonas, 224

Letterman, Daniel, 372, 544, 545

Letterman, Nicholas, 372, 544

Levy, Philip, 381

Libe, Christian, 6, 18, 163, 196
Minister at Crefeldt, 10

Light, George H., 317, 318, 651,
652

Light, Elder H. E., 127, 157, 158,
162, 185, 190, 191, 193, 341, 346,
347, 348, 349, 350, 394, 395, 399,
404, 407, 409, 429, 451, 459, 490,
493, 589, 592, 600, 602, 608, 609,
612, 617, 618, 623, 624, 625, 626,
627, 628, 642, 643, 647

Lint, Elder C. G., 186, 553, 554

Lint, Simon, 322
^Lititc Church, 336, 354
Organization, 359
First efforts, 360

Livermore, Harriet, 97

Livengood, C. A., 348, 349

Lloyd, Edgar K., 264

Long, Elder Christian, 122, 462,
547, 548, 549

Long, Elder J. A., 411, 432, 559,

562
Long, Elder Peter, 172, 391, 545,

550, 565
Long, Elder Walter S., 105, 128,

145
Longacre, Owen, 29, 205
Longenecker, A. G., 409, 412, 414,

415, 418, 473, 638
Longenecker, Abraham, 395
Longenecker, A. H., 493, 495
Longenecker, Benjamin, 472
Longenecker, Elder Christian
(first), 86, 327, 328, 370, 374,

379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384,
385, 387, 423, 516, 541, 544,
547, 643, 644

Biography, 386, 422
Longenecker, Elder Christian
(second), 388, 389, 390, 391,
403, 458, 550, 551, 568, 647
Biography, 386, 427
Longenecker, Daniel, 499, 593
Longenecker, W. S., 406
Longenecker, Elder J. H., VI, 358,
387, 407, 409, 415, 421, 435, 443,
451, 459, 472, 473, 474, 488, 490,
520, 545, 558, 560, 561, 562, 563,
589, 590, 592, 600, 601, 602, 621,
623, 624, 640, 643, 647, 652
Longenecker, Linn B., 386, 395
Longenecker, Solomon, 534
Lovefeast

First in America, 18
First in Philadelphia, IIO
In barns, 234
Lowman, Henry, 74
Lucas, 490

Lumberville, 233, 234, 237, 240
Lumberville Mission, 219
Lutherans, 9, 34, 36, 49, 51, 63, 67,
382, 392, 400, 401, 453, 465, 468,
478, 530
Lynd, James, 108, 109, ill, 112,
114, 130

Mack, Alexander, Sr., 3, 5, 6, 21,
31, 49, 51, 52, 55, 75, 77, 78,
98, 163, 198, 205, 206, 207,
208, 270, 281, 306, 325, 326,

644
Biography, 56-61
Life work, 57
Character, 58-60
Seal, 60
Removal, 61
Arrival, 51, 64
Mack, Elder Alexander, Jr., 57,
68, 78, 92, 112, 211, 306, 372,

380, 544, 545, 546, 644

INDEX.

663

Mack, Elder Alexander, Jr., leaves
Germantown, 70
Returns, 78

Elected to ministry, 78
Biography, 98
Baptisms of, 99
Mack family, 102
Mack, Ann Maria, 57, 102
Mack family, 102
Mack, Hannah, 100, 102
Mack, Christina, 57
Mack, Johannes, 57, 90, 91, 96
Mack, John Valentine, 57, 69, 70,

102
Mack, Maria Hildebrand, 70, 102
Madeira, Elder C. C, 397, 405,

408, 409, 421, 479, 482, 647
Maiden Creek Church, 166, 319,
469, 492, 594
Early history, 475
Houses of worship, 476, 481
Elections, 480, 481
Obituaries, 483
Major, Thomas, in, 112, 131, 230
Major, Sara Righter, 131, 220
Mannheim, 2>Z, 56
Marienborn congregation, 5, 7, 9
Markley, Samuel, 307
Martin, A. L. B., 432, 489
Martin, Amos M., 350, 351
Martin, A. W., 350, 351, 408, 420
Martin, Elder George Adam, 72,,
74, 78, 196, 211, 282, 375,
644
Autobiography, 269
Martin, Nathan, 406, 408, 409,414,

418, 62,2, 651
Martin, Elder Nicolas, 72, yz, 78,

2,72, 375, 544, 545, 547
Martsall, John G., 352
Maryland (see Bohemian Manor),
71, 72, 72), 80, 209, 217, 276, 296,
380, 387, 530, 533, 535, 569
Maugans, A. H., 489
Maugans, J. C, 540
Mayer, John, 30
Mayle, Jane, 18, 20, 48
McCann, Elder S. N., 368, 561, 563
McCann, Elizabeth Gibbel, 368
McKee, C. F., 243, 247, 249, 258,

260, 262, 620
McKinney, George B., 490, 496,

497
Mechanic Grove Church
Early preaching, 346
Organization, 346
Mennonites, 9, 10, 29, 40, 219, 230,
272, 273, 281, 283, 299, 304, 314,
375, 378, 382, 383, 386, 392, 400,
401, 403, 429

Merkey, Elder David, 446, 449,

455, 456, 469, 480, 587, 588, 647
Merkey, Jacob, 449
Merkey, John, 449, 455, 456, 480,

544, 571, 575
Merkey, Elder Joseph, 446, 449,

455, 458, 480, 514, 647
Methatchton, 219, 230, 234, 236,

237, 307, 311
Methodists, 224, 231, 235, 236, 265,

314, 222, 222, 341, 407, 530
Metzger, Elder John, 551, 552, 553,

554, 580
Meyer, J. G., 408, 409, 418, 622,

636
Meyer, Elder Jacob W., Sr., 448,
449, 453, 455, 459, 485, 487,
525, 647
Biography, 526
Midway Church, 461, 471, 490, 504
Organization, 496
Early meetings, 498
Lebanon work, 501
Miller, Abraham, 513
Miller, Andrew, 442
Miller, Clayton B., 442, 443
Miller, D. E., 489
Miller, Elder D. L., 3, 546, 557,

567, 616, 639
Miller, Eliza, 538
Miller, Elder George, 374, 383,
437, 472, 508, 564, 644
Biography, 436, 511, 512
Miller, George H., 490
Miller, Howard, 126
Miller, Ira W., 343, 344
Miller, J. M., 339, 340
Miller, Elder J. Kurtz, 19S, 410,

536, 537, 538, 539, 540, 561, 562,
622, 638, 639, 642, 643, 647

Miller, Martin, 172

Miller, Elder M. B., 193, 194, 195,

537, 539, 648

Miller, Elder Moses, 178, 179, 183,

277, 511, 512, 545, 554
Miller, O. S., 532
Miller, Peter, 54, 67, 69, 74, 364
Miller, Elder P. S., 161, 590
Miller, Elder R. H., 178, 179, 180,

182
Mingo Church, 237, 257, 275, 303,

222, 492, 594
Early membership, 307
Present officials, 312
Ministerial meetings

Table of, 592
Minnich, Jacob L., 335, 341
Minnich, Jacob S., 332, 334, 227,

360
Minnich, John, 392, 394, 427

664

INDEX.

Minnich, John L., 346, 347, 348
Minnich, Nathaniel, 395, 609, 612,

61S. 617
Missionary activity, 24, 31

Tour, 26-29, 290

Early history, 593

Organization, 595

Members of board, 600, 603

Offerings, 602

Table of meetings, 592, 652
Mohler, Harry B., 408
Mohler, Henry, 331, 365
Mohler, Henry, Jr., 331
Mohler, John, Sr., 331
Mohler, John L., 338, 352, 353
Mohler, Elder John M., 488
Mohler, Elder Levi S., 408, 409,

421
Mohr, Allen, 322
Mohr, Jacob, ^72, 544
Moore, Elder Chas. W., 176, 180,
186, 190, 191, 193, 194, 648

Biography, 203
Moore, Elder John P., 170, 171,
175, 177, 178, 180, 181, 182,
648

Biography, 202
Moore, Asa, 180
Moore, Gideon, 169, 170, 179
Moore, Elder J. H., 140, 558
Moore, William H., 173, 175, 177
Moravian, 475
More, Jacob, 163
Morgan, Elias, 486
Morrison's Cove, 74, 542, 543
Mountville Church, 394

Organization, 399

Church houses, 399, 401, 402,
404
Moyer, Henry H., 494, 495
Moyer, Jacob, 73
Miihlbach, 29, 40, 41, 43, 48
Miihlenberg, 72
Mijnsinger, Frank, 318
Musser, B. G., 394, 399, 403, 609,

612, 625
Musser, Isaiah N., 399, 632
Myer, Abraham, 458, 461
Myer, Daniel, 332, 344
Myer, Diller, 331, 332
Myer, Eli, 343, 344
Myer, George, 331
Myer, Israel, 329, 330, 337, 338, 587
Myer, Jacob, 372, 544
Myer, Johannis, 331
Myer, Elder John, 330, 334, 335,

359, 648
Myer, Elder Joseph, 329, 330, 356,
587, 648

Myer, J. W., 342, 343, 344, 600
Myer, Jacob W., Jr., 448, 449, 526,

620
Myer, Mahlon, 332
Myer, Reuben, 332
Myer, Rife, 332
Myer, Samuel, 329, 365
Myer, Samuel O., 449, 526
Myer, Samuel R., 330
Myer, Samuel (Little Swatara),

448, 526
Myers, Christian, 380
Myers, G. C, 537
Myers, Elder Graybill, 122, 123,

390, 499, 553, 584, 585
Myers, Elder J. T., 104, 105, 124,

134, 13s, 137, 140, 147, 150, 156,

233, 239, 244, 246, 254, 256, 259,

260, 266, 530, 561, 589, 590, 595,

596, 600, 642, 648
Myers, S. F., 159, 194
Myers, Elder T. T., 8, lOS, 126,

128, 135, 136, 137, 536, 538, 563,

628, 639, 648
Myers, Elder Tobias, 194, 560, 590
Mysticism, 34, 36, 39, 40, 44, 45,

47, 64
Mystics, 9, 15

Naas, Elder John, 6, 10, 12, 69,
78, 163, 164, 166, 204, 207,
281, 297, 510, 514, 642, 644
Biography, 196
Son of, 12
Nagele, Hans Rudolph, 29
Nantmeal mission, 217
Nedrow, Elmer P., 324, 413, 601
Nedrow, Elder R. A., 413, 601
Neff, Daniel S., 399
Neff, Henry, 73, 372, 544, 54S, 547,

550
Neidlinger, John, 485
Newcomer, Elder J. S., 341, 388,
389, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396,
399, 403, 587, 643, 648
Biography, 429
New Jersey churches, 594
Origin, 163
Colonial life in, 164
Amwell Church, 75, 82, 168,

169, 175
Sand Brook Church, 175
Bethel Church, 189
Union Church, 193
Nissley, Elder Jacob, 4S8, 459, 46o,

461, 648
Norris, Thomas, 322
Norristown Church, 275
Early preaching, 323

INDEX.

665

Norristown Church

Organization, 324
Northkill Church, 75, 79, 217, 475,

509, 510, 5", 514
Nyce family, 298
Nyce, Percival C, 492, 493, 495,

581, 628, 630
Nyce, William G., 212, 258, 260,

261, 262, 264, 268
Nyce, Elder Wm. P., 299, 306, 648
Ober, Allen, 406
Ober, H. K., 386, 408, 409, 411,

418, 590, 592, 618, 619, 620, 621,

632, 634, 637, 638, 651, 652
Oberholtzer, Jacob, 457, 460, 521
Oberholtzer, Elder William, 448,

459, 460, 461, 470, 482, 483, 484,

502, 546, 600, 626, 643, 648
Oberlin, Allen A., 531
Old Folks' Home, 93
Old Order Brethren, 338, 348, 377.

485
Oley, 15, 28, 55, 75, 79, 272, 289,

475, 477
Orr, E. A., 126, 127, 156
Otterbein, William, 382

Palatinate, 5, 7, 9, 22, 38, 56

Park, Asa, 173

Parkerford Church, 213, 228, 233

Mission, 219

Beginnings, 250

First pastor, 255
Partman, Anna D., 76
Patches, Henry M., 496, 497
Patrick, Thomas, 442, 443
Paxton Boys, 376
Peach Blossom Church, 533

Early history, 530

Division, 531
Penn, John, 293
Penn, Thomas, 293
Penn, William, 13
Pennypacker, Joseph, 231, 247, 248
Pennypacker, Nathan, 230
Pennypacker, S. W., 9, 299
Pequea, 29, 30
Persecution, 7-12, 13, 58
Pettikoffer, Anna Elizabeth, 70, 90
Pettikoffer, Johannes, 70, 89, 90,

91
Pettikoffer House, 92-94, 96
Pfautz, Elder David, 462
Pfautz, Jacob, 330, 33 1, 332, 341
Pfautz, Elder Jacob (Conestoga),

328, 335, 356, 365, 457, 458, 521,

545, 548, 643, 648
Pfautz, Elder Jacob (Little Swa-

tara), 448, 449, 45i, 47i, 648

Pfautz, Joseph, 335
Pfautz, Moses, 458, 460
Pfoutz, Elder Abraham, 448, 449,
453, 458, 469, 648
Biography, 527
Pfautz, Elder Michael, 78, 82, 83,
85, 86, 166, 327, 328, 335, 272,
374, 381, 386, 514, 547, 548, 644
Pherson, O. P., 534
Pilgrim, The, 216
Pittenger, Elder J. M., 408, 412,

413, 632
Philadelphia churches
First Brethren, 107

On Crown Street, 108
Elders and ministers, 112
Poor fund, 118
Sunday School, 119
On Marshall Street, 124
On Dauphin Street, 128
Recent history, 134
North Philadelphia Church,

127
Geiger Memorial, 128, 136,

244
Pastors, 137

Work of Mary S. Geiger,
141
Bethany Mission Church, 142
Pietists, 2, 3, 9, 34, 35, z6, 42, 45,

57
Poor Fund

At Philadelphia, 118
At Coventry, 227
At Harmonyville, 268
Poulson, Elder Israel, Sr., 168,
169, I/O, 172, 173, 314, 648
Biography, 198
Visions, 199
Poulson, Elder Israel, Jr., 155, 159,
162, 170, 172, 179, 180, 181,
182, 183, 184, 189, 570, 581,
648
Biography, 201
Preisz, Johannes (Jakob), 20, 27,

291, 294, 302, 306, 644
Presbyterians, 235
Pressel, Valentine, 381
Price, Caleb, 294, 313, 316
Price, Elder D. E., 293
Price, Daniel, 217, 292, 293
Price family, 291
Price, F. W., 105
Price, Elder George, 211, 217, 218,
219, 222, 223, 230, 231, 240, 241,
294, 323, 479. 545, 547, 648
Price, Elder Henry A., 294, 306,

320, 648
Price, Elder Isaac, 122, 219, 230,

666

INDEX.

231, 236, 238, 241, 246, 250, 251,

252, 274, 278, 294, 573, 581, 583,

588, 648
Price, Elder Jacob M., 295, 303,

306, 642, 648
Price, Elder John, Sr., 211, 220,

223, 224, 235, 240, 274, 294, 548,

550, 648
Price, Elder John R., 211, 215, 223,

294, 581, 589, 649
Price, John W., 153, 162, 294, 581,

588, 642
Price, John (Antietam), 293
Price, John (Indian Creek, poet),

291, 294
Price, Elder John (Indian Creek),

293, 294, 295, 302, 306, 314, 315,

457, 458, 462, 479, 521, 545, 546,

642, 644
Price, Johannas, 292
Price, Jonas, Sr., 317, 396, 469,

479, 499
Puice, Jonas H., 157, 295, 600
Price, Samuel H., 309, 312
Price, William (Ephrata), 337, 338
Price, W. S., 128, 257, 258, 259,

260, 261, 262
Price, Elder William W., 238, 240,
294, 298, 304, 305, 306, 314,
.315, 317, 346, 457, 521, 649
Biography, 295
Pricetown meeting house, 476
Primitive Christian, 216
Progressive Church, 187, 204
Protestants, 8
Prussia, i, 5, 291

Quaker Church, 492

Quakers, 45, 64

Quinter, Elder James, 56, 57, 60,

119, 120, 132, 140, 174, 181,

182, 185, 213, 220, 233, 234,

^Zl, 238, 239, 241, 244, 248,

251, 252, 255, 275, 278, 305,

314, 315, 401, 545, 551, 572,

580, 649
Conversion, 231
Early Christian life, 232
Elected to ministry, 238

Rairigh, Elder George S., 411,534,
535, 538, 592, 643, 649

Raudenbush, Henry, 372, 544

Rayman, Richard, 154

Reading City Church
Church house, 492
Organization, 493
Church activities, 494

Ream, James P., 322

Reber, Aaron C, 534

Reber, Daniel H., 481, 482, 483

Reber, Elder D. C, V, VIII, IX,

86, 404, 408, 409, 41S, 418, 420,

421, 50s, 508, 537, 538, 540, 632,

633, 634, 636, 637, 649
Reber, Elias G., 482, 483
Reber, Frank L., 470, 628
Reber, Jonathan G., 479, 482, 483
Redcay, Jacob, 350, 352
Reed, Elder Samuel, 442, 649
Reformation, 8
Reformed Church, 9, 11, 21, 51,

56, 63, 67, 74, 225, 257, 281, 285,

365, 382, 392, 46s, 468, 478, 530
Reidenbach, Elder Rudy S., 330,

331, 350, 351, 649
Reiff, J. B., 214, 253, 256
Reiff, J. C, 186, 188, 194, 247, 248
Reiner, Elder Jacob, iii, 122, 153,

162, 173, 279, 304, 313, 315, 317,

553, 581, 588, 589, 642, 649
Reiner, Joel K., iii, 126, 127, 185
Reinhart, Abraham, 211
Reinhart, Martin, 211
Reinhart, Peter, 211
Reinhold, Jacob, 329, 334, 468, 499,

587
Reisman, Johannes, 70
Reutsh, Joseph, 372, 544
Rider, Elder Jacob, 388, 390, 391,

392, 396, 398, 407, 430, 458, 569,

589, 649
Rider, Joseph H., 407, 414, 628,

629, 630, 631, 635
Ridgely Church, 531
Organization, 533
Officials, 534
Righter, Elder John, in, 112, 131,

238, 649
Righter, Sara, 112, 131, 230, 252
Rittenhouse, David, 218, 238
Rittenhouse, F. H., 532
Rittenhouse, Elder Joseph, 530
Rittenhouse, J. Roy, 531, 598
Ritter, Daniel, 20
River Brethren (Brethren in

Christ), 308, 382, 383, 453, 542
Roeller, B. F., 263
Rosenberger, Artemus, 318
Rosenberger, Jacob, 318
Rosicrucian, 34, 36, 48, 49
Rothermel, Elder Jeremiah, 479,

481, 483, 484, 649
Rothrock Cemetery, 283, 284, 285
Rothrock, Jacob, 285, 288
Rothrock, Elder Joseph, 462
Rouser, Gideon, 163, 164, 372, 544

INDEX.

667

Royer, Abram H., 331, 352, 626,

627
Royer, Aaron H., 352, S3i. 532
Royer, B. Mary, 413
Royer, Cyrus, 346, 347, 348
Royer, Daniel, 457, 458, 460, 464,

521, 524
Royer, David, 331, 32,7
Royer, Elder G. B., 411
Royer, Henry, 338, 352
Royer, Elder J. G., 359, 4io, 540,

556, 557, 639
Royer, John, 353, 544, 565, 568
Royer, John L., 459, 460, 471
Royer, John R., 338, 339
Royer, Joseph, 336, 363, 544
Royer, Reuben, 459, 461
Royersford Church, 213

Sunday School organized, 258
Organization, 261
Ruhl, Allen B., 397, 398
Rupp, Elder Christian, 329, 330,

356, 587, 649
Rupp, Levi, 332

Sabbath, 41, 47
Sabbatarians, 41, 47, 48, 49
Sachse, Julius F., 9, 19, 23, 2y
Sand Brook Church, 175, 190, 191,

193
Sacon Township, 284
Sanger, H. E., 531
Sanger, W. E., 532
Sanger, W. H., 408, 6zz
Sanger, Elder S. F., 538, 557, 558,

567
Saylor, Elder D. P., 178, 179, 180,

182, 276, 391, 545, 5SO, 572, 579,

580
Saylor, Jeriah, 307
Saur (Sow^er), Christopher First,

67, 77, 292, 297
Schilbert, Peter, 89, 90, 91
Schlatter, 72
Schlosser, Elder John W., 338,

350, 352, 353, 643, 649, 652
Schlosser, R. W., 408, 409, 413,

415, 636
School house, 313, 355, 462, 463,

465
Schreiber, 77

Schreiber, George, 92, 2,72, 544
Schreiber, John S., 154, 155, 159
Schreiner, George D., 335, 359
Schriesheim, 56, 57, 62
Schumacher, Daniel, 544
Schuylkill Church, 526
Early history, 485
Meeting places, 486

Schw^arzenau, 2, 4, 5, 23, 35, Z(>t
39, 45, 49, 50, 57, 59, 9i, 281
Geography, i
Religious conditions, 3
Church at, 7
Schwaninger, Francis, 531
Schweitzer, Mattes, 372, 544
Schwenkfelders, 9
Secrist, Caleb, 531, 532
Seidensticker, 9
Sell, Andrew, 29, 205
Sell, Elder James A., 558, 559,

560, 561, 562, 584
Select School, 97
Seldomridge, J. Albert, 343, 344,

399
Separatists, 2^y 53, 272
Seventh Day Baptists

Relation to Brethren, 49
Shafer, Joseph, 30
Shaffer, J. J., 214
Shallenberger, Elder David, 457,

521, 545, 570
Shamokin Church

Early history, 490
Shearer, H. B., 397, 398
Shearer, Elder S. S., 406
Shelly, Jeremiah, 303, 600
Sherman, George H., 492, 494, 495
Sherman, Samuel, 449, 454
Shimer, William, 534
Shirk, Isaac, 22^, 227, 356
Shisler, Elder James B., 150, 194,

301, 324, 642, 649
Shlipfer, John, 372, 544
Shoemaker, Peter, 90, 96
Shope, Elder Adam J., 442, 443,

649
Shrab, Lorenz, 372, 544
Shroyer, Elder Reuben, 410
Shuler, Elder Moses, 319, 320,321,

642, 649
Sieber, Elder Solomon, 499
Sisters' work, 225
Skippack, IS, 27, 289, 290, 304, 307,

308, 309, 312
Slingloff, Henry, 92
Slingluff, Casper, 154
Slingluff, Henry, 154
Slingluff, John U., 153, 155, 173,

323, 588
Slingluff, William, 154
Sluyter, Peter, 41
Smith, Benjamin, 459, 461, 470
Smith, Elder David, 442, 649
Smith, Elder George, 469, 485, 486,

487, 643, 649
Smith, John H., 496
Smith, Peter A., 311, 312, 494, 502

668

INDEX.

Smouse, J. M., 183
Snader, David, 334, 357, 358
Snively, W. R, 532
Snowberger, Joseph D., 533, 534
Snyder, Elder G. A., 590
Snyder, Hiram, 338, 352
Sonon, Elder Henry S., 399, 649
Sonon, Jacob, 392, 394
Sontag, Elder Jacob, 82, 83, 85,

ZV, 330, 644
Sophia, Hedwig, i, 2
Sower, Charles, TJ, 103
Sower, Elder Christopher, "jy, 78,
92, 96, 98, 306, 323, Z-J2, 374,
377, 409, 445, 475, 5ii, 544,
546, 644

Biography, 101-103
Spanogle, Elder Andrew, 172, 391
Spanogle, Harry, 488
Spanogle, Jacob, 115, 118, 132, 134,

588
Specht, A. J., 263
Sperry, Henry, 154
Spicher, Levi, 534
Spidle, Wm. F., 322
Spiker, Milan H., 534
Spring Creek Church, 504, 506,
520, 594

Organization, 472

Elections, 472

Houses of worship, 473
Springfield Church, 240, 293, 303

Organization, 319, 321

Stone meeting house, 320

Present oliScials, 322
Spring Grove Church, 331, 347,
617

Organization, 350
Springville Church, 354

Organization, 352

Church houses, 353
Statistical Tables

Of churches, 642

Of elders before 1800, 644

Of elders since 1800, 645

Of local Sunday School meet-
ings, 652
Staufifer, Benjamin G., 398
Stauffer, Cyrus, 348, 349
Stauffer, D. P., 260
Stayer, D. B., 534
Steel, Edward, 534
Steel, George, 534
Steely, Harrison, 335, 346, 348
Steely, Mathias, 322
Stehman, Henry, 392, 394
Stehman, Jacob, 392, 394, 400
Steinmetz meeting house, 354
Stevenson, Theodore, 173

Stewart, Benjamin, 534
Stiefel, George, 36, 41, 42, 65
Stiegel, Baron, 392
Stoll, Elder Jacob, 326, 327, 328,

335, 336, 369, 374, 545, 547,

644
Biography, 362-364
Stoner, Joseph, 403
Stoner, Elder Solomon, 533
Stony Creek Church, 74, 79
Stoudt, Harrison, 481
Stoufifer, Daniel M., 493
Stover, Mrs. Rudolph, 222
Stover, Elder W. B., 104, 411, 546,

563
Strasburg, 33, 34
Strayer, Ephraim, 538, 540
Struphaar, Daniel, 472
Struphaar, Isaac, 472
Struphaur, Joshua, 485
Struphaur, Michael, 486
Stump, Jacob, 76
Stuntz, 36, 40, 42, 65, 66
Stutzman, Jacob, 372, 544
Sunday School

District secretaries, 651
Table of meetings, 652
Swatara Church, Big, 75, 79, 328,
445, 489, 504, 507, 512, 513,
514, 515, 517, 520, 524, 594
Early history, 436
Division, 441
Elections, 442
Meeting houses, 443
Swatara Church, Little, 75, 79, 166,
457, 462, 469, 481, 504, 514,
S18, 521, 523, 525, 527, 577,
594
Early history, 445
Elections, 446-448
Houses of worship, 449
Union cemetery, 451
Obituaries, 449, 455
Swigart, Elder M. C., 105, 147,

158, 162, 211, 563, 621, 642, 649
Swigart, Elder W. J., 126, 185,
240, 260, 559, 563

Taufer (Tunkers), 4, 9, 12, 50,
74, 79, 168, 291, 383, 480

Taylor, A. Z., 339, 350

Taylor, Elder I. W., 330, 331, 332,
339, 340, 343, 344, 345, 348, 350,
351, 354, 357, 359, 560, 561, 562,
563, 590, 592, 600, 612, 613, 614,
615, 617, 621, 628, 643, 649, 652

Taylor, Leonard, 324

Taylor, Elder S. W., 350, 351, 649

Texiere, Martin, 538, 540

INDEX.

669

Thomas, John S., 121
Tobias, George, 490
Towamincin, 304
Tower City Mission, 490
Traut, Balser, 20
Traut Bros., 17
Traut, Jeremias, 20
Traut, John H., 6, 17, 20, 6s, 67
Traut, Magdalena, 20
Trout, Henry T., 177
Trumbauer, Harrison, 319, 321
Trumbauer, Henry, 322
Trutt, Daniel I., 494, 495
Tulpehocken Church, 346,393.482,
496, 501, 502, 521, 524, 594

Organization, 457

Elections, 458-459

Obituaries, 460

Division, 461

Houses of worship, 462

Sunday Schools, 470

Ulery, J. Edson, 536, 537, S38, 539,

562
Ulrich, Samuel, 543
Ulrich, Elder Stephen, 372, 381,

544
Umstad, Elder John, 131, 134, 153,
155, 172, 173, 216, 218, 219,
230, 2Z2,, 237, 238, 239, 240,
245, 247, 305, 315, Z22, 346,
367, 545, 549, 550, 551, 579,
580, 581, 588, 642, 649
Conversion, 231
Election to ministry, 232
_ Biography, 273-279
Union Church, 193
Union meeting house, 450
United Brethren, 346, 382, 410,

453, 485, 486
Universalists, 390
Upper Dublin Church, 183, 202,
293, 301, 313, 594
Organization, 153
Deacons, 154
Oversight of, 155, 162
Pastorate, 159
Church auxiliaries, 160
Urner, Catherina Reist, 20, 22, 28,

205

Urner, Isaac N., 17, 209, 210, 215,
218, 220, 223, 226, 264, 267

Urner, Elder Jonas, 211, 221, 644

Urner, Elder Martin, 17, 18, 20, 21,
22, 28, 78, 205, 206, 209, 210, 223,
270, 271, 281, 282, 374, 642, 644

Urner, Elder Martin (Second),
211, 223, 2>77, 380, 381, 429, 445,
475, 511, 514, 544, 545, 547, 644

Utz, Daniel, 381, 545, 547

Van Bebberstown, 19, 20
Van Dolah, Cyrus, 173, 183
Van Dolah, Henry, 185
Virginia, 71, 209, 217,276,296,523,

569, 579, 584
Visions, of Israel Poulson, 199
Von Bebern, Isaac, 40, 41, 42

Wadsw^orth, W. J., 263
Waggoner, Jacob, 170
Waggoner, William, 171, 173
Walking Purchase, 282
Waltz, B. Franklin, 345
Wanner, Andrew, 307, 309, 312
Wayland, J. W., 71, yz, 74
Weaver, Elder David W., 342, 343,

410, 494, 495, 503, 600, 601, 650
Weaver, Elam, 399
Weaver, George W., 339, 405
Weaver House, 96, 97
Weaver, John, 96, 112
Weaver, Philip, Jr., 96, iir
Weber, Jacob, 29, 36
Weidler, Michael, 331, 334, 356
Weiser, Conrad, 67
Weiss, Howard, 496, 497
Wells, David G., 253, 257, 259
Wenger, Christian, 331
Wenger, Elsworth, 357
Wenger, Elder Edward M., 448,

449, 453, 455, 459, 485, 487, 490,

503, 592, 600, 601, 632, 643, 650,

651
Wenger, Elder Israel, 2)2)7, 338,

350, 352, 353, 459. 494, 643, 650
Wenger, Jacob, 460, 470
Wenger, Elder Jacob, 304, 390,

446, 447, 448, 449, 455, 456, 526,

650
Wenger, Jacob F., 447, 448, 449
Wenger, S. G., 397, 398
Wenger, Samuel, 496, 497
Wenger, Samuel R., 332, 609, 612,

613
Werner, Peter, 388, 389, 390, 391
Westphalia, i
Whisler, C. Alfred, 344
Whitefield, George, 72, 196
White Oak Church, 55, 75, 79, 81,
359, 360, 2§l, 399, 40i, 402,
M22; 423, 427, 430, 457, 458,
461, 516, 521, 541, 542, 587,
594, 609
Hummer family, 369
Zug family, 374
Eby family, 378
Longenecker family, 386

670

INDEX.

White Oak Church
Divisions, 391, 394
Later history, 393
Widder, D. H., 489
Wilhelm, Joseph, 459, 470, 496, 497
Wilson, Clinton B., 185
Wine, J., 172

Wine, Elder William M., 639
Winebrenarian Church, 569
Winebrenner, John, 382, 383
Wingard, Joseph D., 530
Winters, Cyrus, 504, 505
Wissahickon, 18, 19, 21, 24, 38, 45
Wise, E"lder John, 122, 123, 125,

181, 182, 545, 552, 571, 572
Wise, Rachel Douglas, 94
Witmer, Elder J. H., 442, 443, 444,

474, 504, 592, 600, 643, 650
Witmer, Joseph, 472
Witmer, Elder S. Z., 377, 472, 506,

507, 592, 600, 619, 621, 643, 650
Wittgenstein, i, loi, 291
Wohlfahrt, Michael, 42, 53, 63, 64,

206
Wolf, George B., 357
Wolf, Samuel N., 335, 355, 356,

357, 358
Wolgemuth, Harry W., 42, 53, 64,

206

Yocum, Howard, 248

Yoder, David, 320, 321

Yoder, Emanuel, 481, 483

Yoder, Elder Harry B., 342, 343,

344, 345, 415, 600, 601, 619, 620,

638, 642, 650, 652
Yoder, Henry, 322
Yoder, Jacob, 479, 480, 481, 483
Yoder, John, 475
Yoder, Nathaniel, 482
Yothers, David, 485

Zerbe, Samuel, 485

Ziegler, Amos, 310

Ziegler, Daniel P., 311, 312, 490

Ziegler, Elias P., 448, 456

Ziegler, Henry Z., 449

Ziegler, Elder Jesse, 105, 127, 158,
162, 260, 261, 309, 310, 311, 3^2,
324, 411, 494, 523, 562, 590, 592,
600, 601, 617, 618, 625, 626, 627,
628, 629, 631, 632, 642, 650, 652

Ziegler, John, 311, 312, 448

Ziegler, Katherine, 312, 343, 413

Ziegler, Levi, 310, 311, 312

Ziegler, Levi K., 534

Ziegler, Elder Philip (Chiques),

388, 389, 391, 392, 393, 396, 398,
430, 569, 587, 650
Ziegler, Elder Philip (Little Swa-
tara), 456, 650
Biography, 523
Ziegler, Samuel, 449
Ziegler, William, 456
Zigler, Elder D. H., VH, 71, 523,

562, 579, 583
Zinzendorf, Count, 72, 271, 272,

281, 477
Zion Children, 441, 447
Zobler, William N., 343, 399
Zook, Wallace, 334, 336
Zuck, Abraham, 315, 328
Zuck, David, 375
Zuck, John, 375
Zuck, Peter, 282, 283, 284
Zug, Elder Abraham, 377, 468, 520,
522, 650
Biography, 365, 457
Zug, Benjamin (White Oak), 392,

396, 429, 572
Zug, Benjamin (Tulpehocken),

459, 460, 521
Zug, Benjamin R., 396, 397, 398
Zug, Elder Henry S., 397, 398, 431,

472, 643, 650
Zug, Elder John, 122, 123, 365,
367, 370, 441, 457, 458, 460,
469, 479, 480, 481, 529, 545,
552, 571, 581, 587, 588, 589,
643, 650
Biography, 520-523
Zug, Elder Johannes, 328, 365, 374,
375, 376, 379, 380, 381, 384, 385,
387, 422, 426, 429, 471, 545, 644
Zug, Elder John C, 377, 397, 4o8,
409, 411, 434, 473, 495, 561, 592,
650, 652
Zug, Elder S. R., V. VHI, 134,
137, 158, 162, 185. 190, 191,
193, 320, 341, 342, 345, 364,
365, 367, 368, 377, 388, 392,
396, 397, 398, 406, 407, 408,
420, 421, 443, 448, 458, 469,
473, 488, 489, 506, 511, 516,
520, 523, 525, 533, 537, 554,
556, 557, 558, 559, 567, 572,
586, 587, 588, 589, 590, 592,
595, 600, 609, 612, 613, 616,
621, 624, 626, 627, 642, 643,
650
Biography, 429-435
Zug, Ulrich, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378,
429

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Full text of "History of the Church of the Brethren of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania"

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