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Virginia Conference
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PRE-1889
Many families that were part of the
great meetings that lead to the formation of the United Brethren in
Christ settled in the lands of Virginia. Martin Boehm is said to have
preached in this area prior to the Great Meeting at Long's Barn in
1867. Christian Newcomer writes in his Journal of traveling on the
"Virginia circuit" as early as 1795. In 1800 the "Original" Conference
was formed and contained the areas of Pennsylvania, Virginia and
Maryland. This conference was often referred to as "Hagerstown
Conference." In 1829 the General Conference divided the Original
Conference into Pennsylvania (Harrisburg Conference) and Virginia
(Hagerstown Conference). By this Virginia Conference has claimed to be
the Original Conference. It should be noted that Pennsylvania also
claims the status as Original Conference, so therefore many earlier
ministers are listed as members of both conferences.
The strong anti-slavery stand of the
Church of the United Brethren in Christ meant that almost all of the
United Brethren churches in Virginia prior to the Civil War were
located in the northern Shenandoah Valley. The Germans that settled
this area were mainly small landowners with an aversion to slavery but
slaveholders among the United Brethren were not unknown. At times the
United Brethren rule against slavery meant the expulsion of some
prominent members. During the Civil War the Virginia Conference was
divided into North and South, Union and Confederate with each portion
of the Conference meeting separately. Although Bishop Markwood thought
that the Civil War would destroy the United Brethren church in
Virginia, the church weathered the war and had more than doubled its
membership by 1880.
In 1858 the area of Western Virginia
(now West Virginia) was constituted as a separate conference called
Parkersburg. In 1887 Maryland Conference was formed out of those
counties in Virginia Conference that were part of the state of
Maryland.
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Minutes Available
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Online Resources:
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Sources:
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History of the
United Brethren in Christ, Virginia Conference by A. P.
Funkhouser. Dayton, Virginia : Reubush-Kieffer Co., 1921.
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Pictorial History
of the Virginia Conference by David Franklin Glovier. Stauton,
Virginia : Virginia Conference, Evangelical United Brethren
Church, 1965.
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Christian
Newcomer, his life, journal and achievements edited by Samuel
S. Hough. Dayton, Ohio : Board of Administration, Church of the
United Brethren in Christ, c1941.
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The life and
labors of Rev. Jacob Bachtel : of the Parkersburg Annual
Conference, United Brethren in Christ by Rev. Z. Warner.
Dayton, Ohio : United Brethren Pub. House, 1868.
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The life and
career of James William Hott : late bishop of the United Brethren
in Christ by Marion R. Drury. Dayton, Ohio : United Brethren
Publishing House, 1902.
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The life of
Bishop J.J. Glossbrenner, D.D., of the United Brethren in Christ :
with an appendix containing a number of his sermons and sketches
by Rev. A.W. Drury. Dayton, Ohio : Published for J. Dodds by
United Brethren Publishing House, 1889.
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The life of
Bishop Arthur B. Statton, A.M., D.D. by Rev. Paul E. Holdcraft.
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania : Craft Press, 1948.
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New
Constitution
Although the New
Constitution United Brethren merged with the Evangelical Church in
1946 the Virginia Conference of the resulting Evangelical United
Brethren Church was primarily composed of United Brethren. The merger
of the few Evangelical Churches in the state was a slow process. In
1967 the Virginia Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren Church
became a part of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist
Church.
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Minutes Available 1889-1900,
1904, 1906, 1916, 1920, 1937
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Online Resources:
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Sources:
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History of the
United Brethren in Christ, Virginia Conference by A. P.
Funkhouser. Dayton, Virginia : Reubush-Kieffer Co., 1921.
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Pictorial History
of the Virginia Conference by David Franklin Glovier. Stauton,
Virginia : Virginia Conference, Evangelical United Brethren
Church, 1965.
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Old
Constitution
After the Division of
1889 all work in Virginia and Maryland was lost to the Liberals (New
Constitution). The Radicals did not attempt to restart the work in
Virginia and Maryland until 1892 when Bishop Halleck Floyd published
an open letter to Virginia Conference in the pages of the Christian
Conservator. Later that year Rev. M. F. Keiter held revival meetings
at Spring Hill, Mt. Zion and Mt. Pisgah in Augusta County and Pleasant
Grove and Cross Keys in Rockingham County. Virginia & Maryland
Conference (later joining under the name of Virginia Conference) held
it first session after the Division of 1899 on February 23, 1893 under
the leadership of Bishop H. T. Barnaby. Those ministers from Maryland
attending were J. K. Nelson & P. O. Wagner. Members from Virginia
included: William Lutz, J. E. Hott, I. T. Parlett, and J. H. Parlett.
Rev. M. F. Keiter was included as "General Organizer."
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