Chapter IV

UNDER PRESIDING ELDERSHIP—(Cont.)

The Church Extension and Missionary Society—The Sunday-school Movement. THE CHURCH EXTENSION AND MISSIONARY SOCIETY

    The committee selected to look after the New Church Fund held their first meeting November 25, 1887, and organized by electing Mr. B. F. Keister, president; Rev. W. R. Funk, secretary, and Mr. John Thomas, treasurer. This organization was the beginning of our conference Church Extension and Missionary Society. It had for its object the raising and administering of a fund by which the needy places of the conference might be aided and new organizations formed and fostered. By correspondence, a conference paper called the Conference Journal was launched and at the meeting held August 6, 1888, the paper was made the official organ of the conference. Rev. L. R. Jones was made the editor, and Rev. W. R. Funk, the associate editor and business manager, while Rev. L. W. Stahl and Rev. J. H. Pershing were elected auditors. The Conference Journal afterwards had its name changed and became the Conference Herald.

    The first loan of the society was made to the Braddock Second, or Comrie Avenue Church. Collections were taken by the churches of the conference and a special Easter offering was made to provide funds. In 1892, what was known as the "Share Plan" was adopted. By this plan the individual took one or more shares by paying a given sum for a given length of time. The pastor was made the solicitor of his own charge and speakers were furnished by the society upon request. There was an exchange of pastors where desired and practical. There had been a constitution adopted but on November 10, 1891, a revised constitution and a series of by-laws were adopted by the society.

    Besides helping churches already organized and helping to organize new missions the society studied the field and asked the General Home Missionary Society to look after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as a fruitful field for investment. For some reason this wonderful city with all of its opportunities was never invested by the General Society. In 1902, committees, to work in conjunction with the members of the

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society in securing new locations for mission churches, were appointed in different parts of the conference.

    In 1902, the name of the conference paper was changed to Conference Herald. It served a useful purpose in carrying information of the developments of all departments of work to the whole conference but for some reason it was discontinued in 1907, and a quarterly bulletin issued in its stead. In the reorganization of the society at Philipsburg, in 1903, L. W. Stahl was elected president and this election proved to be the beginning of a long tenure of this office which was only terminated with his death.

DR. L. W. STAHL

    L. W. Stahl was born at Madison, Pennsylvania, December 17, 1851, and died in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, February 10, 1930. He was admitted into Allegheny Conference in 1872 and served thirteen appointments as pastor, fourteen years as presiding elder, four years as conference secretary, two years as financial agent for Lebanon Valley College, four years as conference missionary, was sent eight times as a delegate to General Conference, was sixteen years a trustee of the Printing Establishment, was conference trustee for forty years, and a member of this society for forty-two years, of which he served as president for twenty-seven consecutive years. Of all the interests with which he stood associated through the fifty-nine years of his ministry, none appealed to him more than this conference interest.

    The society was incorporated in 1906 in the Westmoreland County Court, and by-laws under the charter were prepared and adopted in the meeting of December, 1906. The society and the Y.P.C.U. made the opening and promotion of Beaver Falls their joint objective. This continued until the Y.P.C.U. made Beaver Falls their own objective and because of which it is called the Y. P. C. U. Memorial Church.

    Steps were taken by the society to secure either a tent or a sectional chapel for the purpose of investigating and organizing if pos-

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sible, new territory. This resulted in the purchase of a sectional chapel which was erected at Listie, in Somerset County, and dedicated March 30, 1909. It served well its purpose in two places before it was sold and demonstrated its worth so that the society purchased two more chapels to do similar work.

In 1912, the society passed a ruling that any church before securing the help of the society be compelled to submit its plans with a statement of the proposed cost and plans for financing the same, for

SECTIONAL CHAPEL USED BY THE CHURCH EXTENSION AND MISSIONARY
SOCIETY

approval by the society. This resulted in great good because of the larger experience of the members of the board. The original idea of the society was to promote, but because of the aftermath of many ventures made without the full deliberation of possible factors that always enter into building operations, the actual function of the society became that of rescue. It was hoped, therefore, that this could be changed by the above-named ruling.

    The funds of the society increased by the offerings of the people, the sale of abandoned property, the budget receipts, and from special gifts made. In 1909, a new feature was adopted and a fund called the "Development Fund" was provided. By the new feature the society

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paid the interest on a certain amount of money for a given length of time. This left the property clear of encumbrance by the society, as this help was a gift, so that the local church could, when deemed necessary, secure a loan on the property itself. The conference superintendent solicited the money for this purpose for the first four years. South Williamsport, Clearfield, and Wall were the first three to secure this help and as a result the conference has three modern, well-equipped and splendid parsonages. This fund continues to operate in this way

DR. W. A. SITES

President of The Church Extension and
Missionary Society

and also by arranging to pay a certain amount on church debt contingent on the local church raising a certain amount. The agreement between the church and the society is determined by mutual agreement. In 1915, the society cooperated with the General Church Erection Society of the denomination in trying to raise a Jubilee Fund of $30,000 in the conference. Of the amount raised one-fourth was to go into the treasury of the conference society while the balance was to go to the General Society with the condition that it was to be loaned to churches within our conference for a period of fifteen years, on recommendation of the society, and that after the fifteen years it went to the General Society, but our conference would have an equal claim with other conferences upon the fund. This resulted in the increase of funds for the society.

    It is impossible to tell of the many anxious hours spent by the directors of this society in trying to help churches and parsonages out of the serious conditions that too often rested upon them. It is sufficient to say that only eternity will disclose the hours spent and the motives that determined the actions of the board. The conference authorized the society, September 25, 1926, to become surety for loans on churches, the total not to exceed $75,000, and this has enabled the society to help a number of churches. Names are sometimes dull

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reading but that the people may know the extent of the work of this society I append below the list of the churches aided in the years of its existence and only a lack of funds has limited it in its helpfulness:

    Altoona Second, Altoona Third, Altoona Schum, Altoona Grace, Albion, Arona, Altoona Garden Heights, Altoona Wehnwood, Brad-dock Second, Bradenville, Big Bend, Bellwood, Beaver Falls, Bigler, Coalport, Canoe Creek, Connellsville, Clearfield, Claysville, Dubois, Dunlo, Everson, East Pittsburgh, Greenwood, Glasgow, Huntingdon, Houserville, Hustontown, Industry, Irvona, Jeannette, Johnstown Barron Avenue, Juniata, Johnstown Homestead Avenue, Johnstown Southmont, Johnstown Overbrook, Johnstown Moxham, Listie, Latrobe, Mahaffey, Mount Union, McKeesport First, McKeesport Kephart, McKeesport Shoemaker, Milton, Monessen, Middleburg, New Brighton, New Berlin, New Haven, Orbisonia, Pitcairn, Portage, Philipsburg, Punxsutawney, Rochester, Rockwood, St. Michael, Scottdale, Somerset, Trafford, Valley View, West Decatur, Waterford, Wyano, West Derry, Wilkinsburg, Williamsport, Wilmerding, Windber, Wall, Youngwood, Yarnell, Zion. The present value of these churches given by the conference minutes of 1930 is $2,096,000.

    The usefulness of this organization is determined only by the finances available. It continues to function under the following articles of incorporation:

APPLICATION FOR CHARTER OF THE CHURCH EXTENSION AND MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH OF THE UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST

In the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania—September Term, 1906.

In re the Incorporation of "The Church Extension and Missionary Society of Allegheny Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ."

    To the Honorable Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania:

    In compliance with the requirements of an act of the General Assembly entitled, "An Act to provide for the incorporation and regulation of certain corporations," approved April 29, 1874, and its

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several supplements, the undersigned, three of whom at least are citizens of Pennsylvania, having associated themselves together for the purpose of acquiring grounds and the building of churches or schools on missionary fields within the bounds of the Allegheny Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, and desiring that they may be incorporated according to law, do hereby certify that—

    First—The name of the proposed corporation is "The Church Extension and Missionary Society of Allegheny Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ."

    Second—The purpose of said corporation is the securing of funds by donation, bequest or otherwise for the purpose of acquiring grounds and the building of new churches or schools on missionary fields and relieving, aiding and assisting churches within the bounds of the Allegheny Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, and for the purposes above stated to borrow and lend money and to acquire, hold and convey real estate and for these purposes to have, possess and enjoy all the rights, benefits and privileges conferred by the Act of Assembly aforesaid and its supplements.

    Third—The location of said corporation and the principal place where the business of said corporation is to be transacted is the Borough of Greensburg, County of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania.

    Fourth—The said corporation is to have perpetual existence.

    Fifth—Every member of the Allegheny Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ is ipso facto a member of this Corporation and the said Corporation shall be managed by a Board of Trustees consisting of not less than twelve persons each of whom shall be a member in good standing of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ within the bounds of the Allegheny Conference. The Trustees of this Corporation shall be elected by the members of the Allegheny Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ at the first regular annual meeting of the said Allegheny Conference after the incorporation hereof in manner following to wit: Four trustees to serve for one year, four for two years and four for three years, and at each regular annual meeting of said Allegheny Conference thereafter four trustees shall be elected by said Conference, to serve three years. Any vacancies arising in the Board of Trustees, whether arising by resignation, removal, or otherwise, of any of said Trustees shall be filled by said Board of Trustees.

    Sixth—The yearly income of said Corporation other than that derived from real estate shall not exceed the sum of twenty thousand ($20,000.00) dollars, and the clear yearly value or income from the

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real estate held by said Corporation shall not exceed twenty thousand ($20,000.00) dollars.

    Seventh—The Corporation shall have power to enact and enforce such By-laws and Rules as they may deem proper not inconsistent with the law for the management of the affairs and the regulation and transaction of the business of said Corporation. WITNESS our hands and seals this 19th day of September, A.D. 1906.

Names                                Residences

STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA COUNTY OF WESTMORELAND

    Before me, the undersigned authority in and for the said County and State, personally came L. W. Stahl, A. E. Roose, M.D., and S. W. Keister, three of the within named incorporators, who being duly affirmed and sworn according to law, depose and say that the statements contained in the foregoing Articles of Incorporation of "The Church Extension and Missionary Society of Allegheny Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ" are true and correct to the best of their knowledge, information and belief.

L. W. Stahl
A. E. Roose, M.D.
S. W. Keister

    Affirmed and sworn to and subscribed before me this 19th day of September, A.D. 1906.

S. C. Stevenson, Notary Public.

 Commission expires Jan. 25, 1907.                    (Notarial Seal.)

DECREE

    And Now, this 29th day of September, A.D. 1906, the within Charter and Certificate of Incorporation having been presented to me, a Law Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of said Westmoreland County, accompanied by due proof of publication of the notice

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of this application as required by the Act of Assembly and the Rule of this Court in such cases made and provided, I certify that I have examined and perused the said writing and find the same to be in proper form and within the purpose named in the first clause

REV. J. F. STRAYER

Secretary of The Church Extension
and Missionary Society

specified in Section 2 of the Act of the General Assembly of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania entitled "An Act to provide for the incorporation and regulation of certain corporations" approved April 29, 1874, and supplements thereto; and the same appearing to be lawful and not injurious to the community, I do hereby on motion of Atkinso & Peoples, attorneys on behalf of the petitioners, order and direct that the said Charter of the Church Extension and Missionary Society of the Allegheny Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ aforesaid be, and the same is hereby approved and that upon the recording of the same, and of this order, the subscribers thereto and their associates shall be a Corporation by the name "The Church Extension and Missionary Society of Allegheny Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ" for the purposes and upon the terms therein stated.

Attest: M. F. Null, Pro.                                                                      (Notarial Seal)

LUCIAN W. DOTY, P. J.

Recorded October 2, 1906.

    James H. Gallagher, Recorder.

THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL MOVEMENT

Fisher in his church history tells how the heart of Robert Raikes was touched by the condition of neglected children in the town of Gloucester, England, and of how he hired several women in 1781 to open schools for them on Sundays. The effect of these schools was so marked that their fame spread and resulted in the Sunday-school movement and teachers served without compensation.

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    This school when originally founded, was for the poor only, but it has grown until now it has a place for children of all classes and classes for all ages.

    The first Sunday school to be organized in The Church of The United Brethren in Christ was organized by Rev. J. G. Pfrimmer, near Corydon, Indiana, May 21, 1821, and its centennial was observed with suitable program May 21-23, 1921. The General Conference inserted

COL. ROBERT COWDEN

General Sunday School Secretary for Many Years

 a clause in the Discipline in 1837 endorsing the idea of instructing the young, but its first definite statement touching the Sunday-school movement was passed in 1849. In 1857, this work was taken over by the Home, Frontier and Foreign Missionary Society and there it remained until 1865, when an organization, with a constitution, called the Sabbath School Association of The United Brethren Church, was launched. Before this time Sunday schools had been carried on without a definite program or plan.

    The first General Secretary was Isaac Crouse who served for twelve years. He was succeeded by Col. Robert Cowden who served from 1877 to 1913. Dr. C. W. Brewbaker was his successor and served until 1929 when the Sunday school became merged with the Young People's Society and Board of Education to form the present Christian Education Movement.

    The first Sunday school in the conference of which we have any definite knowledge was organized at either Mount Pleasant, Lycippus, or Loyalhanna, but there seems to be no record of the fact to be found anywhere. The first official record we have is found in the minutes of 1852. In the statistics there are recorded twenty-six Sunday schools, but the records do not indicate where they were located. In 1856, there were reported fifty-four Sunday schools with 986 scholars; while in 1857, the conference reported forty-nine Sunday schools, 370

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teachers, and 2,029 scholars. The collections for this work had been lifted to the amount of $364.26.

    In 1863, the first resolution was passed by the conference as follows: "Resolved, That the Children's Friend be liberally supplied to all Sunday schools on the charges." In 1864, the conference "Resolved, That we regard the Sunday school as the nursery of the Church and we urge our people to attend and that we preach a sermon to the

MR. W. M. MENCH

children at each appointment." In 1868, the first committee on Sunday school was appointed and brought in a report in which they recommended the taking of a missionary collection to aid in benevolence. In 1866, it was "Resolved, That as a conference we recommend to the Sunday schools on our respective charges that they organize on the plan laid down in our Discipline with the exception that instead of the weekly and monthly collections an annual collection be taken up in each Sunday school on our charges or in the congregation where the schools are located for Sunday-school purposes." In 1871 the conference said, "We recognize the necessity of training the children to liberality by calling on them frequently to support benevolent and Christian institutions"; while in 1874 they "Resolved, That we encourage the penny collections as a means of training the children to a spirit of liberality."

    How different are the Sunday schools of today from those of the early days. Mr. William Mench, of Braddock, Pennsylvania, told in The Watchword of the Sunday school of 1862, as it was when he attended its sessions at Middletown, Pennsylvania. He said, "There was a long, plain bench in front of the pulpit called a mourners' bench. Here the small boys and girls were seated, facing the pulpit, with an alphabet card about two by three feet in size, before them. We would learn our letters in unison and not in the quietest manner. Card No. 2 had one syllable words, and card No. 3, two syllable words. Then came

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Osgood's First Reader and after that the New Testament. We had no lesson quarterlies or picture cards. One thing we had for inducement to attend was a little blue ticket, with a verse of scripture. This was given to the scholar who was present and when he had received four blue tickets he would then get a red ticket in exchange for the blue ones. How we would strive to get the red tickets, because at the end of the school term—the school extended only through the

REV. M. M. SNYDER

Conference Promotional Superintendent
of Sunday Schools

summer months — the one who had the most red tickets would receive a small Testament as a prize. The weeks seemed long until we received our reward. We had no uniform lessons. The superintendent would read a chapter at the opening and that was the lesson for that day. No one knew what the lesson would be in advance, so there was no preparation for it.

    In 1872, Rev. D. Speck, at the Mount Nebo Church near Scott-dale, as a progressive Sunday-school man, believed the time had come to bury the spelling book and make place for the uniform Sunday-school lessons that were coming into use about that time and at a convention the book was buried. Celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of a church in Blair County, the Sunday-school minutes of fifty years ago, were read and the classes were the A-B-C class, the a-b ab class, three spelling classes, the primer class and the Testament class.

    Doctor Drury, in his history, gives this series of the successive steps taken in the development of the Sunday-school work: "The adoption of the uniform lessons in 1872; first Sunday-school library in 1874; first Bible Normal class in 1876; first Children's Day on June 4, 1881, and since that time the first Sunday in June of each year; the general movement toward the introduction of the Home Department in 1891; Sunday school, Brotherhood and Young People's work in 1909; and a superintendent for the elementary division in 1913."

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    Through the above steps and others, wonderful strides have been taken and great advancement has been made, but the end is not yet. We have, however, reached the time where there is a place in the modern Sunday school for the student, "from the cradle to the grave." Dr. C. W. Brewbaker says: "The child matriculates in the cradle roll and remains there until the age of three is reached. This department identifies the child with the Church, shows the attitude of Christ toward the child, and recognizes that there is body, mind, and spirit in a child." From this department the cradle-roll student enters the church or main school, which will have the elementary, secondary, and adult divisions and these will ordinarily have the beginners, primary, junior, intermediate, senior, and adult grades. Literature suited to the ages of each division is provided and each may have its own worship periods. Out of this department the student enters the Home Department which has been provided for those who, because of age or other providential hindrances, are deprived of the main or church school. By this agency the student body is kept in touch with the lessons, the literature and other features of the main school.

    The modern school observes special days such as Easter, Rally Day, Decision Day, Children's Day and Christmas. It studies lessons on temperance, missions, Christian stewardship, etc., and has exercises, addresses, and programs to emphasize them. Our conference has always been in the forefront in the use of literature and other agencies for the development of this department of the Church and has especially emphasized missions, teacher training, organized classes, Christian stewardship and evangelism in harmony with the General Church plan. The Sunday-school department has been merged with other departments and helps to form the Department of Christian Education since our last General Conference, and will be found keeping step in every forward movement of the denominational program.