 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECOND PERIOD—1774-1800 Ch.4—Mr. Otterbein called to Baltimore Ch.5—The Otterbein Church in Baltimore Ch.6—The Movement Toward a Separate Church Organization Ch.7—The First and Second Conferences THIRD PERIOD—1800-1815 Ch.10—The Conferences of 1801-1814 Ch.12—The Departure of the Leaders FOURTH PERIOD—1815-1837 Ch.13—The First General Conference—1815 Ch.14—The General Conferences of 1817-1833 FIFTH PERIOD—1837-1885 Ch.15—The General Conferences of 1837 and 1841 Ch.16—The General Conferences of 1845 and 1849 Ch.17—The General Conferences of 1853-1861 Ch.18—The General Conferences of 1865-1881 SIXTH PERIOD—1885-1897 Ch.19—The Nineteenth General Conference—1885 Ch.21—The Twentieth General Conference—1889 Ch.23—The Twenty-First General Conference—1893
PART II DEPARTMENTS OF CHURCH WORK Ch.1—The United Brethren Publishing House Ch.2—The Home, Frontier, and Foreign Missionary Society and Its Work Ch.3—The Church-Erection Society Ch.4—The Woman's Missionary Association Ch.9—The Young People's Christian Union Ch.10—The Board of Trustees of the Church
PART III THE ANNUAL CONFERENCES Ch.1—A Group of Early Conferences Ch.2—Other Conferences Organized from 1835 to 1853 Ch.3—Conferences Organized Since 1853
PART IV HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL TABLES Appendices Index
NOTICE OF ATTRIBUTION Work originally published in 1897. Scanned, proofed and minor spelling corrections by the United Brethren Historical Center. Electronic edition ©2006 United Brethren Historical Center Suggested Citation:
|
History of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ by Daniel Berger |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Third Period—1800-1815 CHAPTER IX THE CONFERENCE OF 1800 I. ITS IMPORTANCE. p.160 The Conference of 1800, considered in relation to the progressive development of the Church, is to be regarded as one of the most important in its history. While it did not bear the name, it yet possessed the essential character of a General Conference, in the fact that it exercised the proper functions of such an assembly. One question, especially, of gravest import, was determined by it, such as could properly be determined only by a General Conference. It framed and settled in perpetuity the name of the denomination, a step which could only be taken by a body possessing the highest and final jurisdiction. Moreover, it elected bishops in a formal manner, another step which was not taken by either of the preceding conferences. But, as a simple fact, the conference was representative of the entire Church, so far as the body which had been collected and organized could be called a church.
Home of Rev. Peter Kemp. The conference was held on September 25 and 26, at the house of Peter Kemp, a little more than two miles west of.. Frederick City, Maryland. The house, a substantial stone structure, is still standing, and is a commodious and comfortable farm-house. Newcomer's Journal, in the usual form of the brief entries in his diary, makes the p.161 following note: "25th. This morning we set out early; came to Brother Peter Kemp's, where the conference is to be held; found Father Otterbein, Boehm, and twelve other preachers there. The conference was opened with singing and prayer by Otterbein and Boehm. The former gave a powerful exhortation. Then were all the brethren present separately examined respecting their progress in the divine life, their success and industry in the ministry. 26th. This forenoon Father Otterbein preached from Amos 4: 12. Boehm spoke after him. After transacting some other business the conference closed with prayer." Such is the very brief and very incomplete form in which a most important statement is couched. It is unsatisfying, because we naturally want to know much more about this early conference than is now possible to be known, and we would anxiously look for information from the pen of one who participated in the proceedings, and who subsequently himself became so important a figure in the rising Church. But the statement, brief as it is, possesses yet the greatest value as fixing the fact of the occurrence of a historic event, and settling both its time and place. It also indicates with equal distinctness who were the recognized leaders of the conference, as of the great movement itself which this conference represented. Otterbein and Boehm were found there by Newcomer when he arrived. The session of the first day was opened by Otterbein and Boehm, the former giving a powerful exhortation. In the forenoon of the next day Otterbein preached to the conference and Boehm spoke after him. These were the men who stood at the front of the movement, had been from the beginning its providential, though not formally elected, bishops, and now were in due order by election recognized in that office. p.161 II. MINUTES OF THE CONFERENCE. The minutes of the conference were themselves also recorded in briefest form, but contemporaneous sources furnish interesting confirmatory information. These minutes, with those of the succeeding conferences, up to 1830, and including those of the General Conferences of 1815 and 1817, are happily preserved, and are found in the fire-proof vaults of the Church Publishing House, at Dayton, Ohio. The ministers who were present at this conference were the following: Otterbein, Boehm, Guething, Pfrimmer, Newcomer, Lehman, Draksel, Christian Crum, Henry Crum, John Hershey, J. Geisinger, Henry Boehm, D. Aurandt, and Jacob Baulus. Those absent were: Schaffer, Crider, Grosch, Neidig, Abraham Mayer, G. Fortenbach, David Snyder, Adam Riegel, A. Hershey, Christian Hershey, John Ernst, of Pennsylvania; Thomas Winters, M. Thomas, of Maryland; Simon Herre, Daniel Strickler, John Senseny, Abraham Hiestand, and I. Niswander, of Virginia. The reader will be pleased here to see a transcript of the minutes of some of these early conferences. Of the first conference, that of 1800, the whole record, after the mention of the time and place and of the members present as just given, is embodied in four short paragraphs. They are recorded in the German language, of which the following is a translation: Every preacher spoke first in regard to his own experience, and then declared his intention to continue to preach, by the assisting grace of God, in full earnest, to the honor of God and the blessing of mankind. Resolved, That two preachers shall be appointed to investigate the case of D. Aurandt, as to his authority to administer baptism and the Lord's supper. Resolved, That annually a day shall be appointed on which the p.162 unsectarian preachers shall assemble together and counsel how they can become more useful in their office, so that the church of God may be built up, sinners converted unto God, and God glorified. The conference was opened with prayer, the reading of a chapter, and a short exhortation by Brother Otterbein, and closed with prayer. III. THE PRESENT NAME OF THE CHURCH ADOPTED. Preceding this record and the other minutes which follow, is a brief prefatory remark, answering as a kind of title-page to the whole: "Here now follow what, from the year 1800, the United Brotherhood in Christ Jesus— until 1800 the United [die Vereinigte]—have done in their annual conferences for the government of preachers and church members." Upon the language of this preface it is proper to remark that the name die Vereinigte, meaning simply "the United," or "the Unified," was an abbreviated appellation for die Vereinigte Brüder, or "the United Brethren." Upon this name Dr. Drury, in his Life of Otterbein, has the following valuable note, quite worthy of being here transcribed: "Many other names were also in use; as die Freiheits Leute (the Liberty People), die Gemeinde (the Church), die Allgemeine Brüderschaft (the General Brotherhood), die Neu Reformirte (the New Reformed), die Neu Mennoniten (the New Mennonites), die Brüder (the Brethren), die Böhmische (Boehm's Followers), die Otterbeinianer (the Otterbeinians), and die Unpartheischen (the Unsectarian). Some of these designations would include all of the societies, and, on the other hand, some of them were used, in particular cases, in regard to societies that sustained only a fraternal relation to the United Brethren. There were also circles of Mennonites that were called by the name of the minister through whom they were awakened, as the Landis Leute (Landis' People), and the Lichtes Leute (Light's People, the followers of Felix Light, who began to preach p.163 between 1800 and 1803). Through the course of forty years these semi-independent Mennonite circles were breaking into the widening circle of the United Brethren. Thus the Mennonite contribution was greatly enlarged. After the death of the pioneer preachers the lines on the Reformed side, owing to a reviving church-spirit, became sufficiently rigid to materially lessen the accessions from that quarter. In consequence of this waning importance of Reformed elements, some, by failing to look back to the earlier times, fail to recognize the real position and importance of Otterbein."1 It will impress the reader as a rather singular circumstance that in these official minutes of the Conference of 1800 no reference is made to either of the two transactions which gave to the conference its distinguished place in historic importance. The first omission relates to the official adoption of a name for the Church. We have just seen that the society, or collection of societies, was known by several designations, as might be suggested by local circumstances. But here a definite and distinct name was adopted which has continued to be the official name of the Church since that day, that is, The United Brethren in Christ. Have we, then, in the absence of any statement in the official record, any undoubted proof of this fact ? One source of proof is the distinct tradition which has been handed down from the fathers. There are many now living who in their earlier life had acquaintance with those who saw Otterbein and the men who cooperated with him, as, for example, Bishop Joseph Hoffman,—who was ordained by Otterbein, and succeeded him as pastor of the old church in Baltimore on the death of the Bishop,—the elder Bishop Henry Kumler, and others, whose testimony on this point was often repeated. But p.164 there is also the written testimony of the Rev. H. G. Spayth, who was a member of the first General Conference, just fifteen years later, and secretary of that body. Mr. Spayth was personally acquainted with nearly all, if not all, of the men who sat in the Conference of 1800. Otterbein, Boehm, Guething, Newcomer, Draksel, Pfrimmer, and others were to him familiar names. His statement, therefore, is to be accepted as final authority upon this point. That the reader may see Mr. Spayth's own language, the precise record is here reproduced: "At this conference, there being a good representation of the Church in general, the name 'United Brethren,' with the addition 'in Christ,' was adopted. The appellative 'United Brethren' had characterized the Brethren as a distinct body of Christians for a considerable time previous to the sitting of this conference. But it was suggested (and not without reason) that the name 'United Brethren,' when used in papers of record pertaining to the Church, in property, bequests, legacies, or otherwise, might raise a legal inquiry as to who or what church was intended by 'United Brethren,' forasmuch as the Moravians, under Count Zinzendorf, in 1727, had formed their first society under and by the name 'United Brethren,' or Unitas Fratrum. To avoid a misapplication in consequence of the similarity of the name, which it was now too late to change, 'in Christ' was added, and since then [the name] has been written and known as The Church of the United Brethren in Christ."2 A third source of proof that the name was adopted by this Conference of 1800, is found in the Discipline of 1815. In the historical statement which precedes the body proper of the Discipline, the record is made: "In order now to labor in a truly useful and church-like way, the preachers p.165 saw themselves obliged to appoint a conference where they might come together to unite themselves properly; because some were Reformed, others Lutherans, others Mennonites, etc. They therefore appointed the 25th of September, 1800, . . . for the conference. There came together thirteen preachers, who united themselves into a society which bears the name 'The United Brethren in Christ.' They elected William Otterbein and Martin Boehm as superintendents or bishops."3 The date of this Discipline is so near to that of the conference which adopted the name as to leave no possible room for doubt. Whatever, in the extreme brevity of the official minutes of the conference, may be omitted from their pages, the fact concerning the adoption of the name at that time is here fully established. A copy of this very Discipline, now so interesting and valuable because it is the first Discipline printed, is preserved in the fireproof vaults of the Church Publishing House, at Dayton. It is printed in the German language, and bears on its title-page the imprint "Hagerstown: . . . 1816." IV. ELECTION OF BISHOPS. The second important step taken by this conference was the formal election of bishops. The Church had not, indeed, been without a bishop or bishops, as Mr. Spayth very justly observes. Otterbein, as chief, and Boehm, as almost equal associate, had exercised with the utmost care and fidelity the prerogatives of chief shepherds, though not elected by any actual vote to the office. Their function, like that of Peter among his brethren in the earlier apostolic days, had been fully recognized. But the time had come when it seemed proper by an actual official act to recognize them in the relation p.166 they had until now informally sustained, and accordingly these two leaders were at this conference, with due formality, elected bishops. Here again the record made by Mr. Spayth may with propriety be quoted: "The next step the conference took was to elect two brethren to the office of superintendent, or bishop, and William Otterbein and Martin Boehm were elected. By this it is not to be understood that the Church had been without a chief. The office of superintendent had been exercised by Otterbein up to this time,—not by right of election or choice, but by the force of circumstances inseparably connected with the rise and progress of the Church. All eyes had been directed to him to lead in counsel. The preachers, not one excepted, paid this deference to him. The care of all the churches had been resting upon him, and such were the love and obedience to him that if he said to one, 'Go,' he went, and if to another, 'Come,' he came."4 But other evidence comes from additional sources which fully sustains the record of Mr. Spayth both as to the fact and the significance of this election. The first is the statement found in the official minutes of the first General Conference, in 1815, whose members were largely the same men who were in the Conference of 1800. On this point see the paragraph just quoted from the first printed Discipline, where the election of Otterbein and Boehm as superintendents or bishops is distinctly affirmed. Still another source of evidence is found in the writings of Henry Boehm, who was a member of the Conference of 1800. Henry Boehm, who, as a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, rounded up a full century of life, was a son of Bishop Martin Boehm. He was attracted to the Methodist Church by the greater p.167 thoroughness of its organization at that time, and was for many years the traveling companion of Bishop Asbury. He began keeping a diary as early as 1800, and from the notes in this he makes in his later book of "Reminiscences" the remark concerning this conference: "They [the United Brethren] elected bishops for the first time. William Otterbein and Martin Boehm (my father) were unanimously chosen."5 One more direct proof of the formal election of Otterbein and Boehm as bishops will suffice. It is found in the official record of the minutes of the Conference of 1802, as follows: "Resolved, That in case one of our superintendents—W. Otterbein and Martin Boehm—should die, another one in his place shall always be appointed. This is the wish of these two brethren, and the unanimous wish of all the preachers present." Thus passed into history this third formal assembling of the early ministers of the Church, so simple in all its characteristics, and yet so important in its historic significance. The Church was to bear henceforth a name which should distinguish it from all other religious bodies, and it was also organized for the more effective prosecution of the high mission to which God providentially appointed it.
1 Life of Otterbein, p. 275. 2 Spayth's History, pp. 82, 83. 3 See Disciplines of the United Brethren in Christ, 1814-1841, p. 10. 4 Spayth's History, p. 83. 5 Boehm's Reminiscences, pp. 55, 56. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NEXT | |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
