History of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ by Daniel Berger

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History of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ

by Daniel Berger

The United Brethren Publishing House in 1897.

PART II

DEPARTMENTS OF CHURCH WORK

CHAPTER I

THE UNITED BRETHREN PUBLISHING HOUSE

^p.405 It was a wise step when the General Conference, in 1833, resolved to found for the Church a publishing house which should be under central and official control. It was an early period for an enterprise of this kind to be undertaken, only a few of the now great religious publishing houses having then been organized.

I. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.

Previous to 1834 all printing done for the Church was by private enterprise, and consisted chiefly of such publications as met an immediate demand—principally Disciplines and hymn-books. The first printed Discipline, that of 1815, was printed at Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1816, by John F. Koch, in the German language. That of 1817, also in German, was printed by John Armbrust & Co., at Greensburg, Pennsylvania. In 1819 it was reprinted in German and English on opposite pages, by Gruber & May, at Hagerstown. The succeeding Disciplines for each quadrennium up to and including 1833 were printed in like manner by different persons in different cities. After 1837 all the Disciplines were printed by the Church publishing house.

^p.406 The publication of hymn-books for the Church was accomplished in the same manner, by individual enterprise. The first book of this kind was published by order of the Conference of 1807, held in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was compiled by George A. Guething, and printed in Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1808. It contained two hundred hymns. The book was in the German language. The second was compiled by Henry Evinger and Thomas Winters, of the Miami Conference, also in German. It was published in 1815. The third, the first hymn-book in the English language, was compiled by Rev. James T. Stewart, also of the Miami Conference. It was printed in Cincinnati in 1826. A fourth, prepared by Jacob Antrim, of the Miami Conference, containing three hundred and thirty-two hymns, was printed in 1829 by a firm in Dayton, Ohio. A revision of a German hymn-book, by Jacob Erb, authorized by the General Conference, followed. A sixth book, in English, by William R. Rhinehart and Jacob Erb, under the authorization of the Virginia and Pennsylvania conferences, was printed in 1833. This passed afterward under the control of the General Conference, and continued in use until 1849, when it was displaced by a revised collection ordered by the General Conference of 1845.

The field of periodical publication was first entered by the courageous but inexperienced Aaron Farmer, of the Miami Conference. In 1829, at Salem, Indiana, he sent forth the pioneer journal, Zion's Advocate,. under special restrictions by the conference as to doctrinal teaching, "unprofitable controversy," and so on. There was slight need for this embargo on the liberty of journalism, for the publication, in character quite satisfactory to its readers, soon perished for lack of funds. In 1833 the Mountain Messenger made its appearance at Hagerstown, Maryland, ^p.407 with William R. Rhinehart as proprietor and editor. It was saved from probable like disaster by being merged into the official publication undertaken soon afterward.

II. THE PUBLISHING HOUSE ORGANIZED.

The appearance of these early publications served to emphasize the need of something better for the Church, a paper which should be under the direction of the General Conference, and receive the patronage of the entire Church. In the General Conference of 1833 the subject received appropriate attention, among the foremost advocates of such an enterprise being Rev. John Russel, afterward Bishop Russel. The conference being held in Pickaway County, Ohio, near the town of Circleville, that place was chosen for its location, and Mr. Russel, Jonathan Dresbach, and George Dresbach were elected trustees for the enterprise, with instructions to solicit donations, secure subscriptions, and proceed to publish the proposed paper. It was ordered that the paper be "devoted to religious, moral, and literary intelligence."

The trustees proceeded cautiously in the discharge of their duties, and it was not until the 31st of December, 1834, more than a year and a half from the time it was ordered, that the first number of the new paper appeared. It was issued under the title which it has since retained unchanged—The Religious Telescope. Mr. Rhinehart, of the Mountain Messenger, became its first editor and publisher, the subscription list of the Messenger being transferred to the Telescope. The paper consisted of four pages, fifteen by twenty-two inches in size. For some time it was published semimonthly, the price per year being $1.50. The subscription list for the paper rose slowly, reaching for some years but little beyond a thousand names, and these mostly obtained on the credit system. Mr. ^p.408 Rhinehart was an ardent reformer, and his radical utterances through the paper, while assisting greatly in preparing the way of advanced sentiment in the Church, especially on the slavery and temperance questions, did not in those days tend to add to the popularity of the paper, or to augment its bank account. The enterprise was begun with liabilities amounting to sixteen hundred dollars, and soon the debt ran up to six thousand dollars, and the House must have failed had it not been sustained by the courage and ample credit of the trustees. In 1839 William Hanby, afterward bishop, became editor and publisher, having direction for six years. Then followed David Edwards, also afterward bishop, as editor. Under the more prudent direction of these men the paper grew in acceptability. The subscription list advanced, and by 1849 the liabilities were cleared away, and four years later the net assets were placed at thirteen thousand dollars. These, however, included moneys due on subscriptions and other assets which were never collected.

III. THE REMOVAL TO DAYTON.

The need of a better location for a house that should meet the growing wants of the Church had for some years been felt. The proposition for a change was considered by the General Conference of 1853, and it was determined to remove the House to Dayton, Ohio. A lot on the northeast corner of Main and Fourth streets, fronting fifty-nine and one-half feet on Main and one hundred and fifty-two feet on Fourth, was purchased for eleven thousand dollars. On this ground was situated a two-story brick residence, and within a few months after the adjournment of the General Conference the establishment was located in this house as its temporary home. The removal was accomplished under the direction of ^p.409 Rev. Solomon Vonnieda, who had just been elected as publishing agent.

In 1854 a substantial four-story brick building, forty by ninety feet in extent, was erected upon this lot, with ample equipment of machinery for the requirements of that time. The cost of the building with its machinery was fifteen thousand dollars. A book-store was established in connection with the House. Two new periodicals were started in the quadrennium from 1853 to 1857,—the Unity Magazine and the Children's Friend,—both edited by David Edwards. Thirteen new books were published, and there were other abundant signs of activity. John Lawrence, who had been assistant editor of the Religious Telescope, was now its editor. The removal of the House to a new location, and the new energy and life apparent in all its departments, implied also increased financial outlays, and a burdensome debt was soon in process of accumulation.

IV. MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT.

1. Finances.

The reader has seen that at the organization in 1834 the House was practically without capital, and had liabilities amounting to about $1,600; that these liabilities afterward advanced to nearly four times that sum, but in 1849 had been fully paid off. After the removal to Dayton, in 1853, with the investment in real estate, erection of building, purchase of machinery and stock, with other added expenses, and no adequate returns, new liabilities were created, which in 1857 amounted to over $53,000. Against this were placed assets in property and accounts, none of which could be immediately used to diminish the debts. Eight years later, in 1865, the liabilities still amounted to above $52,000, though valuable ^p.410 portions of the ground owned by the House had been sold to obtain relief. At this time the assets were estimated at something above $63,000, leaving but a narrow margin between the credit and debtor sides of the accounts. Not less than $25,000 had been lost to the House through the credit system.

It was at this crisis that Rev. W. J. Shuey, who had been appointed assistant agent in June, 1864, was elected, by the General Conference of May, 1865, as the financial head of the House. Mr. Shuey began at once a careful study of its financial condition, with a view of ascertaining by what methods at least a gradual reduction of this consuming debt might be attained. He was not long in coming to the conclusion that unless at least a partial relief could be reached the House was doomed to a collapse at no distant day. For the purpose of some immediate relief he devised and laid before the General Conference of 1865 the Publication Fund plan. The plan was approved by the conference, and an appeal was made to the Church for contributions to the fund. The Church responded to this call to the extent of about $18,000, thus furnishing a very material relief to the strained financial condition. He began, also, after entering upon the full control of the House, that close and careful supervision of its business in all its details by which the current of its affairs was turned, and that upward trend was begun which has never turned backward. Under this wise management, in consultation from time to time with its board of trustees, and with the generous support of the ministers and people throughout the Church, the House has steadily gained in its resources until a high position among the foremost of denominational publishing houses has been attained.

Through all the subsequent years, of either general ^p.411 financial prosperity or depression, the House has seldom passed a year without adding to the credit side of the ledger. The general assets in the year 1896 had reached the sum of $365,630.50, while the net assets were $315,665.08. The real estate, including the additional grounds purchased and the new buildings erected, has advanced from almost nothing in 1834 to over $100,000 in 1896. The cash sales of books have amounted to nearly $1,600,000, and the cash receipts from periodicals have been more than $1,700,000. The aggregate receipts from the business since the founding have been over $4,250,000. In benevolences, such as carrying non-paying publications, paying General Conference expenses, and dividends to the annual conferences, the House has dispensed over $57,000. To this sum about $30,000 must be added as expense in the recent litigations. In its financial standing in the business world the House holds its place in the first rank.

2. Buildings and Equipment.

To the building erected in 1853, ninety feet in length, with a frontage of forty feet, extensions have since been added, until it is now two hundred feet long, the rear portion being ninety-nine and one-half feet in depth. The building as now constructed affords a combined floor space of more than one acre. It is thoroughly equipped with the machinery requisite to a high-class publishing house. It is heated throughout with steam, lighted with electricity produced by its own dynamos, and a large part of its machinery is operated by electric power.

3. Departments.

The departments of the House at present are the publisher's office, book department, editorial rooms, ^p.412 composing, job printing, electrotyping, power, press, binding, and mailing departments. All of these have been enlarged from time to time, as required by the development of business. The establishment has long had a wide reputation for high-class work in all its branches, and the bookstore connected with the House is one of the best equipped in any city west of New York.

V. THE PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS.

In the founding of the Publishing House the object proposed was to supply the people of the Church with wholesome literature of a religious and general character. In no department has the growth of the House been more strikingly illustrated than in its periodical publications.

1. The Religious Telescope.

This paper, the earliest publication issued by the House, still holds, in the popular regard, the chief place among its now numerous periodicals. From the small semimonthly folio of 1834 it has advanced through various stages of folio of larger size, octavo, or eight-page, and sixteen-page, up to its present elegant thirty-two-page form. The broad mission of this paper to the Church cannot be indicated in a brief description. It has throughout its career stood out bravely on all questions of reform, and has sought in every way to aid in building up all other interests of the Church. Its early issues were printed on a small hand-press. It is now printed from a rapid web perfecting press, capable of issuing five thousand copies per hour, printed on both sides, pasted, cut, and folded, ready for mailing.

The first editor was Rev. William R. Rhinehart, whose official connection with the paper continued until 1839.

The United Brethren Publishing House at Circleville.
(Basement of the Circleville Church.)

The United Brethren Publishing House at Dayton in 1854.

From an Engraving in the "Unity Magazine."

^p.413 He was succeeded by Rev. William Hanby; and he, in 1845, by Rev. David Edwards. In 1849 Mr. Hanby again became editor, but in 1852 resigned this position to become publishing agent. In the latter year Rev. John Lawrence, who had been assistant editor since 1850, became editor. Since 1852 the following persons have been editors and assistant or associate editors respectively: Editors—Rev. John Lawrence, Rev. D. Berger, Rev. Milton Wright, Rev. William O. Tobey, A.M., James W. Hott, D.D., I. L. Kephart, D.D. Assistant and Associate Editors—Rev. William O. Tobey, A.M., Marion R. Drury, D.D.

2. The Sunday-School Periodicals.

The Sunday-school publications have grown to occupy a large place in the business of the House. Of the six English Sunday-school periodicals now published, the Children's Friend is the oldest, having been begun in 1854, with Bishop David Edwards as editor. The Missionary Visitor was established in 1865, with Rev. D. K. Flickinger, corresponding secretary of the Missionary Society, as editor. In the summer of 1895 this paper was transferred to the Sunday-school department, its name being changed to the Children's Visitor. These have always been semimonthly papers, and together now furnish reading for every Sabbath in the year. They are small folios, and are profusely illustrated. The four periodicals comprising the lesson series—namely, Our Bible Teacher, Our Bible-Lesson Quarterly, Our Intermediate Bible-Lesson Quarterly, and Lessons for the Little Ones—had their origin in the International Sunday-School Lesson movement, beginning with 1873. Lesson Leaves for the Sunday School appeared on the 1st of January of that year, under the editorial management of Rev. D. Berger, and in 1882 developed into the Intermediate Quarterly. Our Bible Teacher was first published in April, 1873, ^p.414 under the same editorial care. The first number of Our Bible-Lesson Quarterly was issued in January, 1879, and Lessons for the Little Ones has been published since April 2, 1876. All of these publications are familiar to the membership of the Church. Their combined circulation in July, 1896, was over three hundred and seventy thousand. The following have been editors of the Sabbath-school literature: Bishop David Edwards, Rev. Alexander Owen, Rev. Solomon Vonnieda, Rev. D. Berger, Dr. J. W. Etter. The associate editors have been Dr. J. W. Etter and Dr. H. A. Thompson.

3. The German Periodicals.

The first German paper issued for the Church was undertaken as a private enterprise by John Russel, in 1840. It was called Die Geschäftige Martha (The Busy Martha), and was printed in Baltimore. In 1841 the General Conference assumed control of the paper, elected Jacob Erb as editor, and appointed three special trustees to take it in charge. Its career closed in one year afterward for want of support. In 1846 the publication was resumed, in Circleville, Ohio, with the name changed to Der Deutsche Teleskop (The German Telescope), and Nehemiah Altman as editor. Three years later it resumed its original name, the Busy Martha. In 1851 the name was once more changed, this time becoming Der Fröhliche Botschafter (The Joyful Messenger). This name is retained to the present. The editors of this paper have been the following: Rev. John Russel, Rev. Jacob Erb, Rev. N. Altman, Rev. David Strickler, Rev. Henry Staub, Rev. Julius Degmeier, Rev. Solomon Vonnieda, Rev. Ezekiel Light, Rev. William Mittendorf. Rev. Edward Lorenz is now in editorial charge.

The Sunday-school periodicals of the German department of the House deserve special mention. The first ^p.415 of these is Der Jugend Pilger (The Youth's Pilgrim), established in 1870. In size and general character it is like the Children's Friend. For four years it was issued as a monthly. Since then it has been a semimonthly. In 1890 was begun the publication of a Sunday-school quarterly, called Sonntagschul-Lectionen. It contains twenty-four pages, with cover. These periodicals have always been under the same editorial care as Der Fröhliche Botschafter.

All of these papers are edited with much ability, and all deserve much larger circulation than is possible with the limited German membership of the Church. Relatively the German portion of the Church gives a far better support to its publications than the English membership does, and for this the Germans are worthy of all praise. Nevertheless, these periodicals have always been issued at a pecuniary loss to the House, the aggregate deficiency from the beginning being upwards of thirty-eight thousand dollars. But they are clearly a necessity to the Church, and their publication must be continued.

4. The Watchword.

With the organization and rapid growth of the Young People's Christian Union there soon began to be felt a need for a periodical devoted especially to that interest. Numerous requests came to the General Conference of May, 1893, for such a publication, and the conference ordered that a paper be published, and elected Rev. H. F. Shupe as its editor. The first number of the Young People's Watchword, now called the Watchword, appeared on September 2 of that year. It is in handsome eight-page form, issued weekly, and well illustrated. It is a bright, cheery, and helpful paper, and is filling admirably an important mission to the Church. It is furnished at the price of one dollar a year.

^p.416 5. Magazine Literature.

About the middle of the century much attention was given in the Church to the subject of personal holiness. It was for the promotion of this object that the Unity Magazine, a monthly magazine, at first called Unity with God, was started, by order of the General Conference of 1853. The first number was issued in November of that year. The subscription list gave slight promise of success, and the scope of the magazine was broadened. But it lived only a little over five years, its career closing with January, 1859. Its first editor was Bishop David Edwards. He was succeeded in 1857 by Rev. Alexander Owen. Each gave to the magazine fine ability and an earnest Christian tone. No attempt was ever made to revive this monthly.

In 1889 the General Conference decided to enter again the field of magazine literature, this time, however, aiming at a publication of a higher character, to be issued quarterly. Accordingly, in January, 1890, the first issue of the Quarterly Review of the United Brethren in Christ, with J. W. Etter, D.D., as its editor, made its appearance. In 1891 Dr. Etter was elected a professor in Union Biblical Seminary, and the work on the Review was shared with him by the other professors in the seminary. The General Conference of 1893 placed the magazine in the care of the professors, but with the last issue of that year its publication was discontinued, by order of the trustees of the House, because of insufficient support. Afterward an organization of ministers was formed, called "The Review Publishing Association," for the purpose of reviving the publication. Dr. G. M. Mathews became its managing editor, giving his service gratuitously, and thus it has continued to live. The Review from the beginning has been under excellent management, and has uniformly maintained a high character.

^p.417 6. Missionary Publications.

Two other publications, both of most excellent character, and both devoted to the missionary work, are issued from the Publishing House, though not by the House' itself. The first of these is the Woman's Evangel, a monthly published by the Woman's Missionary Association, and edited by its officers. The first number appeared in January, 1882. Mrs. L. R. Keister was editor from the beginning until 1893, and Mrs. L. K. Miller associate editor from 1888 to 1893. Upon the resignation of Mrs. Keister in the latter year, Mrs. Miller succeeded as editor.

The second of these publications is the Search Light, also a monthly, published by the Home, Frontier, and Foreign Missionary Society, with the general secretary, William M. Bell, D.D., as editor, and the treasurer, William McKee, D.D., as associate. This paper is very attractive in appearance.

Both of these periodicals are conducted with discriminating zeal and judgment.

VI. BOOK PUBLICATIONS.

An extensive list of books, theological, historical, biographical, and miscellaneous in character, many of them of a high order, have been published by the House. With these are included teachers' Bibles, of which very many thousands, in conjunction with two great publishing houses of another denomination, have been issued.

The first English hymn-book issued by the Publishing House under the order of the General Conference was compiled by H. G. Spayth, in 1849. This was superseded by a greatly improved collection ordered by the conference of 1857, which remained in use until 1873. The later hymn-books published, both for congregational and Sunday-school use, have taken high rank. In 1873 the ^p.418 General Conference ordered the publication of a hymn-book with notes, and a committee was appointed to supervise the work. The preparation of it was committed to Rev. William H. Lanthurn, who, at the time and until his death in 1884, was at the head of the book department. The result was the excellent book entitled "Hymns for the Sanctuary," one of the very best books of its class. Later a demand arose for a smaller book with notes, with more immediate adaptation to revival and the general social services of the Church. The preparation of this work was committed to Rev. Edmund S. Lorenz, A.M., so well known to the Church as a music writer and publisher. And thus the "Otterbein Hymnal," which has proved so justly popular, was given to the Church. Sunday-school song-books of superior character have also from time to time been issued.

For a general view of the book publications of the House, the reader is referred to the "Manual of the United Brethren Publishing House, Historical and Descriptive."

VII. THE PUBLISHING AGENTS.

In the earlier years of the House the editors of the periodicals were also the publishing agents. In 1845 Nehemiah Altman was elected publisher. He held the office for seven years, during one of which, from 1846 to 1847, he was also German editor. Since 1853 the publishing agents have been as follows: 1853 to 1854, Rev. Solomon Vonnieda; a few months in 1854, Rev. Solomon Vonnieda and Henry Kumler, Jun.; 1855 to 1861, Rev. Solomon Vonnieda and Thomas N. Sowers; 1861 to 1864, Thomas N. Sowers and Jacob B. King; 1864 to 1865, Thomas N. Sowers and Rev. William J. Shuey; a few weeks in 1865, Rev. William J. Shuey and Thomas N. Sowers; 1865 to 1866, Revs. William J. Shuey and William McKee; 1866 to the present, Rev. William J. Shuey.

^p.419 For nearly thirty-three years, or more than half the lifetime of the Publishing House, Mr. Shuey has stood at its head as general superintendent and financial manager. He was born in the town of Miamisburg, Ohio, ten miles from Dayton, on February 9, 1827. He was converted and became a member of the United Brethren Church in 1843. He joined the Miami Conference in 1848, and was ordained by Bishop Erb in 1851, entering in the latter year upon the duties of pastor. He served in this relation, and in that of presiding elder, until he entered the Publishing House, with the exception of making a trip to Africa, in company with Revs. D. C. Kumler and D. K. Flickinger, for the purpose of locating a mission. The idea of opening a mission somewhere in Africa was first proposed by him to the Board of Missions, at the session of 1854, and it was especially by his advocacy that the proposition was adopted by the board. He was also the first to suggest to the General Conference, at the session of 1869, the establishing of a central theological seminary for the Church, as will appear in these pages farther on.

Mr. Shuey first entered the House, as has been before stated, in June, 1864, as assistant publishing agent. The manner in which he addressed himself to the situation as then existing commended him to the favor of the General Conference of 1865, and he was elected publishing agent. The wisdom of this choice has been abundantly demonstrated through the years which have followed, and never more so than through the long and wearisome period of litigation, in which, while there were many to bear a portion of the burden, its principal weight, by the necessities of the situation, fell upon him.

In devoting himself to the management of the Publishing House, his life has necessarily been drawn away from the more direct work of the ministry, and, while he has ^p.420 rendered the Church an invaluable service in this particular field, he has always regretted the necessity which separated him from his more immediate chosen life work. His strength in the pulpit, his wisdom as a counselor in the General and annual conferences, and his thorough interest in all that pertains to the growth and success of the Church in all her departments of work, are everywhere recognized.

VIII. SOME OF THE EDITORS.

Of a number of the men who have served in the relation of editors in the House mention has been made elsewhere, as Rhinehart, Hanby, Edwards, Wright, Hott, Russel, Erb, and Altman. Of others a brief mention must be made here.

One of the most popular of the long line was Rev. John Lawrence. Becoming assistant editor of the Religious Telescope in 1850 and editor in 1852, he was regularly elected by the General Conference in 1853, and resigned early in 1864, having served in the office about fourteen years. He became chaplain of a regiment in the War of the Rebellion, and remained afterward in Nashville, Tennessee, where he entered into the practice of law, continuing in that profession until his death, in 1889. He wrote with great fluency, and gave his readers many bright and breezy articles, but disappointed many by his failure to bring the paper to a high literary standard, and often by deficiency in well-matured thought. He wrote much against secret societies and slavery, and published a small volume on each of these subjects. He wrote also a history of the United Brethren Church, a work in which, as to style of writing, he appears at his best.

Rev. William Otterbein Tobey, A.M., was for eight years editorially connected with the Religious Telescope, four ^p.421 years as joint editor with Milton Wright, and four years as assistant with Dr. J. W. Hott. He brought to his work fine abilities as a writer, but sympathized fully with the ultra-radicalism which controlled the Telescope during the first four years of his connection with it.

Dr. Marion R. Drury, born in 1849, a graduate of Western College and Union Biblical Seminary, became assistant editor of the Religious Telescope in 1881, serving eight years in that relation. In 1889 he was regularly elected by the General Conference as associate editor, a relation which he has continued to occupy to the present. He has proved himself as possessing true editorial instincts, is judicious, painstaking, and thorough. He apprehends quickly the salient points of any subject or situation, and rapidly presents to his readers the best things. The fact that he has almost completed four quadrennial terms of service, a longer period than any other person has ever served on the Telescope, is ample proof of his adaptation to editorial work.

Dr. Isaiah L. Kephart, born in 1832, a student in Otterbein University, professor of natural science in Western College, Iowa, in 1871, professor of mental and moral science in San Joaquin Valley College, California, in 1883, president of Westfield College in 1885-89, was elected editor of the Religious Telescope in 1889. Dr. Kephart entered easily upon the duties of an editor. He has succeeded in giving to the paper the high character in thought and type of expression which has commended it so strongly to its readers. During the turbulent years which followed the radical secession he conducted the paper with wisdom and in a manner to be greatly helpful to the Church. He is of cheerful temperament, always hopeful, trusting strongly in God's sovereignty over the affairs of men, and is a safe leader of the hosts of the Church through the medium through which he speaks to them each week.

^p.422 The early editors of the German literature were Russel, Erb, Altman, David Strickler, and Solomon Vonnieda. Mr. Vonnieda was editor for seven years, from 1859 to 1866. Then succeeded Rev. Ezekiel Light, who edited the German literature from 1866 to 1869, and again from 1885 to 1889. He was again elected by the General Conference in 1893, but resigned immediately afterward to assume the chaplaincy of the National Military Home at Dayton. He proved himself a strong thinker and able writer. Dr. Light preferred the position he now occupies as being less confining, while equally laborious. He resides with his family in the pleasant residence provided for the chaplain by the Home government.

Rev. William Mittendorf was elected editor of the German periodicals in 1869, and continued to 1885, a period of sixteen years. He was again elected in 1889, serving to 1893, when, upon Dr. Light's resignation, he was immediately reelected by the board of trustees, and continued until his death, in April, 1895, serving in all nearly twenty-two years as editor, the longest service, with a single exception, of all the editors in the history of the House. Mr. Mittendorf was born in Hanover, Germany, January 30, 1830. He was in high standing in the Ohio German Conference, and was elected a delegate to every General Conference from 1869 to 1893. During his editorial career he translated the essential portions of Lawrence's Church History into the German language, and assisted in compiling the German hymn-book now in use in the Church. He was an earnest and laborious worker, and, like his successor, was plentifully provided with work to do, having the editorial care of Der Fröhliche Botschafter (weekly), the Jugend Pilger (semimonthly), and the Sunday-school lesson quarterly.

Rev. Edward Lorenz, on the death of Mr. Mittendorf, ^p.423 in the spring of 1895, was elected by the board of trustees as editor of the German publications, and entered at once upon the duties of the office. He sustains admirably the literary and religious tone of these periodicals.

In the spring of 1864, John Lawrence having resigned, D. Berger was appointed editor of the Religious Telescope, and was elected by the General Conference of 1865. In 1869 he was chosen editor of the the Sunday-school literature, and continued in this relation until 1893. In the latter year Dr. J. W. Etter was elected, but died in March, 1895. D. Berger was then again chosen, continuing to the present. He has occupied the editorial chair for twenty-six years, during twelve of which he was a member of the International Lesson Committee. In 1893 Dr. H. A. Thompson was elected associate editor, and continues to the present time.

IX. BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

The following trustees were elected by the General Conference of 1893: D. L. Rike, George Miller, D.D., John Dodds, D. W. Crider, Prof. R, J. White, Rev. W. O. Fries, Rev. A. C. Wilmore, E. R. Smith, M.D., and G. M. Mathews, D.D. After the death of D. L. Rike, in 1895, Prof. A. W. Drury was elected to fill the vacancy. Dr. G. M. Mathews is president of the board.

The House, as a whole, is a great hive of activity, employing in its various departments more than a hundred people, sending out annually a vast amount of wholesome literature, and is esteemed as one of the most solid of the business establishments of the flourishing city in which it is located.



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