TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page

Preface

Contents

List of Illustrations

PART I

GENERAL HISTORY

INTRODUCTORY PERIOD—1752-1774

Preliminary

Ch.1—Philip William Otterbein

Ch.2—Mr. Otterbein in America

Ch.3—Otterbein and Boehm

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

Ch.8—Newcomer and Associates

THIRD PERIOD—1800-1815

Ch.9—The Conferences of 1800

Ch.10—The Conferences of 1801-1814

Ch.11—Friendly Correspondence

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.20—The Church Commission

Ch.21—The Twentieth General Conference—1889

Ch.22—A Period of Litigation

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.5—Colleges and Academies

Ch.6—Union Biblical Seminary

Ch.7—The Board of Education

Ch.8—Sunday-School Work

Ch.9—The Young People's Christian Union

Ch.10—The Board of Trustees of the Church

Ch.11—The Historical Society

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

Bibliography

Appendices

  Confession of Faith

  Publishing House Suit

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:
[Identification of Item]. Available at the United Brethren Historical Center website; http://www.huntington.edu/
ubhc/publications/ebooks/
newcomer/title.htm

History of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ

by Daniel Berger

PART IV

HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL TABLES¹

I. GENERAL OFFICERS.

BISHOPS

^p.637 1800-1813, William Otterbein (died, 1813) and Martin Boehm (died, 1812).

1813-1814, Christian Newcomer.

1814-1815, Christian Newcomer.

1815-1817, Christian Newcomer and Andrew Zeller.

1817-1821, Christian Newcomer and Andrew Zeller.

1821-1825, Christian Newcomer and Joseph Hoffman.

1825-1829, Christian Newcomer and Henry Kumler, Sen.

1829-1833, Christian Newcomer (died, 1830) and Henry Kumler, Sen.

1833-1837, Henry Kumler, Sen., Samuel Hiestand, and William Brown.

1837-1841, Henry Kumler, Sen., Samuel Hiestand (died, 1838), and Jacob Erb.

1841-1845, Henry Kumler, Sen., Jacob Erb, Henry Kumler, Jun., and John Coons.

1845-1849, John Russel, J. J. Glossbrenner, and William Hanby.

1849-1853, J. J. Glossbrenner, Jacob Erb, and David Edwards.

1853-1857, J. J. Glossbrenner, David Edwards, and Lewis Davis.

1857-1861, J. J. Glossbrenner, David Edwards, Lewis Davis, D.D., and John Russel.

1861-1865, J. J. Glossbrenner, David Edwards, Jacob Markwood, Daniel Shuck, and Henry Kumler, Jun.

1865-1869, J. J. Glossbrenner, David Edwards, Jacob Markwood, Jonathan Weaver, and Daniel Shuck.

1869-1873, J. J. Glossbrenner, David Edwards, D.D., Jonathan Weaver, and John Dickson.

1873-1877, J. J. Glossbrenner, David Edwards, D.D. (died, 1876), Jonathan Weaver, D.D., and John Dickson.

1877-1881, J. J. Glossbrenner, Jonathan Weaver, D.D., John Dickson, D.D., Milton Wright, D.D., and Nicholas Castle.

1881-1885, J. J. Glossbrenner, D.D., Jonathan Weaver, D.D., John Dickson, D.D., E. B. Kephart, D.D., and Nicholas Castle.

1885-1889, J. J. Glossbrenner, D.D., Emeritus (died, 1887), Jonathan Weaver, D.D., E. B. Kephart, D.D., N. Castle, J. Dickson, D.D., M. Wright, D.D., D. K. Flickinger, D.D.

1889-1893, Jonathan Weaver, D.D., E. B. Kephart, D.D., LL.D., N. Castle, D.D., J. Dickson, D.D., J. W. Hott, D.D.

1893-1897, Jonathan Weaver, D.D., Emeritus, E. B. Kephart, D.D., LL.D., N. Castle, D.D., J. W. Hott, D.D., LL.D., J. S. Mills, D.D., Ph.D.

^p.638 AGENTS OF THE PUBLISHING HOUSE

Three Trustees—John Russel, Jonathan Dresbach, George Dresbach—and Editor W. R. Rhinehart.................................1834-1837

Rev. Wm. Hanby, Treasurer and Agent..............................1837-1839

Rev. Wm. Hanby, Agent and Editor.....................................1839-1845

Rev. J. Markwood (elected, but did not serve).................1845

Rev. N. Altman.......................................................................1845-1852

Rev. Wm. Hanby....................................................................1852-1853

Rev. S. Vonnieda...................................................................1853-1854

Rev. S. Vonnieda and Rev. H. Kumler, Jun........................1854

Rev. S. Vonnieda and T. N. Sowers....................................1855-1861

T. N. Sowers and J. B. King..................................................1861-1864

T. N. Sowers and Rev. W. J. Shuey......................................1864-1865

Rev. W. J. Shuey and T. N. Sowers......................................1865

Rev. W. J. Shuey and Rev. Wm. McKee.............................1865-1866

Rev. W. J. Shuey....................................................................1866.....

EDITORS OF THE "RELIGIOUS TELESCOPE."

Rev. Wm. Rhinehart..............................................................1834-1839

Rev. Wm. Hanby....................................................................1839-1845

Rev. D. Edwards....................................................................1845-1849

Rev. Wm. Hanby....................................................................1849-1852

Assistant: Rev. John Lawrence........................................1850-1852

Rev. John Lawrence..............................................................1852-1864

Rev. D. Berger........................................................................1864-1869

Rev. M. Wright.......................................................................1869-1873

Assistant: Rev. D. Berger..................................................1869-1873

Rev. M. Wright and Rev. W. O. Tobey, A.M........................1873-1877

Rev. J. W. Hott, D.D...............................................................1877-1889

Assistants: Rev. W. O. Tobey, A.M...................................1877-1881

Rev. M. R. Drury, A.M....................................1881-1889

Rev. I. L. Kephart, D.D..........................................................1889.....

Associate: Rev. M. R. Drury, D.D......................................1889.....

EDITORS OF SABBATH-SCHOOL PERIODICALS.

Bishop D.Edwards.................................................................1854-1857

Rev. Alex. Owen.....................................................................1857-1859

Rev. S. Vonnieda...................................................................1859-1869

Rev. D. Berger, D.D...............................................................1869-1893

Associate: Rev. J. W. Etter, D.D........................................1889-1893

Rev. J. W. Etter, D.D..............................................................1893-1895

Rev. D. Berger, D.D...............................................................1895.....

Associate: Rev. H. A.Thompson, D.D., LL.D....................1893.....

EDITORS OF "UNITY MAGAZINE."

Bishop D. Edwards................................................................1853-1857

Rev. Alex. Owen.....................................................................1857-1859

EDITORS OF "QUARTERLY REVIEW."

Rev. J. W. Etter, D.D..............................................................1889-1893

Associates: Rev. G. A. Funkhouser, D.D.........................1891-1892

Rev. J. P. Landis, D.D., Ph.D.........................1891-1892

Rev. A. W. Drury, D.D.....................................1891-1892

Professors of Union Biblical Seminary..............................1893

Rev. G. M. Mathews, D.D......................................................1894.....

^p.639 EDITOR OF "WATCHWORD."

Rev. H. F. Shupe....................................................................1893.....

EDITORS OF GERMAN PAPERS.

Rev. John Russel (unofficial)...............................................1840-1841

Rev. Jacob Erb.......................................................................1841-1842

Rev. N. Altman.......................................................................1846-1847

Rev. D. Strickler....................................................................1847-1851

Rev. Henry Staub..................................................................1851-1855

Rev. Julius Degmeier............................................................1855-1858

Rev. S. Vonnieda...................................................................1858-1866

Rev. Ezekiel Light..................................................................1866-1869

Rev. William Mittendorf.......................................................1869-1885

Rev. Ezekiel Light..................................................................1885-1889

Rev. William Mittendorf.......................................................1889-1893

Rev. Ezekiel Light, D.D.^2......................................................1893

Rev. William Mittendorf³.....................................................1893-1895

Rev. Edward Lorenz..............................................................1895.....

EDITORS OF " WOMAN'S EVANGEL."

Mrs. L. R. Keister, M.A..........................................................1882-1893

Associate: Mrs. L. K. Miller, M.A.........................................1888-1893

Mrs. L. K. Miller, M.A............................................................1893.....

EDITORS OF "SEARCH LIGHT."

Rev. W. M. Bell, D.D..............................................................1895.....

Associate: Rev. Wm. McKee, D.D.......................................1895.....

SECRETARIES OF THE BOARD OF MISSIONS.

Rev. J. C. Bright......................................................................1853-1857

Rev. D. K. Flickinger, D.D.....................................................1857-1885

(Rev. J. C. Bright acted as secretary for a number of months during 1857 and 1858, but was compelled by declining health to leave the work.)

Rev. Z. Warner, D.D..............................................................1885-1887

Rev. Wm. McKee, Acting Secretary....................................1887-1888

Rev. B. F. Booth, D.D.³.........................................................1888-1893

Rev. W.M. Bell, D.D...............................................................1893.....

TREASURERS OF THE BOARD OF MISSIONS.

Rev. John Kemp....................................................................1853-1869

Rev. Wm. McKee...................................................................1869-1873

Rev. J. W. Hott........................................................................1873-1877

Rev. J. K. Billheimer..............................................................1877-1885

Rev. Wm. McKee, D.D..........................................................1885.....

SECRETARIES OF CHURCH-ERECTION SOCIETY.

Secretaries of Board of Missions.......................................1872-1889

Rev. John Hill².......................................................................1889-1890

Rev. Wm. McKee, Acting Secretary....................................1890-1893

Rev. C. I. B. Brane, A.M.².....................................................1893-1894

Rev. W.M. Weekley...............................................................1895.....

TREASURERS OF CHURCH-ERECTION SOCIETY.

Treasurers of Board of Missions........................................1872.....

^p.640 SECRETARIES OP WOMAN'S MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.

Mrs. L. R. Keister, M.A..........................................................1881-1893

Mrs. B. F. Witt........................................................................1893.....

TREASURERS OF WOMAN'S MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.

Mrs. W. J. Shuey....................................................................1875-1881

Mrs. D. L. Rike.......................................................................1881.....

SECRETARIES OF THE SABBATH-SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.

Rev. I. Crouse.........................................................................1865-1877

Col. Robert Cowden, Lit.D.....................................................1877.....

TREASURERS OF THE SABBATH-SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.

J. B. King.................................................................................1865-1866

Rev. S. Vonnieda...................................................................1866-1880

Rev. W. J. Shuey....................................................................1880.....

GENERAL MANAGER OF UNION BIBLICAL SEMINARY.

Rev. D. R. Miller, D.D............................................................1885.....

SECRETARIES OF BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Rev. H. A. Thompson, D.D....................................................1873-1881

Prof. J. P. Landis, D.D...........................................................1882-1885

Rev. L. Bookwalter, D.D........................................................1886-1894

Prof. S. D. Faust, D.D............................................................1894.....

TREASURERS OF BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Rev. L. Davis, D.D..................................................................1873-1877

Prof. G. A. Funkhouser, D.D.................................................1877.....

SECRETARIES OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHRISTIAN UNION.

Rev. W. A. Dickson................................................................1890-1893

Rev. H. F. Shupe....................................................................1893.....

TREASURERS OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHRISTIAN UNION.

Chester B. Boda....................................................................1890-1892

Z. W. Barnard........................................................................1892.....

SECRETARY OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Prof. A. W. Drury, D.D...........................................................1885.....

LIBRARIANS OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

W. A. Shuey, A.M....................................................................1885-1886

E. L. Shuey, A.M.....................................................................1886-1895

W. A. Shuey, A.M...................................................................1895.....

II. GENERAL CHURCH BOARDS.

Board of Trustees of the Church.

Board of Missions.

Church-Erection Board.

Woman's Missionary Board.

Sunday-School Board.

Trustees of the Publishing House.

Directors of Union Biblical Seminary.

^p.641 Board of Education.

Executive Council of Young People's Christian Union. Board of Managers of Historical Society.

The headquarters of all the general societies of the Church are at Dayton, Ohio.

III. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

Otterbein University—Westerville, Ohio. Founded, 1847.

Western College—Toledo, Iowa. Founded, 1856.

Westfield College—Westfield, Illinois. Founded, 1865.

Lane University—Lecompton, Kansas. Founded, 1865.

Philomath College—Philomath, Oregon. Founded, 1865.

Lebanon Valley College—Annville, Pennsylvania. Founded, 1866.

Avalon College—Avalon, Missouri. Founded as Academy, 1869; as College, 1881.

San Joaquin Valley College—Woodbridge, California. Founded, 1878.

Union College—Buckhannon, W. Va. Founded as Academy, 1883; as College, 1896.

York College—York, Nebraska. Founded, 1890.

Union Biblical Seminary—Theological—Dayton, Ohio. Founded, 1871.

Shenandoah Institute—Dayton, Virginia. Founded, 1876.

Edwards Academy—White Pine, Tennessee. Founded, 1877.

Erie Conference Seminary—Sugar Grove, Warren County, Pa. Founded, 1884.

Rufus Clark and Wife Training School—Shaingay, West Africa. Founded, 1887.

Number of students in the above institutions, 1896, 2,000.

Number of graduates, including 1896, 1,611.

IV. THE CHURCH.

HISTORICAL OUTLINE.

Philip William Otterbein was born in Germany, 1726 ; came to America as a Missionary, 1752; Pastor in Baltimore, 1774 until his death, 1813 ; Bishop in the United Brethren Church, 1800-1813.

Religious Movement under Otterbein and Boehm, 1766-1800.
First Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, 1789.

Church Formally Organized in Frederick County, Maryland, 1800.

First General Conference, Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, 1815.

Confession of Faith Revised and Formally Adopted, 1815.

First Sunday School Organized, in Corydon, Indiana, 1820.

Publishing House Established, at Circleville, Ohio, 1834.

Constitution Adopted, First, 1837 ; Second, 1841.

First College Founded, Otterbein University, 1847.

Home, Frontier, and Foreign Missionary Society Organized, 1853.

Missionary Work in Africa Begun, 1855.

Sunday-School Association Organized, 1865.

Board of Education Organized, 1869.

Church-Erection Society Organized, 1869.

Missionary Work in Germany Begun, 1870.

Union Biblical Seminary Founded, 1871.

Woman's Missionary Association Organized, 1875.

Missionary Work Among the Chinese on Pacific Coast Begun, 1882.

Missionary Work in China Begun, 1889.

Amended Constitution and Revised Confession of Faith Adopted, 1889.

Young People's Christian Union Organized, June 5, 1890.

Mission in Japan Opened, 1895.

Territory Occupied, United States, Canada, and Missions in Germany, Africa, China, and Japan.

^p.642 GROWTH IN MEMBERSHIP.

18134...............10,000	18504.......... 40,000	1880................157,835
18204............... 9,000	18534.......... 47,000	1890................187,123
18354...............20,000	1861.............94,453	1895................233,204
18454...............30,000	1870 ..........118,055	1896................238,782

GENERAL CONFERENCES.

1815—Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania.

1817—Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania.

1821—Mr. Dewalt Mechlin's, Fairfield County, Ohio.

1825—Jacob Shaup's, Tuscarawas County, Ohio.

1829—Mr. Dewalt Mechlin's, Fairfield County, Ohio.

1833—George Dresbach's, Pickaway County, Ohio.

1837—Germantown, Ohio.

1841—Dresbach's Church, Pickaway County, Ohio.

1845—Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio.

1849—Germantown, Ohio.

1853—Miltonville, Ohio.

1857—Cincinnati, Ohio.

1861—Westerville, Ohio.

1865—Western, Iowa.

1869—Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

1873—Dayton, Ohio.

1877—Westfield, Illinois.

1881—Lisbon, Iowa.

1885—Fostoria, Ohio.

1889—York, Pennsylvania.

1893—Dayton, Ohio.

1897—Toledo, Iowa.

ORGANIZATION OF ANNUAL CONFERENCES.

First conference of ministers of the East was held in 1789. A second conference of ministers was held in 1791.

Following these, necessary business was transacted at "big meetings," or on the authority of two or more preachers,—1792-1799.

The original conference in the East was constituted in 1800.

TIME OF ORGANIZATION.

The First Six Conferences were:

Original Conference........................................................................ 1800

Miami................................................................................................ 1810

Muskingum...................................................................................... 1818

Scioto................................................................................................ 1825

Indiana.............................................................................................. 1830

Pennsylvania and Virginia conferences made separate.......... 1831

Allegheny.......................................................................................... 1839

Arkansas Valley............................................................................... 1881

Auglaize (first called Maumee)..................................................... 1853

California.......................................................................................... 1864

Central Illinois.................................................................................. 1865

Central Ohio..................................................................................... 1878

^p.643 Chickamauga......................................................................... 1896

Colorado........................................................................................... 1872

Columbia River (first called Cascade, then Walla Walla).............................................................................................................. 1865

Dakota (now not a separate conference)................................... 1871

Des Moines...................................................................................... 1861

East German.................................................................................... 1870

East Nebraska................................................................................. 1873

East Ohio (by union of Muskingum and Western Reserve).............................................................................................................. 1886

East Pennsylvania........................................................................... 1847

Elkhorn (now not a separate conference).................................. 1882

Elkhorn and Dakota united........................................................... 1885

Erie.................................................................................................... 1853

Fox River (now not a separate conference)................................ 1861

Germany........................................................................................... 1879

Hagerstown (the original conference, no longer distinctly preserved)........................................................................................... 1800

Illinois................................................................................................ 1845

Indiana.............................................................................................. 1830

Iowa................................................................................................... 1845

Kansas.............................................................................................. 1857

Kentucky.......................................................................................... 1850

Lower Wabash (by division of Wabash)....................................... 1858

Maryland.......................................................................................... 1887

Miami................................................................................................ 1810

Michigan (first called North Michigan)........................................ 1862

Minnesota........................................................................................ 1857

Missouri............................................................................................ 1858

Muskingum (part of East Ohio)..................................................... 1818

Neosho............................................................................................. 1870

North Michigan (first called Saginaw).......................................... 1877

North Ohio (first called Michigan)................................................ 1853

Northwest Kansas (first called West Kansas)............................ 1879

Ohio German................................................................................... 1853

Ontario (first called Canada)......................................................... 1856

Oregon.............................................................................................. 1855

Parkersburg..................................................................................... 1858

Pennsylvania (by division of Hagerstown Conference)............. 1831

Rock River........................................................................................ 1853

St. Joseph......................................................................................... 1846

Sandusky.......................................................................................... 1834

Scioto................................................................................................ 1825

Sherbro............................................................................................. 1884

Southern Missouri (first called Southwest Missouri)................ 1881

Southwest Kansas.......................................................................... 1893

Tennessee........................................................................................ 1866

Tennessee River............................................................................. 1896

Upper Wabash (by division of Wabash)....................................... 1858

Virginia (by division of Hagerstown Conference)....................... 1831

Wabash (no longer distinctly preserved).................................... 1835

West Nebraska................................................................................ 1878

Western Reserve (part of East Ohio)........................................... 1853

White River....................................................................................... 1846

Wisconsin......................................................................................... 1858

^p.644 STATISTICS FOR 1896,

¹ Estimates, supplied by Prof. A. W. Drury, D.D,  ²Not published.  ³ Including presiding elders' salaries and presents.

^p.649 STATISTICS OF UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH AS GIVEN BY
CENSUS OF 1890, BY STATES

SUMMARY OF CHURCH PROPERTY.

Value of Churches5		$5,197,159 00
Value of Parsonages5		583,089 00
Publishing House, Assets6		378,260 90
Missionary Society6—
Permanent Fund	$92,048 36
Mission Property	55,000 00
	$147,048 36
Deduct property reported as churches	46,783 00
		100,265 36
Church-Erection Society, Permanent Fund6		48,000 00
Woman's Missionary Association, Property6	$33,400 00
Deduct property reported as churches	9,000 00
		24,400 00
Educational Institutions5—
Buildings and Grounds	$435,320 00
Endowment	313,643 00
Contingent Assets	191,865 00
Libraries	16,250 00
Cabinets and Apparatus	14,450 00
		971,528 00
		$7,302,702 26

^p.650 SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

1.	Church Originated	1766-1800
2.	First Known Sunday School, near Corydon, Indiana	1820
3.	First Sunday School in Otterbein's Church, Baltimore, Maryland	1827
4.	First Sunday-School Song Book, Words Only	1842
5.	First Mention of "Sabbath-School" in Book of Discipline	1849
6.	First Children's Paper Published	1854
7.	First Organization of Sunday-School Board of Managers	1865
8.	First Notes on International Sunday-School Lessons, at Comrnencement of System, January	1873
9.	First Sunday-School Song Book with Music	1873
10.	First Sunday-School Library Published	1874
11.	First Sunday-School Normal Class, at Galion, Ohio	1876
12.	First Sunday-School Normal Institute, Chautauqua Method, Arcanum, Ohio, October	1877
13.	First Children's Day, July 4	1880
14.	First Sunday-School Assembly, Lisbon, Iowa, August	1880
15.	Organization of Home Reading Circle	1881
16.	Organization of Bible Normal Union, October 19	1886
17.	Adoption of Plan of Annual Examination on International Sunday-School Lessons, April	1890
18.	General Movement Toward Introduction of Home Department in Sunday School, September 14	1891

STATISTICAL

Number in Sunday Schools—

1865	78,099		1885	194,758
1870	128,842		1890	245,447
1875	160,900		1895	286,428
1880	185,960		1896	290,861

 

Chautauqua Normal Union, 1874-1884	500
Assembly Normal Union, January 1, 1884,-October 19, 1886	524
Bible Normal Union, October 19, 1886,-April 24, 1893	3,624

ORDINATION OF BISHOPS.⁷

¹The following tables are compiled chiefly from the "Handbook of the United Brethren in Christ," by E. L. Shuey, A.M., and from the United Brethren Year-Books.

²Resigned

³Died

⁴Estimated

⁵1896

⁶1897

⁷See article on "Ordination in the United Brethren Church," by Dr. A. W. Drury, in the United Brethren Quarterly Review, Vol. V., pp. 281, 282.

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