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History of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Virginia Conference

by A. P. Funkhouser

CHAPTER XIX

BISHOPS, MISSIONARIES AND OTHERS

Twelve bishops of the United Brethren Church have been members of this Conference. Biographical sketches of Otterbein, Boehm, and Newcomer appear in other chapters. Henry Kumler, William Brown, John Russell, and Jacob Erb did not live within the present domain of the Conference. Five others were born in Virginia or lived here. These are Glossbrenner, Markwood, Hiestand, Hott, and Fout.

Jacob John Glossbrenner was born of Lutheran parents at Hagerstown, Maryland, July 24, 1812. His father was killed by an accident when the boy was only seven years old, and the widow and the four children were left in very straitened circumstances. Jacob was apprenticed to a silversmith to learn his trade, but his conversion at the age of seventeen changed the current of his life. A year later he was licensed to exhort in the United Brethren Church. A year later yet,—when he was only nineteen,—he was an itinerant preacher. At this time he looked even more youthful than his years would indicate, and some people wondered what the conference meant by sending out boys to preach. But he felt no doubt as to his call, and his hearers at once found the boy could preach and preach well.

Glossbrenner in 1831 was among the first, if not the very first, of the United Brethren ministers who gave their whole time to the calling, and without having any other means of support. It was still thought by the people that if they fed and lodged the preacher and took care of his horse, they were doing their full part. This enabled him to exist, but in any proper sense of the term it did not permit him to live. Glossbrenner was first put on the Hagerstown circuit and next on the Staunton.

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The house of Christian Shuey, seven miles from Churchville, was his home while on the Staunton circuit. Shuey was noble, wealthy, and generous, and had a room in his house known as the preacher's room. When an itinerant had rested, he left his soiled clothes here, and on his return they were ready to put on again. Mrs. Shuey was a granddaughter of George A. Geeting, one of the three leading founders of the United Brethren Church. She took a great interest in its activities, especially the camp meetings. At this house the young preacher, when not yet twenty-one years of age was married to Maria M., a daughter of the Shueys. The marriage was happy to each of the couple, and Mrs. Glossbrenner often accompanied her husband on his travels. A little earlier the young man had been much inclined to wed one of the Brocks, a sister to the wife of George E. Deneale. But after becoming acquainted with the Shueys he changed his mind. When visiting at the Brock home, some time afterward, he noticed that the object of his earlier attention had a white-handled penknife that he had given her. He asked her to return it, but she replied that wherever the knife went she went. Glossbrenner was glad to say no more on the subject of knives.

When Mr. Glossbrenner was but twenty-two years old he was chosen presiding elder of the Staunton district. He was several times re-elected, and up to the time that he first became a bishop, he had served but four other itinerances,—Shiloh mission, and Frederick, Rockbridge, and Staunton circuits. In 1845 he was a bishop and such he remained for forty years. In 1885 he became bishop emeritus, being continued in all his former relations to the superintendency, but relieved from presiding over conference sessions.

Bishop Glossbrenner was naturally conservative. When he entered the Virginia Conference, there were only four circuits, eight itinerants, and two or three houses of worship. Yet through half a century he kept abreast with the progress of the Church. Every interest and every great enterprise which grew up in these fifty years found in him

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a friend, and though crowned with honor and years he died young in heart. He was a man of retiring modesty, but was a systematic and logical thinker and profound theologian. As a preacher he was bold, fearless, tender-hearted, persuasive, earnest, and eloquent. Though he made conversion a direct aim in his preaching, he was not eminently a revivalist. Reformation and not denunciation was uppermost in his sermons. As a presiding officer he was able, dignified, discreet, and broad-minded. He was also a good parliamentarian.

A younger minister, in giving some reminiscences, remarked that whenever he looked at Glossbrenner, he felt inspired to make a better man of himself. Bishop Hott said that Glossbrenner was unique, that no other man could be like him, and that no person since Otterbein had so strongly impressed himself on the United Brethren Church.

The bishop's fine farm on Middle River was the gift of his father-in-law. In 1855 he removed to a very comfortable home at Churchville. In the opinion of the public he was worth several times the actual inventory of $10,000 and some insurance. During his first year as bishop he received only $36 and his traveling expenses. This stipend was increased to $750 in 1865, and later to twice that amount.

Bishop Glossbrenner died at his home at Churchville, January 7, 1887, at the age of seventy-four. He was of more than medium height. He had black eyes, dark complexion, and regular features. His manner was winning and sincere. By adults he was familiarly known as "Brother Gloss," and by children as "Uncle Gloss." His voice was distinct, ringing, and melodious. His preaching was wholly in English. Even his parents understood but little German. The bishop had three daughters. His only son died in infancy.

Jacob J. Glossbrenner built himself very largely into the history of the Virginia Conference, and more is said of him in other chapters of this book.

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Jacob Markwood was born at Charlestown, West Virginia, December 25, 1818. His brother was a Presbyterian. When thirteen years old, and an apprentice in a woolen factory, he was converted. He soon felt it his duty to preach, and at the age of eighteen was licensed to exhort. A few months later he was placed on Hagerstown circuit. His next field was the South Branch. In 1843 he was a presiding elder, and beginning with 1845 was a delegate to every General Conference. In 1861 he was elected bishop and held this place eight years. As a preacher, Bishop Markwood was fervent and eloquent. He was an indefatigable worker, and one of the most remarkable men the United Brethren Church has produced. In personal appearance he was dark, thin, and wiry, and he was too heedless of his physical welfare. He died at Luray, Virginia in 1873.

James W. Hott, a son of Jacob F. Hott, was born November 15, 1844, was converted at the age of thirteen, and three years later was licensed to preach. In 1862, when but eighteen years old, he entered the Virginia Conference, and was ordained in 1865. During the eleven years that he was a member of the conference, his fields were Winchester, Martinsburg, Woodstock, Churchville, Boonsboro, and Hagerstown. He was very successful, several hundred conversions taking place under his ministry.

In the General Conference of 1869 he was the youngest delegate, being twenty-four years of age. At the next General Conference, of which he was likewise a member, he was chosen treasurer of its Missionary Society. In 1877 he became editor of the Religious Telescope, and held this very important position twelve years. This period was a critical time in the history of the Church, yet he filled the place with great tact and acceptability.

In 1881 Dr. Hott was chosen as a delegate to the Methodist Ecumenical Conference at London. He extended his visit to the Eastern Continent, and his "Journeyings in the Old World" is one of the best books of its kind ever writ-

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ten. In 1889 he was elected bishop and for twelve years he filled this place with credit to himself and the church. In 1894 he made an official visit to the mission fields in Germany and Africa. This seemed to fire his zeal in the cause of missions.

Although Bishop Hott was a self-made man, his was a well-stored and cultured mind, and he was an eloquent speaker. The degree of doctor of divinity was conferred on him by two colleges, and that of doctor of laws by Lane University.

Dr. Hott was recognized within and without his church as an able preacher, strong writer, an efficient presiding officer, and a safe counselor. His superior natural gifts and his positive convictions, sharpened by lifelong study, made him a leader. He was at the front in every movement looking to the good of the Church and the salvation of men. His deep and genuine interest in young people made him a friend of the United Brethren schools and the Christian societies of the young folks. He possessed an unusual personal charm. His conversational power, his urbanity of manner, his warm affability, and his genuine hospitality were attractive elements of his character. His ceaseless toil was remarkable, and undoubtedly contributed to cut him off at what seemed a premature age.

Bishop Hott died January 9, 1902 at the age of fifty-seven years. His first wife was Martha A. Ramey of Frederick County, Virginia. Their children were four. He was married a second time to Marie Shank of Ohio.

Henry H. Fout was born at Maysville, West Virginia, October 18, 1860, being a son of Henry and Susan (Powell) Fout. He was educated at Shenandoah Institute and Union Theological Seminary. He was licensed in 1885, and in this conference served Frederick (Md.), Keedysville, Edinburg, and Williamsport. He then joined the Miami Conference, in which he was a presiding elder. During the next twelve years he was editor of the Sunday school

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papers of the Church, and in 1913 he became a bishop with his residence at Indianapolis, Indiana.

Julius E. Fout, a son of Henry Fout, was born at Maysville, West Virginia, in 1870, and was graduated from Shenandoah Seminary in 1893, in which year he was ordained. His only field in the Virginia Conference territory was Franklin circuit. In the first seven years of his ministry, he received 287 members. After rising to high position in the activities of the Church, Dr. Fout became General Manager of Bonebrake Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio.

Samuel Hiestand, ninth bishop of the United Brethren Church, was born in Page county, Virginia, March 3, 1781. His parents were Moravians. About 1804 he went to Ohio, and through the influence of George Benedum was roused from a backslidden state, becoming associated with him as an evangelist. In 1810 he helped to organize the Miami Conference, the first daughter conference of the Church. He was a faithful itinerant and became bishop in 1833. Bishop Hiestand was a man of estimable social qualities. As an English scholar he was indifferent, but he was well read in the German. He died in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1838.

Zebedee Warner was born in the west of Pendleton county, West Virginia, February 28, 1833, and died in Nebraska, January 24, 1888. He joined the United Brethren Church in 1850. Feeling the need of a better education than he could secure in his native county, he went the following year to the Northwestern Academy at Clarksburg, W. Va. He arrived there without any money, yet he remained one year, earning his board and tuition by manual labor. A student he remained all his life. In 1853 he was licensed as a preacher, and three years later was sent to the extreme west of Virginia. In 1858 he helped to organize the Parkersburg Conference, this being done in Taylor county, and from the very first he was a leader

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in it. In the new conference his first charge was Taylor circuit, which took in parts of five counties. His salary was $100, and out of this he had to pay rent on a little log cabin in the outskirts of Philippi. At times the family faced want. From 1862 to 1869 he was a presiding elder. Whether as pastor or elder, Mr. Warner had very unusual courage and endurance and neglected no duty. He made a specialty of "catching and training" young men. For this purpose he established a theological institute for the benefit of young candidates for the ministry who were without a sufficient education, and he taught this school without compensation. His pastorate at Parkersburg,— 1860 to 1880,—was when it closed the longest known in the history of the Church. He was Missionary Secretary, 1880-87. In 1878 Mr. Warner was made a Doctor of Divinity by Otterbein University. He was one of the greatest pulpit orators in the Church, a great advocate of temperance, and he helped to change the attitude of his Church on the question of secret orders.

Abner Corbin was born in Hampshire county in 1823, but went to Iowa in 1844, where he was soon licensed. About 1848 he was made a frontier missionary. In this capacity his labors were of the most strenuous character. There were times when he could cross a river only by fastening several logs together and making his horse swim. He died in 1862.

John W. Fulkerson was born in Frederick county, Virginia, in 1822, and was still living in 1900. He was a member of the Virginia Conference from 1839 to 1852. In 1856 he went to Minnesota as a missionary, and held his first meeting as such on the site of Eyota. The people on that frontier were living in log cabins, board shacks, and sod houses. What little money they brought with them had been spent in the long winter that followed. Living was very high and potatoes could not be had at any price.

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Snow covered the ground to a depth of five feet. Mr. Fulkerson was a student of human nature and learned to adapt himself to his environments. When he began his ministry, his mother had given him this advice: "John, your rest must be in labor. Greet all with a smile. Make your back fit anybody's bed. By your social life attract the people, and by your religious life save them." The first session of the Minnesota Conference was held in 1857, himself, J. Haney, and two others comprising the preachers. The membership was 247. The first year he had $188.20 from the General Board.

John C. McNamar, born in Virginia in 1779, was the first English-speaking preacher of the United Brethren. He joined the Miami Conference in 1813, and distinguished himself in the home missionary field. Within six more years eight more English-speaking ministers bad joined that conference.

A. S. Sellers was born in Rockingham county in 1808. He was converted at a camp meeting in Harrison county, Indiana, in 1830 and on that very spot preached his first sermon. In 1836 he joined Wabash Conference. Three years later he moved into Iowa, and in that state he "perhaps endured more hardships and made greater sacrifices to build up the Church" than any other missionary. When a presiding elder in 1850, he traveled 900 miles to make one round on his circuit, encountering frequent peril from storm and flood. Up to 1857 he had received only $526.37.

Walton C. Smith was born near Winchester in 1822 and died at Westfield, Illinois in 1905. He went West in 1834 and joined the Wabash Conference in 1848. He was a member of eight General Conferences, and is known as the "Father of Westfield College."



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