USA > Illinois > Brethren in northern Illinois and Wisconsin > Part 12
USA > Wisconsin > Brethren in northern Illinois and Wisconsin > Part 12
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Mission Board-Board of Administration
Brethren ministers did not a small amount of mission work in Illinois and Wisconsin during the period from 1860 to 1880, under their own initiative and at their personal expense. We of today may censure the laity for allowing such a condition to arise and prevail, but the preachers of those days would not have had it otherwise. Their many sermons against a salaried ministry apparently took deeper root in the membership than their earnest appeals that every member should consecrate him- self and all that he has to the Lord's cause. However, there developed a feeling in the hearts of many that a better system should prevail.
The question of a better system of visiting the Wisconsin churches came before the district meeting at Waddams Grove in 1871. Then and there "it was decided that Martin Myers and Joseph C. Lahman should go the first time (June 25) and David E. Price and David Miller in the fall, and John Rowland be treasurer." The district was waking up. Preachers' expenses were to be paid by the several congregations through funds se- cured and disbursed through a district treasurer. That was a much greater step at that time than most of us can appreciate today.
To the south of Lee County are Bureau, Putnam and Mar- shall counties where the ministers had been doing some preach- ing. This field was known as the "southern mission" in Illinois. In 1875 district meeting was held at Pine Creek. The question of sending four ministers, two at a time, was discussed. Here we see the democratic spirit of the Church of the Brethren. The matter was deferred for one year but in the meantime it was to be presented to the local congregations for their information. Here is an early resort to the referendum. The district meeting of 1876 decided to send ministers to the southern mission every four weeks and that their expenses should be fully paid. This did not prove satisfactory, partly because of lack of funds, and partly because there was no organized church in the territory, the preaching being largely in schoolhouses.
District meeting of 1877 renewed its efforts to promote the cause in the southern field. Lemuel Hillery was assigned to give his time to preaching, and, if he found it necessary, to call
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others to his aid. However, the small and scattered membership and the lack of funds proved a serious handicap to any marked success. But at the home base an advanced step was taken. The district meeting of 1878 again discussed fully what could and what should be done. John Wales, John M. Price and M. M. Eshelman were appointed to apportion the needed funds among the churches. This method secured more money but did not meet conditions. John Rowland resigned as treasurer and his son, Collin P., was appointed in his stead.
In the meantime the Danish mission was reacting on the individual congregations. At the time of the fall love feast at Yellow Creek the elders present, after consultation, decided to call a special district meeting to be held at Lanark, December 3, 1878. They desired to do their utmost to discover some plan for more aggressive and effective district mission work. Two days were spent in an earnest endeavor to form that plan. It was at this meeting that the district mission board was born. The appointees on this board were John Wales, John W. Price, Samuel R. Riddlesbarger, Joshua Slifer and Benjamin Swingley -not one minister among them. J. H. Moore championed the thesis that this was work that belonged especially to the deacon body. These men were reappointed annually until 1882 when John Wales was succeeded by C. P. Rowland. From this date on the appointments were made for five-year periods. Only deacons served on this board until 1890 when C. P. Rowland was called to the ministry. He was continued on the board and did much of the mission work in Wisconsin till near the end of the century when an indiscrete step took him from the field. This new board of deacons determined the funds needed, appor- tioned them among the congregations, collected and disbursed the same. Do not forget that as yet there was no General Mis- sion Board for the Church of the Brethren when this district board was appointed.
Consider now how missions were carried on in Wisconsin in those days. One or two ministers would go in where there were already a few members, preach for them, baptize those who were won, organize a congregation, elect the necessary officers- among them a minister and a deacon or two-and set them on their way to carry on for themselves. Once or twice a year a minister would follow up with a short stay among the new con-
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gregation. Not strange that this loose method sometimes led to an early failure. The lack of experience and the scant super- vision could hardly be expected to bring results that would be lasting. When, however, some strong local leader was on the ground there was a different end.
In 1903 the Lanark church asked district meeting to take steps to reorganize the mission board and its work. District meeting responded by appointing D. L. Miller, I. B. Trout and John Heckman as a committee to study the problems involved and report the following year. The committee asked John Heck- man to go on the field, mostly Wisconsin, make a survey, and study methods, needs and possibilities. Two years were devoted to this study. The committee reported to district meeting of 1905 by presenting a constitution and by-laws for a mission board of five members composed of both officials and laymen. This plan remained in operation until 1927 when the present unified board of administration was authorized.
The board of administration, often spoken of as the unified board, combines the work of several boards. While the original idea was that there should be only one board we do have three other organizations that have their committees or boards, and four if we include the Trustees of the Brethren Home, who have never been a part of the board of administration. These boards are: Council of Women's Work, Council of Men's Work, and B. Y. P. D. Cabinet. As listed for 1940-41 the board proper consists of thirteen members with the addition of one director for each of the following organizations: adult, youth, intermediate, and children. The field secretary also should be listed. By this ar- rangement none need be neglected. Our district was one of the first to adopt the one board idea. The assessment to the churches for 1940-41 was set at $3,285, which is less than it was not so many years ago. However, the money handled by the treasurer exceeds $5,000 annually.
Beyond the Seas
The district has had a very vital part in leading the Church of the Brethren beyond the boundless deep in mission activity. Mission effort outside the United States goes back to November 12, 1875, when a special district meeting was held at Cherry
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Grove to consider sending Christian Hope back to Denmark to preach the gospel. We should remember that date as a golden milestone in Brethren missionary endeavor. Today it may not seem so wonderful, but to the men of that time it marked the beginning of a new epoch. The district was enthusiastic and overwhelmingly supported the effort. The figures presented suggested about $800 a year to support the Hope family and $2,000 to send the deputation. Besides these amounts were the expenses of taking the Hopes to Denmark. But these figures did not stagger the district.
When, however, the project was presented to Annual Con- ference there was a different setting. The moderator opposed, and many supported his position. Here was something new. Northern Illinois stepped over the territory of a number of state districts and was carrying on church work in territory that was not its own. The expense of a mission in Denmark would be great, said some, too great for the church. Others said that this mission was sure to raise problems that would lead to serious troubles. At the root of the opposition was this: the objectors did not believe in missions. So strong were the protests that Enoch Eby, delegate from the district, withdrew the paper and it does not appear on the minutes. One must go to the Full Report for the discussion. The following year, 1877, Annual Meeting approved lifting an offering for the Danish mission "while in session." Conference of 1878 said the mission should be under the care of Northern Illinois but that it was the duty of the whole church to give financial support. The Conference of 1879 suggested that each of the 400 congregations pay two dol- lars yearly, the weaker ones less, the stronger ones more, to- wards the support of the Danish mission. At that time $800 was supposed to be sufficient to carry on the work. Sad to say, the congregations as a whole did not respond more than fifty per cent. But mission interest was growing and in 1880 Conference was ready for a General Mission Board. The Danish mission had led the way.
Conference of 1885 provided for the Brethren's Book and Tract Committee. For the germs that led to this committee we go back to the harness shop of Christian Hope in Lanark. Once as he and M. M. Eshelman were discussing the need of print- ing and distributing tracts in Denmark Eshelman said, "I will
.
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give twenty-five cents to start a fund for that purpose." Hope said he would do likewise. This was reported in the Pilgrim and in a short time the sum of $400 was secured. Those were days when a few individuals, congregations and districts took the lead and started something. They did not wait to have it handed down to them from above as we do now with our many boards, committees, secretaries, fieldmen and specialists. It is to the credit of our district that it had men who could lead and congregations that followed.
It was a big step in advance when in December of 1878 at a two-day special district meeting held at Lanark in the interests of missions a mission board of five deacons was appointed to handle district mission funds. That board and the Danish mission were both forerunners of the General Mission Board of today. In these several beginnings that have been noted one is impressed with the small beginnings and the large results.
Among those who did much to develop mission sentiment in the district should be named Enoch Eby, J. G. Royer and D. L. Miller. For nine years Eby was a member of the General Mis- sion Board and was its first chairman. Royer as head of Mount Morris College for twenty years turned many young people to- wards the mission field. Miller in his writings, world travels and thirty-seven years on the Mission Board, and long its chair- man, wielded a mighty influence. Nor can we pass by the work of Galen B. Royer, J. H. Moore, J. H. B. Williams, Charles D. Bonsack and H. Spenser Minnich, mission secretaries and edi- tors whose influence in the district has not been small.
If one were to name the men and women who have gone to the foreign field, one would soon discover that very many of them received at least part of their inspiration through influ- ences centering in our district. Three centers for this inspira- tion might be mentioned: publishing and board interests, Mount Morris College and Bethany Biblical Seminary. After eliminat- ing all other names it seems that the following, either because they were born in this district or because they resided here for some time, should properly be considered as going to the mis- sion field from our territory: Christian Hope, Wilbur B. and Mary Emmert Stover, D. L. Forney, B. F. Heckman, A. R. and Laura Cottrell, Kathren Barkdoll Garner, Quincy A. and Kath-
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ren Royer Holsopple, B. F. Summer, Ruth Royer Kulp, Clarence Heckman, Mae Wolf Miller and Joe W. Bowers.
In stressing the missionary labors and laborers beyond the seas we do not in any way mean to forget or underestimate the equally sacrificial labors of those consecrated men and women who have labored in home territory where the work was hard, and the sacrifices great, and where often the worker was unrec- ognized and unrewarded as compared with those who went to distant lands. Present and future generations will do well to emulate those who have gone before in fulfilling the great com- mission of the Master.
Annual Meetings
Four times has Annual Meeting been held in our district: 1856 near Lena: 1865 at the Emmert church house (Franklin Grove); 1880 at Lanark; and 1898 near Naperville. We note a few items of interest concerning each of these meetings.
One must marvel at the courage of the four congregations in Illinois that asked for the meeting of 1856, as there were prob- ably not more than four hundred members at that time. There was one congregation in Wisconsin but it did not participate. In 1854 Christian Long and Joseph Emmert were on Standing Committee. Through Joseph Emmert and Samuel Garber An- nual Meeting was invited to Illinois for 1856. Next year Daniel Fry was the delegate and at his request the meeting was granted to Illinois. How the original request came about is not known. The new Illinois Central Railroad brought the folks from Chi- cago to Lena. The house, barn and tent dining hall on the Michael Reber farm will long be remembered as the place of meeting. And so will the rain, cold, storm and mud that pre- vailed from Sunday night on. Henry Kurtz reported in the Gospel Visitor that he had attended more than twenty-five meetings but at none was the weather so unfavorable as at this one. Lodging and meals were free. The total cost of the meeting was $881.58. The four churches provided the funds and had left a balance of $183. Of course there must have been much free la- bor and many donations of provisions.
The crowd began gathering on Saturday. Preaching pre- vailed on Sunday and at other times. On Monday morning
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Standing Committee was appointed by Daniel Fry, elder of Yellow Creek. At that time the elder of the congregation in which Annual Meeting convened regularly appointed Standing Committee. The different states represented were duly recog- nized. Standing Committee numbered twelve, Henry Kurtz being the clerk. The thirty-eight items of business were as- signed to ten subcommittees. On Tuesday morning the business session opened. We note three items of business:
1. Annual Meeting of 1854 had appointed a committee of eleven to attempt a reconciliation of the Far-Western Brethren, of whom George Wolfe was the leader, with the main body of the church. Seven of the committee brought a report that ef- fected the reconciliation. Wolfe was present and after the meeting preached in some of the churches.
2. Permission was granted for several congregations to unite and hold district meetings. The following spring the four churches met in their first district meeting.
3. The church in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, asked that James Quinter be ordained elder at Annual Meeting. This was the year in which he was moving to Ohio to begin his work as assistant editor of the Gospel Visitor. Because he was not pres- ent two Ohio elders were appointed to attend to the matter.
Illinois had asked for the Annual Meeting of 1866. In those days requests were often made for the meeting two or three years ahead. The Meeting of 1864 had granted the Annual Meeting for 1865 to the Antietam congregation of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, "the Lord willing." The old Brethren usually made their appointments even for Sunday services, "the Lord willing." War conditions suggested the wisdom of not meeting with the Antietam congregation. Rock River congre- gation met in council on December 10, 1864, and set the time of Annual Meeting for June 4. Apparently it had been arranged to shift the meeting to Illinois for 1865 and thus cancel the re- quest for 1866. The committee of arrangements was Andrew Dierdorff, Samuel Lehman, Levi Raffensbarger and Isaac Her- shey. Nicholas Weaver of Lena was chief cook. Jacob Lichty and Eli Miller managed the restaurant. The weather was op- pressively hot. Susan Barkman never forgot how "the butter just ran."
The close of the war and the assassination of President Lin-
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coln left their impression on this Annual Meeting. P. R. Wrights- man from Tennessee and B. F. Moomaw from Virginia gave pathetic pictures of the after-war conditions in the South. During the sessions collections were taken to relieve the suffer- ers and definite arrangements were made to receive and disburse relief funds through Daniel P. Saylor in the succeeding months. Later statements showed that $7,789.68 was disbursed. It was at this meeting that Daniel P. Saylor, close friend of Lincoln, said publicly, "I have often prayed God that what he could not do otherwise he should do at the mouth of the cannon."
The meeting opened with preaching on Saturday evening. On Sunday services were held in several places on the grounds and at numerous points near by. A unique feature was preach- ing in the south end of the tent by James Quinter and in the north end by Henry Kurtz; presumably Kurtz preached in Ger- man. On Monday morning Andrew Dierdorff, elder of the local congregation, appointed the thirteen members of Standing Com- mittee. Henry D. Davy was moderator and James Quinter clerk. Fifty-seven items of business were on the docket. These were assigned to sixteen subcommittees. Among the items of business considered were these: voting; what should be done with members who join the army; how to deal with those who voted for secession, those who uphold the South, and those who speak against officers, especially against Lincoln; whether An- nual Meeting makes laws or gives advice. It was at this meet- ing that William C. Thurman was deposed from the ministry because of his preaching and writing on certain subjects.
When Annual Meeting of 1879, held at Broadway, Virginia, adjourned there was no request for the next meeting. Districts hesitated to incur the expense as everything was free. That meeting had, however, made this concession: brethren were to pay one dollar for their meals during the meeting; sisters were at liberty to do as they saw fit about paying for meals. The Missionary Committee of Northern Illinois took the initiative to sound out the district on calling for the meeting of 1880. Meeting with a favorable response the committee set August 26 as the time for a special district meeting with the Pine Creek congregation. A locating committee appointed chose Lanark as the place. Enoch Eby, Edmund Forney, J. H. Moore, Joseph C. Lahman and Daniel M. Miller were appointed as the committee
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of arrangements. The sum of $2,000 was asked for and appor- tioned among the churches. Annual Meeting of 1879 in Vir- ginia had cost $3,119.35; of 1878 in Indiana, $3,854.81. The total cost of 1880 was $2,966.10; total receipts, $1,989.43; deficit, $976 .- 67, which was made up by the congregations.
Officers of this meeting were: Enoch Eby, moderator, James Quinter, writing clerk; John Wise, reading clerk. Standing Committee numbered twenty-five. Seventeen special commit- tees were appointed to adjust certain problems throughout the brotherhood. Among the main matters considered were these: revising the rule of "unanimous consent, greater missionary activity, Old Order Remonstrance, proper limits to the work of committees, and the Danish mission. Outstanding was the ap- pointment of the first General Mission Board.
Because there was not general satisfaction in the charges for meals two new provisions were made: sisters and their special friends should pay fifty cents for a season meal ticket, and there should also be single meal tickets at fifteen cents each. On the last night of the meeting the tent was blown down so the final session was held in the Lanark meetinghouse on Friday morning. When Conference adjourned there was again no call for the next meeting. Brethren were not so ready to handle Annual Meeting then as now. But all this has changed. Each of the five regions eagerly awaits its turn.
When Annual Meeting of 1897 adjourned there were four calls for 1898 and two for 1899. The meeting of 1898 was granted to Northern Illinois. A special district meeting in Polo ap- pointed as a committee of arrangements D. L. Miller, I. B. Trout, P. R. Keltner, John Heckman, David B. Eby, Franklin Myers and C. P. Rowland. Through the influence of the Burlington Railway the meeting was located in Burlington Park near Na- perville. The location would have been fine in dry and warm weather but because of the heavy rains and the low tempera- ture there was general dissatisfaction. The tents for sleeping quarters proved unsatisfactory. Then, too, the meals were fur- nished by a Chicago firm and proved not the best. All neces- sary buildings were on the grounds except the auditorium, which the committee had to erect. The district set aside $1,000 for expenses, of which only the half was needed.
Besides the regular reports there were six items of unfin-
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ished business and fifteen new items, of which important ones were:
1. Support of disabled missionaries.
2. A more consistent ruling and practice in the matter of dress.
3. Revision of the Minutes as about half had become obso- lete.
4. Consideration of the constitution and by-laws of the His- torical Society.
5. Authorization of district Sunday-school secretaries.
6. A new publication was authorized which resulted in the Pilot in 1899-name changed to Inglenook in 1900.
This sketch of the four Annual Meetings held in the district reminds us that each one made some valuable contributions to the church in a very broad sense.
District Meeting
The Church of the Brethren is built on the fellowship idea. There is the individual, the family, the congregation, the district and the brotherhood. For administrative purposes we have the local council meeting, the district meeting and the Annual Meet- ing. Even the least of the members may have access to these organizations, if he can show that he has a worthy cause.
The district meeting was first sanctioned by the Annual Meet- ing held at Waddams Grove in 1856. The request came from Virginia and permission was granted for several congregations to meet and consider matters vital to the congregations assem- bled. It seems that the council in Virginia that sent the request to Conference had been considering mission matters. It should be noted that the special district meeting held at Cherry Grove in 1875 and the one held at Lanark in 1878 both dealt with the problem of missions. This has always given the district meeting a mission flavor.
Northern Illinois held its first district meeting at West Branch when the four congregations-Arnold's Grove, Rock River, Pine Creek and Yellow Creek-met in a "big council" at West Branch in 1857, the year after Annual Meeting granted the privilege of holding such a meeting. Fortunately we have in our district
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minutes of these meetings from 1860 to the present. Not all dis- tricts are so fortunate. For these early records we are greatly indebted to John J. Emmert and Allen Boyer. At first there was serious objection by Annual Meeting to the keeping of records of district meetings. It was felt that the business should be of less importance than the business transacted at Annual Meet- ing. To keep a strict record might give the decisions of district meeting a standing equal to those of Annual Meeting. Gradu- ally this opposition disappeared and for years the minutes of the districts have been printed and preserved.
The times of holding our district meetings have changed. Originally they were held in the spring time; now in the fall. We changed to fall as the more desirable, and to Labor Day so as to reach teachers and students. Our plan calls for a combina- tion of one general meeting at which not only the business ses- sions of the district meeting are held but also those sessions that deal with the various activities. This seems to give general sat- isfaction. Our district was a leader in electing the moderator a year in advance, in selecting the secretary for a period of three years and in allowing him to be re-elected and in adopting the one board idea.
For a long time entertainment was furnished free by the congregation with which the meeting assembled, but now a nom- inal fee is charged for meals, though lodging is still free. When it was decided to charge, Franklin Grove raised the question whether a congregation must make this charge. This was left optional but it did not take long to satisfy all of the wisdom of the present plan.
Discussion at district meeting is open to all, but the voting is confined to the delegate body. Congregations with a member- ship of two hundred or less are entitled to two delegates; those having more than two hundred members may have one addi- tional delegate for each two hundred members. Few of the congregations avail themselves of this provision for more than two delegates. There are no restrictions as to age or sex for the delegate body.
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