USA > Illinois > Brethren in northern Illinois and Wisconsin > Part 13
USA > Wisconsin > Brethren in northern Illinois and Wisconsin > Part 13
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District meeting arouses interest, co-ordinates activities, cre- ates unanimity of sentiment, cultivates sociability, deepens spir- ituality and makes for a more helpful fellowship, both of indi- viduals and congregations.
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Mount Morris College
The period from 1852 to 1874 witnessed nine attempts to found Brethren schools, but all failed. Following this period came what we know as Juniata College (1876), Ashland College (1879), Mount Morris College (1879) and Bridgewater College (1880). Slowly the Brethren were learning how not to start schools, even though they had not fully learned how to start them. Our interests center in Mount Morris College, first known as Mount Morris Seminary and Collegiate Institute, which wielded a mighty influence in the church from 1879 to 1932.
For the founding of this college we are indebted to Melchor S. Newcomer, a farmer-preacher with limited education, who felt the need of an institution of learning for Brethren young people. He also viewed a school as a business investment. Rock River Seminary, founded in 1839 by the Methodist Church as a training school in the far West, had closed its doors. The build- ings and grounds had fallen into the hands of Robert R. Hitt, who was eager to dispose of the same. Newcomer purchased the plant for $6,000, at the same time taking one half the stock in his own name while friends of J. W. Stein, who had come to the Brethren from the Baptist Church, raised $3,000 and pre- sented a half interest to him. Seven thousand dollars was secured to rehabilitate the plant, and new stock was issued for the same. Officers of the organization were: J. W. Stein, pres- ident: D. L. Miller, secretary and manager; Melchor S. New- comer, treasurer. The college stressed the distinctive teachings of the Church of the Brethren. Even teachers who were not members of the church were required to dress in the "order." Of the six main teachers during the first year only Stein and Mattie A. Lear were members of the Church of the Brethren. Added to these six were a teacher of vocal music (no musical in- strument was allowed in the buildings) and a teacher of the primary department.
School opened August 20, 1879, with sixty-five students present the first day. The total enrollment for the first year was two hundred five. For the second year the catalogue an- nounced the opening date as August 25 and the closing date as June 27. That was a long school year. The year was long, but the expenses were low. Tuition was $30 per year, and board,
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tuition and furnished room only $125. Though the school was founded for the Brethren very few students were members of that church. In fact, young people in the church were not nu- merous. Amanda, daughter of Eld. John Forney, was the first student to unite with the church. As the years advanced fre- quent revivals brought large numbers of the students into church fellowship.
The college suffered a severe blow during its second year when the president disappeared, announcing that he was taking an extended trip to Europe. In reality he left his family and the college and took with him a young girl who had been reared in his home. Discouraged, the management took its problems to the ministers of Northern Illinois. When put to a test all the ministers, except J. H. Moore and D. M. Miller, voted to close the school. The school, however, went on under D. L. Miller's leadership. S. Z. Sharp was called in and became chairman of the faculty. Miller went to Europe and in his absence the col- lege accumulated a debt that raised new problems. The out- look was discouraging.
As day follows night, so a brighter day was ahead. There was at this time an educator who was in charge of the public schools of Monticello, Indiana. Should you step into the schools of that city you would see on the wall a picture of one whom the people of the community refuse to forget. That man is J. G. Royer, a born teacher, who contributed much not only to Mount Morris College, but to the Church of the Brethren and the world at large. In 1884 he severed his connection with the Monti- cello schools, brought his family to Mount Morris, took charge and for twenty years as president piloted the institution. Dur. ing those twenty years the school had its largest enrollment and drew students from its widest territory. It is no exaggera- tion to say that J. G. Royer was the greatest teacher and pres- ident the college ever had. During his administration the trus- tees leased the property to him and he became responsible for the finances. Among others associated with him in the man- agement from time to time were E. S. Young, S. S. Young, Galen B. Royer, Grant Mahan and A. L. Clair. During that period the work was confined largely to the academy, business, Bible, music and art departments. But work of a higher grade was offered. The seminary course, which offered two years of
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college grade and would now be rated as junior college work, flourished from 1890 and later grew into a full college course.
President Royer was not a great financier. Better than that, he knew how to make small means go great lengths. Never extravagant in his personal expenditures, he knew how to han- dle other funds wisely. His own sacrifices led others to open their purses and help when he presented to them the needs of the college and showed them what he was trying to do for the student body. While he welcomed the gifts of those who could give in large figures, he was not blind to the value of small gifts from many donors. Among the larger donors to the college should be mentioned John Lahman, Clarence Lahman, Joseph Amick and D. L. Miller. There were years when under his management Royer fared fairly well; there were others when his financial returns were very meager. In the school year of 1903-1904 he resigned as president and closed his work of twenty years with an enviable record. There was in him that happy mingling of the characteristics of schoolman and churchman which enabled him to win church folks for the school and school folks for the church. And that was sorely needed in his day.
The third president was J. E. Miller, who served for the eleven years, 1904-1915. The trustees were still married to the idea of leasing the college to a group of teachers who became responsible for the financial as well as the educational man- agement of the institution. Associated with the new president as managers were at first N. J. Miller, D. D. Culler, George W. Furrey and M. W. Emmert. During the years N. J. Miller and Furrey resigned and M. M. Sherrick and Ira R. Hendrickson were added to the management. Among the changes noted were these: shifting to full college course, greater freedom in electives, emphasis on rural life by the introduction of agricul- ture and home economics, some recognition of athletics, erec- tion of a gymnasium in 1908, the rebuilding of Old Sandstone after the fire of January 15, 1912, the addition of the men's dor- mitory and a central heating plant, and the passing of owner- ship and control from individuals to church districts.
In 1915 John S. Noffsinger became president and continued in office for three years. Two outstanding movements during this period were the successful campaign to increase the endowment fund and the entry into actual farm operations in furthering the
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interests of agriculture. Because the latter did not prove profit- able the farm was sold and operations of experimental agricul- ture were discontinued.
From 1879 to 1915 three men served as president of the col- lege. In the last seventeen years of the institution the follow- ing filled that position: J. S. Noffsinger, 1915-1918; L. S. Shively, 1918-1921; A. J. Brumbaugh, 1921-1925; W. W. Peters, 1925-1928; O. W. Neher, 1928-1929; C. Ernest Davis, 1929-1932.
These frequent changes reflected unsettled conditions and were prophetic of future changes. Some chief reasons that led to the closing of the college in 1932 were these: In Indiana Man- chester College had come on the scene. To the west McPherson College appealed for students. Both these colleges drew from territory that formerly had furnished many students for Mount Morris. This left Mount Morris with Illinois and Iowa as its legitimate territory. The limited territory with its small church membership was not sufficient to support a senior college of rec- ognized standing. Annual Conference of 1923 appointed a com- mission of seven to survey the educational needs and possibili- ties of the church. J. S. Noffsinger made a thorough investiga- tion, of which one conclusion was that there were too many colleges for the church to maintain. Sentiment for fewer col- leges continued to grow. Each school had its individual sup- porters. No one was eager to close any school, but even the most enthusiastic saw the writing on the wall. The outcome was the passing of Blue Ridge and Mount Morris.
The destructive fire of 1931 suggested closing the college, but many felt that another attempt should be made to carry on. Not until the state districts felt it necessary to close did the trustees make their final decision. Fortunately the fire insur- ance made it possible to settle all accounts. The territory was parceled to Manchester and McPherson, personal property was disposed of, the ground and buildings were sold to Kable Broth- ers, Publishers, the endowment was shared by the two colleges just named, and after a splendid service of fifty-three years Mount Morris College graduated its last class in 1932.
So far as material things are concerned, such as equipment, buildings and campus, Mount Morris College no longer exists. However, in the greater things of life, the spiritual, she lives
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and will continue to live through the men and women whom she discovered and trained, through the Christian homes and min- istry she inspired, through the ideals she instilled and through her contribution to community and church, to the state and to the world.
Bethany Biblical Seminary
It was in the year 1900 that two elders sat under an old olive tree on the eastern slope of Mt. Olivet overlooking Bethany. There, on October 3, 1905, was named the institution which came into existence as Bethany Bible School.
A. C. Wieand and E. B. Hoff had long felt the necessity of some institution in which ministers and lay workers of the Church of the Brethren might be trained. The launching of the school in 1905 was the beginning of that for which they had pre- pared actively for ten years.
In a democratic fraternity, such as the Brethren, individual initiative is the key to progress in church effort. The rapid ur- banization and industrialization of America had given rise to a genuine need to adapt the ministry to changing social conditions.
The school started without money or even a building. The opening address was given by J. H. Moore in the Hastings Street church in Chicago. Brother and Sister Hoff gave over part of their home for the school. The next year the Hoff family moved to Maywood and the two-story building on Hastings Street served as the school.
On the 14th of September 1909 the first building on the pres- ent site on West Van Buren Street was dedicated. The school owns the block, about an acre and a half. The office street num- ber is 3435, the only number for the block. The first year the school was in this building a fund was started for a second building. For four years the institution was conducted in Build- ing A, but the need was so acute that the dining room served also as a classroom.
A student prayer meeting began in the mornings to pray for the building fund. At one time after Building B was begun it looked as if it must be abandoned, but prayer triumphed and B was dedicated September 20-21, 1913. But the school was still
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crowded and only the dedication of Building C, June 3, 1918, began to relieve the congestion.
The year 1921 may be taken as an approximate date for the emergence of a theological seminary from what had hitherto been, in fact, a training school or institute.
Bethany Bible School was a privately owned school, recog- nized as being under the advisory care of the General Education Board of the Church of the Brethren from 1909 to 1922. In the latter year Conference was petitioned to assume full ownership. This step was accomplished in 1925 and since then the institution has been governed by a board of trustees, reporting to Annual Conference through the Standing Committee.
The original name was continued until the year 1931, when Bethany Biblical Seminary was adopted. In 1940 Bethany Biblical Seminary was granted accreditation as a standard theo- logical seminary by the American Association of Theological Schools.
The school was begun with A. C. Wieand assuming the title of president and E. B. Hoff serving as associate president. The school has never had a greater Bible teacher than E. B. Hoff. His death came in 1928. After twenty-seven years of service the founder-president handed over administration to give his latter years to his true love-teaching.
From 1932 to 1937 the president was D. W. Kurtz, one of the most widely known men in the ministry of the Church of the Brethren in this generation. Dr. Kurtz guided the school through the most troubled years of the great depression. He left the school greatly strengthened and financially reorganized. He returned to pastoral service in California whence he had been called. Dr. Rufus D. Bowman was called from his pas- torate in Washington, D. C., to the presidency, and the school has continued with increasing efficiency.
The institution had a total enrollment of one hundred sixty- four during the academic year of 1940-1941. Over three thou- sand persons have been students within its walls since Bethany opened with a dozen personally invited students in 1905. That first year closed with a total enrollment of thirty-eight. The greater number of Bethany students of former years did not
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graduate, but many were better workmen for Christ because they studied for a season.
The motto of the school from the beginning was "Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest that he send forth laborers into his harvest." Bethany has prayed this prayer earnestly and effectively. Students and graduates have gone to the ends of the earth. The seminary is setting forth a better understanding of Bible truths and exercises a profound influence on the Church of the Brethren.
Bethany has been within the borders of the district of North- ern Illinois and Wisconsin. Naturally the great majority of Bethany students were not touched in any way by the district nor did they touch the district. The majority have been so- journers within the district borders during days of study, yet the school has contributed largely to the district. The teachers of the school have for the most part taken an active part in dis- trict affairs. Through the Chicago church and its associated missions, Bethany students have been a part of the district even without thinking of it. A number of Bethany students and grad- uates have been among the working force of almost every con- gregation in the district.
With the larger proportion of younger people in the student body came a genuine desire for a gymnasium. This could not be realized until 1926, when the present gymnasium was built. It contains a number of rooms which have served the school in a number of ways since. The building was dedicated Decem- ber 17, 1926, and the practice of lettering the buildings was changed. This became John Nass Hall, after the pioneer hero of the eighteenth century-Eld. John Naas.
The Home
The Brethren have always been active in caring for the needy and the aged. Alexander Mack spent his possessions in relieving the needs of his brethren. Adrian Pfau, according to his obituary written by Mack, spent 100,000 Dutch guilders of his own funds annually to help the poor of Amsterdam. As early as 1770 the Germantown congregation used the Pettikof- fer home as a residence for the needy. This may be considered
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as the first Old Folks' Home of the Church of the Brethren. Now there are seventeen such Homes. The Brethren found the basis for caring for the needy in the life and teachings of Jesus.
In the past the Brethren have been slow to ask the public to support their poor. One sees this in the minutes of our own dis- trict meetings and in the minutes of the General Conference. When the District Meeting of Northern Illinois for 1878 met at Shannon, Cherry Grove asked the district to buy a farm the pro- ceeds of which were to be used to maintain the poor. The dis- trict was not ready for the project but interest in caring for the poor and orphans continued to grow. In district meeting of .890 a movement was set on foot that a year later culminated in the several congregations contributing to a pooled fund for the support of the poor of the district, thus equalizing the expense. The plan met with hearty approval and Daniel R. Price was appointed treasurer of the poor fund. For three years the needy were cared for in this manner, after which time the Home was ready for occupancy.
In response to a request from the Chicago congregation, dis- trict meeting of 1890 appointed Joseph Amick, Melchor S. New- comer and Edmund Forney a committee to receive and hold funds in trust with a view to building an institution to care for old folks and orphans. The committee incorporated under the laws of Illinois. There lived at Polo a man of the name of Jacob Petrie, who had considerable property. In 1848 he and Susan Rowland had been married. No children came to bless their home, but several did find a good home with them. Mrs. Petrie was a devout member of the Church of the Brethren. In 1885 she passed to her long home. Her husband, though not a mem- ber, had a kindly attitude towards the church and contributed generously to her projects. As he and the trustees were well acquainted they talked over the matter of a home for old folks and orphans. He was favorable towards establishing a home and on July 7, 1891, made his will, in which he designated that about one half of his estate should be used in founding a Breth- ren Home. Not long after that time he died and the will was probated. Heirs contested the will. A compromise was effected which gave $12,478.99 to the trustees, just about one half of the amount that had been named in the will. The trustees, being keen business men, set this sum aside as permanent endowment,
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of which only the income should be used in the support of the Home. Mount Morris was selected as a suitable location. A building fund of $9,000 was apportioned among the churches and raised. The first building was erected in 1891-1892, and on February 1, 1893, the Home opened with three guests under the care of David B. Puterbaugh and wife.
In 1907 a second generous gift came to the Home through the efforts of Joseph Amick and J. H. Moore, who ever had the good of the church at heart. There lived in Woodford County, Illi- nois, Henry H. and Barbara Broad. They were prosperous farmers and wished to make a wise use of their means. Like the Petries they were without children of their own, but they had a heart for other folks. They had accumulated considerable means and were eager to do good with their money. Though not members of the Church of the Brethren they remembered her fine record of caring for the poor and needy. On April 30, 1895, the husband made a will bequeathing a farm of two hun- dred acres in Woodford County to the Brethren Home in Mount Morris. Six days later the wife co-ordinated her husband's will over her own signature. They also gave a farm to a Men- nonite orphanage in their community. She died June 20, 1902. Her husband died March 12, 1907. The two hundred acres be- came the property of the Brethren Home. On March 1, 1908, the Home received its first income installment-$877.27. For the first six years the annual income averaged $880.81. During the World War boom the average was much greater but in the depression it dropped considerably. The Petrie and Broad gifts have eased the assessments on the churches for supporting the institution very much. For many years no assessments were required. While this lessened the burden on the churches one may well question whether it developed the sturdy character and grace of giving to any large degree.
The charter provided for an orphanage, but none was opened until 1912, apart from the Home. Several children had been taken care of along with the old folks, but this proved not sat- isfactory. After a trial of a few years the orphanage was dis- continued. The expense and management raised serious ques- tions, but a greater problem was the standards set by the state and the responsibilities attached to an institution caring for chil- dren. It was felt that the membership could better afford to help
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support other orphanages, and so the orphanage was closed.
The Home was managed by three trustees, each elected for three years. In 1929 it was felt that because so many of the guests are women one trustee should be a woman, and Mrs. Noble Thomas was appointed. In 1940 the number of trustees was increased to five and the constitution and bylaws were revised. Two additions have been built to the original struc- ture. While the Home has given shelter to many during the years there has been a feeling that it should reach out farther. Some have felt that provisions should be made for those of means who might be interested in building cottages where they could spend their last years under conditions such as a large building cannot furnish where all live as one family. This would mean that it should be a Home not merely for those short of means but a center where old folks might enjoy each other's association and still dwell in separate residences.
Bethany Hospital
While planning for Bethany Bible School its founders also had in mind a hospital and school of nursing wherein young peo- ple of the Church of the Brethren might be trained for Christian service in the ministry of healing. Because both projects could not be started simultaneously, the hospital project was deferred for a more opportune time. During the years of 1915-1917 Beth- any Bible School purchased certain lots and held them in trust as a future building site for the hospital. A second step was taken in 1920 when the trustees purchased the residence of Dr. George H. Van Dyke and remodeled it for hospital purposes.
Now that lots and a building had been secured it was thought well to charter under the laws of Illinois as a nonprofit corpora- tion to be known as Bethany Sanitarium and Hospital. The charter was granted on November 15, 1920, naming Albert C. Wieand, Frank N. Sargent, Charles E. Weybright, Harvey E. Keller and J. Edwin Keller as the board of trustees. All of these except Weybright were actively associated with Bethany Bible School. This interlocking directorate continued for some time. Because the name of "Bethany" was confusing to the church membership, later it was decided that there should be no inter- locking of trustees in the two institutions.
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Eleven days after the charter was granted the trustees met and organized by electing Frank N. Sargent president; Albert C. Wieand, vice president; J. E. Keller, secretary; and H. E. Kel- ler, treasurer. At the same time a hospital association was formed of twenty-nine charter members, consisting of the trus- tees and faculty of Bethany Bible School and other members of the Church of the Brethren who evidenced interest in the hos- pital project.
The hospital opened its doors to patients on December 31, 1920. Dedicatory services were held in the chapel of Bethany Bible School on Sunday, January 30, 1921, with good attendance and a deep interest in this new venture. The quarters proved inadequate for the accommodation of those seeking entrance for treatment. As a result a building program was launched in 1926 which resulted in the construction of the present commodious building during the winter of 1929-1930. The funds were se- cured through gifts and the sale of bonds. Individuals, Sunday- school classes and Aid societies contributed liberally for the building and its equipment. On May 5, 1930, the hospital was opened for the reception of patients.
In the early days of the hospital a Women's Auxiliary was organized with Eva Trostle as first president. She continued in this office until her death on August 13, 1938.
The School of Nursing was organized in September 1930 and accredited by the State of Illinois in October 1931. The first class of nurses ever to train in any hospital affiliated with the church was graduated in 1933. Including the class of 1938, forty- four young women have been graduated, all of whom have taken and passed the state board examinations to become registered nurses. The school of nursing has been discontinued for the present.
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