USA > Indiana > History of the Church of the Brethren in Indiana > Part 23
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Cattle were sent to Greece (the first livestock sent to Europe fol- lowing the war were from the Heifer Project Committee) ; to Belgium, to Italy, to Poland, to Ethiopia, to China, to Czechoslovakia, to France and to other countries. Up to date, over six thousand head of cattle have been sent by the Heifer Project Committee. A rather important offshoot of this is the sending of goats to the Orient. Over four thou- sand milk goats have gone, making a total of more than ten thousand animals shipped for relief and rehabilitation as a result of the meeting held in one of the Indiana churches.
Soon after the establishment of Civilian Public Service Camps, the question of providing food for the men in those camps came to the fore- front of attention. It was thought that the people of our churches would be glad to provide food for the men in the camps if the food could be moved to where it was needed. A preliminary letter was sent to a num- ber of the churches in Indiana and other nearby states, announcing that a truck would be around at a certain date to collect these contribu- tions of foodstuffs. The first trip was purely experimental. The driver of the truck was Dan Clem, of New Paris. One of the camp trucks was used. The route started from Lagro, Indiana, to the west and south, then east across Ohio, and back across the northern end of Ohio, re- turning to Camp Lagro. Long before the circuit had been completed the truck was filled. One load was taken from Ohio over into Camp Kane in northern Pennsylvania. It seemed that the idea was successful.
One of the interested members of the church in Indiana donated a truck which could be used for the purpose of collecting food. Two men were assigned to the driving of the truck. A system of record keeping was established; depots were set up in various churches throughout In- diana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. Fruit jars by the carload were pur- chased and distributed for home canning. Thus began the food project of the Brethren Service Committee.
At first these collected foods were stored at Camp Lagro and were taken to other camps in the region. Before long it was realized that merely dropping off at the most convenient camp the food collected on a trip would result in surpluses at some spots and scarcities at others. as well as undesired distribution of varieties, so a storage space was sought. Camp Lagro provided this storage until the weight of the food broke down the floors in some of the buildings. A new storage was found at New Paris, Indiana, in a store building which could be heated
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during the winter weather. It seemed that this place might be amply large, for it would hold a number of truckloads of food. It was not long, however, until this, too, was filled to capacity. Very careful rec- ords were kept of the origin of the food, its variety, and the amount in stock. Out of this stock the various camps would order the foods which they would need and they would be delivered by the truck. Because this center, too, was outgrown, a new space was sought. It was found in Nappanee, Indiana. Trucks and men from the Northern District of Indiana moved the tons of food from New Paris to the new location in Nappanee, and this, in turn, became the center of the trucking operations, not only for the central region, but also for other parts of the country. The truck moved as far west and south as Magnolia, Ar- kansas, and served depots of the Church of the Brethren in Kansas, Iowa and Missouri, as well as in other parts of the country. Needless to say the first small trucks were soon outgrown, and were replaced by a tractor and semi-trailer. Later on, this was outgrown, until at the present time the Brethren Service Commission is operating five of these tractor-trailer trucks.
It was but a step from the home canning of food for this purpose to the establishment of a canning factory which could be used to pro- duce food in tins for shipping overseas. Such a cannery was con- structed at New Paris, Indiana, and was operated for several years processing foods grown mostly in Indiana for relief purposes. A number of carloads of canned corn and beans and other foods were shipped overseas in the period immediately following the war.
During the earlier days of the war period, and in the period pre- ceding the war, many members of the Church of the Brethren had been sending clothing for relief through the American Friends Service Com- mittee in Philadelphia. There was a close relationship between them and the Brethren Service Committee. Our college became the center for receiving this relief clothing and for repacking it to forward it to Philadelphia for final packing and shipping.
As the trucks began their regular trips for the collection and dis- tribution of food, members of local congregations wondered whether the trucks themselves could not also handle clothing for relief. They had already been handling bedding and clothing which could be used in the Civilian Public Service camps, so it was relatively simple to add clothing items to the stock of materials which were collected by the trucks on their rounds. These materials were taken to Manchester Col- lege for re-shipment to Philadelphia.
To provide work garments for the men in Civilian Public Service camps, arrangements were made with Mennonite sewing centers to pur- chase cut garments. As these came to Nappanee cut out ready to be sewn by women's groups, they were distributed to the groups, were
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made and returned to Nappanee, and then were forwarded to camps on order. These garments were sent all over the United States to men in Civilian Public Service camps. It was decided to purchase a cutting machine and begin the cutting of the cloth, rather than purchasing the cut-out garment.
About this time the Brethren Service Commission felt that there was enough activity among churches of the Brethren to justify handling their own relief clothing and projects, rather than routing materials through some other agency, so investigation was made, and it was de- cided to begin the actual packing of clothing for overseas shipment. The clothing which had been taken to Manchester College previously was now sent to the center at Nappanee, and there the first sorting and baling of garments for overseas shipment was done. Volunteer labor came in to help with this preparation for shipping.
Again, it was not long before quarters were outgrown. In the search for more space, a three-story building, approximately 40 x 120 feet, was purchased and is in use at the present time at Nappanee, Indi- ana. This has developed into the center for Brethren Service activities in the midwest.
One of the unique projects which has developed here is the soap factory constructed of a railroad tank car cut into three sections and stood on end. This soap factory has produced from waste and pur- chased fats, over three hundred tons of soap which has been sent for re- lief.
Indiana remains one of the active centers in the Brethren Service program. One of the heifer collection farms which was in operation almost from the beginning of the project continues to be in operation here. The center at Nappanee has two trucks stationed at that point and serves much of the midwest. The only soap factory which the Com- inission has established is at Nappanee. Thus, Indiana has had a large part in developing some of the projects which have caused favorable comment for the activities of the Brethren Service Commission.
Those who have served on the District Brethren Service Commit- tee in Northern Indiana at various times have been : Harold E. Yoder, Mrs. Allen Weldy, Jesse Eisenhour, G. W. Phillips, Paul Phillips, Mrs. Lucile West and Abe Neff. In 1947 the duties of the committee were enlarged and a regularly elected board was organized, the mem- bers since being : Abe Neff, 1947-50; 51 -; Mrs. Allen Weldy, 1947-51 ; George Weybright, 1947-51 ; Paul Phillips, 50-51 ;Milo Weaver, 51 -; Mrs. Amanda Metzler, 51 -; a representative of the Men's Work and a representative of the Women's Work.
DEPARTMENTAL DEVELOPMENT
During the years 1917-1951 the districts of the state helped to lead
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the way for the growing departmental work of the general church.
(1) The Women's Work had begun before 1900 as Sisters' Aid Societies. In the first five decades of the present century the work had grown to include their interest and work in Mission Study, Steward- ship, Relief, Temperance, Home-builders and Worship. Their official name now is Women's Work.
(2) Men's Work began in the early 1920's. P. G. Stahly of South Bend, and Dr. O. G. Brubaker of North Manchester were pioneers in this movement and initiated the first plans and purposes for the move- ment across the Brotherhood. Later C. C. Hawbecker and J. E. Dot- terer issued some manual material for the men to study in the field of stewardship. Men's Work has emphasized the program of Brethren Service, giving much time to the giving of Heifers to Europe, wheat and other food gifts to needy people. They have helped inspire the men in local churches to do much for their local church in church improve- ment and personal evangelism.
(3) Since 1922 the young people of the church districts have or- ganized district and sectional group work featuring programs of wor- ship, recreation, fellowship and service. They have done this through conference and camps and volunteer service.
(4) In recent years Intermediate Directors have been chosen for the districts.
(5) Children's Work Directors are now a part of the district set of officers directing the children's workers in the local churches.
(6) Other leaders have been appointed to head the promotion of various fields of emphasis, such as Brotherhood Budget, Missions, Brethren Service, Temperance, Peace, Music, etc.
Some of the present leaders of the groups are as follows :
Women's Work Presidents
Middle Indiana Mrs. Leonard Custer
Northern Indiana Mrs. Ralph Swihart
Southern Indiana Mrs. G. L. Wine
Men's Work Presidents
Middle Indiana
Robert Beery
Northern Indiana
Owen Price
Southern Indiana Joe Fisher
C.B.Y.F. (Church of the Brethren Youth Fellowship)
Middle Indiana
Paul Hoffman
Northern Indiana
Lowell Metzler
Southern Indiana
Margaret Hilbert
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Intermediate Directors
Middle Indiana Mr. and Mrs. Selwyn Copeland
Northern Indiana Mrs. Glen Purkey
Southern Indiana Ruth Dutro
Children's Directors
Middle Indiana Mrs. Russel Michael
Northern Indiana Mrs. Charles Young
Southern Indiana Mrs. Mahlon Rinehart
Brethren Service Directors
Middle Indiana
H. L. Hartsough
Northern Indiana
Milo Weaver
Southern Indiana
Arthur Shull
IN GENERAL BROTHERHOOD WORK
During the last fifty years some native sons who have served in the work of the general brotherhood are: Lafayette Steele in the Sunday School field; Otho Winger, in the fields of Education and Missions (31 years) ; Clyde Culp and Edwin Grossnickle, at the general treasury of the church ; H. L. Hartsough, in the Ministerial work ; V. F. Schwalm, Education, Missions, and Brethren Service; John Metzler, C. P. S. and Relief ; Lawrence W. Shultz (24 years), Christian Education, Youth work and Brethren Service; Allen Weldy, in Men's Work.
Others who have represented the area from Indiana are: Sara Halladay, Dan West, J. H. Mathis, E. Paul Weaver, H. F. Richards, O. G. Brubaker, Mrs. E. R. Fisher, and L. S. Shively.
MEXICO WELFARE HOME
The Mexico Old Folks and Orphans Home was founded in the year 1889, by Levi P. Miller, a member of the Mexico Church of the Brethren.
The year 1916 found the Home in its 27th year of opera- tion; Elder Frank Fisher was General Manager, while Sister Anna Wagoner (Deal) was Matron in charge. It was in January of 1916 that Brother and Sister J. C. and Edith Warstler came to the Home closing their work in the fall of 1917, returning again in 1921 and re- maining until the fall of 1930, when they closed their work on account of Brother Warstler's health.
Others who labored here were: Brother and Sister Rupert Lan- dis, Brother and Sister Dan Kinzie, Brother and Sister John Vetters, Brother and Sister Lawrence Deardorf, Brother and Sister Marion Norris, Brother and Sister William Hendricks, Brother and Sister Ralph Rarick, Sister Rosemary Smith, Sister Nancy Beard, Sister
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Goldie Kelton Killion, Sister Maggie Brown, Brother and Sister Wil- liam Eiler, Brother and Sister Lemoyn Stineman, Brother and Sister Floyd Franc, Brother and Sister Ervin Weaver, Brother and Sister Arlie Caskey, and Brother and Sister Henry Swayer who are now in charge of the work.
As the writer remembers there were possibly 125 children in the Orphans Home at one time during the year 1916, at one time during the late 1920's the number rose to as many as 137, the average number of old folks then were from 18 to 22.
The Mexico Home continued to operate as an Old Folks and Or- phans Home until the year of 1943, when the orphans part was dis- continued due to conditions beyond the control of the Brethren in charge. At this time there was considerable thought of abandoning the Home altogether ; however, owing to the splendid leadership and management of Brother Marion Miller and others, a remodeling pro- gram was instituted which brought all three buildings into a single unit, which makes a very nice and comfortable Home for the aged people.
The Mexico Home has grown as a result of much labor, struggle and sacrifice on the part of those individuals who were here dedicated to a Great Task.
By action of the Trustee Board the name was changed from the Mexico Old Folks and Orphans Home to the Mexico Welfare Home on April 14, 1936.
Since 1889 there have been thousands of orphaned and homeless children who have gone in and out of the doors of this Home, as well as hundreds of aged people who have found here a refuge from the storms of life. Many who lived their last days here were some who early in life of the Home laboured here for its growth and development. Prominent among these were Elder Noah and Hannah Fisher, the pres- ident and secretary of the first Board of Trustees ; Elder Frank Fisher, the first Superintendent of the Home, lived his last months here. Brother Fisher was affectionately called "Papa Fisher" by thousands of boys and girls who went through the Home during the years of his labor for the growth and development of this Home.
Outstanding among those who labored here were, according to their length of service, Frank Fisher, Marion Miller, Anna Wagoner Deal, J. C. and Edith Warstler, J. F. and Laura Appleman. Many others have served; however, these stand out in the History of this Home as having carried heavy responsibility and performed hard work for the growth and development of this Home.
During the time that the future of this Home was in question an invitation was extended to the other two Church districts of Indiana, to join in the operation and maintenance of the Mexico Home. The
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Views of the Homes, Mexico, Ind.
Northern District came in with the Middle District in 1944 at District Meeting time. We are happy to report that at the Southern Indiana District Conference of 1951, they decided to join with the other two Districts in the operating and maintaining of the Home, thereby making it a Church of the Brethren Home on a state-wide basis.
While the Home has served a worthy cause over a long period of time, there is still plenty of need for strengthening and bettering the Home thereby making it more secure for those who will live here in years to come.
At the present time the Home is managed by fifteen trustees, five from each district as follows: Homer Weldy, Nappanee; Leroy Fisher, Milford; Nettie Weybright, Syracuse; Jesse Eisenhour, Syr- acuse ; Ivan W. Syler, Plymouth (present secretary ) ; Ralph W. Hoff- man, Roann (present president) ; Wallace Musselman, Macy; Thur- man Hopper, Onward (present treasurer) ; Oliver Mathias, Marion;
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Mexico Welfare Home, 1951
Walter Metzger, No. Manchester ; M. M. Hoover, Hagerstown; Wal- ter Barnhart, Delphi; Joe Fisher, Buck Creek; Albert C. Campbell, Center Point; and Harry Gochenour, Mulberry, Indiana.
In order to strengthen the Home, thereby making it more secure for the future, the Board of Trustees solicits gifts to the Endowment fund, through outright gifts, bequests and annuities. The trustees are making plans to accept annuities.
It is almost impossible to mention all who have served this Home, however, we must mention Sister Lillie (mamma) Fisher and Brother Ira Fisher, who performed outstanding, unselfish service.
Southern Indiana Welfare Home
The Southern District of Indiana started a campaign to raise funds for an Orphans and Old Folks Home in 1881. The response was good and the first building was erected in 1884 on land purchased from J. P. Miller, located three miles north and two miles west of Sul- phur Springs. At first, congregations held shares in the home in pro- portion to their contributions. Later the home was turned over to the district. The district operated it for a number of years but it was closed when there were only two members living there, Catherine Hoover and Alice Miller. The home was sold on contract in 1936. A board of trus- tees have had custody of the funds.
At the 1951 District Meeting, Southern Indiana voted to join the other districts in the support of the Mexico Welfare Home, investing the cash on hand, $22,000, and agreeing to pay twenty percent of the operating expenses. The present trustees from Southern Indiana are listed above.
CHAPTER V
MISSIONS
The early churches of Indiana were mostly the product of a great missionary movement. Along with their desire to carve out homes in the wilderness, these pioneer Brethren were determined that these new homes and communities should be Christian. We owe much to these soldiers of the Cross who sowed the Gospel throughout much of Indi- ana.
All of this happened long before our modern mission fields in far- away lands were established. These later missionaries could show no greater zeal in establishing the church from "Greenland's icy moun- tains to India's coral strands" than the pioneer missionaries who laid the foundation for the churches of Indiana today. No peril was too great : storms, swollen rivers, dark forests, wild beasts, hostile Indians, and many others. The only reward they sought was a great harvest of souls.
Only a few of these early messengers of God can be listed here: Jacob Miller, David Miller, Benjamin Bowman, Daniel Cripe, James Tracy, Henry Neff, William Moss, David Hardman, George Hoover. George W. Studebaker, Hiel Hamilton, John Metzger, Samuel Mur- ray, David Shoemaker, Elias Caylor, Jacob Shively, John Whiteneck, Isaac Lawshe, Isaac Fisher, Daniel Bowman, David Rupel, John Knis- ley, Robert H. Miller, Joseph Leedy, George W. Cripe, Jeremiah Gump, Samuel Neher, and Hiram Branson.
All of the districts had large fields to develop, especially Northern and Southern Indiana. The latter includes nearly two thirds of the state and ran indefinitely into Kentucky. In 1867 Southern Indiana sent George W. Studebaker and Lewis Kinsey to explore their field and report. Some mention of the home mission work is told in the ac- counts of the Districts.
In foreign missions, Indiana was not the leading area exactly but her districts soon came to support the movement with both workers and money. The opening of Manchester College in 1895 gave the move- ment a vital center, with the Volunteer Mission Band and the Bible Society. Here were such pioneers as Adam and Alice King Ebey and Amos Ross. The Missionary Reading Circle, 1899, included as one of its first members Otho Winger, who was destined to give strong leader- ship to the General Mission Board for many years.
[245]
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History of the Church of the Brethren
In the following pages an attempt has been made to give a very brief sketch of the missionaries who have gone to foreign fields from Indiana. Only those who were born and lived in Indiana or those born elsewhere but reared in Indiana are included. Others had contacts with Indiana in her churches, college or public schools but not all of these could be included. The two pioneers of Indiana in the foreign mission service were Adam and Alice King Ebey who offered themselves to the General Mission Board in 1900 and were accepted and sent to India. A sketch of their lives follows.
Adam and Alice (King) Ebey
Adam Ebey was born August 12, 1866, fifth of the fourteen chil- dren of Cornelius and Susan Huff Ebey, living near Wawaka. He united with the church at an early age, studied in Mount Morris two years and was called to the ministry in 1896. He continued his edu- cation at Manchester from 1896 to 1899. Another interested in mis- sions, one of his teachers, was Alice King. They were married in Sep- tember, 1900, and sailed for India in October.
Brother Ebey engaged in the varied activities of a pioneer mis- sionary in India-educational work, evangelism, much medical aid, etc. For three and one half terms he labored faithfully in the work. Then, his health failed and he had to return in 1931. He and Sister Ebey lived in North Manchester where he continued to be active, often preaching in the Mission Chapel on the west side of the town and fill- ing engagements among the churches. He died on September 1I, 1939. All who knew him were impressed by his fine spirit and his utter de- votion to his work.
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Missions
ALICE KING EBEY
Alice King was born to Daniel and Mary Gresso King near Lake- ton, November II, 1871. She attended the grade and high schools locally, Mount Morris College and later Manchester, being one of the first students under the Brethren, 1895. She became an assistant to Professor E. S. Young in Bible and attended the University of Chicago one year, 1899-1900.
She became a member of the church at fourteen and was a teacher in the first Sunday School organized by the Manchester Church. She was assistant editor of The Bible Student, a monthly publication of Manchester College. She showed a great interest in missions in her writing, her classes, and college societies. She and one of her students, Adam Ebey, were married in September, 1900, and soon sailed for India. To them were born eight children, three sons and five daughters. Only two (daughters) survive. In India Sister Ebey had charge of a training school for workers at Vada and did much evangelistic work. She wrote commentaries in English for the Sunday School les- sons which native scholars translated into Indian languages.
Since her retirement from the field in 1931, Sister Ebey has been quite active. Beginning in 1932, she taught the Women's Bible Class at her home church in North Manchester for eighteen years, when she was forced to retire because of an accident which has left her somewhat handicapped in walking. She has served Middle Indiana one year as Mission Secretary and has been on the Women's Work Cabinet of the district for nine years.
Her heart was in India and in 1945 she sailed for that land and spent two more years in the work. The radiance of this devoted life has been a great blessing to the people of India and to her neighbors and friends here in America.
A. W. ROSS
Brother Ross was born on a farm near Sidney on September 27, 1879, to Robert and Susan Snell Ross. He grew up in the Spring Creek church and went to Manchester College at the age of 17, where he was converted under the preaching of Brother T. T. Myers. The next year his church called him to the ministry. He attended Mount Morris from 1899 to 1902 when he graduated from the academy and a Bible course. He was influenced while there by President J. G. Royer, M. W. Emmert, D. L. Miller, and Wilbur Stover and Bertha Ryan, who were home on furlough from India. He helped found the Mount Morris Missionary Society which supported Brother D. J. Lichty in India for his forty-six years of service. June 12, 1902, he married Flora Nickey, daughter of Elder A. J. Nickey and sister of Dr. Barbara Nickey, missionary to India since 1915.
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Amos W. Ross and family
Since no mission opportunity was then open, the Rosses took the pastorate of the Sterling, Colorado, Church and greatly strengthened it along with leading in the building of a new churchhouse. The Carth- age, Missouri, Conference, 1904, asked them to go to India and they accepted and arrived in India in 1905. They were stationed in a new district (Vyara) where there was much opposition but when they came home on their first furlough they left behind them a church of three hundred fifty members. Their timely medical aid in an epidemic did much to overcome the fear of the native people. On the way home for a second furlough in 1922, Brother Ross suffered a stroke and never regained his health. They lived at North Manchester where he died May 31, 1926. He was buried in the Spring Creek Cemetery.
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