USA > Michigan > The history of the Church of the Brethren in Michigan > Part 5
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History of Congregations
encouragement. At one series of meetings, at the end of two weeks when the interest and attendance were good, some of the brethren wanted to close as they felt it to have been a successful meeting. The meetings continued two weeks more and nine of the most influential people of the community were baptized. When we left in 1909 to attend Bethany the church was left without the care it needed."
Someone in writing about the Black River church de- clares: "This church went through its dark days and met many difficulties, and, at times, in undergoing these hard trials, like the strong winds in the forest, many limbs were broken off and much damage was done during the storm." However, they did see some brighter days before the time when services were discontinued in 1923. (The appendix gives elders and ministers.)
CEDAR HOUSE
There is very little data available for the history of this church. It was situated five miles east of the Hart church and was a part of that congregation. We find that C. H. Kiser was a minister who lived and served in the congrega- tion for a while. An active Sunday school was carried on under his leadership for a number of years. He gave up his service here and united with the Baptist Church. The work here was discontinued in 1930.
COLEMAN
The few facts obtained about this church show that Elder George E. Stone was in charge of the work. It was a part of the Beaverton congregation. In 1915, when the services could no longer be continued, members were asked to wor- ship at the Beaverton church. We wish that more could be said about the activities at Coleman.
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History of the Brethren in Michigan
CRYSTAL
The first members to locate in what is now the Crystal church were William Shively and family from Ohio, and Jacob Snyder and family from Pennsylvania. Both families came to Michigan in 1880, locating in the eastern part of Montcalm County, then a part of the New Haven church.
CRYSTAL
This church was divided from the New Haven church and organized on August 15, 1901, with nineteen members. The charter members were George E. Stone and wife, Sam- uel Bollinger, Watson Towsley and wife, Jacob Witter, John Easterday, Emanuel Bollinger and wife, John Bollinger and wife, Valentine Babcock and wife, Sarah Royer, Margaret Shively, Nancy Johnson, Wilford Roose, S. K. Marsh, and Orlando Henry. The new organization comprised all of Montcalm County.
The resident ministers at the time the congregation was organized were Brother George E. Stone and Brother Sam- uel Bollinger. Brother Jacob Kepner came a little later, in
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1902. Brother Isaiah Rairigh was chosen as the first elder. Brethren Watson Towsley, Jacob Witter and John Easter- day were chosen as deacons at the time of the division.
At first the services were held in schoolhouses. Then, within a few years, it was decided to build a church house. William North and wife donated from their farm a half- acre of land, upon which the building was erected. The entire community gave money to help. The work was be- gun in August 1901, and on October 6 the new church (size 34 feet by 48 feet) was dedicated. The cost was $1,250.00. Brother Isaiah Rairigh conducted the services. The church is two miles south of the village of Crystal. Brother Samuel Bollinger was advanced to the second degree of the ministry on the day of dedication. The building committee com- prised the following: George E. Stone, Jacob Witter, and John Easterday.
October 4, 1902, was the date set for the first love feast. During the feet-washing service the house was discovered to be on fire. It was a disaster. "We had no ladders or water and so the building for which we had all worked so hard was burned to the ground," said one in describing it. Then came days of much discouragement. Neverthe- less, God's people are never defeated, and on October 27, 1902, the erection of another house of worship was begun on the same wall. This building was dedicated on January 18, 1903, and the first love feast since the fire disaster was held on January 24.
Among some of the pioneers of the church besides those mentioned before were Barnhart Shrider and wife and daughter Sarah, John Holsworth and wife, William Smith and wife, William North and wife, R. B. Noll, J. L. Noll, and Joseph Lechner and their families.
Brother Jacob Kepner, one of the ministers, passed away August 18, 1904. On July 8 the Vestaburg church organized
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and Brother Samuel Bollinger became their minister. This left Elder George E. Stone as the only minister at Crystal until 1908, when Brother A. C. Young and family moved here. They remained until 1920. In 1916 Brother Floyd Bollinger was elected to the ministry. After serving as pastor and elder, he too moved into the Vestaburg congre- gation in 1932.
Brother George Stone and his wife then labored most faithfully in building up and directing the work for many years. In 1919 Sister Stone was called to her reward. Soon afterward "Uncle George," as he was lovingly called by young and old of the community, went to Edgerton, Ohio, to make his home with his sister. Later he went to live with his daughter in Grand Ledge, Michigan, where he passed away on May 27, 1926. He had given many years of spiritual service to the Crystal congregation.
In August 1926 Brother E. E. Eshelman began work as pastor, remaining until July 1934. He also served as elder during six years of that time. Brother Floyd Bollinger and Brother John Rairigh each served one year as elder.
Those who have served as deacons are: R. B. Noll, Neri Shrider, Joseph Lechner, Jacob Witter, Fred Spalding (now deceased), Charles Noll and Myron Bollinger. There are only six of the charter members living. Brother Samuel Bollinger and Sister Nancy Johnson reside near Vestaburg. The other four, living at Crystal, are Jacob Witter, Wilford Roose, and John Bollinger and wife.
Brother Samuel Bollinger, then the oldest active minister in the district, returned to his farm near Vestaburg from Lansing in 1933 and continued to serve the church until his retirement in 1942.
Following the retirement of Brother Bollinger, Brother David P. Schechter came and served until September 1943.
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Then Brother J. J. Cook was asked to serve as pastor, which he did until June 1944. He is now the presiding elder. Suc- ceeding him was Brother Wilmer M. Lehman, who first be- gan as a summer pastor from Bethany Biblical Seminary, Chicago, but who was prevailed upon to continue in the pastorate. He is now giving his full time there. Brother Jacob Dick was summer pastor in 1940, and Brother Ernest Jehnsen in 1941; both were students at Bethany.
In the spring of 1943 the church, upon the suggestion of Olive Noll, agreed in council that the members would all have God's-acre projects each year. The proceeds would be applied to a fund for the purpose of buying a farm as a parsonage and to help support a pastor. In the two years, 1943 and 1944, over $600.00 was put into the fund. Recently the board of trustees was authorized to buy a farm that seemed available. This happened to be only prospective, and nothing definite has developed as yet.
The church has always had an energetic B.Y.P.D. One particular project of the young people which will benefit their church exceedingly was the outdoor fireplace and worship center built in the summer of 1944.
This church has an important function in this area of the state, and through the worship services and Christian activities the whole community will receive spiritual nourishment.
DETROIT
The growth of the Detroit church has surpassed that of any other in the district. Its development and progress have been the result of the untiring efforts of a few faith- ful people willing to adhere to the doctrines of the Church of the Brethren in a large city. These few people, who had come to this city to seek a livelihood, were not inclined to lose their identity with our church and to give their Chris-
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tian service in some other denomination. Instead they sought for others of their own belief, and labored to build their own group into a strong and flourishing church. This is a good example of what can be done when two or three persons have enough faith and are willing to persevere to uphold the ideals of the church they love.
The church began in the fall of 1915. Brother N. B. Wine from Dayton, Ohio, called for a meeting of the group of members whom he could contact to be held in the Central Y.M.C.A. Two members of the district mission board, P. B .. Messner and J. Edson Ulery, were present to officiate and assist in the work. An organization was effected, and in May 1916, at the second meeting, it was decided to establish a church in the city. The location committee secured a store building at 1249 Mack Avenue, and it was used for
DETROIT
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services. It was known as the Detroit Church of the Breth- ren Mission, and the first services were held on June 16, 1916, with thirteen members present. Brother J. P. Bow- man was the preacher. Brother J. F. Dietz was another active minister in the church.
"Through the providence of God ... the church in De- troit was started because of the consecrated homes in Illi- nois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vir- ginia, West Virginia, and other states," says Brother M. B. Williams.
The church was organized into a recognized body on Feb- ruary 2, 1918. There were forty-one charter members. The name was then changed to the First Church of the Brethren of Detroit.
As the members prayed and worked, the work took on new zeal and grew until their first place of worship was no longer adequate for their needs. Then the Cadillac Ave- nue Presbyterian church was purchased. The district mis- sion board co-operated in the new understaking.
The time had come when it was felt that the cares and responsibilities were becoming such as to require the serv- ices of a full-time pastor. The call was given to Reverend A. O. Mote and wife of North Manchester, Indiana, who en- tered the pastorate in September 1922. The membership then was eighty-seven.
At a council on February 7, 1926, it was decided to pur- chase the Presbyterian church, corner of Lafayette and Seyburn Avenues, for the sum of $37,500.00. On Sunday morning, September 12, 1926, the entire membership met at the Cadillac Avenue church for a short service, after which they proceeded to the new location. Brother and Sister Mote led the procession of about forty cars. On arriving at the church, Brother Mote opened the Bible and read from Psalm 24. He then turned the key, opened the door,
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History of the Brethren in Michigan
-
DETROIT, OLD CHURCH AND GROUP
and all entered, singing For Christ and the Church. An impressive service of dedication was held the following Sunday, with Dr. D. W. Kurtz delivering the dedicatory address.
Because of ill-health, Brother Mote resigned as pastor on August 3, 1928, and became a Y.M.C.A. secretary. Then Brother Merlin C. Shull, pastor of the Douglas Park and the Hastings Street missions, Chicago, Illinois, became pas- tor on November 4, 1928. The membership had grown to three hundred nineteen. Brother Shull resigned, leaving on September 1, 1931, to take up the pastorate of the Johnson City church, Tennessee. At the time the Shulls left the membership had increased to three hundred seventy-five. Brother Mote returned as pastor on September 1, 1931. He continued faithfully in the service of the church until Sun- day morning, August 1, 1937. After preaching about ten minutes, he suffered a stroke, which proved fatal, and he went to meet his Master on August 2, 1937. His passing was a very sudden shock and a loss to the church.
After much prayer and searching, Brother Harvey R.
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Hostetler, pastor of the Morrill church, Kansas, was se- cured as pastor. He assumed the duties of the pastorate in November 1937, by a unanimous vote of the church. He served until October 1944, when he accepted the pastorate of the Wichita church, Kansas. During the time he la- bored there as pastor many things were accomplished. The most outstanding was the liquidation of all indebted- ness on the church property and the parsonage. Through his untiring efforts and faithful service there were one hun- dred thirty-three baptized and one hundred twenty-three received by letter during his pastoral term.
Mrs. Hostetler was willing to take her place in the church activities. She organized the group of young church women into the Fidelis Club and led out in the organization of the council of church women. This resulted in uniting the three groups of women workers into one efficient body for the promotion of a total program. The cabinet of this group now constitutes one of the strongest boards of the church.
During the past three years the church has been fortunate in having Sister Nettie Senger, a former missionary to China, to work in the community and to help in the work of the Chinese Sunday school. This is a very significant part of the Detroit church, and a full account of it is given separately at the end of the congregational history.
Brother J. P. Guthrie was elected Sunday-school super- intendent on June 17, 1917, and served efficiently until 1942. Brother Eugene Butler is the superintendent now.
The twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the church was held from May 16 to 18, 1941. The congregation planned this commemoration service in the form of a home-coming. They rejoiced in the successful adventure of serving the kingdom in a large city for one quarter of a century.
The burning of the church mortgage on April 19, 1942, was a significant event. The church was fortunate in being
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History of the Brethren in Michigan
able to purchase a new electric church organ (Orgatron) this same year, and the service of dedication was held on December 13. On April 30, 1944, there was a service of rejoicing because the church became entirely free of debt.
DETROIT CHURCH PARSONAGE
The happy occasion celebrated the paying of the parsonage debt. "This is the day we have been waiting for, a time when the church would be entirely free of debt. The mem- bers of the congregation who have labored and contributed faithfully and generously through the past quarter of a century have great reason to rejoice today" (from the church bulletin, Sunday, April 30, 1944).
The minister succeeding Brother Hostetler was Brother J. Perry Prather. Reverend and Mrs. Prather were in-
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stalled on Sunday morning, October 29, 1944, with Brother Harley Townsend of the district ministerial board in charge. Dr. T. T. Brumbaugh represented the Detroit Council of Churches on the occasion. Brother Prather's acceptance of the call to the Detroit pastorate terminated eleven years of fruitful service at the First Church of the Brethren, Day- ton, Ohio. He is also the presiding elder.
War conditions have vitally affected the Detroit church. Sixty-four of their young men and three girls are in the service of their country, three men are in Civilian Public Service, and four have made the supreme sacrifice of their lives on the battlefield.
The Brethren in Detroit realize that the noble achieve- ments of the past simply tend to create heavier responsibili- ties. Larger objectives need to be planned. The spirit to accomplish greater things will foster an earnest and loyal devotion to the cause of Christ, which will result in making advancements in the whole church program.
The Chinese Sunday School
The Chinese Sunday school of the First Church of the Brethren in Detroit has a unique history. Particular facts which led to the establishment of the school in Detroit are interesting.
There are thousands of Chinese people among the many millions of other people who came to America during the past one hundred years. All these people constitute a real challenge to teach the message of Christ and to help them in every phase of living. A large portion of Chinese now living in America came from the southern part of Kwang- tung, of which Canton is the capital. This is the province in South China where the Church of the Brethren opened its mission in 1918. Several of the first converts came to
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History of the Brethren in Michigan
ORIGINAL DETROIT CHINESE SUNDAY SCHOOL
this country to continue their ministerial training in Beth- any Biblical Seminary. Rev. Moy Way, one of these min- isters, located in Detroit in February 1917. After a few months he began to attend the Church of the Brethren, 3523 Cadillac Avenue. It was under his influence that the church decided to have a Chinese Sunday school.
The organization was formed on Sunday, August 29, 1917. Officers elected were: leader, Moy Way; superintend- ent, M. B. Williams; secretary-treasurer, Ethel Smith. Teachers volunteered their service, and the school grew to thirty-six pupils in a very short time. One year the en- rollment reached sixty pupils. Proper equipment had to be purchased. Such things as chairs, tables, pencils, tab- lets, readers for all grades, arithmetics, geographies, his- tories, maps, songbooks, and New Testaments with English and Chinese translations were all paid for by the school.
The real purpose of this school is first to teach the pupils words and their meaning so that they can understand the English language, and then to impart to them the way of salvation.
1
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History of Congregations
A varied program of fellowship and social activities throughout the year keeps the interest alive. Each Thanks- giving the school has a program of music, greetings and a turkey dinner. The Christmas program consists of music, a play, greetings and exchange of gifts. It is customary for the Chinese school to conduct an Easter program in the church.
Brother M. B. Williams, the superintendent of the Sunday school, says: "During the depression the Chinese had such a small amount of work it was discouraging, but at present the men are working night and day, seven days a week. They have no time to rest. For these, and other reasons, the school has fluctuated from time to time."
Obviously there are many problems involved in work of this nature. It is characteristic of Chinese people to mi- grate a great deal. From Detroit there have been members of the church who returned to China; others have gone to New York, Buffalo, Chicago, and other cities. Many hun- dreds have gone out from the school over the twenty-eight
CHINESE SUNDAY SCHOOL, 1932
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History of the Brethren in Michigan
years. It has been a difficult problem to maintain an ade- quate teaching force through the years.
Rev. Moy Way was elected to the ministry in 1925. Since the beginning of the school he has spent four years in China and four years in Chicago. He is now serving the Chinese as their pastor. During the absence of Moy Way, Brother Yee Sing took his place in the school. Yee Sing and Yee Qwong have been elected to the deacon's office. Brother Charlie Yee was the first pupil of M. B. Williams and the first convert. He is a banker in Hong Kong. Pon Hong Sing was an early convert. Rev. J. F. Dietz was his teacher. When he was baptized by Brother Dietz he said, "This is a new Chinese." He later returned to China and maintained a school in South China for poor girls for a number of years. Thirty-seven have been converted in the school.
Here is an extraordinary experience related by Brother M. B. Williams: "Mr. Bill Gee took tuberculosis of the bone several years ago and was sent by Dr. Breon to the Herman Keifer hospital. He spent thirty-seven months there. During this time he had two operations which re- moved five ribs about eight inches long. Before the seri- ous operation, Brother Mote called me and requested that I assist him in the anointing service. The doctor said that there was a higher power that did the healing, for he was miraculously healed and now works long hours every day."
More than four thousand five hundred dollars has been contributed to the church building fund, the Chinese Sun- day school, the South China school, district missions, and Chinese relief. This spirit of generous giving character- izes all Chinese brethren. The pastors, teachers and work- ers have all shown a loyalty to this work, and they need to be praised highly. Brother M. B. Williams, who has served devotedly as superintendent since the school's beginning,
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has not missed more than seventy-five Sundays out of ap- proximately 1,400. Think of the consecration required to work in a Chinese school every Sunday afternoon when recreation or fellowship with the family might have seemed more desirable.
It has been a real opportunity for the Detroit church to serve these Chinese people. The influence of their work is far-reaching. From here many of the young men and wom- en have gone back to their own country as Christian leaders. Their training in this school enables them to contribute to the welfare of others. On the other hand, the school has been a great help to the church in stimulating the true missionary spirit. The Detroit church with its group of earnest leaders can be proud of this wonderful missionary enterprise. Their reward will be manifested in the joy of serving.
DURAND
This mission point was in the territory of the Elsie church. It was situated about thirty-five miles to the southeast of that church house. It was started largely on the initiative of Brother L. H. Prowant and Brother L. W. Shafer. In the spring of 1920 both of these families moved from North- western Ohio and located about four miles south of Durand. It was soon learned that Brother John Proctor and family from Brookville, Ohio, lived near by. Later Clarence Pol- lington moved into the territory.
A Sunday school was organized and regular preaching services were conducted. The records show that the Sun- day-school attendance frequently reached from forty to fifty.
From March 1920 to the spring of 1928 services were held in the homes of the members, in the schoolhouse, and in a farmhouse owned by Brother Shafer. Brother C. L. Wilkins
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held two series of meetings in the district tent during this period. There were more than twenty baptisms, and the work prospered. Brother L. W. Shafer, a deacon, was called to the ministry here.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
An active aid society functioned for many years as a community organization. Meetings were still being held in 1944. The vacation Bible school held in 1926 was a great success. It was directed by two workers from Manchester College, Sisters Velma Clannin and Helen Forney.
The ministerial service of Brother L. H. Prowant was divided between this preaching point and the Elsie church. However, in time there was a shift from this section to the industrial center at Flint. Brother Prowant was called upon to give all of his time to the Flint people, and services at the Durand mission were discontinued.
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History of Congregations
ELMDALE
The Elmdale church was first called West Thornapple. It was for a number of years a part of the Thornapple con- gregation. The church house was built in the year 1878, with Elder George Long as head carpenter and L. D. Fry, E. S. Kime and George Kepner on the building committee. Material for the structure was hauled largely from Lowell, a distance of ten miles, with horses and wagons. The lumber and shingles from the King and Quick mill were a very high grade. This company bought these logs in the north, and they were run down the Flat River in large quantities by logrollers before being converted into lum- ber and shingles. Hardware from John Scott and paint from Jud West were purchased at a large discount.
The church at the beginning had sixteen members. George Long of Thornapple served as elder-in-charge, and Jacob Kepner was the deacon. Brother David Workman of Ohio preached the dedicatory sermon. He continued with a series of meetings which resulted in five additions to the church. They were: Lyda Long Smith, Cora Kepner Shopbell, Mortimer Thomson, John Kepner, and Amos Clem- ence. This organization continued till the time of the division, when Brother Long went with the Old Order Brethren. Then Brother Daniel Chambers was chosen elder- in-charge and continued as such for a few years. Then the charge of the church was given to Brother I. F. Rairigh. He served as elder until impaired health made it necessary for him to discontinue his active service. Brother S. M. Smith was then chosen elder-in-charge. Through the years there were a number of series of meetings held. Some of the ministers who did the preaching in these meetings were John V. Felthouse, J. C. Murry, S. F. Sanger, J. M. Smith, Isaiah Rairigh, C. H. Deardorff, R. H. Nicodemus,
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History of the Brethren in Michigan
D. E. Sower, C. L. Wilkins, Wilbur M. Bantz, Hiram W. Peters, and Arthur L. Dodge.
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