USA > Ohio > A history of the church of the Brethren, Northeastern Ohio > Part 7
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Her home was a model in its hospitality, piety and devotion to all that was good. Everybody loved to go to Aunt Kate's.
The Aid Society of the Maple Grove Church was organized in her home in January, 1895, this being among the first organized in the District. She has been a tireless worker in this and in missions, the left hand never knowing what the right one was doing in her contributions to help the helpless. Though she is past eighty years, she is still active in all movements that make for the betterment of mankind.
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ASHLAND (DICKEY) CHURCH.
Situated in one of the most beautiful and produc- tive stretches of country in the State of Ohio. Mi- grations into this expanse of country (then called the " wild and woolly West," with the Red Man in control) became somewhat active in the latter half of the eighteenth century. And in the first half of the nineteenth century the earlier settlers, desiring to realize profits on their partially-improved lands and go farther west, made it possible for the more conservative to find possessions and settle down as permanent fixtures on the soil. Migrations were mostly from Lancaster County, Pa., some few from Maryland, and later a number of excellent families came from the eastern part of Ohio; viz., Stark and Columbiana Counties. The first families of Breth- ren came into the county somewhere between 1800 to 1825.
The families moving into the community from the East, making up the nucleus and foundation ma- terial of the church (whose reputation has become a lively oracle in the Brotherhood), are for the most part the following: the Hesses, Witmers, Kilhef- ners, Planks, Fosses, Burkholders, Dickeys, Roops, Stones, Clarks, Baums, Brubakers, Myerses, De- shongs, Willises, Pecks, Showalters, Workmans, Mohermans, McQuates, Hersheys, Thomases, Hil- lers, Scotts, Zimmermans, Weavers, Weidlers, Gaults, Harpers, Roops and Frantzes. The history of these families for the most part traces back into the pioneer days of the church. By their thrift and. uprightness they soon became fixtures in the com-
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munity ; some few of them identifying themselves with the church after some years of settlement.
During the real pioneer days of the church (which then included the entire county) preaching services and love feasts were conducted in private homes ; they were generally all-day meetings with a lunch- eon furnished by the family where services were held. The services at first were many weeks apart, due in most part to the distance the members lived from each other and the difficulty in traveling. The preaching in those early days was done by men full of the Holy Ghost, who traveled to their appoint- ments on horseback, in some cases taking two days to make the trip, and as long to go home again. They were known as "horseback preachers." The work was well done, for it was not long till three promising mission points were established, viz., in the Loudonville, Maple Grove and Dickey commu- nities. These points soon became officered by im- migrations and elections, which gave the work much encouragement. As the field of work became en- larged in these communities by the opening up of new places for preaching in the near-by school- houses, and the difficulty of travel from one main center to the other due to the increased number of appointments at each, it was thought best to divide the entire membership of the county into three con- gregations, which was done in the spring of 1860 (excepting Loudonville, organized in 1856), the three churches taking their original names as mission points : Loudonville (or Plum Run), Ash- land (or Dickey) and Maple Grove.
The Ashland (Dickey) Church then begins as an
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ASHLAND (DICKEY) CHURCH, ASHLAND COUNTY
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organization in 1860, with Elders Elias Dickey, Ja- cob Garver, Joseph Rittenhouse, Morgan Workman and some ministers of the second degree present to complete the terms of formal division of territory. Elder Elias Dickey was chosen as the first house- keeper. This newly-organized body of believers soon felt the added responsibility. They took up the work with new courage, placing into official position those among them that showed zeal and an unbending faith. The Word was expounded with power, and for many years German preaching was kept up to accommodate those who could not under- stand the English so well. This shows that the earliest membership was largely German. Prac- tically half of the singing also was done in German. The last sermon in the German tongue was preached at the church in the fall of 1887 by the late Elder J. B. Light, of near Fostoria, Ohio. This terminal of German preaching occurred at a love feast occa- sion.
The first churchhouse was built in the summer of 1853, just seven years before the organization. This house was a rectangular building forty by sixty feet. There were two entrances from the south side-one for the women and the other for the men. Each was expected to take his own side of the house, excepting in cases of marriage, when the young husband would sit with his wife upon their first time coming to the services. After that the husband would usually take his own side of the house again. Two large posts stood near the cen- ter of the building to support the ceiling and roof. Two box stoves for burning wood heated the house
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-one on each side of the house. The pulpit was on a level with the rest of the main audience room, and a table about sixteen feet long, three feet wide and about three feet in height, served the purpose of the modern pulpit stand. The elders and ministers sat to the north side of the table facing the audience, and the deacons sat on the other side of the table facing the elders and ministers. It was quite com- mon for the deacons to read the Scripture text for the basis of the preaching which was soon to fol- low, he himself frequently making comments on the same. When the preachers would be unexpect- edly absent to fill other engagements the deacons then would take full charge of the services, includ- ing the preaching. The preaching services were usually quite lengthy, because each preacher, from the oldest to the youngest, was expected to say something, not forgetting that a part of the preach- ing and singing had to be in German. The singing was nearly all according to the long and short meter tunes. The minister would line the hymn, two lines at a time; the congregation would then follow with the singing. The music was sweet and lovely. Few if any protracted meetings were ever held in the old churchhouse, but when neighboring ministers would come along the elders in charge would never fail to announce a limited number of appointments for them.
The resident ministers who did service in that sacred tabernacle were Elias Dickey, Joseph Sho- walter, Peck, David Witmer, George Hoke, Isaac Schmucker, James Tracy, George Witmer, Henry Kilhefner, Moses Weaver, David N. Work-
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man, I. D. Parker and Isaac Kilhefner. The worth of these men in the pulpit and community is best seen by the exceptional standard of morality that prevails throughout the church territory and the growing congregation which has succeeded their days. The things specially emphasized in the preaching and daily living were : a close observance of the Gospel doctrines and to keep oneself aloof from worldly contaminations, such as shows, fairs, drinking, using tobacco, divorce, secrecy, dances and all places of questionable amusement. It is remark- able how clean the membership kept along these lines. When any one made application for church membership, the entire membership was called to one side for consultation to ascertain if all were willing to receive the applicant into church fellow- ship, or if any one knew of any reasons why the candidate should not be received. Where there was no dissenting voice the applicant was received by the usual order. If there were any financial matters yet unprovided for, or any unsettled dispute with any neighbor or others, then baptism was postponed until full satisfaction would be made. This all goes to show how cautious our forefathers were and how anxious they were to keep the church " un- spotted from the world." We have indulged in this much detailed description because it indexes quite well the general custom prevailing all over the dis- trict ; also to serve the good purpose of reviving the memories of the older membership now living, of those good old days, when you were new in the service, when wells of living water welled up within your souls giving you refreshing for your faith and
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work, thus in a measure making you young in the Master's service again ; and those of you who think those customs of former days were somewhat pe- culiar and strange, remember that you now may be wedded to some custom that will look just as strange to the next generation who will read after you. Let us pray and work that we may serve our day as well as they did theirs.
The first Sunday-school in the church was or- ganized in the Old House in April, 1873. Elder D. N. Workman and I. D. Parker were the first su- perintendents. Only a little opposition was encoun- tered in getting the consent of the church that such a work should be installed. The school run only the summer months during the first years. The summer of 1877 no Sunday-school was conducted because of the building of the new house and the tearing down of the old one. Throughout the entire history of the school it has been well officered and a splendid corps of teachers has been maintained. In recent years it has the reputation of being one of the largest and most up-to-date country Sunday- schools in the State.
The new churchhouse was built in the summer of 1877. It is forty by eighty feet, containing five rooms, a cellar and a furnace room. The ceiling is high, the acoustics good and nearly the entire space can be thrown into one auditorium upon special oc- casions. The windows are high, affording splendid light. Large rolling doors separate the main audi- ence and communion rooms. Few modern-built houses in the Brotherhood have the conveniences for all church purposes as this one has. The latest
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improvements to the church property are the heat- ing and lighting by natural gas, and the installation of a baptistry.
Elder James Quinter preached the dedicatory ser- mon to a densely-packed house, the entire building being turned into one auditorium. The following winter the first real revival meeting in the history of the church was held. Brother Jesse Calvert, of Warsaw, Ind., did the preaching. Sixty-five souls in this Pentecost were gathered into the fold, a re- markable percentage of whom became pillars in the Kingdom, due in large measure to the splendid care taken of them. Frequent pentecostal showers have been the joy of the church in subsequent years.
The ministry called to the services of the church since the erection of the new house are the follow- ing: W. F. England, now in California, and T. S. Moherman, both elected at a special meeting in Oc- tober, 1886, advanced in 1894 and ordained in 1904.
David Weidler was called to the ministry in Oc- tober, 1897, advanced in October, 1903, tendered his resignation in April, 1906. The church reluctantly accepted the same.
S. U. Snavely, of Republic, Ohio, served the church as pastor for two years.
Elder ·W. D. Keller, of Ankenytown, Ohio, is now serving the church as pastor, with T. S. Moherman as elder in charge. The church is in a most prosper- ous condition. Peace and harmony is a golden thread weaving together the hearts of the member- ship into one purpose, that the Kingdom of God might fill the whole earth with its praise and power.
No work succeeds without the aid of women.
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The sisters of the church have played no small part in the history of her work. They were always more numerous than the brethren, hence the finer ele- ments of spirituality. Their service resolved into a special organization in 1894, in the form of the Sisters' Aid Society. Sister T. S. Moherman hav- ing come in contact with a similar work while at- tending school at Mt. Morris, Ill., upon her return she talked it up among some of the members. It was only a short time till sufficient interest was aroused and an organization effected. The constitution and by-laws were in a measure original, that this new feature in church work might better accomplish its purpose. This has been one of the strongest arms of the church in serving the interests of the com- munity and distant points, and in preparing ma- terial for church membership. To increase the scope of their work a second society was organized in January, 1913, in the city of Ashland, for the special accommodation of sisters who could not get to the country meetings. It is doing a splendid work. Nearly the entire Sisterhood of the church is identified with aid society work through these organizations.
The cemetery is a beautiful and well-drained plot of ground where lie many of the heads of the best families that have come to the community. Some of the prominent ministers of the Brotherhood are lying there also, such as Elias Dickey, David Wit- mer, D. N. Workman, I. D. Parker, George Hoke and Joseph Showalter. Important improvements are now being provided for and an endowment for the perpetual maintenance of the same.
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The present membership is upwards of 250 souls. A vigorous work is being carried forward and the annual expenditure for all church work, both at home and remote, are near the one-thousand-dollar mark. No severe storms have ever struck this Cita- del of Faith. The Lord has been a constant Pro- tector and Keeper of the flock. His name be praised !
Subscription List of the Ashland (Dickey) Church.
" Ashland, Ohio, May 1, 1877.
" For the building of a new meetinghouse in the summer of 1877, for the German Baptist Society. Said house to be erected on the lot where the house commonly called the Dickey Meetinghouse now stands. Also said house and graveyard attached thereto to be open and free on all funeral occasions.
" We, the undersigned, herein agree to pay for the above-named purpose the several sums annexed to our names. Said amounts to be paid in two install- ments. The one-half to be paid when the building is commenced, and the balance when it is under roof."
The entire neighborhood, both in and out of the church, were willing contributors, including many of the business men of Ashland. The entire cost of the building was near $4,000.
Elias Dickey. 1808-1864.
My first knowledge of Father Dickey (born Aug. 24, 1808) was in Stark County, Ohio, from which place he moved to Ashland County, Ohio, in the
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year 1844. He first settled on the farm, southeast of Ashland, previously owned by David Roop. A few years later he bought and moved onto the farm then known as the Brubaker Farm, where he lived until the time of his death, June 2, 1864.
He was a strong man physically and a farmer by occupation. He cleared up three farms and erected five sets of buildings. He was a self-made man, without a school education, save three months of German school and thirteen nights English school- ing. He could neither read nor write when married. He was known as a man of unusually strong mental powers. He was able to grasp and comprehend a situation, however, and reason logically along lines tending to solve the problems of life as they came before him. He was a good organizer and a natural- born leader, yet always seeming disposed to keep himself in the background, and endeavored to mould sentiment that would reflect his convictions of right and propriety.
Early in life he, with his wife, Elizabeth (Hoke) Dickey, united with the Church of the Brethren and both continued faithful and active members of the church until removed by death. He was early called to the ministry and was soon advanced to the full ministry. Soon after his removal to Ashland Coun- ty, Ohio, much of the work of the ministry in that locality devolved upon him. He kept account, the greater part of one year, of the distance traveled by him in his own private conveyance, it amounting to over 5,000 miles, in church work.
He was a strong advocate and an able defender of
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the plain principles and doctrines of the Bible. He worked in harmony with the methods of the church for the application of these principles, so long as he felt that conditions justified his so doing. Although strictly loyal to the church, yet being of an ag- gressive nature, he was always ready for any move- ment that would lead to more effective work for the Lord and the church. He was one among the first to set on foot and encourage protracted effort in the way of holding series of meetings at one place, which meetings proved to be successful in gather- ing many souls for Christ. On one occasion, while a series of meetings were in progress and a number of souls were being gathered into the church at Ash- land, a report of the meeting reached Indiana. Some of the elders there looked with some suspicion upon the movement, fearing that " wild fire " had gotten among the brethren at Ashland. One of their prominent elders, an able minister, unexpectedly came into the church one evening just as the meet- ing was about to open. He was asked to participate but refused. He continued in attendance for sev- eral meetings until convinced of the propriety of the work, then stated the reason for his silence, after which he joined in and assisted nobly. Brother Dickey being an able counsellor and adviser, his counsel was sought for by many brethren in the consideration of difficult problems that came to them. In his council meeting work in his home church, when trouble or difficulty arose between brethren, he was disposed to take a portion of the blame upon himself, when it was possible for him
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to do so, even though he was entirely innocent. He thereby gained much sympathy and confidence from all.
His companion was a noble helper to him in all the work of his ministry. She taught him to read, which he could do understandingly in the Bible and hymn book, but in nothing else could he read in- telligently. She always stood by him and encour- aged him in his work for the Lord and the church, however much additional responsibility and labor would devolve upon her. Their Christian home was always open for the brethren, many of whom often met there for counsel and social interview.
(Furnished by L. H. Dickey.)
Elder David Workman. 1840-1894.
Elder D. N. Workman was born near Loudon- ville, Ohio, in those days when school privileges covered only about three or four months during the winter sessions. His was a remarkable mental acu- men, quick to apprehend a situation and untangle complex problems in a practical and common-sense way.
Brother Workman married Lavina Dickey Dec. 23, 1860. These were days when the cost of start- ing a home had to be reckoned with. This young and happy pair lived near Loudonville for three years, during which time energy and thrift placed them in a position to venture the purchase of a home for themselves. They bought the Dickey farm lying one mile south of the church bearing the
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same name, and where the 1854 Annual Meeting was held. After about four years of agricultural success they sold the farm to Calvin Parker. Of all the choice lands in Ashland County, none seemed so attractive as the Isaac Schmucker farm near the Ashland (Dickey) Church, four and one-half miles
ELDER DAVID N. WORKMAN
from Ashland. In this home Brother Workman spent the remainder of his life. The large farm soon became known as one of the best and most beautiful farms in the county.
Both Brother and Sister Workman united with the church before marriage, which was quite un-
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usual in those days, for there seemed to be a gen- eral sentiment in the church that after matrimony was soon enough, because young people naturally became more settled then and would make better fixtures in the church.
Brother Workman was elected to the deacon's of- fice in 1866. He accepted every opportunity to ex- pound the Scriptures, as did the deacons in the Apostles' times. He was even asked to instruct ap- plicants for baptism. His go-forward disposition would not long leave him in this limited field of service, hence in June, 1870, he was called to the ministry at a love feast held in the barn of Austin Moherman, where a large body of members were present to welcome him and his wife into their new field of responsibility, accompanied by the usual right hand of fellowship and salutation. The work of the ministry was taken up at once, and his grow- ing ability in expounding the Word, and his un- swerving purpose, soon placed him in the second degree of the ministry, where he became a valuable assistant to his seniors in office, in words of counsel and pushing the work of the church.
He was made bishop in the fall of 1880 by order of the church, the installation services being con- ducted by Elder R. H. Miller, who at that time was president of Ashland College. The oversight of the church soon fell to his responsibility, which he faith- fully bore till his death.
He had the pleasure of seeing some of the fruitage of his years of service, in the strong sentiment the
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church had built up in the community for righteous- ness, and a church with business ability, working together in peace and harmony.
He also was among the pioneers of the Brother- hood in evangelistic work. Along in the seventies
SISTER LAVINA D. WORKMAN
One who bore faithfully with her husband the heavy re- sponsibilities incident to the care and keeping of many churches in Israel.
was the real transition period in the Brotherhood relative to evangelistic work. It had been looked upon as a worldly notion, and individuals would be brought into the church without due considera- tion of the step they were taking, hence would soon
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become subjects of church discipline. Then, too, as was thought, it would have a tendency to bring into the church those who were too young to know the step they were taking.
Brother D. N. was among the few who threw themselves into the work with a genuine love for souls ; and by his forceful exposition of the Word, and demonstration in the power of the Spirit, proved to the cautious that the days of Pentecost were not at an end; that men everywhere should get into the Kingdom and do the work of the Master. His work as an evangelist, for the most part, was done in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, in Maryland, Penn- sylvania, Ohio and Indiana. His evangelistic work covered only a few years, due to the pressure of his home and surrounding churches for his services in the care of souls.
Brother Workman was a baptizer of rare ability. His joy was a full measure while engaged in that work.
He was also a pioneer in Sunday-school work, when opposition had to be won over to an appre- ciation of its spiritual worth. He acted in the ca- pacity of superintendent of the first Sunday-school in the Ashland (Dickey) Church.
His earthly remains now lie in the beautiful cem- etery near the church where his life's work was mainly done. The truth he expounded, counsels given, and his life still live in the community, blooming and bearing luxuriantly.
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Isaac Dillen Parker. 1847-1910.
Born on a farm near Loudonville, Ohio, Jan. 22, 1847, the seventh child of a family of eight children. His parents, brothers and sisters were staunch members of the Baptist Church, while his maternal Grandmother Priest was a devoted mem- ber of the Church of the Brethren, for whom her ministers held occasional meetings in the home and neighborhood, through which the subject of this sketch was led to accept his Savior. He entered into the fellowship of the Brethren Church at six- teen years of age.
His church relations differing from those of his parents made him a close and careful Bible student early in life, which was an invaluable help to him in the busy years that followed. However, be it said to the credit of his people that although they did not see and believe alike, yet they never seriously opposed the son in his convictions of right.
His parents came from that substantial pioneer stock that was able to endure hardships and to im- part vigorous life and hardy ideals which developed sterling character.
This youth lived and worked on the farm and at- tended the public schools until he was seventeen years old when, having a burning desire for an education, he asked for his freedom, so that he could save up his earnings to use toward a higher education. This was granted him and by push and perseverance he began teaching school at nineteen years of age, continuing teaching and studying for
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