USA > Ohio > Church of the Brethren in southern Ohio > Part 29
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Many of the missionaries who have gone out from the Southern District of Ohio were supported by their home churches. Where there are couples their record is made together. Where one is not a son or a daughter of the district, the companion takes the main role in the biography.
2. CHINA
Minna Mote Heckman 1911-13
B. F. Heckman 1911-13
J. Homer Bright
1911-40
Minnie F. Bright
1911-40
Elizabeth Weybright Oberholtzer 1916-37
I. E. Oberholtzer
1916-38
Walter J. Heisey
1917-31
Sue Rinehart Heisey 1917-31
O. C. Sollenberger 1919-49
Hazel Coppock Sollenberger 1919-37
Elizabeth Baker Wampler 1922-50
Ernest M. Wampler 1918-50
Bessie Crim 1940-
John W. Detrick 1946-51
J. Calvin Bright
1947-51
Harriett Howard Bright
1947-50
MINNA MOTE HECKMAN China, 1911 to 1913
Minna Mote was born to Harvey and Hettie Niswonger Mote, near Union City, Indiana, in the Pleasant Valley con- gregation, on August 18, 1885. Her father was a minister and elder in the Pleasant Valley church. Growing up in a Christian atmosphere, Minna united with the church early in life.
After attending Mount Morris College and Bethany Biblical Seminary, she was married to B. F. Heckman in June 1905. Brother Heckman was a teacher in the seminary while completing his studies. He was the first graduate from
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the seminary, the others of the class of eight being graduates from the Bible School in the class of 1911. This fine consecrated couple set their faces for China, sailing in 1911. They had two small children, Esther and Lois.
After reaching the field they entered immediately upon language study. Most of the first year was spent at the coast, Tientsin and Peitaiho, because of the revolution which was on at that time.
In the autumn of 1912, the Heckmans went interior to Shansi Province and settled in Ping Ting Chow, where the Church of the Brethren mission work had been started two years before. In January of 1913 Brother Heckman died of smallpox. This was a tragic and unspeakable loss to the field. Minna with her two children returned to the States the following summer, having spent scarcely two years on the field to which she and her brilliant husband had dedicated their lives.
With courage Mrs. Heckman set herself to readjustment. She entered the classroom again, preparing herself as a director of religious education. She was an efficient teacher for more than twelve years in this field at Bethany Seminary. She took her Master's degree in religious education, studying in North- western University as well as Bethany Seminary. She has served in this field and also as a parish worker in several congregations. Her years have been filled with fruitful service, and she is now living at La Verne, California.
J. HOMER AND MINNIE F. BRIGHT China, 1911 to 1940
J. Homer was born to Elder J. Calvin and Elizabeth Hiestand Bright near New Lebanon, Ohio, on September 28, 1880, being the oldest of eight children. His was a very religious home where family prayers and Christian hymns were offered each day. Church services were never neglected. The home was ever conscious of the importance of the church. As a child J. Homer often accompanied his father to other churches where he heard his father preach. He sat with the
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ministers on the "preachers' bench" behind a long table, his feet not touching the floor! He learned early to "walk in the way of the fathers."
J. Homer Bright and Wife
At the age of fifteen he entered Juniata College for normal work, and one year later began teaching school. After two winters he returned to Juniata and finished the normal course. He took Bible work at Bethany and was a member of the first graduating class, and, on furlough from China, completed his college work at Manchester College in 1927.
In early childhood he attended church at Wolf Creek. Elected to the ministry when twenty-one years of age, he continued teaching school for a number of years. It was during this time that he met Minnie Flory, daughter of John and Millie Younce Flory of near Phillipsburg, Ohio. Minnie was born on December 21, 1880, the youngest of nine children. Her education was of the usual grade school and high school type. Later she attended Manchester College and Bethany Biblical Seminary. She united with the church early in life. She came from a godly home. Her father was an excellent Bible student
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who taught his children many valuable truths. Minnie was active in church work, and helped in the organization of the first mission study class, then called the Missionary Reading Circle. It was here that the first call came to her to give her life to foreign missionary work.
The friendship of Homer and Minnie culminated in their marriage in May 1904. Following Homer's graduation from Bethany, they were approached by the Mission Board for the China field. After giving careful consideration to spending their lives in service abroad, they decided to answer the call, "Go ye unto the uttermost parts of the earth," and began making preparations accordingly. China seemed a strange and faraway country.
In September 1911, with their two children and six other missionaries, they sailed from Seattle for Tientsin, China. On the deck of the outgoing ship friends of the Seattle church and Brother D. L. Miller gathered for a brief prayer service, farewells, and words of encouragement. Brother Miller in giving his final message added these words: "You are leaving home, families and many things in going out as missionaries, but there's one thing you'll not leave behind, and that is the Devil. He'll go with you all the way." These words were never forgotten.
The Brights landed in China eight days after the revolution began. This circumstance necessitated their remaining at the coast eleven months, which were spent in language study. In the late summer of 1912, the country had become quiet enough for them to go interior. They were located at Liao Chow in the beautiful mountains of Shansi, three days' journey from the railroad and beyond three mountain ranges. It seemed indeed like the "uttermost part of the earth." Travel was entirely by animals and by walking.
J. Homer was assigned to educational work. The area was virgin soil, as no missionary or native Christian had done any work in these parts. The people were fearful of this "foreign invasion." It took time to build confidence, but God opened many doors of opportunity to serve the people. Preach- ing, teaching, and healing brought great numbers to the knowledge of Christ.
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Later J. Homer became the mission's architect, treasurer, and evangelist. Minnie was teacher to her children, assisted the doctor in the clinic and the hospital, cared for needlecraft instruction for years, taught in the schools, engaged in home and village evangelism, and did much entertaining of Chris- tians and missionaries in her home. A record for one month was three hundred guests, many of whom came long distances over mountain trails for a chat and a cup of tea. It was a rule of her life that no guests, whether rich or poor, educated or illiterate, ever left without her telling them of the Christ who gave Himself for them. She was named the god-mother for many a baby by the child's parents.
Their first deep grief came to them in their early years of work, when, in the providence of God, their small two- year-old baby was taken. In sixteen months another, a six-year-old, sunshiny, happy daughter, also slipped away. Two children grew to maturity-Esther and Calvin.
J. Homer and Minnie left the China field in the summer of 1940 because of the critical illness of Minnie. During nearly three decades they had seen the church expand from a mustard-seed beginning to a large Christian fellowship of believers numbering several thousand. During these years they had seen China grow more and more restless politically and socially, smarting under injustices forced upon her by the Western nations. But the cross has been securely planted, and the remnant shall not be overcome.
The Brights are living in the Salem church, Minnie's old home church in Southern Ohio, near Phillipsburg.
ELIZABETH WEYBRIGHT OBERHOLTZER China, 1916 to 1937
Elizabeth was born into the home of Philip and Emma Royer Weybright on May 31, 1885, near Trotwood, Ohio. While very young she was taken to church and Sunday school in the old Wolf Creek church until the Trotwood church was organized; then it became her church home. By her many friends she was called Bessie. Her early education followed
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the usual routine, and her formal training was received in Manchester College. She taught school for five years in Darke and Montgomery counties. Later she took work at Oberlin Seminary.
Isaiah Oberholtzer and Wife
In 1911 Elizabeth met Isaiah Oberholtzer at a Sunday- school class meeting; he had come to Ohio to visit his friend, J. Cephas Flora, who had married Elizabeth Garver and was now living in Ohio. A friendship developed which culminated in their marriage in September 1915. Isaiah was then a young minister preparing for his life's work. After finishing college at Juniata, he taught in Daleville College for two years. He took work at Garrett Biblical Institute, and later completed his seminary training at Yale University. This was followed with postgraduate work at Oberlin Seminary. It was while they were in Oberlin that the Oberholtzers had their divine call for service on the China field.
At the Winona Conference in 1916 they were commissioned to go to China, and Brother Oberholtzer was ordained to the eldership. It was a busy summer preparing for their de-
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parture in August 1916. Their first year was spent in language school, following the pattern of all missionaries coming to the field. Their first station was Ping Ting, where Isaiah was in charge of a men's Bible school. Later they were transferred to Liao Chow, where they were assigned to evangelism and where they did a noble work.
Four children were born to them on the field, the two daughters being identical twins. The care of the home and family kept Elizabeth a busy mother, and no mother ever served more sacrificially and beautifully. The Chinese mothers loved her deeply, and the story of her kindnesses and mani- festations of love in the homes of her neighbors and among the village women is a long unwritten story. As time per- mitted she taught in the women's Bible school, did home visitation, and entertained many a weary traveler. After the children had left home to attend the boarding school for missionary children, Elizabeth accompanied Isaiah on his many evangelistic tours through the villages, being gone for days at a time, enduring many privations to witness of the love of God to women who for the first time heard the "Glad Tidings." These trips over rugged mountains and stony river beds were not made on "flowery beds of ease." It meant riding pack animals (mules and donkeys) and often walking where trails were dangerous. It was a real physical hardship, but joy crowned these experiences as they found a glad welcome everywhere.
It seems fitting to tell an incident in the life of Elizabeth which clearly reveals her noble, magnificent character. It happened when their last child was quite ill. The babe was frail from birth and there were many times when it seemed that the little life was hanging on a thread. It was nearing two years old when once again sickness overtook it. Brother Oberholtzer had made all arrangements for a long tour of villages in a far part of their field, but hesitated to take the journey and leave Elizabeth alone with the sick child. She urged him to carry on his work of preaching in the great open field, saying that perhaps the baby would recover again as it always had before. Reluctantly he started out with her encouragement. The following day the babe was taken to
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be with the Master. Elizabeth sent word to her husband not to return home, but to continue his good work until the tour was completed. The few missionaries at the station helped Elizabeth with the burial and gave her comfort. How rare are the wives and mothers who carry such a heart of sacrificial love! Such are unwritten stories of souls never mentioned in the "Who's Who" column.
They, too, lived through famine and war years and long separation from each other. Elizabeth returned to the States with the children and kept a home for them while they were in college. I. E. continued on alone in missionary work, often in danger of robbers during the Japanese war. In 1938 he joined his family in the States. They have had several pastorates during these years, doing very acceptable work. They have just retired to their present home in Trotwood, Ohio, but their hearts and prayers are with their Chinese Christian friends. Elizabeth is a noble and worthy daughter of Southern Ohio.
WALTER J. AND SUE RINEHART HEISEY China, 1917 to 1931
Walter J. Heisey was born September 17, 1890, to Albert and Susan Kreider Heisey, near Union, Ohio. He was born into a family of six sons and two daughters. Four of the sons became ministers, and this son a missionary to China. A sister was a missionary to South Africa. Back of such commitment to the work of God was a godly home where daily prayers were offered and the Bible was the most read book. It was a financial struggle for the parents to keep their brood together, and Walter spent periods of time in other Christian homes. The mother's earnest prayers rested upon each child as he came and went from the home.
Walter's education followed the usual trend. After high school he graduated from Manchester College and Bethany Seminary and was also fortunate in having some postgraduate work. He was called to the ministry in 1911. Being a capable, earnest Christian he had many opportunities for Christian
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development in Sunday school, mission band in college, and revival meetings.
In 1917 he married the charming and talented Sue Rinehart, whose home was just this side of the Indiana state line. But her church home was the Four Mile church in the Southern District of Indiana. She was born to David and Fannie Rinehart in Preble County, Ohio, on January 9, 1888. Her formal training was secured at Manchester College and Bethany Biblical Seminary, and through special training in music. She was a supervisor of music in the public schools for some time.
In 1917 the Heiseys were commissioned at the Wichita Conference for mission work in China. In late summer they sailed with six others and the Crumpackers, senior missionaries in China. Before a missionary can do efficient work, it is necessary to learn the language. So the Heiseys began immediately on this long road that seems to have no end. Their first year was spent in Peiping in the College of Chinese Studies, along with many others who had come to serve in China. Both Walter and Sue covered the five-year course in language study.
Brother Heisey's assignment was to Show Yang, Shansi, as an evangelist. He had an "ear" for the language and rapidly gained a fine speaking vocabulary as he mingled with people in shops, market places, and fairs, and had personal contacts. He became a fluent speaker. His genial, gentle disposition won him many friends in the many villages throughout the two counties where his work called him. He gave himself unselfishly during the famine and plague disasters which struck North China in the twenties. The governor of the province gave him distinguished honors for his splendid work. In all the valiant years of his service on the field, his devoted wife faithfully kept the home, rearing their three children, and helping in church work and in Sunday school, and being a teacher for her children until they were old enough to enter the boarding school for missionary children near Peking.
After their furlough in 1931, they remained in the States because of the illness of their daughter. The Heiseys have
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been busy people serving in pastorates in various places, since retiring from the field, with an interval while the boys were in college in serving as public relations worker for Manchester College.
At present the Heiseys are serving the church in Tiffin, Ohio; he is also the executive secretary for the Northwestern District of Ohio and a member of the executive committee of the Ohio Council of Churches.
O. C. AND HAZEL COPPOCK SOLLENBERGER China, 1919 to 1949; 1919 to 1937
O. C. Sollenberger comes of staunch Brethren stock. He was born on a farm in the Middle District congregation to Elder David and Rebecca Yount Sollenberger, on March 29, 1889. O. C. grew up in a spiritual atmosphere. He came into the church at the age of fourteen and set his face in the direction of serving his Master. A quiet, serious lad with a keen mind, he followed the usual routine of early school days. He served the congregation as a Sunday-school teacher and as superintendent and later was called to the ministry.
At a Sunday-school convention of Southern Ohio in 1911, he heard the farewell messages of the Heckmans and the Brights, who were soon to leave for China, commissioned as missionaries to that field. It was then that he had his vision for his life's work, and he felt God's hand laid upon him to prepare for foreign service. To answer the call he began making preparation by entering Manchester College. In time he graduated from Manchester, and in due time from Bethany Biblical Seminary.
Hazel Coppock Sollenberger, daughter of John W. and Mary Hikes Coppock, was born July 4, 1891, and also lived in the Middle District congregation. While still quite young she became a capable worker in the church, and later served at the Charleston and East Dayton churches as a home mission worker under the Mission Board of Southern Ohio, when those churches were still mission charges. Hazel and O. C. were attracted to each other quite naturally as both had high ideals
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of serving the church and their Lord wherever He might lead. They were married in May 1912. Hazel attended Manchester College and took work at Bethany Seminary as time allowed from her household duties.
O. C. and Hazel were commissioned to the China field in the spring of 1919 and sailed in August of the same year with six others newly appointed to China, and with Anna Hutchison and the Brights, returning from furlough. They sailed on the old "Missionary Annie" (the China); this nickname had been given to it because it carried so many missionaries to and from the Orient through the years, mostly when it was under an American register.
After a period of language study, Brother Sollenberger was assigned to country evangelistic work. A missionary is called upon to do many jobs on the side, and so it was with O. C. To be versatile is a great asset to one's missionary usefulness. O. C. was a steady plodder, building a sure foundation. The Chinese came to love him. They admired his sincerity, his genuine love for them, his understanding of their inner longings, and his humility. He was one with them. He toured the villages for days and weeks on end, enduring many hardships, to bring the love of Christ to the people. Over mountain trails, treacherous in winter or slippery with seasonal rains, he kept faithfully on his march to establish the young Christians and add others to the church.
At home was Hazel. Her body was frail, and often for weeks she was bedfast. Her four walls became her prayer room, where intercessory prayer was poured forth daily for her husband, for other missionaries, and for the Christians. She taught her three children until they were old enough to leave home (sixth grade) to enter the boarding school for missionary children near Peking. As health permitted she taught English to nurses in training, and craft work to school- girls. Her home was always open to all classes of people; there a cup of tea meant courteous hospitality and helped open a door for Christ to enter. Hazel, in spite of poor health, always urged her husband to go out and tour among the villages, and not sacrifice time and concern for her.
The story of the work which Brother Sollenberger did on
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the field would fill a book. His brave efforts in relief work during his later years on the field, possible danger from bandits, tortuous journeys through war-stricken areas, the long and uncertain separations from his family, and a constant giving of himself to comfort the afflicted Christians -this is a saga in itself. When communism swept in and took over, in 1949 this seasoned warrior of the cross left the field where he had served so valiantly across the years. O. C. and Hazel now live in retirement in Los Gatos, California.
ELIZABETH BAKER WAMPLER China, 1922 to 1950
Elizabeth Baker Wampler was born October 9, 1891, near Greenville, Ohio, to Elder W. Henry and Mary Hollinger Baker. Her mother died before she was three years old. Four years later the father, a farmer preacher, married Maggie Halliday, who was a kind Christian foster mother. Attending church was an unbreakable custom in the home the same as eating and sleeping. Betty grew up in the Palestine church and in her early years gave her heart to God. She attended the country school in the community and later high school. She taught school three years, and then served under the District Mission Board in Circleville, Ohio, for a short term.
Two years at Manchester College were followed by nurses' training in Battle Creek, Michigan. While in college Betty felt the call of her Master to the foreign field as a nurse. This challenge came through talks with returned missionaries who presented the physical and spiritual needs of the people. After finishing nurses' training, she spent some time at Bethany Biblical Seminary.
In July 1922 Betty sailed for China along with other commissioned missionaries for the same field. Following a year of language study in the College of Chinese Studies, in Peking, she was located in the busy Ping Ting hospital, in Shansi Province. Here her kind hands were kept busy ministering to the many sick and giving words of Christian
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comfort to anxious hearts. Training nurses was also a part of her busy schedule.
On her first furlough she was married to Ernest M. Wampler in 1928. They went back to China the same year. They were very efficient workers. Betty was not only doing
Ernest Wampler and Wife
the work of a nurse, but was caring for a home and working as an evangelist along with her husband. Two sons, Joseph and Eugene, came to bless their home. They lived through much of the Japanese war and had the misfortune of a bomb dropping on their home greatly demolishing the walls and property. Betty and the little boys were fortunate to have time to heed the air-raid siren and reach the air-raid shelter for safety. Ernest was outside the city at the time, and also escaped injury. They soon returned to Liao Chow, with closer connections to coast cities should war conditions make it necessary to leave. There relief work was done for several years until Japanese attitudes made it necessary for our workers to leave Shansi; shortly thereafter they returned to America. Soon Brethren Wampler and Sollenberger returned
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to China hoping to reach sufferers of our China field from the rear. During the time spent in China they were able to render much service to the needy even though they were unable to do anything directly for the sufferers in our Shansi field.
After the close of World War II, the Wamplers returned with others to the China field. Some months were spent in Shansi, where they were joyously received. But soon they found they were unwelcome by the communists; so they returned to Peking. Calls came for our workers to go to Central and West China. The Wamplers were located near Nanchang, at Hsiang Tang, where agricultural and relief projects were carried on. After the communists came and occupied these parts of China, their sons were unable to travel home after the close of the American school in Shanghai. So the boys returned to America in the autumn of 1949, but the parents were unable to leave until the spring of 1950. They reached home a short while before the Annual Conference at Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their home is now in Bridgewater, Virginia, where they are busy in church work.
BESSIE CRIM China, 1940; Extended Furlough
Bessie Crim was born to Charles E. and Luella Swank Crim on October 4, 1914, near Bellefontaine, Ohio.
After finishing high school, Bessie entered nurses' training. Her postgraduate work took her to Baltimore and New York, where she obtained excellent experience in the nursing pro- fession. She was preparing herself to answer the call of God to go to the mission field which came while she was a youth in high school.
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