USA > Ohio > Ashland County > History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 22
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They increased rapidly; their doctrine spread iar and wide, and soon excited the hatred of persecution, by which they were driven from place to place, until the year 1719, when they commenced emigrating to America, and settled in the vicinity of Philadelphia and Germantown. In 1829 nearly the whole church found herself quietly settled down in the western world. Among these was their first preacher, Alexander Mack, who, though formerly a man of considerable property, was now poor in this world's goods, yet rich in grace and knowledge. He quietly settled himself on a sinall lot near Germantown, in the vicinity of Philadelphia. He did not live long to enjoy the quietude of a home in the new world, for only six years after his arrival in America closed his labors on earth. And now in the Brethren's public burying-ground in Germantown, the stranger is shown the spot where rests the remains of this humble and venerable reformer. He is said to have been a man of great influence in his own family. Al his sons united with the church in their seventeenth yeat, and some of them lived to be useful men in their Master's cause.
It may be proper to observe that all the Dunkards in America have sprung from the little band of eight souls, who started up in Germany in the year 1758, and that, too, in a portion of the country where: no Baptist had lived in the memory of man, and even now. none exist there. Most all reformatory movements have usually been introduced and kept up by some one of great influence and talent, bat not so in this. This movement was put on foot by men and women who ceen- pied humble positions in life, and, consequently, at the head of the organization is no man to whom the body can appeal for human authority or precedent, and, hence, in all their futh and practice they are under the necessity of appealing directly to the Scriptures, the only infallible source of correct information, for all their authority in re- ligions practices.
This little leaven has spread itself fur and wide till now nearly every State and territory has its members. They are, however, most nu. merous in Pennsylvania, Maryland. Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Hlirio's. Kansas, Iowa and Missouri.
But while the present organisation dates its history from the move- ment in Germany, the careful reader will observe that the rise of their faith and practice generally is hid in the remote depths of Christian antiquity.
Owing to the fact that they have never published any denomination! statistics, it is somewhat difficult to determine their exact manber. Those, however, who are acquainted with the entire body, state th .t their number is not far from one hundred thousand. As Bus estimate was made several years ago, it is likely short of thor number, for in vaness locifities they have increased in numbers very fpt, ont tr perhaps sale to place their number considerably above one hundred thons.ind.
The Larger majority of dem a. summers, and where any great extent, they are save to make & well ingerchohan. Signs of them are mechanics, while a small number de prof . ing ! Hun. Such a thing as a Dunkel lawyer is wholly unknown ale! are usually in good circumstances, and many of them in, ar of
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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
considerable wealth. As it is a part of their religion to inculcate in- dustry and frugality, abstaining from all extravagance and worldly display, they are likely to become. in possession of property. By abstaining from superfluities of all kinds, they not only improve their health, and increase their wealth, but set before the world a good ex- ample of plainness and frugality.
They have no written creed, save the New Testament, which they regard as an only rate of their religious faith and practice. They consider this to be all that was used by the primitive Christians in the first century, and by virtue of the same is sufficient now. The minutes of their animal councils are published, from year to year; this is by not a few innocently regarded as their discipline, but they do not regard it as such, but recieve it as advice from those who are assembled on that occasion. Lately they have collected and published all the minutes of their annual councils and bound them in book form.
They believe in the Trinity-that there are three divine persons or powers in the Godhead. They accept the entire Old and New Testa- ments as being of divine inspiration, and strongly contend for a literal interpretation of the same, as we would interpret the language of other books, so far as it may appear in harmony with the general tenor of the Bible. They believe in future rewards and punishments -- that the wicked, those who wilfully disobey the gospel, "shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal. " -- Matt. 26: 26.
They believe that all idiots, all infants, and persons who die before they arrive at the years of knowledge-to know good from evil-will be saved without obedience, being sufficiently atoned for by the death of Christ. They are, however, strong opposers of infant baptism, believing like the Baptists in general, that baptism is intended for believers only, and as infants cannot believe, and are not required to do so, they are perfectly safe without it. It is further believed by them that baptism in connection with faith and repentance is for the "re- mission of sins" (Acts 2 : 38), that is, actual sins committed-and as the children have committed no actual sin against a law of which they know nothing, they are fit subjects for heaven without being baptized. It being further maintained that baptism is "the answer of a good con- science towards God" (ist Peter 3 : 21). camnot apply to children as they know nothing of baptism and cannot, therefore, have any con- science in the matter,
Faith, repentance and baptism are considered essential to salvation and for the remission of sins. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." He that believeth not shall be dainned. " "Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish." "Repent and be baptized everv one of you, in the rame of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. " None are recognized as members until after baptismi.
First in order of the ordinances is baptism, which is to be observed immediately after the exercise of true repentance, according to the command, "Repent and be baptized." The mode of baprism is pecu- liar, is called trine immersion, and their general service attending it is as follows: At the water-side they kneel down, especially the appli- cant and the administrator, and the administrator then offers up a short prayer to God. This being over, they both go down into the water to a proper depth, and the applicant kneels down. The adinin- istrator then asks the following questions, all of which the applicant answers in the affirmative : Dost thou believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He has brought from Heaven a saving gospel? Dost thou willingly renounce Satin, with all his pernicious ways, and all the sinful pleasures of this world? Dost thou covenant with God, in Christ Jesus, to be faithful unto death? Then he proceeds: "Upon this, thy confession of faith, which thou hast made before God and these witnesses, thon shalt, for the remission of sin, be baptized in the name of the Father" (then bends the applicant forward until he is wholly immersed), "and of the Son" (dipping him the second time). "and of the Holy Ghost" {dipping him the third time). . After this, and while the applicant is yet kneeling, the administrator lays his hands upon the applicant's head, and offers up a short prayer to God, in his behalf. Baptism makes the recipient a member of the church. and is never repeated for the same individual. Excommunication does not impair the validity of the baptism, so that they can be received again, on proper repentance and reformation, without the resulministra- tion of the ordinance.
In defence of their practice it is mantained by them that the conunis- sion- - " Baptizing them into the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," is very elliptical, and when filled up agreeable with this rub's of the English, as well as the Greek language, will read as fol-
lows: " Papdizing them into i! e name of the Father, and baptining chem into the name of the Son, and baptizing them into the name of the Holy Ghost." This is claimed to be the grammatiet import of the language -amply sustained by all the ancient Greeks of Christian antiquity who have written on the subject. It may be in place to remark that Chrys- ostom, the most renowned Greek scholar of antiquity, and who lived and wrote in the fourth century, says: "Christ delivered to his disciples one baptism in three immersions of the body, when he said unto thets. 'Go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."" The Greek portion of Christen- dom, who received the gospel directly from ine apostles themselves, to this day, amid all their speculations' and ceremonies, still retain the ase of the three-fold immersion, which: is an unanswerable argument in de- fence of the antiquity of the trine immersion as now practiced by the German Baptists. As they believe in the Trinity -- that there are three persons in one Godhead, they maintain that there should aiso or three actions in the one baptisin. Their method is invariably performed by the forward motion of the body in the water, believing that backward immersion is a human invention, and cannot be traced beyond its ori- gin among the English Baptists in the sixteenth century (Judson on Baptism, page 112). They hold that as baptism is an act of obedience, like all other obedience, must be forward and not backward, and being in the likeness of Christ's death, which took place on the cross where He bowed His head (forward), they in like manner must bow forward in the water.
Next in order is the ordinance of feet-washing. The authority is from the incident of Christ washing His disciple's feet, narrated in John 13. They believe the command in the fourteenth and fifteenth verses of this chapter to be as literally binding as the commands elsewhere for the observance of the communion. It is observed as a preparation for the love-feast and communion, according to the statement of Christ to Peter in the tenth verse. In the observance of the ordinance the brethren wash the feet of the brethren only, and the sisters of the sisters. The sexes never, under any circumstances, wash the feet of each other, as has sometimes been charged. Everything connected with the ordinance is done decently and in order. It is ch- served at every love-feast and communion. It is proper to observe, however, that those who perform the service of feet-washing are not " chosen" from the members, but any member may perform this er- vice, which is always a purely voluntary one.
Next is the love-feast. The authority for this is predicated upon the fact that before Christ instituted the communion, on the right of His betrayal, He first partook of a supper with His disciples. They make this a real mcal. There is no limit as to kind or quality of food. The only requirement is, that it be a real supper. After this, and immedi- ately preceding the communion, is the salutation of the kiss, which they claim was observed by the apostles and Christian churches follow- ing them. In this ordinance the brethren salute each other, and the sisters the same. The sexes do not interchange salutations.
In the observance of the communion, which is the ordinance next in order, the sisters all have their heads covered with plain caps, and the brethren with heads uncovered. Thanks are given both for the bread and wine. The minister breaks the bread to the brethren, and they to each other. The minister breaks to the sisters also, but they do not break to each other; and the same is the case in passing the wine. The communion and its attendant ordinances are always observed at night. as this was the hour of their institution by Christ. It is observed usually once or twice a year in every church.
In addition to these ordinances, is that of the laying on of hands, and anointing the sick with oil ; founded on James. 5: : 4. 15. It is done only at the request of the sick person, and always by an ekler, if one is within reach; but if it is not convenient to secure the presence of an elder, the ordinance. is then administered by a minister. To perform this ceremony, two are always required,
The church government is republican in form. Lach church has its council, to which all matters of difference, and questions of dificeis, must first be submitted. If not settled here, they are carried both . council of the district. These districts generally include all of twenty churches, sometimes less; and the conned is composed of credit. fram ench charch if not settled here, and is a matter of gene 'd n. terest. it is taken to the national council, of conference: Lut Dale ! meter is allowed to come up before that I is in some . net - in this way, assists in the settlement of difficult cases.
the national conference is composed of two delegates from site de trici One of the two serves on the standing committee, what has important offices to perform; and the other attends more particularly
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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
to the matters before the conference. But, while these delegates con- stitute the official conference, opportunity is given to all members present to speak, ard participate in the proceedings. In the lower councils, all matters are decided by vote, and the sisters are allowed the same privileges as the brethren, in this respect; but in the national conference, the decisions are by common consent, and the sisters do not participate in the official deliberations.
The special ol ject of this national conference is to decide matters for which no "Thus saith the Lord" can be found. Questions naturally anse which cannot be decided by reference to the Bible teachings, and the object of this annual conference is to take all such questions into consideration and decide upon them. A clerk keeps a careful record of all the proceedings, and at the close the record is printed and sent to each church, and beconies the final authority, so far as advice is concerned, on all the subjects considered.
Their mode of worship does not differ materially from that of other people, save in the use of the Lord's prayer, which they repeat at the end of each prayer. In case two ministers are together, one offers up a prayer and the other repeats the Lord's prayer. Meeting generally opens with singing and prayer, after which a chapter is read. Then follows preaching by one or more of the ministers present. If no min- ister is present, the meeting is generally conducted by one of the dea- cons. The services are closed in the same way they are opened, by singing and prayer. They do not use the benediction. The minister usually says: "We are dismissed in the name of the Lord," or some similar phrase.
During services the sisters are required to have their heads covered with a plain covering, in compliance with Paul, who says: "It is a shame for a woman to pray or prophesy with her head uncovered." The men keep their heads uncovered at all times during services.
The Dickey church may be regarded as the pioneer denomination of Dunkers, in what is now Ashland county, and the late Joseph Roop, as the pioneer who was instrumental in introducing the first "Dunkard" speakers to Montgomery township. As early as 1839.'40 he invited Mr. Tracy, one of their speakers, to address a few hearers at his (Mr. Roop's) residence, in the east part of the township. These meetings were frequently addressed by Mr. Tracy and other speakers, and finally resulted in the organization of a small society, which continued to meet frequently at the residence of Mr. Roop, and being joined by others, finally became suffi- ciently numerous to erect what is now known as the "Dickey church," one of the leading speakers being the late Elias Dickey. The church was a neat frame, in the east part of Montgomery township, and was erected about 1850 ; but a new and larger one was erected by the same congregation in 1877, forty by eighty feet.
The Ashland City church assembles at the chapel in the new college of the Dunkards. The congregation was organized during the summer of 1879, and mostly addressed by Professor S. Z. Sharp, David Wertman and Bashor. The members number about fifty, and are increasing.
The Lafayette church, in the north part of Perry township, was organized in 1856. The congregation is irostly made up of Pennsylvanians, who speak the Ger- man language and conform to the faith of the Dunkards. Mr. Snowlarger, a member of that denomination and a man of wealth, donated the church building.
The Maple Grove or Beighley church was organized in 1850. The church was erected four or five years earlier than the Dickey church, say about 1855. The Beigh- leys, Roops and Myers were among the first and lead- . ing members. The members number about one hun- dred and fifty.
The Hershey or Oak Grove church, in the northwest prut of Vermillion township, was purchased from the German Reformed Lutherans about 1870, and has about twenty members. It is a branch of the Dickey congregation, and increasing in members, and evinces prosperity.
The Burns organization, in Milton township, is a branch of the Maple Grove of Beighley church, and meets at the Burns school-house. It has about twenty members.
The speakers at the Beighley church and its branches are : William Sadler, George Worst, Isaac Rudy and Alphus Dickey.
The speakers for the Dickey church and its branches are : David Whitmer, Henry Kilheffner, David Work- man, Dillon Parker and Isaac Kilheffner.
The Loudonville, or Workman church, in Green town- ship, was built about 1863. It is thirty by forty feet, and has about one hundred members. The speakers are Morton Workman, William Workman and J. Work- man.
It is proper to state that the speakers for the Dun- kards receive no salary ; but if the speaker be a poor man, and devote his time and talents to the spread of their faith, the Dunkards regard it as incumbent to re- ward their speaker by gifts.
THE UNITED BRETHREN.
The United Brethren church of Ashland was erected in 1867. It is a neat frame. The members number about two hundred. The present minister is Rev. David Sprinkle.
The United Brethren church, of Mohican, near the Lake fork, was built in 18.47. It is thirty by thirty- eight feet, and known as Fairview chapel. The member- ship is about sixty.
The Oak Grove United Brethren church is some three miles north of Fairview. The building is twenty-six by thirty feet. The membership is about seventy-five.
The United Brethren, of Lafayette, have a small frame church. There is also a small church near the south line of Perry township. The number of members in cach is believed to be about forty.
The United Brethren church, of Jackson township, known as Otterheim chapel, thirty by thirty-six feet, was built in 1861. It has about thirty members, and has oc- casional preaching.
THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION.
This church has been represented in Ashland by a few members for upward of forty years. Occasional preach- ing has been held in private dwellings. The Helimans and Michael Thomas were early members. When Michael Thomas moved to Astiland a class was forined, consisting of himself, C. Kreisher, H. Campbell, Joseph Heltman, Mr. Rehman, Mr. Wenrick, William, Daniel and Philip Merr, Mr. Shaffer, and M. Proudfit. in 1$75, the society built a very fine brick chutes, thirty eight by sixty-six feet, in modern gothic style, with atower and fine bell. It is beautifully frescoed, and cost over six thousand dollars Rev. Dr. D. H. Resenburg is the pastor,
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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
and the new church is the result of his zeal. The nem- bership is now about sixty in town; and five miles east he has another class called Trinity society, consisting of one hundred and ninety-six members. This class was formed in 1832 by Andrew Morr, Danie! Morr, Mr. Shreffler, Benjamin Myers, Jacob Mvers, Michael Morr, Jacob Morr, John Myers, Adam Echelbarger and others. The first min- isters were Revs. C. Hammer and J. J. Kopp. In 1850, a neat frame church was erected. In IS70 a new frame superseded the old one. It is thirty-six by fifty feet, and has a good bell. This church is under the care of the Ashland station. Its members are wealthy farmers, and possess a good deal of enterprise and Christian zeal.
At Lafayette a class was formed in 1830, by Henry Zimmerman, John Betts, Henry Kiplinger, Henry Shaffer, Nicholas Shaffer, Mr. Swaisgood and George Walkey. Preaching was held in cabins till 1846. At that time a log church, thirty by thirty five feet, was built. In 1858, this was vacated, and a new frame church built, and again remodeled and enlarged, in 1865, to a fine church, thirty-six by fifty feet, with a steeple and bell. The membership is now about one hundred and fifty. The people are very harmonious and prosperous.
In Jackson township, in section twenty-two, a fine frame church, thirty by forty feet, with a tower and bell, was erected in 1873. The leading members are John Swaisgood, Mr. Landis, Mr. Stelzer, Mr. Nickle, Jones, and Isaac Eshelman. The entire membership is about fifty-six.
Near Lakeville, in Lake township, is another church, which was organized in 1840. It has now about one hundred and fifty members. The building is a neat frame.
In the southwest corner of Green township is another church of the same denomination. It was organized about 1846. The church is a neat frame. The mem- bers number about .seventy.
It is proper to observe that the Evangelical Associa- tion, in its doctrines, modes of church organization, and appointment of classes and ministers, resembles the Methodist Episcopal church. The ministers are ap- pointed by the annual conference of the .Association.
The Evangelical Association was originally formed by Rev. Jacob Albright, of Pennsylvania, and the members of the church are known in some localities as "Albrights." Jacob Albright was born May 1, 1759. Ile joined the Lutheran church in 1791; and subsequently joined the Methodist Episcopal church and was licensed to preach. He lost his place by absence from class. He began to preach as an independent, in 1796, and in ISoo the for- mation of the Evangelical Association took place. He was then thirty-seven years old. He died May IS, 1803, aged nearly fifty years. The present membership of the Association is one hundred thousand.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
In 1827 a small Congregational society formed in Ruggles Center. The minister was Rev. E. T. Wood- ruff; the members Harvey Sackett, E. D. Smith, Reuben Fox, Thelia Sackett, Norman Carter, Rache! Curtiss,
Sarah Sturtevant, Lorinda Beach, Jerusha Peck, Mina Fox and Cynthia Smith. The ministers have been Revs. Joseph Treat, T. T. Woodruff, S. Robinson, Benjamin Judson, E. P. Salmon, S. Dunton, W. I. Buffett, O. W. Mather, E. P. Sperry, W. T. Millikan, G. C. judson, James Wilson, John McCutchin, H. L. Howard, and G. V. Fry. The services were held in the cabin of Mr. Sackett, and in a school-house for several years. In 1838 a church was erected by the congregation and township. In 1854 a new church was erected. The members number about ninety-five.
THE CATHOLICS.
St. Peter's Catholic church, of Loudonville, was built in 1871. It is of brick, seventy by forty feet, and thirty- five feet high in the clear. The corner-stone was laid by Rev. Father Verlet, of Massillon, June 25, 1871, assisted by Father Ankly, of Wooster. Father Magenhann sang high mass in Loudonville on the occasion. The building was completed in 1872, and Rev. Father Schmitz took charge. It has a membership of thirty-five families, and is a neat, comfortable church. It cost about twelve thou- sand dollars. It has no school as yet.
The Catholic church, of Ashland, St. Edward's, was organized in 1863. Mass had been said as early as 1853, by Father Brennan, who came from Wooster, Ohio, saying inass in private houses. He was followed by Fathers O'Neill and Molony, and Rev. J. F. Gallagher, of Wooster, in 1863, in which year the Presbyterian church was purchased, for six hundred dollars; and from that time the organization of the congregation may be dated. Rev. J. Kuhn took charge in 1865. attending every four weeks, from Mansfield, Ohio. About this time, the church, a wooden structure, quite old, was re- paired, at an expense of about five hundred dollars. The congregation consisted, at that time, of about thirty members. By the time of the completion of the Atlan- tic and Great Western railway, it had a less member- ship. Father Kuhn continued in charge until 1867, when Rev. A. Magenhann, of Mansfield, took charge. At this thine, the old church burned down. A new church (brick) was built in iSye, thirty-six by fifty feet, at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars; and in 1872, Rev. M. Schmidt, of Loudonville, took charge, and has continued ever since. Mass is said every five weeks. St. Edward's has no school, and has never had a resident pastor.
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