USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > Minutes of the session of the Ohio Miami Conference, successor to Miami Conference, of the United Methodist Church, 1970 > Part 16
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We are also involved in the Research and Planning Office in Southwest Ohio by budget participation to the extent of $900.
We are supporting the ministry in the Basin Area of Cincinnati to the extent of $500.
We ... are the recipients of $1,000 support from the United Church of Christ for our work at Union Plains. We are searching for such an ex- perience where the circumstances might be reversed.
We have been substantially involved in the United Campus Christian Fellowship." 13
As conversations went on and plans developed toward union with the Methodist Church, various reactions became evident. A resolution was presented
That we continue to encourage the spirit of unity . . . but we give primary consideration to the spiritual unity and secondary emphasis to organic union.
That we petition the General Conference to continue conversations with interested churches more nearly equal in size to the Evangelical United Brethren Church. This resolution was tabled. 16
In each session, beginning with 1964, Bishop Herrick reported on the progress of the union proposal, including the scheduled datelines. Dr. Paul Washburn, Executive Secretary of the Commission on Church Union, spoke in 1965, 1966, and 1967. In the latter year the Conference was divided into small groups to study the Plan and Basis of Union. The ballot was taken in 1967 and the vote was, Yes-142, No-34,
12 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1959, 27, 97.
13 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1952, 36.
14 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1959, 47.
15 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1965, 50, 51.
16 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1961, 104.
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Abstain-1. On the proposal of union of the Canada Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the United Church of Canada, the vote was, Yes-162, No-14.
The next step was the merger of the conferences in Ohio. A six-member planning commission was appointed to participate in long range planning for the church in Ohio. Eight guidelines were adopted in 1968 for Conference merger. These included the target dates culminating in the meeting of the new United Methodist Conference in June 1970. Thus, the Ohio Miami Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren Church lost its name identity, but became a very significant part of the West Ohio United Methodist Conference, which also included the Ohio Sandusky, the Ohio South- east and the Ohio (West Area) Methodist Conference. 17
In the petitions to the 1966 General Conference a resolution on the Consultation on Church Union was included.
That the Ohio Miami Conference petition the General Conference meeting in Chicago, Illinois in November 1966,
(1) to consider with favor the "outline plan of union" developed by Consultation on Church Union known as "Principles of Church Union," and
(2) grant authority to the Commission on Church Union to partici- pate in the negotiation of a specific plan of union in COCU, and
(3) in the event of church union we request the United Methodist Church to authorize its COCU delegates to do the same,
(4) that as General Conference negotiates the Plan and Basis of Union for the United Methodist Church it continually consider and strengthen the Evangelical United Brethren commitment to the Consultation on Church Union. 18
The ecumenical spirit of the Conference had an even broader intent. On June 4, 1963, after the death of Pope John XXIII, a resolution was adopted and sent to Archbishop Karl J. Alter at Cincinnati.
That the Ohio Miami Conference . . . joins with the body of Christ upon earth in solemn and joyous recognition of the life of service of this great man of God. We especially offer our sympathy to the great branch of the Christian Church which is thus bereft of his spiritual leadership. And we also pray almighty God that the personal qualities which made him so great in our minds may become increasingly our portion and that his good example ... may not die with his mortal body, but may become an ever- widening stream which may by the will of God some day result in a united Christendom. 19
At the morning session of the Conference June 6, 1968, Rabbi Joseph Weizen- baum, Associate Rabbi of Temple Israel in Dayton, brought the devotional address. 20
Insurance and Pension
The Conference Ministerial Aid or Pension Plan goes back many years. A stand- ing resolution with some guilding principles was adopted in 1922. The desire to in-
17 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1969, 102.
18 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1966, 75.
19 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1963, 134.
20 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1968, 39.
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crease the benefits was always present but the Conference had to work only with the money available. The two sources of funds were a conference budget appropriation and the Otterbein Press dividend check. The total available in 1947 was $4,892. In that year retired ministers received $200 for the year and widows $100.
In 1950 a committee was appointed to study the above mentioned standing reso- lution. This committee reported in 1951 and the proposal was adopted that retirement aid be based on the number of years in the direct employ of the Conference. The amount per year of service would be reviewed each year. The maximum number of years was set at 30. Fifteen dollars per year of service with a maximum of $450 was paid in 1951. Widows received $185. Widows not on the current list received $65. The cases of ministers incapacitated by illness were treated individually.
Up to 1951 the Finance Committee of the Conference supervised the Aid pro- gram. The Ministerial Aid Committee first appointed in 1950, continued until 1963, when a Board of Pensions was appointed.
The amount per year of service was increased to $17 in 1955, $18 in 1958, $20 in 1959, $24 in 1963, $28 in 1964. Two important actions affected the aid re- cipients. In 1959, it was agreed that no minister who received more than $1800 as a supply pastor would receive ministerial aid. It was voted in 1963 that aid to various widows would be based on the number of years spent with their husbands in active service in the Conference.
In 1949 a committee was appointed to study Group Insurance for ministers of the Conference. No further action concerning this appears until the Council of Ad- ministration voted in 1951 that $2500 be transferred from the Trustees' Fund to the Group Insurance Fund for the purpose of securing group insurance for the ministers of the Conference. Demi Edwards was appointed secretary of the Group Insurance pro- gram. One of the continuing problems was the delinquency of some ministers in paying premiums.
The committee reported in 1954 that 84 men were on the insurance roster. This had increased to 96 in 1963. Active ministers under 72 years of age received a $3,000 life insurance policy for a premium of $22 per year. A Council of Administration action in 1956 required those delinquent in payment to appear before the Council.
The amount of insurance was increased in 1956 to $5,000 and the premium to $36.
Some changes were made in 1964. Delinquents were given a deadline to meet or be dropped. A thirty day grace period was adopted with automatic cancellation if pre- mium was not paid prior to the end of that period. The life insurance was increased to $7,500 for those under 66 for a premium of $53.50.
The Conference also adopted Group Major Medical Insurance in 1964 with maximum coverage of $10,000.
Adjustments were made in this program after Medicare became available in 1965. Further adjustments were made necessary with the union of the churches and the con- ferences.
Bishop A. R. Clippinger
It is fitting to make special mention of the long and fruitful ministry of Bishop Arthur R. Clippinger, who served as Bishop of the Central Area and of the Miami Conference from June 1, 1921 to December 31, 1950, the date of his retirement.
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CONFERENCE HISTORY
An evening session of the 1950 Conference was devoted to honoring this fine servant of the Church. Dean Walter E. Roush read a sketch of his life. Dr. W. I. Underwood spoke as a pastor of forty years of association. His family was honored. A purse of more than $600 was presented along with a book containing the autographs of all who attended the sessions that day. Bishop George Epp characterized Bishop Clippinger "as fearless in defense of the truth, a man of vision, a friend of ministers, a colleague of distinction and a man of deep consecration." 2
Bishop Clippinger responded by saying that he had come to Dayton forty years ago to become pastor of the Summit Street Church. "I was timid, but determined. I was ambitious, but careful." His retirement message was published in the 1950 Con- ference Minutes. 22
It should be noted here that Bishop Clippinger lived in his own home on Grand Avenue. A memorial adopted at the 1950 Conference was sent to the General Confer- ence asking the church to buy residences for the bishops. After favorable legislation a residence was purchased on Harvard Boulevard for Bishop Fred L. Dennis, who suc- ceeded Bishop Clippinger.
New Developments
Other changes and new developments are here mentioned briefly.
Beginning in 1952 the Conference assumed the cost of moving ministers within the Conference area. A Committee on Transportation was appointed to employ the mover, arrange the schedule and establish the necessary regulations.
This did not apply to student pastors. For ministers moving into the Conference, the Conference paid one-third, the church one-third and the minister one-third.
Seventeen moves were made in 1953 at a cost to the Conference of $2,035. The cost in 1961-62 was $5,548.
A resolution was adopted in 1969, "that we instruct the secretary of our Annual Conference to send a letter to the Board of Publication of the United Methodist Church indicating that we would be pleased to see Cokesbury join Project Equality." This was an effort to get organizations and institutions to do business only with establishments that practice fair employment.
To indicate somewhat the scope of the work of the Board of Christian Education, it appointed in addition to the age-group directors, three others; Director of Campus Christian Life, Director of Audio-Visuals, Director of Recruitment.
In 1964 a Conference Staff Committee of four ministers and three laymen was first appointed. This continuing committee was to confer with members of the staff on any matters which either wished to discuss. It served as a liaison between the staff and the members of the Conference, reporting as necessary to the Conference Council of Administration. 2
Membership statistics for the years 1947 through 1969 indicate a few important facts.
1. Church membership increased each year until 1959, then decreased until 1967 and decreased again in 1969.
21 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1950, 26.
22 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1950, 65.
23 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1964, 22.
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2. Church attendance increased until 1953. After a drop that year it increased again until 1958. From then on it moved slightly up and down but in 1969 was lower than at any time after 1954.
3. The percent of church members attending the worship service had generally increased until 1965, but was lower in 1969 than in any year after 1953.
4. Sunday School attendance was lower in 1968 and 1969 than in any other years during this period. The highest attendance was in the years 1956-1958.
The Sesquicentennial
The Ways and Means Committee of the Conference and the Conference by adop- tion of this report in 1959 called upon the Conference and the local churches to ob- serve the sesquicentennial of the Conference in these several ways.
1. An Increase of Attendance Crusade in Sunday School and morning worship from World Communion Sunday to Christmas in 1959.
2. An historical pageant to be presented in 1960.
3. A special committee to plan and promote the celebration.
4. A history of the Conference be prepared by the historian and the trustees.
One evening session of the 1960 Conference was in celebration of this event. A slide presentation in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Ohio Miami Conference was the feature of the program. Many local churches observed the anniversary on Oc- tober 23, 1960 and an historical pageant was presented in the Belmont High School on October 26 and 27. More than 4,000 people saw this pageant, "Prevailing Hope," written by Milford Ater and an advisory committee and also directed by Mr. Ater. Robert Copeland served as production manager and many local church people worked in the cast.
A twenty-four page pictorial booklet was published with the title, "150 Years in Southwestern Ohio." A fifteen page historical supplement was also included in the 1960 Minutes. The Conference historian in his report to the 1961 Conference said,
1960 is gone and the achievements, successes and failures, joys and sorrows of the first 150 years are a matter of record and cannot be changed. However, the future belongs to us. History is being made each year, each month and each day. 24
1969 is also gone. With it went the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Ohio Miami Conference. But where did they go? Not out of existence. The stream of Miami Conference service and influence which began in 1806 and 1810 carried in the minds, hearts and lives of many thousands of people flows on in a new structure, under a new name, with some new faces in places of leadership. But it is now a larger stream with greater potential, sufficiently strong in the state of Ohio to effectively minister to the end that his name will be glorified and his Kingdom come.
24 Ohio Miami Conference Minutes, 1961, 89.
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CHAPTER 14
EDUCATION
Most of the early members of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ were farmers. Many had limited opportunity for schooling though they had an active in- terest in education for their children and for the leadership of the church.
The desire for instruction and learning is indicated in the action of the second General Conference. In a section of the revised Discipline under the heading "pastoral work" is this statement. "Every preacher should make it his duty to instruct the people on every occasion, both public and private."1 An emphasis on the instruction of children is found in another section, "Wherever children are found . . . speak freely with them, and instruct them diligently." 2
This attitude reflected the interest of the rather highly educated founder of the United Brethren Church, Philip William Otterbein. The 1785 rules of Otterbein's Church states, "The Church is to establish a German School as soon as possible, the vestry to spare no effort to procure the most competent teachers and devise such means and rules as will promote the best interests of the school." 3
After the death of Otterbein the emphasis in the church turned more to preaching, revivals and camp meetings. Not only was the church indifferent to education, but a certain amount of opposition developed. The Miami Conference had its staunch sup- porters of education from the earliest years, but some opposition or indifference also existed.
The Sunday School
The Sunday School movement started in London in 1780. Soon thereafter some of the early United Brethren preachers assembled children for religious instruction. One of the pioneers was the well-educated John George Pfrimmer. He was born in France in 1762 and came to Pennsylvania in 1788. He became a preacher in 1790.
Christian Newcomer recorded in his Journal under the date of May 21, 1800, "Today I came to Brother Pfrimmer's. About thirty children had assembled at his house to whom he was giving religious instruction." 4
In 1808 Mr. Pfrimmer moved to Harrison County, Indiana, an area that was included in the Miami Conference when it was organized in 1810. Here he worked as a judge, physician, miller, farmer, and did some preaching. He organized fifteen or more churches from 1812 to 1821 and became a member of the Miami Conference in 1814.
The church which bears his name was organized in 1812 near Coryden, Indiana. In this Pfrimmer's Chapel in 1820 he formed the first Sunday School in the denomina- tion, though he had certainly conducted classes near or in his Indiana home much earlier. This school had continued existence, its centennial being celebrated denomina- tionally in 1920.
1 Doctrine and Discipline of the United Brethren in Christ, Hagerstown: Gruber and May, 1819, 43.
2 Ibid, 61.
3 Otterbein's Record Book No. 1, as quoted in Paul E. Holdcraft, The Old Otterbein Story, mimeographed, p. 48.
Samuel S. Hough, Christian Newcomer, His Life, Journal and Achievements, Dayton : Board of Administration, 1941, 42.
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A union Sunday School was formed in the New Haven community in 1820. Its sessions were held in the United Brethren building after it was built in 1850.
A Sunday School was started in Germantown in 1828 in the building owned jointly by the Lutheran and Reformed churches. This was discontinued in 1830 for lack of community support. The United Brethren people then started a school in their building in 1835 in cooperation with the Methodists. This continued, though the Methodists organized their own school a few years later. 5
Miltonville formed a Sunday School in 1832. John Kelly, groceryman and school teacher, though not a member of the church, directed Sunday School sessions from April to November in 1832, 1833 and 1834. The school closed after Kelly moved from the community, but it was reestablished three or four years later. Beginning in 1853 the sessions were extended to the full year.
The church people in Lewisburg organized a union school in 1839. All the churches accepted responsibility for conducting their own schools after 1855.
The Newcomer school was formed in 1839, meeting in a log building north of Springfield owned by the Baptists. This could probably be considered the beginning of the Lagonda Sunday School.
These schools followed a somewhat similar pattern of operation, which was de- scribed by E. W. Hoffner, pastor at Mt. Pleasant in Hamilton County, Ohio. In a letter to the editor of the Religious Telescope in 1841 he wrote,
Mt. Pleasant Evangelical Sabbath School* has been in operation one year. The order for the two-hour session is 1) Sing and pray, 2) Recitation, 3) Reading, 4) Lecture, 5) Singing, 6) Prayer.
The books that we use are the New Testament for all who read; and those who cannot, we use the same books that are used in common school- not admitting any fictitious works into the school. Each scholar learns as many verses in the Testament as he can through the week, and the scholars recite them on the Sabbath to their respective teachers. It now embraces about 50 boys and girls. Generally there are five hundred verses recited each Sabbath; and we can see a visible improvement in the morals of our youth. "
As the Sunday School movement continued to grow the General Conference of 1849 passed this resolution.
Whereas the Sabbath School institution is in every way worthy of our highest regard and untiring efforts to promote as a branch of the Christian Church, Resolved therefore that we labor to have Sabbath Schools organized throughout the church. "
The Miami Conference voted in 1850,
that as a Conference, we pledge ourselves to carry out the recommenda- tions of our General Conference, in relation to Sabbath Schools. That we use the books published by the American Sunday School Union until our publishing house can furnish us with suitable books of our own.
5 J. P. Hentz, Twin Valley: Its Settlement and Subsequent History, 1798-1882, Dayton : Christian Publishing House, 1883, 196.
* For many years the term Sabbath School was used instead of Sunday School.
6 E. W. Hoffner, "Letter," Religious Telescope, I, August 18, 1841, 14.
" Origin, Doctrine, Constitution and Discipline of the United Brethren in Christ, Circleville: 1850, 82.
s Miami Conference Minutes (handwritten), 1850, 272.
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Each year the Conference adopted strong resolutions for the support of these schools. Preachers were requested to give all possible aid.
Brother Chidlow of the American Sunday School Union addressed the Conference in 1852 on the subject of Sabbath Schools, after which the delegates expressed con- tinuing and growing confidence in the spirit, objectives and labor of his organization.
A report on the Brown's Run Sabbath School appeared in the Religious Telescope in 1857. The writer said that the school was organized about six years ago. However, it dragged most of the time because of a lack of interest in Sabbath Schools, though in that year it had about 100 scholars.
This report from Brown's Run mentioned a new element in the Sabbath School movement-the celebration. On the previous Saturday the school had its first celebra- tion in a grove near the chapel on the Samuel Hetzler farm. Three appropriate ad- dresses were delivered to the large audience. Rev. P. C. Hetzler delivered "An Ad- dress to the Sabbath School Scholars" denouncing whiskey, tobacco and slavery in very plain terms. Rev. W. G. Wells used the topic "An Address to Preachers and Teachers." Rev. John Coons spoke on the fashions and allurements of the present age. 10
These celebrations assumed considerable importance and were frequently reported in the Religious Telescope. One was held in a grove in Darke County. Five or six schools participated and thousands of persons were present for the dinner, musical pro- gram and addresses. 11
A month later a celebration was reported at Castine. Representatives from six schools met in town and marched to the grove carrying banners. Twelve hundred people attended.
Brass bands were frequently used. Some of the celebrations were interdenomina- tional. One of the largest was held on August 17 and 18, 1859 in Reel's Grove near Farmersville. Nine schools were represented and 4,000 persons attended.
The trends in the Sabbath School movement were indicated in two conference resolutions. A resolution in 1863 required that each preacher preach one or more dis- courses on the Sabbath School; that the children be gathered for instruction and that this consist largely of Bible truth orally given; that ministers confer frequently with Sabbath School superintendents; that teachers use commentaries and a collection of Sabbath School songs; that these schools be continued the entire year. 12
A new emphasis appeared in 1865 in a resolution,
That the Sabbath School is designated as an auxiliary to the church, and not as a substitute for it. Hence it should always be subject to the con- trol of the church; and it should be the constant aim of superintendents and teachers to induce the children to attend public worship when possible, and thus lead them to Christ and into the Church. 13
Other innovations were adopted by the Annual Conference in succeeding years. In 1867, "We recognize no difference as to color in admitting children into our Sun- day Schools." In 1869, "We should have a graded system in all our schools." In 1871, "We recommend that wherever possible Sabbath Schools in our churches be United Brethren schools," and "That greater pains should be taken to render our Sabbath
9 Religious Telescope, VIII, September 30, 1857, 16. 10 Ibid.
11 Religious Telescope, IX, September 15, 1858, 6.
12 Miami Conference Minutes, 1863, not numbered.
18 Miami Conference Minutes, 1865, not numbered.
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Schools as occasions of devout study of the Scriptures and sessions of fervent spiritual worship rather than times of mere artistic and social enjoyment." In 1874, "We do not favor inviting unconverted persons to teach in our Sunday Schools."
In 1876 the report on Sabbath Schools said,
We believe that the international series of lessons and lesson leaves which have come into such general use during the past few years mark an era in the history of the Sabbath Schools, and it is our firm conviction that none of our schools can afford to be without them. 14
The next year the Conference recommended the cultivation of music in all schools. A strong plea was made in 1879 for improved teaching through weekly teachers meet- ings, the use of books by teachers, and the establishment of Sabbath School libraries. It was also voted to entreat the faculty of Union Biblical Seminary to make provision for instruction in the work of Sunday Schools. 15
The celebration of children's day was recommended in 1882. Three years later the Conference voted to emphatically disapprove the introduction of any other than United Brethren literature. Beginning in 1891 emphasis was placed on organizing Home Departments and in 1900 the Cradle Roll began to receive emphasis. An annual Rally Day was made a part of the program in 1894 and the years following.
The Sunday School was riding a wave of popularity at the turn of the century. One committee report began, "Sunday School-the very name is precious." The pre- siding elder reported in 1900, "This Department of church work is one of the most hopeful of any on the district." The next year the churches were urged to observe Sunday School week and Decision Day. In the early 1900's a constant appeal was made for the use of graded lessons. The Committee on Sabbath Schools in 1903 offered a resolution, "That the Conference disapproves of the action of officers of the Ohio State Sunday School Association, while holding conventions in our churches, of promoting the use of Cook's literature." 18
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