USA > Pennsylvania > Change and challenge: a history of the Church of the Brethren in the southern district of Pennsylvania, 1940-1972 > Part 17
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As early as 1932, the Young People's Congress of the Church of the Brethren Youth Department requested the Annual Conference for a Service Committee. Some people remembered that the denomination had such a committee during World War I but had discontinued it. The youth were aware that the Society of Friends had operated such a com- mittee during "the long armistice" following World War I and had been very successful with it. The hope was expressed that such a committee could establish "special arrangements for neutral relief work in time of war or periods of national crisis."17 The age demanded something more than emergency relief operations.
The Lawrence Annual Conference (1938) adopted a "Peace Pro- gram" with a suggested budget of twenty-five cents for each person between the ages of eighteen years and thirty-one years. Districts were requested to approve the program of education and to offer institutes, camp programs and qualified peace workers to maintain a strong positive peace testimony in the church.18 The Southern District Youth adopted a goal of "systematic study of peace in every congregation" for 1940.
Relief budgets were approved by the next several Annual Confer- ences. By 1940, the churches of the brotherhood were giving at the rate of $75,000 per year for relief projects. The growth of such relief programs required "the integration of our peace and mission work as rapidly as possible in America and on the mission fields".19
When German armies were running wildly across Europe in 1940, the Brethren Advisory Committee for Conscientious Objectors felt the time
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had come for the Church of the Brethren to take greater measures to assist young people of the church. On September 9, 1940, a meeting of representatives from the Historic Peace Churches occurred in Washington, D. C. to consider some alternative program to military service.20 The Brethren were represented at this and other meetings which followed.
At the request of the Brethren Advisory Committee for Conscientious Objectors, moderator Rufus D. Bowman called a special meeting of the Standing Committee in the First Church of the Brethren, Chicago, Illinois. Representatives from the Grace Brethren Church, the Dunkard Brethren Church, the Society of Friends, the Advisory Committee and the Brethren Service Committee met with Standing Committee delegates on December 18, 19, 1940.
This special session of the Standing Committee was informed of the actions which had been taken by the United States Government and of the need to establish some Alternative Service Program. The Standing Committee agreed the church should proceed with a program to care for conscientious objectors "with or without government aid."21 The actions taken at the Chicago meeting were later ratified by the La Verne Confer- ence (1941) and a complete reorganization of the Brethren Service Com- mittee was approved by the Asheville Conference (1942).22 A new Breth- ren Service Committee was constituted with five members appointed at- large from the brotherhood and approved by the Annual Conference.
The Standing Committee members from the Southern District involved in these major decisions were S. C. Godfrey, J. E. Trimmer and John E. Rowland. When the report of the Chicago meeting was adopted at La Verne, the Southern District Standing Committee members were C. E. Grapes, S. C. Godfrey and Noah S. Sellers.
The scope of the new Service program was both daring and compre- hensive. It proposed to establish such services as would arrest and elimin- ate those forces of human society which contribute to the disintegration of personality and character. It proposed to relieve human distress and suffering around the world without regard to barriers of race, creed or nationality. It tried to represent the church in the areas of creative citizen- ship and Christian testimony on issues of national and international sig- nificance. The keystone of the entire program was a desire to give con- crete and practical expression to the spirit and teaching of Christ.
At the beginning, the work of the Brethren Service Committee was confined chiefly to our own nation. The 1941 Annual Conference author- ized the pastoral visitation of Church of the Brethren members in the armed forces. Merlin C. Shull was appointed to conduct this ministry. A mailing list of drafted men in C.P.S. and the armed forces was maintain- ed and these people were informed about the Church of the Brethren and its ministry.23 A Castaner project was begun in Puerto Rico.
W. Harold Row, who had been entrusted with the work of Civilian Public Service, looked back over these beginning years and recalled: "Before the mid-1940s our social service concerns were directed largely toward alleviating the suffering of those victimized by war and disaster".24 Conscientious objectors from the United States began a social welfare work at Quito, Ecuador in 1943. This project, which began as a Boys' Club, evolved into a church. In these early years, however, the church at home spent time in developing the Civilian Public Service camps and Prisoner of War Work overseas.
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PRISONER OF WAR WORK
In 1940, the Brethren Service Committee lent support to John W. Barwick as he worked with prisoners of war in England. He was sent by the Y. M. C. A. in order to minister to German and Italian prisoners in the British Isles. The Church of the Brethren sent monthly contribu- tions to this program. It was the purpose of the Service Committee to work through its own organizations as much as possible. It also proposed: "we will cooperate with other agencies of the Christian Church where it is impossible for us to develop our own organization."25
John Barwick was a member of the First Church of the Brethren of York. On January 12, 1941, the First Church voted to ordain him to the Christian ministry. Whenever the Second Church was officially organized, Bro. Barwick chose to place his membership with the new congregation. Even though his unique ministry took him overseas much of the time, he continued to retain his membership in the Second Church.
He worked in the prisoner of war camps to wipe out illiteracy. The prisoners were involved in bookbinding, printing, and the creation of games and literature for camp and Church Schools. The term "Prisoners' University" was often used to describe the ministry conducted in these camps by John Barwick and his aides. Luther Harshbarger, former pastor of the Ambler Church of the Brethren, and Ernest Lefever, another York First Church member, joined the staff of Bro. Barwick to work with war prisoners.
During 1945-1946, the program for prisoners began a seminary for the training of ministers in prison camps. The prisoner publishing house produced literature for use in camp and church. Since most of the prison- ers were not behind barbed wire but in labor camps, they were not inclined to develop a complex which would brand them the rest of their lives.26 Many of these people were engaged in work on English farms.
When John Barwick visited the states and spoke to the churches of his work, he often reported that there was a deep-seated hatred of Russia among the prisoners. He noted a rejection of intellectual and spiritual life and a lack of any ideology to fill the void left by the destruc- tion of Naziism.27
In many ways, John Barwick has been an international figure. He was promoted to the position of Secretary for the total Y. M. C. A. Pri- soners' Aid of Great Britain. His new work expanded to include respons- ibility for prisoners of war in thirty-eight countries.28 In 1959, he accepted the directorship of HELP project in Sardinia, Italy under the administra- tion of Brethren Service. He also served as the advisor and consultant for Arab refugee affairs for the American Friends of the Middle East. He was sent to "ease the difficult situation facing the Arab refugees".
Although he has not always received the publicity he deserved, he was instrumental in aiding many hundreds of thousands of people. In
1958-1959, he spent a period of time in Southeast Asia for the Interna- tional Voluntary Service Rehabilitation team. He and a team directed agricultural training in this part of the world. In 1962, he was the Church World Service representative and Brethren Service representative in Haiti where he confronted the problems of malnutrition and poverty.
John Barwick was one of the first Y. M. C. A. Secretaries to be ap- pointed to Prisoner of War Work. For his services to German Prisoners of War, the German Republic's Order of Verdienst Kreuz was conferred upon him in 1954.29
Ernest Lefever worked with prisoners of war in England in 1945 and removed to Germany in 1946 for similar work. When he returned to the
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United States, he led a Youth Argosy around the world on behalf of good- will. Ernest Lefever is a senior fellow on the Foreign Policy Studies staff of the Brookings Institution, an independent research center in Washing- ton, D. C. He is also an adjunct professor of international politics at the American University.
Luther Harshbarger returned to the states after his services in Europe and took up work at the Pennsylvania State University. He has served as the chaplain of the university and has taught in the field of religion. He undertook research for the materials which are now being used by the Department of Public Instruction in the teaching of religion in the Pennsylvania public school system.
America has also had its share of prisoners of war within the contin- ental United States. In 1944, for example, there were 400 camps with Axis prisoners scattered across the states. These camps had 297,438 prisoners.30 The United States government classified these prisoners on the basis of their cooperative or noncooperative attitudes toward the nation. Those who received a favorable classification were permitted to work on American farms and in some selected industries.
During 1944-45, the United States experienced a "manpower pinch". Farmers and industrial workers had been reclassified under the Selective Service System. During this period, many prisoners of war helped to pick potatoes from York County fields and apples from Adams County orchards. Some members of the Church of the Brethren employed such laborers during the war years. One member relates how chocolate bars cleverly spaced along potato rows induced prisoners to work faster than usual.
In May, 1945, the United States War Department revealed that 50,000 "useless" prisoners of war would be returned to Germany. The remaining 300,000, who were filling significant jobs, were kept "so long as it suits America's convenience".31
CIVILIAN PUBLIC SERVICE
The special session of the Standing Committee in Chicago in 1940 delegated responsibilities to the Brethren Service Committee to define objectives, policy and program for the conscientious objectors. These objectives were to be implemented in the camps and the units established by the church in cooperation with other denominations. Members of the Standing Committee expressed the hope that "alternative service camps would have a high moral standard, free from certain evils that may be tolerated in C.C.C. and military camps, would make for constructive loyal citizenship and develop Christian leadership for community and church".32
For the first five years of its existence, the Brethren Service Com- mittee *was involved with problems centering in Civilian Public Service work. The Camp Operations Division of Selective Service, which con- trolled the work phases of C.P.S. camps, was managed by Major General Lewis B. Hershey of the United States Army. He had final approval of the programs within the camps. Church members objected to Army control and found this a point of tensions. After one year of operation under the system, the Church of the Brethren reviewed the work but decided to continue on the existing basis for another year.33 By 1946, the Society of Friends withdrew completely from the C.P.S. program.34 The Church of the Brethren agreed to continue, but asked to be free "from government dominance".35
From 1941 until March, 1947, 12,000 conscientious objectors worked in C.P.S. units and camps. The Historic Peace Churches had nearly 7,000
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of this number in their camps. 36 Till March, 1945, 1,368 members of the Church of the Brethren served in Civilian Public Service assignments.37
The Historic Peace Churches had undertaken the expense and the management of these camps for conscientious objectors. Till the close of 1944, the program had cost the Peace Churches $4,000,000.38 The condi- tions under which these camps were operated were far from satisfactory. In the spring of 1944, representatives from the National Committee on Conscientious Objectors of the American Civil Liberties Union appeared before President Roosevelt. The President of the United States seemed "amazed" to discover that conscientious objectors in eighty C.P.S. camps were receiving no pay.39 In fact, objectors were expected to pay $35 per month for their own support. Churches came to the assistance of many men who were unable to make such payments.
At a time when the nation was desperately in need of manpower in agriculture and social welfare assignments, the government was experi- menting with a patchwork of doubtful expedients designed to isolate the conscientious objectors. The work of these men in many government projects was described simply as "glorified leaf-raking".40
The Church of the Brethren often found its experience in administer- ing C.P.S. camps frustrating. Major General Hershey claimed that he made honest efforts to appreciate the position of the conscientious objector. He indicated that assignments were being given consistent with the con- sciences of the workers.41 The government, however, continued to refuse permission to workers to undertake overseas projects in Europe or Asia.42
There were problems centering about wages, insurance coverages and demobilization. By 1945, difficulties in managing the C.P.S. camps had become so great that the United States Attorney General suggested the conscientious objector might be totally exempted as a possible solution to the problem.43 Many men were opposed to the military supervision of the C.P.S. camps and chose prison rather than life under military supervision. Eight times as many persons were imprisoned for their refusal to "cooper- ate" during World War II as were imprisoned for similar reasons during World War I.44
Harold Lefever, a member of the First Church of the Brethren, was sentenced to prison because he could not conscientiously cooperate with the Alternative Service program. He was sentenced on October 25, 1943 at Scranton, Pennsylvania and was placed in prison at Ashland, Kentucky. Before his sentence was passed against him, Harold said:
"The philosophy by which I live makes it impossible for me to accept conscription for war service (including Civilian Public Service) . . War embodies the ultimate in the violation of human personality since it tries to convert a people by destroying their property and killing them.
"There is a better way than war. The way of suffering love for enemies has been demonstrated to be the only effective way to recon- ciliation. This was the way used by Jesus Christ in his day and to which his life is the greatest testimony".45
Gradually new areas of service were opened for the Civilian Public Service worker. In 1943, C.P.S. workers under the supervision of the Church of the Brethren were conducting work in seven forestry camps, three soil conservation camps, one Park Service camp, two Health and Rehabilitation projects, nine Mental Hospitals, one Research unit, one Training Unit for Postwar Relief and one Dairy Farm unit.46
With experience, the camp program for the assignee matured consid- erably. By 1943, most Civilian Public Service camps were conducting education programs for their workers with courses in religion, language,
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pacifism, first aid, community problems and international relations. The C.P.S. worker was being prepared for a creative ministry in his own community when he was demobilized.
Special units of C.P.S. work proved more satisfying to the worker and to the church administrators. The experience with base camps was not too successful. The change was made to special units out of a desire to minister more directly to people in their needs and to become more efficient in the use of the skills of the C.P.S. worker. As special units developed, the C.P.S. worker was able to become more self-supporting.47
The brotherhood Brethren Service Committee was authorized to acquaint the districts with its program. To this end, the District Min- isterial Committee met with the ministers and the pastors of the district in the Carlisle Church of the Brethren on March 14, 1942. A notice to the ministers said:
"The increasing seriousness of our world situation and the crisis confronting the men in our church in connection with conscription and the public service camp program makes it necessary for all min- isters who have the interest of the church at heart to confer."48 M. R. Zigler was on hand for several hours to speak to the ministers about "Peace and the Civilian Public Service Camps."
District churches began to respond to the appeal for special needs in the C.P.S. camps. Women's Organizations in many congregations made comforters and knitted goods for the camp workers. Others canned goods, prepared sheets and pillow cases and packed towels for use by the men in the camps. Much of this was done at a time when the nation was rapidly moving toward a minimum subsistence standard and the rationing of foods and critical military supplies had begun. 49
Levi K. Ziegler, former pastor of the Waynesboro congregation, was called in 1941 to undertake the management of Camp No. 16 at Kane, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Ziegler served with her husband as the camp dietitian. A letter from Bro. Ziegler to the pastor of the York First Church reflected the kind of support the churches of the district were giving to the camp:
"It is certainly fine of the women of your church to have ex- pressed their interest in our particular camp in raising $165 to be sent to us. We have one call after another for underwear, sweaters, warm jackets, caps and all items of work clothes for some of our men, who are unable to purchase their own. ... Many useful gifts of money, clothing, bedding, books, magazines, food supplies and so forth are coming in".50
Local congregations joined in the financial support for the camps and other phases of Brethren Service by making regular use of myrtlewood Brethren Service cups.51 The Gospel Messenger announced that a Breth- ren Service cup should be placed on every dinner table. The cup would remind every member of the family while they ate together there were families in the world who had nothing to eat. Congregations were encour- aged to lift special offerings for Brethren Service at the close of each month in order to support the expanding Service program.
Much of the district work was conducted without benefit of guidance from a Brethren Service Committee. In 1943, J. Linwood Eisenberg was appointed the district field worker on behalf of Brethren Service. At the same time, Clarence B. Sollenberger worked as the Brotherhood Fund representative.
At the close of the war, the District Council of Boards summoned a meeting for December 7, 1945 to consider the oppressive needs of the postwar world. J. E. Trimmer discussed with the Council the urgent needs in Germany and Japan and reminded the board members that "our
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church has a responsibility and we should face the situation as we have never done before".52 The Annual Conference of 1945 had, for the first time in the history of the denomination, voted to oversubscribe the regular budget to minister to world needs.
The Council of Boards voted to appoint a Committee of seven persons to constitute the first District Brethren Service Committee. This com- mittee was composed of J. E. Trimmer, S. C. Godfrey, George L. Detweiler, Miss Ora Good, Ira Shirk, J. L. Miller and Walter A. Keeney. The com- mittee began to minister to a world of deep-seated misery and illimitable woes. It served for a period of five years and was not reappointed.
The systematic discharge of men from Civilian Public Service work began in November, 1945. By April, 1946, only fifty-three percent of the C.P.S. workers had been discharged. The United States Government was slow in recognizing the rights of the objector. The Brethren Service Committee, aware of many rehabilitation problems for the returning conscientious objector, established an Emergency Discharge Loan fund and made other aid available from the Financial Aid Committee. These funds were designed to aid the returning worker to re-establish himself in business or in other civilian projects in his own community.53 By March 29, 1947, C.P.S. work had come to a close under Selective Service
The Historic Peace Churches expended large sums of money in order to maintain Civilian Public Service. In 1947, the National Service Board for Conscientious Objectors reported that the Quakers, Mennonites and the Church of the Brethren spent $7,202,249 for the maintenance of these camps and units. It also reported that the United States Government had expended $4,731,558 for the operation of these camps. The Church of the Brethren spent $1,250,000 in operations between 1941 and 1946.
In World War II, government statistics showed there were 73,000 draft-age conscientious objectors, of whom 6.086 went to prison. Of the nearly 67,000 who did not go to prison, approximately 12,000 served as guinea pigs for dangerous medical experiments, worked in forestry camps and in mental hospitals or other civilian service projects. A common assumption that only members of the Historic Peace Churches were winning recognition as conscientious objectors is in error. Actually, during World War II, conscientious objectors came from 230 religious groups.54 About 25,000 other persons were inducted into the armed services for non-combatant duty and the remainder were classified as "Not Available For Service".55
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THE CASTANER PROJECT
At the beginning of World War II, Puerto Rico faced internal crisis. This tropical island is one of the most densely populated lands of the world. Overcrowding, malnutrition, family disorganization and unemployment reached a critical stage. The island government in 1942 introduced an emergency program known as "Operation Bootstrap". In this same year, the Church of the Brethren came to the aid of the islanders with several doctors and a C.P.S. unit.
The church had not been permitted to send relief and rehabilitation workers overseas. Dr. Andrew W. Cordier, chairman of the Brethren Service Committee, began to investigate other avenues of service. He found a receptive listener in Guy J. Swope of the United States Department of the Interior. When the Puerto Rican Reconstruction Administration had been active (1935-1939), a number of community centers and some farm facilities were constructed. When Federal funds came into short supply, many of these buildings stood idle. Dr. Cordier persuaded Mr. Swope, and General Lewis B. Hershey, to make use of these facilities to aid Puerto Rico in its self-help program.
A medical unit of C.P.S. men, which had been trained for mobile service in China, was now diverted to Puerto Rico. In the summer of 1942, several doctors were sent to begin a community development pro- gram with the C.P.S. workers. Within a short time, the Friends Service Committee and the Mennonite Central Committee also entered the island to engage in similar work. The Church of the Brethren selected an area at Castaner, fourteen miles west of Adjuntas, the central community of the island. The total program on the island honored Pennsylvania's Gov- ernor Brumbaugh and was named the Martin G. Brumbaugh Reconstruc- tion Unit.
The work in Puerto Rico has frequently been classified as a social action mission. Alternative Service workers, Brethren Volunteer workers and a medical staff have joined in a program designed for community rehabilitation. The program was planned to minister to the needs of body, mind and spirit of the people of a community. It was also designed to develop the spirit of initiative and cooperation among the people in order to lay the foundations for a genuine community. The work was begun in an area of the island which was regarded as the most depressed. By 1961, the area about Castaner was regarded by the island govern- ment as one of the most progressive rural community developments on the island.
The Southern District of Pennsylvania has had some direct contacts with the work in Puerto Rico. In 1951-1952, David C. Wilson, of the Mechanicsburg Church of the Brethren, spent a year on the island as a volunteer worker. This year was decisive for him as he searched for a life vocation. When he returned to the states and began to share with Christian people some of his discoveries in service, he was certain he heard God's call "to help people through the ministry". The Mechanics- burg Church took action to license him to the ministry.
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