USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the Brethren of the Western District of Pennsylvania > Part 15
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Henry's wife probably was of French descent, as her name, Lefevre, would indicate.
Our subject's grandfather, Isaac, was born in York County, in 1800, and was taken to Greenbrier County, Vir- ginia, at the age of five years, whence his father Henry went to the service in the War of 1812, and never returned. Though but twelve years of age he was compelled to shoulder great responsibility in his family of eight. The mother and children, none over fourteen years of age, stood a poor chance in a community of cheap labor. No wonder they decided to return to Pennsylvania, where they arrived in 1815. After wintering in York County, early in the spring of 1816 she took her journey westward to the banks of the Stony Creek, near Hollsopple, Pennsylvania. Here she was the happy pos- sessor of a farm given her by a relative.
Isaac Holzapfel was brought up in the German Re- formed faith and married Christena Hoffman, daughter of Philip Hoffman, who was the first member of the Church of the Brethren in what afterwards became the Shade Creek congregation. Although the parents belonged to different faiths, none of the children were baptized in infancy. Three of their four sons became ministers in the Church of the Brethren, and the husbands of two of the daughters held of- fices in the same church.
On the fourth of March, 1860, Joseph Holsopple, son of the above, married Catharine, daughter of Elder Christian Lehman. The ceremony was performed by Elder Joseph Berkey, who also baptized them in June of the same year. As they had well considered the matter in all its relations there was no need that marriage be a failure. All their children, eleven in number, are in the church of their parents. Five of the sons are preachers, two are deacons, and two are Sunday- school teachers. One son-in-law is a deacon. The youngest of these sons is Quincy. He was born into the kingdom in the fall of 1899, being baptized by Elder C. O. Beery. Quincy was a good boy and did his work willingly. In school he was diligent and usually stood at the head of his classes. While
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his flights have not been as high as some others, he kept longer on the wing, and generally found a good place to light. He graduated from the public school before he was old enough to get a diploma.
After spending one year in Juniata College, teachers' course, he taught his home school. With funds thus replen- ished he returned to Juniata. In the fall of 1904 he decided to go to the Brethren Publishing House and learn to operate a linotype. While being employed in Elgin he was called to the ministry, in 1906, at the age of twenty years. The same year he returned to Juniata, where he remained until he com- pleted the arts course. During his college life he fostered the idea of becoming a foreign missionary. This desire probably first came as the result of the earnest prayers of his parents.
In January, 1911, the call to the foreign mission field came in a tangible form in a letter from an elder in the Que- mahoning congregation, asking him to be the representative of that church in India, as a missionary. Considering this matter carefully and prayerfully, he came to a favorable conclusion, and offered to go. Resigning his position as teacher in the Huntingdon High School, and accepting a position in the linotype department of the Publishing House, in Elgin, he was enabled to cancel his college indebtedness. He was in Elgin from April 1 to September 1.
While these things were transpiring he became acquainted with Sister Kathren Royer, daughter of Elder Galen B. Royer, Secretary of the General Mission Board. Common interests attracted them to each other, resulting in matrimony July 12, 1911. Both were accepted as missionaries at the An- nual Conference held at St. Joseph, Missouri, 1911. After spending some time getting acquainted with the good people of the Quemahoning church, their benefactors, and the dear brethren and sisters at other points, they set sail for India, in company with Brother J. I. Kaylor and wife, on the same mission.
Since in India he has lived a very busy life. They spent ten months in regular language study, completing a year's
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course in that time. After that they lived a rather migratory life. They have lived at Jalalpur, Bulsar, Anklesvar and are now at Umalla. This moving has interrupted their study much, but their daily contact with the people and their regular work carries with it a practice in the use of the language, so that progress is made without formal study. His work at present includes the superintendency of the Boys' School, the Industrial Shop, the training department, as well as various phases of the religious life of the community. In all this work Sister Holsopple is his true companion and helpmate. In addition she has special duties which make hers a busy life. November 23, 1914, there was born unto them a little mis- sionary whom they have named Frances Elizabeth.
S. OLIVE WIDDOWSON.
On a farm near Clymer, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, lives the family of Brother and Sister E. B. Widdowson. They were married October 2, 1862, and both are substantial members of the Church of the Brethren, Sister Susan being a daughter of Elder David Ober, who for many years had charge of the Manor congregation. To them were born six sons and three daughters. Sister S. Olive, the eighth child, was born on September 22, 1881.
Olive was diligent in public school, from which she grad- uated at the age of sixteen. After one year's study in Juniata College she taught one term of common school in her home county. Next she completed the Normal English course in Juniata, and a year's additional study at the same institution. after which she taught in the grammar school at Cross Fork, Potter County, one year, and three years in grammar school of Royersford, Pennsylvania. While teaching she worked on courses of psychology, pedagogy and English in the Universi- ty of Pennsylvania. Having decided that she wanted special training for Bible teaching she entered Dr. White's Bible Teachers' Training School of New York City in 1909. Here
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.
Olive Widdowson.
she completed the three years' course in religious pedagogy, graduating in the spring of 1912.
While at Juniata, in 1889, she accepted Christ as her personal Savior and united with the Church of the Brethren, being baptized by Elder W. J. Swigart. This step changed her purposes in life, for now she sought to serve the Lord whom she loved. He led her to Bible preparation, when she had planned being a public school teacher. While taking her course at Bible Teachers' Training School she became very anxious to be led into the place where she might be of much use to those in need of light and help and the Lord opened the way. When at the annual Sunday-school Convention of Western Pennsylvania in 1912, the call was extended to Sister Olive to represent the Sunday-schools of that large District on the India mission field, she readily consented. She is sup- ported by the schools of the District, and her annual mes- sages are anxiously awaited and much appreciated. With
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others she sailed for India in the fall of 1912, after she had visited the Sunday-schools of the District.
Since on the field much of her time has been used in ac- quiring the language, and the work is just beginning to open to her. Sister Olive is quiet, unassuming, patient, loving, and too modest to speak of her work. Here I take the liberty to quote from her letter dated May 1, 1914: "My chief work since I have been here has been getting the language and a knowledge of the ways and customs of the people. I have been doing, of course, all that I am able to do of active work. with my limited knowledge of the language, but that is not material for a strong history of mission work. I do not think, with the experience that I have had, that a person who has had only a couple of years of mission work is competent to give material for a book such as you are compiling. One can write in letters the different phases of work as they ap- pear to you after seeing them for the first time, but for val- uable information and to do justice to the reader, the in- formation given for a book seems to me should be given out of sufficient experience to test it."
HERMAN B. HEISEY.
Herman B. Heisey, oldest son of John H. and Susan L. (Biever) Heisey, was born on a farm near Middletown, Dau- phin County, Pennsylvania, December 19, 1890. His parents were of German descent. He had one brother. Herman in his childhood was left an orphan, his mother dying when he was three, and his father when he was five years of age. W. J. Biever, an uncle living at Lebanon, kindly gave Herman a good home.
In Lebanon he attended the public schools until after he had reached his teens, when he made his home in Johnstown some years. While in Johnstown he went to school in the winter, while during vacation he worked for the Steel Com- pany, first as car tracer and then as weighmaster. He had a great desire for an education, and was an apt student. He also took a course of study in the International Correspon-
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Herman B. Heisey.
dence School. He entered Juniata College, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the sacred literature course and took postgraduate work in the divinity course. He took practically all of the divinity or theological studies given in the course, but lacked some classical studies necessary for the B. D. degree. However, he completed social science, phi- losophy, and other classical studies that are knit with thorough theological branches.
" The spiritual influences of his foster home were good. His uncle was a Lutheran, and his grandmother, Sarah A. Biever, of Palmyra, Pennsylvania, a member of the Church of the Brethren. At fifteen Herman was deeply impressed that God would call him to service in the ministry, and on some foreign field. He sought the Word to determine with what body to unite. When seventeen years old he confessed Christ and united with the Johnstown congregation of the
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Church of the Brethren, Samuel W. Pearce administering baptism. When at Juniata he was called to the ministry when nineteen years old, and the following year advanced to the second degree. During the first vacation, after being in the ministry, he preached at home nearly every Sunday. At the close of his college work he accepted the pastorate at Saxton, Pennsylvania, continuing there until it became necessary to prepare for his work in India."
On May 28, 1912, he was united in marriage with Grace Nedrow, daughter of John and Mary Nedrow. At the York Conference he and his wife, along with a number of others, were approved as missionaries to India. They sailed to their chosen field of labor the following fall, and began work on the language in earnest. Unfortunately Brother and Sister Heisey were handicapped in their language study because of poor health. So they returned to America in 1914, and after some months spent in the eastern part of the State, they located in the Red Bank congregation, Western Pennsylvania, September 1, 1914, where Brother Heisey has since been the pastor. Here he was ordained to the eldership in 1915.
MRS. HERMAN B. HEISEY, NEE NEDROW.
Grace (Nedrow) Heisey, tenth child of Brother John and Sister Mary (Ferguson) Nedrow, was born near Jones Mills, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, on August 4, 1887. In their beautiful home, nestled among the mountains, they reared, besides Grace, four sons and five daughters, of four- teen children that were born unto them. From the tender age of five years she was a faithful and regular attendant of the country public school.
The Christian atmosphere permeating the home of Dea- con Nedrow left its imprint on the children. Three of the sons are ministers. At the age of fourteen, when her uncle, Isaiah B. Ferguson, was conducting a series of meetings in the Nedrow schoolhouse, Indian Creek congregation, Grace con- fessed Christ and united with the Church of the Brethren,
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1
Sister Herman B. Heisey.
being baptized by Brother Ferguson. When twenty, she spent some months in Pittsburgh, and delighted in the church work she was permitted to do there. When a young woman the desire of her heart was realized, as she stepped within the walls of Juniata College in 1911 and began study there. She was a student in the Normal English course and took work in the English Bible while attending this institution. Here, no doubt, her missionary convictions were intensified. It was while at the college that she met Brother Herman B. Heisey, and May 28, 1912, was united in marriage to him.
She, with her husband, was approved by the Annual Conference in 1912, and together with others they sailed to their chosen field of labor in India in the fall. After reach- ing India and becoming located they took up language study, in which they made commendable progress. It was not very long, however, until sickness laid hold upon their bodies, which
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greatly hindered them in their work. For some months they battled with the disease, hoping to overcome it, but getting no better, it was finally decided best to return to America. This they did in 1914, and after some months spent in the East they took up the pastorate of the Red Bank congregation, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, where they are now located and doing good work.
CHAPTER VII.
Our Sunday-School Activities.
Aside from the Sunday-school conducted in the German- town church as early as 1738, it seems that Western Penn- sylvania stands in the front rank in Sunday-school endeavor. It is difficult to ascertain just where and when the first Sun- day-school in the District was organized, but we are told that Elder Adam Wise organized a Sunday-school in Hart's Run schoolhouse in the . Ryerson Station congregation, Greene County, in 1856. In 1860 a Sunday-school was organized in what is now the Plum Creek congregation, in a schoolhouse. In 1863 the Georges Creek congregation began Sunday-school work, with S. C. Johnson, superintendent. In 1865 or 1866 the Brethren in the Berlin congregation began their Sunday- school activities in the Pike church. It is known that other congregations were early engaged in Sunday-school work, but no dates have come to hand.
We chronicle with regret that in a number of congrega- tions strong opposition to Sunday-schools was manifest for a number of years. The good old brethren and sisters looked upon the Sunday-school as an innovation, and as a place to foster pride rather than receive helpful Bible instruction. But by and by the tide turned and Sunday-schools sprang up in every congregation and in almost every meetinghouse. It has long been satisfactorily proven that the Sunday-school is the nursery of the church. A very large percentage of our additions to the church are from the ranks of the Sunday- school scholars. It seems strange to us now that such a helpful institution should have been so long neglected.
The first Sunday-school convention in Western Pennsyl- vania was held in the old Grove meetinghouse, near Berlin,
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Somerset County, September 23 and 24, 1879. Brother Howard Miller was moderator of the convention. The speak- ers named are W. G. Schrock, Nathaniel Merrill, Wesley A. Adams, Philip F. Cupp, J. B. Wampler, M. Hady, Silas Hoov- er, Isaiah C. Johnson, N. B. Critchfield and Sister Amanda Musselman. No doubt a number more took an active in- terest in the convention. One year later a second convention was held at the same place, but I have no record of it, more than that H. R. Holsinger was moderator.
This was eighteen years before the Annual Conference had given its sanction to such meetings. The trying times of the early eighties passed and no more conventions were held for seventeen years, but Sunday-school sentiment was rapidly growing. In 1897 the convention spirit burst out anew and a convention was held in the Walnut Grove house of the Johnstown congregation, August 31 and September 1. A large minute book was bought, in which the minutes of that meeting and all subsequent ones have been faithfully recorded.
Brother S. S. Blough was the secretary of that meeting, and it will be of interest to note the " Preface " of this Minute Book. Here it is in full :
" During the last two decades the Sunday-school work has been growing in interest and in the number of schools. Ever since the first schools were organized by the German Baptist Brethren in Pennsylvania and by Robert Raikes in England, the cause has had its warm supporters.
" Our fraternity (the German Baptist Brethren) has been taking an active part in dispensing knowledge to the children through her Sunday-schools for many years. We recognize that the future welfare of the church depends upon the training of the young. As results we have better knowledge of God's Word, a deeper spirituality among the young, and many conversions from the Sunday-school into fuller fellow- ship with Christ.
" The churches of Western Pennsylvania aim to do their duty in all things, and therefore in the Sunday-school work. A number of the workers have felt for a number of years that
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a better organization of the work would prove beneficial. It was, however, thought prudent to await the decision of the church upon the holding of Sunday-school meetings, which was given at the Annual Meeting of the Brotherhood held at Frederick City, Maryland, June 8, 9 and 10, 1897.
" The decision reads as follows: 'We reconsider and de- cide, that Sunday-school meetings to advance the Sunday- school cause, may be held, provided they be kept within the bounds of Christian propriety, and be conducted in harmony with the principles held by the Brotherhood.'
" The Brethren being willing to abide by this decision, a number of Sunday-school workers felt that a delay in ad- vancing the work would not be wise. Accordingly, after some consultation with elders, ministers, and others, it was decided to proceed with the work at once.
" By permission of the elder in charge, and at council of the members at Walnut Grove, together with the suggestions of members from other congregations, a meeting was appoint- ed at Walnut Grove, in the bounds of the Johnstown congre- gation, for August 5, 1897. One of the things to be considered at this meeting was the advisability of holding a Sunday- school meeting for Western Pennsylvania. A number of con- gregations were accordingly informed, some of which had representation at this meeting.
" After discussing the matter, it was decided, by motion, to hold a Sunday-school meeting, such as our Brotherhood sanctioned, at said Walnut Grove church, Johnstown, August 31, and September 1, 1897.
" As a committee on program, C. C. Johnson, of Union- town, and S. S. Blough and J. F. Dietz, of Johnstown, were elected, and as a committee on arrangements, J. A. Wertz, E. Strayer and A. D. Brubaker.
" Congregations were encouraged to send delegates, and the result was our first meeting, which was considered a suc- cess by all present.
" May the work still go on. May zeal and prudence char- acterize the workers, and may God bless the work. Brethren.
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may those who continue to have charge of these meetings see that the wishes of the Brotherhood in her decision are obeyed. (Signed) S. S. Blough, Secretary."
At this convention twenty-three Sunday-schools were represented by thirty-six regular delegates. The organization was: Moderator, C. C. Johnson; assistant moderator, Joseph Holsopple; secretary, S. S. Blough; assistant secretary, Ira C. Holsopple ; treasurer, S. P. Zimmerman. Five topics and a number of queries were discussed. On the minutes we find the following names of ministers: J. B. Brumbaugh, Joseph Holsopple, C. C. Johnson, S. S. Blough, S. P. Zimmerman, P. U. Miller, J. C. Johnson, A. D. Christner, S. H. Fyock, W. H. Rummel, F. L. Myers, C. W. Hershberger, Ira C. Holsopple, F. D. Anthony, A. J. Beeghly, M. J. Weaver, W. H. Fry, J. A. Myers, P. J. Blough, J. F. Dietz, W. G. Schrock, D. C. Moomaw and I. C. Johnson. Several of these were not ministers then. At this meeting S. S. Blough was appointed District Sunday-school Secretary for a term of three years. His duties do not seem to have been defined.
From that time annual Sunday-school meetings, or con- ventions, as they are now called, have been held, with the ex- ception of one year, 1902. These meetings have been held as follows, with the names of the moderators: In 1898, in the Meyersdale church, with W. A. Gaunt, moderator; 1899, Elk Lick, P. J. Blough, moderator; 1900, Shade Creek, P. J. Blough, moderator; 1901, Middle Creek, J. M. Blough was elected moderator, but the convention decided that the moder- ator must hold his membership in the District, so, as Brother Blough held membership in Huntingdon, he withdrew in favor of the assistant moderator, J. J. Shaffer; 1903, Shade Creek, L. J. Lehman, moderator ; 1904, Maple Spring, Quemahoning congregation, W. A. Gaunt, moderator; 1905, Garrett, J. J. Shaffer, moderator; 1906, Walnut Grove, W. W. Blough, moderator; 1907, Meyersdale, W. W. Blough, moderator ; 1908, Pike, Brothers Valley, H. S. Replogle, moderator ; 1909, Roxbury, West Johnstown, M. J. Weaver, moderator; 1910, Elk Lick, G. K. Walker, moderator; 1911, Scalp Level, H. S.
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Replogle, moderator; 1912, Walnut Grove, H. S. Replogle, moderator; 1913, Greensburg, H. S. Replogle, moderator ; 1914, Meyersdale, H. S. Replogle, moderator; 1915, Roxbury, H. S. Replogle, moderator.
It would be interesting to note the character of the topics discussed and the business transacted at these meetings, but for want of space we will be compelled to confine ourselves principally to the work as it pertains to the activities of our District Secretaries and our Sunday-school Mission Board. It is, indeed, most gratifying to note the progress and advance- ment in all departments of the schools, and especially in the missionary cause.
As the first District Secretary, Brother Blough was very much handicapped, as the Brotherhood had no blanks. The first year he printed his own statistical blanks on a Simplex writer. The ink faded on some of them and the people had trouble to determine what he wanted, but the response was right good. Thirty-one Sunday-schools reported 1,675 scholars. The second and third years he had his blanks print- ed and the results were better.
In 1900 Brother H. A. Stahl was elected District Secre- tary and S. S. Blough assistant. At the same meeting Breth- ren Jerome E. Blough, E. K. Hochstetler and Jas. F. Ream were appointed a committee to define the duties and privileges of the District Secretary. This committee submitted the fol- lowing, which was adopted by the convention the next year :
"1. He shall distribute blanks of the present form to each local Sunday-school Secretary in the District, who shall properly fill them, and send one back to him, and send the other with the delegate to the Sunday-school meeting.
" 2. He shall report to the District Sunday-school meet- ing, and likewise to the General Sunday-school Secretary of the Brotherhood, under appropriate headings, the information thus received.
" 3. He shall send to the Gospel Messenger, for publica- tion, a report of the meeting, the leading thoughts advanced
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on the topics on the program, and the general work and con- ditions of the schools of the District.
"4. It shall be his privilege, in his annual report to the meeting, to offer any suggestions that, in his judgment, would be for the betterment of the schools of the District.
" 5. We, your committee, would recommend that all neces- sary expenses growing out of this work, together with the traveling expenses of the secretary, to and from the meeting, be paid out of the District Sunday-school fund.
"Committee : J. E. Blough, E. K. Hochstetler, J. F. Ream."
For three years Brother Stahl did his work faithfully, the reports being more complete and encouraging every year. He had not been instructed to do any visiting of the schools. His expenses for blanks, stationery, postage and railroad fare for the three years were $20.75.
In 1903 Brother L. J. Lehman was elected secretary, and the same meeting gave him the privilege of visiting the Sun- day-schools of the District, and that all his expenses be paid by the District. However, he was expected to donate his time. He visited many of the schools at his own expense. Local Sunday-school conventions were organized and en- couraged in the local congregations, and as many as nine (and one year eleven) were held in a single year. In this work Sis- ter Ida C. Shumaker was a great help. She had charge of the cradle roll work and Brother Lehman of the home depart- ment and teacher training.
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