USA > Pennsylvania > Two centuries of the Church of the Brethren in western Pennsylvania, 1751-1950 > Part 12
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Very likely the minutes of District Meeting have been published every year since the organization of the district eighty-five years ago. One year we had two District Meetings, as the time was changed from April until October.
Our first poet and hymn writer very likely was John Berkley, Sr. He was also the ancestor of a long line of min- isters and missionaries. Concerning his authorship, C. G. Lint wrote: "[Brother Berkley] was quite a poet, and composed a number of German hymns, which, however, were never pub- lished, owing to his having sent them to Editor Kurtz, founder of the Gospel Visitor, who, at a time of removing his printing office, either lost or mislaid the manuscript."2
Four years before the National Sunday School Convention (now the International Sunday School Association) appointed the first committee (1872) to prepare "uniform Bible lessons for the Sunday Schools of the land,"3 our District Meeting was grappling with the problem of a Sunday-school literature. The minutes of the District Meeting (1868), Article 2, say:
A desire of the Conemaugh Church to the District Meeting of Western Pennsylvania to request the Annual Meeting to adopt some good general system of Sabbath-school something like this: the brethren being permitted and requested to compose and select suit- able pieces. A Committee to be appointed by Annual Meeting to ex- amine all, and if approved of have the same printed as a Sabbath school library, and used as such by the Church generally wherever the brethren have a desire to have them.
Answer. Yes: request it. This goes to Annual Meeting.
This request is better understood when we remember that "before March 26, 1879 the Church of the Brethren had no Sun- day school literature."4 It shows that our district, in its request for Sunday-school publications, was at least ten years in ad-
2 Ibid. Page 86.
3 Organized Sunday School Work in America (1914). Page 9.
4 S. Z. Sharp in the District Herald, July 1931. Page 16.
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vance of the Brotherhood. It also reveals that the Sunday school was already officially recognized by the district in 1868.
District Meeting was held at the Pigeon Creek meeting- house, Washington County, May 1 and 2, 1872. The minutes of this meeting are especially valuable for three reasons. The first is self-explanatory. "Article 2. We petition the District Meeting to request the Annual Meeting to re-adopt the original name of the church: Brethren. Ans. This District Meeting unanimously makes the request."
Our official name from 1836 to 1908 was German Baptist Brethren, but in Europe the name among the members was Brethren, and the church in Philadelphia bore the inscription, "Church of the Brethren." This latter name was also recognized by H. R. Holsinger and James Quinter in the publication of the Christian Family Companion.
The second reason for the value of these minutes lies in the Plum Creek request (Article 7) regarding home missions, and the plan adopted (Article 13) on the second day of the meeting. A Mission Board of six was elected (see Part One, Chapter 11).
The third reason is the fact that when the Annual Meeting had given permission six years previous for the holding of Dis- trict Meetings, it had permitted the "keeping a record of the proceedings, but not the publication." Since the Western Dis- trict had been publishing their minutes every year from the first, it is significant that on the front page of the 1872 minutes we read, "Printed for this District only," and that the issue was limited to two hundred copies. Two of these copies are known to be yet in existence-eight pages, size three by four and one- half inches.
It may be of interest to know that a quarter century before the Gish Fund was established, a great church leader of this district had established the Forney Tract Fund. The editor of the Christian Family Companion, in the issue of February 3, 1874, wrote:
In Volume VIII, No. 7, of the Christian Family Companion, there is a notice of the death of brother John L. Forney, who died in the winter of 1872, in the Berlin congregation, in this county. According to his will, his property was to be appropriated to the dissemination of Christian truth through tracts. In the notice ... his property was stated to be worth three or four thousand dollars. This was an over estimate. . . . It will be about fifteen hundred dollars.
We were made the trustee of the legacy. ... We design to make a safe investment of the principal and constitute it a permanent
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fund, the interest of which shall be used according to the will of the testator.
Brother Quinter then continues, "We do this in hopes that other legacies and donations will be added to this, and a fund thus formed that shall, if judicially used, be made subservient to the promotion of Christian truth and Christian life."
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF AUTHORS
1. Adams, D. M. Sabbatarianism (1907; 50 cents) was perhaps the most popular of the ten publications coming from his prolific pen.
2. Ankrum, Freeman. Through Alexander Mack the Tunker and De- scendants (1943; 352 pages), after eighteen years of research, he gave to the Brethren churches the most valued story of our first Alexander Mack the Tanker and Descendants minister, listing over three thou- sand descendants. Maryland and Pennsylvania Historical Sketches By Rev. Freeman Ankram, H.B. (1947; 282 pages) and many of his historical articles in current pub- lications have been widely read.
3. Beer, J. W. Jewish Passover and the Lord's Supper (1874; 258 pages) was one of our early doc- trinal books with a wide circula- tion.
Mastrated
Contains rate illustrations and photography and Where published maria. Many of the photographs was taken by the mother
4. Blough, Jacob M. He was a long- time editor of various publica- tions on the India mission field and has been a contributor to our church publications.
Etter H. A. Brandt, Managing Buffer of the Usenet Messenger," author and Historian.
5. Blough, Jerome E. History of the Church of the Brethren of West- ern Pennsylvania (1916; 600 pages), is a monumental volume, from which many historians have quoted, and to which our own His- torical Committee is much indebted for the use of data and many cuts (by permission of the family).
6. Blough, Silas S. Studies in Ordinances (1919; 92 pages) was pub- lished as Part Two of Studies in Doctrine and Devotion, by D. W. Kurtz, S. S. Blough, and C. C. Ellis.
7. Boger, John. The Coming of Jesus Christ, a treatise on prophecy (1846; 24 pages; 4 by 6 inches), published by Jonathan Rau, Somer- set, was perhaps the first book from the pen of a Western Pennsyl- vania author.
8. Clapper, D. K. History of the Clappers and The Selection of a Church (1916).
9. Clapper, V. Grace. Junior Folk at Mission Study-China (1921).
10. Detweiler, E. H. The Conemaughers (1903; 17 pages, fine print) has been quoted repeatedly by Blough and many others.
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11. Faust, Alvin G. Some Aspects of the Social History of Somerset County (1938; 16 pages), reprinted from the Western Pennsylvania Magazine, Volume 21, Number 3, and other historical writings.
12. Finnell, Virgil C. The Truth About Tobacco (1917; 16 pages) had a circulation of over 100,000 copies, and was used by several church periodicals. Brother Finnell was the editor of the Annual Confer- ence Daily (St. Joseph, Missouri, York and Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Calgary, Alberta). For several years he was the editor of The Hoosier Prohibitionist and The National Prohibitionist.
13. Hamilton, Walter J. Reaching the World Through America (1926; 195 pages) is a mission-study text, used by camps and churches.
14. Holsinger, George B. Practical Exercises in Music Reading (1908; 32 pages). He was also the author of about two hundred hymns and songs and the editor of several songbooks.
15. Holsinger, Henry R. History of the Tunkers and the Brethren Church (1901; 826 pages). He was also the publisher of church periodicals.
16. Johnson, Carman Cover. How to Teach Adults.
17. Judy, William Lewis is the editor of The Dog World, Judy's Maga- zine, and many books, mostly on dogs and their care. He is a pro- lific writer.
18. Lepley, Daniel F. Echoes of 1916 (1916; 96 pages), a message to preachers and elders by a deacon.
19. Martin, George Adam (after his sojourn in Western Pennsylvania), Christliche Bibliothek (1792; 152 octavo pages, 20 chapters). Printed at Ephrata. A Christian Study of the New Testament, Containing all that which is needed to know by all the Pilgrims on their voy- age seeking the lost magnificence.
20. Miller, DeWitt L. The Mastery of the Master (1944; 144 pages).
21. Miller, Howard. Record of the Faithful (1882; 99 pages). A basic publication, which has been quoted by many authors.
22. Myers, Frank B. Music, a poem (1925; 16 pages).
23. Myers, T. T. Escatology, or the Doctrine of Final Things (1902; 76 pages). He also contributed much to our church periodi- cals.
24. Nedrow, J. Lloyd. Bible Thoughts for Young Disciples (1927; 18 pages).
25. Noffsinger, Sadie Brallier. Love's Crown- ing Jewel (1896; 30 pages).
26. Statler, Ruth B. Whither Thou Goest (1948; 252 pages) went into the second Howard Miller, Author of Record of the Faithful edition the first year. Our most popular novelist, she has also written many poems, plays, and essays. Her second book is House of Clay (1951; 270 pages).
27. Walker, Galen K. Seed Thoughts for Young Christians (1924; 29 pages) went through three editions.
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OTHER PUBLICATIONS BY BRETHREN
In addition to the periodicals mentioned in the list of authors, we might develop a long roster of editors and publishers. Be-
THE
Christian Family Companion -AND -- >
GOSPEL VISITOR:
An Advocate of Primitive Christianity and Pure and Undefiled Religion.
JAMES QUINTER, Editor. | J. W. BEER, Assistant Editor.
" IF TE LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS." --- Jesus.
Humanum
NEW SERIES,-VOL. 1.
4 PUBLISHED BY THE EDITOR,
BY PERMISSION OF THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
DALE CITY, PENN'A, 1874.
"C. F. C. Vol. X - G. V. Vol. XXIV Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1874 Vol. 1 No. 1" NOTE: Brother H. R. Holsinger had used the same name in Tyrone in 1868 "by permission of the Church of the Brethren," although that name was not officially adopted until 1908, just forty years later.
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sides H. R. Holsinger, a publisher of church periodicals in this district, we mention James Quinter of Meyersdale and J. W. Beer and Howard Miller of Berlin. Perry J. Blough of Hoovers- ville edited the Temperance Bulletin for the Brotherhood a number of years.
Among editors and publishers of secular papers, we name the two grandsons of Daniel Moser, with the Fayette Monitor; Amos Claar, with the Windber Era; and William S. Livengood, for thirty-six years with the Meyersdale Republican.
Since January 1906, Dallas B. Kirk has owned and operated the Keystone Printing Office, Rockton, Pennsylvania. Among his many publications was the Home Review, a monthly for twenty-two years; the District Echo, a quarterly, for over twenty years, for the Middle District. He has also published many church directories for congregations in Pennsylvania and Ohio, as well as many books, pamphlets, and parish papers.
Pastors and churches have published cookbooks, parish papers, directories, and church bulletins.
For eight years, W. J. Hamilton edited the District Herald (quarterly) for the Western District and the Camp Harmony Training School.
CHAPTER 18. BRETHREN SERVICE and the C. O. CAMPS
Noncombatants follow the teaching of Jesus
Brethren experiences in various wars "Brethren Service" is Matthew 25: 31-46 in action
In theory and principle the Brethren have always been, and we hope always will remain, followers of the Prince of Peace. However, that impulsive disciple, Simon Peter, under the emotional strain of his Master's arrest, attempted to use the sword. Likewise, under community pressure, or government requirement, there have been Brethren, or their sons, here and there, who have entered the armed forces since the days of the American Revolution.
This was true of Martin Spohn and John Shidler of the Ten Mile church; of the three sons of Jacob Gansz of Georges Creek -George, Jacob, Jr., and Joseph; and of Henry Roth, Jr., of
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Stony Creek (Brueders Thal), during the Revolutionary period. We are glad that, according to the records, all of these brethren
o all whom it may
Concern:
Know De, That Joseph Birinin
Non- Combatant of Captain
Company ( Regiment of VOLUNTEERS who was enrolled on the burnt-Sixth day of September one thousand eight hundred and sell your to serve The years or during the was, is hereby Discharged from the service of the United States,
this twenty- fourthe day of War 1865, at Flower Lefle Deux Kost nila la by reason of Nudler instructions of War Dept, dated May 3"ist (No objection to his being re-enlisted is known to exist. ) Said Joseph Worker was born in JemensEl Go in the State of Pennsylvania, is Forte-one years of age, two feet Elever neanches high, Dark complexion, Browneyes, "Black hair, and by occupation, when enrolled, a Farmer Given at INwer the beat Hope this twenty- fourthe day of may
* This sentence will be erased should there is anything"} in the contact or physical emulation of the shoulder rendering hun until for the Army,
[A. 0. 0. No. 99.1 +
Car E montarmery Weit Udit- bail West Colony of Muster Commanding off Right.
Photostat of Honorable Discharge of "Joseph Berkey a Non-Combatant" in the Civil War
NOTE: On the back of this discharge is written in ink, "Paid at Philadelphia, May 26, 1865, $105.76, D. Taggart, Paymaster U. S. A."
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returned to become active members or leaders in their respective congregations.
Since the persecutions of our colonial members, who were faithful to the peace principles of Jesus, occurred in the eastern part of Pennsylvania, their story is not a part of this history.
The Brethren had a mixed experience during the Civil War. In the South, they could be exempt from military duty by paying a fine of five hundred dollars. In the North, some paid fines and others hired substitutes, while some were exempt through securing a properly executed "certificate" or by render- ing alternative service, such as hospital service, as Elder Joseph Berkey did (see cut). Brother Berkey had an interesting ex- perience, going into noncombatant service with several of the young Brethren, to see that they had fair consideration. He served in an army hospital in Philadelphia until he lost the sight of an eye while using quicklime.
This is a transcription of the "exemption certificate" pre- pared by Elder D. P. Saylor after a conference with President Abraham Lincoln. It is said that they were personal friends and that Elder Saylor spent much time with Lincoln in Wash- ington.
Monocacy Church, Frederick County, Maryland, Sept. 14, 1862. This is to certify that the bearer. .is a baptized member in full fellowship and communion with the German Baptist Church which teaches and practices the doctrine of self- denial, of non-resistance, doing violence to no man, overcoming evil with good ... and therefore is conscientiously scrupulous about bear- ing arms and humbly prays to be exempt from Military duty.
It is further certified that the bearer is a true and loyal citizen and will faithfully perform all other duties of a citizen by paying tribute, etc.
Daniel P. Saylor, Ordained Elder in Charge.1
How widely this exemption certificate was used throughout the Brotherhood is not known, but it must have been rather general if we may judge from the account of Annual Meeting printed in the Gospel Visitor in 1866:
In the multitude assembled on the Lord's day and who took din- ner with us were Governor Curtin [of Pennsylvania] and his Secre- tary of State, Mr. McClure. Governor Curtin and other official men in our government have put our brethren under obligation to them for taking an interest in us as non-combatants during the war, and in ex- tending to us whatever favors our non-resistant principles entitled us to under the different departments of our government. It is very proper that we should respect these men.
Signed, J. Q. [James Quinter ]2
1 From the Brethren Evangelist, June 3, 1950. Article by Reverend Freeman Ankrum, and quoted here by his permission.
2 History of the Southern District of Pennsylvania, 1941. Page 393.
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Our regional field secretary, Levi K. Ziegler, has prepared an excellent paper on The Church's Attitude Toward Peace and War, from which, for lack of space, we can give only the follow- ing excerpts:
The period following the Civil War was marked by very little peace teaching. The Church through the Annual Conference dealt with problems arising from the War .... With the appointment of a Peace Committee by the 1911 Annual Conference, a change of attitude favoring more peace teaching, and also becoming an active force for universal peace, became evident.
For a number of years after the appointment of a Peace Com- mittee it reported that it had received no funds with which to work. . . . When the United States entered World War I in 1917, the church was not prepared because it had given no attention to a peace pro- gram beyond its general statement of opposition to War on the basis of the teachings of Jesus.
The draft law of May 18, 1917, exempted Brethren from com- batant service only. ... The church leaders were not in agreement on whether the boys should accept non-combatant service, or hold out against any form of service under the military. On the point that conscience should not be violated there was agreement. Some Breth- ren men went straight into military service. Toward these the local churches were generally tolerant. Very few were disciplined. Most Brethren men went into non-combatant service. Several hundred men refused to do any kind of work under army domination. These were finally placed in detention camps, and were later either fur- loughed to farms or sent to prison.
Between World War I and World War II the church gave much attention to education for peace. The Annual Conference pronounce- ments were strong in favor of peace and against War. . .. The church went on record against paying taxes for military purposes and against compulsory military training and service. The Annual Con- ference of 1935 pronounced that "all War is sin." The church busied itself with organization for more aggressive peace education and for the administration of foreign relief.
The Selective Service Act of 1940 provided that those who, by "religious training and belief," were conscientiously opposed to mili- tary training and service, were exempt from such training and serv- ice. Instead, the Act provided that such conscientious objectors should be inducted into non-military "work of national importance." The administration of the program was assigned to the Selective Service System. A National Service Board for Religious Objectors (NSBRO) was created. Before the end of the War, 180 denomina- tions and organizations had representation in the NSBRO. The pro- gram agreed upon was to be known officially as "Civilian Public Service" (CPS).
The plan was to establish camps into which Conscientious Ob- jectors (CO's) would be inducted by Local Draft Boards. Generally, the locations and facilities of the former C. C. Camps were made available for the CPS camps. The government furnished beds and bedding, kitchen and dining room equipment, office and heating, electric current generators, a water system and transportation to and from camp. The churches paid for food, medical care, fuel, laundry service, library service, workshop facilities, certain educational oppor- tunites and $2.50 per month to each camper. The life of a camp was
C. P. S. Chapel
Service, Camp
Kane, Pennsyl- vania
Photos of
Camps Kane
and Marienville were made a- vailable to us through the courtesy of Brother John Armentrout of Cumberland, Maryland (in vest and short
shirt sleeves).
generally well organized and included opportunities for reading, worship, study, recreation and camp fellowship and participation in the affairs of camp life. The administration of the camps was under the supervision of church groups who appointed directors who were responsible for the local administration of the camps.
Mennonites, Friends, Brethren and others conducted camps. It is significant that there were 11,996 CO's who were identified with these camps. They represented a great variety of christian groups and also a number of non-christian groups. The groups which did not operate any camps paid a stipulated amount to the church in whose camp their CO's were cared for. ... The first camps were opened in June 1941. Government men, who supervised the work projects, lived on the camp premises in their own quarters. They ate in the camp dining room.
Camp Kane and Camp Marienville were within the geo- graphical boundary of Western Pennsylvania.
In Western Pennsylvania there was a soil conservation service unit at Howard, and a mental hospital unit at Warren. A number of dairy tester units and dairy farm units were operated in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. These farm units cut across the northern extensions of Western, Middle, Southern and Eastern Districts.
It is commonly known that many of our boys who were con- fronted with the draft, holding the conscientious objector position, were really severely persecuted for their faith. Some of our boys did not register nor cooperate with the Government in any way whatso- ever. These went to jail. They felt that doing so was the best testi- mony they could give for peace.
There were several incidents at Camp Kane of wives and sweet- hearts suffering with their husbands and lovers. Some wives were willing to work to support the home while the boys were in camp. . . . We had a great number of religious objectors because their par- ents wanted them to be CO's. But we had a large number who also became CO's because they reached their conclusions from their own reading, study and thinking. Great credit belongs to these sincere fellows who came to their position through persecution, sweat and tears.
Brother Arthur L. Rummel, chairman of the District Breth- ren Service Committee, at the suggestion of the Historical
C. P. S. Buildings (foreground), Marienville, Pennsylvania
Committee, made a definite effort to secure data concerning our brethren during World War II. Questionnaires were sent to every pastor in the district. Thirty-nine were returned. Twenty- one pastors failed to reply. So we do not have a correct picture. Evidently some of the church leadership today needs to be indoctrinated in the basic teaching of Jesus, who said, ". .. if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight" (John 18:36). Returned questionnaires report a very high percentage of the Brethren having entered the military service.
Another questionnaire was sent out to each conscientious objector whose name was given. Their replies were very def- inite. Each one believes he took the right stand, and would do so again. Reasons given include: War is wrong. Killing is wrong. The Bible and Christ's teaching are against war. The teachings of the Church of the Brethren are against war. War is futile. The conscientious objectors were generally accepted in their home communities, as well as in the communities where the camps and projects were. The IAO's in the army were well received. We appreciate Brother Rummel's effort and hope that it will challenge our church leaders and entire membership to a closer fellowship with our Lord and Master, the Prince of Peace.
BRETHREN SERVICE
The spirit of sharing has been a requisite in the Christian faith ever since Jesus said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40).
Alexander Mack accepted this teaching and sacrificed his
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personal estate in behalf of his persecuted brethren. The mother church at Germantown provided a "widows' home," and down through the years each congregation was expected to care for the poor in its midst. The Annual Meeting of 1866 encouraged the churches to extend this spirit of sharing beyond the mem- bership.
Article 21. Inasmuch as the freedmen of the south are in a starving condition, and also destitute of education and Christianity, would not this district council-meeting [Southern District of Indiana] think it advisable to adopt some plan for their relief, and present it to our next Annual Conference for their deliberation?
Whereupon it was resolved that this meeting make arrangements to raise funds, and appoint two brethren to go into the Southern States as soon as the nature of the case will admit of it, and distribute those funds among the needy, irrespective of color, and also preach the gospel whenever opportunity may present itself. .
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