CHAPTER XII

GLIMPSES OF THE CHURCH AT LARGE

Headquarters-U. B. Office Building-Publishing House-Our Educa­tional Institutions-Benevolent Homes-Our Bishops-Some of Our General Officers and Denominational Leaders-Membership of the Church by Con­ferences-Denominational Statistics for 193 7-Growth in Church Member­ship.

It is probable that many persons will read this history of Pennsyl­vania Conference who are unfamiliar with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ as a denomination. We take pleasure, therefore, in recording some facts and presenting some pictures to the end that all readers may get a glimpse of the denomination of which Pennsylvania Conference is a part.

HEADQUARTERS

Our denominational headquarters are located at Dayton, Ohio. Here, on the corner of Main and Fourth streets·, in the center of the down-town business district, is located the United Brethren office building which is acclaimed the tallest concrete office building in the world. It is twenty-one stories in height, and towers two hundred and eighty-five feet above the street level. Most of the general officers of our denomination have their offices in this building. The lower floors are rented for merchandising purposes. Many of the office rooms on the upper floors are also rented:

The Isaac Long Barn, near Lancaster, Pa. (See page 21)

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GLIMPSES OF THE CHURCH AT LARGE 383

The United Brethren Office Building, Dayton, Ohio

THE OTTERBEIN PRESS BUILDING West Fifth Street, Dayton, Ohio

The Otterbein Press, formerly known as the United Brethren Printing Establishment, was founded in 1834. Its first location was in Circleville, Ohio. The removal to Dayton took place in 1853. The above building was erected in 1915. It is adapted to sustain six additional stories and is one of the most modern and completely equipped printing plants in the country. Here are printed the Religious Telescope, the Watchword, the Evangel, our Church School literature, books, etc. Church supplies of every de­scription are available in the mail order department. The editors of our various periodicals have their offices in this building.

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GLIMPSES OF THE CHURCH AT LARGE 385

OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

BONEBRAKE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, our only school of theology, was founded in 1871 and was at first known as Union Biblical Seminary. It is located in Dayton, Ohio. The present buildings, located on a beautiful tract; of thirty-six acres in Dayton View, were occupied first in the fall of 1923. Rev. A. T. Howard, D. D., is the president of our seminary, and brings to the student body his rich experience as a foreign missionary for many years.

The Administration and Dormitory Buildings of Bonebrake Seminary

Rev. Alfred T. Howard, D. D.

President

Bonebrake Theological Seminary

OTTERBEIN COLLEGE is located at Westerville, Ohio, and is our oldest educational institution. It was founded in 1846. Rev. Walter G. Clippinger, D. D., LL. D., has been president of this well established and well endowed institution since 1909. President Clippinger is a native of the Cumberland Valley and began his ministry in Pennsylvania Conference.

Rev. W. G. Clippinger, D. D., LL. D.

President

Otterbein College

386 HISTORY OF. THE PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE

LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE, located at Annville, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1866. The president is Rev. Clyde A. Lynch, D. D., LL. D. The history of this school, with which Pennsylvania Conference cooperates, may. be found in chapter IX of this volume.

SHENANDOAH COLLEGE, Dayton, Virginia, was founded in 1876. For many years it was ·known as Shenandoah Collegiate Institute and School of Music. In 1921 it became an accredited Junior College. The Rev. Wade S. Miller is the president of Shenandoah College.

YORK COLLEGE,· York, Nebraska, was established in 1886. In 1931 our denominational interests in Kansas City University were merged with York College, greatly strengthening the latter institution. Rev. John R. Overmiller, D. D., is president of York College.

INDIANA CENTRAL COLLEGE is located at Indianapolis, Indiana. It began operations in 1905. Dr. I. J. Good, one of the first graduates ·of the school, became president in 1915 and continues in that office at present.

DISCONTINUED INSTITUTIONS. At least twenty-four educa­tional institutions have been started by and for the United Brethren Church, ·only to be discontinued for lack of financial and other forms of support. Some of these have been merged with schools that have continued to function.

BENEVOLENT HOMES

COLESTOCK OLD PEOPLE'S HOME. This was the first bene­volent h9me in the denomination and was located at Mechanicsburg, Penna. It was established in 1893. It was merged with the Orphanage .at Quincy, Penna., m 1913. (See the historical sketch in chapter IX.)

QUINCY U. B. ORPHANAGE AND HOME. Founded m 1903. {See historical sketch and pictures in chapter IX.)

OTTERBEIN HOME. The Otterbein Home is located near Lebanon, Ohio, about twenty-four miles south of Dayton, Ohio. It was founded in 1913 on a 4,000 acre farm purchased from the Shakers, a religious group now almost extinct.

BAKER HOME. The Baker Home for Retired Ministers was made possible by the benefactions of Col. and Mrs. R. M. Baker, of Monrovia, California. The home, founded in 1911, is located about twenty-six miles east of Los Angeles, California.

GLIMPSES OF THE CHURCH AT LARGE 387

THE BOARD OF BISHOPS Bishop H. H. Fout is the senior bishop. Since his election in 1913 he has presided

over the Northwest District, with residence at Indianapolis, Ind. Bishop A. R. Clippinger was elected in 1921 and was assigned to the Central District.

His home is in Dayton, Ohio. Bishop A. B. Statton became a bishop in 1925. He served the Southwest District until

his death, which occurred December 8, 1937. His place of residence was Kansas City, Mo. .

Bishop G. D. Batdorf has been the bishop of the East District since 1929, with resi­dence in Harrisburg, Penna.

Bishop I. D. Warner serves the Pacific Coast District, with headquarters in Portland, Oregon. He was elected to the bishopric in 1929.

388 HISTORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE

SOME OF OUR GENERAL OFFICERS AND

DENOMINATIONAL LEADERS

Bishop V. O. Weid­ler, D. D.

Bishop V. 0. Weidler is a son of Rev. Z. A. · Weidler, and grandson of Revs. Joshua Harp and

Isaac Weidler, all ministers of Pennsylvania Con­ference. He received Quarterly Conference license to preach from Waynesboro Quarterly Conference in 1913, and later joined Erie Conference, where he served as a pastor for thirteen years. He was super­intendent of Minnesota Conference from 1926 to 1934, and General Secretary of Home Missions and Church Erection, 1934-1938. Dr. Weidler was elect­ed bishop by letter ballot in the spring of 1938, suc­ceeding the late Bishop A. B. Statton in the South­west District.

Rev. J. B. Showers, D. D. Rev. 0. T. Deever, D. D. Secretarv of the Board of Christian

Education Publishing Agent

Rev. John W. Owen, D. D. · · Editor-in-Chief of United Brethren

Sunday School Literature Rev. Samuel G. Ziegler, D. D. · Foreign Missionary Secretary

GLIMPSES OF THE CHURCH AT LARGE 389

Rev. W. E. Snyder, D. D. Editor of the Religious Telescope

Rev. D. T. Gregory, D. D. Secretary of the Board of Ad­

ministration

Miss Alice E. Bell Secretary Women's Missionary

Association

Rev. E. E. Harris, D. D. Editor of the \Vatchword

Rev. S. S. Hough, D. D. General Secretary Emeritus

Rev. J. Gordon Howard, D. D. Director of Youth Education and Leadership Training, Board of Christ­

ian Education

390 HISTORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE

Prof. H. H. Baish Manager Ministerial Pension

and Annuity Bureau

Rev. S. C. Enck, D. D. Superintendent of East Penna.

Conference since 1917

NOTE

Mr. John B. Lyter Superintendent of the Church Depart­ment of the Otterbein Press, and Cir­culation Manager of Our Publications

Rev. U. P. Hovermale, D. D. Superintendent of Virginia

Co'.1ference since 1930

The pictures and names of general officers appearing in this section do not, of course, represent a complete list.

CARD OF THANKS

We desire to thank the United Brethren Publishing Agent, Dr. J. B. Showers,· and the Superintendent of the Church Department, Mr. John B. Lyter, for the loin of many cuts appearing in this history and many other valuable services rendered cheerfully and without charge.

. GLIMPSES OF THE CHURCH AT LARGE 391

Bishop W. M. Bell, D. D., LL. D.

Born November 12, 1860 Died October 6, 1933

Presided over the Pennsylvania Conference sessions of

1909, and 1917 to 1928

Bishop W. M. Weekley, D~ D.

Born September 18, 1851. Died January 8, 1926

Presided over the Pennsylvania Conference sessions of 1910, 1913,

1914, 1915

392 HISTORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE

SOME DENOMINATIONAL STATISTICS FROM THE 1938 U. B. CHURCH ANNUAL

(Figures are for Year 1937)

2,959 2,343

430 428,237

42,830 9,442

18,328 39,936 17,162 56,684

Number· of organized churches; -----------------------­Number of. Annual Conference Ministers, ---------------­Number of Quarterly Conference Ministers, ------------­Total Church Membership, ---------------------------­Senior Christian Endeavor Members, --------,-----------­Intermediat~ Christian Endeavor Members, -------------­Junior Christian Endeavor Members, ------------------­Women's Missionary Society Members, ----------------­Otterbein Guild Members, ----------------------'-----­Ladies' Aid Society Members, -----------------------­Sunday School Scholars, -----,------------------------­Average attendance in Sunday School, 1937, ------------­Total paid for Current Expenses in 1937, --------------­Total paid for Benevolences in 1937, ------------------­Total paid for all purposes in 1937, ------------------­Value of Church buildings, -------------------------­Value or Parsonages, ---------------------------------

403,103 213,113

4,156,579 793,099

4,949,678 29,875,945 4,189,863

GROWTH IN CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

1800* ------------------ 5,000 1880 ------------------ 157,835 1813* ------------------ 10,0bO 1890 ------------------ 197,123 1820* ------------------ 9,000 1900 ------------------ 243,841 1835* ------------------ 20,000 1910 ------------------ 285,430 1845* ------------------ 30,000 1920 ------------------ 351,007 1850* ------------------ 40,000 1930 ------------------ 406,442 1861 ------------------ 94,453 1937 ------------------ 428,237 1870 ------------------ 118,055

*Estimated

THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH BY CONFERENCE~

(Statistics from the 1938 Church Annual)

1. Allegheny 2. California 3. Colorado-New

Mexico 4. East Ohio 5. East Pennsyl-

vania 6. Erie 7. Florida 8. Illinois 9. Indiana

10. Iowa

31,180 11. Kansas 3,369 12. Miami

13. Michigan 3,572 14. Minnesota

20,483 15. Missouri 16. Montana

33,551 17. Nebraska 8,223 18. Oklahoma

603 19. Oregon 24,573 20. Pennsylvania 16,281 21. St. Joseph 11,110 22. Sandusky

19,203 26,999 4,641 1,819 3,901

930 8,394 4,998 2,523

34,195 25,855 23,454

23. Southeast Ohio 22,036 24. Tennessee 4,464 25. Virginia , 18,910 26. West Virginia 23,253 27. White River 29,249 28. Wisconsin 3,905 29. China 998 30. Japan 3,054 31. Phillipines 7,945 32. Puerto Rico 1,854 33. West Africa 2,712

TOTAL 428,237