SIXTEENTH SEMI-ANNUAL CONFERENCE

June, 1867

Proceedings of the Meetings of the 16th Semi-Annual Session

of the

Evangelical Mennonite Conference of Eastern Pennsylvania

The members met June 4, 1867, in the Flatlander Meeting House, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, to hold their semi-annual session.

First Meeting

Tuesday, June 4, 1867 – Morning

Missionary Eusebius Hershey was present, in good health and good spirits, and preached in the morning with blessing about the words of Luke 10:2, “The harvest truly is great but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into his harvest.” The brethren George Eichelberger and Christian Peffly admonished and closed with prayer.

Second Meeting

Tuesday, June 4, 1867 – Afternoon

The afternoon meeting was opened by the Chairman of the last Conference, Brother William N. Shelly, with the reading of the first part of the fourth chapter of Paul’s second Epistle to the Corinthians, “Therefore seeing we have this ministry … ” etc., singing, prayer and a powerful message.

Preachers present: David Henning, William Gehman, William N. Shelly, Eusebius Hershey, Henry Diehl, Abel Strawn, Jonas Musselman, Abraham Kauffman, Joseph L. Romig, Samuel M. Musselman.

Absent: Jacob Gottschall.

Deacons present: Joseph Schneider, Aaron Unangst, David Gehman.

Afterward the following business matters were taken up:

1. David Henning was elected Chairman and David Gehman, Recording Secretary.

2. The moral conduct and administrative performance of the preachers were examined. There was one complaint. ‘The examination. was brought to a close in brotherly love.

3. The Brethren George Eichelberger and Christian Peffly were accepted as advisory members of this Conference.

4. Because the Saucon brothers and sisters withdrew themselves from the conference because of differing viewpoints, it was decided that we cross out their names from the Conference and Members Book and do not consider them members any more of our Conference.

5. Brother Eusebius Hershey presented his six months’ travel report as follows: Germania Mission, Potter County, Pennsylvania,

November 6, 1866, to June 4, 1867

Miles traveled                   2550

Families visited                   640

Spoken in public                105

Sunday Schools                    2

Sunday School Scholars     45

Public Schools visited            5

Total Expenses                                  $209.23

Received from Mission fund                 $40.00

Love offering                                          60.08

Earned by manual labor                           9.00

Balance in favor of Hershey               $100.15

The balance was paid him at once in full by the Treasurer from the Mission Fund.

6. RESOLVED: That Brother Hershey should spend the next six months again on his present designated mission field in Potter County, Pennsylvania, and the surrounding area traveling and witnessing and that we will support him with means and prayer.

7. The Brethren Joseph L. Romig from Upper Milford, Lehigh County and Samuel M. Musselman from Springfield, Bucks County, who have been on probation as preachers for more than a year shall be ordained as servants of the Word.

8. The existing Mission Board was again elected for the coming year; Joseph L. Romig as President, William N. Shelly as Treasurer and David Gehman as Recording Secretary.

9. RESOLVED: That the next Conference shall take place in the Upper Milford Meeting House on the first Tuesday in November which is the fifth and that Monday evening, the fourth, a mission meeting shall be held.

10. RESOLVED: That the proceedings of this Conference shall be made known in the Mennonitischen Friedens Bote.

David Henning, Chairman

David Gehman, Recording Secretary