January, 1998
I will begin this issue of your favorite Bible Fellowship Historical Society newsletter with the items that you need to know.
1. If you have not renewed your subscription for the coming year, this will be your last newsletter. I bring your name up on the computer and hit the delete button. I want to assure you I would only do it with sadness. You can spare me this moment of grief by sending us your renewal. I included one with your last mailing. Dig it out and send it back.
If you can’t find it, send your check for $20.00 per couple or $16.00 per individual for your renewal. Send it to Loretta Heist (PO Box 67, Zionsville, PA 18092). Make your check out to “The Historical Society.”
2. You will notice that this issue contains photographs. I am pleased to report that the Historical Committee has purchased a scanner that will allow us to create a computer copy of our photographs. This not only allows a way to preserve the photographs but allows us to use them in our newsletter.
3. I have just completed work on computerizing the General Conference Minutes from 1879 to 1916. The text and the indexes I prepared to go with it are 185 pages long. For those who may not know, our church was part of a larger church known as the Mennonite Brethren in Christ. Meetings of the entire denomination were held every four years and were known as the General Conference. (The various conferences met every year and were known as Annual Conference.) These minutes are available to the more serious student who wants to know about what issues were discussed and how they were resolved. If you would like to purchase a copy, the cost will be $15.00 plus shipping. Write to me if you would like a copy.
Our first article is a follow up to Jill Davidson’s paper, “Sisters.” The following are excerpts from Ministerial Convention papers which had presentations relating to pastor’s wives. They tell about the expectations on women at the turn of the century.
The Minister; His Home and Family
J. G. Shireman (1900 Yearbook, page 39)
The minister is one ordained of God, to be about the Master’s business only, and should be too busy to find time for a vacation, for fishing, hunting, or animal recreations, etc. In his home he is supposed to be master of the situation, and worthy of being called lord by his wife, and should command the respect of his children. His home should be a sample of cleanliness and purity, and void of all questionable literature. The wife should live up to the doctrine preached, and carry out the pastor’s discipline in the Lord, and make the home a pleasant place for all.
The Relation of our Church to the Widows of our Deceased Pastors
J. G. Shireman (1901 Yearbook, page 38)
Acts 6. – Widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Deacons were appointed for their care. This subject however includes only widows of our Pastors.
These stood by their pastors, having forsaken their position and suffered with them. Now they are left without support and we can say we pity them, but if we shut our bowels of compassion, how dwelleth the love of God in us.
A good way would be to found an orphanage, make these widows workers or teachers in the Orphanage and have a Spiritual man as Superintendent over them. This would benefit the orphans and would support the widows.
The Model Pastor’s Wife
W. G. Gehman (1902 Yearbook, page 36)
By a Model we understand anything of a particular form, shape, or construction: intended imitation, something to be copied; a pattern, a mold. (Webster.) Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. Prov. 31;10. This proves the scarcity of the Model kind.
The single woman in a class gets so intensely spiritual upon receiving a single minister, and lags behind upon receiving a married minister, will not make model wives for pastors.
Those who become so unduly modest and reserved, and jealous of those forward ones, who perhaps engage the attention of the single ministers, are very apt to become jealous wives.
One too easily persuaded and pressed into any sort of a mold being too confidential; loving at first sight, sticking to any masculine object like a leech, are not commendable.
A model pastor’s wife, should be a pattern to the women of a class and community.
For some qualities of a model wife, turn to Prov. 31:11-31. She ought to be economic, a house-keeper. She need not be a professional cook, confining half loaves of bread and quarters of pies to swill pails; but she should look well to the ways of the household. A wife who says it is cheaper to buy bread than to bake it, must have a tired feeling.
She ought to make her own clothes, trim her hats as nice as a Christian’s hat needs to be. She fixes the clothes of her husband. It is the wife’s part to get breakfast and not the husband.
She desires the husband’s assistance in household duties a little as possible, but encourages him to attend pastoral work.
She must not be double minded, she has to take a stand with him. She ought not to be afraid to Amen the truth her husband preaches. She must not get to[o] intimate with people readily.
She must pleasantly accept the people with Partiality.
The Pastor’s Wife, Her Influence for Good or Evil
E. T. Schick (1904 Yearbook, page 47)
She should be in subjection to her own husband, she shall be a house wife to keep the house, and dress plain, not dressing her children for show. In bossing the pastor she will have a very bad influence upon the work.
The next presentation is a short history of the Whitehall / Catasauqua / Northampton / Siegfried’s Ferry congregation. It is hand written in the minute book of the congregation. The book was recently donated to the archives from the Whitehall church.
Bethany Church Class organization building of Chapel and Dedication
On Aug 3, 1890 while engaged in Special meeting at Allentown conducted by Elder W. B. Musselman. Sister Elmira Steinmetz of Stemton who visited the meeting was taken into the Mennonite Brethren in Christ denomination as a member. Through her instrumentality others of Stemton were enlight[ened] of e[n]tire Sanctification baptism t. c. and in fall ‘91 Mrs. Glasser an evangelist held a serv[ice] of meeting in the Catasauqua [M]. B. Church which was also attend by W. B. Musselman and some of his flock and a goodly number were sanctified and some soon made application for baptism after which W. B. Musselman immediately made an appointment on Applegates Hall in Catasauqua and preached a sermon of baptism and baptised 17 souls by [im]mersion Oct.19. Some being from Coplay they soon invited Elder Musselman up to preach and soon had a regular appointment in the house of Ruben Smith (The Catasauqua class had frequent appointments in the house of sister Steinmetz previous to this) by Annual Conference Feb. 1892 Ruben Smith and Sarah Smith, Naomi Smith, and Chas. Smith had also joint when Elder A. B. Gehret was appointed there (sic) Pastor who organized a class of 7 member on Apr. 13, 1892.
And on June 2, 1892 at the quarterly conference of the Men[n]onite Brethren in Christ of Bethlehem circuit convened in Ebenezer Church the necessity of a place of worship at Lower Seigfrieds and by the help of God Elder A. B. Gehret and the few in his class also assisted by Friends and neighbors the necessary Provisions for a church were procured and it was builded under the instruction of Elder A. B. Gehret and Bro. Thomas Rutman and was finished the same year and was dedicated on Jan. 1, 1893 by Elder W. B. Musselman Preaching Service in the morning at 9.30 After noon Service 1.30 in which Dedication took place and then was called the property of the Men[n]onite Brethren in Christ and in the evening we had Service at 7.00 by Elder W. B. Musselman.
God bless our work Amen
The following presentation is from a hand written manuscript of C. H. (Charles Henry) Brunner. Pastor Brunner served as the secretary of the Annual Conference for over 40 years. He had a serious interest in recording our history and often included articles in the yearbooks. We can be thankful for his interest and the information he has preserved for us. These handwritten manuscripts were perhaps intended for publication. It is a joy to bring them out of the confines of the file cabinet to this paper. We will make others available at a later time.
History of Land and Buildings at Zionsville
Between the years 1735 and 1760 a Mennonite Congregation was organized in Upper Milford Town[ship] Lehigh County along its road between what are now called Old Zionsville and Zionsville. The founders of this concretion were Ulrich Bassler, Henry Schleiffer, John Schwarz, Conrad Stamm, David Jansen, Benjamin Meyer, Abraham Funk, Henry Funk, John Moyer, Samuel Moyer, Conrad Moyer, Michael Moyer, John Gehman, George Weiss, Kilian Weiss, Rudolph Weiss, Jacob Weiss, Jacob Hiestand, Abraham Hiestand, Daniel Graber, and others.
The ground upon which the first church was created and its burying ground adjoining containing half an acre was cut out of the N. E. cor. of a 1 acre tract of land conveyed on Oct. 3, 1745 to a certain Frederick Notes or Noll. On Nov. 16, 1745 it was sold to Henry Schleiffer who on February 10, 1722 conveyed the above named N. E. Co. Of one half acre to Joseph Schantz and Benjamin Moyer, trustees of the then Men. Congregation, for 1 pound and 5 shillings.
It is traditionally reported and with probable certainty that long before the securing of this title in 1772 a church had been built and graveyard had been started on the corner of the above named half acre. This church was built of logs and was used for both church and school purposes, until the year 1816 when it was replaced by a stone structure. This was built in two parts, one part to be used as a church and the other part as a schoolhouse.
In 1843 this house was improved built somewhat higher, a new roof put on and furnished with new windows, floors and pews.
In 1876 this stone building was torn down and a new two story brick church erected across the road costing about $7000.
It cannot be ascertained with certainty who was the first pastor of this church but it is believe that he was a man by the name of Holzhausen. The first pastor whose name is known with certainty was John Gehman born Feb. 12, 1741 died Dec. 23, 1806. He served the cong. For many years. After his death his son John Gehman was elected as pastor. He was born Mar. 22, 1771, served the cong. For about 35 years and died July 31, 1848. In 1828 John Schantz was elected. He was born Dec. 19, 1774, and died Jan 8, 1855 having served as pastor for 27 years. In 1844 his son Joseph Schantz was elected served about 37 years and died June 23, 1881 in his 67th yr.
In Oct. 1849 Wm. Gehman was called to the ministry but because of differences of opinion he severed his relation with the church and a number of the members of the cong. followed him. Later on they founded their own denomination calling it the Ev[angelical] Men[nonites]. And later the M[ennonite] B[rethren in] C[hrist].
That’s all for this issue. You have two assignments. First, send me any of your stories or articles that you think might be of interest. Second, tell someone you know who is interested in the history of church about our society. Remember, they can join the first year at a special rate. See the renewal form.
If you want to get in touch with me, my address is below. I would love to hear from you.
Richard E. Taylor
723 South Providence Road
Wallingford, PA 19086