Abram Paul Funkhouser HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE REV. A. P.FUNKHOUSER A. M., D. D. [SEE NOTE1 COMPILED BY OREN F. MORTON, B. Lit. Autlior of "Under the Cottonwoods," "Winning or Losing?" "Land of tlie Laurel," "A Practical History of Music," "The Story of Dank1 Boone," "A History of Preston County, W. Va.," "A History of Pendleton County, W. Va.," "A History of Highland County, W. Va.," "A History of Rock- bridge County," "Ann$s of sath County, Va. Dr. Funkhouser died before the work was completed. The material gathered and the language used by the Author have been carefully preserved by the Compiler. The Virginia Conference ordercd the publication of this History and appointed Drs. A. S. Hammock, W. F. Gruver, J. H. Brunk, Rev. J N. Fries, Mr. W. I. Good and J. K. Ruebush as a committee on publication. We present to the Church this History which we re- gard as of the greatest value to the church, not only of to-day but of the future. EI 'CVilliani Otterbein and the German Refornied Chiirch I11 Martiil Hoehin aild thc Mennonites IV German Immigration in the Eightcenih Centiiry V Thc Evaiigelical Movemcnt ainoiig :kL Gerrnsn Immigrants V1 Early Years of tlie Church TI1 Planting the Cliiirch in Virginia VIII Extracts from Newcomer's Jouriial lS The Early Preachers X Remiiiiscences of Soinc of the Early Preaeliers XI Thc Transition from German to English SII Tlie Cliurch in the War of 1861 SI11 The Chiirch in Reccnt Times x1v Movemciits toward Union with Other Chiirches Y Conccriiing Slavcry and Intoxicants XYI Coi:ccining Secret Societics XYII List oF Prcachers: Chronological XVIII List of Prcachcrs: Alphabetical . XIS Bishops, Missionaries, and Others SX Biographical Sketches of Ministcrs XXI Early Deaths aniong Ministers XXII Church Dcdications XXIII Sketch of A. P. Funkhouser XXIV The Church and Education XXV The Virginia Conference School XSVI A Digest of the Conference Minutes treating of the Virginia Coiiferencc of the United Brethreii Church, should "incliidc the origin, growth, and develop- iiicnt of thc Cliurch witliin jts bounds, and its distirictive featuires, together with portraits and brief biographies of nimy of its ministers." For this purpose he gathered a largc and valuable store of material, but did not preparc a nnaniiscript copy of tlie projected work. In early May of the present year, the undersigned was asked by the owner and custodians of the collection to supply this lack. In carrying out the coiriiiiission to compile a manuscript, thc editor has adhcred as closely as practicable to the topical plan fouiid among the papcrs mentioned. He has . also sought to put liimself in the placc of the expectant author. But in constructiiig several of the chapters made iiecessary by the topical plan aforesaid, the collectioii aff'orded little aid. Dr. Fimkhouscr could undoubtedly havc written these chaptcrs without feeling niuch nced for documents and other authorities. On the other hand, the cditor had never inet Dr. Funkhouser, is not himsclf of the IJiaited Brethren, and was not previously familiar with the risc aiid developnient of the United Hrethren Church. He was therefore coinpelled to make large use of source material not found in the collcction. This is why chapters I to V11 inclusivc, IS, SI to SV1 inclusivc, and XXIV and XXV are, in the niaiii, of his own authorship. In the quoted paragraphs, without referencc as to source, that occur in some of these chapters, hc has followed the Phraseology of Dr. Funkhouser. It is hardly iiecessary to add that no writer can take up an outline formulated by another crafts- man, and pursue it with the same freedom as is possible to by sonie onc clse, it is hoped that the preseiit volume will, in at least a fair ineasure, fiilfill the proinise iinplied in the title. The books and pamphlets not found in the collection, and consulted bg the editor, are these: "History of the Ghurch of the Gnited Brethrcn in Christ," by John Law- reilce; "Our Bishops," by H. A. Thompson; "Our Heroes; or Uiiited Brethren Home Missionaries," by W.M. Weekley and H. H. Fout; "Landmark History of the United srethren Ghurch," by D. Eberly, I. H. Albright, aiid C. I. H. Krane; "Tlie Gerinan and Snriss Settlements of Colonial Pci:risyl- vania," by Oscar Kuhns; "The German Element in the Shenandoah Valley," by J. \I7. Waylaad; "History of Rock- inghain County, Virginia," by J. W. Wayland; "Oriqin, Doctrine, Coiistitiition, and Discipline of tlie United Breth- ren in Christ (1841) ;" "Life of J. J. Glossbrenner," by A. W.Drury; "Life of William Otterbein," by A. W. Drury; "Life of David Edwards," by Lcwis Davis; "Life arid Carcer of James W. Hott," by M. R. Drury; "Life and Journal of Christian Newcomer," edited by John Hildt; "Michael " SchlattefiMeinorial Addresses," by J. E. Roller and otliers; "Aiitobiography of Peter Cartwright," edited by Ti'. P. Strickland; "History of the Rise and Progress of the Wap- tists in Virginia," by R. B. Semple; "Life of Jacob Raclitel," by Z. Warner; the piiblished Minutcs of the Coiifercnce, 1800-1818, and 1880-1920. The editor is much iiidebted to Mr. Joseph K. Ruebiish for thc helpful interest shou~~in the undertakinp, partic- ularEy in furilishiilg authorities to supplement tlie data gathered by Dr. Funkhouser; also to tl~eRev. J. E. Hott for varied and valuable oral information. OREN F. MORTON. Dayton, Virginia, August 20, 1919. CHAPTER I APOSTOLIC CHRISTIANITY BEFORE OTTERBEIN The Apostolic Church was the Christian organization that existed from the days of the apostles to the so-called coriversion of the Roman emperor Constantine, a period of more than tliree centuries. There is excellent reasori for tlie belief that it was made up only of converted men and uromen, and that its governiiient arid worship were very simple. There was no liturgy, neither were there any stately formalities, or any high-soundirig ecclesiastical titles. Whoever believed the Gospel with the heart and made public coiifession was baptized and received into the church. He was tlien oiie of the brethreii, and this term was applied witliout aiiy discriminatiori as to wealth or rank. The worship coiisisted in reading from the Scriptures, in serinons aiid eshortations, in the singing of spiritual songs, in the relations of Christian csperience, and in a simpEc celebration of the ordinances established by Christ. Diiriiig these threc ceiitusies tlie primitive Christian Church was a positivc power aiid irresistiblle force. It endured persistent and bloody persecution, and yet it made iio compromse with evil. Thc Christian religion was preachcd almost s\~rywliere,aiid was rapidly advancing to a general coiiqucst of the world, altliough this was tak- ing place without rccourse to physical miglit. In the fourth ceiltury of the Cfiristiaii era, the Roman ernpire was still by far the inost dominant political power on earth. The cmperor Constantine accepted Christianity as a state religon. This allegcd conversion is olle of time greatest frauds iii all human history. Political expediency was undoubtedly the commanding niotive of this nionarch. The Christian Church now became popular and soon was growing wealtliy. So long as paganisni was in coiitrol, 2 UNITED BRETHREN the graiidces sneered at the Christians. They riow crervled high positions in the Churcli for the gratificatioii of ttneir pride and power. Preacliiiig ceased, iiew and strsange doctrines canie into vogiie, wliile a petrified ccrenior~ial, claborate yet einpty, took the place of the primitive wor- ship. The Church, as it was now constituted, was aniade superior to the BibBe, and to the nlass of the peopile thc latter became an uriknown bouk. This church of the Middle Ages was a veiieered paganism. It inade itself a supreme political power, arid as such it was iiothirig less than the Roiiiaii einpire in a ncm form. Yet cven n-ith the help of popes and kings, this political cliurch ceascd to espand and begaii to retreat. For sorne time it was in great danger of being ovcrthrown by Mohainined;inisnn. This dark age in tlic history of tlie Christian Chur.cli lasted inany ccnturies. Tet all tliis whilc, tliere were Bsands of Christians, sonietimes iiunierous, mho inaiiitaiiied thc doctrine, discipliiie, aiid spirit of the Apostolic Cliureh. Their Christianity was a liviiig protesi against the eor- ruption of the papal systeni, whicli was willing to tder:itc no other type than its own. These apostolic C11risti:ins consequently drem upon thernselves Ihe wratli of thc. papacy, which was even worse thari that of pagaiaianal, The best known of tlie carly Protestants arc Klie Waldensees of the southeast of France. Thcy hax? had a continuous history for fifteen centuries, aiid halt con- gregations in Arnerica. Peter Waldo, a nierchant of Fraiice. translatt-kl tlie Gospels into French, this beiiig the first traiislation of any part of tlie Rible into a inoderii toiigue. Until iiow, and iiiclecd for several inore centuries, the papal ch-hircln ii:d only a Latin versioii, which could he understood oidy by scholars. It resisted any cffort to place the sibile in the liands of the pcople generally. About thc year 1400 it is believed there were ilo fcwer I than 800,000 of the Waldensees. They were most riurner- ous in thc south of France aiid the north of Italy, but had large congregations in what was until a ycar ago the t 1 CHCHCH HISTORY J .luslrian Empire. Their coiisistency was such as to force tiic.,:. words of praise from a papal officer: "They are orderly and modest in their behavior. They avoid all ' appearaiice of pride in drcss. They neither i~idulgein fincry of attire, iior arc- they remarkable for being mean and ragged.