Pictorial History
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1 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE VIRGINIA CONFERENCE Evangelical United Brethren Church, 1800-1964 The Church of the United Brethren in Christ from 1800 to 1946: and the Evangelical United Brethren Church from 1946, at which time the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and the Evangelical Church united to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church By DAVID FRANKLIN GLOVIER 1800 - 1964 2 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER COPYRIGHT 1965 Virginia Conference Evangelical United Brethren Church All rights reserved MCCLURE PRINTING Co. Staunton, Virginia 1965 3 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Dedication and Consecration ................................................................................... 1 A Poem—Heroes of the Cross................................................................................ 5 Picture of Otterbein and Boehm ............................................................................. 6 Picture of First Annual Conference—1789 ........................................................... 7 Pictures of Otterbein and Albright ........................................................................ 8 Six Bishops born or lived in Virginia .................................................................... 9 Bishop J. Gordon Howard—Picture and Biographical Sketch .........................10 Supt. Floyd F. Fulk—Picture and Biographical Sketch ..................................... 11 Pictures of Reverends David F. Glovier, Conference Historian, Carl W. Hiser, Secretary, William B. Obaugh, Treasurer, and David A. Frazier, Statistician ............................................................................................................ 12 Foreword .................................................................................................................. 13 Preface and Acknowledgements ........................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 1. Origin of the United Brethren Church .......................................................... 17 2. The Formative Stage of the Church ......................................... _ ................. 21 3. Establishing the Church in Virginia—1800-1860 ........................................... 25 4. The Mother Conference ................................................................................. 33 5. Conference and Church Divisions .................................... — .......................... 37 6. Slavery, Negro Preachers, and Freedmen’s Missions ................................. 39 7. Historical Sketch of Virginia Conference—1800-1946 .......................... ....... 47 8. Historical Background of the Evangelical United Brethren Church .......... 55 9. Our Confession of Faith ................................................................................59 10. Virginia Conference Predominantly United Brethren and Periods of Growth and Expansion .....................................................................................63 11. Pictures of Annual Conferences, Y.P.C.E. Conventions, and Delegates to General Conferences ......................................................................................67 12. A Chronological List of Virginia Conference Preachers—1800-1964 ...........87 13. Our Departed—Biographical Sketches with some Pictures .........................93 14. Group Pictures of Ministers, and Historical Sketches of Churches with Pictures, by Districts............................................................................... 139 15. The 1964 Ministerial Roster with Pictures and Biographical Sketches ......... 257 16. Excerpts from Virginia Conference Minutes — Amusing Incidents ......... 303 17. Conference Auxiliaries, Missionaries, and Chaplains .................................... 315 Virginia Conference Camp Site ..................................................................... 325 18. Shenandoah College and Shenandoah Conservatory of Music with Pictures of Dayton and Winchester Campuses and Buildings .................... 327 Appendix .......................................................................................................... 347 A Brief Summary of The Evangelical United Brethren Church ............ 347 Extracts From the First Copy of the Religious Telescope .................... 349 Conference Map Inside Back Cover 4 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER DEDICATION This volume is gratefully, reverently and affectionately dedicated to the founders of our church and to all of our spiritual ancestors, who have bequeathed to us of this generation, the rich legacy of a Christian faith and a great Denomination. To All the Members and Ministers of the Virginia Conference Since Its Origin in the Year Eighteen Hundred of Which Conference I Have Been a Member for Fifty Years; and above all, To Him Whose I am and Whom I Serve, Whose Promises Have Never Failed; Whose Mercy Endureth forever. This Volume Is Dedicated by the Author CONSECRATION Faith of our fathers! we will love Both friend and foe in all our strife, And preach thee, too, as love knows how, By kindly words and virtuous life: Faith of our fathers; holy faith! We will be true to thee till death. (From “Faith of our Fathers! Living Still”) 5 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER HEROES OF THE CROSS By W. M. Maiden Our Founding Fathers labored well Ere bidding earth adieu; They builded wisely in their day— Far better than they knew. Through summer’s heat and winter’s cold They ceased not in their quest For hungry souls of wayward men, Nor sought they ease or rest. Moved by a love almost divine, They ever onward went, And preached salvation full and free, As God His spirit lent. From home and friends they journeyed far O’er mountain, dell, and plain, Through tempest fierce and cruel cold, Some precious souls to gain. They spurned earth’s silver and her gold, Nor heeded Satan’s stealth, For they had treasures better far, A more abiding wealth. When death at last brought sweet release From sorrow, toil, and pain, They ceased from labors here below Eternal life to gain. How much she owes to men like these The church will never know; For some must saints and martyrs be, For God has willed it so. March on, O church of God, march on; Ne’er falter nor delay, For we must wisely strive and build In this Our glorious day. 6 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER The Meeting of Otterbein and Boehm in Isaac Long’s Barn 7 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER 8 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER PHILIP WILLIAM OTTERBEIN 1726-1813 Founder of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ JACOB ALBRIGHT 1759 -1808 Founder of the Evangelical Association 9 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER BISHOPS BORN OR LIVED IN VIRGINIA Biographical Sketches will appear in chapter 13, Our Departed. 10 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER BISHOP J. GORDON HOWARD Born December 3, 1899, in Tokyo, Japan, of Missionary parents. Lived in Japan until 12 years old. Educated: Otterbein College; United Theological Seminary New York University; Ohio State University. Degrees: A.B., B.D., M.A.; honorary degrees, D.D., LL.D. Ordained as a minister in 1925. Offices held: National Director of Young People’s Work, United Brethren Church, 1927-1940; Editor, Church School Publications, United Brethren Church, 1940-1945; President, Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio, 1945-57; P5ishop, East Central Area, The Evangelical United Brethren Church, from 1957. Various responsibilities: Past president, Ohio Council of Churches; Past president, Ohio-West Virginia Area of YMCA; Vice-president, National Council of YMCA, 1957; Chairman, Interracial Commission of National Council of YMCA, 1954-1961; Past president, Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges; Member of denominational and interdenominational boards and agencies. Publications: When Youth Worship; Christian Beliefs for Christian Youth; The Successful Sunday school; A Catechism for Youth; God’s Will Be Done in the Home (editor); Christianity Encounters Communism (editor). P.S. In some circles it is of interest that while in college he was one year chosen an All-State (Ohio) football guard. 11 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER SUPERINTENDENT FLOYD L. FULK Rev. Floyd L. Fulk, son of Abram and Lena Neff Fulk, was born on November 15, 1911 near Fulk’s Run, Rockingham County, Virginia. During a revival meeting in the Mt. Carmel Church, on the Broadway Circuit, he was converted at the age of 12. He was educated at Broadway High School, Shenandoah and Bridgewater Colleges, and Bonebrake (United) Seminary. He graduated from Bridgewater College with a B.D. degree, and in 1952 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity by Lebanon Valley College, in recognition of his outstanding achievement in the office of Confer- ence Superintendent. Rev. Fulk was married to Miss Marie Olinger on May 14, 1938, and they are the parents of three children — George Newton, Robert Garfield, and Joyce Marie. He joined the confer- ence in 1934, and was ordained at the Annual Conference held in Winchester in 1937 by Bishop G. D. Batdorf. At this same con- ference he was assigned to the Church at Dayton, Virginia, where he served from September 1937 to September 1939. His second pas- torate was at Elkton, Virginia. In 1946 he was elected Superintend- ent of the