C. Berner, who himself had passed through many hardships in
frontier life."
"At this time a brother and his wife came to visit us, for
which we were very glad, but at the same time it placed us in
quite an embarrassing position. We could adjust ourselves to the
small apartments in the house during the day, but the matter of
lodging our guests was not so easily adjusted. We could not make
up our minds to subject them" to torture among the bedbugs and
the alarm of snakes, so in order to spare them this unpleasant
experience we arranged their bed out in the yard, and since the
weather was warm, this was much better for them and they en-
joyed a degree of rest which they would probably not have enjoyed
in the house."
1883
NINETEENTH SESSION
Conference met in the Zion Church at Canada, Marion Co.,
Kan., March 23, 1883, to hold her nineteenth session with Bishop
J. J. Esher as chairman, and C. Berner secretary.
Moses Dissinger and J. Dengel died during the year, S. Wer-
ner and R. W. Edger withdrew from the church.
Brother Wm. Meier, who for a number of years was a worthy
and successful member of Conference, received credentials, be-
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1883
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
ing necessitated to move to the State of Texas on account of the
health conditions of his family. Conference regretted to give him
up, but under existing circumstances considered the step justifia-
ble and wished him Godspeed.
E. Evans was retained in the itinerancy a year without ap-
pointment, and C. F. Erffmeyer was partially unable to render
active service.
Franklin Lentz, Geo. Stamm and T. R. Nanninga received
license to preach, and L. Fierce was received from the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
A. Brunner and T. W. Serf received deacons' orders, and L.
C. Schnacke, W. Daeschner, F. J. Shafer and C. W. Snyder elders'
orders.
J. Wuerth was elected presiding elder and the districts were
supplied as follows : Holton District, J. Wuerth ; Missouri District,
H. Mattill; and Southwest District, P. Fricker.
The brethren J. Wuerth, H. Mattill, P. Fricker and J. G.
Pfeifer were elected delegates to General Conference, with J. Kurtz
and L. Wenger alternates.
S. H. Dunkelberger was appointed to compile the Sunday-
school statistics of the Conference, including the names of the
superintendents of the various schools, and forward them to the
General Secretary of the Kansas Sunday-School Association.
woman's missionary society
A communication was received from Cleveland, Ohio, in the
interest of the Woman's Missionary Society, which was just hav-
ing its start among the sisters in the East, and in which cause
they were very anxious to enlist the interest of the sisters through-
out the entire church. The following resolution was adopted by
Conference: "Resolved, That the communication from the Wom-
an's Missionary Society has been greatly appreciated, and we are
glad to learn about women's missionary auxiliaries as a method
to raise funds for the grand missionary cause, especially in the
heathen lands. May the blessings of God rest upon the mission
work and the activities of the auxiliaries. We will encourage our
societies in following the good example of the sisters in Cleveland,
and form auxiliaries wherever the pastors deem it feasible."
The following action was taken by Conference regarding one
of the ministers who rejected his appointment: "Since Brother
John Dreisbach accepted his appointment at the former session
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1883
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
of Conference, but later neither moved upon it, nor served it,
whereby Rice Mission was unsupplied for three months, in con-
sequence of which the presiding elder was placed in an embar-
assing position, and the work neglected, therefore resolved, that
we emphatically disapprove the action of Brother Dreisbach, and
that he shall be placed on six months' probation, during which
time he shall perform no official functions." The brother faith-
fully complied with the injunction of Conference, and a year later
was reinvested with official authority.
The resolution of Conference a year ago relative to North-
western College concerning the solicitation of funds for this in-
stitution, was rescinded, thus leaving the matter optional with the
authorities of the school.
Since Brother C. F. Erffmeyer was unable to render active
service during the coming year, and not being able to follow any
other pursuit for an income, it was resolved that Conference ap-
propriate to him $200.00 out of the Conference treasury, and his
presiding elder and preacher in charge shall determine how much
additional shall be allowed for his support. This is the first rec-
ord of a claim upon the Conference treasury for support of a disa-
bled minister or his family, which is rather remarkable when
we consider the many hardships, exposures and privations preach-
ers were subject to through the eighteen years of the existence
of the Conference. Brother Erffmeyer's health improvd during
the last half of the year, so that he was able to resume work.
C. Berner was elected Conference treasurer.
A vote of thanks was given the secretaries for their service,
which is the first action of Conference of this kind recorded. No
doubt the faithful secretary who served in this capacity for eight-
een years, with only a few exceptions, deserved this expression
of appreciation.
BOUNDARIES
Holton District
a. Hanover shall be called Washington Mission.
Missouri District
a. Jackson Mission shall be called Brooklyn Ave., Kansas
City Mission.
b. Carthage and Virgil Missions shall be served together.
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1883
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
Southwest District
a. Parsons Mission shall be served with Humboldt Mission.
b. Defiance shall be taken from Humboldt Mission and added
to Yates Center Circuit.
c. Americus Mission shall be called Emporia Mission.
d. Cedron shall be taken from Osborne Circuit and added
to Wilson Mission.
MISSIONS
The amount of missionary money raised for the Kansas Con-
ference was $2,876.24, and the amount appropriated for the ensu-
ing year $5,350.
The officers elected for the Missionary Society were: H. Mat-
till, president; J. F. Schreiber, vice-president; P. Schumann, sec-
retary, and W. Meier, treasurer.
STATISTICS
Conversions, 269 ; accessions, 442 ; membership, 3409 ; itine-
rant preachers, 34; local preachers, 28; churches, 38; parsonages,
21 ; Sunday-schools, 68 ; officers and teachers, 663 ; scholars, 3,000 ;
catechetical classes, 24 ; catechumens, 278 ; Botschafters, 775 ; Mes-
sengers, 410; Magazins, 347; Epistles, 49. Total for missions,
$3,153.52.
APPOINTMENTS
Holton District — J. Wuerth, P. E.
Nemaha, J. G. Pfeifer.
Lawrence, F. Harder.
Hiawatha, L. C. Schnacke.
Holton, C. Emmel.
Wolf River and Atchison, D. R. Zell-
ner.
Big Blue, J. F. Schreiber
Leavenworth, C. Berner.
Red Vermillion, W. Daeschner.
Washington, H. Toedman and supply.
Missouri District — H. Mattill, P. E.
Oregon Circuit, J. H. Tobias.
Platte River, C. Brandt.
Bloomington and Sheridan, A. J. Voe-
gelein.
Carthage and Virgil, C. Lindner and
supply.
Denver, F. J. Shafer.
St. Joseph, L. Wenger.
Winston, H. S. Bower.
Glasgow, P. Schumann.
Kansas City, Oak St., J. Schmidli.
Kansas City, Brooklyn Ave., J. Kurtz.
Warrensburg, C. W. Snyder.
Clinton, C. Ehrhardt and supply.
South-west District — P. Fricker, P.
E.
Humboldt and Parsons, E. J. Troyer.
Yates Center, H. Koepsel.
Marion, J. H. Kiplinger.
Wichita, C. Geiser.
Rice, D. F. Honstedt.
Newton, G. E. Dienst.
Wilson, A. Brunner.
Emporia, C. Linge and T. R. Nan-
ninga.
Osage, S. H. Dunkelberger.
Jewell, T. W. Serf.
Osborne, G. Stamm.
Stockton, to be supplied.
Dickinson, W. Heiser.
Salina, to be supplied.
Offerle, A. Yokel.
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1883
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
MOSES DISSINGER
Moses Dissinger preached for many years in the state of
Pennsylvania, where he was licensed by the East Pennsylvania
Conference in 1853. The name of "Mose Dissinger" was known
as far as the Evangelical Association was known. He was a re-
markable man in his day and was fitted for the conditions of his
times. He was endowed with extraordinary physical strength,
which had been developed prior to his conversion along athletic
lines. He was fearless in disposition, original in style, and unique
in his makeup. His sermons were practical, original, and pointed,
usually delivered with considerable of the German Pennsylvania
dialect. He was brusque in his manner and a foe to flattery, often
he would carry his audience away in his sermons while conviction
struck the unsaved with such force that they would cry out with
a loud voice for mercy and pardon. He was feared by the rowdy
element, and in many instances he would stop in the midst of a ser-
mon long enough to expel a disturber from the house, after which
he would return to finish his discourse. In 1879 Brother Dissinger
united with the Kansas Conference and was assigned to Lawrence
Circuit with Wm. Daeschner. He later served two years on Law-
rence Circuit, and in 1882 was transferred to Atchison Mission.
Here he was laboring when the Lord of harvest called him from
labor to reward. At a memorial service, held during the Con-
ference session, Bishop J. J. Esher and S. L. Wiest, correspond-
ing secretary of the Missionary Society, both life-long acquaint-
ances of the deceased, made addresses concerning the life and works
of the departed co-worker.
J. DENGEL
Brother J. Dengel was received from the Illinois Conference
in 1876. He never entered the active work in the Kansas Con-
ference, but rendered willing service as a local preacher wherever
opportunity presented itself. Brother J. Kurtz paid a fitting trib-
ute at the memorial service held.
FANCY CREEK
During the year J. F. Schreiber organized the Fancy Creek
class on Swede Creek Circuit. Henry Sondker was elected class-
leader, Heinrich Oberhelman exhorter, and Wm. Klocke steward.
At the same time a Sunday-school was organized with F. Klocke
157
1884
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
superintendent, E. Oberhelman assistant superintendent and H.
Oberhelman secretary.
This has been a strong and loyal congregation for many years,
and from her folds several excellent young men have entered the
ranks of the Kansas Conference, who labored successfully in her
ministry. The daughter emulated the example of her mother in
developing a true missionary spirit, which has not been sur-
passed, if indeed equaled, by any work in the Conference.
EMPORIA, KANSAS
In 1881 F. Harder, serving Osage Mission, took up an appoint-
ment in Emporia and preached for the few Evangelical people
whom he found there. The following year C. F. Erffmeyer, sta-
tioned on Americus Mission, took charge of the appointment and
organized a class with the following members: J. F. Barthel and
wife, John Pantle and wife, Henry Miller and wife, and Henry
Becker. John Pantle was elected class-leader. At the same time
a Sunday-school was organized with Henry Becker as superin-
tendent. In 1885 a church was built during the pastorate of E. J.
Troyer, which was dedicated the same year by Bishop R. Dubs.
The Ebenezer class of Emporia Mission, located four and one-
half miles west of Olpe, was started in 1880 by J. M. Dreisbach,
while serving Americus Mission, but was organized by F. Harder
the following year, when serving Osage Mission. The charter
members were: Rev. Jacob Maurer and wife, Philip Horst and
wife, Henry Rice, Sr., and wife, Gottlieb Kitzenberger and wife,
and Henry Barret. Rev. J. Maurer was elected class-leader. The
same year a Sunday-school was organized with Gottlieb Kitzen-
berger as superintendent. A church was built in 1895, during the
pastorate of C. Meeder, at a cost of $1,300.00, which was dedicated
July 15, 1895 by M. C. Platz. This building was destroyed by
fire fourteen years later, during the pastorate of H. M. Schuer-
man, but rebuilt at once at a cost of $3,500.00, and dedicated by
Rev. C. E. Platz, presiding elder. From this congregation two
young men entered the ministry of the Kansas Conference.
1884
TWENTIETH SESSION
The twentieth session of Conference was held in the Zion
Church, Nemaha Circuit, Richardson County, Neb., beginning
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1884
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
March 20, 1884, with Bishop R. Dubs, Chairman, and C. Berner,
Secretary.
C. Timmer of his own free will surrendered his license, T.
W. Serf received credentials, C. Erhardt was placed on the su-
perannuated list, and J. Kurtz and C. Linge were retained in the
itinerancy without appointment.
The following brethren received license to preach : August
Ernst, Madison Walter, Aaron Schweitzer and D. Swart.
G. Sorg was received from the Germany Conference with the
understanding that he present his credentials.
G. E. Dienst received deacon's orders and the brethren G. E.
Dienst, C. Emmel, A. Mattill and G. Sorg were received into the
itinerancy.
DISTRICTS DIVIDED
Southwest District was divided as follows: Emporia, Osage,
Humboldt, Yates Center, Parsons, Dickinson and Americus shall
be taken from Southwest District, and with Carthage and Virgil
from Missouri District, shall form a new district, to be called
Emporia District. The remaining portion of Southwest District
shall be called Newton District. Missouri District was changed
to Kansas City District.
J. H. Tobias was chosen presiding elder and the presiding
elders were stationed as follows : Holton District, J. Wuerth ; Kan-
sas District, H. Mattill; Emporia District, P. Fricker; and New-
ton District, J. H. Tobias.
Jewell City requested to be changed into a station, which
was done. Jewell thus stands recorded as the first station in the
Kansas Conference, followed immediately by Canada, which was
formed into a station at this same session.
A new feature was introduced at this time, which necessarily
was short lived. The fact that Conference was spared so many
years from claimants, the funds in that treasury had accrued to
quite an amount when the following action was taken: "Resolved,
that one-half of the preacher's traveling expenses this year to and
from Conference shall be paid out of the treasury. It is needless
to say that in a few years the surplus was consumed, and the
treasury drained sufficiently to swing back into the former cus-
tom. The experiment has not been tried since as in course of time
the Conference claimants required all the available funds from this
source.
159
1884
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
The matter of dividing the Conference had been agitated from
certain sources for some time past and at this session the subject
received proper attention, however without success on the part
of those who favored the scheme.
The church building project at Emporia which was authorized
a year ago was reported as progressing. About $900.00 had been
secured in cash and subscriptions. The pastor of Emporia was
instructed to canvass those fields on Holton and Southwest Dis-
tricts which had not yet been canvassed.
The pastor of Rice Mission was authorized to collect on New-
ton District to the extent of $200.00 or $300.00 for the erection
of a church at the Zion appointment.
C. Berner was elected Conference treasurer, and E. J. Troyer
trustee for five years.
A committee was appointed to purchase a lot and build a new
church in the City of Atchison, where there seemed to be a prom-
ising opening.
The trustees of the Kansas City, 18th Street congregation,
were authorized to sell their church and build a new one.
BOUNDARIES
Holton District
a. Spring Creek, Lone Star and Four Mile shall be taken
from Hiawatha and with the surrounding country form a new
circuit to be called Spring Creek Circuit.
b. Nemaha Circuit shall be called Preston Circuit.
c. Coal Creek shall be taken from Holton Circuit and added
to Wolf River Circuit.
Kansas City District
a. A new mission shall be located in the north-eastern part
of Kansas City, Mo., which shall be known as Forest Avenue
Mission.
b. Denver shall be served with Platte River.
c. The appointments Americus, Peterson, and the new ap-
pointments north of Americus shall be taken from Emporia Mis-
sion and form Americus Mission.
Newton District
a. Canada shall be taken from Marion Mission and formed
into Canada Station.
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1884
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
b. Wichita Mission shall be divided. The eastern part of the
work shall be taken off and formed into Eldorado Mission.
c. Wichita Mission shall be called Derby Mission.
MISSIONS
The amount of $3,494.67 was raised for missions the past
year, and $4,400.00 was appropriated for the ensuing year. The
amount of $1,144.00 was appropriated out of the Conference treas-
ury for district and circuit work.
Bishop R. Dubs was elected delegate to the Board of Mis-
sions, and J. Schmidli treasurer of the Missionary Society.
STATISTICS
Conversions, 370; accessions, 704; membership, 3,755; itine-
rant preachers, 38; local preachers, 31; churches, 41; parsonages,
23; Sunday-schools, 65; officers and teachers, 649; scholars, 2,878;
catechetical classes, 23; catechumens, 357; Botschafters, 726;
Messengers, 417 ; Epistles, 41 ; total for missions, $3,812.17.
APPOINTMENTS
Holton District — J. Wuerth, P. E. Warrensburg, C. Brandt.
Preston, A. Yockel. Clinton, T. R. Nanninga.
Lawrence? F °Harder. Emporia District— P. Fricker, P. E.
Wolf River, C. Emmel. Alida, J. F. Schreiber.
Atchison, D. R. Zellner. Yates Center, H. Koepsel.
Big Blue, W. Heiser. Humboldt, C. H. Lindner.
Hiawatha, L. C. Schnacke. Carthage, S. H. Dunkelberger.
Spring Creek, W. Daeschner. Virgil, S. H. Dunkelberger.
Leavenworth, C. Berner. Osage, M. Walter.
Red Vermillion, Fr. Shafer. Burlington, W. Elmer.
Washington, H. Toedman. Parsons, J. W. Keiser.
Emporia, E. J. Troyer.
Kansas City District — H. Mattill, Americus, supplied by E. J. Troyer.
P.E.
Kansas City, Oak St., J. Schmidli. Newton District— J. H. Tobias, P. E,
Kansas City, Brooklyn Ave., A. J. Canada, J. Kramer.
Voegelein. Jewell, J. H. Kiplinger.
Kansas City, Forest Ave., to be sup- Osborne and Stockton, H. S. Bower,
plied. Rice, D. F. Honstedt.
St. Joseph, L. Wenger. Newton, C. F. Erffmeyer.
Oregon, C. W. Snyder. Derby, A. Brunner.
Platte River and Denver, J. G. Pfei- Eldorado, to be supplied.
fer and D. Swart. Marion, G. E. Dienst.
Bloomington, to be supplied. Wilson, A. Ernst.
Winston, to be supplied. Salina, to be supplied.
Sheridan and Glasgow, P. Schumann. Offerle, C. Geiser.
Wm. Meier and A. Mattill were under appointment in Texas.
161
1884
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
LOST SPRINGS
During the past year Rev. J. H. Kiplinger, serving Marion
Mission, held a protracted meeting at Lost Springs, which re-
sulted in the conversion of a number of souls and the organiza-
tion of a class with the following members: M. F. Shupe and
wife, B. F. Shupe and wife, I. F. Shupe and wife, and Mrs. Lou-
raine Mastin. M. F. Shupe was elected class-leader and I. F.
Shupe exhorter. M. F. Shupe continued in the office of class-
leader until 1912, a period of 29 years.
The Shupe brothers moved from Ontario, Canada, to Lost
Springs, in 1879, only M. F. being a member of the Evangelical
Association at the time. Not long after locating at Lost Springs
Brother Shupe learned that Brother L. Wenger preached to a small
class at Lincolnville, five miles south of Lost Springs. Here
Brother Shupe attended services, often walking the distance to
worship with the brethren. During the meeting alluded to, Bro.
Shupe's brothers were converted and united with the church, form-
ing the nucleus of the new class at Lost Springs.
In 1881 a union Sunday-school was organized in the home of
B. F. Shupe, which was later held in the barn of his brother
Isaac, with M. F. Shupe as superintendent. This was continued
a union Sunday-school until the church was built in 1887, when
it was changed to a denominational school, and M. F. Shupe has
continued as superintendent to the present time (1914), a period
of 33 years. A church was built in 1887 at a cost of $1,300.00,
which was dedicated by J. H. Tobias, presiding elder, in the spring
of 1888. The following brethren composed the trustee board:
J. D. Weston, E. M. Nettrouer, B. F. Shupe, I. F. Shupe and A. M.
Nettrouer.
Originally Lost Springs belonged to Marion Mission, which
embraced the appointments: Marion, Youngstown, Lincolnville,
Tampa and Lost Springs. In the spring of 1899 Marion and
Youngstown were taken from Marion Mission, and with the ap-
pointments Maple Grove and Banner City from Dickinson Mis-
sion, formed into Lost Springs Mission, which in 1904 was changed
to a circuit. In the month of August, 1902, the church was de-
stroyed by a cyclone, but was immediately rebuilt through the
energetic labors of the pastor, S. A. Burgert.
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1884
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
ABILENE
During the years 1883 and 1884 the families Christian Schaal,
Isaac Lantz, and Israel Stark moved from the State of Illinois
to the vicinity of Abilene. The families C. Spahr, Jonathan Rom-
berger and Wm. Picking from Pennsylvania settled in the same
community at about the same time. In 1884 the families John
Landis, Sr., Cyrus Feigley and H. A. Snider came from Stark
County, Ohio, also settling at Abilene. J. F. Schreiber, serving
Alida Mission in 1884, learning about some members living near
Abilene, visited the place, got in touch with them, and preached
for them in a school house known as the Pike's school house,
three miles northeast of town. Later when the Ohio families
had moved into the community the services were held in a hall
rented for that purpose in Abilene, where also a Sunday-school was
promptly organized with C. Feigley as superintendent.
In 1886 the appointment was taken from Alida, added to
Salina Mission, and assigned to M. Manshardt, who served one
year. During this time the work was organized and a small
chapel purchased on Spruce St., between 4th and 5th, at a cost
of $1,300.00. This was all subscribed and paid by the charter
members except about $200 contributed by the business men of
town.
Brother Manshardt's activity was somewhat handicapped by
the language condition. Most of the people preferred the English,
and some could not understand and exercise in German, while
Brother Manshardt was not able to exercise in the English lan-
guage, but he was undaunted in his efforts to succeed in building
up the work. He secured the service of Rev. D. F. Honstedt in a
meeting during the winter, which resulted in the conversion of
quite a few young people who became active workers in the
church.
In the spring of 1887 Abilene was taken from Salina Mission,
formed into a separate mission and was supplied with M. C.
Platz, who served the work three years. During his first year an
extensive awakening took place in which some thirty souls were
converted and many united with the church. The chapel being
too small for the proper development of the society, steps were
taken toward building a new church. The hot winds, however,
destroyed the corn and all late crops, so the project had to be
postponed two years. In 1889 a church was built on the corner of
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1884
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
5th and Kuney Ave. at a cost of $4,041.00 and dedicated Sept.
29, 1889, by Bishop Thomas Bowman. Several years later the
old church building was moved on the church lot and arranged for
a parsonage.
In the winter of 1888 an awakening occurred at the North
Buckeye school house, five miles north of Abilene, by which the
whole community was stirred and 65 souls were converted. About
one-half of the converts united with the church in town and at
Buckeye. Others identified themselves with other churches. The
Buckeye appointment was kept up for some years, but was later
abandoned. From Abilene several young men entered the minis-
try who are laboring successfully in winning souls to Christ.
Most of the charter members have laid down the armor and
have entered into the rest of their heavenly Father while the bur-
den has fallen upon younger shoulders to carry on the work so
faithfully begun by their fathers. Abilene was for many years the
center for conventions upon the district, and many inspiring con-
vocations have been held there which radiated their influence for
good over the entire district.
J. H. TOBIAS
The following thrilling experience is related by J. H. Tobias,
who served the Oregon work the past year : "On Sunday afternoon,
June 18th, as I was on my way to the Ross Grove appointment,