and even into our ministry, therefore Resolved, That we will not
give our vote to receive any member of the Freemasons or kin-
53
1866
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
dred orders into the ministry, nor to advance to a higher office in
the church any minister who belongs to any of the aforesaid or-
ders."
BOUNDARIES
Camp Creek and Coal Creek appointments were taken from
Holton Mission, and in connection with Atchison formed into a
new mission, called Atchison Mission, while Four Miles and North-
fork were taken from Holton Mission and added to Onaga Mission.
Macon County, Mo., and the adjoining counties were taken
up as a new mission and called Macon Mission. Rockport Mission
was changed to Oregon Mission.
MISSIONARY SOCIETY
The Missionary Society held its annual meeting, at which it
was reported that $17.00 had been collected for missions during
the year. The society was reorganized by electing J. F. Schreiber,
president; P. Fricker, vice-president; H. Haas, secretary, and Jo-
sep Rasskopf, treasurer. Bishop Esher was elected delegate to
the Board of Missions. He also preached a very helpful sermon
on the cause of missions on Sunday evening of Conference, and
secured pledges for missions.
STATISTICS
The statistics for the year were reported as follows : Conver-
sions, 34; accessions, 84; membership, 250; churches, 3; parson-
ages, 3 ; value of churches, $8,600.00 ; value of parsonages,
$1,900.00; itinerants, 9; local preachers, 2; Sunday-schools, 4;
teachers and officers, 29 ; scholars, 130 ; catechumens, 36 ; cate-
chetical classes, 8.
The statistics show an encouraging increase for the past year.
Increase of members, 74 ; conversions, 11 ; itinerants, 2 ; Sunday-
schools, 2; scholars, 76.
The highest salary paid the past year was $548.25 to a min-
ister, his wife and six children. The lowest salary was $143.00,
paid to a single man. The amount of salary was not determined
by a preacher's ministerial standing or orders, but rather by his
family relations, each member of the family receiving a certain
amount of support. In addition to this each adult member of the
family received an allowance of $31.25 per year, for what was
called "table expense," and each child $6.25 for the same purpose.
54
1867
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
The following assignments were made for the ensuing year:
APPOINTMENTS
Kansas District — J. F. Schreiber, P. E.
Leavenworth, C. Berner. Big Blue, G. W. Bugh.
Lawrence, P. Fricker. Arago, S. W. McKesson.
Humboldt, Chas. Tobias. Oregon, Henry Haas.
Holton, J. Wuerth and supply. Macon, J. G. Pfeifer.
Atchison, Christian Timmer.
No reference is made to Kansas City Mission, which was cre-
ated a year ago, but not supplied at the time.
The seven brethren appointed the previous year had labored
faithfully and not in vain. New appointments were taken up, and
the old ones more firmly established in most instances. During
the previous year (1864) Brother McKesson, who served Big
Blue Circuit, began to preach at Swede Creek in Riley Co., Kan-
sas, in the homes of Fred Toburen, Adolph Toburen, and Wm.
Myers. These appointments were served every three to four
weeks as circumstances permitted. During the past Conference
year G. W. Bugh followed the same order in serving the appoint-
ments, and the foundation was laid for one of the strongest and
most permanent works in the Conference among the German peo-
ple of that community.
In Missouri and Nebraska, the work developed satisfactorily,
as the statistics of this session show. The works were large, and
the appointments numerous, so that a great deal of traveling was
necessary by the missionaries. Ofttimes the roads were hard to
travel, and the streams had no bridges, so that traveling was not
only difficult but dangerous, yet in spite of these and many other
hindrances these intrepid heroes continued their activities.
1867
THIRD SESSION
The third session of Conference was held at Leavenworth,
Kansas, beginning March 28, 1867. Bishop J. Long, who held the
first session, was chairman and conducted the business of Confer-
ence for the last time. C. Berner was again appointed secretary.
At this session Chas. Tobias was tried for insubordination and
neglect of duty, for which he was deposed from the ministry.
55
1867
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
The following brethren were licensed to preach on probation:
Wm. Folgate, H. Mattill, and D. R. Zellner, the two latter preach-
ing many years in the Conference, while H. Mattill served a num-
ber of years as presiding elder, and later as junior publisher in
the Publishing House at Cleveland, Ohio. H. Mattill was also re-
ceived into the itinerancy.
J. Wuerth, G. W. Bugh, Henry Haas, and Christian Timmer
received deacons' orders, and Philip Flicker, elder's orders.
Oregon was divided at this time, the western portion retain-
ing the name Oregon Mission, and the eastern part called Grand
River Mission.
Nickels Grove, Holt Co., Missouri, was chosen as the place to
hold the next session of Conference.
The time for the next General Conference being near at hand,
J. F. Schreiber was elected delegate, and C. Berner alternate to the
same.
It was ordered that one-half of the church at Arago should
be sold, if possible, and the proceeds applied to pay off the indebt-
edness, the surplus, if any, should be used to complete the church
building.
It was also resolved that a district house shall be built at Hol-
ton, Kansas, if possible, however not more than $100.00 indebted-
ness shall be incurred. A committee, consisting of J. F. Schreiber,
the pastor at Holton, and Peter Riederer, was appointed to super-
intend the project. It was further ordered that J. F. Schreiber,
presiding elder, shall be stricken from the list of missionaries,
with the understanding that for this year he shall receive out of the
missionary treasury $100.00 for rent, this $100.00 shall apply to
the new district house, and Brother Schreiber shall collect the
amount he expends for rent up to the time he can occupy the house
from the district.
FINANCE PLAN
The finance plan was changed to the effect that a preacher
serving a city shall in the future receive $40.00 per year table
expense.
The salary for the past year amounted to $125.00 for a single
man, with $31.25 additional table expense. A married man re-
ceived twice that amount, and for each child in the family an
additional $25.00, with $6.25 table expense.
56
1867
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
MISSIONARY SOCIETY
The Missionary Society reported the amount of $35.70 raised
for missions the past year. In addition to this Atchison Mission
contributed $12.50, which brought the total up to $48.20. The
contribution from Atchison Mission is the first contribution re-
ported outside of the society, which up to this time was supported
exclusively by the preachers of the Conference.
At the reorganization of the society J. F. Schreiber was
again elected president, Philip Fricker vice-president, H. Haas
secretary, and C. Berner treasurer. On Conference Sunday even-
ing J. G. Pfeifer preached a missionary sermon on which occasion
a cash collection amounting to $20.21 was received and pledges
amounting to $110.00 secured.
J. G. Pfeifer was elected delegate to the Board of Missions,
thus becoming the first elected delegate from the membership of
the Conference to the Board of Missions.
STATISTICS
The following statistics were reported for the past year:
Conversions, 118; accessions, 204; membership, 412; preachers,
9; local preachers, 2; Sunday-schools, 7; teachers and officers,
47 ; scholars, 201 ; churches, 3 ; parsonages, 4.
APPOINTMENTS
Kansas District — /. F. Schreiber, P. E.
Leavenworth, C. Berner. Atchison, C. Timmer and H. Mattill.
Lawrence, D. Zellner under C. Berner. Arago, S. W. McKesson.
Humboldt, H. Haas. Oregon, John Wuerth.
Holton, P. Fricker. Macon, J. G. Pfeifer.
Big Blue, Wm. Folgate under P. Grand River, G. W. Bugh.
Fricker.
The labors of the brethren were marked with signal success
during the past year, as may be seen from the statistics. Espe-
cially encouraging were the number of conversions and accessions.
MACON
During the year the first organization was effected in East-
ern Missouri. Brother J. G. Pfeifer, who was assigned to Macon
Mission at the previous Conference session, located his family at
Bloomington, a small village in Macon Co., where he began opera-
tions. He organized a class with the following ten members : Sol-
omon Geist and wife, Jacob Laumeister and wife, John Zeiner and
wife, and John Hess and wife, including the pastor and wife.
57
1867
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
A brick church in the village was owned by the Presbyterian
and the Methodist Church, South. The Methodist brethren de-
sired to sell their interest in the church, so the Evangelical Asso-
ciation bought the same. Later the Presbyterians also sold their
interest to the Evangelical brethren, who thus became the sole
owners of the building, and had a place for worship which was
completely under their control. In later years the brick building
was replaced by a frame structure.
At the time Brother Pfeifer was developing the work at
Bloomington, he also took up an appointment near Bethel, Shelby
Co., Missouri, where he organized a class the next year with the
following charter members: Rev. Christian Stauffer and wife,
Philip Christman and wife, Michael Fey and wife, Ferdinand Wes-
ter and wife, Jacob Wise, Fredricke Schnaufer, Henry Schnaufer,
and John C. Bower. This class worshiped in the Short School
House till 1870. They then rented a hall in Bethel, where they
held their services for nine years when they built the Zion Church,
three miles west of Bethel. Here they organized the first Evan-
gelical Sunday-school in Shelby County. From this congregation
several young men entered the gospel ministry, namely: W.
A. Schutte, deceased, of the Illinois Conference ; C. W. Stauffer, de-
ceased, and E. F. Boehringer.
NICKELS GROVE
The beginning of the work in Holt County, Mo., dates back
to the first missionary operations in the State of Missouri, when
Philip Porr, sent to Missouri in 1858 by the Ohio Conference,
preached in the vicinity of Oregon. David Kunkle was probably
the first member of the Evangelical Association in the State of
Missouri. He settled one mile east of Oregon, where he lived for
forty years. In his home the pioneer preachers found a hearty
welcome and ready assistance in their work of planting the banner
of the Evangelical Association. There is an absence of historical
data for several years, which is very much regretted, however,
in 1865, we find the families of Ulrich Bucher and Adam Rung,
who moved from the State of Indiana, locating near Oregon, fol-
lowed one year later by the families Joseph Anselman and Daniel
Zachman from the State of Ohio. These families located in the
vicinity of Nickels Grove. In 1865 Rev. H. Haas was assigned
to Rockport Mission, which embraced all the work there was at
the time in Missouri. In the winter of 1866 he held a protracted
58
1867
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
meeting in the Nickels Grove school-house, assisted by Rev. C.
Timmer, who was serving Atchison Mission in Kansas. This
meeting resulted in the conversion of eight or ten persons who
were added to the little band.
In the spring of 1867 Rev. J. Wuerth was appointed to the
work, and served it for two years. About this time the first class
was organized with Adam Rung as class-leader and Joseph Ansel-
man, exhorter.
The first Quarterly Conference was held May 25, 1867, in the
home of Father Anselman by Rev. J. F. Schreiber, presiding elder.
During the summer of this year the first Evangelical camp-meet-
ing was held in the county, in charge of Rev. J. F. Schreiber.
This meeting was blessed with many conversions and the advance-
ment of the society in general.
The following winter Brother Wuerth began a meeting in the
Nickels Grove schoolhouse, but soon the attendance became so large
that the house could not accommodate the people, and the meet-
ing was moved to a Baptist church in the community, where it
was continued four weeks, resulting in about thirty conversions.
After four weeks the meeting was moved to the Kunkle factory,
half a mile east of Oregon, and continued there for another four
weeks, during which time thirty-five souls were saved and added
to the church.
In 1868 a brick church, 36x46 feet, was built at a cost of
$3,200.00 at the same place where the present Nickels Grove
Church stands. This was the first Evangelical church-building in
Holt County.
Small as the beginning was, the membership had increased
to 75 by the close of the Conference year 1868. From this society,
which may be called the mother church of the Evangelical Asso-
ciation in Holt County, members have gone into other parts of
the county, and formed the nucleus for other societies.
The Kansas Conference held her session twice in the Nickels
Grove Church. The first time in 1868, and the second time in
1872. Six young men were recommended to the ministry of the
gospel by this congregation, of whom are J. H. Kiplinger, H. E.
Bower, and F. W. Voegelein who later was sent by the Board of
Missions to Japan as missionary.
From this society developed the Oregon and Mound City works.
59
1868
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
FOURTH SESSION
March 26, 1868, the members of the Conference met at Nick-
els Grove, Holt County, Missouri, to hold their fourth session.
Bishop Esher was present as chairman and appointed C. Berner
secretary.
In addition to the usual committees a committee on statistics
was appointed for the first time, the committee consisting of C.
Berner, P. Fricker and H. Haas.
Charges were preferred against G. W. Bugh for neglect of
duty and immoral conduct, whereupon the following action was
taken by Conference: "Resolved, That the chairman shall admin-
ister a severe reprimand to Brother Bugh for his misdeeds, and
that he shall be placed on probation for one year. In case he prom-
ises amends he shall receive an appointment for the coming year
under another brother."
C. W. Comstock was licensed to preach on probation, and Wm.
Folgate, C. W. Comstock, and Wm. Lingelbach were received into
the itinerancy.
The presiding elder reported a deficit of $67.00 in his salary
under the new arrangement adopted a year ago, whereupon Con-
ference ordered that each minister shall take up a collection on his
field of labor during the year to make up the deficit. The sur-
plus to be applied to the new district house erected during the
year. In addition to this a collection was ordered taken on each
field of labor to liquidate the indebtedness on the newly erected
district house at Holton, Kansas. The presiding elder shall be
authorized to collect wherever he can for said purpose.
TEMPERANCE
On recommendation of the chairman, and in harmony with
church sentiment, a temperance pamphlet, published by A. A. Wel-
ler, was ordered circulated throughout the Conference.
A committee was appointed which was authorized to sell and
transfer the church and parsonage property located at Arago.
SUNDAY-SCHOOL
The following action in the interest of the children and young
people was taken, the first of the kind recorded in the history of
the Conference: "In view of the emphatic command of our Sav-
iour, 'Feed my lambs,' we would impress upon every member of
60
1868
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
the Conference, and every one interested in the youth, which is
the future hope of the church: First, that wherever possible,
Sunday-schools shall be established, but especially that catecheti-
cal classes shall be formed and religious instruction imparted.
This should be done as well in the Sunday-school as in private.
Also our young people should be supplied with sound literature, to
which our excellent Sunday-school books are so well adapted, and
they should be universally distributed."
BOUNDARIES
Leavenworth and Atchison were ordered served together and
supplied with two preachers.
The appointments Nemaha and Spring Creek were taken from
Onaga Mission, and together, with the surrounding country, formed
into a new English mission, to be known as Nemaha Mission. If
possible, this should be supplied. This was the first action taken
by Conference in reference to the English language, of which we
can find any record.
It was ordered that Onaga Mission should extend west to Lin-
coln City and Blue Springs. A new mission was located west of
Topeka, Kansas, which was called West Kansas Mission.
NORTH-WESTERN COLLEGE
At this time recognition was taken of North-Western Col-
lege in response to a letter addressed to the Conference by the
agent of the school.
The finances of the past year were very encouraging, so that
all the missionaries were paid out in full.
MISSIONARY SOCIETY
The amount of $382.95 was raised for missions during the
past year. Of this amount $52.75 was raised by two auxiliaries
which existed at this time. Bishop Esher preached the mission-
ary sermon, on which occasion a cash collection amounting to
$16.00 was received, and $203.00 was secured on subscription for
the ensuing year.
J. F. Schreiber was again elected president of the Missionary
Society, J. G. Pfeifer vice-president, H. Haas secretary, and C.
Berner treasurer.
61
1868
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
STATISTICS
The following statistics were reported at this Conference ses-
sion : Conversions, 193 ; accessions, 243 ; membership, 607 ; itin-
erants, 12; churches, 4; parsonages, 5; Sunday-schools, 13; offi-
cers and teachers, 91 ; scholars, 305.
APPOINTMENTS
Kansas District — J. F. Schreiber, P. E.
Leavenworth and Atchison, C. Berner Onaga, Wm. Lingelbach under the
and G. W. Bugh. presiding elder.
Lawrence, S. W. McKesson. Nemaha, C. W. Comstock.
Humboldt, H. Haas. Oregon, J. Wuerth and H. Mattill.
Big Blue, Wm. Folgate. Grand River, J. G. Pfeifer.
Holton, P. Fricker. Macon, Christian Timmer.
West Kansas Mission, to be supplied.
The statistics of the past year indicate a marked increase all
along the line of church activities. The Sunday-school member-
ship was raised from 201 to 305, and the church membership from
412 to 607.
YATES CENTER
During the past year H. Haas, who served Humboldt Mission,
held a meeting in the home of August Lauber on Owl Creek, east
of Yates Center, since there was no school-house accessible in which
to hold services. An extensive awakening took place, and many
souls were converted, after which a class was organized with the
following members: August Lauber and wife, Wm. Stockebrand
and wife, Ernst Stockebrand and wife, Herman Fuhlhage and wife,
August Toedman and wife, Maria Stockebrand, Theresa Stocke-
brand, Ernst Kluckhuhn, and Herman Toedman, who later entered
the ministry of the Kansas Conference, and for many years was
in the active work. C. F. Harder was chosen class-leader, and E.
Kluckhuhn and Ernst Stockebrand stewards.
Brother August Lauber was elected Sunday-school superin-
tendent, in which capacity he served 37 years in succession.
This appointment was originally called Owl Creek Class be-
cause of the creek by that name, along which most of the members
lived. The name "New Jerusalem People" was given to the little
band of young converts by the non-Christian people, who were not
favorably inclined toward them, saying that whoever went up the
creek among them would have to become converted. This was cer-
tainly not a grievous stigma, but rather an enviable reputation for
the little flock who lived "farther up" and were engaged in their
62
1868
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
Father's business. These veterans of the cross and charter mem-
bers of the Evangelical Association in Allen County, Kansas, were
industrious and stalwart pioneers, accustomed to hardships, and
found great comfort and strength in their religion. They were
loyal to the church and her interests. They inculcated those prin-
ciples into their children, thus endeavoring not only to accumu-
late earthly possessions in the new country, to which they had em-
igrated. They succeeded in doing this to quite an extent, but,
more than that, in also bringing up their children for Christ and
the church. It was an inspiration to see parents and children meet
at the family-altar, the prayer-meeting, the Sunday-school and the
preaching-service, the parents praying with and for their children,
until they saw them led to the Saviour, and then rejoice with them
unspeakably, proving that they believed with all their hearts in the
one whom they professed, and that they indeed had found and pos-
sessed the "pearl of great price."
From this loyal mother congregation two equally loyal daugh-
ters emanated, namely, Turkey Creek and Cedar Creek.
In 1882 Conference ordered that all the appointments west of
Defiance should be taken from Humboldt Circuit and formed into
a new circuit, which should be called Yates Center Circuit. It has
not often occurred that a work has started self-supporting, as was
the case with Yates Center Circuit. A church was built in Yates
Center in 1885, at a cost of' $2,050.00, which was dedicated by
Bishop T. Bowman.
WINSTON
In the year 1866 five families moved from Ohio to Winston, Mo.,
where they settled and established homes. They were true Evan-
gelical families who longed for the church of their choice to wor-
ship in. This privilege was granted them when the following year
(1867) J. F. Schreiber came in contact with them and organized
a class with 11 members as follows: Ephraim Kuhns and wife,
Henry Coons and wife, Jonathan Burgert and wife, John Helden-
brand and wife, Mike Young and wife, and Fannie Stecker.
Ephraim Kuhns was elected class-leader, and Mike Young ex-
horter. At first the services were held in a grove during the sum-
mer months, and, later, in the old Castor school-house. In 1880 a
church was built in town, which has been used ever since. Several
ministers have gone out from this society to bring the glad tid-
ings of the gospel to their fellow-men, namely, S. A. Burgert of
63
1868
FIFTY YEARS IN THE KANSAS CONFERENCE
the Kansas Conference, who became the first missionary to Okla-
homa, and I. H. Hauptfuehrer of the Illinois Conference. Also the
former wife of F. C. Neitz, who accompanied her husband as a
missionary to Japan, and from there was called to her eternal
home.
DEER CREEK
During the past year a church was built at Deer Creek, Doug-
las County, Kans., with D. R. Zellner as pastor, and C. Berner,
preacher-in-charge. The building was made of stone and is listed
in the Conference statistics at a value of $2,000.00. It was the
fourth church-building in the Conference. No record is at hand
concerning the dedication of the same. The building is still used
for church purposes (1914).
FOUR MILE
In 1859 Philip Porr, missionary in Missouri, crossed over into
Kansas and preached in Brown, Doniphan, and Nemaha Counties.
He went west as far as a point called Four Mile near the Kansas
and Nebraska state-line in Nemaha County, Kans., where lived
the families of Christ. Blauer, Jacob Spring, Christ. Lehman,
Henry Ott, Fred Lehman and Katharine Lehman. Those were
early settlers with whom the pioneer preacher stopped, and to
whom he preached the gospel of salvation, with as many others as
would attend the services held in cabins, and during the summer
months under shady trees. The people were poor in this world's
goods, and in most instances the missionary still poorer. Brother
Uber, coming to the home of Jacob Spring one cold winter day
with scarcely enough clothing to keep him from suffering with the
severe weather, was supplied with the necessary articles of clothing
from his scanty supply of furnishings. Among other things Sister
Spring gave him a pair of heavy wool socks which she herself had
knitted, since she discovered that those he was wearing would not
protect his feet from cold while in the saddle. This gift was highly
appreciated by the itinerant, who was compelled to travel every
day, regardless of weather conditions, in order to reach his many
scattered appointments.
The missionaries kept up an appointment at Four Mile for
several years, preaching as regularly as time and conditions would
permit till 1867, Philip Fricker, who was serving Holton Mission,
organized a class, of which Henry Ott was elected class-leader,
and Fred Lehman exhorter. For some reason, as it appears, there
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1868
EXTENDING THE BORDERS
was no Sunday-school organized at this time, which was usually