Page 53 - Pictorial History of EUB Church by Glovier
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53 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER
In the preparation of this address or historical sketch, I made the
following interesting discovery:
Christian Newcomer began his preaching in 1777 and preached until
1830, going to his eternal reward March 12, 1830. In 1831 Jacob J.
Glossbrenner was licensed to preach by the Virginia Annual Conference. He
lived until January 7, 1887. In 1887 W. F. Gruver joined the Virginia
Annual Conference and in 1946 has attended every session since 1887. The
ministry of three men who have been members of the Virginia Conference
covers that period of time beginning with 1777 and extending to 1946. This
period began 13 years prior to the time when the United Brethren Sect
became a distinct Church—a period of 163 years.
In this year of 1946 our Church has 8 General Departments, 32
Annual Conferences, over 1,300 active Itinerant Preachers, 3,000 organized
Churches, 425,000 members, with about $8,000,000.00 total annual
contributions. We have one great central Publishing House, 3 Benevolent
Institutions, a million-dollar Seminary, and 5 Colleges. In addition we have
5 Foreign Mission Fields with 123 organized Churches, 75 Missionaries, 100
native Preachers, and 125 Bible workers and Teachers.
I’m proud to be a member and minister of the Church of the United
Brethren in Christ. The biographies of its ministers, who are its heroes of
Faith, is the history of the Church—a glorious history. All honor to our
fathers who bequeathed to us this rich heritage. The value of the heritage
they have left us is beyond human estimate. Earthly rewards they sought
not. They asked no marble shaft for their resting place, and, indeed,
many of their graves are unmarked. But their work abides, for which they
deserve to live in hallowed memory forever. The supreme tribute they merit at
our hands is that of building worthily upon the foundation they laid.
In the preparation of this address or historical sketch, I made the
following interesting discovery:
Christian Newcomer began his preaching in 1777 and preached until
1830, going to his eternal reward March 12, 1830. In 1831 Jacob J.
Glossbrenner was licensed to preach by the Virginia Annual Conference. He
lived until January 7, 1887. In 1887 W. F. Gruver joined the Virginia
Annual Conference and in 1946 has attended every session since 1887. The
ministry of three men who have been members of the Virginia Conference
covers that period of time beginning with 1777 and extending to 1946. This
period began 13 years prior to the time when the United Brethren Sect
became a distinct Church—a period of 163 years.
In this year of 1946 our Church has 8 General Departments, 32
Annual Conferences, over 1,300 active Itinerant Preachers, 3,000 organized
Churches, 425,000 members, with about $8,000,000.00 total annual
contributions. We have one great central Publishing House, 3 Benevolent
Institutions, a million-dollar Seminary, and 5 Colleges. In addition we have
5 Foreign Mission Fields with 123 organized Churches, 75 Missionaries, 100
native Preachers, and 125 Bible workers and Teachers.
I’m proud to be a member and minister of the Church of the United
Brethren in Christ. The biographies of its ministers, who are its heroes of
Faith, is the history of the Church—a glorious history. All honor to our
fathers who bequeathed to us this rich heritage. The value of the heritage
they have left us is beyond human estimate. Earthly rewards they sought
not. They asked no marble shaft for their resting place, and, indeed,
many of their graves are unmarked. But their work abides, for which they
deserve to live in hallowed memory forever. The supreme tribute they merit at
our hands is that of building worthily upon the foundation they laid.
