Page 135 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
P. 135
History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
grandfather’s farm near Mt. Jackson as being the place of a number of “Camp Meetings.” In fact there is
good evidence that Newcomer, Boehm, and even Otterbein preached in that vicinity near the turn of the
century.
Mr. Funkhouser had graduated from Otterbein and Lebanon Valley Colleges, and came home
with visions of a great school at Dayton. He, being of the United Brethren faith, wanted the school to
have as its partner in growth a church of The United Brethren in Christ. While he was giving leadership
to the new school, Mr. Funkhouser also served as pastor of the Dayton Circuit for several years. This
gave him the authority as well as the opportunity to build the new church. Work was begun on the
building in the early spring of 1878. Sometime during June of the same year the church was dedicated
by Bishop J. J. Glossbrenner. Its cost was $2,500.00
This church was a brick structure with a fence around it. Those who remember it describe it as
having been a “very beautiful church.” Action was taken in 1848 to secure more light, and the following
year the secretary was instructed to purchase a “lamp” for the pulpit. The church had a bell as the
“sexton was instructed to ring the bell ten minutes before preaching.” In the minutes of the Official
Board there are references to a cupola on the church, plastering in 1893, and the building of a vestibule
in 1899. The first organ was purchased in 1883, the Sunday School paying half the cost and the church
the other half.
Mr. Funkhouser served as pastor of the church from 1878 to 1880, Rev. J. D. Donavan assisting
him the second year. Rev. J. W. Howe followed serving the seven churches on the Dayton Circuit with a
salary of $420 for two years. Rev. C. M. Hott served the following year (1881-02) as pastor of the
Dayton Station only, Rev. J. W. Funk serving the Dayton Circuit. Rev. G. P. Hott became the minister of
the station in 1882 and served three years along with his duties as teacher at the Seminary.
Fortunately for the history of the church, Mr. J. W. Keiter was elected secretary of the Official
Board, March, 1884. He held the position until his death, May, 1935, and until the last year,, had been
absent from official meetings only six times. This fact, coupled with Mr. Keiter’s legal knowledge,
accounts for the splendid state of preservation of the official minutes from 1884 to the present.
The fifty-first session of the Virginia Conference was held in the Dayton Church, March, 1882,
with Bishop Dickson presiding. One motion of the conference might be of interest. “This is an age of
progress and development, and the Church is moving forward with the age . . . Out of 4.524 organized
churches in the denomination, 2,356 are still without church houses of worship . . . worshiping in school
houses and dug-outs. Be it resolved that every preacher preach a sermon on this condition.”
It is interesting to note that prayer meetings were held in those early days. A reference is made to
them in the minutes of September 16, 1884. “It was moved and adopted that the pastor request the class
leader to attend prayer meetings more regularly.” At the next meeting of the Official Board the class
leader reported that “the class is in fair condition spiritually.” An indication of the closeness of the
II.B.14 Dayton U.B. Church and SCI 121
grandfather’s farm near Mt. Jackson as being the place of a number of “Camp Meetings.” In fact there is
good evidence that Newcomer, Boehm, and even Otterbein preached in that vicinity near the turn of the
century.
Mr. Funkhouser had graduated from Otterbein and Lebanon Valley Colleges, and came home
with visions of a great school at Dayton. He, being of the United Brethren faith, wanted the school to
have as its partner in growth a church of The United Brethren in Christ. While he was giving leadership
to the new school, Mr. Funkhouser also served as pastor of the Dayton Circuit for several years. This
gave him the authority as well as the opportunity to build the new church. Work was begun on the
building in the early spring of 1878. Sometime during June of the same year the church was dedicated
by Bishop J. J. Glossbrenner. Its cost was $2,500.00
This church was a brick structure with a fence around it. Those who remember it describe it as
having been a “very beautiful church.” Action was taken in 1848 to secure more light, and the following
year the secretary was instructed to purchase a “lamp” for the pulpit. The church had a bell as the
“sexton was instructed to ring the bell ten minutes before preaching.” In the minutes of the Official
Board there are references to a cupola on the church, plastering in 1893, and the building of a vestibule
in 1899. The first organ was purchased in 1883, the Sunday School paying half the cost and the church
the other half.
Mr. Funkhouser served as pastor of the church from 1878 to 1880, Rev. J. D. Donavan assisting
him the second year. Rev. J. W. Howe followed serving the seven churches on the Dayton Circuit with a
salary of $420 for two years. Rev. C. M. Hott served the following year (1881-02) as pastor of the
Dayton Station only, Rev. J. W. Funk serving the Dayton Circuit. Rev. G. P. Hott became the minister of
the station in 1882 and served three years along with his duties as teacher at the Seminary.
Fortunately for the history of the church, Mr. J. W. Keiter was elected secretary of the Official
Board, March, 1884. He held the position until his death, May, 1935, and until the last year,, had been
absent from official meetings only six times. This fact, coupled with Mr. Keiter’s legal knowledge,
accounts for the splendid state of preservation of the official minutes from 1884 to the present.
The fifty-first session of the Virginia Conference was held in the Dayton Church, March, 1882,
with Bishop Dickson presiding. One motion of the conference might be of interest. “This is an age of
progress and development, and the Church is moving forward with the age . . . Out of 4.524 organized
churches in the denomination, 2,356 are still without church houses of worship . . . worshiping in school
houses and dug-outs. Be it resolved that every preacher preach a sermon on this condition.”
It is interesting to note that prayer meetings were held in those early days. A reference is made to
them in the minutes of September 16, 1884. “It was moved and adopted that the pastor request the class
leader to attend prayer meetings more regularly.” At the next meeting of the Official Board the class
leader reported that “the class is in fair condition spiritually.” An indication of the closeness of the
II.B.14 Dayton U.B. Church and SCI 121
