Page 38 - History of UB Church by A. Funkhouser Ver 1
P. 38
Then he took off his double-cape overcoat and gave it to the stranger. News of the incident reached
the conference, and another warm coat was provided for the bishop.
Jacob Bachtel was in some particulars second to neither of the other men. In personal
appearance he was of medium height, well-proportioned, and keen-eyed. His hair was bushy and
stood straight up. His fine appearance and commanding address gave him much influence in the
camp-meetings and other out-of-door gatherings. He was moral in every sense of the word and
strictly conscientious. Bachtel was not a man to be trifled with, for he felt that the life and work of
a minister of the gospel is a most important and serious thing. In the pulpit he was plain and
practical. He hated every form of sham and handled it without gloves. He was particularly severe
on agnosticism, infidelity, and Romanism, and in this direction he was no mean antagonist.
Although he stood unflinchingly for what he considered to be the right, he had in his private
character the tenderness of a loving Christian mother. He would never go back on a personal
friend. In the general conferences he was an influential factor, and as a presiding elder, to which
office he was repeatedly elected, he was always helpful to the preachers under his care.
Jacob J. Glossbrenner was a charter member of the Virginia Conference and in many respects a
great man. He was tall and slender, with a commanding forehead. His black eyes flashed
intelligence. His language was chaste and correct. In the pulpit he called a spade a spade when
dealing with the eternal destiny of immortal souls. Though not deep in his thought, he was popular
as a preacher, and the pulpits of other churches were open to him. His themes were of the most
exalted character and always dwelt on the bright encouraging side of Christianity and the happy
results of Christian living. He appeared to have no taste for dwelling on the sins of wicked men or
the corruption of the times. As a bishop he was careful and conservative, his management giving
general satisfaction. By his family he was much loved.
William R. Coursey was prominent in the early history of the church in the Shenandoah Valley.
He was long an itinerant, and this meant preaching nearly every day, week days as well as
Sundays, and on a meager salary. He had a wife and six or seven children. It seems now an
impossibility to keep eight or nine persons on an income of $200 a year, yet it was done, and
Frederick circuit, which was large and wealthy, allowed it to be endured. There were twenty-six
appointments in this circuit, and yet he had few presents, and his assistant, $90 salary and no
presents. Neither did Coursey receive anything for his children, although it was left for the
quarterly conference to make an additional allowance for the support of the minister's children.
Coursey was modest, retiring, and a safe counselor. He was of a good family, a good student, a
methodical thinker, one of the most successful of teachers, and was considered a model preacher.
He was devotedly pious and strictly religious. He was often a presiding elder and was sent to the
general conference.
John Ruebush had but a limited education, yet was active and hard-working, and in many
respects a most remarkable preacher. During his ministry, many persons were gathered into the
church, and many others were so drawn toward it that they were never able to break away from its
influence, and years later came into the fold. The pathos in his voice when he was preaching or
sinking was most affecting. The sermons of Ruebush could not be considered learned, nor was his
rhetoric according to the rules; yet he moved whole audiences as the tempest moves the trees of
the forest. He was great as a revivalist. A pastoral charge in his care was a very poor place for
backsliding, and this happened to but few. He and his co-laborers depended entirely on the earnest
preaching of the gospel, the power of spiritual song, the influence of the Holy Spirit, and the
gracious assistance of spiritual enthusiastic church members. Revivals then meant something. They
meant permanent societies. Ruebush would have scorned the kinks, twists, and stratagems of the
average professional revivalist of to-day: To the old United Brethren minister or member, their
methods would have been disgusting and would have been deemed a travesty on the Christian
religion. Ruebush was the first regular preacher to be sent to the South Branch of the Potomac, and
was largely instrumental in establishing the United Brethren Church there. He was sent as a
missionary to establish the church in Tennessee. Such an errand meant severe persecution and
even jeopardy of life, because of the anti-slavery record of our church. Yet at much financial loss
Ruebush faced the dangers and endured the hardships until he had planted the church on that
unfavorable soil, where it is still growing and prospering.
Chapter X 38 Reminiscences of Some Early
Preachers
the conference, and another warm coat was provided for the bishop.
Jacob Bachtel was in some particulars second to neither of the other men. In personal
appearance he was of medium height, well-proportioned, and keen-eyed. His hair was bushy and
stood straight up. His fine appearance and commanding address gave him much influence in the
camp-meetings and other out-of-door gatherings. He was moral in every sense of the word and
strictly conscientious. Bachtel was not a man to be trifled with, for he felt that the life and work of
a minister of the gospel is a most important and serious thing. In the pulpit he was plain and
practical. He hated every form of sham and handled it without gloves. He was particularly severe
on agnosticism, infidelity, and Romanism, and in this direction he was no mean antagonist.
Although he stood unflinchingly for what he considered to be the right, he had in his private
character the tenderness of a loving Christian mother. He would never go back on a personal
friend. In the general conferences he was an influential factor, and as a presiding elder, to which
office he was repeatedly elected, he was always helpful to the preachers under his care.
Jacob J. Glossbrenner was a charter member of the Virginia Conference and in many respects a
great man. He was tall and slender, with a commanding forehead. His black eyes flashed
intelligence. His language was chaste and correct. In the pulpit he called a spade a spade when
dealing with the eternal destiny of immortal souls. Though not deep in his thought, he was popular
as a preacher, and the pulpits of other churches were open to him. His themes were of the most
exalted character and always dwelt on the bright encouraging side of Christianity and the happy
results of Christian living. He appeared to have no taste for dwelling on the sins of wicked men or
the corruption of the times. As a bishop he was careful and conservative, his management giving
general satisfaction. By his family he was much loved.
William R. Coursey was prominent in the early history of the church in the Shenandoah Valley.
He was long an itinerant, and this meant preaching nearly every day, week days as well as
Sundays, and on a meager salary. He had a wife and six or seven children. It seems now an
impossibility to keep eight or nine persons on an income of $200 a year, yet it was done, and
Frederick circuit, which was large and wealthy, allowed it to be endured. There were twenty-six
appointments in this circuit, and yet he had few presents, and his assistant, $90 salary and no
presents. Neither did Coursey receive anything for his children, although it was left for the
quarterly conference to make an additional allowance for the support of the minister's children.
Coursey was modest, retiring, and a safe counselor. He was of a good family, a good student, a
methodical thinker, one of the most successful of teachers, and was considered a model preacher.
He was devotedly pious and strictly religious. He was often a presiding elder and was sent to the
general conference.
John Ruebush had but a limited education, yet was active and hard-working, and in many
respects a most remarkable preacher. During his ministry, many persons were gathered into the
church, and many others were so drawn toward it that they were never able to break away from its
influence, and years later came into the fold. The pathos in his voice when he was preaching or
sinking was most affecting. The sermons of Ruebush could not be considered learned, nor was his
rhetoric according to the rules; yet he moved whole audiences as the tempest moves the trees of
the forest. He was great as a revivalist. A pastoral charge in his care was a very poor place for
backsliding, and this happened to but few. He and his co-laborers depended entirely on the earnest
preaching of the gospel, the power of spiritual song, the influence of the Holy Spirit, and the
gracious assistance of spiritual enthusiastic church members. Revivals then meant something. They
meant permanent societies. Ruebush would have scorned the kinks, twists, and stratagems of the
average professional revivalist of to-day: To the old United Brethren minister or member, their
methods would have been disgusting and would have been deemed a travesty on the Christian
religion. Ruebush was the first regular preacher to be sent to the South Branch of the Potomac, and
was largely instrumental in establishing the United Brethren Church there. He was sent as a
missionary to establish the church in Tennessee. Such an errand meant severe persecution and
even jeopardy of life, because of the anti-slavery record of our church. Yet at much financial loss
Ruebush faced the dangers and endured the hardships until he had planted the church on that
unfavorable soil, where it is still growing and prospering.
Chapter X 38 Reminiscences of Some Early
Preachers
