Page 75 - History of UB Church by A. Funkhouser Ver 1
P. 75
CHAPTER XIX
BISHOPS, MISSIONARIES AND OTHERS
Twelve bishops of the United Brethren Church have been members of this Conference.
Biographical sketches of Otterbein, Boehm, and Newcomer appear in other chapters. Henry Kumler,
William Brown, John Russell, and Jacob Erb did not live within the present domain of the
Conference. Five others were born in Virginia or lived here. These are Glossbrenner, Markwood,
Hiestand, Hott, and Fout.
Jacob John Glossbrenner was born of Lutheran parents at Hagerstown, Maryland, July 24, 1812.
His father was killed by an accident when the boy was only seven years old, and the widow and the
four children were left in very straitened circumstances. Jacob was apprenticed to a silversmith to
learn his trade, but his conversion at the age of seventeen changed the current of his life. A year
later he was licensed to exhort in the United Brethren Church. A year later yet,—when he was only
nineteen,—he was an itinerant preacher. At this time he looked even more youthful than his years
would indicate, and some people wondered what the conference meant by sending out boys to
preach. But he felt no doubt as to his call, and his hearers at once found the boy could preach and
preach well.
Glossbrenner in 1831 was among the first, if not the very first, of the United Brethren ministers
who gave their whole time to the calling, and without having any other means of support. It was
still thought by the people that if they fed and lodged the preacher and took care of his horse, they
were doing their full part. This enabled him to exist, but in any proper sense of the term it did not
permit him to live. Glossbrenner was first put on the Hagerstown circuit and next on the Staunton.
The house of Christian Shuey, seven miles from Churchville, was his home while on the
Staunton circuit. Shuey was noble, wealthy, and generous, and had a room in his house known as
the preacher's room. When an itinerant had rested, he left his soiled clothes here, and on his
return they were ready to put on again. Mrs. Shuey was a granddaughter of George A. Geeting,
one of the three leading founders of the United Brethren Church. She took a great interest in its
activities, especially the camp meetings. At this house the young preacher, when not yet twenty-
one years of age was married to Maria M., a daughter of the Shueys. The marriage was happy to
each of the couple, and Mrs. Glossbrenner often accompanied her husband on his travels. A little
earlier the young man had been much inclined to wed one of the Brocks, a sister to the wife of
George E. Deneale. But after becoming acquainted with the Shueys he changed his mind. When
visiting at the Brock home, some time afterward, he noticed that the object of his earlier attention
had a white-handled penknife that he had given her. He asked her to return it, but she replied that
wherever the knife went she went. Glossbrenner was glad to say no more on the subject of knives.
When Mr. Glossbrenner was but twenty-two years old he was chosen presiding elder of the
Staunton district. He was several times re-elected, and up to the time that he first became a
bishop, he had served but four other itinerances,—Shiloh mission, and Frederick, Rockbridge, and
Staunton circuits. In 1845 he was a bishop and such he remained for forty years. In 1885 he
became bishop emeritus, being continued in all his former relations to the superintendency, but
relieved from presiding over conference sessions.
Bishop Glossbrenner was naturally conservative. When he entered the Virginia Conference,
there were only four circuits, eight itinerants, and two or three houses of worship. Yet through half
a century he kept abreast with the progress of the Church. Every interest and every great
enterprise which grew up in these fifty years found in him a friend, and though crowned with honor
and years he died young in heart. He was a man of retiring modesty, but was a systematic and
logical thinker and profound theologian. As a preacher he was bold, fearless, tender-hearted,
persuasive, earnest, and eloquent. Though he made conversion a direct aim in his preaching, he
was not eminently a revivalist. Reformation and not denunciation was uppermost in his sermons.
As a presiding officer he was able, dignified, discreet, and broad-minded. He was also a good
parliamentarian.
Chapter XIX 75 Bishops, Missionaries, and
Others
BISHOPS, MISSIONARIES AND OTHERS
Twelve bishops of the United Brethren Church have been members of this Conference.
Biographical sketches of Otterbein, Boehm, and Newcomer appear in other chapters. Henry Kumler,
William Brown, John Russell, and Jacob Erb did not live within the present domain of the
Conference. Five others were born in Virginia or lived here. These are Glossbrenner, Markwood,
Hiestand, Hott, and Fout.
Jacob John Glossbrenner was born of Lutheran parents at Hagerstown, Maryland, July 24, 1812.
His father was killed by an accident when the boy was only seven years old, and the widow and the
four children were left in very straitened circumstances. Jacob was apprenticed to a silversmith to
learn his trade, but his conversion at the age of seventeen changed the current of his life. A year
later he was licensed to exhort in the United Brethren Church. A year later yet,—when he was only
nineteen,—he was an itinerant preacher. At this time he looked even more youthful than his years
would indicate, and some people wondered what the conference meant by sending out boys to
preach. But he felt no doubt as to his call, and his hearers at once found the boy could preach and
preach well.
Glossbrenner in 1831 was among the first, if not the very first, of the United Brethren ministers
who gave their whole time to the calling, and without having any other means of support. It was
still thought by the people that if they fed and lodged the preacher and took care of his horse, they
were doing their full part. This enabled him to exist, but in any proper sense of the term it did not
permit him to live. Glossbrenner was first put on the Hagerstown circuit and next on the Staunton.
The house of Christian Shuey, seven miles from Churchville, was his home while on the
Staunton circuit. Shuey was noble, wealthy, and generous, and had a room in his house known as
the preacher's room. When an itinerant had rested, he left his soiled clothes here, and on his
return they were ready to put on again. Mrs. Shuey was a granddaughter of George A. Geeting,
one of the three leading founders of the United Brethren Church. She took a great interest in its
activities, especially the camp meetings. At this house the young preacher, when not yet twenty-
one years of age was married to Maria M., a daughter of the Shueys. The marriage was happy to
each of the couple, and Mrs. Glossbrenner often accompanied her husband on his travels. A little
earlier the young man had been much inclined to wed one of the Brocks, a sister to the wife of
George E. Deneale. But after becoming acquainted with the Shueys he changed his mind. When
visiting at the Brock home, some time afterward, he noticed that the object of his earlier attention
had a white-handled penknife that he had given her. He asked her to return it, but she replied that
wherever the knife went she went. Glossbrenner was glad to say no more on the subject of knives.
When Mr. Glossbrenner was but twenty-two years old he was chosen presiding elder of the
Staunton district. He was several times re-elected, and up to the time that he first became a
bishop, he had served but four other itinerances,—Shiloh mission, and Frederick, Rockbridge, and
Staunton circuits. In 1845 he was a bishop and such he remained for forty years. In 1885 he
became bishop emeritus, being continued in all his former relations to the superintendency, but
relieved from presiding over conference sessions.
Bishop Glossbrenner was naturally conservative. When he entered the Virginia Conference,
there were only four circuits, eight itinerants, and two or three houses of worship. Yet through half
a century he kept abreast with the progress of the Church. Every interest and every great
enterprise which grew up in these fifty years found in him a friend, and though crowned with honor
and years he died young in heart. He was a man of retiring modesty, but was a systematic and
logical thinker and profound theologian. As a preacher he was bold, fearless, tender-hearted,
persuasive, earnest, and eloquent. Though he made conversion a direct aim in his preaching, he
was not eminently a revivalist. Reformation and not denunciation was uppermost in his sermons.
As a presiding officer he was able, dignified, discreet, and broad-minded. He was also a good
parliamentarian.
Chapter XIX 75 Bishops, Missionaries, and
Others
