Growth in the Early 1900's / 171

In an Urban Setting

The Mennonite church at Canton, Ohio (known through the nineteenth century as the Rowland Church), had declined by the end of the century for several reasons. Loss of leadership appears to be one reason, together with the lack of a teaching program. One historian says that "probably most powerful of all, the Rowland Church was taken in by a growing city and in this way rural Mennonites were overwhelmed by an urban tide.""

In 1904 the Eastern A. M. Conference joined with the Ohio Mennonite Conference to establish a new mission in Canton. J. A. Liechty was appointed to be in charge of the venture which in 1909 became one of the city mission projects of the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities in Elkhart, Indiana. In 1917 a new meetinghouse was erected on the site of the old one.

Superintendents of the Canton Mission were: J. A. Liechty, 1904-6; P. R. Lantz, 1906-12; George M. Hostetler, 1912-14; C. K. Brenneman, 1914-19; M. E. Troyer, 1919-23; O. N. Johns, 192326; C. C. King, 1926-27; E. A. Shank, 1927-31; M. C. Lehman, June to August, 1931; William G. Detweiler, 1931-38; J. J. Hostetler, 1938-52 (Edwin Alderfer served in 1945-46 during Hostetler's leave of absence); Don McCammon, May to September, 1952; and Allen Ebersole, 1952-57.

Ordinations taking place at the Canton Church include: P. R. Lantz, 1907; Enos F. Hartzler, 1910; Otis N. Johns, 1923; E. A. Shank, 1928; William G. Detweiler, 1933; J. J. Hostetler, 1939; D. W. Miller (Deacon), 1941; and Allen B. Ebersole (Bishop), 1953."

The church is now known as the First Mennonite Church of Canton.

Another congregation to be started as a mission outpost is the Berlin Mennonite Church which dates from 1917. Fred Mast of the nearby Martin's Creek Church and Samuel Miller from the nearby Walnut Creek Church were among those who promoted this outreach. Together with B. J. Yoder and Henry Schnell they planted a congregation in the little town of Berlin, some six miles east of Millersburg, the county seat of Holmes County. A building was remodeled to serve as a church edifice, with the first worship service taking place in it on March 3, 1918.''

Thus the various churches continued to transplant and grow in different environments for a number of reasons-economic and evangelistic-and a combination of both.