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at all times and places." The executive committee was charged "to locate workers in needy rural communities to do personal work and conduct classes and Sunday schools with a view of introducing evangelistic meetings and organizing congregations where possible."

In 1926 the annual meeting was held at the Beech Church near Louisville, Ohio. The meeting was marked by high interest, with J. A. Ressler, former missionary to India, giving something of a worldwide challenge of missions. P. R. Lantz reported that "We are doing work in eighteen out of the eighty-eight counties in the state." A high level of interest and zeal was fostered by stirring talks on the need for the church of Christ to act. A resolution was passed empowering the board's executive committee to assist local Sunday schools to establish mission departments that would operate auto and bus routes to assemble pupils "who otherwise would not receive religious instruction."

Exploring New Fields

Still another board function was to carry out surveys and investigations of new fields for evangelization. This was à task assigned as early as August 9, 1920, by the executive committee. E. B. Stoltzfus and P. R. Lantz were detailed to make an investigation of Ashtabula County and report to the board about the prospects of a program in this county. On January 20 and May 24, 1921, E. B. Stoltzfus, field worker of the board, was given charge of the Ashtabula County work with the encouragement to hold regular services at Colebrook and Austinburg. In 1923 S. E. Allgyer was delegated to investigate needy fields for evangelization in southern Ohio. The following year he was asked to continue investigation with the help of E. F. Hartzler. A. J. Steiner was another leader who at times explored new fields for mission endeavor.

In addition to promotion and investigation the board also became responsible for the actual administration of mission churches with the view of developing new and independent congregations. Over the years, with the recruitment of young couples and other workers, this goal was to achieve a measure of success, though it took several decades to be realized.

In various ways the board influenced churches, though it is not altogether clear just where and how the missionary idea spread. John S. Mast, bishop of the Conestoga congregation near