226 / Development of Church Life in the Older Congregations

with C. F. Derstine of Kitchener, Ontario, as evangelist. This effort resulted in the Wooster Mission and finally the Wooster Mennonite Church.

Salem did not undergo any tensions due to the transition from German to English because the latter was the language used from the beginning of the congregation's existence. From 1956 to 1962 Paul Showalter served as pastor, and during those years the congregation increased many of its activities and carried out extensive remodeling of its physical plant.

The Orrville Church

The Orrville Church in Orrville, Ohio, began, as already noted, as a mission outpost of Oak Grove and Martins in 1909. In 1912 Isaiah W. Royer, who had been in Chicago assisting in mission work there as well as attending Bethany Bible School, returned to' Wayne County and assumed the pastorate of the Orrville Church. I. W. Royer's contribution to the church was made in several ways. He was first of all a devoted pastor who knew each member and child. He was a strong promoter of the Sunday school not only in his congregation but in the conference and throughout the denomination. Royer's education included studies at Ohio Normal University and Elkhart Institute and was strong in pedagogy and Bible. He applied his education to the introduction of many new things for his day: the Sunday school normal, literary societies for youth, daily vacation Bible schools, and youth conferences. From 1915 to 1937 he was secretary of the General Sunday School Committee. Two of his daughters, Mary and Katherine, became writers of curriculum materials, some of which have been translated into other languages and widely used in religious education. In 1952 Royer was succeeded as pastor by Harold Bauman, who had been the assistant pastor for five years. The present pastor is J. Lester Graybill. The church building (dedicated in 1949) is well equipped for a program of Christian education.

In Holmes County

The Amish Mennonite churches in Holmes County prospered and grew toward the close of the nineteenth century and records about them show serious concern for a life of Christian discipleship. The Walnut Creek congregation has some of its life recorded in the diary of Abraham Mast (1820-98). Mast was a