236 / Development of Church Life in the Older Congregations

Shenk, and David Plank. Ohio ministers in attendance included C. B. Brenneman, D. S. Brunk, George Ross, C. P. Steiner, M. S. Steiner, Cleophas Amstutz, David Garber, David Hostetler, David Hilty, Jacob Horning, J. M. Kreider, Allen Rickert, John Blosser, N. O. Blosser, and Isaac Burkhart. The deacons from Ohio were P. E. Brunk, J. B. Huber, Andrew Stemen, Christian Lehman, and John Hackman. The role of the Ohio Conference and the Allen County churches in founding General Conference was important, as one can judge by the presence of a long list of ordained men at the preliminary meeting. "'

The churches of Allen County, however, did not always have harmonious relations. In 1921 the conference records refer to certain "irregularities" or conflict in the Pike and Salem congregations which interfered with the ordination of a bishop. The conflict continued in the community and in 1925 broke into public print when two members of the Salem and Pike congregations filed suit through the court of common pleas "against two former officers of the Salem Church who were excommunicated recently but who refuse to give up keys and property belonging to the church until differences are satisfactorily adjusted."' 17 The actual shape of the conflict is difficult to describe after more than forty years and differing versions are in the record. In 1925 the Ohio Conference appointed a committee to deal with the problem. The committee consisted of out-of-state men: D. H. Bender of Hesston, Kansas; S. C. Yoder of Goshen, Indiana; and D. D. Miller of Middlebury, Indiana.'"

One outcome of the committee's work was the reinstatement of a number of members who had been out of fellowship with the Salem and Pike congregations. Another outcome was the decision that the church property should remain in the hands of the old organization "with the provision that this organization pay to the new organization a stipulated sum of money as their interest in the church property. "' `'

The report of the committee itself stated: "In view of the conditions now existing among members in the community which may make it practically impossible for all to worship together, we consent that upon an appeal from such a desire a separate congregation, a new organization, be granted as a last effort to save as many as possible for the church, which organization be effected December 7, 1925." S. E. Allgyer and A. I. Yoder were chosen to serve as cobishops.'