14 / Contents

Part II. Spiritual Renewal Amidst Decline and Schisms

4. Growth - and Some Decline - of the Churches   83

Life in the Colonization Period   83

The Coming of the Civil War: Test of Christian Brotherhood ... 86

Life in the Local Congregation     90

"A Covenant with God"     91

"The Doctrines of the Scriptures"   . 93

"To Assist the Unfortunate Brother"    93

Fellowship and Brotherhood ................................................... 94

"A Pleasant Visit ........................................................................ 95

The Love of Music ....................................................................... 95

"Only a Small Flock" ............................................................... 96

"The Dear Young People"...................................................... 97

Choice of Leadership by Lot...................................................... 97

The Communities That Became Extinct ...................................... 99

Schismatic Movements in the Nineteenth Century ................... 102

The Holmes County Division .................................................... 102

The Egli Movement ...................................................................... 103

The Holdeman Division Among the Mennonites .......................... 104

The Reformed Mennonites ........................................................... 105

The Wisler Schism and Its Meaning to the Ohio Churches ...... 106

5. The Rise of the Sunday School   109

The First Attempt   109

The Role of Brenneman and Funk   112

In the Wayne County Churches   114

Growth in Many Communities   115

The Meaning of the Sunday School to the Life of the Churches   118

6. Evangelism and Bible Conferences   120

Labors of John S. Coffman and Others   120

Bible Conferences   125

7. Early Missions, Charitable Work, Young People's Meetings,

andEarly Higher Education    128

Orphanage and Old People's Home    130

Social Problems and Sense of Mission    131

Young People's Meetings    133

Publications Promoted    134

Beginnings in Higher Education   135

8. Transitions, Leaders, and Changing Churches (1865-1900)    136

John M. Brenneman (1816-1895) 138 David Plank (1833-1912)    139

John K. Yoder (1824-1906) 140 Christian P. Steiner (1832-1910)   143