Guide to the Records of the General Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren
Church
Prepared by Elaina Given, Student Assistant, and L. Dale Patterson,
Archivist
United Methodist Archives and History Center
General
Commission on Archives and History, Madison, New Jersey
4/12/2005
Overview of Records
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| Record Creator: |
Evangelical United Brethren Church.
General Conference |
| Title: |
Records of the General Conference of the
Evangelical United Brethren Church |
| Dates: |
1946-
1968 |
| Abstract: |
The Evangelical United Brethren Church is one of the predecessor denominations of the United Methodist Church. This collection is made up of material from the General Conferences which met every four years. |
| Extent: |
6.0 cu. feet |
| Resource ID:
|
gcah.rg.4554 |
History Note
In 1946, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ merged with the Evangelical Church to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church.
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ began with the preaching of Philip William Otterbein and Martin Boehm in the 1760's. At a 1789 conference at the parsonage of Otterbein's house in Baltimore, Otterbein and his lay ministers gave simple organization to the fellowship, which had been holding sporadic conferences since 1774.
On September 25, 1800 at a meeting of Otterbein, Martin Boehm, and other lay ministers at the home of Peter Kemp in Maryland , the church was formally organized. At this meeting Boehm and Otterbein were elected bishops and the name, "Church of the United Brethren in Christ" was chosen. In 1815, the first General Conference was held near Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. At this Conference a Discipline, a Confession of Faith, and a form of church government were approved. A second General Conference was held June 2, 1817, also at Mount Pleasant. This conference improved the Discipline, elected two bishops, formed a third Annual Conference, and arranged for quadrennial sessions of the General Conference.
The Evangelical Church was formed in 1922 by the merger of the Evangelical Association of North America and the United Evangelical Church. The merger was a reunion of the two churches which had split in 1894 when a third of the membership of the Evangelical Association withdrew and formed the United Evangelical Church.
The Evangelical Association of North America was founded by Jacob Albright. Jacob Albright was born near Pottstown, Pennsylvania, May 1, 1759, to German immigrant parents. After the death of his children he experienced a religious awakening. He joined a Methodist class and received an exhorter's license. In 1796, he began to travel throughout Central Pennsylvania preaching to Germans in schoolhouses, churches, and homes. By 1800, three classes in three separate southeastern Pennsylvania counties had been organized. In 1803, a small conference of lay persons met and formally ordained Jacob Albright and chose the name "Albright's People" (Die Albrecht's Leute).
In 1807, the first conference was held at Kleinfeltersville, Pennsylvania. The name "The Newly-Formed Methodist Conference" (Der Neuformirten Methodisten Conferenz) was adopted, Albright was elected bishop and authorized to compile a scriptural creed and a plan of organization, but he died May 18, 1808 before he could finish.
George Miller completed and published the Discipline in 1809, which was identical in major portions of the German edition of the Methodist Episcopal Church Discipline of 1808. John Dreisbach became the first presiding elder and established the first publishing house at New Berlin, Pennsylvania which also became the church's headquarters. In 1816, the first General Conference was held near New Berlin, Pennsylvania. The General Conference revised the Discipline, changed the Church's name to "The Evangelical Association" (Evangelische Gemeinschaft), and approved a hymn book. In 1853, the Church's denominational headquarters was moved to Cleveland, Ohio. By the 1870's English- and German-speaking members were nearly equal in numbers, requiring literature to be published in both languages. After World War I, the need for German periodicals became minimal.
Throughout the late nineteenth century there was a growing tension in the Evangelical Association. Many of the differences were not doctrinal in basis but personal. An epidemic of church trials began in Iowa in 1889. The 1887 General Conference delegated the decision of naming the place for the 1891 General Conference to the Board of Publication, which named Indianapolis, Indiana as the location. A minority disputed the right of the General Conference to delegate this authority and insisted that the right belonged to the East Pennsylvania Annual Conference the oldest conference. The East Pennsylvania Annual Conference named Philadelphia as the site for the 1891 General Conference. In 1891, the minority group with Bishop Dubs met in Philadelphia and the majority group met with Bishops J.J. Esher and Thomas Bowman in Indianapolis. Each group organized and carried out its work as though it were the official body of the Church. During the quadrennium there were two churches within the Evangelical Association, each with its own set of officers claiming to be the church. Court cases were held to determine property rights. In most instances the majority group was favored. The minority group met in Naperville, Illinois on November 30, 1894 and organized itself as the United Evangelical Church.
In 1911, both the Evangelical Association and the United Evangelical Church appointed commissions to explore the possibilities of reunion. In 1921 "The Basis of Union" was submitted to the Annual Conferences. On October 12, 1922, the two churches merged and formed the Evangelical Church. Not everyone was happy with the merger. A majority of the East Pennsylvania Annual Conference joined by a few congregations in Ohio and Illinois opposed the merger and continued to act as the United Evangelical Church. Lawsuits over property between the Evangelical Church and the dissenters occurred. In one important legal case the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania upheld the legality of the merger, denied the dissenters claims to Albright College, and denied them the right to use the name the United Evangelical Church. The dissenters named themselves the Evangelical Congregational Church, which is still in existence.
In 1968, The Evangelical United Brethren Church merged with the Methodist Church and became The United Methodist Church.
Scope Note
These records contains transcripts, proceedings, reports of the General Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren Church. Some audio tapes and committee reports are included.
Arrangement
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
The material is arranged in the following series:
Series: 1946 General Conference;
Series: 1950 General Conference;
Series: 1954 General Conference;
Series: 1958 General Conference;
Series: 1962 General Conference;
Series: 1966 General Conference;
Series: 1968 General Conference.
Preferred Citation
When citing material
from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file
folder, EUB General Conference Records, United Methodist Church Archives - GCAH, Madison, New
Jersey. Do not make use of the items' call number as that is not a stable
descriptor.
Access Restrictions
Denominational
agency journals, reports and committee minutes are open to the public unless they have been
closed in accordance with requirements specified in the Discipline. Denominational agency staff
office records are closed for twenty-five (25) years after creation. Personnel records are
closed for at least 75 years. Appeals can be made to the General Commission on Archives and
History, P. O. Box 127, Madison, NJ 07940.
Restrictions on Use
Detailed use
restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the
General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be
limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a
formal request for permission to publish is expected and required.
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Subject Terms |
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|
|
Subject Names - Corporate |
|
|
Evangelical
United Brethren Church. General Conference |
|
Subject Topics |
|
|
Church
polity. |
|
Genre |
|
|
Clippings |
|
|
Minutes |
|
|
Photographs |
|
|
Programs |
|
|
Reports |
|
|
Slides |
|
|
Speeches. |
|
|
Audiotapes |
Series: 1946 General Conference
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2292-3-5:
1 |
Transcript of the 1946 General Conference First Day |
1946 |
| 2292-3-5:
2 |
Transcript of 1946 General Conference Second Day |
1946 |
| 2292-3-5:
3 |
Transcript of the 1946 General Conference Third-Fifth Day Folder 1
Folder 1 of 2 |
1946 |
| 2292-3-5:
4 |
Transcript of the 1946 General Conference Third-Fifth Day Folder 1
Folder 2 of 2 |
1946 |
| 2292-3-5:
5 |
Transcript of the 1946 General Conference Third - Fifth Day Folder 2 |
1946 |
| 2292-3-5:
6 |
Transcript of the 1946 General Conference Third - Fifth Day Folder 3
Folder 1 of 2 |
1946 |
| 2292-3-5:
7 |
Transcript of the 1946 General Conference Third - Fifth Day Folder 3
Folder 2 of 2 |
1946 |
| 2292-3-2:
15 |
1946 General Conference Photographs - Folder One |
1946 |
| 2292-3-2:
16 |
1946 General Conference Photographs - Folder Two |
1946 |
| 2292-3-2:
17 |
1946 General Conference Bishops Photographs |
1946 |
| 2292-3-6:
1 |
Transcript of the 1946 General Conference Third - Fifth Day Folder 4 |
1946 |
| 2292-3-6:
2 |
1946 General Conference Reports |
1946 |
| 2292-3-6:
3 |
1946 Genereal Conference Episcopal Address |
1946 |
| 2292-3-6:
4 |
1946 General Conference Programs |
1946 |
| 2292-3-6:
5 |
1946 General Conference News Clippings |
1946 |
| 2292-3-6:
6 |
Proceedings of the 1946 General Conference (Bound Volume) |
1946 |
| 2292-3-6:
7 |
Proceedings of the 1946 General Conference, Abridged Edition (Bound Volume) |
1946 |
| 2292-3-6:
8 |
Transcript of the Special Session of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ General Conference First Day |
1946 |
| 2292-3-7:
1 |
Transcript of the Special Session of the General Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ General Conference Second Day |
1946 |
| 2292-3-7:
2 |
Transcript of the Special Session of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ General Conference Third Day |
1946 |
| 2291-3-5:
12 |
1946 General Conference Bishop John S. Stamm and Pronouncement by Bishop Arthur Clippinger Reel-to-Reel Audiotape |
1946 |
| 2291-3-5:
13 |
1946 General Conference Photographs |
1946 |
Series: 1950 General Conference
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2292-3-2:
18 |
1950 General Conference Program, Reports, Memorials and Rituals |
1950 |
| 2292-3-2:
19 |
1950 General Conference Photographs |
1950 |
| 2292-3-7:
3 |
1950 General Conference Recording Secretary's Book |
1950 |
| 2292-3-7:
4 |
Proceedings of the 1950 General Conference Volume One, Folder 1 |
1950 |
| 2292-3-7:
5 |
Proceedings of the 1950 General Conference Volume One, Folder 2 |
1950 |
| 2292-3-7:
6 |
Proceedings of the 1950 General Conference Volume Two |
1950 |
| 2292-3-8:
1 |
Proceedings of the 1950 General Conference Volume Three, Folder 1 |
1950 |
| 2292-3-8:
2 |
Proceedings of the 1950 General Conference Volume Three, Folder 2 |
1950 |
| 2292-3-8:
3 |
1950 General Conference Programs |
1950 |
| 2292-3-8:
4 |
1950 General Conference Episcopal Message |
1950 |
| 2292-3-8:
6 |
1950 General Conference Recommendations to the Annual Conferences in North America |
1950 |
| 2292-3-8:
7 |
1950 General Conference News Clippings |
1950 |
| 2291-3-5:
14 |
1950 General Conference Photographs, Folder 1 |
1950 |
| 2291-3-5:
15 |
1950 General Conference Photographs, Folder 2 |
1950 |
| 2291-3-6:
1 |
1950 General Conference Photographs, Folder 3 |
1950 |
| 2292-4-1:
1 |
1950 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 3 |
1950 |
Series: 1954 General Conference
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2292-3-2:
20 |
1954 General Conference Committee Minutes |
1954 |
| 2292-3-2:
21 |
1954 General Conference Delegates |
1954 |
| 2292-3-2:
22 |
1954 General Conference Reports |
1954 |
| 2292-3-3:
1 |
1954 General Conference Correspondence Folder One of Two |
1954 |
| 2292-3-3:
2 |
1954 General Conference Correspondence Folder Two of Two |
1954 |
| 2292-3-3:
3 |
1954 General Conference Photograph |
1954 |
| 2292-3-8:
5 |
Proceedings of the 1954 General Conference (Bound Volume) |
1954 |
| 2292-3-8:
8 |
1954 General Conference Reports, Folder 1 |
1954 |
| 2291-3-1:
1 |
1954 General Conference Reports, Folder 2 |
1954 |
| 2291-3-1:
2 |
1954 General Conference Committee Assignments and Who's Who at General Conference |
1954 |
| 2291-3-1:
3 |
1954 General Conference Programs |
1954 |
| 2291-3-1:
4 |
1954 General Conference Episcopal Message |
1954 |
| 2291-3-1:
5 |
1954 General Conference Newspaper Clippings |
1954 |
| 2291-3-6:
2 |
1954 General Conference Slides |
1954 |
| 2292-4-1:
2 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 1 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-1:
3 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 2 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-1:
4 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 3 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-1:
5 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 4 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-1:
6 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 5 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-2:
1 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 6, Folder 1 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-2:
2 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 6, Folder 2 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-2:
3 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 7 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-2:
4 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 8 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-2:
5 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 9 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-2:
6 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 10 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-2:
7 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 11 |
1954 |
| 2292-4-2:
8 |
1954 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 12 |
1954 |
Series: 1958 General Conference
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2292-3-3:
4 |
1958 General Conference "Who's Who" |
1958 |
| 2292-3-3:
5 |
1958 General Conference Memorials |
1958 |
| 2292-3-3:
6 |
1958 General Conference Correspondence |
1958 |
| 2292-3-3:
7 |
1958 General Conference Correspondence, Reports, Minutes |
1958 |
| 2292-3-3:
8 |
1958 General Conference Blue Book Drafts - Folder One |
1958 |
| 2292-3-3:
9 |
1958 General Conference Blue Book Drafts - Folder Two |
1958 |
| 2292-3-4:
1 |
1958 General Conference Photographs |
1958 |
| 2292-3-4:
2 |
1958 General Conference Recording Secretary's Journal |
1958 |
| 2291-3-1:
6 |
Proceedings of the 1958 General Conference (Bound Volume) |
1958 |
| 2291-3-1:
7 |
1958 General Conference Blue Book of Reports and Memorials |
1958 |
| 2291-3-1:
8 |
1958 General Conference Blue Book Supplement of Reports and Memorials |
1958 |
| 2291-3-1:
9 |
1958 General Conference Programs |
1958 |
| 2291-3-1:
10 |
1958 General Conference Episcopal Message |
1958 |
| 2291-3-1:
11 |
1958 General Conference Greetings |
1958 |
| 2291-3-1:
12 |
1958 General Conference Seating Assignments |
1958 |
| 2291-3-1:
13 |
1958 General Conference "Highlights" |
1958 |
| 2291-3-1:
14 |
1958 General Conference News Clippings |
1958 |
| 2292-4-2:
9 |
1958 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape - Bishop Epp |
1958 |
| 2292-4-2:
10 |
1958 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape - Earl Ford |
1958 |
| 2292-4-3:
1 |
1958 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape - Faist |
1958 |
| 2292-4-3:
2 |
1958 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape - Sherman Cravens |
1958 |
Series: 1962 General Conference
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2292-3-4:
3 |
1962 General Conference Photographs |
1962 |
| 2291-3-2:
1 |
Proceedings of the 1962 General Conference (Bound Volume) |
1962 |
| 2291-3-2:
2 |
1962 General Conference Blue Book of Reports |
1962 |
| 2291-3-2:
3 |
1962 General Conference Blue Book of Petitions |
1962 |
| 2291-3-2:
4 |
1962 General Conference Blue Book of Supplement of Reports and Petitions |
1962 |
| 2291-3-2:
5 |
1962 General Conference Committee Reports, Folder 1 |
1962 |
| 2291-3-2:
6 |
1962 General Conference Committee Reports, Folder 2 |
1962 |
| 2291-3-3:
1 |
1962 General Conference Committee Reports, Folder 3 |
1962 |
| 2291-3-3:
2 |
1962 General Conference Recommendations to the Annual Conferences in North America |
1962 |
| 2291-3-3:
3 |
1962 General Conference Programs |
1962 |
| 2291-3-3:
4 |
1962 General Conference Episcopal Message |
1962 |
| 2291-3-3:
5 |
1962 General Conference Committee and Room Assignments |
1962 |
| 2291-3-3:
6 |
1962 General Conference "Our Common Heritage" Address by Charles C. Parlin |
1962 |
| 2291-3-3:
7 |
1962 General Conference Who's Who and Seating Arrangement |
1962 |
| 2291-3-3:
8 |
1962 General Conference "Daily Spotlight" |
1962 |
| 2291-3-3:
9 |
1962 General Conference News Clippings |
1962 |
| 2291-3-6:
3 |
1962 General Conference Photographs |
1962 |
| 2291-3-6:
4 |
1962 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape |
1962 |
Series: 1966 General Conference
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2292-3-4:
4 |
1966 General Conference Committee Reports |
1966 |
| 2292-3-4:
5 |
1966 General Conference Bishops Photographs |
1966 |
| 2292-3-4:
6 |
1966 General Conference Photographs |
1966 |
| 2291-3-3:
10 |
Proceedings of the 1966 General Conference (Bound Volume) |
|
| 2291-3-4:
1 |
1966 General Conference Blue Book of Reports |
1966 |
| 2291-3-4:
2 |
1966 General Conference Blue Book of Petitions |
1966 |
| 2291-3-4:
3 |
1966 General Conference Supplement Blue Book of Petitions |
1966 |
| 2291-3-4:
4 |
1966 General Conference Committee Reports, Folder 1 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-4:
5 |
1966 General Conference Committee Reports, Folder 2 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-4:
6 |
1966 General Conference Plan of Union of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical Church |
1966 |
| 2291-3-4:
7 |
Plan of Union to the General Conferences, November 1966, of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church |
1966 |
| 2291-3-4:
8 |
Plan of Union Supplemental Report to General Conferences, November 1966, Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren Churches |
1966 |
| 2291-3-4:
9 |
1966 General Conference Plan of Union |
1966 |
| 2291-3-5:
1 |
1966 General Conference Union |
1966 |
| 2291-3-5:
2 |
1966 General Conference Resolution |
1966 |
| 2291-3-5:
3 |
1966 General Conference Correspondence |
1966 |
| 2291-3-5:
4 |
1966 General Conference Programs |
1966 |
| 2291-3-5:
5 |
1966 General Conference "Spotlight" |
1966 |
| 2291-3-5:
6 |
1966 General Conference Recommendations to the Annual Conferences in North America |
1966 |
| 2291-3-5:
7 |
1966 General Conference Episcopal Message |
1966 |
| 2291-3-5:
8 |
1966 General Conference Who's Who |
1966 |
| 2291-3-5:
9 |
1966 General Conference News Clippings |
1966 |
| 2291-3-6:
5 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 1 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-6:
6 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 2 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-6:
7 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 3 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-6:
8 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 4 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-6:
9 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 5 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-7:
1 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 6 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-7:
2 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 7 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-7:
3 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 8 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-7:
4 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 9 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-7:
5 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 10 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-7:
6 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 11 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-7:
7 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 12 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-8:
1 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape, Tape 13 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-8:
2 |
1966 General Conference Reel-toReel Audiotape, Tape 14 |
1966 |
| 2291-3-8:
3 |
1966 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape Episcopal Message by Bishop J. Gordon Howard |
1966 |
Series: 1968 General Conference
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2291-3-5:
10 |
1968 General Conference Proceedings of Adjourned Session Transcripts |
1968 |
| 2291-3-5:
11 |
1968 General Conference Blue Books of Reports to the Adjourned Session |
1968 |
| 2291-3-8:
4 |
1968 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape April 22 |
1968 |
| 2291-3-8:
5 |
1968 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape April 22 |
1968 |
| 2291-3-8:
6 |
1968 General Conference Reel-to-Reel Audiotape April 23 |
1968 |
| 2291-3-8:
7 |
1968 General Conference Photograph |
1968 |
