THE HISTORY OF A BALDWIN CITY RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION: WILLOW SPRINGS OLD GERMAN BAPTIST BRETHREN CHURCH

Student Researchers:

Michael Breeden, Elizabeth Hickert, Nicole Penner, Allison Scahill (2003)

Tabitha Anthony, Alicia Ehlers, Ashley Johnson, and Nathan Michel (2005)

Editor: Dr. George Wiley, Baker University

Photographs of early and present church members

(from the Lawrence Journal-World)

Introduction

1. What are the churches of Baldwin City?
   
   
2. Has work on this church's history already been done? Is there a written history of the church? If yes to either question, find out more so you don't duplicate someone else's efforts.
   
   
3. Sources for Research.
   The denominational newsletter “The Vindicator,” old sermons, other documents, and interviews with members Charles and John Beeghley.
   
   
4. Notes on the Denomination to Which the Institution Belongs.
   The Old German Baptist faith is an offshoot of the Church of the Brethren. This faith dates, in America, back to 1719, when the first members came by boat to the New World. The Church of the Brethren itself developed out of the Lutheran and Mennonite Churches in Germany during the late seventeenth century. As the Church of the Brethren spread west in North America and grew in size, some members wished to become more modern. Conversely, some members did not want to become more modern, so a group of fundamentalist Brethren established the German Baptist faith, which is the group that established Willow Springs Old German Baptist Brethren.
   The Old German Baptist denomination is not as large as many Christian groups in the United States. The members do not have a large hierarchy of officials to answer to but instead look to the elders for guidance and leadership. In each state where an Old German Baptist Brethren congregations exist, the state is divided into districts. Kansas is divided into five districts. In each district an elder is appointed by the church members to be the leader. A man always holds this position. His duty is to answer any questions that are presented in the churches and oversee the council meetings held in the district. In the state of Ohio, some of the elders have an extra duty. Ohio is where the church's monthly newsletter, The Vindicator, is published. The newsletter allows members to publish their thoughts, revelations, and artistic creations. The articles are about church issues or beliefs and are subject to the approval of a group of elders called the Vindicator Committee. Seven elders check each submission to ensure that it is compatible with the doctrinal beliefs of the Old German Baptist church.
   Although the elders help decide many issues in their districts, there is an annual conference of members in the United States. The conference makes decisions about doctrine and practices to be followed by all members. This annual conference is held in a different location each year, coming to Kansas every twelve years because the state has fewer members than many other states and the conference preparations are time-consuming. All church members who are able are expected to come. The conference is held at the same time every year, during Pentecost. It runs from Saturday through Tuesday, with the Love Feast on Pentecost and a council meeting on Tuesday. The Love Feast consists of foot washing, a meal, and the Bread and the Cup (Communion). Serious discussions take place in the council meeting. Conferences meet outdoors, in tents. Several huge tents are used for council meetings or fellowship, and others are used for meals. Church members look forward to the annual conference. They associate and worship with thousands of other believers.
   
   
5. How did the church get started?

The building where the Willow Springs German Baptist Brethren is located was built in 1883, shortly after the split in the Church of the Brethren occurred and two years after the original Church of the Brethren building burned down in 1881, leaving the members without a place of worship for two years. Along with the new church building, the new Willow Springs District was formed with forty-six members. The membership of the district today is approximately seventy-five. Additional information was published in the Lawrence Journal-World in 2001:

Douglas County has long been home for members of the German Baptist community. It's believed their first organized group met in 1858 in Stephen Studebaker's log house southwest of Pleasant Grove. A meeting house, the first in Kansas, was built in Pleasant Grove in 1877. In the late 1800s, there was a split in the congregation, and the original German Baptists became the Old German Baptist Brethren. Their current meeting house, built in 1883, is in Willow Springs township 12 miles southwest of Lawrence. (Snead).

2. Who were the founders?

The names of the men and women who chartered the church are

Abraham Flory Jonathan Whistler

Sarah Flory Lydia Whistler

Jake Markley Jacob Chrowl

Mrs. Markley Betsy Chrowl

Lewis Churchbaugh Issac Flory

Mary Churchbaugh Samuel Flory

Michael Oswalt Elizabeth Flory

Sarah Oswalt Levi Flory

Grandpa Platz Sarah Flory

Grandma Platz Manuel E. Flory

Henry Spitler Tom Warne

Mary Spitler Barbara Warne

William Dangler Isaac Flory

Mary Dangler Emeline Flory

Abram Bates Samuel Peffley

Mrs. Bates Mary Peffley

Grandpa Mohler Manuel K. Flory

Grandma Mohler Belle Flory

Mrs. Mohler Abe Flory

Jake Bowers Sarah Flory

Joseph Kinney Aaron Miller

Christopher Flory Althea Miller

Mary Flory *Susannah Flory

*pictured in the Journal-World article (see link above)

3. Why did they decide to start a church?

There are two reasons why Kansas, and Willow Springs in particular, might have been an enticing location for an Old German Baptist church. During the white settlement of Kansas Territory in the mid 1800s, many people used the Santa Fe Trail, which went from Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory. As settlers ventured west on this trail, they began to form towns along the way. Willow Springs was one of these towns, a water and mail stop for travelers on the trail. Near to where the church is now was one of the first post offices of this area, no longer standing. Many of the people who settled in Willow Springs belonged to the Church of the Brethren. Brethren came to Kansas in part because Kansas became a free state, and the denomination was opposed to slavery.

4. Has the church existed in other buildings than the present one? What were they?
   The log home of Stephen Studebaker was the first official meeting place for the Brethren, a little southwest of Pleasant Grove (Snead). After that, members erected a meeting house in Pleasant Grove in 1877, and only six years later, after the first meeting house burned down, they built their current place of worship in Willow Springs (Snead).

5. How Major Historical Events Have Affected the Institution.
   (a) The Civil War. Historical events such as war, economic crises, and agricultural events are very important to the understanding of the history of the Willow Springs Old German Baptist Brethren Church. The Civil War played a part in the settlement of northeast Kansas by the German Baptists' denominational ancestors, the Brethren. The phrase “Bleeding Kansas,” designates the era of conflict between "free state" forces, who wanted the Kansas Territory to become a non-slave state, and pro-slavery advocates, often from Missouri, who wanted the opposite outcome. Some Brethren came to Kansas during this era. Many were already living in the area southwest of Pleasant Grove during the Civil War, and more moved to this area once the free-state faction prevailed, and slavery was illegal in Kansas. Later Brethren settlers came because they wanted to live in a free state.
   Willow Springs members today remember the Bleeding Kansas era. Charles Beeghley knows stories that have been passed down from church members who were alive then. The largest of the conflicts in Kansas occurred in August, 1863, when pro-slavery leader William Quantrill's forces raided and burned Lawrence, Kansas. After leaving Lawrence, Quantrill proceeded south toward Baldwin City. The founding members of the Willow Springs Old German Baptist Brethren, still connected at that time with the Church of the Brethren, lived on farms near that area. According to Beeghley, Jacob Ulrich, the church's pastor and a rumored supporter of the Underground Railroad, had his farm and home destroyed by Quantrill’s ruffians. Mr. Ulrich was also the great-grandfather of current member John Beeghley. Charles Beeghley said that there were several stories like Mr. Ulrich’s involving Quantrill’s raiders.

Henry Flory, a local Old German Baptist, recalled stories his grandmother told him in an interview with Lawrence Journal-World senior editor Bill Snead (Snead). Suzanah Flory was nine when William Clarke Quantrill, a pro-slavery fighter from Missouri, led his men in a raid against the anti-slavery Brethren. Her father, Jacob Ulrich, was a minister in the area and a reported friend of the abolitionist John Brown (Snead). Abraham Rothrock, a neighbor to Ulrich, also opposed slavery and therefore was also on Quantrill’s list of enemies (Snead). Henry Flory recalls that Quantrill and his troops left Ulrich’s homestead while it was still burning, so the family attempted to put out the fire. They managed to save the house, but not the barn. Rothrock attempted to stop the raiders when he saw them abusing his wife and daughter, and ended up being shot and falling “backwards into a cellar” (Snead). Flory said in the interview, “They say Rothrock’s sons told their father they were going to shoot Quantrill, who was passed out from drunkenness in their barnyard. Their father told them not to do it and said they’d have it on their conscience the rest of their lives” (Snead). Their pacifist way of life was evidenced by their reactions to this horrible situation.

In sum, events related to the Civil War did not directly affect the Willow Springs fellowship, but they did affect individual church members; “Bleeding Kansas” is a very important time in this community's history.

(b) Wars in the Twentieth Century.

The German Baptists, though they are exempt from military service, are still involved in war efforts. Members are encouraged to join service organizations during times of war, for instance Civilian Public Service during World War II. Such service involved medical work, firefighting, or cleaning and cooking. As believers in non-violence, the German Baptists are conscientious objectors in time of war. During times of a military draft they have received deferments and two-year terms of alternative service. Another reason why German Baptists do not serve in the military is that farming is very important to their livelihood, and with men away doing military service, there would not be enough people to tend the farms.

(c) The Dust Bowl.

Kansans whose livelihood was farming suffered greatly during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Charles Beeghley was alive during the Dust Bowl and reports that the hardships of the time required Willow Springs members to band together more than usual for survival. The only use for church funds is to help parishioners during hard times and to maintain the church, so funds were used especially during this time to aid needy families.

6. What people have been influential in the life of the church over time? (other than the founders). These people might include a particularly beloved pastor (or a particularly unpopular one) or a lay leader.
   
   
7. What controversies has the church experienced?
   The largest controversy was the three-way split in the years 1881-82 (Gordon “Groups”). Many German Baptists in America were beginning to believe that some aspects of the new technologies and inventions were not necessarily wrong or against the religion. Others still felt the strong tie to the very reason the church came into being, which was to escape worldly things and find the way back to God through simplicity (Gordon “Groups”). The German Baptists already located near Pleasant Grove, Kansas, opted for the more conservative wing and chose to break from the church in 1881 and join the newly formed Old German Baptist Brethren. This choice may not have been as difficult in this location as in some others, where modernism was more prominent, but it probably led to debates and strong feelings about which path to follow.

8. Sources of the Institution's Identity.
   Several factors give the Willow Springs Church its identity and distinguish it from other Baldwin City churches.  According to John Beeghley, German Baptists have a multiple ministry, and the ministers are not trained in a seminary but chosen from the congregation.  In addition, the ministers receive no pay, and the church does not take an offering during services, so the ministers and church must meet expenses some other way.   Also, there is separate seating for men and women. A further difference is the form of dress that German Baptists wear. Traditionally, women wear prayer coverings over their hair, and men grow long beards.  
   The church's moral teachings also give it a distinct identity in Baldwin City. German Baptists believe that television contributes significantly to violence, so they do not own televisions or anything geared towards secular entertainment, including radios, and they avoid carnivals and fairs. If German Baptists marry and then divorce, they could not remarry, but if a spouse dies, the living spouse may remarry.  If members remarry after a divorce, they cannot be a part of the church. Members believe that they are a part of God’s kingdom on earth, not a kingdom of the world, so they stay out of governmental affairs.  For example, they do not vote and are exempt from jury duty and military duty. They do not take an active part in sports.  They can play for recreational purposes but do not play for competition or support college sports.  They think that competition is a distraction from living a life for God.  The children of members do sometimes participate in school sports, but they may do so because they are not yet members of the church. Upon joining the church, they would be expected to change their dress and behavior.
   A common greeting among the German Baptists, a way of saying hello, is a kiss. The men will kiss only the men and women will kiss only the women.  Beeghley said this form of greeting had a biblical reference and that kissing is one of the most intimate forms of affection.  They kiss twice, once on each cheek, one kiss symbolizing charity and the other peace. Rather than practicing infant baptism, members believe that when old enough, people should decide for themselves whether they want to continue their faith in the German Baptist church.  German Baptists do not call their church a church, but rather a Meeting House. They use the King James Version of the Bible, and they expect each member to be well versed in scripture.  
   
   
9. The Institution's Mission or Purpose.
   The mission of the Willow Springs Old German Baptist Brethren Church is the spread the word of God to men and women who seek it. Members of the church practice a policy that men and women must come in search of religion. Contrary to evangelical Christians, the Old German Baptists will not go out and attempt to save the souls of men and women who may not want salvation. Members of the church believe that if people come to them seeking religion, then that person must have a sincere need that religion can fulfill. The German Baptists believe that evangelism would be an attempt to save the souls of people who would not sincerely practice religion. So the person seeking religion must take the first step, and then the members will help to guide him or her in the faith.
   The mission statement of the church is “Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16, The Vindicator). The mission statement embodies the members' faith. The paths of old are evident in the modest lives that the they lead. Members deprive themselves of certain luxuries such as secular entertainment and some modern technology. Their modesty is also displayed in the homemade clothing the men and women wear. This self-denial stems from the stand that Old German Baptists have taken against materialism and the ways of the world. All districts, whether it be in Indiana, Kansas, or Pennsylvania, practice the same strict guidelines. Another phrase used as guidance in the church is: “Of the Ancient Order and Self-denying Principles of the Church, as taught by the Savior and Held forth by the Fathers of our Fraternity” (Beeghley). The men and women of this church willingly follow the old guidelines that have been put forth by the founding fathers of the church.
   
   
10. How has the church ministered to the Baldwin City community?
    According to Ira DeSpain, minister to Baker University and resident of Baldwin City, the people of Willow Springs Old German Baptist Brethren minister to the community, just in a different way than most would realize. A group of bakers, MMMM Home-Baked Goodies, bakes, sells, and delivers things like freshly baked whole-grain bread every Friday. It is operated by four women whose names all begin with “M,” and who are members of the Willow Springs church. Also, at the Lawrence, Kansas, Farmers’ Market every summer, Margaret Clark (one of the four “M’s”) and her children bring “semi-free-range” chickens they have raised to sell to the community, as well ask baked goods (DeSpain). This work may not seem like ministry, but it marks their presence in the area and sparks questions in residents’ minds about who these people are, why they do what they do, and how they survive. Questions lead to examination, and examination could lead to new members of their small family of faith. The reminder of the “small-town, homemade, old-fashioned” way of life creates a desire for simplicity in the lives of those around the Brethren (DeSpain).

11. What contact or involvement has this church had with other churches in Baldwin City?
    
    
12. Is the church connected to a judicatory body? (annual conference, archdiocese, etc.) If so, what kind of relations has the church had with its judicatory body?
    Before the schism of the original Brethren church, the Annual Conference was the final authority for the denomination (“The Brethren”). In 1881, when the Old German Baptist Brethren broke away from the original group, they also disassociated themselves from the Conference in favor of starting their own annual national meeting. The meeting is held at various locations every year during Pentecost, and all members of the church are encouraged to attend. Besides deep discussions concerning the doctrine of the church, the four-day event also features worship ceremonies, meals, and the Brethren version of a Communion celebration.

13. What is the church's polity (how does it govern itself, how do decisions get made)? Are decisions up to the congregation only? Are others involved?
    Historically, the Brethren church has been a very democratic organization (“The Brethren”). The Annual Conferences make decisions democratically. While the more liberal offshoots of the Brethren church eventually formed a paid ministry, the Old German Baptist Brethren Church has clung to the old system (“The Brethren”). While there is some variance across congregations, most Old German Baptist Brethren congregations have an unpaid minister elected from within the group. Also, the elders of the church have special significance, considering that in the past they were called the “spiritual shepherds” of the church (“The Brethren”). The minister and the elders of the church are usually in charge of decision-making.

14. What was the toughest thing the church ever went through?

The toughest historical event the church had to endure was the split amoung the Brethren in 1881 (Beeghley). There were differences over what direction the church was to follow. The result was tension among members (Beeghley).

15. What are some of the religious organization's successes?

16. Are any roles in the religious organization assigned by sex? Why or why not?

In Old German Baptist churches generally, many roles are assigned by sex.  For example, women are not allowed to be ministers or elders (Roberson).  In this religion, the elders handle many of the decisions, and the ministers’ opinions are highly respected.  Thus women do not have much of a say in the way things get done or decided.  

Another way sex plays a role in the church is during Sunday services, where men enter through the left door while women enter through the right (Roberson).  In addition to that, men and women sit on opposite sides of the church for services.  Traditionally, German Baptist Brethren greet each other with a kiss of peace.  However, kissing is only allowed if the people are of the same sex.  When greeting a person of the opposite sex, they use a handshake.  This tradition is upheld in most German Baptist Brethren groups (Roberson). 

17. What are the demographics of the religious organization? (for instance, size of membership, average weekly attendance, age range, ethnicity, socioeconomic profile, education level)

18. What connection or interaction has there been between the organization and Baker University?

19. Is there other information that doesn’t fit in the categories above?

After the Thirty Years War in Germany, many Christians were unsatisfied with the existing denominations: mainly Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and German Reformed (“The Brethren”). The Pietist movement in Germany suggested that churches had become “too mechanical” and that religion should be more personal (“The Brethren”). One spiritual leader of the time, Alexander Mack, agreed deeply with pietism but also thought that churches should incorporate adult baptism. In 1708, Mack began re-baptizing believers (“The Brethren”).

The Brethren owe some of their traits to other Christian groups. Brethren members are often mistaken for Mennonites or Amish people, with whom they have interacted over the centuries (“The Brethren”). All these groups place an emphasis on personal spirituality, a product of their association with the older Anabaptist faith. Unlike the other two groups, however, the Brethren do not incorporate creeds into their doctrine, having “no other creed than the New Testament” (“The Brethren”).

In 1719, a Brethren group arrived in Pennsylvania (“The Brethren”). Other church members, including Mack himself, would follow in 1729 and 1733. The Brethren Church has always done its best to separate itself from the world by refusal to dress as others do, use many modern technologies, and participate in politics or military service. The group members were sometimes harassed by outsiders, who gave them the nickname “Dunkers” or “Dunkards” because of their practice of full-immersion baptisms (“The Brethren”). The group continued to grow and spread across America. Sometime during the 1700s, an Annual Conference was established to serve as a law-making body for the church.

During the 19^th century, as their church continued to expand, many members of the Brethren church became more liberal in their dress, worship, and spiritual thought (“The Brethren”). Many others wished to continue the traditional church practices and lifestyle. This difference in religious philosophy caused separations within the church. In 1881, the most conservative members of the Brethren formed the Old German Baptist Brethren, in order to “preserve pure, traditional ‘apostolic Christianity’” (“The Brethren”). Since then the Old German Baptist Brethren have adhered strictly to the original principles of the faith. Several other splinter churches have formed from the original Brethren, but they have been more liberal than the Old German Baptists (“The Brethren”).

As of 1995, there were only 5,277 members of the Old German Baptist faith, with 52 churches (five of which are in Kansas) and about 250 ministers (“The Brethren”). The group has a newspaper published in Ohio, The Vindicator. Within states containing more than one congregation of Old German Baptists, districts are established. Kansas is composed of five districts. Each district elects an elder, always a male, to serve as the district’s leader and to preside over congregational meetings within the district. The leaders of districts in Ohio also edit The Vindicator and ensure that it does not contain any information that disagrees with church doctrine (“The Brethren”).

Student Researchers' Comments.
The study of the Old German Baptist Brethren was an educational experience. Although the Willow Springs members are Christian, as are many other people of this area, most outsiders do not experience their traditional approach to worship and life. We not only explored the history of this church but also the fundamental workings of the faith, even today. By welcoming us to their home, John and Anna Beeghley gave us a first-hand experience of the Old German Baptist Brethren church and helped us to understand how important this denomination is to the Baldwin City Community.

Works Cited

Beeghley, Charles. Personal interview. 26 April 2005.

DeSpain, Ira. Personal interview. 25 April 2005.

Gordon, Ronald J. “Brethren Groups.” January 2005 Church of the Brethren Network. April 24, 2005. < http://www.cob.net/orgs/groups.htm >.

Gordon, Ronald J. “Brethren Timeline.” April 2005 Church of the Brethren Network. April 24, 2005. < http://www.cob.net/timeline.htm >.

Roberson, Holly. “Old German Baptist Church Details.” Garstfamily.com April 24, 2005. < http://www.garstfamily.com/ogbb/gb6.html >.

Snead, Bill. “Civil War Memories Retold.” April 21, 2001. Lawrence Journal-World. April 24, 2005. < http://www.ljworld.com/section/quantrill/story/63487 >.

“The Brethren.” Religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu. April 15, 2005. < http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/brethren.html >.