• "From New Haven, Ohio" by D. S. Warner. The Church Advocate 36 (April 17, 1872): 2.
• "From Elder D. S. Warner." The Church Advocate 37 (February 12, 1873): 2.

      BRO. FORNEY.--I will give a brief sketch of the condition of the church in the above-named place. About one year ago there was a band organized in this place, consisting of about forty members, rich in the pardoning blood of Jesus, but poor in the possession of the world's goods, many of them also being young in years. The meeting was held in the M. E. church, and a tolerably good feeling prevailed, until Bro. Warner, by the help of the Lord, commenced earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the saints, and organized a band. Following this unspeakable goodness and mercy that the Lord had manifested in our midst came the persecution of sectarianism and formalists, when they discovered that the converts would rather own Christ as the founder, his word was their creed and discipline, and the Church of God as the name of the church, than Wesley as the founder, the invention of man as their creed and discipline, and Methodist for the name of the church. Following this discovery there were a great many would-be modern-day prophets who prophesied that the band would soon disband and again go back in the beggarly elements of the world. They seemed to feast upon and glory in this prediction. Thanks be to God, through all the storms of persecution we continued to hold two weekly prayer meetings which were well attended and graciously blest, and had it not been that those prayer-meetings we were ofttimes met by our ministerial brethren, D. S. Warner and T. James, from whom we received wholesome advice, it would indeed have been discouraging.

      As I do not wish to be tedious, I will speak of the present. This winter we again had a protracted meeting here, held by Bro. Jenner and myself, assisted by Bro. Warner and others. The meeting was held in an old dilapidated building, once used for a foundry, now used for a cooper shop. We were ofttimes reminded of Joseph and Mary going to Bethlehem. They found no room in the inns, hence they took lodging in a stable. So with us. There were two houses built for the worship of God, and one had been repaired partly with the money paid by the brethren, and neither was occupied at the time, yet we had to worship where we could hear the cattle eating their fodder. The meeting was held here for about four weeks, and then was moved to the Baptist house by consent of three trustees out of five. At the end of five weeks the meeting closed, resulting in some eight conversions, and an understanding that we could have the house for regular preaching every two weeks, but not for prayer-meeting. The brethren then had one prayer-meeting in the Town Hall. They were there met by a Methodist brother who invited them to drop their prayer-meeting and come and worship with them. They did so, but the most of the band absenting themselves, I opposed this union, as it was scattering the flock. The brethren then announced a prayer-meeting at the house of one of the elders, which was well attended and graciously blest. Now there is a new scheme, namely, the popular method of union meeting, in which stood the representative of Baptist, Close Communion and Freewill, Methodist and Church of God. This I also discountenance, as such a union is a mockery in the sight of God, and there is but one way for the Church of God to unite, and that is upon the word of God. Be ye one as I and the Father are one. Leaving the name Church of God prayer-meeting and calling it a union prayer-meeting is floating into sectarianism under the popular garb of union. We now intend to make an effort to build a house of worship, and we have the promised aid and assistance of many who at present are not connected with any society, but are warm friends to the Church of God; and if we can procure the assistance of the brethren at large, so that we can build a comfortable house of worship, sectarianism in this town will be among the things of the past. Pray for us.

[The Church Advocate 37 (March 12, 1873): 2.]

      S. Kline's "From New Haven, Huron Co., Ohio" was first published in The Church Advocate, Vol. 37, No. 46 (March 12, 1873), p. 2. The electronic version has been transcribed from a copy of the article provided by Jean Leathers, Archivist of the Churches of God Historical Society.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 12 April 1999.
Updated 15 July 2003.