According to previous appointment the members of the West Ohio Eldership in Findley Bethel, Findley, O., Wednesday, October 16th at 2 o'clock, p. m.

      The Speaker and Clerks constituted the Eldership.

      The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Speaker, D. Shriner; Clerk, J. H. Basore; Reporter, J. W. Senseney.

      The opening sermon was delivered on Wednesday evening by our worthy brother T. Hickernell, from 1 Cor. ii: 1, 2. The discourse was well appreciated.

      The Eldership closed on Saturday night.--There were two night sessions (Friday and Saturday nights). The Eldership passed off quite pleasantly.

      Quite an amount of important business was transacted of which the following is a brief synopsis.

      The reports of the following ministers were adopted and licenses renewed.
      J. W. Sensney, A. Resh, W. Shafer,* D. Shriner, L. Ensminger, L. W. Keller, W. McCormick,* D. Shrum,* G. E. Ewing,* H. Prestler,* J. Dobson,* W. Adams, S. Furguson, G. W. Wilson, J. H. Basore, J. W. Aukerman, Moses Gault, W. P. Small, T. Hickernell, C. Now,* J. Neal, J. B. White,⁺ R. L. Smith,⁺ A. J. Warren.

      Those marked thus * reported by proxy, and thus ⁺ were transferred to the Michigan Eldership.

      A. Kline not heard from. Referred to the Standing Committee.

      H. Prestler's license withheld until certain rumors are adjusted.

      Bros. Myers, Landes and Lilley, of the East Ohio Eldership were received as members of the Eldership during its present session.

      The following persons were licensed: J. Richards, M. C. Mowen, D. S. Warner and S. Chamberlain.

      Resolutions referring to the following subjects were adopted:
      1. Forbidding the transfer of life members of the missionary society (except ministers), and requiring the payment of the principal and interest thereon.
      2. Commencing the Gem and recommending the establishment of Sabbath Schools.
      3. That there be at least three campmeetings held the ensuing year.
      4. Creating a superannuated, widow's and a contingent fund.
      5. Requiring the preachers to be paid quarterly.
      6. Requesting the East Ohio Eldership to pay Elder Adams the same amount that we do, ($80,) commencing with 1866.

      The following committees reported. Their reports were adopted.
      1. Rules of Order. 2. Resolutions. 3. Journals. 4. State of Religion. 5. License. 6. Education. 7. State of the Country. 8. Temperance. 9. Translations, &c. 10. Obituaries. 11. Overtures. 12. Standing Committee. 13. Standing Committee reported as follows:
      Findley and McComb Circuit.--J. W. Aukerman and D. S. Warner.
      Wyandotte Circuit.--J. H. Basore.
      Seneca Circuit.--J. W. Sensney.
      Williams County Circuit.--G. W. Wilson.
      St. Mary's Circuit.--W. P. Small.
      Degraff Mission.--M. C. Mowen.
      Osceola Mission.--L. Ensminger.
      Maumee Mission.--J. Richards invited to take charge of it until the Standing Committee can fill it.
      Putnam Mission.--A. J. Warren.
      Genesee Mission.--Transferred to the Michigan Eldership.

      The old Board of Missions was re-elected.

      Report of the Board of Missions:
      Cash received, $167 78; Subscription to Board of Missions, $145 00; Amount paid to William Adams, $85 00. Balance in treasury transferred to the Book Depository, $82 78. Samuel Ferguson appointed depositor.

      The Standing Committee consists of the following brethren, J. W. Sensney, W. P. Small, J. W. Aukerman, Jacob Hefflebower, S. Ferguson. All letters to be addressed to Elder J. W. Sensney, Attica, Seneca co., O.

      Bro. Busch, of Baltimore, was invited to travel among the Germans of this Eldership. Nineteen dollars and fifty cents were raised to defray his expenses here.

      Any person desiring a copy of any of the resolutions passed can obtain them by enclosing a stamp and addressing Elder J. H. Basore, Upper Sandusky, O.

      The next session of the Eldership is to be held at the Bearie Bethel, two miles north of Celina, Mercer co., on the third Monday in October, 1868. Elder W. P. Small is to preach the opening sermon.

      Bros. J. W. Sensney, D. Shrum and Moon were appointed a board of Trustees to take charge of the Clintonville Bethel.

[The Church Advocate 32 (October 31, 1867): 214-215.]

      J. H. Basore's "An Abbreviated Report of the Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Eldership of the Church of God in West Ohio" was first published in The Church Advocate, Vol. 32, No. 27 (October 31, 1867), pp. 214-215. The electronic version has been transcribed from a copy of the article provided by Jean Leathers, Archivist of the Churches of God Historical Society.

      Pagination has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. (Note: In six of the seven times that the name of J. W. Senseney is mentioned, it is spelled "Sensney"; these have not been corrected; nor has the spelling "Findley" for "Findlay" on three occasions.) Emendations are as follows:

                  Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 214:    Abreviated [ Abbreviated
            Acording [ According
            wer licensed: [ were licensed:
            refering [ referring
            St. Marys Circuit. [ St. Mary's Circuit.
 p. 215:    Sandnsky [ Sandusky
            is to held [ is to be held
            Octo- 1868. [ October, 1868.
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 18 April 1999.
Updated 15 July 2003.