EV. C. H. SWANK, who lived in the bounds of the Virginia Valley Conference, was a devoted church worker, especially in the department of Sunday schools. In 1887, at the Conference at Bethlehem in Rockingham county, he submitted the report on Sabbath schools, and urged "a more earnest effort" in building up this part of the Church's work. At the Conference at Antioch in 1892, he was admitted to the Biblical class "with a view of being licensed some time in the future," and had served on the Conference Executive committee during the year 1891-'92. Also as chairman of the committee on Sabbath schools, he reported: "We recommend the Sunday School Convention as was organized in this Conference as one of the best ways of bringing the Sunday schools together on one platform."

      At the Conference at Bethlehem, in 1893, he was recommended by the committee on Education for licensure, and was duly licensed by the president of the Conference. He served on two committees--that of Sunday schools and that of Religious Literature. In 1894, he represented his church, Antioch, in the Conference held at Concord in Rockingham county, Virginia, and served on the committee on Temperance. In 1895, he served an chairman of the committee on Moral Reform, and reported that he had attended the Eastern Virginia Conference as a fraternal messenger. He represented Antioch at Linville in 1896, and in 1896-'97 served as [397] Conference missionary, preaching at New Hope and Mountain Grove. In 1898, at Concord, he was elected a delegate to the Christian Missionary Association. The last record we have of him is his attendance at the Conference at New Hope, in 1899. Though not stout, he was well formed and of good appearance. His health failed him, and consumption quickly bore him away. He was a noble hearted christian worker, and the prospects before him at one time were bright and encouraging.

[LCM 397-398]