BERLIN MENNONITE CHURCH
Berlin, Ohio
The Berlin Mennonite Church is located in Berlin, Holmes County, Ohio along U. S.
Highway 62. Berlin itself is a small town of about 300 people. The community in which the
church is situated is largely composed of Amish and Mennonite farmers and businessmen.
Harvey Schnell and B. F. Yoder, two active members of the Martins Creek Church,
furnished the vision which started the little Mission Station at Berlin in the year 1918. These
two able men were the superintendents of the first Sunday School at Berlin. The other laymen,
Joe H. Kandel and Hiram J. Yoder were also strong supporters. They served as enthusiastic
choristers alternately for twenty years.
The building in which the Mission was started was an old store building known as the
“Unger’ building. It had been used as a general store by a Mr. Unger seventy years previous to
the time the Mennonites held services there. George Beechy, a resident Mennonite of Berlin,
owned the building at the time of its purchase by Martins Creek Mennonite Church. It was
remodeled in 1915 at a cost of $1800.00.
Until 1920 the preaching services were irregular. Preachers were secured from various
places at irregular intervals. E. E. Miller preached the first sermon July 2, 1918. Other
outstanding early preachers were I. W. Royer, I. R. Detweiler, Fred Witmar and Calvin Mast.
Sylvanus Yoder conducted the first series of revival meetings October 6-8, 1918. George Lapp
preached the first sermon by a returned missionary, September 26, 1919. On Christmas Day,
December 25, 1920 J. E. Hartzler preached the first forenoon sermon. The first of the
consecutive Sunday School and Church Services were conducted May 1, 1921. The funeral of
Mrs. Moses T. Miller was the first funeral held in the Berlin Church.
O. E. Johns of the Beech Church, Louisville, Ohio, became the first bishop. He served as
bishop until 1941, when D. D. Miller, bishop of the Martins Creek Church, became the bishop of
Berlin. His is the present bishop. E. J. Varns served as the first deacon. In 1942 the church
called S. W. Sommers to be their pastor. In 1951 Paul Hummel was ordained as their minister.
There was considerable tension in the Martins Creek Church between the group
favoring services at Berlin and those opposing the idea. The tension places J. S. Gerig, who was
bishop at the time, and the ministers, Calvin Mast and Martin Miller into a difficult situation,
trying to keep the two groups reconciled. The final solution of the problem was the
appointment of a committee to study the situation and to bring recommendations to the
Martins Creek Church. This study was a success. On March 6, 1921, the church approved the
recommendation submitted by the committee.
Special interest developed in the movement when it became known that Hiram J. Miller,
in a will, stipulated that ten per cent of his estate should be donated to a building fund for a
new church building. The bequest amounted to $869.41. Thereafter a monthly building fund
offering was lifted. This started in January, 1942. By 1952 the fund totaled $20,000. The
church organized to build in 1951. A building committee composed of Roy R. Miller, A. S.
Wengerd, and Roy Mullet appointed to work with the trustees composed of William E. Schrock,
Willard Miller and Melvin Mullet, began plans for a new building. Ground breaking ceremonies
took place May 1, 1952. On June 12, 1952 the cornerstone was laid. On February 1, 1953 the
first services were conducted in the basement of the building. S. W. Sommers preached the
sermon using as his text Joshua 3:4. By March 1, 1954 the congregation worshiped in the main
auditorium. It was a happy occasion.
Today the Berlin Mennonite Church is a well organized, active church with nearly all the
activities of the older churches. D. D. Miller is bishop. S. W. Summers and paul Hummel are the
ministers. The membership in 1955 was 138.
THE BEGINNINGS OF THE GREY RIDGE MISSION CHURCH
By
During the summer of 1949 there were a group of men who were concerned about
fulfilling Jesus will in Acts 1:8. There seems to be security in large congregations but how can
we trust in large numbers when there are many about us who need the good news?
After canvassing a community known as Upper Sand Run, it was found that there were
many people who worked on the Lord’s day and took very little time for worship. An empty
school house stood in this community in which parties were held on Saturday evenings. After
contacting the owner and paying $25.00 a month we were allowed to have meetings on
Sundays.
The workers came from the Walnut Creek and Farmerstown congregations. The
ministers were also supplied by these congregations.
One problem was heating properly since there was a high ceiling and the windows and
door did not fit tightly.
During the summer of 1950 Bile School was held. Pupils were brought by cars. Teachers
were supplied by local congregations. Evening meetings were not attempted and by the fall of
1950 everything seemed to go along fine. During the summer of 1951 Bible School was again
held with a fine attendance.
Toward the fall of 1951 the person who owned the building was going to have public
sale and would offer the schoolhouse at public auction. He had told us that he would be glad to
have us buy the building but took means to see that we would not purchase it.
It was later found out that he was afraid our work would progress to fast, and not being
a religious man took this means to stop the spread of the Gospel. We were notified shortly
afterwards to take our possessions, which consisted of song books, benches and a stove. We
were not too happy about the turn of events and Satan was probably well pleased by this time.
Were we to give up so easily?
We had made it known that rather than give up what we had so been blessed with, we
would open our home and continue there until a new needy community could be found. One
evening when I came home from teaching school, a minister from the Walnut Creek
congregation was there and wondered if our offer was true and we said that it was. He said
that we could expect the group from Upper Sand Run to meet in our home the next Sunday.
We used folding chairs in our living room and had the men’s and women’s class there, a
primary class in the kitchen, and an intermediate and a junior class upstairs. After Sunday
School we had preaching service in the living room and kitchen. We received rich blessings by
opening our home. We had services in our home during Oct., Nov., Dec., Jan., and the first
Sunday in February.
During this time various places were canvassed. Several miles from our home, known as
Grey Ridge there was another vacant school house. One of our workers received an invitation
from a person in this community to come and hold meetings in this school house. After
considering this offer it was decided to move to this place. We were happy that a new place
had been found, but we were also sorry to have the group leave our home.
On the second Sunday in Feb. 1951, our group began its work in this new vicinity. We
were to see new faces and welcome old acquaintances to work together in the Lord.
The work was carried on as had been. Ministers were supplied by local congregations.
On March 27, 1953, Aden Yoder, who had been S. S. Supt. At the Farmerstown church, was
ordained to be our minister and has filled that office well in carrying on the Lord’s work. Our
average attendance for 1955-56 S. S. year was sixty and the membership is twenty-four.
We have weekly prayer meetings, Sunday evening services, and have had several revival
meetings. Bible School has been conducted every summer. During the last two years Bible
School has been held in the Clark High School because of increased enrollment and added
facilities. At present we are thinking about remodeling or building. A building committee has
been nominated and some plans will be forming in the near future.
Some people might say why put forth such an effort to spread the Gospel? And then we
read, one soul saved is worth more than the whole world, we have new courage to continue.
MARTINS CREEK MENNONITE CHURCH
Millersburg, Ohio
The Martins Creek Mennonite Church is located in central Holmes County, Ohio,
between Millersburg and Berlin. It is about one and one-half miles north of U. S. 62 highway. It
is located in a thickly settled Mennonite community with a sprinkling of Amish. The majority of
the members are farmers, although many are engaged in other occupations.
The original settlers from which the Mennonites came were Old Order Amish from
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Migration from Lancaster into this section of Holmes County
started some time during the first quarter of the nineteenth century. The date generally
associated with the earliest migrations is 1824. When the church was first organized in 1828 it
was still Old Order Amish. Frederick Hague was the first minister and Bishop of the group.
Others were Samuel Mast, Paul Stutzman and Daniel Miller. The deacons were Christ Mast and
Jacob Yoder. From 1828 until past the middle of the century services were held in homes of the
members as is still the custom among the Old Order Amish.
In 1860 a schism divided the small group of sixty. The dress problem, among other
difficulties among the ministers, was probably the chief cause of this split. Samual Mast, one of
the ministers, went with the group that withdrew. By 1865 only about twenty-four remained.
Frederick Hague organized this little group of twenty-four into what turned out to be the real
beginning of the present Martins Creek Church. At this time Jonathan Zook, a minister from
Fairfield County, Ohio, moved into the community and held a series of meetings in a tenant
house belonging to Abram Mast. This house was located about two miles from the site of the
present church building. In 1875 the first church was erected on the site of the present
building. Levi D. Miller was ordained a minister one year after the first church was built in
1878. Later he became bishop of the congregation following the death of the first bishop,
Frederick Hague. During this period the membership increased rapidly. In 1888 the original
building was enlarged to make more room, but by 1906 the membership had grown to 200,
making a new building necessary. The old building was moved aside for worship while the new
one was under construction. In 1955 the building was again remodeled and enlarged providing
for more classrooms, galleries and a mothers’ room.
German was the language used in the services, except in Sunday School, until 1900
when English gradually came into use in the church services. By 1906 all services were
conducted in English. The last preacher to use German was Levi D. Miller who died in 1906.
Joseph Mast was ordained bishop at this time and he was unable to preach in German. This
helped to heel the tensions due to the language problem. Hymns sung in Sunday School were
in English from the beginning. This practice may also have had an influence in making the
transition from German to English relatively short after it started in 1900. By 1906 all services
were in English. The first song books were: Bible School Hymns, up to 1884; Star of Bethleham
and Fountain of Praise to 1893. Since that time they used Gospel Hymns, five and six; Church
and Sunday School Hymnal; Gabriels Sunday School Songs; Pearls of Truth and Life Songs, one
and two.
In John Umble’s “Ohio Mennonite Sunday Schools” pages 333-340 is an excellent
description of the growth of the Martins Creek Sunday School. Interesting details are given in
this account which portrays vividly the struggles which the congregation experienced during
this transition.
The Young People’s Bible Meeting constituted the church’s answer to the problem of
keeping the young people from going to the Bunker Hill Brethren Church on Sunday evenings.
From the beginning in 1895, English was used in the evening services. Originally the name or
title of this evening service by the young people was “Sunday Evening Bible Meeting”. We are
told it was strictly that. References were handed out to various members present which were
read and if desired commented upon. After the Bible reading service was over, one of the
ministers preached a short sermon.
Before 1906, Martins Creek had no revival meetings. Soon after the new church was
completed meetings were started, known as Bible Conferences, which lasted all day. These
were usually conducted by two outstanding men from other districts. The topics were
discussed each forenoon and two in the afternoon. In the evening one of the ministers
preached an evangelistic sermon. The Bible Conferences were held annually for about twenty
years. The instructors for the first conference, held December 25-29, 1906, were Eli Frey,
bishop from Fulton County, Ohio and D. D. Miller, bishop of the Forks Church in Indiana. A few
of the other instructors follow: Daniel Kauffman, A. J. Steiner, Daniel Jones and S. S. Yoder.
When the meetings changed from the Bible Conference idea in 1926 to that of evangelistic
meetings, J. S. Curig and C. Z. Yoder were the first evangelists.
Summer Bible School was started in 1935. Since that time they have been held each
summer.
The young people have had their literaries as they have them now for many years. They
also had other activities common to Young Peoples’ activities in other established Mennonite
churches. In 1950 they joined the national Mennonite Youth Fellowship. The local organization
meets every Saturday night during the winter. During the summer months they put out a truck
patch as a missionary project.
The Martins Creek Church has started and sponsored several missionary projects, one of
which developed into an indigenous church. In 1918, a mission station was opened in Berlin,
Ohio which gradually developed into an independent organization, consummated in 1940.
Since then the Berlin Mission has built and dedicated a new church building along U. S. Highway
62 at the eastern edge of town. D. D. Miller is the bishop and S. W. Sommers and Paul Hummel
are the present ministers. This same year, 1918, the church also bought an old building east of
Millersburg, known as Farver Hill. Tensions between the community and church people due to
World War I, eventually put a stop to this effort. In 1942 another mission station was started at
the Morehead Church, three miles west of Holmesville, Ohio, but this mission effort here soon
came to a close because of lack of interest. In 1949 the church again opened a mission station
in a rural community, known as Flat Ridge, located about thirty miles from Berlin, Ohio in
Guernsey County. It is located in the vicinity of Newcomerstown, Tuscarawas County, Ohio.
Newcomerstown is a city of over 4000 people. In his travels Rudy Stauffer, then field member
of the Ohio Mission Board found this abandoned church building. It had not been used for
more than twenty years. He reported it to the Martins Creek Church. The community was
surveyed and Summer School started in July 1949. Glen Mast was appointed as superintendent
and served for a period of three years. William R. Miller then served for a period of one year.
Maynard Ressler from Fairpoint Ohio them moved into the community. At this writing he is
licensed to preach. Other workers are Dorothy June Mast, Leda Miller, Betty Yoder, Warren
Miller, Roman Wengerd and his wife Margaret. There are now eighteen baptized members.
In 1954 a number of the members started Sunday School and preaching services in a hall
in Millersburg, Ohio. There was a good interest from the beginning. At present the
membership is about ninety. In 1955 John King of West Liberty, Ohio was licensed to preach for
this group.
The present ordained leadership at Martins Creek are D. D. Miller, bishop; Warren Miller
and Omar Troyer, ministers; Roman Stutzman, deacon. The membership in 1955 was 357.
WALNUT CREEK MENNONITE CHURCH
Walnut Creek, Ohio
The Walnut Creek Mennonite Church is located three-fourth mile southeast of the town
Walnut Creek, Holmes County, Ohio. In 1950 Walnut Creek itself had a population of 225. The
territory surrounding the church is hilly, but the hills are covered with productive farms. The
occupation of the community as well as the church people is largely farming, although, many
work in the Sugar Creek brick yards, in private businesses and some drive as far as Canton, Ohio
and other surrounding towns for work in factories.
The early settlements in the various Holmes County communities were no doubt, a part
of the general spirit of the trek west which was prevalent during the latter half of the
eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth centuries. Farmers were included in this
general westward movement. They were interested in cheap land and in improving their
economic condition. Farmers, for instance, would move into a community, build a few cabins,
clear some land for cultivation, then sell for a small profit and again move farther west only to
repeat the process. It was all hard work and not too safe, for many times they would come in
conflict with the Indians. The Amish and Mennonites were included in this general spirit of
moving west where land was to be had for the settling and improving. The aim was to find
cheap land which could be used for a two-fold purpose – either to improve it temporarily and
sell or to make it a permanent home.
A party of men who came from Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1803, settled in
Holmes County, Ohio to find an appropriate place for settlement. They found a place they felt
was suitable, but they were unable to get deeds for the property they wanted until 1807. Then
the deeds were finally granted, and were signed by President Thomas Jefferson. The following
year, in the Spring of 1808, Jacob Miller and his sons Henry and Jacob settled in the vicinity of
what is now the Walnut Creek and Sugar Creek communities in Holmes County, Ohio. After
clearing land and erecting a few cabins for the two sons the elder Jacob again returned to his
home in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, but the next Spring, 1809, he once more returned, this
time with his family, and Jacob Stutzman, a nephew of his wife. These became the first Amish
families to settle in the more immediate Walnut Creek – Sugar Creek community. It is said that
the first cabin erected for a schoolhouse was in 1805 on a farm owned by the Stutzman
brothers. However, the cabin was used first as a private dwelling for two years by a Mr.
Constantine, who taught the first term of school in this section. The next year a distillery was
erected on the farm. This was a common practice even among the Amish. Whiskey was
considered a necessity. It eventually proved the ruin of many families. According to the
Hartzler and Kauffman, “Mennonite Church History”, page 258, the Jacob Miller mentioned
above became the first resident bishop in the Sugar Creek settlement. These original
settlements prospered regardless of the hills and dangerous Indians. This section became the
stronghold of the Amish in America. Bartering was one of the means used by the early settlers
to maintain peace with the Indians. The Indians were fond of milk, eggs and liquor and the
settlers gave these products in exchange for meat, usually turkey and venison. However, the
most diplomatic care could not keep the Indians form occasionally making raids.
In spite of the hardships caused by the hills and the dangerous Indians, the settlement
of Amish prospered and spread from this community until, by 1850 there were four thriving
Amish churches in various sections of Holmes County. As stated before, one of these church
communities was in the vicinity of Sugar Creek. Their bishop was Jacob Coblentz and the
ministers were Stephen Yoder and Moses Wengerd.
In 1811 another son of Jacob Miller moved from Maryland to a farm in what is now
Walnut Creek Township. His name was John J. Miller. Among others who soon followed the
early settlers into the Walnut Creek Township district were Abraham Gerber, Jacob Mast,
Charles Yoder, Jacob Stutzman, the Weavers, Hostetlers, and others, so that another church
community was soon organized in Walnut Creek Township, extending as far as Pleasant Valley
to Middletown. Their bishop was Moses J. Miller and the ministers were Moses R. Miller,
Christian Yoder and Solomon Miller. A third congregation was organized in the neighborhood
of Farmerstown, Limpitown and Charm – all in Holmes County, Ohio. Their bishop was Levi
Miller, and the ministers were John Frey, Miller and David Miller. The fourth congregation
which was the forerunner of the present Walnut Creek Church was in the vicinity where the
present Walnut Creek Church now stands. It was possibly the largest and fasted growing of the
four Amish congregations cited above. The bishop was Mose Miller and the ministers were
William Gerber and Abraham Mast. David Beechy served as the first deacon, but he was
ordained as minister in 1860 and bishop in 1870. Bishop Moses Miller was a man of progressive
attitudes and superior skill as a public speaker, but because of his more progressive tendencies
he was often misunderstood and therefore unjustly criticized.
These various groups met regularly in private homes for their worship services as is still
the custom among the Amish. However, the membership in the Walnut Creek community grew
so rapidly that by 1850 private homes were no longer adequate to accommodate the group.
The leaders became conscious of the need for a larger place to meet than in a private home. In
1850 a minister from Wayne County, Ohio, by the name of Gideon Yoder, frequently visited the
Amish Church in the Walnut Creek district and began to advocate a church building for worship.
At the same time he also advocated outdoor baptisms in streams instead of indoor which was
the custom up to this time. Outdoor baptism soon became the practice and was used for a long
time. Fortunately, the bishop and ministers as well as the majority of members favored a
church building. However, sentiment for a building was far from unanimous. Members could
not see eye-t-eye on this innovation. There was a schism. The opposing faction led by a Levi
Miller withdrew from the group with the more conservative element in 1852, and formed a
church of their own known as the “Lefy-gus”. This withdrawing chuch in the vicinity if Walnut
Creek is now known as the Noah Beechy Church and remains Old Order Amish. Closing this
schism an organization for building was set up and solicitation for it started. On December 25,
1861 Moses D. Miller, Henry Schrock and Benjamin Gerber were chosen as a committee to
solicit funds, to select a site and to build a church house. In a short time they raised $
.
However, the most difficult job was to select a site for the building. The committee looked
favorably upon two sites – one on the farm belonging to Solomon Weaver, on the ridge out of
Walnut Creek were Hill Crest fruit farm belonging to D. E. Hershberger now is located and the
other at the foot of the hill south of Walnut Creek on the southeast corner of the crossroad.
Solomon Weaver offered to donate land for the church site, but the owner of the other site
favored by the committee refused to release the land if a church house was to be built on it.
He even threatened to burn it down. The committee finally bought land from Jacob Stutzman
across the stream on the other side of the valley from the favored spot. It is located about
three-fourth mile south of the little town of Walnut Creek on Road #39. Moses H. Troyer was
selected for the building contractor on January 4, 1862. It was agreed to pay him $665.00.
David J. Troyer agreed to build benches for $73.00. Soon after the building was in the process
of erection it collapsed. There, However, was no serious damage to any of the workers. The
most seriously injured was Charles Sundheimer, not a Mennonite, by a falling scantling on his
foot. He had one toe amputated.
Another problem besides that of the schism was the problem of the draftees, because
at this time there was a civil war between the North and South over the question of states’
rights, secession and slavery. The big problem was “What position should a conscientious
objector to war take.” In March 1863 the government provided the alternative for draftees.
They were exempted from service in the army (1) by furnishing an acceptable substitute or (2)
by paying $300.00 to procure a substitute. They decided the most consistent choice was to pay
the $300.00 to procure someone to take his place. Does even that look consistent to the
reader? Simon W. Sommers, a minister of the Berlin, Ohio church relates the incident of a
farmer who was not a Mennonite and not a conscientious objector, who, when drafted
borrowed the $300.00 commutation fee from a Mennonite. After the close of the war, when
he repaid the Mennonite neighbor, the lender did not accept any interest. This, says Sommers,
brought tears of gratitude to the hard
draftees. Various officials of the church solicited
funds among the brotherhood to secure exemption of the draftees. The following incident is an
illustration of one undesirable side of this procedure. In 1865 several men, posing as
government officials came from Wooster, Ohio to visit a Mennonite Church service. They
succeeded in getting money enough to guarantee exemption from the next draft. A few days
later the war ended, but the money never returned.
In spite of the antagonism to the building program by many in the church and the
frustrations caused by the Civil War the church building was erected during the summer of
1862. It was nearly enough completed so that by November 9, 1862 the first services could be
held. The last services held in a private dwelling was the previous fall in the home of Henry
Schrock. The building was thirty-six feet wide and forty-six feet long and was heated by four
wood-box stoves. It had no basement. Because of serious opposition, the diplomatic bishop,
could not see his way clear to open the church building for Sunday School until 1873. In the
meantime the Sunday School was conducted in private homes. By 1873, when the bishop felt
he could proceed without another schism he encouraged having Sunday School in the church
building because “The little boys should learn German”, he said, pointing to bigger boys.
Church services were then held every two weeks and the Sunday School on the alternate
Sunday. Even after Sunday School started it took much patience and diplomacy to adjust on to
the time of the meeting – before or after church, forenoon or afternoon, because it was felt
then that the Sunday School should not intrude even the least bit on church time. The language
problem also soon created some tension among the members.
After Sunday School and the Church services were held in the church building the church
began to grow more rapidly so that by 1896 the membership had again out grown the building.
A new building was necessary to accommodate the increased membership so it was finally
decided to sell and build a new structure. Simon Horrisberger, a local wood worker and
blacksmith bought the old building for forty-four dollars and fifty cents, and moved it to Walnut
Creek to be used for a private implement shed.
The second meeting house was them built in 1896, again without a basement, at a cost
of $2450.00. In 1908 a basement was put under it to provide space for a furnace, and several
classrooms for the growing Sunday School. This was also done against the wishes of those who
said it could not be done. Those who favored the project consulted several carpenters. After
careful
of the grounds and building they recommended the project. The plans were then
carried through and the basement completed at a cost of $1712.00.
In 1949-1950, it was again thought necessary to provide more room. The building was
again remodeled.
Miller was the contractor and Herbert W. Gerber the engineer
who bought the materials and saw to it that they were on hand when needed. Herbert Gerber,
in a general way, conducted the construction procedure.
During the time of the remodeling project, Moses Hostetler, John Gerber and Clyde
Hostetler were the trustees. The special building committee was composed of Herbert W.
Gerber, Ervin Stutzman and John D. Hershberger. The two committees worked together as an
over-all building committee. Clyde Hershberger was treasurer. The project was completed in
1950 at a total cost of $36,442.51.
Since many of the members of the Walnut Creek Church resided in and around the
Sugar Creek area, six miles distant from Walnut Creek, a need was felt for another place of
worship. The site chosen for a building was Union Hill, a short distance east of Sugar Creek.
This project became possible through the cooperation of the Amish Mennonites, Dunkards, and
the United Brethren. The building was erected in 1879. Ministers of the Walnut Creek Church
assisted in the Union Hill services every fourth week. Around the 1890’s the Amish Mennonites
decided to hold their Union services in the town of Sugar Creek in cooperation with the United
Brethren and Reformed Churches. None of the three churches had enough members for a
church of their own. However, in 1913 and 1934 the United Brethren and Reformed Churches
erected a building of their own. The Amish Mennonites then started services with the Brethren
Church also in Sugar Creek. During this time the Amish Mennonites of the Sugar Creek branch
continued to observe baptismal and communion services with the Mother Church at Walnut
Creek. One of the Walnut Creek Ministers preached fir them every other Sunday at Sugar
Creek, alternating with the Brethren services. After Luther Hostetler was ordained at Walnut
Creek in 1915 he occasionally fill the pulpit at the Sugar Creek Union services. Several Years
later some of the members belonging to the Walnut Creek Church, but worshiping at Sugar
Creek, began to agitate for an independent congregation, with a resident minister at Sugar
Creek. For a number of years conference did not grant this request. In 1921 the interested
members at Sugar Creek signed a petition and presented it to the Annual Business Meeting at
Walnut Creek, January 1, 1922, requesting an indigenous organization at Sugar Creek for the
Amish Mennonites. The petition was received and the request granted. Members at Sugar
Creek were finally organized as an independent congregation in 1926. During this time, just
preceding the new organization at Sugar Creek, Lester Hostetler, due to his position on the
dress question as well as other views, became involved with the Eastern Amish Mennonite
Conference. It caused considerable tensions in the church at Walnut Creek. Lester then, in
1925, resigned at the Walnut Creek Church and served at the Union Church at Sugar Creek for
some time. In 1926 he was called as pastor to the church at Sugar Creek, which had already
withdrawn in 1925 from the Eastern Amish Mennonite Conference and united with the General
Conference of Mennonites.
In “Ohio Mennonite Sunday Schools,” by John Unble, pages 322-333 is an excellent
account of the origin and growth of the Walnut Creek Sunday School. On pages 327-328 he
gives the following account of the song books used by the church and Sunday School during
their earlier history. I quote: “in the attic of the Aaron Mast home the writer found stored a
number of books which had been in use in the various Sunday School and Church services in
and near Walnut Creek. These volumes shed important light on the variety and type of
materials used. The titles included the following: a Lutheran hymnbook (German) printed in
1821; Useful Songs for the Unprejudiced Singing Teachers in the United States (on the flyleaf
the words “Katie Mast, 1893); The Sacred Choir, by C. H. Leslie, Chicago Music Company. 1884;