In my two previous posts on the Dunkards, I have been trying to figure out the correct name for my relatives. Here is some very helpful information for any information seekers out there from Glenn Miller, my father's cousin.
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Church denominational names, etc. can get confusing, especially in this digital era of easy generation of information. Let me humbly make some comments.
The "Old German Baptist Brethren Church" did not exist until 1881. Thus references involving the "Church of God", Daniel Miller, etc. do not apply to the
Old German Baptist name and to the Dunkard Brethren. Here's a brief history!
Prior to 1881 with minor exception the name would have been the "Fraternity of German Baptists" or "German Baptist".
In 1881 the "Old German Baptist Brethren Church"(commonly also identified as the Old Orders) split from the "German Baptist" (commonly also identified at that time as the Conservatives). Today there is a "New Conference - Old German Baptist Brethren" denomination.
In 1883 the "German Baptists" essentially disfellowshipped the progressive wing. The progressive wing became the "Brethren Church" (commonly also identified at the Ashland Brethren or the Progressives). Today they are not the most progressive of the 1708 Brethren groups.
In 1929 the "Dunkard Brethren" left the "Church of the Brethren".
The term "Dunkard Brethren" should only be used to reference the "Dunkard Brethren" denomination.
In 1939 the "Grace Brethren" left the "Brethren Church". Today there are additional Grace Brethren groups.
Your grandmother Ester's parents and siblings belonged to the "Old German Baptist Brethren".
The "Old German Baptist Brethren" did not, and do not, have weddings in their Meeting Houses.
And as you referenced later - your grandparents would not have been married in one of their Meeting Houses. Amsey's home congregation would have been the Lower Deer Creek congregation south of Camden.
The wearing of the beard was established in the 1800's for Ministers and Deacons.
And for laity to be considered to be in "full order" of the church.
The Daniel Miller of Ohio you referenced - I will assume he is the Daniel that established the Bear Creek congregation west of Dayton. I conversed with a descendant of his a week ago.
When "Deer Creek" is associated with our Wise's, it would reference the creek that flows thru Carroll County, not the town of Deer Creek.
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2 comments:
I found your post a little confusing, because you omitted the name change of the main/largest part of the 1708 Brethren. In the early 1900s, the German Baptists changed the denominational name to Church of the Brethren.
Also, the Old Order German Baptist Brethren--New Conference only formed in the past few years.
Anna - You are right. I intended and thought I had mentioned that in 1908 the German Baptist's (the main line) changed their name to "Church of the Brethren." The name change was initiated because they did not want to appear to be only of German nationality, and they also wanted to not have the German name to associate them with the politics of the German nation. There are other groups besides the 1708 groups today that call themselves German Baptists. Wikipedia has very accurate writings on the various German Baptist groups. I attended the initial New Conference meeting in Troy, OH, in 2009. One can observe on You Tube NC singing of "Arise my Soul Arise" and "One Above All Others" by searching "Old German Baptist" and "All Rise" and "Power In The Blood" by searching "GB YFs".
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