A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

These are all schools of the M.B. and K.M.B. Unified Educational Program. Grace Bible Institute, Omaha, Nebraska, is also in this group, a recognized inter-Mennonite and interdenominational Bible Institute. Second, schools on the local or regional level; among them may be mentioned Freeman Junior College and High School, Freeman, S.D.; Immanuel HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH Christian High School and Academy, Reedley, Calif.; Central Christian High School, Hutchinson, Kansas; and James Valley Christian High School near Huron, S.D., at Camp Byron, opened its doors for the first time September, 1957. *i Several outstanding educators have served in the schools listed above. David E. Harder (1872-1930) served on the faculty of Tabor College from 1909 to 1922, of Bethel College from 1922 to 1927, and of Freeman College from 1927 until his death in 1930. He also served as conference moderator for the K.M.B. Church for thirteen years in succession (1913-1926). Another teacher who served on the faculty of Tabor College for several years was C.F. Plett. He also served as conference chairman and in many other capacities in his brotherhood. Another gifted educator was Joseph W. Schmidt, who served on the faculty of Grace Bible Institute from 1950 to 1960 (the time of his death), the last four years as president. He was also much in demand as a speaker at Bible and missionary conferences, not only in the K.M.B. constituency, but also in Mennonite Brethren churches. 8. Moving Toward Merger In discussing the merger-question David V. Wiebe makes the observation that "it is much easier to divide than to unite." 1 ' The long history of intermittent "courtships" between the K.M.B. and M.B. groups certainly confirms that statement. Contacts with the Mennonite Brethren date back to the early history of the K.M.B. Church in the Crimea. Unfortunately the only M.B. group with whom they established contact at that time was the Hermann Peters' group which had separated from the Molotschna Mennonite Brethren and moved to the Crimea. This group still defended the Froehliche Richtung and insisted on noisy demonstrations to express their "joy in the Lord." This aspect did not at all appeal to the Wiebe group and thus a closer fellowship was ruled out. Shortly after the K.M.B. group settled in Marion County, Kansas, in 1874, Mennonite Brethren began to arrive and settled in the same general area. In 1876 a large group of Mennonite Brethren with a Volga-German background arrived, led by elder Peter Eckert. Both Wiebe and Eckert believed that it would be well if the two groups, who shared a common faith, would unite. On the question of the mode of baptism they were close to an agreement, but the Volga brethren still justified the "sister kiss." Moreover, they held strongly to certain millennial teachings which the K.M.B. group found unscriptural. Perhaps the most crucial question was the question of leadership