A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

and forties the Winkler Bible School enjoyed considerable prestige and popularity throughout the Canadian M.B. constituency. The spiritual stature of such men as Unruh and Wiens, well-known throughout the brotherhood, attracted many students from other provinces as well and even from other denominations. Unruh's transfer to the Mennonite Brethren Bible College in Winnipeg in 1944 was a great loss for the Winkler school. In that year the Manitoba M.B. Conference assumed responsibility for the operation of the Winkler Bible School. Under the leadership of such men as H. H. Redekop, G. D. Huebert, John Goossen, and H. R. Baerg the school has continued to serve its constituency well. From 1929 to 1942 a German Bible School was conducted by the Mennonite Brethren in Winnipeg. It was largely an evening school to accommodate people who worked during the day. Abram Peters served as instructor for a number of years. The Steinbach Bible Institute, begun in 1932 by Mennonite Brethren, later developed into a community Bible school and is no longer under the auspices of the M.B. Church. TRAINING FOR I.IFfi AND SKRVICE 261 Bethany Bible Institute The "migrant Bible school" conducted by J. F. Harms in 1911 and 1912 had created a desire among Mennonite Brethren in the Rosthern District for a completely Bible-centered school. For fifteen years (1912-1927) the Herbert Bible School attempted to meet this need in the North Saskatchewan constituency. However, geographic distance and other considerations called for the establishment of a second Bible school in the North. Thus Bethany Bible Institute at Hepburn came into existence in 1927, with D. P. Esau and G. Harms" as instructors. Bethany Bible Institute has benefited through the years from the spiritual leadership of brethren well-known in the M.B. Conference. In 1933 J. B. Toews was called to the principalshipof Bethany to strength- en the "spiritual life and gain even wider sympathies for the training of Christian young people." 1 " He was succeeded in 1937 by G. W. Peters. During the five years of his leadership the Bethany Bible Institute developed a strong missionary emphasis. The Western Children's Mission was born in the missionary atmosphere of the school. For three years (1942-45) G. D. Huebert served as leader of the school. During the long term of J. H. Epp as principal (1945-63) the school expanded its facilites and its services. It was during this time that the Herbert and Hepburn schools amalgamated. Since 1963 C. Braun, former principal of the Herbert Bible School, has given leadership to the expanding institution. In the late sixties the Alberta M.B. Conference officially joined the Saskatchewan Conference in its support of the Bethany Bible Institute. Its enrollment in recent years has been consistently high — with more than 150 students attending the school. Perhaps more than any other M.B. Bible school Bethany has inspired its students