East Pennsylvania Conference
Attempts to reconcile the division failed and in 1847 a new group, East Pennsylvania Conference, was formed from about a quarter of the original Franconia members. Oberholtzer provided leadership for the new conference, creating a set of guidelines to act as a constitution. He initiated contact with Canadian and European Mennonites in order to incorporate ideas from the broader Mennonite world into the new conference.
Oberholtzer stressed training for young people wanting to become church members. He distributed a catechism booklet among the churches as a guide for religious education. The class he formed for his own congregation in 1857 was one of the very first Mennonite Sunday schools in North America.
Oberholtzer purchased a hand printing press in 1851 and set it up in his locksmith shop. He published Der Religiöse Botschafter (the Religious Messenger) with a circulation of 400, the first successful Mennonite periodical in North America. The financial burden and the demands on his time ended the operation after three years. In 1856, with funding from 92 shareholders, the Mennonite Printing Union was organized and printing resumed with a periodical named Das Christliche Volksblatt. Besides the periodical, books and other material were printed at this new facility. Oberholtzer's contribution as publisher and editor was to have significant influence on Mennonites in North America.
Oberholtzer writing reflected his response to issues of his time. He advocated open communion, allowing Christians of other denomination participate. With respect to the emotional prayer meeting movement, he believed one should pray continuously and need not participate in specially arranged prayer meetings. He was opposed to church members participating in secret societies and believed foot washing should be taken symbolically, not literally. Oberholtzer believed participation in war is always wrong.
Read more about this topic: John H. Oberholtzer
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