The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-04-13
UNITED BRETHREN
Interesting tiistory of the Doc
trines Of This Church.

The following is brief sketch of the
history OF the Church OF the United
Brethren in Christ:
Philip William Otierbein, who was lis
founder, was born in the duchy of
Nassau, Germany, June 4th, 1926, and
at tho age Of "a he was ordained min
lister in the Reformed Church. In the
year 1851 the synod of North and South
Holland sent six young ministers to
America as missionaries, ono of which
was the Rev. Otterbein TDese young
men landed in New York July 81. 1852
MIR. Otterbein preached for tho Re-
formed Church in America until 1874, at
which time he was in tho city OF Balti-
trine and discipline, was distinct from,
and Independent of, the German Re.
formed Church This church Mr.. OF
terbein at first called the Evangelical
Reformed Church, but shortly changed
its title to UNITED Brethren in Christ"
This church held its first annual con-
ference in the city of Baltimore in 1889,
and It's first general conference met
near Mount Pleasant, Wcstmoreland
county Pa, June 6, 1915.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH.
I'VE believe in tho only true God, the
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost;
that these three are one-tho Father in
the Son, tho Son in the Father and the
Holy Ghost equal in essence as living
with the Father and with the Son. We
believe that God created all things, both
visible and invisible; that he sustains,
governs and protects these, with gracious
regard for tho welfare of man, to tho
,rl re, II Ill
Christ; that he is God and man; that he
became incarnatc by the power of the
Holy Ghost, and was born of tho Virgin
Mary; that he is the Saviour and Media
tor of the whole human race, il they,
with full faith, accept the grace prof
fered in Jesus.
1--WE believe in the Holy Ghost; that
he is equal in being with the Father and
with tho Son; that he convinces tho
world of sin, of righteousness and of
Judgment; that no comforts the faithful
and guides tEem into all truth. We be.
lieve that the Holy Bible, Old and New
Testament, is the word of God; that it
reveals tho only true way to our saliva
ton. We believe that tho sacraments,
baptism and the Lords supper, are to
he used in the church, and should be
practiced by all Christians; but the
mode of baptism and the manner of OBJ
serving the Lords supper arc always to
be loft to tho Judgment and understand
ing of each individual; also the baptism
OF children shall BIO left to the judg-
ment OF believing parents.
1--WE believe that man is fallen from
original righteousness and apart from
the grace Of our Lord Jesus Christ, is
not only entirely destitute of holiness,
but is inclined to evil, and only evil,
and that continually, and that except a
man be born again he can not see the
kingdom of Heaven. We believe that
regeneration is the renewal of the heart
OF man after the image of God, through
the word. by the act of the Holy Ghost,
by which the believer receives the
spirit of adoption and is ena bled to serve
God with the will and the affections.
We believe in the resurrection of the
dead, the future general Judgment and
an eternal state of reward, in which the
righteous dwell in endless life and the
wicked in endless punishment"
Tho church has three distinct con-
ferences. The quarterly conference,
which meets four times each year in
each field of labor, is presided over by q
presiding elder; the annual conference,
which meets annually, is presided over
by one of the bishops; the general con-
ference, which meets once every four
years, is presided over by the senior
bishop