Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-31
BISHOP RUDOLPH DUBS
DIES AFTER 60 YEARS
Toll FOR HIS CHURCH
Leader in United Evangeli-
cal Faith, He Endured
Privations in Early Days
in West to Build Up Con-
gregations.

HARRISBURG, March 3i.-Blshop Ru-
dolph Dubs, Of the United Evangelical
Church, died at his home In Harrisburg
early this morning. at the age of a.
after an Illness OF several months.
Bishop Dubs is survived by widow and
FIVE sons, the Rev. Or. c. Newton Dubs,
superintendent of the China Missions Of
the United Evangelical Church, OF Huan,
Chna Edwin A. Dubs, of Cleveland; Jesse
q. and Alfred w. Dubs. b,th Of Los An
geles Cal, and Martin c. Dubs, stu
dent at Albright College, Myerstown.
Rudolph Dubs was born near wornes,
Germany, May 81, 1887. The famlly's rec
ord goes back to the 18th century. At
that time the ancestors OF the bishop were
among the followers OF Huss. He came
TO this country with his father In 1852.
His mother died the first night they were
on the vessel, sailing from Havre, France,
to New York.
Father and son went to Stephenson
County, illinois, about 10 miles north of
Freeport, where some old acquaintances
had settled. A few weeks after the fam
ily's arrival, Rudolph started in school
and as he had studied English, got along
we'll
He was brought UP in the United Prot
estant Church, learned the Heidelberg
Catechism and was confirmed in that
faith.
GOES INTO WILD COUNTRY.
In the fall Of 1855 he became llcentiate
of the ministry and April 20. 1856, he was
received by the Illinois Conference into
the active ministry and assigned to
large charge near Freeport. In the spring
OF 1857 he was sent across the Mississippi
as a missionary to work among the Ger
mans of Iowa. In 1858 he preached regu-
larly Mt Cedar Rapids, Lisbon, otter
Creek, Brandon and independence.
Under his supervision the Evangelical
Church at Independence was the second
of the denomination in Iowa. Next year
he was sent to Grandview. the oldest
and best charge in Iowa. The spring of
1860 was an important epoch In his life.
All the missions west of the Mississippi
in Iowa, Minnesota. Nebraska, Missouri
and Kansas were originated into a sepa-
rate annual conference.
He was sent to Kansas and with horse
and buggy he made his way through
Iowa and Missouri to Humboldt, Kan.
No missionary had been sent there by
the church. The border war was raging.
The fight was on to make Kansas free
State. Here he helped with General, af-
to- ward Senator Lane. Colonel Mont
go.nery, the famous John Brown and
others. This was the year of the great
drought. a large sum of money and
provisions were sent, which he distributed
among the needy settlers regardless OF
name or church fellowship.
KEPT OUT OF POLITICS.
lie could have had a nomination to the
Legislature; was urged by General Lane
and others to enter the political field, but
remained minister of the gospel. He
built the church at Humboldt. the first
church of his denomination In Kansas.
The following year he was stationed in
Leavenworth, Kan. Here he erected the
second church of his denomination in
Kansas.
In the spring of 1862 he was elected
travelling agent by the trustees of the
proposed college at Plainheld, Ill. The
second year he was made general agent.
He labored successfully, so that the col
lege was given a fine start.
In 1864 he resigned, after having been
unanimously elected general agent. He
was next chosen presiding elder and sta
toned in the Des Moines district. This
comprised a large territory, over which
he Travelled by horse and buggy. His self
denial was very great. He had a number
of narrow escapes from death in that
wild country.
BY his literary productions he attracted
the attention OF the leading men of the
so that at the General Confer
ence held In Pittsburgh in 1867 he was
elected sole editor OF the Christliche
Botschafter. the German organ of the
the oldest, largest and at that
time the most widely circulated Protest
ant religious paper in the country. He
was reelected in 1871, Under his editor
ship the Botschafter increased about 5000
in its circulation.
BISHOP AT THIRTY EIGHT.
After eight years literary service in his
position as editor the General Conference
in Philadelphia in 1875 elected him bishop
at the age of 3S. A law of the church
prevented his reelection In 1902. He has
recently been editor of the Zeitschrift. He
was a member of General Conference
since 1868 and Identified with missionary
ana educational interests.
In connection with the Morris Seminary
In Illinois and the Seminary of the Cove
nanter Presbyterian at Grandview, Ia.
he enjoyed further educationa, adVan-
tages, BY private arrangement he took
the theological course of Lane Seminary.
His intimate relations with the famous
Chrstlieb OF the University of Bonn and
other theological professors of the schools
of Germany greatly assisted him in his
work.
CAUGHT AFTER RACE