HISTORICAL QUOTES

The following are statements about our denominational name made by members in the late 1800's and early 1900's that eventually led to a name change in 1908.

  • "...Furthermore, 'Brethren' is masculine, and a body of sisters cannot say, - if a group of other ladies should say to them, 'We are Presbyterians, what are you?' - 'We are Brethren,' because the humor of the situation would be too much." (A.C Wieand, Gospel Messenger, 1908)
  • "Go into France for instance, with the name German Baptist, and the door is closed against you as a missionary church." (J.T Myers, Annual Conf., 1905)
  • "We should not wish to cripple the power and influence of the Church of Jesus Christ by coupling to it a name that must, by the very nature of it, be prejudicial to those not recognized in it." (Editor, Gospel Messenger, 1905)
  • "We are growing decidedly in the direction of religious expansion. We are reaching out all over the United States, and hope soon to have missionaries in every land." (Editor, Gospel Messenger, 1904)
  • Changing the name "would impress the public mind with the thought of instability, which is always regarded as a mark of weakness by the best of minds." (Lewis Teeter, Gospel Messenger, 1891)
  • Changing the name would take on "the appearance of fickleness, and restlessness, and unsettledness that is worse to the outside world than the present contradictory name that is such an objection." (W. J. Swigart, Gospel Messenger, 1905)
  • "If I say, '[I belong to] the Brethren,' they seem at a loss, but if I say, 'to the Dunkers,' they will say, 'Oh, yes, I know them; they are good people.'" (Cornelius Kesler, Gospel Messenger, 1908)
  • "You remember the story of a few years ago, where a number of our brethren were traveling, and a telegram was sent ahead that some 'Dunkards' were to be taken care of. The operator misunderstood the message and understood it to be 'drunkards.' The policemen were called out, so that when this trainload of drunkards would come in, they might take care of them. I am opposed to this name." (G. L. Studebaker, Annual Conf., 1908)
  • "There is no dearer name on earth than the name that Jesus himself gave the church, 'Brethren.' It seems to me it is more suitable than any other name, and it seems that when we drop that name it will seem so strange to us, it will seem so much farther away, it will seem so much dearer to us, the precious name that Jesus gave, 'Brethren.'" (Lydia Barnhart, Annual Conf., 1904)
  • "It is like Mary Smith marrying John Miller. After Mary Smith has married John Miller, people talk about Mary Miller. 'Why, yes.' Now, how long will it be before Mary Miller will be known by her legal name? Not very long. Not many years. Even if you had to make an explanation, to tell who Mary Miller was, it would not hurt you at all, and if you had to make an explanation to somebody who did not understand it, that we were the old 'Dunker Church,' that would not hurt us so badly as if it were our legal name." (W. R. Deeter, Annual Conf., 1908)
  • "The prayers and presence of the women keep the Church staunch. There may be other pillars, but the women are stones in the basement wall." (Adeline Hoff Berry, 200th Anniversary address, 1908)


QUOTES BY NON-BRETHREN

This was written in 1890 by Marietta Holley, a Methodist writer and humorist. The quote is taken from her novel, Samantha Among the Brethren

"...to sum the matter up, the words 'brethren,' 'laymen,' etc., always mean wimmin' so fur as this: punishment for all offenses, strict obedience to the rules of the church, work of any kind and all kinds, raisin' money, givin' money all that is possible, teachin'e in the Sabbath school, getting' up missionary and charitable societies, carryin' on the same with no help from the male sect, leavin' that sect free to look after their half of the meanin' of the word-sallerys, office, makin' the laws that bind both of the sexes, rulin' things generally, translatin' Bibles to suit their own ideas, preachin at'em, etc, etc. So you see, Samantha?" sez he, proudly and loftily."


Other quotes:

  • "Remember that you are the universe and that this universe is you. Remember that all is in motion, is growing, is you. Remember that language comes from this. Remember the dance that language is, that life is. Remember."  -Joy Harjo
  • "The liberation of language is rooted in the liberation of ourselves."  -Mary Daly
  • "Language is power, life, and the instrument of domination and liberation."  -Angela Carter
blocks_image