SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

Chapter: [I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII | XIII]

1. How many years does this history cover?
2. Where does it begin?
3. What were the material conditions in eastern Pennsylvania at that time?
4. With what nationality are we particularly concerned?
5. From where had their ancestors come?
6. Why did they come?
7. What was the state of religion in this part of the country a hundred years ago?
8. What evangelistic movements were in progress?
9. What does Dr. Nevin say of the religious condition of the German Reformed Church?
10. What was the attitude of this Church toward the revival movement?

1. When and where was John Winebrenner born?
2. To what church did his parents belong?
3. What can you say of his early religious training and his desire to enter the gospel ministry?
4. Where did he receive his education?
5. When and where did he experience the new birth?
6. When and where was he ordained to the Christian ministry? [131]
7. Where was his first pastorate and when did it begin?
8. What salary was he to receive?
9. What impresses you most in his personal testimony?

1. What was the spiritual condition of the Reformed churches to which Winebrenner ministered?
2. What was the character of his ministry?
3. How did it affect these churches?
4. What was the final outcome?
5. What did Winebrenner and his followers do when they found the Reformed church-houses closed against them?
6. What was the fundamental cause of Winebrenner's separation from the German Reformed Church?
7. What important material improvement stands to the credit of his first pastorate?
8. What important event in his domestic life occurred during this pastorate?
9. What state of mind and soul does his birthday meditation at this time indicate?

1. What success attended the evangelistic work of Winebrenner and his co-laborers immediately after their separation from the German Reformed Church?
2. How did the organization of the first churches come about? [132]
3. When and where was the first church organized?
4. What changes in Winebrenner's doctrinal views occurred at this time?
5. What conclusions did he reach as to the name, officers and ordinances of the church?
6. By what course of study did he reach these conclusions?
7. When, where and by whom was Winebrenner baptized?
8. Why was it necessary to organize churches instead of uniting with denominations already established?
9. When, where and why was the first Eldership organized?

1. What churches were organized during the first decade of our history?
2. Name the most prominent ministers of that period.
3. What was the nature of their evangelistic work?
4. State what you can of the pioneer work in Ohio and western Pennsylvania prior to 1840, and name the leading missionaries.
5. Explain the relation between emigration and church extension.
6. Describe the advance into Indiana, Illinois and Iowa from 1840 to 1850, and also the expansion of the home base during this time.
7. Name the leading pioneer missionaries in this work and describe their hardships. [133]
8. When were Elderships organized in Ohio, West Pennsylvania, Indiana and Iowa?
9. When and where was the General Eldership organized and how was it constituted?
10. What is the character of its work?
11. What was the aggregate number of ministers, churches and church members at the end of the first quarter of the century of our history?

1. What gratifying results were in evidence by 1850?
2. What forward step was taken by the original church in 1854?
3. What controversy occurred in connection with this church and what was the final
outcome?
4. State what you can of Winebrenner's final message, his death and his funeral.
5. What was the effect of the Civil War on church work?
6. Speak of the manifestation of missionary zeal following the War.
7. What can be said of the work in Texas and in Chicago?
8. Tell of the splendid achievements between 1870 and 1875 in spite of failures.

1. What is said of Winebrenner's personal appearance?
2. Tell what you can of his domestic relations?
3. How is his home life revealed in letters--to wife, daughter and father? [134]
4. What was the predominating characteristic of Winebrenner's preaching?
5. What were his other responsibilities?
6. What particular scripture did his life exemplify, and why?
7. What was his attitude with reference to debates?
8. Give the substance of Mackey's testimonial to Winebrenner.
9. What was Winebrenner's appraisement of his own life and work?

1. Name the Elderships from 1850 to 1896 inclusive.
2. How did the Maine Eldership originate?
3. Why was the German Eldership established, and with what result?
4. How has the organization of the Elderships and the General Eldership been developed?
5. When and why was the change made from "Church" to "Churches"?
6. When was the change made from an Annual License for preachers to a Life Certificate?
7. When was the centennial of the Sunday-school movement observed?
8. Speak of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor.
9. Where and by whom was missionary work carried on between 1875 and 1900?
10. Name some of the prominent ministers of this period in the older Elderships. [135]
11. What were some of the results of their work?
12. When and how was our semi-centennial observed?
13. What have we done for the freedmen? for the Indians? for foreigners in America and the people of their nationality in Europe?

1. When was The Gospel Publisher established?
2. How long did it continue?
3. Name its three editors in the order of their service.
4. When, and under what name was it revived?
5. Name the editors of The Church Advocate in the order in which they served?
6. Name our Sunday-school periodicals and give the date when each was established.
7. What was the experience of the early years with a printing establishment?
8. When and where was our first Publishing House established?
9. What improvements were made on this property in 1914?
10. When was the Publishing House changed to its present location?
11. What is its financial condition?

1. What was the attitude of our people toward educational work in the early years?
2. Why did they maintain this attitude?
3. What position did the General Eldership take on this subject at its first meeting? [136]
4. Mention the unsuccessful efforts to establish schools under church control.
5. Why did these efforts fail?
6. What two important events occurred in 1881?
7. Speak of the successful work of Barkeyville Academy.
8. When and under what circumstances was Findlay College opened?
9. Name, in order, the presidents of Findlay College.
10. Speak of the material growth of the college.
11. What can you say of the Collegiate Institute at Fort Scott, Kansas?
12. What of Eldership courses of studies?

1. What action did the first General Eldership take on the subject of missions?
2. When was our foreign missionary work inaugurated?
3. What are our two principal fields in India?
4. Name the missionaries sent to India from 1896 to 1923.
5. How many have returned?
6. Briefly describe the work of the women's missionary organizations and name some of the leaders in this work.
7. How was the foreign missionary problem solved by the General Eldership of 1921?
8. What influence did the Student Volunteer Movement have on our work? [137]
9. What is the character of the work being done on the foreign field?
10. What are the visible results?

1. Discuss Winebrenner's doctrinal statement of 1849, each paragraph suggesting its own question.
2. Discuss the doctrinal statement of the General Eldership of 1925 in the same manner.
3. What was the principal reason for the adoption of the latter statement?
4. What was the position of the Church of God on the slavery question?
5. Define the position of the Churches of God on the subject of war?
6. State the attitude of the Churches of God toward temperance and prohibition.
7. Through what means has this attitude been made effective?
8. What is the attitude of the Churches of God toward all other questions involving a moral issue?

1. Speak of church extension and growth from 1900 to 1925.
2. What important movement was inaugurated by the General Eldership of 1917?
3. How long did it continue? [138]
4. What were the principal points in the program of this movement?
5. Who was selected as Field Secretary?
6. State what you can of the success of this movement.
7. How was it affected by the World War?
8. Describe the growth of Harrisburg by comparing the city of 1925 with the town of 1825.
9. Under what circumstances did the General Eldership of 1925 meet?
10. State what you can of the celebration of our centennial in connection with this meeting of the General Eldership.

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