Christian Cyclopedia

1. The Ch. of the United Brethren in Christ formed in Frederick Co., Maryland, 1800 as United Brethren in Christ under leadership of Philipp Wilhelm Otterbein (1726–1813; b. Dillenburg, Ger.; educ. Herborn; pastor Herborn; to US 1752; Ger. Ref. pastor Lancaster and elsewhere in Pennsylvania and in Maryland 1752–1813; claimed a deep personal religious experience early in his ministry) and Martin Boehm (1725–1812; b. Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; Mennonite bp.. 1759; met P. W. Otterbein 1768), who conducted evangelistic work together in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia Because of opposition to revivals and to other features of their work, Otterbein became pastor 1774 of an indep. ch. Baltimore, Maryland, where revivalist preachers adopted a confession of faith and rules of discipline 1789. Otterbein and Boehm were elected bps. 1800. See also Newcomer, Christian. Otterbein came into close relations with F. Asbury,* but language differences kept the United Brethren and Meths. from uniting. The 1st gen. conf., held 1815 near Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, adopted a book discipline and allowed use of English. A const. was adopted 1841. The United Brethren and the Evangelical* Ch. merged 1946 to form The Evangelical* United Brethren Ch., which in turn merged 1968 with The Methodist* Ch. to form The United Meth. Ch. (see Methodist Churches, 1).

2. Ch. of the United Brethren in Christ (Old Constitution). Formed 1889 by a minority in protest against liberalizing the 1841 const. “(Old Constitution)” was dropped soon after the other Ch. of the United Brethren in Christ lost its identity.

3. United Christian Ch. Separated 1862–70 from Ch. of the United Brethren in Christ in conscientious objection against doctrines and practices which they regarded as liberal; organized 1878 Campbelltown, Pennsylvania FEM

See also United Church of Christ, II A 2.

Cf. Religious Bodies (US), Bibliography of.