The Conservatives, calling themselves Ger man Baptist Brethren, who became a separate body in 1881, are by far the most numerous branch. In addition to the annual confer ence, a great event among them, there are 40 or more district conferences, whose business is local in character. They have colleges and col legiate institutes, carry on home and foreign missions, conduct Sunday schools, and have a large publishing business. In 1916 it reported 100,000 members, with 980 churches and over 3,000 ministers, including deacons, elders and bishops. The bishops are local church officials of the highest order. The territory covered by the Church embraces 35 States, stretching from New York west to the Pacific and from the Canadian border to the Gulf.
The Progressives, who have adopted the name Brethren Church for their organization, differ from the Conservatives in the stress they lay on the congregational system and in matters of discipline. All ecclesiastical power is lodged with the local church. They have district con ferences and a general conference, which have no ecclesiastical functions. This body main tains a university at Ashland, Ohio, is active in missionary work, promotes Sunday schools and has societies of Christian Endeavor. It had in 1916, 24,794 members, 230 churches and 314 ministers. It is increasing slowly.
The Old Order Brethren, dating from 1:4:1, were organized to preserve, from the inroads of modern social life and customs the church of the fathers. They insist upon non-conform
ity, hold that marriage is indissoluble, and ob serve the simple life, dressing plainly and living quietly. They are not growing in numbers. They reported in 1916, 3,500 members, 70 churches and 219 ministers. They do not con duct missions, nor Sunday schools.
The German Seventh-Day Baptists began their history when John Conrad Beissel with drew from the Brethren because he had been led to adopt the Seventh day as the Sabbath and the principle of celibacy. This was in 1728. Four years later, he took up the life of a hermit at Ephrata, Pa., where he organized a celibate community; known as the Ephrata Society. Two houses were built, one for the sisters, with a prioress in charge, and one for men, with a prior. A school was established in 1735 and a printing house in 1750. As a celibate community the society began to dwindle, celibacy was dropped and by 1830 the members had been scattered and community life was abandoned. In belief, these churches are in general harmony with the other bodies of Brethren, differing somewhat in practice. In 1906 they reported 167 members; in 1916, 300, with 15 ministers, and 6 churches.
The four bodies had in 1916 a total of 3,645 ministers, 1,295 churches and 128,594 members. Consult Brtunbaugh's 'History of the German Baptist Brethren in and (Elgin, Ill., 1899), Falkenstein's of the German Baptist Brethren (Lan caster, Pa., 1906).