Kauffman.- Daniel, son of Bishop David D. and Elizabeth Winey Kauffman, was born June 20, 1865, near Richfield, Juniata Co., Pa.; died Jan. 6, 1944, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Gingerich, near Parnell, Ia.; aged 78 y. 6 m. 16 d. He became ill after preaching a sermon on Jan. 2, 1944, at the West Union Church near Parnell, Ia., and failed rapidly until death claimed him 4 days later. His death was due to a complication of diseases, one of which was a chronic trouble from which he suffered intermittently over a long period of years.
In March, 1866, when he was 9 months old, the family moved to the vicinity of Elkhart, Ind., and 3 years later they removed to Morgan Co., Mo., near Versailles. He grew up in Missouri, and after receiving a commonschool education, took the normal course at Missouri State University graduating with the degree of "Principal of Pedagogics."
Thereafter he taught school for fourteen years (1883 - 1897), and during this period he served as "county commissioner," now called superintendent of schools, for Morgan county from 1887 - 1890. During this period of his life he took interest in politics and in 1890 was a candidate for the clerkship of the circuit court, but right at the time when he was busy in his campaign for election, Bro. J. S. Coffman held meetings in the Mennonite Church near Versailles. Bro. Kauffman attended the meetings and as his interest in them increased, he took correspondingly less interest in his political campaign. It was on the last night of the three weeks' meeting, while the congregation was singing the last stanza of the last hymn, that Bro. Kauffman stood for Christ. This decision was destined to change the course of his entire life.
He united with the Mennonite Church in November, 1890. He was ordained to the ministry for the Mt. Zion congregation in October, 1892, and as bishop in September, 1896. Soon after his ordination as bishop he discontinued teaching school and gave his time more fully to the work of the church. Then followed a period in which he was widely used as an evangelist, becoming one of the most effective evangelists of the time. It was at this time also that the Bible Conference movement began in the Mennonite Church, and Bro. Kauffman became one of the leading Bible instructors in the church. It was during this period that Bro. Kauffman became known throughout the church not only as an able evangelist and preacher but as an ardent champion of Bible doctrine as interpreted by the church.
During this early period of Bro. Kauffman's Christian ministry, he also demonstrated that he was an able writer.
In 1898, two years after his ordination as bishop, he wrote his first book, "A Manual of Bible Doctrine." Its value is shown by the fact that in less than 8 months the first edition was exhausted and another one was printed. A number of other books and booklets followed in this early period, and he also contributed numerous articles to the "Herald of Truth," then recognized as the official church paper. In April, 1905, when the "Gospel Witness" was first published, Bro. Kauffman, who had previously been chosen as editor, began his editorial career, which was to be his greatest contribution to the church. Three years later this paper was merged with the "Herald of Truth," and it then, under its new name, "Gospel Herald," became the authorized official church organ. Bro. Kauffman continued as editor of the "Gospel Herald" until the last issue of 1943, just one week prior to his death. Thus his editorial career extended over a period of nearly thirtynine years.
During this time he continued his writing of books and pamphlets until his list of works became the largest of any Mennonite writer, although Bro. John Horsch might be considered a close second. A list of his works was published in the "Gospel Herald" of Dec 30, 1943.
Other editorial activities of Bro. Kauffman included assistance in launching the "Beams of Light" as a Sundayschool paper in 1905, joint editorship of the "Mennonite Teacher's Sunday school Lesson Help" (190714), editor of the "Family Almanac" for a number of years, and Tract Editor for the Mennonite Publishing House for an extended period.
Upon his retirement from the editorship of the Gospel Herald with the Dec. 30, 1943, issue, Bro. Kauffman was accorded the title of editor emeritus, and he was to continue to furnish material for certain departments of the paper. It is striking to note that he never saw the only issue of the paper which carried his name in this capacity. He was the fourteenth worker of the Mennonite Publishing House to heed the final summons.
Bro. Kauffman also continued his active work throughout the church and until recent years when his bodily vigor was not as great, he was still widely used as a speaker at special meetings and conferences. He was the first moderator of Mennonite General Conference and served in this capacity four times, a distinction unequaled by anyone else. He also served as moderator of the district conferences with which he was associatedthe Missouri-Iowa Conference and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference.
He served on many local and churchwide committees, and there were few major church boards or committees of which he was not a member at some time. At one time he was a member of twentytwo committees and boards. At the time of his death he was bishop of the Scottdale congregation and assistant moderator of Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference.
Bro. Kauffman's early interests were along educational lines. He had taken his training in that field, and at one time he conducted a private business school in Garden City, Mo. It is said that he had hoped to see this develop into a church school. His latest major activity along educational lines was his presidency of Goshen College during the term of 1922 - 1923. He served on the faculty of a number of the short-term Bible schools of the church, and was one of the instructors in a fourweek Bible School, held in January, 1915, at Hayfield Mansion, near Alexandria, Va., which proved to be the beginning of the Eastern Mennonite School, Harrisonburg, Va. He retained his interest in our Mennonite educational institutions to the last.
In connection with the other activities of Bro. Kauffman he was known throughout the church as a conciliator and negotiator. His services were much used in places where church difficulties required the calling in of outside brethren or committees. Bro. Kauffman was an untiring worker and accomplished much in his life, in spite of the fact that he had to contend with periodic physical ailments, which hindered his usual activities. In May, 1941, he suffered severe injuries in his back as a result of an automobile accident near La Junta, Colo. For weeks following this accident he was very low and hardly expected to recover, but his great physical stamina together with the prayers of the Church and the help of the Lord, brought him through and he was able to carry on his regular duties as editor and minister for two more years.
Bro. Kauffman spent his boyhood in Missouri where he had his home during the early period of his church activities. It was not until 1909, a year after the publication of the Gospel Herald was begun, that he moved to Scottdale where he spent most of the remainder of his life, excepting for relatively short periods when health or other responsibilities called him away. During the last nine months of his life he and Sister Kauffman lived with their daughter, Sister Alice Gingerich, near Parnell, Ia.
On Aug. 17, 1887, Bro. Kauffman was married to Ota J. Bowlin, who died in 1890. To this union were born two children: James A., who died in 1933, and one daughter who died in infancy. On Feb. 6, 1902, he was married to Mary C. Shank, who survives him. To them were born six children: Homer M., Scottdale, Pa.; Eunice, who died in 1905, at the age of eight months; Paul R., drowned at Goshen, Ind., in 1922, at the age of 16 years; Alice, wife of Fred Gingerich, Parnell, Ia.; Fannie, wife of Michael Sarco, Hagerstown, Md.; and John Mark, who died in 1918, at the age of three months. There also remain to survive him 10 grandchildren, 3 greatgrandchildren, and 2 sisters (Mrs. Lydia Driver, Cheraw, Colo., and Mrs. J. C. Driver, Garden City, Mo.), besides a large number of nephews and nieces.
As father in the home and as minister and bishop, his most urgent concern was to follow and serve his Lord and Master, and no self-denial or sacrifice was counted too much by him, if it only brought glory to Him, whose he was and whom he served. On Sunday morning, Jan. 2, he preached his last sermon at the West Union Church from Acts 9:6: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" His voice is stilled, his work is done, but "he being dead yet speaketh."
Funeral services were held at the West Union Church, near Wellman, Ia., on Saturday, Jan.8. The sermon was preached by Bro. Simon Gingerich from Luke 2:29. Other brethren participating in the service were C. J. Yoder, Nelson Kauffman, John Y. Swartzendruber, D. J. Fisher, and Perry J. Blosser. The body was then taken to Scottdale where the funeral was held on Monday, January 10 from the home of his son, Homer Kauffman, and at the Scottdale Mennonite Church. Bro. D. I. Stonerook, moderator of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference, preached the sermon, based on II Tim. 4:68, followed by D. A. Yoder. Others who had part in the services were Amos S. Horst, J. L. Horst, A. J. Metzler, S. E. Allgyer, J. C. Clemens, James Saylor, J. L. Stauffer, Oscar Burkholder, Charles Winey, O. N. Johns, E. E. Miller, and Paul Erb. There were present at this service 69 bishops, ministers, and deacons, representing nine different conferences. Interment was made in Alverton Cemetery.
(Mennobits, see also Who's Who among the Mennonites, 1943)
In March, 1866, when he was 9 months old, the family moved to the vicinity of Elkhart, Ind., and 3 years later they removed to Morgan Co., Mo., near Versailles. He grew up in Missouri, and after receiving a commonschool education, took the normal course at Missouri State University graduating with the degree of "Principal of Pedagogics."
Thereafter he taught school for fourteen years (1883 - 1897), and during this period he served as "county commissioner," now called superintendent of schools, for Morgan county from 1887 - 1890. During this period of his life he took interest in politics and in 1890 was a candidate for the clerkship of the circuit court, but right at the time when he was busy in his campaign for election, Bro. J. S. Coffman held meetings in the Mennonite Church near Versailles. Bro. Kauffman attended the meetings and as his interest in them increased, he took correspondingly less interest in his political campaign. It was on the last night of the three weeks' meeting, while the congregation was singing the last stanza of the last hymn, that Bro. Kauffman stood for Christ. This decision was destined to change the course of his entire life.
He united with the Mennonite Church in November, 1890. He was ordained to the ministry for the Mt. Zion congregation in October, 1892, and as bishop in September, 1896. Soon after his ordination as bishop he discontinued teaching school and gave his time more fully to the work of the church. Then followed a period in which he was widely used as an evangelist, becoming one of the most effective evangelists of the time. It was at this time also that the Bible Conference movement began in the Mennonite Church, and Bro. Kauffman became one of the leading Bible instructors in the church. It was during this period that Bro. Kauffman became known throughout the church not only as an able evangelist and preacher but as an ardent champion of Bible doctrine as interpreted by the church.
During this early period of Bro. Kauffman's Christian ministry, he also demonstrated that he was an able writer.
In 1898, two years after his ordination as bishop, he wrote his first book, "A Manual of Bible Doctrine." Its value is shown by the fact that in less than 8 months the first edition was exhausted and another one was printed. A number of other books and booklets followed in this early period, and he also contributed numerous articles to the "Herald of Truth," then recognized as the official church paper. In April, 1905, when the "Gospel Witness" was first published, Bro. Kauffman, who had previously been chosen as editor, began his editorial career, which was to be his greatest contribution to the church. Three years later this paper was merged with the "Herald of Truth," and it then, under its new name, "Gospel Herald," became the authorized official church organ. Bro. Kauffman continued as editor of the "Gospel Herald" until the last issue of 1943, just one week prior to his death. Thus his editorial career extended over a period of nearly thirtynine years.
During this time he continued his writing of books and pamphlets until his list of works became the largest of any Mennonite writer, although Bro. John Horsch might be considered a close second. A list of his works was published in the "Gospel Herald" of Dec 30, 1943.
Other editorial activities of Bro. Kauffman included assistance in launching the "Beams of Light" as a Sundayschool paper in 1905, joint editorship of the "Mennonite Teacher's Sunday school Lesson Help" (190714), editor of the "Family Almanac" for a number of years, and Tract Editor for the Mennonite Publishing House for an extended period.
Upon his retirement from the editorship of the Gospel Herald with the Dec. 30, 1943, issue, Bro. Kauffman was accorded the title of editor emeritus, and he was to continue to furnish material for certain departments of the paper. It is striking to note that he never saw the only issue of the paper which carried his name in this capacity. He was the fourteenth worker of the Mennonite Publishing House to heed the final summons.
Bro. Kauffman also continued his active work throughout the church and until recent years when his bodily vigor was not as great, he was still widely used as a speaker at special meetings and conferences. He was the first moderator of Mennonite General Conference and served in this capacity four times, a distinction unequaled by anyone else. He also served as moderator of the district conferences with which he was associatedthe Missouri-Iowa Conference and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference.
He served on many local and churchwide committees, and there were few major church boards or committees of which he was not a member at some time. At one time he was a member of twentytwo committees and boards. At the time of his death he was bishop of the Scottdale congregation and assistant moderator of Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference.
Bro. Kauffman's early interests were along educational lines. He had taken his training in that field, and at one time he conducted a private business school in Garden City, Mo. It is said that he had hoped to see this develop into a church school. His latest major activity along educational lines was his presidency of Goshen College during the term of 1922 - 1923. He served on the faculty of a number of the short-term Bible schools of the church, and was one of the instructors in a fourweek Bible School, held in January, 1915, at Hayfield Mansion, near Alexandria, Va., which proved to be the beginning of the Eastern Mennonite School, Harrisonburg, Va. He retained his interest in our Mennonite educational institutions to the last.
In connection with the other activities of Bro. Kauffman he was known throughout the church as a conciliator and negotiator. His services were much used in places where church difficulties required the calling in of outside brethren or committees. Bro. Kauffman was an untiring worker and accomplished much in his life, in spite of the fact that he had to contend with periodic physical ailments, which hindered his usual activities. In May, 1941, he suffered severe injuries in his back as a result of an automobile accident near La Junta, Colo. For weeks following this accident he was very low and hardly expected to recover, but his great physical stamina together with the prayers of the Church and the help of the Lord, brought him through and he was able to carry on his regular duties as editor and minister for two more years.
Bro. Kauffman spent his boyhood in Missouri where he had his home during the early period of his church activities. It was not until 1909, a year after the publication of the Gospel Herald was begun, that he moved to Scottdale where he spent most of the remainder of his life, excepting for relatively short periods when health or other responsibilities called him away. During the last nine months of his life he and Sister Kauffman lived with their daughter, Sister Alice Gingerich, near Parnell, Ia.
On Aug. 17, 1887, Bro. Kauffman was married to Ota J. Bowlin, who died in 1890. To this union were born two children: James A., who died in 1933, and one daughter who died in infancy. On Feb. 6, 1902, he was married to Mary C. Shank, who survives him. To them were born six children: Homer M., Scottdale, Pa.; Eunice, who died in 1905, at the age of eight months; Paul R., drowned at Goshen, Ind., in 1922, at the age of 16 years; Alice, wife of Fred Gingerich, Parnell, Ia.; Fannie, wife of Michael Sarco, Hagerstown, Md.; and John Mark, who died in 1918, at the age of three months. There also remain to survive him 10 grandchildren, 3 greatgrandchildren, and 2 sisters (Mrs. Lydia Driver, Cheraw, Colo., and Mrs. J. C. Driver, Garden City, Mo.), besides a large number of nephews and nieces.
As father in the home and as minister and bishop, his most urgent concern was to follow and serve his Lord and Master, and no self-denial or sacrifice was counted too much by him, if it only brought glory to Him, whose he was and whom he served. On Sunday morning, Jan. 2, he preached his last sermon at the West Union Church from Acts 9:6: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" His voice is stilled, his work is done, but "he being dead yet speaketh."
Funeral services were held at the West Union Church, near Wellman, Ia., on Saturday, Jan.8. The sermon was preached by Bro. Simon Gingerich from Luke 2:29. Other brethren participating in the service were C. J. Yoder, Nelson Kauffman, John Y. Swartzendruber, D. J. Fisher, and Perry J. Blosser. The body was then taken to Scottdale where the funeral was held on Monday, January 10 from the home of his son, Homer Kauffman, and at the Scottdale Mennonite Church. Bro. D. I. Stonerook, moderator of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference, preached the sermon, based on II Tim. 4:68, followed by D. A. Yoder. Others who had part in the services were Amos S. Horst, J. L. Horst, A. J. Metzler, S. E. Allgyer, J. C. Clemens, James Saylor, J. L. Stauffer, Oscar Burkholder, Charles Winey, O. N. Johns, E. E. Miller, and Paul Erb. There were present at this service 69 bishops, ministers, and deacons, representing nine different conferences. Interment was made in Alverton Cemetery.
(Mennobits, see also Who's Who among the Mennonites, 1943)
Kauffman.- Daniel, son of Bishop David D. and Elizabeth Winey Kauffman, was born June 20, 1865, near Richfield, Juniata Co., Pa.; died Jan. 6, 1944, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Gingerich, near Parnell, Ia.; aged 78 y. 6 m. 16 d. He became ill after preaching a sermon on Jan. 2, 1944, at the West Union Church near Parnell, Ia., and failed rapidly until death claimed him 4 days later. His death was due to a complication of diseases, one of which was a chronic trouble from which he suffered intermittently over a long period of years.
In March, 1866, when he was 9 months old, the family moved to the vicinity of Elkhart, Ind., and 3 years later they removed to Morgan Co., Mo., near Versailles. He grew up in Missouri, and after receiving a commonschool education, took the normal course at Missouri State University graduating with the degree of "Principal of Pedagogics."
Thereafter he taught school for fourteen years (1883 - 1897), and during this period he served as "county commissioner," now called superintendent of schools, for Morgan county from 1887 - 1890. During this period of his life he took interest in politics and in 1890 was a candidate for the clerkship of the circuit court, but right at the time when he was busy in his campaign for election, Bro. J. S. Coffman held meetings in the Mennonite Church near Versailles. Bro. Kauffman attended the meetings and as his interest in them increased, he took correspondingly less interest in his political campaign. It was on the last night of the three weeks' meeting, while the congregation was singing the last stanza of the last hymn, that Bro. Kauffman stood for Christ. This decision was destined to change the course of his entire life.
He united with the Mennonite Church in November, 1890. He was ordained to the ministry for the Mt. Zion congregation in October, 1892, and as bishop in September, 1896. Soon after his ordination as bishop he discontinued teaching school and gave his time more fully to the work of the church. Then followed a period in which he was widely used as an evangelist, becoming one of the most effective evangelists of the time. It was at this time also that the Bible Conference movement began in the Mennonite Church, and Bro. Kauffman became one of the leading Bible instructors in the church. It was during this period that Bro. Kauffman became known throughout the church not only as an able evangelist and preacher but as an ardent champion of Bible doctrine as interpreted by the church.
During this early period of Bro. Kauffman's Christian ministry, he also demonstrated that he was an able writer.
In 1898, two years after his ordination as bishop, he wrote his first book, "A Manual of Bible Doctrine." Its value is shown by the fact that in less than 8 months the first edition was exhausted and another one was printed. A number of other books and booklets followed in this early period, and he also contributed numerous articles to the "Herald of Truth," then recognized as the official church paper. In April, 1905, when the "Gospel Witness" was first published, Bro. Kauffman, who had previously been chosen as editor, began his editorial career, which was to be his greatest contribution to the church. Three years later this paper was merged with the "Herald of Truth," and it then, under its new name, "Gospel Herald," became the authorized official church organ. Bro. Kauffman continued as editor of the "Gospel Herald" until the last issue of 1943, just one week prior to his death. Thus his editorial career extended over a period of nearly thirtynine years.
During this time he continued his writing of books and pamphlets until his list of works became the largest of any Mennonite writer, although Bro. John Horsch might be considered a close second. A list of his works was published in the "Gospel Herald" of Dec 30, 1943.
Other editorial activities of Bro. Kauffman included assistance in launching the "Beams of Light" as a Sundayschool paper in 1905, joint editorship of the "Mennonite Teacher's Sunday school Lesson Help" (190714), editor of the "Family Almanac" for a number of years, and Tract Editor for the Mennonite Publishing House for an extended period.
Upon his retirement from the editorship of the Gospel Herald with the Dec. 30, 1943, issue, Bro. Kauffman was accorded the title of editor emeritus, and he was to continue to furnish material for certain departments of the paper. It is striking to note that he never saw the only issue of the paper which carried his name in this capacity. He was the fourteenth worker of the Mennonite Publishing House to heed the final summons.
Bro. Kauffman also continued his active work throughout the church and until recent years when his bodily vigor was not as great, he was still widely used as a speaker at special meetings and conferences. He was the first moderator of Mennonite General Conference and served in this capacity four times, a distinction unequaled by anyone else. He also served as moderator of the district conferences with which he was associatedthe Missouri-Iowa Conference and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference.
He served on many local and churchwide committees, and there were few major church boards or committees of which he was not a member at some time. At one time he was a member of twentytwo committees and boards. At the time of his death he was bishop of the Scottdale congregation and assistant moderator of Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference.
Bro. Kauffman's early interests were along educational lines. He had taken his training in that field, and at one time he conducted a private business school in Garden City, Mo. It is said that he had hoped to see this develop into a church school. His latest major activity along educational lines was his presidency of Goshen College during the term of 1922 - 1923. He served on the faculty of a number of the short-term Bible schools of the church, and was one of the instructors in a fourweek Bible School, held in January, 1915, at Hayfield Mansion, near Alexandria, Va., which proved to be the beginning of the Eastern Mennonite School, Harrisonburg, Va. He retained his interest in our Mennonite educational institutions to the last.
In connection with the other activities of Bro. Kauffman he was known throughout the church as a conciliator and negotiator. His services were much used in places where church difficulties required the calling in of outside brethren or committees. Bro. Kauffman was an untiring worker and accomplished much in his life, in spite of the fact that he had to contend with periodic physical ailments, which hindered his usual activities. In May, 1941, he suffered severe injuries in his back as a result of an automobile accident near La Junta, Colo. For weeks following this accident he was very low and hardly expected to recover, but his great physical stamina together with the prayers of the Church and the help of the Lord, brought him through and he was able to carry on his regular duties as editor and minister for two more years.
Bro. Kauffman spent his boyhood in Missouri where he had his home during the early period of his church activities. It was not until 1909, a year after the publication of the Gospel Herald was begun, that he moved to Scottdale where he spent most of the remainder of his life, excepting for relatively short periods when health or other responsibilities called him away. During the last nine months of his life he and Sister Kauffman lived with their daughter, Sister Alice Gingerich, near Parnell, Ia.
On Aug. 17, 1887, Bro. Kauffman was married to Ota J. Bowlin, who died in 1890. To this union were born two children: James A., who died in 1933, and one daughter who died in infancy. On Feb. 6, 1902, he was married to Mary C. Shank, who survives him. To them were born six children: Homer M., Scottdale, Pa.; Eunice, who died in 1905, at the age of eight months; Paul R., drowned at Goshen, Ind., in 1922, at the age of 16 years; Alice, wife of Fred Gingerich, Parnell, Ia.; Fannie, wife of Michael Sarco, Hagerstown, Md.; and John Mark, who died in 1918, at the age of three months. There also remain to survive him 10 grandchildren, 3 greatgrandchildren, and 2 sisters (Mrs. Lydia Driver, Cheraw, Colo., and Mrs. J. C. Driver, Garden City, Mo.), besides a large number of nephews and nieces.
As father in the home and as minister and bishop, his most urgent concern was to follow and serve his Lord and Master, and no self-denial or sacrifice was counted too much by him, if it only brought glory to Him, whose he was and whom he served. On Sunday morning, Jan. 2, he preached his last sermon at the West Union Church from Acts 9:6: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" His voice is stilled, his work is done, but "he being dead yet speaketh."
Funeral services were held at the West Union Church, near Wellman, Ia., on Saturday, Jan.8. The sermon was preached by Bro. Simon Gingerich from Luke 2:29. Other brethren participating in the service were C. J. Yoder, Nelson Kauffman, John Y. Swartzendruber, D. J. Fisher, and Perry J. Blosser. The body was then taken to Scottdale where the funeral was held on Monday, January 10 from the home of his son, Homer Kauffman, and at the Scottdale Mennonite Church. Bro. D. I. Stonerook, moderator of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference, preached the sermon, based on II Tim. 4:68, followed by D. A. Yoder. Others who had part in the services were Amos S. Horst, J. L. Horst, A. J. Metzler, S. E. Allgyer, J. C. Clemens, James Saylor, J. L. Stauffer, Oscar Burkholder, Charles Winey, O. N. Johns, E. E. Miller, and Paul Erb. There were present at this service 69 bishops, ministers, and deacons, representing nine different conferences. Interment was made in Alverton Cemetery.
(Mennobits, see also Who's Who among the Mennonites, 1943)
In March, 1866, when he was 9 months old, the family moved to the vicinity of Elkhart, Ind., and 3 years later they removed to Morgan Co., Mo., near Versailles. He grew up in Missouri, and after receiving a commonschool education, took the normal course at Missouri State University graduating with the degree of "Principal of Pedagogics."
Thereafter he taught school for fourteen years (1883 - 1897), and during this period he served as "county commissioner," now called superintendent of schools, for Morgan county from 1887 - 1890. During this period of his life he took interest in politics and in 1890 was a candidate for the clerkship of the circuit court, but right at the time when he was busy in his campaign for election, Bro. J. S. Coffman held meetings in the Mennonite Church near Versailles. Bro. Kauffman attended the meetings and as his interest in them increased, he took correspondingly less interest in his political campaign. It was on the last night of the three weeks' meeting, while the congregation was singing the last stanza of the last hymn, that Bro. Kauffman stood for Christ. This decision was destined to change the course of his entire life.
He united with the Mennonite Church in November, 1890. He was ordained to the ministry for the Mt. Zion congregation in October, 1892, and as bishop in September, 1896. Soon after his ordination as bishop he discontinued teaching school and gave his time more fully to the work of the church. Then followed a period in which he was widely used as an evangelist, becoming one of the most effective evangelists of the time. It was at this time also that the Bible Conference movement began in the Mennonite Church, and Bro. Kauffman became one of the leading Bible instructors in the church. It was during this period that Bro. Kauffman became known throughout the church not only as an able evangelist and preacher but as an ardent champion of Bible doctrine as interpreted by the church.
During this early period of Bro. Kauffman's Christian ministry, he also demonstrated that he was an able writer.
In 1898, two years after his ordination as bishop, he wrote his first book, "A Manual of Bible Doctrine." Its value is shown by the fact that in less than 8 months the first edition was exhausted and another one was printed. A number of other books and booklets followed in this early period, and he also contributed numerous articles to the "Herald of Truth," then recognized as the official church paper. In April, 1905, when the "Gospel Witness" was first published, Bro. Kauffman, who had previously been chosen as editor, began his editorial career, which was to be his greatest contribution to the church. Three years later this paper was merged with the "Herald of Truth," and it then, under its new name, "Gospel Herald," became the authorized official church organ. Bro. Kauffman continued as editor of the "Gospel Herald" until the last issue of 1943, just one week prior to his death. Thus his editorial career extended over a period of nearly thirtynine years.
During this time he continued his writing of books and pamphlets until his list of works became the largest of any Mennonite writer, although Bro. John Horsch might be considered a close second. A list of his works was published in the "Gospel Herald" of Dec 30, 1943.
Other editorial activities of Bro. Kauffman included assistance in launching the "Beams of Light" as a Sundayschool paper in 1905, joint editorship of the "Mennonite Teacher's Sunday school Lesson Help" (190714), editor of the "Family Almanac" for a number of years, and Tract Editor for the Mennonite Publishing House for an extended period.
Upon his retirement from the editorship of the Gospel Herald with the Dec. 30, 1943, issue, Bro. Kauffman was accorded the title of editor emeritus, and he was to continue to furnish material for certain departments of the paper. It is striking to note that he never saw the only issue of the paper which carried his name in this capacity. He was the fourteenth worker of the Mennonite Publishing House to heed the final summons.
Bro. Kauffman also continued his active work throughout the church and until recent years when his bodily vigor was not as great, he was still widely used as a speaker at special meetings and conferences. He was the first moderator of Mennonite General Conference and served in this capacity four times, a distinction unequaled by anyone else. He also served as moderator of the district conferences with which he was associatedthe Missouri-Iowa Conference and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference.
He served on many local and churchwide committees, and there were few major church boards or committees of which he was not a member at some time. At one time he was a member of twentytwo committees and boards. At the time of his death he was bishop of the Scottdale congregation and assistant moderator of Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference.
Bro. Kauffman's early interests were along educational lines. He had taken his training in that field, and at one time he conducted a private business school in Garden City, Mo. It is said that he had hoped to see this develop into a church school. His latest major activity along educational lines was his presidency of Goshen College during the term of 1922 - 1923. He served on the faculty of a number of the short-term Bible schools of the church, and was one of the instructors in a fourweek Bible School, held in January, 1915, at Hayfield Mansion, near Alexandria, Va., which proved to be the beginning of the Eastern Mennonite School, Harrisonburg, Va. He retained his interest in our Mennonite educational institutions to the last.
In connection with the other activities of Bro. Kauffman he was known throughout the church as a conciliator and negotiator. His services were much used in places where church difficulties required the calling in of outside brethren or committees. Bro. Kauffman was an untiring worker and accomplished much in his life, in spite of the fact that he had to contend with periodic physical ailments, which hindered his usual activities. In May, 1941, he suffered severe injuries in his back as a result of an automobile accident near La Junta, Colo. For weeks following this accident he was very low and hardly expected to recover, but his great physical stamina together with the prayers of the Church and the help of the Lord, brought him through and he was able to carry on his regular duties as editor and minister for two more years.
Bro. Kauffman spent his boyhood in Missouri where he had his home during the early period of his church activities. It was not until 1909, a year after the publication of the Gospel Herald was begun, that he moved to Scottdale where he spent most of the remainder of his life, excepting for relatively short periods when health or other responsibilities called him away. During the last nine months of his life he and Sister Kauffman lived with their daughter, Sister Alice Gingerich, near Parnell, Ia.
On Aug. 17, 1887, Bro. Kauffman was married to Ota J. Bowlin, who died in 1890. To this union were born two children: James A., who died in 1933, and one daughter who died in infancy. On Feb. 6, 1902, he was married to Mary C. Shank, who survives him. To them were born six children: Homer M., Scottdale, Pa.; Eunice, who died in 1905, at the age of eight months; Paul R., drowned at Goshen, Ind., in 1922, at the age of 16 years; Alice, wife of Fred Gingerich, Parnell, Ia.; Fannie, wife of Michael Sarco, Hagerstown, Md.; and John Mark, who died in 1918, at the age of three months. There also remain to survive him 10 grandchildren, 3 greatgrandchildren, and 2 sisters (Mrs. Lydia Driver, Cheraw, Colo., and Mrs. J. C. Driver, Garden City, Mo.), besides a large number of nephews and nieces.
As father in the home and as minister and bishop, his most urgent concern was to follow and serve his Lord and Master, and no self-denial or sacrifice was counted too much by him, if it only brought glory to Him, whose he was and whom he served. On Sunday morning, Jan. 2, he preached his last sermon at the West Union Church from Acts 9:6: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" His voice is stilled, his work is done, but "he being dead yet speaketh."
Funeral services were held at the West Union Church, near Wellman, Ia., on Saturday, Jan.8. The sermon was preached by Bro. Simon Gingerich from Luke 2:29. Other brethren participating in the service were C. J. Yoder, Nelson Kauffman, John Y. Swartzendruber, D. J. Fisher, and Perry J. Blosser. The body was then taken to Scottdale where the funeral was held on Monday, January 10 from the home of his son, Homer Kauffman, and at the Scottdale Mennonite Church. Bro. D. I. Stonerook, moderator of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference, preached the sermon, based on II Tim. 4:68, followed by D. A. Yoder. Others who had part in the services were Amos S. Horst, J. L. Horst, A. J. Metzler, S. E. Allgyer, J. C. Clemens, James Saylor, J. L. Stauffer, Oscar Burkholder, Charles Winey, O. N. Johns, E. E. Miller, and Paul Erb. There were present at this service 69 bishops, ministers, and deacons, representing nine different conferences. Interment was made in Alverton Cemetery.
(Mennobits, see also Who's Who among the Mennonites, 1943)
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