NE of the most important actions of the General Eldership of 1909 was that which has resulted in the preparation and publication of this volume. We had been making history for more than eighty years. Our part in the development of the religious life of the country during that period is of much interest to us and of some value to others. But no systematic effort had been made to put the record of these events into permanent form. It was in recognition of this fact, and to supply this need, that the General Eldership took action earnestly requesting Dr. C. H. Forney to prepare such a work.

      No better selection could have been made. The author of this book is a man whose memory goes back to the early days of our work, and who enjoyed a personal acquaintance with John Winebrenner and most of his co-laborers. At the same time he has kept in close and sympathetic touch with the men and events of the passing years up to the present time. His pre-eminent ability as a writer is unquestioned. His long period of service as a member of the General Eldership for half a century, and as Editor of The Church Advocate for forty years, afforded him facilities which were not possessed by any other man among us. And, if any further evidence of the wisdom of this selection is needed, it is furnished by the eloquent testimony of the book itself.

      The Board of Directors, however, to which the publication of this book was intrusted, encountered one difficulty. During the past forty years the author of this volume has been more influential than any other man in shaping the course of events concerning which he was selected to write. And, with becoming modesty, he declined to write anything about his own work through these years of activity, except to merely mention his official connection with boards, committees, and local and general enterprises. But the Board of Directors, feeling that he was entitled to a more prominent place in the history of our work than he would assign to himself, and that a fuller recognition of his long and faithful services was demanded in the interest of historical completeness, selected the author of this article "to write the biography of Dr. C. H. Forney."

      The beginning of this narrative takes us back about three quarters of a century, to a farming community in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, of which the village of Linglestown, about eight miles from Harrisburg, is the center. Most of the farmers of this locality, like those of many other communities in Eastern Pennsylvania, were of German descent. Being industrious, honest and frugal, they were naturally prosperous, as prosperity was measured at that time. Harrisburg was then only a town of about 5,000 inhabitants, and many things in the surrounding communities were of a primitive character; but the advantages of the people were equal to the average of that day, and they were contented. Their material comfort was not hampered by poverty, and their spiritual stature was not dwarfed by great riches. They belonged to the large middle class of common people, who in the long ago heard the Master gladly, as soon as they had a favorable opportunity.

      Such an opportunity to hear the truth came to the people of this community through the ministry of Rev. John Winebrenner, about the year 1825. It was the preaching of the word "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power," or what was then commonly called "experimental religion," and which resulted in [289] Winebrenner's separation from the German Reformed Church. The readers of this volume have learned that Winebrenner, while a German Reformed pastor, had three churches in the country in addition to the one in Harrisburg. One of these, known as Wenrich's church, was located less than a mile from Linglestown. When the doors of this house of worship were closed against him, Winebrenner went to Linglestown and preached in the school-house and in private houses. The Lord graciously blest these efforts of his servant in the salvation of precious souls, and in June, 1829, one of the first churches of God in the United States was organized at Linglestown.

      Two of the charter members of this church were Christian T. Forney and his wife, Barbara S. Forney. In the Spring of 1839 they moved about four miles east of Linglestown. Here they owned and cultivated a farm of one hundred and forty-five acres. The family occupied a log house, such as was common in that neighborhood. And it was here, on the seventeenth of October, 1839, that Christian Henry Forney, their fourth child and eldest son, was born. An excellent religious spirit pervaded the community at that time, a full share of which was found in the Forney home. The father and mother, like most of those who were converted under Elder Winebrenner's labors, were deeply devoted to the interests of the kingdom, and this influence was felt in both the home and the church. The ministry was considered a high and holy calling and was regarded with profound veneration. As a result the churches of God have been blest with at least eleven preachers from this neighborhood, ten in addition to the one to whose life and work this article is devoted, five of them belonging to his family relationship. His father, Christian T. Forney, was a lay preacher, and frequently conducted religious services at the home church in Linglestown, and filled pulpits for other ministers as opportunities arose. He also officiated at funerals whenever he was requested to do so. He could preach in English or German, as the occasion required, and was an able expounder of the Scriptures. He might have been an ordained minister had he not believed that he could serve the Master best in a lay capacity as an elder in the church at Linglestown, which position he filled acceptably for many years, and until his death. He was also deeply interested in educational matters, and was a member of the first school board under the common school law of Pennsylvania, which was enacted in 1834. He took a leading part with those who were supporting the public school system, which, being in its infancy at that time, needed all the moral and financial encouragement that public spirited citizens could give. His genuine interest was shown by a gift of four acres of his farm, containing a beautiful grove, for school purposes. The building erected on this ground was called the Forney school-house. The right to use it for religious purposes was reserved when the gift of ground was made to the school board, and here Mr. Forney conducted Sunday-school and prayer-meetings, and held several successful revival meetings. He was a delegate to the East Pennsylvania Eldership in 1833 (the first year that the names of delegates were recorded), as well as in later years, and was also a delegate to the General Eldership. That his life was such as to command the continued confidence and esteem of his brethren is evident from the following action of the East Pennsylvania Eldership, taken at its first meeting after his death: "Resolved, That in the death of our venerable brother, Christian T. Forney, the Church is bereft of one of its most distinguished, faithful and veteran office-bearers, a man of great natural goodness of heart, a counsellor of uncommon prudence, wisdom and skill, and a lay preacher of extraordinary talents and gifts for usefulness in the Church and in the world."

      The early and genuine conversion of children who live in a true Christian home is in harmony with a reasonable expectation, and so it proved in this case. A bethel had been built at Linglestown in the Summer of 1827, two years before the church was organized. Here the converts of Elder Winebrenner's meetings enjoyed many precious seasons of grace, and their efforts in winning souls were crowned with success. It was in this bethel, in December, 1853, at a service conducted by his father, that C. H. Forney, then fourteen years of age, went forward to the altar of prayer and was converted to Christ.

      This brief glance at the early history of this community is sufficient to show that the conditions could scarcely have been more favorable for the early training of one who was to become pre-eminently a leader in the work of the churches of God. [290]

      It was in the building before referred to, on his father's farm, that C. H. Forney attended public school until 1854. He then went to the Miller public school one Winter, about nine miles from home, and to the Churchville (now Oberlin) public school, thirteen miles distant, the following Winter, for more advanced instruction, especially in mathematics. About this time Professor John Focht started an academy at Linglestown, which, in keeping with the original name of that village (St. Thomas), he called The St. Thomas Institute. Here Mr. Forney attended school for three years, each academic year running from April to October. He pursued the regular course of studies, giving special attention to mathematics and surveying. His school work and standing during these early years was a clear indication of the exceptional talents which were to be still further developed and devoted to useful service as time advanced.

      Mr. Forney's experience as a public school teacher dates from the Autumn of 1856, when he was seventeen years of age. That Winter he taught the Progress school, nine miles from home, and the next two Winters he taught the Forney school, on his father's farm. His selection as teacher for the home school is a creditable indication of his standing in his own community, just as the early age at which he began teaching shows his unusual intellectual attainments as he approached young manhood.

      In the Spring of 1858 Mr. Forney went to the State Normal School at Millersville, Pa., where he remained for one school year of three terms. This, his first year in school away from his home community, was one of much value to him. Professor James P. Wickersham, author of several well-known books on teaching and one of the most prominent educators of Pennsylvania, was the Principal of the Millersville Normal School at that time, and its moving spirit. And the teacher of mathematics was Professor Edward Brooks, author of Brooks' Mental Arithmetic, a work which was then in press. That Mr. Forney made good use of his opportunities is evident from the fact that he was selected to make the class address at the end of each term, both because of his record in the work of the school and his proficiency in public speaking. In the Fall of this year, September 21, 1858, he received a Teacher's Permanent Certificate, which at that time took the place of the present-day Normal School diploma.

      It was in the Winter of 1858-59 that Mr. Forney first received impressions which turned his mind in the direction of the gospel ministry.. When he expressed these feelings to his father the latter was very much gratified, and they at once took up for consideration the subject of a suitable college at which he might receive the necessary training for his future work. The churches of God not having an educational institution at that time, the question was not an easy one to decide. Naturally they sought the counsel of Elder Winebrenner, who was at that time conducting a meeting at Linglestown, and on the latter's advice it was decided that Mr. Forney should go to college at Oberlin, Ohio, which he did in March, 1859.

      Oberlin College, in its origin, was closely identified with the anti-slavery movement. Tappan Hall was erected by Mr. Arthur Tappan, one of the leading opponents of slavery. Students were admitted without respect to color. The President and Faculty of the College were pronounced abolitionists, and anti-slavery sentiment was voiced with no uncertain sound. That this attitude was maintained regardless of opposition and danger is evidenced by the fact that when Mr. Forney reached Oberlin two of the professors were serving jail sentences in Cleveland for having assisted a fugitive slave to escape through Ohio to Canada. The President of Oberlin College at that time was Rev. Charles G. Finney, the ablest and most successful evangelist of his day. Through his spoken and published sermons and lectures hundreds of formal churches were being quickened with new life, while thousands of lukewarm church members were being revived and multitudes of sinners saved. If in connection with these two facts it is recalled that the churches of God from the very beginning were committed to the anti-slavery cause, and that they were distinctively evangelistic, it will explain why Mr. Winebrenner advised Mr. Forney to go to Oberlin College, and why the advice was accepted.

      Mr. Forney decided to take what was known at Oberlin as the Elective, or Ministerial Course, preparatory to taking a theological course. He had made a diligent study of Greek at home during the preceding Winter, which he [292] continued at Oberlin in connection with his other studies, advancing in philosophy, astronomy, and higher mathematics as far as the senior class in the regular course. After spending one school year of eight months at Oberlin, he taught the Hopewell public school, in Hopewell township, Seneca county, Ohio, during the Winter of 1859-60, pursuing his college studies at the same time. His Teacher's Certificate, received at Tiffin, Ohio, in October, 1859, was of the highest grade. In the Spring of 1860 he returned to Oberlin to continue his course, little thinking that in a few short weeks there would come to pass an event which would not only bring deep sorrow to the heart, but also change his plan of preparation for the work of his calling. This was the unexpected death of his father, which occurred March 26, 1860, at the age of fifty-three. Mr. Forney reached home the day before the funeral, and did not return to college. This was due in part to changes incident to his father's death, and in part to the urgent need for ministers. It should be remembered that in those early years very few of our people recognized the advantages of a college education as a preparation for the ministry. On the contrary it was the general belief that men who were called of God to this sacred office should enter it without waiting for such training. And not a few of our people were openly opposed to college-trained preachers. In view of these facts it is not strange that Mr. Forney did not finish his college course, but rather that he went to college at all. At that time it was a rare exception for a young man to go to college, and that he followed the exception rather than the rule, shows that he was prompted by the spirit of the true student. And the termination of his school days did not seriously interrupt his course of studies. He continued to apply himself with the same thoroughness and patient perseverance that had characterized his work as a student and teacher. Nor did he limit his application to a popular course of reading and a general line of theological studies, as many ministers do. He did not shun the more difficult branches, which are seldom pursued outside of college or seminary. For example, he took up the study of Hebrew unaided, and mastered it to the extent of being able to read the Old Testament in the original, as his knowledge of the Greek enabled him to do with the New Testament. He has been a life-long student in the fullest sense of the word. He feels most at home in the midst of his books, which have been wisely selected, and which have grown into a library of over seventeen hundred volumes.

      Though almost his entire lifetime has been spent in his native State, within a radius of fifty miles in and around Harrisburg, it was in Ohio that Mr. Forney began the sacred work of the gospel ministry. He preached his first sermon in the Hopewell bethel, about a mile from the public school of which he was the teacher, on Sunday morning, November 20, 1859, from Isaiah iii. 10, 11. During the Winter he preached nine times at Hopewell, once at Tiffin, twice at Attica, once at John Kline's and once at Pleasant Grove. His first sermon in his native State, preached May 6, 1860, a few weeks after his father's death, was a funeral sermon. During the Summer of this year he preached forty-five times at various places in East Pennsylvania, including seven sermons at Lancaster, where he came into personal touch with Elder E. H. Thomas, Editor of The Church Advocate. The Standing Committee of the East Pennsylvania Eldership, of which Elder Thomas was Chairman, granted Mr. Forney a "Preacher's License," September 25, 1860, without an application having been made and without any examination. This unusual course was no doubt prompted by the recognized ability and promise of the one upon whom this distinction was conferred, as well as by the urgent need for ministers. In the Autumn of 1860 he attended the meeting of the East Pennsylvania Eldership at Bainbridge, and was elected Second Clerk.

      Elder Forney's first regular charge was the church at Mount Joy, which he served from the Fall of 1860 to the Spring of 1863. The church had been without a pastor during the preceding Summer, and his appointment from November 9, 1860, until the Spring of 1861, was by the Standing Committee, from which time his Eldership appointment continued for two years, which was then the time limit fixed by the Eldership. During the last year of this period, from April, 1862, to April, 1863, Mount Joy and Washington Borough were united, and were served jointly by Elders Forney and Thomas. Elder [293] Forney conducted the revival meetings, and in the very beginning of his work as a pastor received the most gracious evidences of divine approval. His first protracted meeting at Mount Joy continued from December 22, 1860, to February 27, 1861, and resulted in eighty-four conversions and sixty-five accessions to the church. The revival services of the following Winters were not so protracted, but resulted in a number of conversions and additions, both at Mount Joy and Washington Borough. An encouraging growth was also seen in other respects, especially in a broader vision of Christian responsibility. The pastor, both in his pulpit and pastoral work, laid special emphasis on the subject of missions, and directed the people in formulating and putting into operation a proper financial system, with the result that the church at Mount Joy was soon in the front rank both in missionary activity and the amount of money contributed for that purpose.

      Elder Forney went from Mount Joy to Chambersburg in the Spring of 1863, where his pastorate was attended with some of the most trying experiences of his life. It was a critical period in the progress of the Civil War, and his field was only about fifteen miles from Mason and Dixon's Line. The great conflict between the North and the South was rapidly approaching a crisis, as was shown a few months later in the battle of Gettysburg, July 1st to 3rd. The passionate feelings of that time can be understood only by those who were in touch with the awful experiences of the War. So intense was the interest that Elder Forney, with others, walked from Chambersburg to Gettysburg, a distance of twenty-five miles, on Monday after the battle. There was no means of conveyance, railroad transportation having been interrupted by the destruction of tracks, and even the farmers and others who had teams had gone farther north to escape the Confederates. Shortly after his return from Gettysburg, Elder Forney suffered a severe attack of typhoid fever. During this affliction he was comforted and encouraged by Elder Thomas and others to hope for recovery, and, while the outcome was for a time in doubt, his life was spared for the greater service to which the Master had called him. July 29, 1864, General McCausland, with a Confederate cavalry force of about five hundred men, crossed the Potomac and made a raid as far north as Chambersburg, where he demanded $500,000 in greenbacks or $100,000 in gold under penalty of burning the town. Because the citizens failed to comply with this demand, the heart of the town, including the bethel of the church of God, was reduced to ashes, on Saturday, July 30th. The Board of Incorporation of the East Pennsylvania Eldership decided to rebuild, and Elder Forney was appointed to collect money for this purpose. He traveled over all the territory of the East Pennsylvania Eldership, and through Westmoreland, Fayette and Venango counties in West Pennsylvania, and Wayne, Richland, Wyandot and Seneca counties in Ohio. Our people were liberal in supporting the faith for which the common brotherhood was contending, and in this particular case there was the added element of patriotic devotion because of the circumstances under which the people in Chambersburg lost their house of worship. As a result, the necessary amount of money was secured, about $5,000, which included $300 contributed by members of the Pennsylvania Legislature.

      While on this collecting tour Elder Forney made his first and only political speech. It was in Wooster, Ohio, on the evening of October 6, 1864. A mass meeting had been arranged for that date by the Republican County Committee, which was largely attended and marked by the intense interest and enthusiasm known only in the exciting days of the Civil War. In the forenoon eloquent addresses were made by Senator John Sherman, General James A. Garfield and two local ministers. In the evening Elder Forney made an address in advocacy of the re-election of Abraham Lincoln, his subject being, "The Principles That Should Triumph--Where Are They Found?" The Wooster "Republican" had the following to say concerning the address:

      "The meeting in Arcadome hall to listen to the address of Rev. C. H. Forney, of Chambersburg, Pa., was a most complete success. The address of the reverend gentleman was learned and eloquent, and gave the best satisfaction to the large and intelligent audience present. We have seldom listened to a more effective, convincing and learned argument in favor of the Union cause, than that of Mr. Forney."

      As a life-long Republican, Elder Forney has always taken a deep interest [294] in civil affairs, as a private citizen. And, had he felt free to take a public part in governmental matters, he would no doubt have exerted a very effective influence in favor of that which is highest and best in political life. But he has always contended that a minister of the gospel, for the best interests of his calling, should take no active part in politics. And to this rule he has invariably adhered, with the single exception before mentioned when the extraordinary circumstances of the time demanded the help of every loyal tongue and pen in behalf of the preservation of the Union.

      Elder Forney continued as pastor of the church in Chambersburg for three years. While the time limit was only two years, an exception was made in this case on account of the erection of the new house of worship. The only time during this pastorate when the church had a bethel in which to hold revival services was the Winter of 1863-4. And when this is remembered, in connection with other trying experiences through which the people were passing in consequence of the War, the reader will not expect to learn of very much having been accomplished in the way of spiritual development and church upbuilding. But by faithful pastoral work the flock was kept together, and a number of persons were fellowshiped and baptized.

      The Fourth Street Church of God, Harrisburg, was Elder Forney's third appointment, which he served from April, 1866, to April, 1868. The severe trials through which this church had passed, as recorded elsewhere in this volume, were still matters of recent history, and the flock that remained required more than ordinary care and devotion on the part of the pastor. In this the people were not disappointed, as the record shows 206 sermons preached and about 600 pastoral visits made during the two years. Not only was the flock properly cared for, but the efforts of pastor and church were rewarded with a gratifying increase in membership. Forty-four persons were received into fellowship the first year and forty-nine the second.

      It was during his pastorate in Harrisburg that Elder Forney served as Chaplain of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The ministers of Harrisburg, who had been rendering this service alternately, took action requesting that a Chaplain be selected to serve statedly. Elder Forney was appointed to carry this request to the Capitol, where it was favorably received, and he was elected the first regular Chaplain of the House of Representatives, in January, 1868.

      The "Harrisburg Telegraph," speaking of the close of this pastorate in the Spring of 1868, says: "Long before the ringing of the bell last evening the large audience room of the Fourth Street Bethel was filled to overflowing, and ere the time for opening the services the galleries, aisles and stairways were also crowded with persons who assembled to hear the farewell sermon of Rev. C. H. Forney, who was to close his second and last year's labors as pastor of the church. . . . . . . During the two years just closed Rev. C. H. Forney has labored most efficiently in our midst, and he bears with him to his new charge, in Lancaster, the prayers of all good people for future success."

      Elder Forney's last pastorate was in Lancaster, where he served the church from April, 1868, to April, 1870, the last seven months in connection with his duties as Editor of The Church Advocate, to which position he succeeded on the death of Elder Thomas. Here his work was characterized by the same careful attention to the duties that pertain to the office of preacher and pastor. He instructed the people more thoroughly in the doctrines of the New Testament, and was diligent in seeking the salvation of souls. Twenty-nine persons were received into fellowship, and the church was built up and strengthened in the faith.

      Had Elder Forney continued in the work of the active ministry his career would no doubt have been one of increasing usefulness among the churches of God. He had the talent necessary to render acceptable service in any pulpit. He had the personal interest in the members of his congregations which insures faithful pastoral work. He was equally strong in executive ability and wise administration. And back of these qualifications was an unselfish devotion to the cause he loved. This fact stands out prominently in his report to the East Pennsylvania Eldership at Middletown, in October, 1863, while pastor at Chambersburg. The report closes with this paragraph:

      "I give myself into the hands of the Eldership to send me wherever in her judgment she deems best. I have no personal wishes and desires to be gratified. At home or abroad, on the missionary field, circuit, or station, wherever, brethren, [295] you think my services most needful and promotive of God's glory and the interests of perishing souls, as well as of the Church, thither send me. With and for the Church I mean to labor and in her commission I expect to die."

      But it was only a few years until this consecrated young man, as before mentioned, was called to the editorial chair to begin a period of service to all the churches, which, in the goodness of God, he was able to continue for forty years. During that time, in order to husband his strength for the onerous duties of the editorial office, he preached only on special occasions. These included dedicatory and reopening services, and sermons on doctrinal and other important subjects. He preached the opening sermon of the East Pennsylvania Eldership on several occasions, and also preached the opening sermon of the General Eldership in 1875, and again in 1909. Beginning with the dedicatory sermon at Chambersburg, Pa., March 10, 1867, while he was pastor of the Fourth Street Church, Harrisburg, he has officiated at fifty-five dedications and reopenings. The church that is fortunate enough to secure his services on any special occasion considers itself highly favored, because of the instructive and inspiring character of his work in the pulpit. He is pre-eminently a teacher of divine truth. For this reason he was most worthily honored when Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan, a Free Baptist institution, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity, in 1881. He was the first minister in the churches of God to receive this degree.

      It is in order, in this connection, to make a few comments concerning Dr. Forney's ability as a preacher. Two things, on the human side, determine the strength of a sermon. These are its preparation and its delivery. And this twofold consideration of the subject of preaching, which discloses the ability of the preacher, calls attention to the study and to the pulpit. The work of the latter is more familiar to the people, but that of the former is of no less importance; for a lack of preparation in the study is certain to result in a lack of power in the pulpit. With Dr. Forney the preparation of a sermon is not an irksome task. He enjoys the companionship of his books, especially the Book that records the word and will of God. Many of his most delightful hours are spent in his library, and he finds as much pleasure in the preparation of a sermon as in its delivery. Having selected a theme and text appropriate to the occasion for which a sermon is to be prepared, he seeks, first of all, to discover what the Spirit of inspiration desires to express through the text, in order that he may thus hear the voice of God and repeat it to the people. Then follows the logical development of the theme thus presented, with such practical applications as the needs of the people to whom he is to preach may require. In this work of preparation he goes to the word of God as found in the original languages, and studies the text, context and parallel passages, with the help of concordances, lexicons and commentaries. In addition to his hermeneutical and homiletical helps, the subject under preparation is further enriched by the results of his more general study of theological works. He has a passion for the truth. His sole ambition is to "preach the word," believing that it is the only means whereby the unsaved can be brought to Christ and built up in him. He delights to preach "the unsearchable riches of Christ," and his sermons are prepared with the cross in view. While his preaching for many years has been limited to special occasions, which suggested the propriety of using special subjects, the supreme theme of the gospel has never been forgotten. When he preaches on the subject of the church, as he frequently and appropriately does on dedicatory occasions, he exalts Christ by exalting his body--the church. And his sermons on the ordinances accomplish the same purpose by making more significant the three great facts in the Master's life--his humiliation, his death and his resurrection. He keeps in touch with the best books that come from the press, and avails himself of the volumes of earlier years that are found in his well-selected library, both poetry and prose. The Bible is his treasure-house of truth, and other books are used only as they may throw light upon its interpretation and application to human life. These facilities, each of which contributes in one way or another to the preparation of the sermon, have no place in the finished product. They are all left in the study. Even the written outline is committed so that it need not be carried into the pulpit. Thus the discourse, while a scholarly production, is entirely free from the pedantic element. Nothing is brought before the [296] congregation but an exposition and application of gospel truth that has previously been made a part of the mind and heart of the speaker.

      The delivery of the message is in keeping with the high character of the sermon. Phillips Brooks, himself a prince of power in the pulpit, said: "Every sermon must have a solid rest in Scripture, and the pointedness which comes of a clear subject, and the conviction which belongs to well-thought argument, and the warmth that proceeds from earnest appeal." These elements are clearly manifest in the sermons of Dr. Forney and in their delivery. He deals with the fundamental doctrines of the word of God. He has always been unalterably opposed to the introduction of secular and sensational themes into the pulpit, believing that they are not entitled to a place in the sacred desk, and this position is emphasized by his own course as a minister. The spectacular is as foreign to his sermons and their delivery as it is distasteful to his judgment. He not only excludes extraneous subjects from the pulpit; but, so far as possible, conceals himself in the shadow of the cross. He humbles himself that Christ may be exalted. His sermons disclose no effort at rhetorical display, or desire for personal prominence. His pulpit oratory is unstudied and unaffected. He is sparing in gestures. He is in no sense open to the common criticism that ministers assume an unnatural manner and voice in the pulpit for effect. He is as natural before a congregation as he is in the quiet of his home. With an implicit trust in the One for whose cause he is to speak, and the confidence which a well-prepared message affords, Dr. Forney comes before his congregation with perfect self-control. With his sermon-outline clearly in mind, he trusts to the inspiration of the moment to furnish words for the expression of his thoughts. In this he is never disappointed, for philology has been one of the delightful studies of his life, and has resulted in a rich vocabulary that never fails to furnish the most precise and expressive word at the proper time. There is a dignified sincerity in his sermon delivery which manifests itself in the blending of a choice phraseology with a tenderness of feeling. He speaks with a freedom born of a knowledge of the truth, and a liberty produced only by the presence of the Spirit. His impressive manner brings the conviction that the truth which he preaches is a personal treasure, and that it is transmitted out of the abundance of the heart. His preaching contains the essential elements of true eloquence, which we are told is the power to convince the judgment, kindle the imagination, move the feelings and give impulse to the will.

      It is more than an ordinary privilege to sit under the preaching of Dr. Forney. It is both pleasant and profitable. It is the privilege of listening to one who, while his voice is not so strong as that of many public speakers, has an enunciation so clear as to be heard by the average congregation with ease. And there is a melodiousness in his voice which adds to the impressiveness of his utterances, as well as to the pleasure of listening. It is the privilege of hearing one who has a clear apprehension of the truth, whose loyalty to the truth is unquestioned, and who is in every way worthy to speak in the name of the Master. His logical analysis, his clear exposition, and his simplicity of speech combine to make the truth stand forth with a prominence too plain to be misunderstood. And while his sermons are of greater length than those to which the people of to-day are accustomed, the amount of truth presented is fully equal to the time used in expressing it, and this is the true standard by which to determine the proper length of a sermon.

      Back of the message is the man, who, so far as human agencies are concerned, gives to the sermon its vital power. The words of a speaker are effective only so far as they are backed by a corresponding example. And those who receive instruction from Dr. Forney's preaching, and have the needs of their hearts carried to a throne of grace by his comprehensive and fervent pulpit prayers, realize that they are being helped by one who speaks, not alone from the printed page of the Scriptures, but also from the epistle of Christ written on his own heart by the Holy Spirit. And they go out from the service with feelings which can be appropriately expressed by a quotation from Hawthorne: "His words had power because they accorded with his thoughts; and his thoughts had reality and depth because they harmonized with the life he had always lived. It was not mere breath that this preacher uttered; they were the words of life, because a life of good deeds and holy love was melted into them. Pearls, pure and rich, had been dissolved into the precious draught."

      While there is no superior order in the ministry of the churches of God, there are leaders to whom special duties are committed, either by official action or common consent. These men become leaders by virtue of their efficiency and fidelity. Their ability is recognized by their brethren, who concede to them positions of trust and responsibility. And their fidelity is a stepping-stone from the lower to the higher positions. True and permanent leadership, therefore, is inseparably connected with faithful service. One may attain a leading position in some other way, but it will not be long continued. The only one who can exert a controlling influence through the years uninterruptedly is the one who is constantly devoted to the cause with which he is connected. He must serve before he can rule, and the extent of his leadership will be determined by the measure of his devotion to the duties that devolve upon him.

      Among the names of men who by intelligent and faithful service have attained positions of leadership in the work of the churches of God none stands out with more prominence than that of Dr. Forney. What Elder Winebrenner was to the churches, to the East Pennsylvania Eldership and the General Eldership during the first part of the history recorded in this volume (a period of some thirty years), Dr. Forney has been during the past forty years or more. And the record of these years furnishes a clear illustration of the frequently-expressed belief that when one leader in the cause of righteousness falls the Lord raises up another to take his place. For it is interesting to note, in thinking of these two faithful servants, the close connection between the end of the labors of the one and the beginning of the work of the other. It was only thirteen days after the death of Elder Winebrenner that Mr. Forney was granted a "Preacher's License" by the Standing Committee of the East Pennsylvania Eldership. Elder Winebrenner attended the East Pennsylvania Eldership for the last time in 1859, and the following year Elder Forney was in attendance for the first time. The last General Eldership that Elder Winebrenner attended was that of 1860, while the next meeting of that body, in 1863, was the first one attended by Elder Forney. It should not be inferred that Elder Forney was the immediate successor of Elder Winebrenner. That distinction naturally and properly fell to Elder E. H. Thomas, Editor of The Church Advocate. But it was only nine years after the death of Elder Winebrenner that Elder Thomas was called to his reward, and was succeeded by Elder Forney.

      The leader of a religious body is the one who does most to shape its policies and stimulate and direct the thought of the people. And it was as Editor of The Church Advocate that Dr. Forney, for forty years, exerted an influence of this kind that no one else was in a position to wield. It was to him that the brethren were wont to turn for counsel and guidance, and they never looked in vain. It was in the editorial columns of The Church Advocate that their perplexing problems were solved, their discouraged hearts inspired, and their hesitating footsteps directed. In this position of leadership Dr. Forney was thoroughly loyal to the old landmarks. He was true to the spirit of Winebrenner, Thomas and other leaders who had preceded him. At the same time he was aggressive. He developed the plans of Winebrenner into wider spheres, and, when wise and necessary, carried them out with new methods, but always with an eye single to the honor of the truth and the prosperity of the churches. Most of the enterprises of the General Eldership for the past forty years had their inception in his editorial suggestions and discussions, and to a great extent the same is true of the annual Elderships. In these matters his conservatism and aggressiveness were always blended in proper proportion. His attitude as a leader has been eminently fair. He has kept in close and sympathetic touch with both the old and the young. He has used his influence for what he believed to be the highest good of every institution and individual. Instead of cultivating an ambition to surpass his brethren, he has devoted himself to the development of his own talents and the improvement of his opportunities for usefulness.

      In discussing the leadership of Dr. Forney attention must be given to both the East Pennsylvania Eldership and the General Eldership. Present space will not permit even the enumeration of the many official positions which he has held in the East Pennsylvania Eldership, for it would require quotations from the journals of more than fifty years. A few examples must serve as an imperfect index of a half century of official service. In 1869 Elder Forney [298] was elected as a member of the Standing Committee, a Committee of which he is now, and has been for many years, the Chairman. He is President of the Board of Education, and his service in this connection dates back to 1875. He offered the resolution which created the Board of Church Extension, in 1880, and has been a member of it ever since. On the Board of Missions, of which he is the President, he has rendered faithful service for many years. He was the Secretary of this Board in 1863, and its President as early as 1865. He was also instrumental in the formation of the East Pennsylvania Sunday-School Missionary Society, an effective organization of earlier years. He was the President of the first two Sunday-school conventions in East Pennsylvania. He served as Speaker of the East Pennsylvania Eldership in 1874, 1877, 1883 and 1889. Besides these elective positions, he has been a member of the must important appointive committees from year to year.

      The simple statement of these facts may mean but little to the uninformed, but to those who have served in similar positions it stands for an immense amount of work, especially for one who, like Dr. Forney, is always an active and never a nominal member of a board or committee. His burden of work is heavier than that of any other member of a board or committee to which he belongs. As Chairman of the Committee on Ordination he leads in the examination of all applicants for ordination to the ministry. As President of the Board of Education he arranges for and conducts the examination of students in the Eldership Course of Studies, a Course which he, for the most part, prepared and revised. As Chairman of the Stationing Committee his judgment is the principal factor in solving the problems connected with the perplexing work of appointing pastors. As Chairman of the Standing Committee he has "the care of all the churches" during the year, which includes the visiting of appointments to adjust difficulties, to arrange for the filling of vacancies, and all that belongs to a general oversight of both churches and preachers. As President of the Board of Missions he directs in the work of providing for the weaker churches, as well as in visiting the mission fields. And to be a member of any committee usually means that the preparation of its report is left to him. His work, moreover, has not been confined to the positions to which he has been elected or appointed. In not a few cases he has originated the board, the committee, or the enterprise which has contributed to the prosperity of the churches. He has also had much to do in shaping our form of ecclesiastical government, having rewritten and revised the greater part of the Constitution of the East Pennsylvania Eldership, as well as that of the General Eldership.

      As an earnest, and devoted student who recognized the value of education in the ministry, it was altogether natural for Elder Forney to agitate this subject, which he did from the very beginning of his membership in the East Pennsylvania Eldership. While pastor of the church of God at Mount Joy, Pa., he was engaged for a year or more as a teacher in the Mount Joy Academy, of which Professor E. L. Moore was the Principal. Learning that Professor Moore was willing to sell the Academy, Elder Forney brought the matter to the attention of the Eldership which met at Mechanicsburg, in October, 1861, and was appointed on a committee "to confer with Mr. Moore." The other members of the committee were Elders E. H. Thomas and A. Swartz. The committee, in connection with the Committee on Education, reported, among other things, "that special efforts be made for purchasing or establishing an institution of learning under the control of the Church, for educating our youth and preparing young men for the sacred ministry." The subject was thoroughly discussed, in connection with the proposal of Mr. Moore to sell the Mount Joy Academy to the East Pennsylvania Eldership. The opportunity to secure a school of this kind, to be under the jurisdiction of the Eldership, was looked upon with favor, and Elder Forney and Professor Moore were granted permission to canvass the churches "to obtain subscriptions of stock for the contemplated purchase of said Academy." They sent out a circular letter, and also canvassed some personally, but without receiving much encouragement, and at the next meeting of the Eldership the project was dropped, as being "beyond the jurisdiction of the Eldership." The meaning of this action, presumably, was that the establishing of schools is the work of the General Eldership. In 1876 the Board of Education, with Elder Forney as President, took under consideration a proposition from Professor Ege, of the Cumberland Valley Institute, at Mechanicsburg, Pa., to sell [299] that institution to the Eldership. Perhaps it was thought that if an Eldership desired to establish an academy the General Eldership would cheerfully consent, as in fact it did in later years when such an occasion arose. But after carefully considering this proposition the Board decided that it would be inexpedient to purchase a school property without further agitation of the subject among the brethren. At the General Eldership of 1872 the Committee on Education, of which Elder Forney was the Chairman, submitted a report recommending the acceptance of an offer from Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan, to establish a professorship in that institution by appointing a professor and providing for his salary. The report was adopted, and the first Board of Education of the General Eldership, with Elder Forney as its President, was elected to take charge of the matter, but the project was never carried out.

      Not discouraged by these temporary failures, Elder Forney continued his agitation along educational lines, principally through the editorial columns of The Church Advocate. He believed that our people were able to establish and maintain an institution of learning, and that all that was necessary was to give them a wider vision and cultivate their spirit of liberality. This he endeavored to do, and was rewarded at the General Eldership of 1881 by the adoption of a report which he presented as Chairman of the Committee on Education, May 30th, recommending that a Church school be established at once. This action of the General Eldership, which resulted in the establishing of Findlay College, had its inception in the action of an educational convention which met in Harrisburg, Pa., October 19, 1880, at the call of Elder Forney, President of the Board of Education of the East Pennsylvania Eldership.

      The General Eldership of 1881 placed the matter of locating and establishing a college in the hands of its Board of Education. And when it was decided to locate the college at Findlay, Ohio, it was found necessary to have a Board of Trustees legally incorporated under the laws of that State. This provision was made when the Executive Board of the General Eldership met at Findlay, January 25, 1882, and appointed the first Board of Trustees. Dr. Forney, as a member of the Executive Board, was the author of the action which created Findlay College, gave the institution its name, and defined the powers of the corporation. He also prepared the Articles of Incorporation. The following year the Board of Trustees, at a meeting held June 20, 1883, elected Dr. Forney President of the College. This was a natural selection, considering the leading part which he had taken in the work of establishing the institution, and it indicated the strong confidence which the brethren had in his ability and fidelity. While he had neither sought nor expected this position, he appreciated the honor which the Board's action conferred upon him. And it was not until after he had given several months to the careful and prayerful consideration of this opportunity, for service that he sent his letter of declination to the Board, which was reluctantly accepted at a special meeting held December 5, 1883. In this letter he said: "I have an abiding and predominant desire to serve the Church in that capacity for which I am best adapted, and in which I can be of greatest service to its interests. But I am not able to concur with the Board in the view that, considering all things, my proper position is at the head of Findlay College." He also expressed the hope of being "able to do something toward making Findlay College a success and a great blessing to the Church" in whatever capacity he might labor. This he continued to do by leading the thought of the brotherhood as he wrote on the college and its work from time to time, educating our people to the necessity and advantages of education, and encouraging them to greater liberality. When the time came to dedicate the college, June 20, 1888, Dr. Forney was selected to deliver the dedicatory address. He spoke on "Christianity and the College," and in an exhaustive and scholarly manner defined the relation between Christianity and education, and discussed the principles which are essential to a Christian institution of learning.

      The evidences of Dr. Forney's interest in educational matters has not been confined to his words of tongue and pen. He has been a contributor from time to time to the financial support of Findlay College, his gifts aggregating more than a thousand dollars, and on June 12, 1905, he made himself personally responsible for the endowment of the President's Chair. Though he had declined to accept the office of President of the College, he thus provided for the support of the men who may be called to that position from time to time through all the [300] years. In doing this he gives back to the General Eldership more than half of the salary which he received for his forty year's of service in the editorial chair, thus making his work for more than a score of years purely a labor of love. He occupies the unique position of being a leader in both the intellectual and the financial affairs of our educational work. His counsel has been a guiding factor in the management of the College, and his gifts amount to more than those of any other donor.

      The influence of Dr. Forney has also been a leading factor in the missionary work of the General Eldership, both home and foreign. This influence has been exerted by wise editorial counsel, and by resolutions, reports and discussions in the General Eldership, rather than by active official service. And yet he has not infrequently acted in an official capacity in connection with our general missionary enterprises. He was elected a member of the first "Board of Foreign Missions" created by the General Eldership, in 1878, for the purpose of establishing "a mission in India at as early a day as practicable." In those earlier years, when efforts were being made to unite with the Free Baptist Church in foreign missionary work, Dr. Forney was more than once selected as a representative of our highest governing body. And more recently, from 1906 to 1909, he served as President and Secretary of the Commission on unification of our missionary societies, a position which required clear judgment and much patience, and involved a voluminous correspondence. While most of his years have been spent in the quiet work of the editorial office, the missionary spirit has nevertheless been a predominating one in his life. And the results are to be seen in the steady and substantial growth of the East Pennsylvania Eldership, and in what this Eldership has done for the work on the frontier, as well as in all of the missionary enterprises of the General Eldership.

      But it is in connection with our publishing interests that the monumental character of Dr. Forney's work as a safe leader and successful manager appears to the best advantage. He had charge of The Church Advocate for forty years, and not only brought it up to a high standard of literary excellence, but also placed it on a self-sustaining financial basis. During nearly all of these years he was the Business Manager as well as the Editor, and by his good judgment and careful economy rendered invaluable service to the General Eldership. When he took charge of the paper, in 1869, it was still struggling to free itself from a burdensome debt. In a few years this was accomplished, and then there began to accumulate a small surplus from year to year, which has continued to the present time. But this upward course was not entirely without interruption. There were occasional disappointments, as for example during the triennium of 1878-1881, when the Editor had to contribute $200 in order to continue the publication of the paper. He also refused an increase of salary by the General Eldership on two occasions--in 1875 and 1887. To this personal devotion to a cause, and to the most faithful and persevering efforts, must be attributed the success of our official organ.

      In addition to placing The Advocate on a safe financial basis, Dr. Forney had another ideal--the establishing of a publishing house of our own. As early as 1880 he urged this matter editorially, insisting that the churches were able to inaugurate and maintain such an enterprise. This view was somewhat in advance of the sentiment of the brotherhood, as is evident from the fact that it was not until twenty-one years later, in 1901, that our Printing and Publishing House became a reality. But these years were marked by steps leading up to the final accomplishment. In 1885 a Book Store was started in Harrisburg, in a rented building on Market street. The business prospered. The Advocate continued to earn a small annual surplus, which was carefully invested. Our other periodicals contributed their share towards the common end. This continued until 1899, when a fine property was purchased in Harrisburg, consisting of a lot fronting twenty-six and a half feet on Market street and extending back two hundred feet, with a four-story brick building on Market street, 26½x150, and a double three-story dwelling-house on the rear of the lot. Possession was secured in 1900, and the necessary machinery and outfit were purchased and the printing plant installed in July, 1901. The business prospered in every respect, and the last of the debt incurred in purchasing the property and starting the enterprise was cancelled January 1, 1909. The property, including the stock in the Book Store and the printing establishment, is valued at not less than [301] $100,000. This is the home of our publishing interests. Here our periodicals are all printed, and from here they go out to the various parts of our general territory.

      This statement concerning our Publishing House and Book Store is made because of its essential connection with the life-work of Dr. Forney. As Editor of The Church Advocate he cultivated the sentiment that led to its establishment. As Business Manager of The Advocate he was able to pay towards the Publishing House the sum of $14,880.00. And as President and Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Publishing House and Book Rooms his has been the guiding hand in this enterprise since its inception. It will stand as a monument to his wise foresight and patient perseverance.

      Notwithstanding a general disposition on the part of the brethren to yield to the judgment of Dr. Forney, it should not be inferred that his various projects were carried out without opposition. He has had the experience, common to all leaders, of meeting opposition that is dispelled only by the light of fuller information. To this end he has frequently found it necessary to discuss his plans at considerable length and to advocate the cause for which he was contending with more than ordinary patience and perseverance, at the same time answering the objections and arguments offered in opposition. It is in this connection, both on the Eldership floor and in the editorial columns, that his exceptional ability as a disputant appears to the best advantage. In fact, the comprehensive and conclusive character of his arguments has become so well known that in later years he seldom finds one who feels disposed to meet him in the arena of debate. The common custom is for other brethren to discuss questions that arise, and, after they have presented their views pro and con, all eyes are turned to Dr. Forney, who is expected to clear the polemic atmosphere of clouds, untangle the logical and illogical arguments, and, giving each factor its proper place and force, speak the final word. And his views generally prevail when they are brought to the test of official action.

      Those who may read the above paragraph fifty or a hundred years hence should not associate it with the typical debater of early years, and imagine a man of unusual size, of boisterous voice, and of vigorous gestures, for such an impression would be farthest from the truth. Instead, let them draw a mental picture of a man of medium height; of erect and dignified bearing; modestly but faultlessly attired; unassuming in manner and gestures; with a fine intellectual face and exceptionally strong and expressive eyes; with a voice mild and musical, and a choice vocabulary and a careful enunciation that combine to make it a pleasure to listen.

      Dr. Forney has always had an aptitude for disputation, and he found his first opportunities of this kind in the debating societies of his school days in the Linglestown neighborhood. Here he began to cultivate that habit of careful and exact statements and logical reasoning which has been so characteristic and effective in his later years. He also further equipped himself for public debate, as well as for the work of deliberative bodies, by a thorough study of parliamentary rules. He makes a thorough investigation of every subject, with that clearness of perception, that breadth of view and that unselfish consideration which usually enable one to select the right side of a question at issue. And the man who is thus prepared to take his stand on the right side, has the victory half won before the battle begins. By the right side is meant the position that is most nearly in harmony with the revealed will of the great Head of the church; that looks to the welfare of others rather than self; that places all interests of the church, local and general, in positions proportionate to their relative importance, and seeks to do the greatest good to the greatest number. Having taken his stand on this vantage ground, Dr. Forney proceeds to fortify himself with facts. Instead of speaking at random, or from hearsay, or on mere suppositions, he has all facts bearing on the question at issue carefully noted down, ready for use at a moment's notice. Every argument which might be offered is first brought to the test of truth, and is given as searching an analysis as it could receive at the hands of his opponent. Arguments on the other side of the question are given like consideration. It only remains, then, to properly marshal these facts in support of a position in order to maintain it. Thus, with a firm grasp of the whole subject in all of its details, Dr. Forney is able to take up a question calmly, and with confidence as to the outcome. He is an able [302] and fearless defender of what he believes to be right, but is as calm as he is courageous. With all of his faculties under perfect control, and at instant command, he gradually unfolds his line of argument until it becomes as clear to his hearers as it is to himself. In doing this his tenacity for his own opinions is properly blended with a due respect for the opinions of others. He never allows a difference of opinion, however heated the discussion, to disturb his personal relations with, or his friendship for, his opponent. "Principia, non homines," is his motto.

      The foregoing glance at the work of Dr. Forney as a leader will show that, both in the character and extent of his service, he ranks second to none in our history as a religious body. He has held one or more official positions for a longer period of time than any other man who has been connected with the churches of God. He became a member of the General Eldership which met at New Brighton, Pa., in 1863. That membership has continued without interruption to the present time, and, with the meeting of the General Eldership in 1913, completed the unparalleled record of fifty years. During that time every other member of the General Eldership of 1863 has passed away. Dr. Forney has also held an official position in the General Eldership for the same length of time. He was elected Transcribing Clerk in 1863, Assistant Editor of The Church Advocate in 1866, and was Editor of The Church Advocate from 1869 to 1909. He also served on the Board of Incorporation, the Board of Education, and the Executive Board of the General. Eldership. He was elected President of the General Eldership in 1878, and again in 1905. He is now, and has been since 1893, the President of the Board of Directors of the Publishing House and Book Rooms, and, with the exception of one term, was its Treasurer since 1885. This makes a half century of continuous official service. He has filled these positions to the entire satisfaction of the brotherhood. The material interests intrusted to him by the East Pennsylvania Eldership and the General Eldership have shared in the careful management and wise economy which he devotes to his personal affairs, and with the same successful results. He has been faithful in the discharge of every duty devolving upon him. Loyalty and efficiency have characterized his work in whatever position he has been placed. While he has the gift of leadership in a pre-eminent degree, he has always been willing to serve, even though service meant the carrying of heavy and perplexing burdens. In fact he has carried in his heart the burden of every movement which promised to advance the interests of the churches of God. Other leaders have finished their labors and have gone to their reward, and sufficient time has elapsed to form a mature conclusion as to the value of their services. But Dr. Forney is still with us, for which we are profoundly grateful, and therefore the time is not yet here to form a final estimate of his leadership. Something can be said of his work, and its impress on every local and general enterprise can be clearly seen; but only the future can reveal the larger results. And it is safe to predict that each of the coming years will increase the appreciation which the churches of God have of his services, and confirm their conviction that they never had a truer friend, nor a more efficient, faithful and indefatigable worker.

      It was during Mr. Forney's student days at Oberlin that he began writing for The Church Advocate. The first article was written on the Fourth of July, 1859, and published in The Church Advocate of July 21st. It was on the subject, "Can Backsliders Be Saved?" The article is not lengthy, and does not attempt to go into a thorough discussion of the question. There is lacking that positiveness which characterizes his writings of later years. With the natural timidity of a beginner he does not even pretend to decide the question, but contents himself with quoting certain passages of Scripture which have more or less of a bearing on the subject, and closes by saying:

      "Brethren and sisters, let us watch and pray, and not become lukewarm and finally backslide. For if the backslider can be saved, it is after all a great risk; yea, the greatest risk that man can run to try it. Thus, my brethren and sisters of Pennsylvania, I have endeavored to celebrate the Fourth of July.

C. H. FORNEY."
Oberlin, O., July 4th. [303]

      His next article, which appeared the same month, was on "Bridling the Tongue," and was continued in a later issue. In his third effort, September 8, 1859, he took up the subject of "Baptism and Rantism." It related a conversation which he had engaged in with a fellow student who believed that sprinkling and pouring were as valid as immersion, without purporting to be a thorough discussion of the question. In fact he begins his article by modestly apologizing for attempting to write on the subject at all, saying:

      "It would appear rather presumptions in a youthful tyro like myself, to write an article for your beloved and ably conducted paper, upon the much disputed question of baptism, and I dare say I would be amenable to my more experienced brethren who have been investigating the subject, for my nugacity compared with their profound and elaborate essays and sermons that have puzzled from time to time the deluded and fluctuating minds of their opponents. But since it is not my intention to write particularly about the mode or anything else connected with the rite, I hope you will carefully read the few thoughts that I have to present, and not cast me off at once as an intruder and presumptuous novitiate."

      That he possessed that independence of thought and investigation so necessary to the young ministerial student who takes his course at an institution of learning conducted by those of a different religious faith is shown in this article, in which he says:

      "It is, however, not very strange if Oberlinites hold that sprinkling is the mode in which baptism ought to be administered, when the Doctors of Divinity descend from the pulpit with a baptismal font in one hand and then baptize, erroneously so-called, those who present themselves for admission into the church, unless they had been baptized previously."

      Mr. Forney continued to write at intervals for the Church paper, and as early as the Spring of 1861, in a series of articles on "Redemption and Salvation," we find something of the positiveness and theological style with which we are now so familiar. These early writings contain a plentiful supply of large words, and a more frequent use of Greek and Latin words and phrases than are found in his writings of forty years later. This was in keeping with a custom of the time, followed by those who were able to do so.

      The brotherhood was so favorably impressed with the ability of Elder Forney as a writer, as well as by his evident loyalty to the doctrines of the Church, that when the General Eldership met in 1866 he was elected Assistant Editor of The Church Advocate. During the next three years the products of his pen appeared in the editorial department of the paper, and were read with approval and profit. They showed a clear grasp of the duties and responsibilities of editorial work, and were true to every interest for the furtherance of which the paper was conducted. His work in this position received its official sanction when he was re-elected Assistant Editor by the General Eldership in the Spring of 1869. And when, in the Autumn of that year, he succeeded to the position of Editor-in-chief on the death of Elder E. H. Thomas, he received from the brotherhood that hearty support which is the outgrowth of confidence in one's efficiency and fidelity. That this confidence was justified needs no other proof than the fact that Elder Forney was continued in this position by the General Eldership for forty years, and was then relieved from its responsibilities only because of his urgent request.

      In going over the pages of The Church Advocate from 1869 to 1909, one is forcibly impressed with the wide range of the field of editorial discussion. While this is accounted for in part by the great length of this period, it also reveals the versatility and the extensive reading and research of the Editor. The editorial office furnishes an exceptionally favorable opportunity for reading, including that which is optional, as well as that which is obligatory. And this continued opportunity, improved by the alert and inquisitive mind of Dr. Forney, contributed a fund of information and developed a breadth of thought which made his editorials as comprehensive in their scope as they are valuable in their character.

      His writings on devotional subjects are both instructive and inspiring. They deal with every phase of scriptural truth. The great doctrine of regeneration, which has meant so much in the work of the churches of God, is set forth in no uncertain terms. Great emphasis is laid on the importance of experimental [304] religion, and ministers are exhorted to so teach this truth that they may not weaken the local churches by bringing into their membership persons who have not been born again. Then the welfare of the true convert is taken up and considered in all the various relations that he sustains in life, giving careful thought to his opportunities and his obligations, his trials and his triumphs. The church has a large share in the editorial discussions, and all of its means of grace are clearly explained and urged upon the favorable consideration of the people as contributing factors in their spiritual development. The home, with its far-reaching influence and the value of its devotions, is given proportionate attention, as are all the phases of life with which the individual Christian has to deal. Nothing is neglected or overlooked, but everything pertaining to the spiritual welfare of the readers is given due attention by the Editor, just as a studious and faithful pastor looks to everything that concerns every member of a local church during a long pastorate.

      Dr. Forney always kept himself thoroughly informed concerning the activities of other religious bodies, and gave the readers of The Church Advocate the benefit of his information. And, with his clear view of a situation and his philosophic method of considering it, he was able to do more than merely report the news; he could interpret the handwriting on the wall as well as call attention to it. This was of great value to the reader, because many subjects of importance in the religious world are scarcely considered by the secular press, and the average layman knows but little about them unless informed by his Church paper. His editorial utterances, however, were not confined strictly to what are known as religious subjects. He discussed other questions that were of general interest, especially those pertaining to reform movements, such as the efforts to secure a better observance of the Sabbath, and the various temperance movements. These subjects were not merely touched on incidentally, but were given that broad view and careful thought that always characterize the work of the man who believes that "what is worth doing at all is worth doing well." As an illustration of this fact we mention the editorial discussion preceding the Prohibition Amendment campaign in Pennsylvania in 1889. These editorials continued weekly for four months and a half--from the announcement of the passage of the Resolution submitting the question to a vote of the people, made in The Advocate of February 6th, to the time of the election, June 18th. Every phase of the subject was carefully reviewed. The question at issue was fully explained, as were the methods by which the campaign was to be carried on. The prohibition forces were brought into review, and the elements of the enemies' strength were accurately measured. Then follow five editorials on "Indictment of the Liquor Traffic;" one on "The Liquor Traffic the State's Worst Enemy;" one on "The Liquor Traffic a Fruitful Cause of Infanticide and Insanity," and one on "The Amendment and the Grain Market." The discussion closed with four editorials on "Objections to Prohibition." These twenty editorials fairly illustrate the wide scope of his editorial discussion of important questions.

      Another class of subjects that frequently received editorial consideration, and which constitutes one of Dr. Forney's most valuable contributions to the churches of God, is made up of questions on Church doctrine and polity, and matters pertaining to our general interests. Some of these questions were discussed because certain occasions suggested them to the Editor, and many others were sent in by ministers and laymen with the request that they be answered editorially.

      These editorials cover practically every phase of Church doctrine and polity that could arise, and, in the absence of a comprehensive work on the doctrines and polity of the churches of God to which inquiring minds could turn, they have been of very great value to the ministry and to the churches. They include in their scope all of the doctrines of the churches of God, both general and specific. Every passage of Scripture having any bearing on these doctrines is carefully considered and every objection is fully answered. In this way there was furnished to the ministers of the churches of God information and arguments on the ordinances, as well as on other doctrines, that was of inestimable value in their work of contending "for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

      The editorials on Church polity deal with everything from the local church on up to the General Eldership. The scriptural officers of the local church are named and their qualifications and duties clearly set forth; so are the privileges and responsibilities of the members. The Annual Eldership, with its [305] various boards and committees, and their respective powers, is often made the subject of editorial consideration. So is the General Eldership, with the duties of its different boards and their relation one to another, as well as the more general but no less essential connection that extends from the local church, through the Annual Eldership, up to the General Eldership.

      The enterprises of the General Eldership always found their strongest supporter in The Church Advocate. The mission work of the Church was encouraged and plans suggested for its advancement. The importance of having a college and a publishing house was urged by the Editor for many years before these institutions were established, and his influence was a potent factor in leading up to their establishment and in guiding their activities.

      The character of Dr. Forney's editorial writings is as high as their scope is wide. He has always been a close student and a careful observer. He has cultivated a lucid and forceful style of expressing the results of his researches and observations. His editorials reveal the tastes and habits of the scholar, and have the charm of a diction that is both strong and graceful. But in addition to these general observations, it is in order to write more specifically of a few of the characteristics of these editorials which for forty years contributed so much to the instruction and encouragement of the ministry and the laity of the churches of God.

      They bear the marks of painstaking preparation and thorough discussion. This accounts, in part at least, for the, unusual length of certain editorials, which perhaps did not appeal to that class of readers to whom brevity is most desirable, and who insist on a writer expressing himself on almost any subject in a few paragraphs. But every earnest and conscientious writer feels disposed to say all he can in support of his position, and Dr. Forney, being a man of wide research and retentive memory, had much to say on any question pertaining to his line of work. Moreover, he kept in mind the facts that most of our ministers do not have the extensive libraries necessary to make exhaustive researches for themselves, and that an elaborate consideration of certain questions is an advantage to the laity in helping them to a better understanding of the truth. In nothing else is this feature of Dr. Forney's editorial work more noticeable than in his answers to questions on Church doctrine and polity. One is especially impressed with the care and labor bestowed when comparing his answers with the answers given to such questions by the editors of other Church papers. Instead of a few brief paragraphs, as in other papers, it was his custom to write an editorial of two or three columns, or perhaps a series of editorials. The questions were not only answered, but proofs were given and reasons assigned from Scripture, history, commentaries, etc. This required a great deal of extra time and labor, but the service was given cheerfully for the good of the cause, and hundreds of ministers and thousands of laymen can testify to its value.

      While as a rule the positions taken by Dr. Forney in his editorial discussions were accepted by the brotherhood, there were occasional exceptions. Once in a while a contributor would call in question the tenability of a position taken by the Editor, which would call out his ability as a disputant. His replies were always characterized by the utmost courtesy to his opponents and fairness in dealing with the divergent views presented by them. He always carried on his controversies in a spirit of brotherly love, without malice and without guile. In 1884 he had a discussion with a minister of the Iowa Eldership on "The Unity of Moral Character," which continued for five weeks. In 1891 he had what was perhaps his most exhaustive editorial discussion on doctrinal questions. It was with a minister of the East Pennsylvania Eldership, on the several phases of the Millennium, and continued for fifteen weeks. The Editor defended the post-millennial as against the pre-millennial theory, advocating the doctrines of a simultaneous resurrection and judgment. It was at the General Eldership of 1896 that the change was made in Eldership titles from "Church of God" to "churches of God." This question was first brought up by Dr. Forney in the East Pennsylvania Eldership, and by that Eldership sent to the General Eldership of 1893, and by the latter sent down to all of the Annual Elderships for action prior to the General Eldership of 1896, at which time the above change was made. During the intervening three years this question was carefully considered, as suggested by the General Eldership, the Editor of The Advocate taking the leading part in the discussion. He first published a series of six editorials on "Change of Eldership Titles," in which he strongly advocated the proposed change. [306] Then about six months were given for other brethren to express their views, after which the Editor reviewed these articles in a series of ten editorials, making sixteen in all. In earlier years Dr. Forney had strongly defended the singular form of the word "Church," but his views had undergone a change on the subject, which he frankly stated in the beginning of the discussion. The proposed change under consideration involved two things--a change from "Church" to "churches," and from "Eldership" to "Association." When the matter came to a vote at the General Eldership of 1896 the former carried, but the latter failed to pass. These few examples, selected from many others, will indicate the thoroughness with which the Editor investigated and discussed the questions brought before him. He always took his stand squarely on the word of God. "To the law and the testimony" was his battle-cry, and a "thus saith the Lord" was the deciding voice. In fact the dominant passion of his life has been to hear the voice of God as expressed in the written word. And in nothing else is his thoroughness more manifest than in his investigation of the Scriptures. He first takes up the Bible and studies it in the original languages, and with the utmost care. Then he turns to every other book at hand that may throw any light on the question at issue. And, not stopping with his researches in his own extensive library, he has spent hours of time in the book stores and libraries of Harrisburg and Philadelphia for the same purpose.

      If the subject taken up for consideration did not involve any controversy, but was one of a great variety of topics that were discussed from time to time, it received the same careful consideration. In that case the writer simply led the way for the reader in the search for the truth. All possible light from the lamp of the word was first thrown on the subject, and then history, the opinions of the world's best scholars, observation and experience were all laid under tribute to help in the solution. Thus they came to a common conclusion hand in hand, and with the satisfaction of looking back over a field of investigation that had been thoroughly covered. And this close attention to preparation and thoroughness of discussion was given to all editorial work, whether it involved any important question of doctrine or not.

      These editorials are conclusive in their character. A conclusive argument is a natural product of painstaking preparation and thorough discussion in support of a tenable proposition. The comprehensive character of Dr. Forney's editorials indicates the extent of his investigation, while his careful preparation is shown by his accuracy of expression and the logical arrangement of the facts disclosed by his researches. This explains why the editorial utterances of The Church Advocate were generally regarded as conclusive. They were accepted as such because they were in harmony with the facts--in harmony with the Scriptures, with the history of the churches of God, and with the teachings and practices commonly accepted among us. In this way The Church Advocate has exercised an influence second to none in shaping our policies, directing our activities and confirming our faith.

      His writings are of an enduring character. The student of Dr. Forney's editorials will look in vain for the ephemeral. There is nothing light or trifling. He wrote to instruct rather than to entertain. Much that he wrote thirty and more years ago could be reprinted with equal profit to-day. The truths he taught found an abiding place in the minds and hearts of the people. They are being reiterated in the pulpits and the homes. They will stand the test of time. They will continue to exercise a potent influence in the religious life of the churches of God, for the guidance, comfort and progress of which they were written.

      It is impossible for the uninitiated to fully understand the extent of one's duties in the editorial office, and the average reader has but a vague idea of the amount of work required every week in order to prepare and publish a paper like The Church Advocate. In addition to reading the daily papers and monthly magazines to keep in touch with current events, the Editor must read a large number of religious exchanges. He must read certain classes of books as they appear, in order to keep abreast of the best secular and religious thought. He has several pages of editorials to write every week. All other manuscripts must be edited by him, and then read the second time in proof sheets. Dr. Forney also had charge of the business affairs of The Church Advocate, all of which he attended to himself, including the collecting and paying of bills and the keeping of accounts with advertisers and subscribers. He spared not himself, but gave close personal attention to every detail of the work. There is perhaps not another weekly paper, [307] equal in size to The Church Advocate, on which all the work is done by one man. There are usually three--an editor, an assistant editor and a business manager. It is only by having a thorough system and rigidly adhering to it that it is possible for one man to do this work, and this rule of life has been the secret of Dr. Forney's success in his abundant labors. In addition to his regular duties in connection with The Church Advocate, there were many other demands made upon his time, including an extensive correspondence growing out of his editorial position and his leading position in the East Pennsylvania Eldership and the General Eldership. These various matters received his careful attention. He conducted his correspondence with the utmost promptness. During the earlier years of his service the typewriter had not become the important adjunct to an office that it now is, and in later years he did not turn to it. All of his editorials, amounting in the aggregate to many volumes, and his correspondence including thousands of letters, were written with his pen. Well could he say, with Paul, after thinking of the primary duties and trials of his office, "There is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches."

      When a reader finishes the last chapter of a book, he naturally decides whether or not the author kept his promises made in the preface. As we come to the close of Dr. Forney's editorial labors, we turn to his introductory editorial, in the issue of September 29, 1869. He had just taken charge of the paper, following the death of Editor E. H. Thomas. Among other things he says:

      "We regard a religious paper as one of the greatest instrumentalities for effecting good, when properly conducted, which God in his providence has placed at the command of the Church of this age. . . . . . We shall endeavor to bring to it all the talent, ability and time which we can command. . . . . . It shall be our constant aim to keep the paper up to its present standard in every particular, and also to make such changes and improvements as from time to time may be thought advisable. We shall endeavor to furnish our patrons weekly with reading matter which, both as to quality and variety, shall not be inferior to that of the best religious journals of the day."

      Forty years later, in 1909, Dr. Forney closed his final report to the General Eldership with these words:

      "Many and precious, extending over the entire territory of the General Eldership, have been the friendships formed during these years. Always generously sustained by the General Eldership and upheld by the sympathy and prayers of the brotherhood at large, the official labors of all these years have been a delight. I avail myself of this opportunity to say, albeit I am sure it is not needful, that I am inexpressibly grateful to the General Eldership for the generous and abiding confidence which has led the delegates fourteen successive times to elect me to the important and responsible office of Editor of our Church organ. And as I retire from this honorable position I carry with me most cherished recollections of my editorial life. It has been practically my life-work, and it is submitted to the magnanimous judgment of the General Eldership and the beloved brotherhood, and to the gracious benediction of heaven."

      A conservative estimate of the editorial work of Dr. Forney justifies the conclusion that "the official labors" which were "a delight" to the Editor were of inestimable value to the churches of God, and that the promises made in 1869 were more than fulfilled in forty years of faithful service. His record is rich in achievement, and secure in the hearts of his brethren.

      As far back as 1893 Dr. Forney requested the General Eldership to relieve him of the responsibility which it had placed upon him. This request was renewed at succeeding General Elderships, but in each instance he was re-elected and prevailed upon to continue. In addition to this evidence of confidence the General Eldership from time to time, and the Annual Elderships from year to year, passed strong resolutions of commendation. And when the General Eldership finally yielded to his request to be permitted to retire, in 1909, it was with the unanimous adoption of the following expressions of esteem:

      "Whereas, Rev. C. H. Forney, D. D., LL. D., has served as Editor of The Church Advocate for forty years, with a three-year term as Assistant Editor, and now, at his own earnest request, has been permitted to retire from that position; and whereas, his work as Editor and Business Manager of The Advocate has built a monument in the thought and heart-life of the churches of God, as well as in the property of our Publishing House and Book Rooms, that will continue to testify to his remarkable service; therefore, [308]

      "Resolved: 1st. That we heartily thank our heavenly Father for sparing him to and for us during these years, and that the present finds his physical, mental and spiritual strength unabated.

      "2nd. That while we appreciate his labors and rejoice in their results, we value his Christian character and the proof of his personal integrity most of all.

      "3rd. That we devoutly pray our Father to spare him for many more years of fruitful service, and that those years may be crowned by the goodness of God."

      During these years Dr. Forney also found time to write an introduction to Winebrenner's sermon of 1830 on "Christian Baptism," republished in 1873; an article on John Winebrenner for McClintock and Strong's Cyclopedia, in 1878; a preface to "Spiritual Songs," prepared by a committee of which he was a member, and published in 1882, and now extensively used as our Church hymnal; his work on "The Christian Ordinances," published in 1883; a preface to the revised edition of Winebrenner's "View of the Church," published in 1885, and of which he also did the work of revising and editing; an introduction to "Robert Woodknow," by Rev. Charles F. Reitzel, published in 1902; an introduction to a new edition of "Jewett on Baptism," published in 1905, and which Dr. Forney also revised and enlarged with quotations and references; an introduction to "Spiritual Counsel and Encouragement," by Rev. J. W. Gable, published in 1907. His work on "The Philosophic Basis of Ordinances and Bible Doctrine of Sanctification" appeared in 1906. The first part of this book is a sermon which the author had preached at several places, and the second part is a series of editorials which appeared in The Church Advocate in 1887. This, and his somewhat larger book on "The Christian Ordinances," with the present volume, are the only products of his versatile and active pen that have been published in permanent form. This is accounted for in part by the busy years of his life, which left but little time for anything aside from the regular duties of each day, and in part by his lack of inclination. It is worthy of note, that he never published anything, not even a pamphlet or tract, voluntarily. He prepared "The Christian Ordinances" for publication in compliance with an action of the General Eldership of 1881. His sermon on "The Philosophic Basis of Ordinances" was written out in response to the urgent request of quite a number of brethren, and, in connection with the "Bible Doctrine of Sanctification" (also by request), was published by Dr. C. I. Brown, President of Findlay College. And the present volume, to the preparation of which he devoted nearly four years, and which is destined to be his monumental work, is his response to the repeated requests of the General Eldership. Nothing but his strong sense of duty to the brotherhood, his love for the churches of God and their doctrines, and his recognition of the importance of preserving their history, could have induced him, at the age of seventy, to undertake this laborious task. But, once the decision was made, his plans were formulated and carried out in the same thorough manner that had characterized all of his previous work. Perhaps no other man would have devoted the time, or exercised the patience, necessary to examine every volume of the Church paper for seventy-five years, page by page, as he did in the preparation of this book. But as a result the churches of God have a work of inestimable historical value. All that has been previously said about Dr. Forney as a writer is applicable to his books. Here his thorough method of investigation, and his clear, logical and conclusive manner of expressing his thoughts are always in evidence.

      It was but natural that Dr. Forney's ability as a scholar and writer, which was so generally recognized by the common consent of the brotherhood, should also be given official recognition. And this was done in 1905, when Findlay College conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws. The General Eldership had also been recognizing the value of his writings from time to time, not only by continuing him in the editorial office, but in the adoption of the most commendatory resolutions. And the same was done from year to year by all of the Elderships. These official actions recognize the sterling qualities of his Christian character and the versatility and resourcefulness of his ability; his unquestioned loyalty to Christ and the doctrines of the church which he established in the world; his marvelous rapacity for work and his deep and abiding interest in every local and general enterprise; his carefully formed plans for the discharge of every duty devolving upon him and the benefits following their intelligent execution. And the sentiment is voiced that, considering the great length of his period of official service, its unusual opportunities and the faithful manner in which he improved them, no [309] man has exerted a wider or more effective influence among us than Dr. Forney has by his voice and pen. And yet the most impressive thought suggested by the consideration of a long and useful life is, that the extent of its service can not be measured by any human standard. It requires greater wisdom than we possess and a longer time than we have to live to understand its meaning and measure its results. Some things can be mentioned, the more prominent ones, but the many smaller duties, the daily routine of events, which in the aggregate may be the greater forces, can not even be remembered. But they are not forgotten by the Master.

      It is not possible, even if it were profitable, to separate the workman from his work. Back of the preacher, the leader, the writer, is the man of strong and gentle Christian spirit, who reveals and perpetuates himself in his achievements. And this is especially true of that part of his work which is most abiding--his work as a writer. The late Richard Watson Gilder, in writing on "Lincoln's Genius for Expression," says: "He achieved a singularly clear and forcible style, which took color from his own noble character, and became a thing individual and distinguished." This, to a greater or less extent, is true of every writer. What he is in his character he puts into his writings, and his writings, in turn, furnish the best index to his character. We have it from the highest authority that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh," so that the character of a man's speech, whether spoken or written, is identical with the character of the man himself. Whatever Dr. Forney writes with his pen he subscribes to in his heart, and he writes as he feels. This will enable the readers of coming years to get a glimpse of the man through his writings. As they turn the pages of this book and admire its comprehensive scope, its richness of detail, its chaste literary style, the manifest fairness in the treatment of all subjects considered, and, above all, the Christian spirit that gives to every true production its highest value, they will be recognizing the prominent traits in the character of its author.

      The splendid principles and characteristics which are so pronounced in his public work lose nothing of their charm in the privacy of his home. He and his sister, Miss Lydia A. Forney, have made their home together since 1868, both having remained single. Nearly all of these years have been spent in Harrisburg, in a large and well-arranged dwelling, constructed nearly forty years ago, in accordance with their personal desires. In their intellectual tastes and religious activities they have much in common. Miss Forney is a lady of culture and devotion, and has rendered invaluable service to the East Pennsylvania Eldership and the General Eldership, particularly in mission work and in connection with our Sunday-school literature. Helped by this companionship, and free from family cares, Dr. Forney has been able to prosecute his work with a singleness of purpose not possible to most men. In addition to these favorable circumstances, his life has been governed according to strict hygienic principles and methodical habits of work and recreation. He has always been able to wholly dismiss the responsibilities of the day when he turns from his desk, so that they may not interfere with the restful sleep of the night. In this way, although never a man of robust constitution, he has been able to lengthen his years and maintain his strength, and carry a burden of work that many a stronger man would have hesitated to assume. Manifold as his official duties have been, they have not prevented the exercise of hospitality. And by a delightful personality and a frank and intelligent conversation he has won the high regard and genuine affection of those who have been welcomed to his home. Here, in the midst of quiet and refined surroundings, he is spending his closing years. He entered the service of his Master in the early morning of life, and has continued his labors into the lengthening shadows. He has faithfully served his day and generation, thus bringing to the evening hours the sincere satisfaction of a well-spent life and the precious comfort of a hopeful sunset. [310]

[FHCG 289-310]