13,610
edits
Changes
From BrethrenPedia
no edit summary
Cornelia DeJonge, commended by the Eastern and Baldwin assembly in 1925, was the first missionary to go out from West Michigan; she served in Africa. In 1951, Gerald and Betty Wunsch were commended by the assembly to the Lord’s work in New Guinea. They served the Lord for 41 years as missionaries in that country.
[[Henry Allan Ironside|Harry Ironside ]] had an evangelistic campaign at the Gospel Hall in 1926, well remembered because of the number, young and old, who were saved. He, C.J. Scofield, and many other well-known speakers visited the assembly regularly. The Eastern and Baldwin assembly and its forerunner was a ‘Grant exclusive’ assembly until the 1930s. Peter Pell Sr., father of ten children including Peter Pell Jr. and Will Pell (who began Gospel Folio Press around the year 1925), attended the assembly for a time. Harry Ironside baptized Peter and Will by immersion there. He asked Will, “Are you dead?” Will knew enough to answer in the affirmative, and then Ironside said, “Good, because I only bury dead people.” Later young Peter would travel and preach with Ironside.
After breaking with the Grants, the assembly joined in fellowship with the ‘open’ meetings in Grand Rapids. During the course of years, it has taken a more progressive stance. Russell Van Ryn was a conscientious shepherd through the 1970s and 1980s. In 1975, the assembly moved to the suburbs and changed its name to Forest Hills Bible Chapel.
* * * * * * *
During the thirties, there was a great reaping in Grand Rapids. Peter and Will Pell largely held the same doctrines as [[Henry Allan Ironside|H.A. Ironside]]; they worked with M.R. DeHaan in his early days; they also were great friends with Mel Trotter of Rescue Mission fame. These men, with David Otis Fuller were greatly used to shake Grand Rapids and to make it a kind of hub of evangelical and fundamentalist work. Peter and Will were active open-air preachers in those days.
A brother named Kramer had moved to Grand Rapids from Kansas. He was a strict ‘exclusive’ and a very careful Bible student. Peter and Will Pell both attended Kramer’s Bible readings, and Peter was especially influenced. However, Mr. Kramer’s assembly never received Peter or Will Pell into their fellowship.
