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Harold Stauffer Bender Papers
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Bender to D. H. Bender, March 25, 1917 and two contiguous items

Bender to D. H. Bender, March 25, 1917 [D. H. as “Principal” and “Dear Uncle” at Hesston Kansas (i.e. Hesston College and Bible School); written from 1424 S. 8th Street, Goshen Indiana]: had D.H.’s letter of the 18th [not extant here] regarding a place on the Hesston faculty next year; “... I am willing...”; had consulted with his father [George L. Bender]; did not want the post if it deprived anyone else.
• • • CONTIGUOUS, document, “Answer to Questionnaire”, penciled “...Bender, D. H., 1917/18” [handwritten, paper same as the letter]: numbered points of basic information on Harold Stauffer Bender: address 1711 Prairie Street, Elkhart; education--Elkhart schools with high school diploma, expecting an A.B. degree from Goshen College in 1918, in 1916-1917 had taught at high school of Thornton, Indiana; psychology courses as only professional preparation; at Goshen College had served as assistant in English, same in Chemistry; several reference persons; member of the Mennonite Church eight years, holding no office; in harmony with his church; God’s Word as espoused by his church provided his “sole standard of conduct”; “constant purpose” was to do only what best would “promote the Cause of Christ,” and that above “personal considerations”; “...my principle of living” was to live “simply and soberly as a member of our faith.”
• • • CONTIGUOUS, D. H. Bender to Bender, April 16, 1918 [stationery of Hesston Academy and Bible School, D. H. Bender the Principal]: your paper was before the Faculty Committee; list of courses being named for you in the catalogue; more about teaching load....

Brunk to Bender, June 16, 1920

16 pages full of agrumentative questions after beginning with statements that he is not acquainted with Bender but loved Bender's father and that he had read letters between Bender and "J. L. S." [John L. Stauffer]] and is glad to have his own "religious discussions" spread through the church. (This from the letter captures the tone of it all: "There is no such thing as dead orthodxy in fact. You might as well speak of spiritual infidelity. It is a contradiction in terms.") Objects to Young People's Conference, and objects to Bender's having defended the "boys" overseas [reference surely to Clermont Conference]. His criticism of those boys and their working with the Quakers is lengthy. "I have heard so much a out the boys being staunch on non-Resistance. . . . Why so strong on that and weak on other doctrines. . . ." Some language against having democracy in the church. Much defense of Virginia Mennonite policies. A P.S. about how schools [i.e., Goshen, Hesston, Eastern Mennonite] should be controlled by the church, but saying as yet the church was not able to control Goshen.

Paul Bender to Harold S. Bender, August 1, 1920

Paul Bender to Harold S. Bender, August 1, 1920 [handwritten from Conway Kansas]: [Note: Paul Bender (a first cousin of H. S. Bender, two years younger than H.S.) was a student at Hesston College 1919-21; perhaps the Conway address was quite temporary]; had been busy “working and running around”; mentioned that four had gone to Oklahoma in Ed Yoder’s car [?? Edward Yoder ??]; mentioned working at harvest; places they had been in Kansas; mention attending an Old Order Amish church one morning and a Methodist Church in that evening; mentioned Jesse Martin as if one of the four, same re John Detwiler; mentioned Titus Lapp in Nebraska; more about travels in Kansas; mentioned being “here in McPherson county; about working at threshing...; Kansas-Nebraska Mennonite Conference would be a Canton [Canton Kansas]; what were Harold’s plans for next year--supposed Princeton; for himself, reference to “the Russian proposition”; Paul doubted he would consider relief work.... [post WWI relief].
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D. H. Bender to Bender, October 2, 1920

D. H. Bender to Bender, October 2, 1920 [stationery of Hesston Academy and Bible School, D. H. Bender the Principal]: writing as uncle to “Dear Nephew”; sorry about fall that Bender’s father [George L. Bender] had suffered; G. L. in “serious and extraordinary condition” [see appropriate pages in Albert N. Keim, Harold S. Bender]; letter is a lengthy discussion about whether to take G. L. south as doctors were recommending; question apparently whether Bender’s mother [Elsie Kolb Bender], would go with G. L. as caregiver; mention Florida, Louisiana, and the Rio Grande Valley; consideration of family issues and “the Board’s” responses if Elsie went south [leaving her role as matron of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities house at 17ll Prairie Street in Elkhart]....

Bender to Burkholder, October 7, 1920

18 hand-written pages on the Young People's Conference movement evidently in response to a questionnaire YPC executives (Bender being executive committee chair) had sent out. Bender wrote: YPC leaders were trying to upbuild the church; appreciating Burkholder's tone; YPC did not want to compete with other church organizations for youths' participation; evidence of marginal young people becoming more loyal to the church; etc etc. At one point Bender turned the tables and asked what young people in Ontario were doing by way of mission, etc. Bender admitted that the YPC was too dominated by Goshen people. Mention of N. O. Blosser and J. B. Shank and Jesse Smucker as speakers (Smucker's "address ... certainly was a clear, sound testimony with theemphasis on inspiration, atonement, the cross etc." [cf. fundamentalism or at least orthodoxy]. Remarks about attire, and too-easy "familiarity of the sexes" and a "sprit of entertainment." The question of authority. (Note: the letter has some lines marked through with pencil, as if it were not the final draft; moreover, there is one page here of what appears to be carbon of a typed copy; and yes, there is a 6 pp, typed, single-spaced carbon version of the letter here.)

D. H. Bender to Bender, November 25, 1920

D. H. Bender to Bender, November 25, 1920 [stationery of Hesston Academy and Bible School, D. H. Bender now the President]: your special delivery letter came this morning [not extant here]; about whether D. H. would be coming to Elkhart--difficult, discussed his schedule; reference to H. S. Bender letter to Oscar Burkholder [not extant here]; then much about a meeting [somehow related to] “your questionaire” [sic]; wrote as if the meeting dealt with controversy [annotator’s guess is that it may have been a meeting of the Young People’s Conference--Bender had been made chairman of its Executive Committee the previous July (see Albert N. Keim’s biography, Harold S. Bender, 1897-1962, page 98 and elsewhere--see “Young People’s Conference” in index); also a reference to the matter being related to “the movement started in France” [see on-line in GAMEO, “Reconstruction Work (France)”, and “Young People's Conference”; in June 1919 workers in France had held a controversial conference at Clermont-en-Argonne that had helped spawn the Young People’s Conference in the U.S.A.]; rest of letter seems to be advice on how Bender should respond to these developments laden with generational conflict...; P.S., wanted Minnie Swartzendruber Geometry grade [later Minnie Graber, spouse of J. D. Graber (Joseph D.)].

D. H. Bender to Bender, December 10, 1920

D. H. Bender to Bender, December 10, 1920 [stationery of Hesston Academy and Bible School, D. H. Bender now the President]: got your letter yesterday [not extant here]; had decided to send Ernest Miller couple, in January, if they got papers [to India? Ernest E. Miller, Ruth Blosser Miller; D. H. writing as if he were member of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities? Daniel H. Bender; Argentina “needs help”--mention the Litwillers [likely Nelson Litwiller, Ada Ramseyer Litwiller], about their possibly going; sorry to hear of gradual decline of George L. Bender.

D. H. Bender to Bender, December 15, 1920

D. H. Bender to Bender, December 15, 1920 [stationery of Hesston Academy and Bible School, D. H. Bender now the President]: had Bender letter of December 12 [not extant here]; sorry to hear that George L. Bender was running a temperature...; rest of letter is D. H.’s comments and advice about Bender’s leadership of the Young People’s Conference; spelled out the dilemma from the church leadership point of view, and how the dispute might be healed [the YPC side admitting error, and then...]; how the matter might look after some time; advice to go slowly; etc.

Brunk, George R. [I]

1/4" stack mostly handwritten (even when on letterhead of journal The Sword and Trumpet), from the George R. Brunk who lived 1871-1938.

Brunk, George R. (George Reuben), 1871-1938

Bender, George L.

In George L. Bender’s rather short life (1867-1921)* he was a teacher. postmaster, and MC Mennonite church official at Elkhart Indiana. At that time Mennonite institutions were developing in Elkhart in the wake of John F. Funk’s work; and G. L. Bender served as the first treasurer of the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities and as a deacon at Prairie Street Mennonite Church. Importantly, he was the father and a mentor of H. S. Bender.

{1} G. L. Bender to “Dear Harold”, September 10, 1916 [stationery of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, G. L. Bender as Treasurer and Financial Agent]: was headed for Young People’s Meeting [note: not to be confused with Young People’s Conference--“Meeting” implied the Sunday evening event at an MC Mennonite congregation]; D. S. Wendy had asked for Harold’s address, and had said Gladys wanted to write to Harold [Gladys Wendy ?]; more, regarding Gladys’ “running away from” Harold and Harold saying she never would get the chance again; family or community news--mention “Ether Murphy and B. S. Ebersole” [Esther Murphy ?]; ... hope things going well [for Harold] at Thornton... [Thornton Indiana, where Harold was a high school teacher].

{2} G. L. Bender to “Dear Harold”, October 19, 1916 [stationery of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, G. L. Bender as Treasurer and Financial Agent; Harold at Thornton Indiana]: glad for your letter [not extant here]; about dyeing his coat and problem of its shrinking; mentions of Harold’s siblings and some kind of grades they had gotten....

{3} .G. L. Bender to “Dear Harold”, April 21, 1917 [stationery of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, G. L. Bender as Treasurer and Financial Agent]: Aunt Cinda had left; four Lancaster boys who had stopped; Benders had planted potatoes...; mention of “the Ford”.

{4} .G. L. Bender to “Mr. H. S. Bender”--“Dear Harold”, June 20, 1918 [stationery of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, G. L. Bender as Treasurer and Financial Agent; Harold at Y.M.C.A., Akron Ohio]: personal matters--had received his letter and card [neither extant here]; about his getting a clock; glad Harold had “a position”; advice to be thrifty and pay debt; etc....

{5} .G. L. Bender to “Dear Harold”, July 12, 1918 [stationery of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, G. L. Bender as Treasurer and Financial Agent]: had Harold’s two letters [not extant here]; about date of Sunday School Conference, Harold to speak on “What I owe to the Young People’s Meeting”; about Florence [Bender, sister of Harold] sending the Hesston catalog [Hesston College and Bible School]...; on money raised for the college’s debt....

{6} .G. L. Bender to “Dear Harold”, July 19, 1918 [stationery of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, G. L. Bender as Treasurer and Financial Agent; Harold at a street address at Akron Ohio]: writing on Harold’s birthday, sorry he was not home, would have had fried chicken; had sent Harold some church papers; advice on getting a ride with “Bro. Smucker” to Sunday School Conference, saving money; about siblings Violet, John, and Robert having had tonsils removed [Violet Bender (later Violet Turner, Violet Bender Turner), John E. Bender, and Robert L. Bender]....

{7} .G. L. Bender to H. S. Bender--Dear Harold”, December 20, 1918 [stationery of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, G. L. Bender as Treasurer and Financial Agent; Harold now at Hesston Kansas]: on money, checks; on Chemistry books; about who had paid [likely dues of their Goshen College class ??--Harold had not paid]; about money still due on a loan; about some report [re Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities ??] to be considered at the Elida meeting; expected Uncle Dan [likely D. H. Bender, Daniel H. Bender] to attend the Elida meeting; regarding bad state of affairs at Goshen College, confidentially; if you don’t stay at Hesston, G. L. preferred Harold to be [? teaching ?] in Elkhart schools; do not write to “Wiggers” until “after I have my report” from doctors and have met with the Executive Committee [? of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities ?]; the scourge of flu that was about, people dying; Christ Shantz had died of stomach cancer; other names with maladies.

{8} G. L. Bender to “Dear Harold”, January 16, 1919: about late reply to Harold’s letters; about “Lapp” inviting “Reiff” to come to assist [likely George J. Lapp, George Lapp, in one-year presidency of Goshen College; ?Vernon Reiff ?]; re getting Charles Shoemaker to help out temporarily [help where?]; on Shoemaker’s situation, including Mennonite Publishing House wanting him (? Charles B. Shoemaker, C. B. Shoemaker ?)]; on efforts to do relief work now that the war was over [Mennonite Relief Committee of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities]--mention Armenia, Syria, “Bible Lands”; about finances available for relief; about negotiations with U. S. government... (more on relief situation); “...we made ... selections”--re Aaron Loucks, William Derstine to accompany workers over and organize relief; J. H. Detweiler, J. C. Myer [sic; likely J. C. Meyer, Jacob C. Meyer, Jacob Conrad Meyer], Jesse Smucker, John Werye, “Ori Miller” [sic; Orie Miller, Orie O. Miller], David Zimmerman, Leon Myers, Nolt, Ezra, Deter [sic; Ezra Deter ?]; comments about Deter going to France, perhaps “Graber” going somewhere; mention Silas Hertzler, Asa Hertzler, Willis Baer; had sent $25,000 to ‘the New York office”; letting “Natives” direct the work./ Reference to Harold’s teaching plans--they [apparently Hesston College and Bible School] would like to have him another year, preferable to G.L.; but glad to have Harold at Elkhart./ G. L. mentioned possibly coming to Hesston to talk to Reiff, if Shoemaker not available [? Vernon Reiff ?; likely Charles Shoemaker, Charles B. Shoemaker, C. B. Shoemaker]; by-laws did not provide for an assistant treasurer; on whether “Baumans” would go to South America [Argentina ?]....

{9} G. L. Bender to H. S. Bender--“Dear Harold”, April 24, 1919 [stationery of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, G. L. Bender as Treasurer and Financial Agent; Harold at Hesston Kansas]: on correspondence and accounts; glad about your plans to go to Yoder for the summer [? Yoder Kansas ?]; encouragement to visit a Bishop Beachy there, whom G. L. knew; Cecil’s ear trouble [Cecil Bender, Harold’s brother, later Dr. C. K. Bender]; advice not to overdo in heat of Kansas; wrote as if “Reiff” were in Elkhart [? Vernon Reiff ?]; mention Enos Mumaw and wife; re Goshen College--going quite well, H. F. Reist to be president next year, Christ Blosser dean [H. Frank Reist, Henry Frank Reist; ? Christian Blosser ?]

{10} G. L. Bender to “Dear Harold”, September 25, 1919: sending notes today; advised that Harold “make no fixed plans just now” but wait to see how G. L.’s “condition” developed [Parkinson’s disease -- see Albert N. Keim, Harold S. Bender, 1897-1952, pages 37-38, 86, 109-111]; had seen another specialist in Chicago, who said G. L. could become “entirely helpless...”; re a letter from “Boyd” [J. Boyd Cressman ?]’ remarks about Boyd’s ridicule of “Loucks” and of Harold’s remarks about Loucks [? likely Aaron Loucks ?]: reference to “the abnormal condition of his mind [whose mind? probably Boyd’s but unclear]; “I am so sorry for him...”; “And Harold I am so very grateful ... [to God] that you did not get to France...” [likely a reference to the French Reconstruction Unit, where its Mennonite young men had held a conference at Clermont-en-Argonne that was very controversial, being quite critical of current (MC) Mennonite Church leadership]: “Say Harold you reputation is good. I trust you will never mar it. Stand loyally by the church” with “confidence in the leaders...”./ Remarks about “the Thut article” and Thut’s apparent premillenialism; “I want you to have my view on this subject. I am neither PRE or POST.” [sic; (what of amillennialism ?); the church had no position on this, and the question was not “essential to salvation”, so neither side should call the other unorthodox, but should speak kindly; comments on Thut as “a deep student” and not “antagonistic”....

{11} G. L. Bender to “Dear Harold”, October 18, 1919: re correspondence; glad for your rise in salary...; muted financial advice; more this and that; mention Jesse Bechtel--and writing to him c/o his father’s office in Philadelphia... (implied Bechtel was a recent immigrant ?); Goshen College enrollment etc.; Florence was waiting tables for her board, Violet working in the library for her tuition [Florence Bender; Violet later Violet Turner, Violet Bender Turner]; mentioned J. M. Yoder paying for the girls’ expenses; did you get notes I sent?

{12} Another letter, G. L. Bender to “Dear Harold”, October 18, 1919: thanks for 2 checks; amount of Maple Leaf [college yearbook] debt; mention H. A. Yoder, Jancey Slabaugh, Ora Liechty, Arthur Hartzell, D. E. Lehman; leaving tomorrow morning for Youngstown.

{13} G. L. Bender to Dear Harold”, January 9, 1920 [stationery of Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, G. L. Bender as Treasurer and Financial Agent]: mention Violet [later Violet Turner, Violet Bender Turner]; paid $1.50for tailor work on Harold’s suit; had lent Harold’s $400 to “brother Brunk”..., although had intended to use it to help the girls [likely Violet and Florence Bender]; about sending some money each month; about G. L. trip to Illinois and then [apparently] aborted going to California to a sanitarium upon finding out it did not have the equipment for the treatment he intended; about talking to the doctor at length about plans...; instead going to Battle Creek which had a very excellent sanatorium....

{14} G. L. Bender to “Dear Harold”, Jan 17, 1920 [stationery of The Battle Creek Sanitarium, Battle Creek Michigan; poorly written in pencil (possibly by someone taking informal dictation from G.L.)]: reference to leaving Elkhart; you probably have my letter re not going to California; on your questions-- G. L. had left “the active part of the Relief work... to the rest of the Executive for the times I am away”; for “first information... write to Levi Mumaw”; to work with Russian Mennonites, thought “the Ohio meeting” had wanted to get “several older men with Executive ability“ plus some “boys who are already across the Atlantic”; “of course ... personally we would not prefer your going” but you are of age to make that choice...; G. L. thought that if Harold wanted more schooling, now was the time...; on Goshen not paying much for summer teaching; G. L. would like to see Harold teach in Elkhart schools for a year./ Regarding “Vernon Reiff”, he would be rather expensive help for the Board, and, to G. L., Reiff’s replies indicated disinterest./ [The Battle Creek Sanitarium] was “a great place. Mostly rich people”; G. L. still being examined; yesterday a “fierce” diet of “nut bran”; talked here with all kinds of people, e.g. “a real Suffragette”...; friendly acquaintance with “Judge Lasey of Detroit--he much respected “the plain people” and his wife’s “folks” were River Brethren; G .L. was “the only plain person” among 500 patients [nonconformity, attire] and was called “Rev. right along”....

{15} --------------

cross-references from other files


{16} Delilah Roth (apparently a Goshen College student) to H. S. Bender, May 3, 1937: had finished biography of Bender’s father [G. L. Bender, George L. Bender, George Bender]; implied she wrote the biography under Professor Umble [surely John S. Umble]... [From Box 7 Folder 1, L miscellaneous 1930-1938].

Bender, George Lewis, 1867-1921

D. H. Bender to Bender, May 11, 1922

D. H. Bender to Bender, May 11, 1922 [stationery of Hesston Academy and Bible School, D. H. Bender now the President: reference to Bender letter of May 4 [not extant here]; D. H.’s attitude toward Young People’s Conference had not changed; some extended discussion of the church’s relation to its young people and vice versa; pressed for time, but would give some thought to attending “the conference”....

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