The missionary society had come into existence, but its leaders were still awaiting God’s leading concerning the place where they should begin. A brief attempt was made to begin a ministry in Persia, but political tensions in the region quickly began to mount, bringing the work to a close. The leader of the missionary society at that time, Charles Yoder, went to investigate. But being unable to cross the border from Russia to Persia he returned, convinced that the work could not be sustained.
Another attempt to establish a ministry was made a few years later, this time in Montreal, Canada. There the Brethren assumed responsibility for a mission that had been previously established by a group of German Baptists. Much effort was expended to make the ministry fruitful, but without success, even though the ministry benefitted from some of the most talented Brethren leaders.
Charles Yoder, who had previously gone to Persia, served there for a year with few results in spite of his qualifications. Yoder was an honors student from the University of Chicago, who had turned down offers to pursue a secular teaching career to give himself to the ministry. He built the Warsaw, Indiana, congregation from 30 to 430 members.
Later Jacob Cassel, the founder of the mission through his strong appeal to the Brethren during their conference in 1900, became the leader. But in spite of his personal efforts to keep it alive, the results were sparse, and with much regret, the ministry was finally closed.
Written by Tom Julien, Executive Director Emeritus, Encompass World Partners
Written by Tom Julien, Executive Director Emeritus, Encompass World Partners
There is more to add in the recent past! The re-entry into Canada happened with the sending of a team by Grace Brethren North American Missions in 1995 to Toronto. This team, with a trifecta of leadership--Bartley Sawatsky, Phil Bryant and Nathan Bryant--eventually started a church in Mississauga, Ontario (a suburb of Toronto). Using short-term mission trips from the USA, and sharing the Gospel with a church-planting vision, through the last 20 years they have started more churches and formed a national fellowship of Grace Brethren Canada (http://www.gbcanada.ca/).
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