Paul Erb

Paul Erb

Male 1894 - 1894  (0 years)

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  • Name Paul Erb 
    Born 26 Apr 1894  Newton, Harvey County, Kansas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 07 May 1894  Mt Pleasant Mills, Snyder County, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I8220417556  Eby/Aebi and Bernethy Family
    Last Modified 5 Sep 2008 

    Family Alta Mae Eby,   b. 23 Feb 1891, Downingtown, Chester County, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Jan 1995, Scottdale, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 103 years) 
    Married 27 May 1917  Hesston, Harvey County, Kansas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 22 Jan 2008 
    Family ID F7500750123  Group Sheet

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 26 Apr 1894 - Newton, Harvey County, Kansas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 07 May 1894 - Mt Pleasant Mills, Snyder County, Pennsylvania Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 27 May 1917 - Hesston, Harvey County, Kansas Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Maps 
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Photos
    Alta Mae Eby and husband Paul Erb
    Alta Mae Eby and husband Paul Erb
    Lancaster Historical Society
    Alta Eby and Paul Erb
    Alta Eby and Paul Erb
    Lancaster Historical Society

  • Notes 
    • Paul ERB passed away on Monday evening, May 7. He had been hospitalized since Mar. 21 and was recuperating from major surgery. Funeral services were held on Thursday evening, May 10, at Kingview Mennonite Church, Scottdale, Pa. Erb was the second editor of Gospel Herald, having served in that capacity from 1944 to 1962. He had had his ninetieth birthday on Apr. 26. --- "Mennoscope" page 357

      Erb.- Paul H., son of Tillman M. and Lizzie (Hess) Erb, was born at Newton, Kan., Apr. 26, 1894; died of cancer at Mt. Pleasant, Pa., May 7, 1984; aged 90 y. On May 27, 1917, he was married to Alta Mae Eby, who survives. Also surviving are one daughter (Winifred-Mrs. Milford Paul), one son (J. Delbert), 8 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 4 sisters (Mabel Kauffman, Mrs. Amy Yoder, Mrs. Ruth Ebersole, and Mrs. Leah Yordy). He was ordained to the ministry on May 18, 1919, and served the Pennsylvania congregation, Zimmerdale, Kan.; North Scottdale, Scottdale, Pa.; and Bridgewater Corners, Vt. He was a member of Kingview Mennonite Church, where funeral services were held on May 10, in charge of Peter Dyck, Myron Augsburger, and Daniel Hertzler; interment in Scottdale Cemetery.

    • Paul Erb was born 26 April 1894 near Newton, Kansas and died at Mount Pleasant, PA on 7 May 1984. During his 90 years he provided a wide variety of services for the Mennonite Church (MC). His principal contributions were as educator and editor, but he also served as pastor and church administrator. His graduate training was in English.

      He taught at Hesston College, 1913-1941 (acting dean, 1924-1928; and dean, 1932-1941). Then he was called to he professor of English at Goshen College (1941-1945). He completed course work for a doctorate at the University of Chicago and was preparing at near the age of 50 to spend the rest of his professional life at Goshen.

      Then he was summoned to Scottdale, PA to succeed the aged Daniel Kauffman as editor of Gospel Herald. At first he resisted this call, but eventually he responded positively to the voice of the church even though it meant abandoning his graduate work in English. He was editor of Gospel Herald from 1944 to 1962 and book editor of Herald Press, 1959-1964.

      Paul married Alta Mae Eby in 1917; they had two children: Winifred (Erb) Paul and Delbert. Paul Erb was ordained to the ministry in 1919 and served as part-time pastor in addition to his teaching and editorial duties.

      In addition to his inside work as teacher and dean, Paul had inadvertently prepared for the Gospel Herald work by extensive travel among Mennonite congregations on behalf of Hesston College. He was also a member of the Mennonite Commission for Christian Education and Young People's Work, 1937-1951, and was a leader in the movement to organize Mennonite Youth Fellowship in 1948.

      Although he raised editorial writing to a new height, he continued extensive activity outside the office. He became the first executive secretary of the Mennonite Church (MC) General Conference (1958-1961) and, after retirement, served as field worker for Allegheny Mennonite Conference, 1966-1969. Then he taught English at Eastern Mennonite College, 1969-1971 and part-time in 1973.

      His books include The Alpha and the Omega (1955); Don't Park Here, editorials reprinted from the Gospel Herald (1962); We Believe (1969); Orie O. Miller (1969); South Central Frontiers (1974); Bible Prophecy: Questions and Answers (1978). Among these the most important was The Alpha and the Omega, the Conrad Grebel lectures for 1955. This was an attempt to fashion a mediating position between premillennialism and amillennialism in an effort to overcome disagreement on this issue within the Mennonite Church.

      BibliographyWarkentin, A. and Melvin Gingerich, compilers. Who's Who Among the Mennonites. North Newton, KS: Bethel College, 1943 : 60.

      Springer, Nelson and A.J. Klassen, compilers, Mennonite Bibliography, 1631-1961, 2 vols. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1977: Vol. 2 : 439.

      Good, Phyllis. Paul and Alta. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1978.

      Hertzler, Daniel. Not by Might. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1983 :87-91.



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