Preservings $20 Issue No. 26, 2006 - Home at Plett Foundation

was involved in confession before the Church
body. 57 In a post KG disintegration incident,
pews in the vacant South KG Church building
were piled in the lobby, blocking entry doors and
then it was used for a roller skating party. This
action was later addressed by the leader of the
group in a private meeting with Ältester Jacob
F. Isaac. The guilty leader requested forgiveness
for this action of indiscretion and disrespect and
with the repentance, the request was graciously
granted during this lengthy meeting with the
Ältester. 58
Post Disintegration of the Meade, Kansas
Kleine Gemeinde
Some reasons for the final disintegration
of the Meade KG in February 1943 are well
described by Henry Fast. “The leaders that had
brought them out from Russia had passed from
the scene. The new leadership was unable to
cope with the wide variance of ideas within the
church membership. Many of these new ideas
were motivated by the Bible school in Meade and
were a mixed blessing. . . Finally, it seems, it was
their inability to wait for change that culminated
in the final solution; to tear down and begin on a
new foundation” 59
What the previous generation could not seem
to accomplish, the next generation of KG children
did. They built on the ashes of disintegration, began
to rise up and assert their new found freedoms,
and became active in constructive leadership
in both the Emmanuel Mennonite Church and
the EMB Church. It also took some of them far
beyond the boundaries of Meade County. The
“melting pot” for the renaissance of growing cooperation
in the community seemed to be the Meade
Bible Academy where the students were challenged
to respect and love each other, stretch their
“world view”, move forward empowered by the
Scriptures as they interacted with each other and
moved out beyond previous personal boundaries.
Exchange music programs and athletic competition
with other Bible Academies became a regular
part of the intra-state and inter-state schools like
Central Kansas Bible Academy in Hutchinson,
Kansas, Berean Academy in Elbing, Kansas,
Hesston Academy, Hesston, Kansas, Oklahoma
Bible Academy in Meno, Oklahoma, and Corn
Bible Academey, Corn, Oklahoma. Just as their
forefathers had experienced the change in agrarian
opportunities, this new generation used education
as a vehicle toward integrating into a society that
took many out of the Meade community into new
professional opportunities of ministry.
Another significant transition phase emerged
that began to bridge the past isolation of the
Mennonite community and the people of the
city of Meade. Both Mennonite Churches joined
the Meade Churches Ministerial Alliance to
cooperate in various special joint services, the
two Mennonite Churches began a joint AWANA
ministry at the Emmanuel Church in Meade (new
building in town decision made in 1963), as an
outreach to children in town and also to serve both
churches, and joint Vacation Bible Schools started
on an annual rotating basis between the city and
the country church. Social and governmental cooperation
expanded into memberships in Meade
Service Clubs, the Chamber of Commerce, Home
Demonstration Units, the Meade County Fair
Board, Coop Elevator & Supply Board of Directors,
County Board of the United Department of
Agriculture, and the Meade Public School Board,
where some members were elected by the community
from both the Mennonite Churches. In
other business activity rural owners moved their
companies into Meade, while others established
new businesses in town, and numerous people left
their farm homes to live in town. Thus the “ashes
of the KG disintegration” of the early 1940s and
the rural isolation since the emigration from
Nebraska were permanently broken, apparently
propelled by the significant vision to “reach out
in the name of Christ and touch people for His
glory,” a teaching that had been nurtured at Meade
Bible School and Meade Bible Academy. The
graduates seemed to feel empowered as they left
their home community for higher education and
opportunities thereafter to minister throughout
the world, no longer bearing the burden of the
strife of the previous generations.
“Since the beginning of the Meade Bible
School in 1927, alumni have distinguished
themselves as clergy & missionaries, in agriculture,
aviation, business, computer specialists in
business & government, construction, educators,
elementary to university service with advanced &
doctoral degrees, government personnel, medical
office personnel, nurses and doctors, the military,
and radio ministry.” 60 Thus many graduates of
Meade Bible School/Academy, representing both
churches, have earned professional degrees, such
as doctoral, both medical & educational, specialist
degrees, masters degrees, along with the
completion of four-year college degrees.
Reflections about Ältester Jacob F. Isaac by
former Young People 61
“A good memory: the Pastoral blessing pronounced,
in German, even as the line of elders
were coming in from the back of church. It may
have been the benediction for Aaron to speak to
Israel as in Numbers 6:24-26. That is indeed a
beautiful prayerful benediction, blessing.”
“Of the row of preachers sitting on the
platform, I was most excited when Rev. Jacob F.
Isaac got up to preach…. I thought he was interesting….
I don’t think he was so traditional.”
“I think the demeanour and delivery of messages
by Mr. Isaac were probably more pleasant
than the very sober, strict messages by some of
the other ministers. I actually believe he was a
more friendly, attractive sociable person than his
strict, austere peers on the bench.”
“Sermon topics tended to refocus on two
primary parables, the ‘Wise and Foolish Builders’
from Matthew 7 and the ‘Ten Virgins’ from
Matthew 25.”
“I don’t remember any sermon topics that he
preached. My guess is that his sermons were exhortations
from Scriptures for practical Christian
living, rather then oriented to living according to
traditions.”
“I liked the singing as I didn’t know anything
else, but I can’t say I was very blessed from it.
But I remember some of the German words of
the ‘Gesangbuch’ “.
“Thought prayer times were always to be
silent. So didn’t really learn to pray, especially,
not out loud.”
“I think I enjoyed the congregational singing,
such as it was.”
“My early S. S. Memories are of the ‘Fiebel’
which was intended to teach us German. I enjoyed
studying German, but they were not Bible
stories.”
“What influenced me the most is memory
work (Scripture) was the’Jugend Verein’ where
we had Bible verse contests. One person was selected
for the next meeting and that person chose a
team of contestants. We would recite Bible verses
till somebody repeated a verse and then had to sit
down. The last one up was the winner.”
“We did memorize some Scripture, but
were not encouraged to study the Scriptures for
ourselves . . .”
Personal Comments About Aeltester Jacob
F. Isaac:
“…friendly and understanding. . . thought he
was very spiritual. . . very generous and willing to
help . . .easy to consult with.” “…impression was
that he knew the Bible very well... studied a lot...
many books in the library.” “…(parents) felt many
of the accusations were false, ... .” “…not old
enough to be in the Broudaschaft (membership
meetings), so impressions . . . came from parents.
. . (J.F.I.) went to many of the members’ homes
to try to straighten out ... misunderstandings.”
“…good father and husband that really loved
and respected his wife... considered Mrs. Isaac
as being very special and spiritual” “…often felt
[people] did not notice what the Jacob F. Isaac’s
were really like and did not fully understand their
motives…often hurt with them.”
Post KG Ältester Years for Rev. Jacob F.
Isaac
The transitions that had gained momentum
and were transforming the Meade Mennonite
community also impacted the Ältester’s family.
During the last several years of the Meade Kleine
Gemeinde, a number of the Ältester’s children
started attending the EMB Church. During the
years from 1937 to 1944, three of the sons had
married daughters of EMB Church Board member
families and became regular attendees there.
The oldest daughter, Margaret J. Isaac Loewen
and husband William with their two young
boys, stayed with the KG until the dissolution in
January 1943. The Loewen family had frequently
participated in evening and other special services
at the EMB Church, so the transition was less
difficult.
Rev. Jacob F. Isaac was forced into retirement
as an Ältester because the majority of his
congregation had abandoned him; thereafter he
with his second family also followed the rest of
his Isaac extended family into worshiping at the
EMB Church as a layperson. Although the former
Ältester no longer had an administrative office, in
the EMB Church several of his sons were elected
to positions for the Trustee Board, some family
members taught Sunday School and Vacation
Bible School. Later, grandchildren were selected
for leadership positions with a great-grandson
Preservings No. 26, 2006 - 51