View source for Erb, Paul (1894-1984)

   [[File:Erb_Paul.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Paul Erb. Scan courtesy 

[http://www.mcusa-archives.org/ Mennonite Church USA Archives- &lt;br/&gt; Goshen] Mennonite Church USA Archives- 

Goshen . Hist. Mss. 4-299 

'']]     Paul Erb was born 26 April 1894 near [[Newton (Kansas, USA)|Newton]], [[Kansas (USA)|Kansas]] and died at Mount Pleasant, [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]] on 7 May 1984. During his 90 years he provided a wide variety of services for the [[Mennonite Church (MC)|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 (Hesston, Kansas, USA)|Hesston College]], 1913-1941 (acting dean, 1924-1928; and dean, 1932-1941). Then he was called to he professor of English at [[Goshen College (Goshen, Indiana, USA)|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 (Pennsylvania, USA)|Scottdale]], Pennsylvania to succeed the aged [[Kauffman, Daniel (1865-1944)|Daniel Kauffman]] as editor of <em>[[Gospel Herald (Periodical)|Gospel Herald]]. </em>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 <em>Gospel Herald </em>from 1944 to 1962 and book editor of Herald Press, 1959-1964.

Paul married [[Erb, Alta Mae Eby (1891-1995)|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 <em>Gospel Herald </em>work by extensive travel among Mennonite congregations on behalf of Hesston College. He was also a member of the [[Mennonite Commission for Christian Education (Mennonite Church)|Mennonite Commission for Christian Education and Young People's Work]], 1937-1951, and was a leader in the movement to organize [[Mennonite Youth Fellowship (Mennonite Church) |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 General Conference|Mennonite Church (MC) General Conference]] (1958-1961) and, after retirement, served as field worker for [[Allegheny Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Allegheny Mennonite Conference]], 1966-1969. Then he taught English at[[Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA)|Eastern Mennonite College]], 1969-1971 and part-time in 1973.

His books include <em>The Alpha and the Omega</em> (1955); <em>Don't Park Here</em>, editorials reprinted from the <em>Gospel Herald</em> (1962); <em>We Believe</em> (1969); <em>Orie O. Miller</em> (1969); <em>South Central Frontiers</em> (1974); <em>Bible Prophecy: Questions and Answers</em> (1978). Among these the most important was <em>The Alpha and the Omega</em>, 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.


= Bibliography =
Warkentin, A. and Melvin Gingerich, compilers. <em>Who's Who Among the Mennonites</em>. North Newton, KS: Bethel College, 1943 : 60.

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

Good, Phyllis. <em>Paul and Alta</em>. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1978.

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


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