Metzler, Abram Jacob (1902-1996)
Abram Jacob "A. J." Metzler was born 4 December 1902 at Martinsburg, Pennsylvania the son of Abram and Katherine (Kreider) Metzler. While working as superintendent at the Musselman canning plant at Inwood, West Virginia, he was ordained by his home church at Martinsburg in 1924 and became its minister in 1925. In 1926 he was called to lead the Mennonite church at Masontown (Fayette County), Pennsylvania. He was ordained bishop in the Southwestern Pennsylvania (later Allegheny) Mennonite Conference in 1928, later chairing its Sunday school conference, young people's institute, and ministerial committees, and serving as the conference's moderator.
From 1935 to 1961 he was general manager of Mennonite Publishing House, Scottdale, Pennsylvania. He completed terms as vice president and president of the Protestant Church-Owned Publishers Association. He played a leading role in the process leading to the establishing of Laurelville Mennonite Church Center in 1943. From 1953-1955 he was moderator of the Mennonite Church (MC) and served on many churchwide committees. He sat at various times on the governing boards of Eastern Mennonite College, Goshen College, and Hesston College. He was a member of the Mennonite Board of Education (MC) 1942-1952, 1956-1960 (president in 1960).
With his wife, Alta (Maust), he moved to Elkhart, Indiana, in 1974 and to Greencroft Center in Goshen, Indiana, in 1985. He helped establish the Elkhart Community Hospice program. He died 28 July 1996 and was buried at the Prairie St. cemetery in Elkhart, Indiana.
Bibliography
"Metzler, A. J. (Abram)." Gospel Herald 89 (20 August 1996). Reproduced in MennObits. "Gospel Herald Obituary - August 1996." Accessed 5 April 2006. <http://www.mcusa-archives.org/MennObits/96/aug1996.html>
Springer, Nelson and A.J. Klassen, compilers, Mennonite Bibliography, 1631-1961, 2 vols. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1977: II: 481.
Warkentin, A. and Melvin Gingerich, compilers. Who's Who Among the Mennonites. North Newton, KS: Bethel College, 1943: 166.
| Author(s) | Paul M Schrock |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1987 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Schrock, Paul M. "Metzler, Abram Jacob (1902-1996)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1987. Web. 18 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Metzler,_Abram_Jacob_(1902-1996)&oldid=143313.
APA style
Schrock, Paul M. (1987). Metzler, Abram Jacob (1902-1996). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Metzler,_Abram_Jacob_(1902-1996)&oldid=143313.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 580. All rights reserved.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.