Edward Frantz

Edward Frantz was born in Southern Ohio in 1868; attended Bridgewater College, 1886-1890; and was elected to the ministry at McPherson, Kansas in 1891. He taught at McPherson College from 1890 to 1902 when he was called to serve as President of McPherson College. In 1910 he moved to California for health reasons and managed an orange plantation while also serving part-time for three years as President of La Verne College (then known as Lordsburg College).

In 1915 Frantz became editor of the Gospel Messenger and held that position for twenty-seven years until his retiement. During this period the magazine gave a greater place to articles, editorials, and discussions of issues while retaining reports of church activities. He was the author of Basic Belief (1943), which contained the views expressed in his many articles on doctrinal themes that had been published in the Gospel Messenger.

In June 1908 he was invited to be one of the speakers for the Bicentennial Meeting of the Brethren Church which was held in connection with the Annual Meeting at Des Moines, Iowa, June 3-11, 1908, being the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of the Schwarzenau congregation. The focus of his remarks was the growth of the Brethren to the Pacific. An excerpt of his remarks will be shared tomorrow.

Source: The Brethren Encyclopedia