BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Bridgewater College is hosting a display of Brethren artifacts in the Robert R. Newlan ‘75 and John C. Bradford special collections archive to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism from April 11 through Oct. 3.
“Usually in the early 1900s, the church had a big mission presence. Stephanie Gardner said, the special collections librarian at Bridgewater College, “A lot of students from Bridgewater College were international missionaries.”
Gardner said the display includes household items that missionaries who attended Bridgewater College, including the son and daughter-in-law of D.C. Flory, brought back with them from missions in China.
Some of the artifacts that were collected during these trips include a sugar bowl and tea set.
The tea set was given to Ernest M. Wampler by Chinese citizens in recognition of his missionary work.
“I think it is quite interesting to show the things that they collected,” Gardner said, “Today, hopefully we would tell more about the people who were making and using these artifacts instead of only talking about the missionaries.
Many members of the community have been coming to see the exhibit. Harold C. Furr, a conscientious objector and Bridgewater alumnus from the Vietnam war visited the exhibit on Sept. 8.
Conscientious objectors are people who “do not want to participate in any military activity, anything that would result in harming another human being,” Furr said, “We are pacifists.”
The exhibit displays a historical sign from World War ll for a civilian public service camp.
Instead of going to war, Furr participated in alternative service, similar to what the sign in the display promotes.
Another section of the exhibit displays clothing from a woman named Catherine Flory, who was not related to the original founder D.C. Flory, but was raised in Rockingham County in the 19th century. The dress Catherine Flory wore was black and plain.
“It’s Brethren plain dress and it was for the Brethren women at the time to differentiate themselves from worldliness,” Gardner said.
Gardner said a group of old order Brethren who are still wearing plain dress came to see the exhibit.
“With our museum collection here, and being founded by the Church of the Brethren, which is an anabaptist denomination, it felt like the timing was good to show these artifacts and to recognize this part of history,” Gardner said.
“I grew up in the Church of Brethren,” Furr said, “This is part of my history.”
The display opened April 11 and will close Oct 3.
