Voth, Heinrich S. (1878–1953)
Proper Title
Heinrich S. Voth fonds
Dates of Creation
1875–1957
Physical Description
55 cm textual material, books, 86 photographs, and 2 tapes
Biographical Sketch
Heinrich S. Voth of Winkler, Manitoba, pioneer minister and evangelist of the Mennonite Brethren Church, was born on January 28, 1878, at Bingham Lake, Minnesota, son of Elder Heinrich Voth (1851–1918) and Sara Kornelson Voth. He attended the Mountain Lake, Minnesota public and high schools and later McPherson College in Kansas. In 1902, Voth was called to be the Conference evangelist in Canada and the United States. He married Susanna Warkentin in 1904; six children were born to them. He was ordained into the ministry in 1907 and for many years was a full-time evangelist. From 1908 to 1915, he held pastorates in the Mennonite Brethren churches at Dallas, and at Portland, Oregon. In 1919, he became the pastor of the Winkler Mennonite Brethren Church where he remained until his retirement in 1950. He was always interested in missions and in training young people.
For many years Voth was the chairman of the General Conference of the MB Church and also the Canadian Conference. For a number of years he was a member of the Foreign Mission Board of the MB Conference and an officer of this board. He also served on the Education Committee of the General Conference and the local Bible School. He died on October 25, 1953.
Custodial History
Original papers, books, photographs, and pictures belonging to Heinrich S. Voth fonds were donated by Esther Enns (daughter) in October, 1979. Diaries, certificates, photographs, and letters were donated by Sarah Klippenstein (daughter) in December, 1979 and in August, 1980. In January, 1981 Sara Klippenstein donated rare books from Voth’s library, some of which were sent to South America. In November, 1981, Klippenstein donated more photographs and she donated more books in October 1983.
Scope and Content
The Heinrich S. Voth fonds consists of sermons and sermon notes, predominantly in the German Gothic script. Most are undated, but they are likely sermons he preached as pastor of the Winkler Mennonite Brethren Church. Some General Conference and Canadian Conference papers, especially relating to the Board of Foreign Missions, are in this collection, mostly received by Voth in his role on conference committees. This fonds also holds many books from Voth’s library, as well as some personal papers such as diaries, certificates, and letters.
The tapes, found in the CMBS tape collection, are of funerals conducted by Voth. The photographs are of H.S. Voth’s church and school days in the late 19th and early twentieth century. Also included are photographs of missionaries, family, and friends.
Notes
- Volumes 1103–1105.
- Title based on contents of fonds.
- Accession numbers are 1979–1, 1979–15, 1979–16, 1980–41, 1981–2, 1981–81, 1983–17.
- Finding aid for photographs: NP16–1 and NP32–1 and 2.
- Finding aid for tapes: NA-01–174.
File List
Volumes 1103–1105
1. Photocopies of genealogical and biographical family papers in the Gothic script that have been transliterated by H.S. Voth.
2. Diary of H.S. Voth, in Gothic script. – 1935.
3. Itinerary. – 1901–1911.
4. German Bible.
5. Journal. – 1907.
6. Itinerary. – 1901–1912.
7. Book: Predige das Wort! by J. Kaufmann. – Undated.
8. German sermon notebook. – Undated.
9. English sermon notebook on the life of Paul. – Undated.
10. German sermon notebook. – Undated.
11. German notebook. – Undated.
12. German notebook. – [1904].
13. German sermon notebook. – Undated.
14. Book: Handbuch fuer Prediger by Otto Koenig. – 1910.
15. Sermon notes. – Undated.
16. Farewell message to the German class at McPherson College. – 1902.
Confirmation of earlier ordination. – 1918.
Clergy certificate. – 1910.
Registration certificate for both Henry and Sarah (for entry into Canada?). – 1918.
Two family letters in Gothic script. – 1896, 1919.
Voth’s teacher’s certificate and permit to teach from the state of North Dakota. – 1901.
17. English diary. – 1903.
Description of a trip to Saskatoon in German Gothic script. – 1906.
18. Booklet: “The Preachers’ Library Sermon Outlines.” – 1915.
19. Letters from H.S. Voth to his mother and family in German Gothic script. – 1918–1920.
20. Letters from H.S. Voth mostly to his father in German Gothic script. – 1918.
21. Sermon notes on Matthew and Mark in German Gothic script. – Undated.
One letter to the Winkler Mennonite Brethren Church. – 1950.
22. Sermon notes on Luke and John. – Undated.
23. Sermon notes on Acts, Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinth. – Undated.
24. Sermon notes on Galations, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. – Undated.
25. Sermon notes on I and II Thessalonians, I and II Timothy, Hebrews, James, I, II, and III Peter. – Undated.
26. Sermons, on various texts in the German Gothic script. – Undated.
27. Topical sermons. – Undated.
28. Topical sermons. – Undated.
29. Illustrations, poems, memos and programs. – 1945, undated.
30. Illustrations, poems, memos, and programs. – 1913, 1953–1954.
31. Sermon notes on Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. – 1916, undated.
32. Sermon notes on Joshua, Ruth, I and II Samuel, I and II Kings, I and II Chronicles, Job and Psalms. – Undated.
33. Sermon notes on Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekial, Daniel, Jonah, Micah, Zechariah, and Malachi. – Undated.
34. Notebooks with sermons. – Undated.
35. Minutes of a Reedley Church meeting, an attempt to reconcile the two Reedley churches. – 1928.
Correspondence with P.R. Lange. – 1945.
Recommendations submitted by the Board of Education to the General Conference regarding Tabor College. – 1948.
Letter from B.B. Janz. – Undated.
Minutes of meetings between the Board of Reference and Counsel and the Reedley and South Reedley Mennonite Brethren congregations. – 1928.
36. Correspondence regarding church and conference matters. – 1944–1946.
37. Correspondence regarding the Winkler Bible School, MBBC, and Winkler MB Church. – 1944–1946.
Statistical and financial report of the Winkler Mennonite Brethren Church. – 1944.
38. Minutes of meeting of the Board of Higher Education at Herbert regarding the organization of MBBC. – 1944.
39. Minutes, reports and correspondence of the Manitoba Provincial Conference. – 1944–1946.
Report of International Missionary Council. – 1943.
General Conference information.
40. Northern District correspondence regarding the Bethesda Home. – 1946–1947.
General Conference correspondence. – 1947.
Much of the above correspondence is with C.C. Peters.
Winkler Clinic receipt. – 1957.
Letter from Board of Missions and Services. – 1967.
41. Northern District correspondence and minutes. – 1946.
Minutes and reports of Board of Foreign Missions. – 1949, 1950, 1952.
42. Reports, correspondence, agendas, and minutes of the Board of Foreign Missions. – 1944–1948.
43. Reports, minutes, and agendas of the Board of Foreign Missions. – 1950–1953.
Salary schedule for missionaries. – 1950.
44. Correspondence regarding Northern District Conference. – 1948.
Resolution of General Conference Boards regarding a Bundesschule. – 1945.
45. Conference and church related papers by Voth. – Undated.
46. Sermon topics and texts. – 1915–1949.
47. Parts of a manuscript? and parts of sermon. – Undated.
48. Book: Scofield Bible Class leaflets by C.I. Scofield. – 1915.
49. Book: Fuerstenthuemer und Herrschaften im Himmel by various authors. – Undated.
50. Book: Wie hat Paulus Jesum verstanden? by Gustav Gieselbusch. – 1911.
51. Book: Pilgerreise zur seligen Ewigkeit by John Bunyan. – 1950.
52. Book: Zukuenftige Dinge by Arno Clemens Gaebelein. – Undated.
53. Book: Prodigal’s Father and others by J. Wilbur Chapman. – Undated.
54. Booklet: Ein offener Himmel by E. Modersohn. – 1936.
55. Book: Select Sermons by D.L. Moody. – 1897.
56. Book: Bibelforscher oder Bibelfaelscher? by F.W. Herrmann. – Undated.
57. Booklet: Was Gottes Wort ueber die Taufe Lehrt by H.S. Voth. – Undated.
58. Booklet: Das Herz des Menschen. Author not given. – Undated.
59. Booklet: Die Laesterung wider den heiligen Geist by J. Kaechele. – 1875.
60. Booklet: Zeugnisse von hundert Theologen ueber die Taufe by C.A. Fluegge. – Undated.
61. Booklet: Goldene Aepfel in silbernen Schalen. No author given. – Undated.
62. Booklet: Berauschende Getraenke als durstloeschendes Mittel. No author given. – Undated.
63. Booklet: Verfaelschung geistiger Getraenke. No author given. – Undated.
64. Booklets on various ethical and religious questions.
65. Book: Der Weg zu Christo. No author given. – 1893.
66. Book: Reich Gottes und Gemeinde Jesu Christi by R. Imberg. – 1938.
67. Book: Die Weltreiche im Lichte der Prophetie by G.R. Brinke. – Undated.
68. Book: Die Wiederkunft unseres Herrn. No author given. – 1912.
69. Book: Seelen Gewinnen by Dr. Torrey. – 1905.
70. Book: An der Pforte by C.H. Spurgeon. – Undated.
71. Book: Der grosze Imperativ by M.R. DeHaan. – Undated.
72. Book: Real Salvation by R.A. Torrey. – 1905.
73. Book: Vorbereitungskursus fuer Sonntagschullehrer. No author given. – 1907.
74. Book: Leben und Wirken by August Rauschenbusch. – 1900.
75. Book: Fuenfzig Predigtentwuerfe by J. Kaechele. – 1896.
76. Book: Ein Spaetgeborner by Marie and Ebner-Eschenbach. – Undated.
77. Book: Was bringt Gewinn? by various authors. – Undated.
78. Book: Evangelium des Reiches by C.H. Spurgeon. – 1894.
79. Book: Huelfsbuch fuer die Feste der christlichen Kirche allen Mitarbeitern im Weinberge des Herrn by Hud. Wysz. – 1891.
80. Book: Der Herr Kommt! by W.C. Blackstone. – Undated.
81. Book: Griechisches Elementarbuch by P. Wesener. – 1895.
82. Book: Die prophetische Bedeutung der sieben Sendschreiben der Offenbarung Johannes by C.F. Dallmus. – 1911.
83. Book: Betrachtungen ueber das letzte Buch der Bibel by Wiliam J. Bestvater. – 1919.
84. Book: Die Heiden und wir by J. Hesse. – 1906.
85. Book: Lebens-Kompasz fuer Alt und Jung by Geo. H. Simons. – 1908.
86. Book: Die Thessalonicherbriefe by Andreas Graf von Bernstorff. – 1905.
87. Book: Light on the Last Days by Charles A. Blanchard. – 1913.
88. Book: Die Taufe der Wiedergeborenen by C.H. Spurgeon. – 1904.
89. Book: Robinson by Frida von Kronoff. – Undated.
90. Book: Strahlen vom Leuchtturm by P. Ritter? – Undated.
91. Book: Das Christentum in Haus und Familie by Th. L. Cuyler. – Undated.
92. Four volumes of Hausbacken Brot by A. Hoefs. – 1909, 1910, 1923, 1930.