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Warkentin, Abraham (1885-1947)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1947 Sep 4 p. 1, 5
Birth date: 1885 Aug 22
text of obituary:
Mennonite Biblical Seminary President Called Away in Death
DR. A WARKENTIN DIED IN CHICAGO HOSPITAL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 30
A life of outstanding service and achievement came to a close when Dr. A. Warkentin, 62, president of the Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Chicago, died in the Wesley Memorial Hospital there shortly after six o'clock Saturday evening, Aug. 30. He had been a patient at the hospital since submitting to a major operation on July 15.
Dr. Warkentin carried on his work in spite of evident ill health during the past few years. In September, 1943, while serving as associate minister of the First Mennonite church of Newton and as president of the newly organized Mennonite Bible Academy he suffered a stroke which confined him to the sickbed for many months.
Upon his recovery he was called to the presidency of the Mennonite Biblical Seminary, founded in the fall of 1945. A major operation became necessary in 1946, but he was granted an almost complete recovery and resumed his seminary duties until his strength once more began to weaken early this year.
Abraham Warkentin was born at Ladekopp, Molotschna, Russia, Aug. 22, 1885. On Aug. 24, 1912, he was married to Elizabeth Unger, who now survives him together with their children, Dr. John Warkentin of Nashville, Tenn., Helmut Warkentin, Wichita, Kans., Herman Warkentin, Chicago, and their families, and one daughter, Hilda, also of Chicago.
Previous to his emigration to America with his family in 1923, he taught in a high school in Germany and also held the position of secretary of Deutsche Mennoniten Hilfe. In 1924 he joined the faculty of Bethel College at North Newton as professor of German and Bible and also became associated with Rev. J. E. Entz as minister of the First Mennonite church here.
His interest and activities, however, reached far beyond his immediate community, conference or church. He was active in the field of Mennonite history and spent much time in building up the Historical Library at Bethel College. At various intervals he took a leave of absence from teaching to complete his post graduate work at the University of Kansas and at Chicago University, where he received his Ph. D. degree in 1935.
From 1933 to 1940 he was a member of the Mennonite Central Committee and from 1937 to 1942 served as editor of the Christian Sunday School Quarterly. "A Harmony of the Kings," Who's Who Among the Mennonites," 1927, and an enlarged edition (with Dr. Melvin Gingerich as co-editor) published in 1943, are among his permanent contributions to works by Mennonite authors. But above all, to many of his students, co-workers and brethren in the church he will long remain in memory as a consecrated, humble servant of His Lord, and an understanding counsellor and friend.
Funeral services were held at Chicago on Tuesday, Sept 2. Among those form this immediate community who went to attend were Dr. E. G. Kaufman, president of Bethel College, and Rev. and Mrs. J. E. Entz, representing the First Mennonite church. Interment was made in a Chicago cemetery.
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1947 Sep 4 p. 5
text of obituary:
. . .
— Memorial services for Dr. A. Warkentin, who died at Chicago Aug. 30, were held at the First Mennonite church on Wednesday evening, conducted by Rev. D. J. Unruh and Rev. J. E. Entz. members of the choir rendered special music. Dr. Warkentin was a minister of the church for over 20 years and his outstanding work here will long remain a blessing for the congregation. Following his recovery from a serious illness of many months, he accepted the presidency of the Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Chicago in 1945.
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1947 Oct 23 p. 1
text of obituary:
Hold Memorial Service For Late President Of Biblical Seminary
FULL CHAPEL SERVICE IN CHICAGO DEDICATED TO DR. A. WARKENTIN
Chicago, Ill. — On Friday, Oct. 10, Bethany Biblical Seminary and the Mennonite Biblical Seminary paused to participate in a full chapel service in memory of the late Dr. Abraham Warkentin, first president of the Mennonite institution who passed away last August.
The devotional service was led by Aldene Ecker of the Church of the Brethren. The Mennonite vesper choir under the direction of Marvin Dirks then presented the second of the seven last words of Christ from the great oratorio by that name. The solo parts were sung by Alvin Franz of Lind, Wash., and Joseph Mason of the Bethany Seminary. This was one of the favorite selections of Dr. Warkentin and was dedicated to his memory.
Dr. S. F. Pannebecker, dean and acting president of the school, then presented a fitting summary of the life of Dr. Warkentin, dividing it into three parts and an appendix: The first part in Russia, the second part in Germany, the third part in America, principally at Newton, Kansas, and the fourth brief but deeply significant phase when he founded the seminary.
The memory of this great Christian saint lives on in the life of the Mennonite Biblical Seminary.
The Mennonite obituary: 1947 Sep 16 p. 3
text of obituary:
We pause at the end of the life of a man who has distinguished himself in three countries. A. Warkentin was born in Russia where he taught school for a number of years; he received his theological training in Germany where he again taught and was active in relief work administered to the Mennonites in Russia; most of his work, however, was done among the Mennonites of America. His gentle spirit and his genuine concern for those with whom he came in contact won him many friends. Let us briefly trace the background and life of him who will be remembered as an outstanding teacher, minister and friend.
A. Warkentin was born August 24, 1885, at Ladekopp, Molotschna, in the Ukraine. He received his elementary and secondary training in some of the best schools that the Mennonites of the Molotschna had produced. From 1904 to 1912 he taught in the school of Alexanderwohl. A. Warkentin loved to teach and it must have been here that he developed that skill.
The year 1912 was a significant one in his life. He married Elizabeth Unger and with her left home and country to receive a theological training abroad. The young couple could hardly have realized that they would never return to see their loved ones and their home again. From 1912 to 1915 Warkentin attended the Theological Seminary of the Baptists in Hamburg, Germany. This training added another avenue of service to his activities. In Russia Warkentin had joined the Lichtfelde Evangelische Mennonitengemeinde. In 1920 he was ordained minister and elder by the Conference of the South German Mennonites with whom he had been associating since he finished his study in Hamburg. At that time Germany was at war with Russia. Thus the Warkentin’s could not return to their home country.
From 1916 to 1920, even though he was in an enemy country, he was fortunate in finding employment in the Realschule at Wilhelmsdorf, Wuerttemberg. At the end of this period, relief work was started among the suffering Mennonites of Russia. Deutsche Mennonitenhilfe was organized, and Warkentin became its secretary. His knowledge of the Russian situation, his tact, and training enabled him to perform a very significant task. In this wise he was also brought in contact with the American Mennonites. Instead of returning to Russia he decided to establish a home in America. In 1923 the Warkentin's — they had four children — came to Kansas. After a temporary stay in Hillsboro, they moved to Newton where, with brief interruptions, they lived for twenty years.
The new beginning was not easy. Warkentin had received his training and experience as a teacher and minister in countries that differed in many ways. He had to learn a new language in order to teach and preach. Many other adjustments had to be made. When one considers that he was nearly forty, one marvels at how quickly and graciously he adjusted himself to an entirely new environment, winning the affection of students and other people with whom he associated. In later days he enjoyed relating some incidents from those days when he encountered the difficulties common to making an adjustment like this.
In 1923 Warkentin was called to teach Bible and German at Bethel College. This position he held till 1943 when he suffered a stroke which ended his activities in connection with the College. During his teaching he continued his study, receiving his M.A. from the University of Kansas and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. (1935). The year he started to teach at Bethel College he also accepted the call of assistant pastor of the First Mennonite Church of Newton, serving in this capacity until his illness in 1943 when he had to give up all his activities for a while. It was remarkable that by the next year he was resuming some activities and that in 1945 he was called upon by the Conference to organize the newly founded Mennonite Biblical Seminary and Mennonite Bible School and to become its first president. Even during his last days of pain and weakness his thoughts were with this work.
Even though teaching and preaching constituted Warkentin's outstanding activities there are many other avenues in which he made unique contributions. For five years he was editor-in-chief of the Sunday School Quarterly of the General Conference. In both the United States and Canada he was greatly loved and appreciated as Bible and conference lecturer. His experience, background, and personality enabled him to render distinguished service as vice-president of the Emergency Relief Board of the General Conference (1935-1940) and as member of the Mennonite Central Committee (1933-1940). That his activities on these committees were discontinued at the outbreak of the war is very likely related to the fact that the man of three countries never became a citizen of the country that he served most. It was not that he did not sincerely desire citizenship, but it was denied him because he could not promise to "bear arms in times of war." No one can bar him now from citizenship of the kingdom of his Lord whither he has been called.
During the twenty years that he was connected with Bethel College Warkentin built up the Bethel College Historical Library which he made one of the best Mennonite collections of the country. Today it consists of more than 4,000 volumes, almost a complete collection of all Mennonite periodicals and many thousands of documents and pictures. Warkentin had a warm evangelical faith which was not hanging in air, but closely related to the beliefs, principles, and tradition of the Mennonite church. This love for the Mennonite heritage based on a warm Biblical faith prompted him to collect this wealth of material. It is true, he did not produce many books on this subject, but he paved the way for others, and the Bethel College Historical Library will remain his monument. A valuable contribution is his "Who's Who Among the Mennonites," the second edition of which appeared in 1943. "The Harmony of the Kings" testifies to his knowledge of the Old Testament which he taught so inspiringly. His scholarliness is demonstrated in his study "Die Gestalt des Teufels in der deutschen Literatur." (A few copies of the two latter books are still available at the Bethel College Historical Library, North Newton, Kansas).
A. Warkentin was a teacher, minister and friend, but above all he was a teacher, a born teacher. In this field he made his greatest contribution. Many times he could have accepted full time work as a minister, but he chose to teach. Even though he has been called out of our midst, his blessed memory will live in the heart and minds of his students and the halls of Bethel College.
To those who visited him during his last days of severe suffering he said. "As thy days so shall thy strength be.“ He was called home August 30.
In Memory of Dr. A. Warkentin
Forgive that we should think to drape thy noble soul
With empty words of praise;
'Twas not thy quest.
Forgive that we should send our mortal stilted phrase
of eulogy
To break thy rest;
Thou art with God.
So let him be, thus gently blest at length in worthy
service’ end.
Come, friend, and let us cease to speak
For who can tell the beauty of the rose
That fell upon the sands.
Or bring to after-life the mighty pine
That lies recumbent on the mountain side
Where once it struggled with the storm?
But let us kneel in quiet prayer
And feel the benediction of his life
In solemn air of musical refrain
Within the common song of sun and wind and rain
Come, let us Whisper with unworthy lips our thanks to
God
For one who loved with life itself
And strained beneath his parting breath to give;
Then let us rise
And live.
Harold Buller