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Title
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Betz, Matthew J.
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extracted text
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MA T T H E W
J 0 H N
B E T Z
l 8 8 6
-oAutobiography
I was born January 1, 1886, in Grand Rapids,
Michigan.
My parents being God fearing and active
in the life of the church, I was early consecrated
to God in the sacred rites of baptism on March 21,
1886.
I was reared in a Christian environment and
united with the church on June 18, 1901.
I attended the public schools of Grand Rapids,
Michigan, and at the age of fifteen years I went to
work in a machine shop.
At the age of eighteen
years I became a mason's apprentice and at the age of
twenty-one years I was a full fledged mason mechanic.
I was employed by the Grand Rapids Plaster Company
as an inspector and claim adjuster at a good salary.
In my fourteenth year I had a definite call to
the ministry, which I evaded and fought against for
several years.
However, finding no peace for my
troubled mind and heart, I
and purpose.
surr~ndered
to God's will
There then came into my life a peace
and Joy and a sense of satisfaction, such as I had
never known before.
All excuses and barriers
2
vanished; and having saved most of my earnings, I
was enabled to go through the Baldwin-Wallace College
and the Nast Theological Seminary at Berea, Ohio.
I received my firs t exhorter 's and local
preacher's license while a student at college in the
year 1909.
I served two student appointments while
at school.
In the year 1910 I served one of our
churches at Sandusky, Ohio, and in 1911 I served the
Salem Church at Cleveland, Ohio.
On July 7, 1911, I was united in marriage with
Lillie B. Diehl of Holt, Michigan, a school teacher.
and the church organist of our H():lt Methodist Church.
I became a member of the former Central German
Conference of the Methodist Church on the eighth of
September, 1912, at its session at Marietta,
under Bishop Earl Cranston.
Ohio~
I was ordained deacon
on September 6, 1914, by Bishop Earl Cranston, at the
conference session held in Wheeling West Virginia.
I received my eld 1r 1 s orders on September 10, 1916,
at the conference session held in Market Street Churcl
Louisville, Kentuckz, by Bishop Theodore Henderson.
My conference appointments were as follows :
Center s·tree-t Church, Lawrenceburg, Indiana, four
years; Bethany Church, Pomeroy, Ohio, five years;
St.
aul's, Mt. Vernon, Indiana, three years; Gates -
3
Fourth Church, Columbus, Ohio, six years; Franklin
Avenue Church, Portsmouth, Ohio,, three years;.
Since the merger of the Central German with the
Detroit Annual Conference of The Methodist Church, I
have served Twenty-fourth Street Church, Detroit,
Michigan, ten years.
My annual conference responsibilities included·
the presidency of the annual conference trustee
board, the secretary of the conference board of
education, the registrar and instructor in the
conference course of study in the former Central
German Conference.
In my various charges I have built and remodelled
churches and parsonages.
I have been instrumental
in enlisting one young man for the ranks of the
ministry and one young lady for the missionary field
of China ..
Annual classes in religious education,
faithful pastoral visitation, wholesome revival
services and accessions to the church were a vital
part of my church program.
Signed, Matthew J. Betz.
The foregoing was written in 1942.
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~INIS TERIAL
BIOGRAPHI CAL
Bh~NK
DETROIT METHODIST CONFERENCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Date .
•
Name :
Betz
John
(Middle)
lirst)
(Last)
April 29,1950.
Birth : ----~J~gn~u~a~~y~l~s~t~~-··~1~8Q8u6____~----------~G~f~an~d~R~a*p~i~d~s4,~M~i~c~h~i~g~an~·-·
\Date
\ Place)
Personal Appearance :
5 ft 5 in.
~ 5~
( Heigh t )
1Wei~:=-rS
B~own-Gray
Hair)
Bro~
(Eyes
Family Backgrow1d:
Date of Birth
Nationality
~l~e -~G.ue;<..~ru.mwan:w..~o.,Y'I-----------
Sept 1 1 , 1858
_......a.A.~.~.~m..we._r..
i..~.~.c.g,a_,._.n_ _ _ _ _
Occupation .
Extent of Education ____Moderate equca.tion .
Mason Contractor
Stu dious & diligent
': .:S
Death; Date _.:::.J..=
Wl
=e:......=:2~4:-:t~h:......::l~9~1!:..::1~---Pl_a_c_e ___,Hl.!lo-£.1"'.!W-t , . . . M
,~
i~ct::.
h;.:!:i~g~
.an~·-----
Date of Birth
_....s).l:e:o..;,p~t,___,.J~.o~;Sl-j,~----1~..~.8.u6oU~a,_____
National ity
Place __G:::.e
:::r:..:m=an
::.:.L
y_________
American
Extent of Education _ __::M~o::..:d::.;e:.:r~a::!.t.:!:e=-----~--------------Death ;
Date _ __;;J..: :un==..=e;._;_:2-=4:. .t:.=:h
.: =----=l=-=9:...:1:..:1=--- Place
J. Marriage of Parents ; Date .
Nov. 2 ,1880
Place
Ho 1 t , Mi ch 1gan ,
Grand Rapids, Mich.
They came to America as young people, settled in Grand
Rapi~ s
Michigan.
5.
Brothers and Sisters
Name
Address
Present Occupation
-----------------------------------------~---------
Charles
Walter
John
5 sisters
6.
•
Soutl_l Bend,Ind .
II
II
Inkster, Mich .
Grand Rapids,Mich.
Part owner in engraving
business.
Engraver.
Mason contractor
House wives.
Distinguished Services for Which Members of Family Are Known .
Nothing outstanding. All are good citizens and have good families •
One brother received
~erit
in the first world war.
..
Pe rs onal History:
1·.
Educ·ation:
•
Schools and Degrees - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -
Publjc schoo l s" in . Grand Rapids.
Baldwin-Wallace College. Nast Se minary, Berea,OhiG
2.
Noteworthy Experi ences· of Ci1ildhood and Youth~
I
.Marriage : Date _....:J:....:u:.:..:l=...Y!...._7~,1=-9
~
1=1_
'By Vf.1om
4.
year~
My call t o the ministry came eatl y.
- - - - --
Pl_a_c_e
_·_::..::
H-=o=l.t. ;:. .z,. M
=
i..:::.c=h=
i.:::~g-=
an=·---
'Rev. Theo .Hey, pastor of the Holt Methodist Church .
Lillie B. Diehl.
Wi fe ' s W.aiden Harne ~
Education __G
-=o-=o_d_._
5.
conversion in· 14th
became a mason mechanic . Also an in!?J?ector and claim
adjuster f or a pl aster co.
3.
Mv
_
,T
-=a=-u~g
=ht
School. Was church organi st.
Chi l dren:
.
(Name)
Paul Betz
II
;
--
.
(D3.te ·of Bi rth)
II
(Occupation)
In Y.M.C.A. work
Matthew Wayne Bet z .
Student
6.
Careers ; · Position~ ,
7.
Religious Ex pe rjence and Church Work Before Ente ring Ministryo - -- -- -- -
Offices , ~tc ~ · of Children.
Active in Sunday School. Was
secret~.r -y:'
was a t eacher. Act i ve i n youth gr oups ,
9.
9.
Call t o t lie J Christi an Min~~_!.r:e
C?.f the s chool , l at er
Ep~~.;- th . ~.e ague.
Call came in my 14t h year. I re s isted for
a number of years. Yi elded in my plst year and entered coll ege in
preparat lon f ~r the qall~
Admitte d on Trial a ncl · O:"dina t ions :
(Wh en)
('Wher e )
•
On Sept 6,1912 on trial • Marrietta, Ohio. by Bishop Cranat
On Sept 6,1914 ordained ~e acon, Wheeling~W.Va. by Bishop on.
On Sept 10,~916 received elders order in
Cranston
the Market St. Church., Louisville ,Ky • .bY Bishop Henderson. •
10.
11.
Offices Held in the Church :
Chairman of conf. trustees.
Registrar
and instructor in the conference course of studies.
Secretary of the board of education. ( Conf.Board.)
Appointments Served with Dates .
Lawr enceburg, Ind.
Pomeroy,Ohio
Mt.Vernon 0hio
Columbus, 0hio
Portsmouth, Ohio
Detroit,Mich.
Methodist Home 1948 -J950
a.s superintendent.
1915 -
1920 19231929 1932-
12.
Military Record: _ _:N.:.JO.:::.n:::.=:
e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
13.
Public Offices : ___=
No!!
n:!::e_______________________
14.
Favorite Recreations, Hobbies, eto;
Gardening, making repairs,traveling,
working with children in
vacC~.tion
bible schools.
15. Author of What Books and Publications? : _ _-'N!.lo!.l.UnS!.e__" - - - - - - - - - - - -
Masonic blue lodge
16.
Clubs and Fraternal Organizations:
17.
Any Additional Information of I nterest:
Have built and remodled churches
and parsonages. Have been instrumental in enlisting one young man
for the ministry, and one young lady for missionary work. The man
is now a succes sful minister in the North East Ohio Conference , and
the lady went to China as ~n evangelistic missionary.
I f the Subject of this Sketch i s Deceased, Please give :
Date of Death
Place
----------------------- ------------------------
---Place of Burial ~----------------------------------------Officiating Ministers
•
------------------------------------------------
--Additional Biographical Experiences, Episodes
o~
Further Comment on Back.
--
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l /J'117t/
REV. MATIHEW J. BETZ, 87, slfp~rin{e ndent
of Chelsea Home from 1948 to 1957, died at the
Home on December 20 after a long illness. He
was born in Grand Rapids on January 1, 1886,
the son of Matthew J_and Barbara Schi ck Betz,
and married Lillie Diehl of Holt, on July 7, 1911.
She died Dece mber 1, 1962. M r. Betz, a retired
member of th e D etroit Conference , had
served the Methodist Church for 44 yea rs. He
received his education at Baldwin-Wallace
Co llege and Nast Theo logica l Sem inary in
Be rea , Ohio, and became a member of .tlie
Central German Conference. He served va rio us ch urches in Indiana and Ohio and was
pastor of D etroit 24th Street Church for 16
years before going to Chelsea H ome in 1948.
Fo llowing his retirement in 1957, he and Mrs.
Betz lived in St. Petersburg, Fla., until her
death w hen he entered the Home as a resident. Surviving are two sons, Matthew W. of
Taylo r and Paul R. of Chicago. Funeral services
were held in the Ho me chapel December 22
w ith the Revs. Richard Clemans, Clive Dickins
Edwin J- Weiss and Mr. Pau l Closson participat~
ing. Further services were held December24 at
the Van' t Hof Fu neral Home, Grand Rapids,
followed by burial in the Greenwood Cemetery there.
Rev. M. J. Betz
Former Administrator Dies
Dec. 20 at Methodist Home
The Rev. Matthew J . Betz, 87, a
former administrator of the Chelr,ea United Me thodist Home, dien
at the Home on Thursday, Dec. 20
' after a long illness.
Born Jan. 1, 1886 in Grand Rapids, he was a son of Matthew J.
and Barbara Schick Betz. He marl r ied Lillie Diehl on July 7, 1911.
She died Dec. 1, 1962.
The Rev. Mr. Betz was educater
at Baldwin Wallace College and
•he Nast Theological Seminary in
Be~:ea, 0 . During his ministry in
the United Methodist Church ile
served various churches in Indiana :
Ohio, and in Michigan, before coming to Chelsea as administrator at
the Chelsea Methodist Home from
1948 to 1957. He had been minist'3r
at Detroit 24th Street United Methodist Church for 16 years before
coming to Chelsea. After his retirzment in 1957 he and his wife lived
in St. Petersburg, Fla. until her
,- death. He came to the Home as a
1 resident in 1962.
:1
Surviving are two sons, -Matthew
~ W. Betz of Taylor, and P aul Bet~
of Chicago.
Funeral services were held at 1
p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 22 at the
1 Method ist Home Chapel, with the
Revs. Richard Clemans, Clive Dickins, Edwin J. Weiss and Mr.
Paul Closson participating. Fur, ther services were held Monday,
- Dec. 24 at 10 a.m. at the Van't Hof
Funeral Home, Grand Rapids, fol1 , lowed by burial in Greenwoq:l
• Cemetery there. Arrangements
were made by the Burghardt Funeral Home.
Betz, Matthew J.