Paul E. V. Shannon
Encyclopedia
Paul Eugene Virgil Shannon (March 25, 1898 – May 23, 1957) was a Bishop
of the Evangelical United Brethren Church
, elected in 1957.
, the fifth child of the Rev. Absalom Lincoln and Linnie (Erb) Shannon. He was named for the Apostle Paul and for Eugene Field
, whose writings his parents enjoyed. Fifteen years later, his mother added Virgil to his name. His parents hoped that Paul would become a minister in the Church they loved and served.
Before Paul was three years of age, however, his father died of diphtheria
just twelve days before Christmas
. Leaving meager financial resources, his mother worked at whatever jobs were available to support her six children. The long hours away from home and the care of the children proved too much. Four of the children were placed in other homes. Only Paul and his invalid sister, Lois, remained with their mother. One brother and sister were in fact the first residents of the Quincy Orphanage in Pennsylvania.
Their hand-to-mouth existence meant there were days without food. Lois, who suffered from a heart ailment, died while still a young teenager. One month before Paul's High School graduation, his mother died. Paul wrote,
This marked his decision to enter the Gospel ministry.
, where their parents had met. Obviously, their deaths cast a shadow over such dreams. Paul and Carl lived together following their mother's death. And when they inherited a little money from an aunt, they both enrolled. Paul was a student there 1914-1918, and at Hillsdale 1917-18.
In order to attend college, it was necessary for Paul to work during the summer and at other times whenever possible. One summer he secured a job at the steel mill
in Steelton, Pennsylvania
. His first day on the job was spent cracking limestone
rocks with a heavy sledge hammer. By evening his hands were raw and bloody and his muscles ached so much that the pain kept him awake most of the night. Nevertheless, he was back on the job the next morning without complaint. Indeed, explaining to the foreman his need to earn money for college expenses, the foreman bandaged his hands and transferred him to easier work.
Following college graduation from Lebanon Valley in 1918, Paul enrolled at Bonebrake Theological Seminary
, Dayton, Ohio
.
. Under the combined load of college studies and pastoral responsibilities, however, Paul suffered a physical breakdown. This was, in fact, the first of several such episodes which plagued his ministry. Nevertheless, never was there any expression of bitterness of self pity. Of this occasion, Paul later wrote, "I was not worried or frightened for I knew the Lord would provide for his own, and he surely did."
Following college graduation at twenty years of age, Paul spent the summer as Pastor of the U.B. Church in Veedersburg, Indiana
. During his second year in seminary, he began serving the Fairview Church in Dayton, but ill health forced him out of the pulpit. In his farewell message to the Fairview congregation, he said:
Two days before Christmas, 1924, the Shannon family moved to a cottage at Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Evangelical United Brethren Church
Evangelical United Brethren Church
The Evangelical United Brethren Church was an American Protestant church which was formed in 1946 by the merger of the Evangelical Church with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ...
, elected in 1957.
Birth and early life
Shannon was born in Mountville, PennsylvaniaMountville, Pennsylvania
Mountville is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,444 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mountville is located at ....
, the fifth child of the Rev. Absalom Lincoln and Linnie (Erb) Shannon. He was named for the Apostle Paul and for Eugene Field
Eugene Field
Eugene Field, Sr. was an American writer, best known for his children's poetry and humorous essays.-Biography:...
, whose writings his parents enjoyed. Fifteen years later, his mother added Virgil to his name. His parents hoped that Paul would become a minister in the Church they loved and served.
Before Paul was three years of age, however, his father died of diphtheria
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an upper respiratory tract illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium. It is characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity...
just twelve days before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. Leaving meager financial resources, his mother worked at whatever jobs were available to support her six children. The long hours away from home and the care of the children proved too much. Four of the children were placed in other homes. Only Paul and his invalid sister, Lois, remained with their mother. One brother and sister were in fact the first residents of the Quincy Orphanage in Pennsylvania.
Their hand-to-mouth existence meant there were days without food. Lois, who suffered from a heart ailment, died while still a young teenager. One month before Paul's High School graduation, his mother died. Paul wrote,
- "I was called into the room and there was my mother drawing her last breath. She had laid down her life for us as the Good Shepherd did. Worldly separation is cruel, yet we can be thankful that we can not fully realize our loss. I immediately placed my heart in God's will and said, 'They will be done.'"
This marked his decision to enter the Gospel ministry.
Education
His parents had planned for Paul and his brother Carl to attend Lebanon Valley CollegeLebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College is a small, liberal arts higher education institution situated in the heart of Annville in Lebanon County, east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.-History:...
, where their parents had met. Obviously, their deaths cast a shadow over such dreams. Paul and Carl lived together following their mother's death. And when they inherited a little money from an aunt, they both enrolled. Paul was a student there 1914-1918, and at Hillsdale 1917-18.
In order to attend college, it was necessary for Paul to work during the summer and at other times whenever possible. One summer he secured a job at the steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
in Steelton, Pennsylvania
Steelton, Pennsylvania
Steelton is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, three miles southeast of Harrisburg. In 1900, 12,086 people lived here; in 1910, 14,246 people lived here; in 1920, 13,248 people lived here; and in 1940, 13,115 people lived here. The population was 5,858 at the 2000 census...
. His first day on the job was spent cracking limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
rocks with a heavy sledge hammer. By evening his hands were raw and bloody and his muscles ached so much that the pain kept him awake most of the night. Nevertheless, he was back on the job the next morning without complaint. Indeed, explaining to the foreman his need to earn money for college expenses, the foreman bandaged his hands and transferred him to easier work.
Following college graduation from Lebanon Valley in 1918, Paul enrolled at Bonebrake Theological Seminary
United Theological Seminary
United Theological Seminary is a United Methodist seminary in Trotwood, Ohio, United States, in the Dayton metropolitan area. Founded in 1869 by Milton Wright, it was originally sponsored by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ...
, Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
.
Ordained ministry
After receiving a License to Preach, Paul was appointed Pastor of two United Brethren Churches near Middletown, PennsylvaniaMiddletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Middletown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, nine miles southeast of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. Under the combined load of college studies and pastoral responsibilities, however, Paul suffered a physical breakdown. This was, in fact, the first of several such episodes which plagued his ministry. Nevertheless, never was there any expression of bitterness of self pity. Of this occasion, Paul later wrote, "I was not worried or frightened for I knew the Lord would provide for his own, and he surely did."
Following college graduation at twenty years of age, Paul spent the summer as Pastor of the U.B. Church in Veedersburg, Indiana
Veedersburg, Indiana
Veedersburg is a town in Van Buren Township, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,180 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Veedersburg is located at on U.S. Route 136 just west of its intersection with U.S...
. During his second year in seminary, he began serving the Fairview Church in Dayton, but ill health forced him out of the pulpit. In his farewell message to the Fairview congregation, he said:
- "It is no compliment to a pastor to have his work fail in his absence. I have tried to win you to Christ. If I have succeeded, you will be faithful; if I have won you to myself, then the church will fail. The biggest compliment you can pay me is to carry on the work for which I have given my strength."
Two days before Christmas, 1924, the Shannon family moved to a cottage at Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania.