Gospel Workers Society 100th Anniversary 1895-1995 Commemorative Plate.  NOS = New Old Stock.

Approx. 8 1/4" inches across the middle.

The Gospel Workers Society was located in Cleveland, Ohio.

The first seed of this endeavor was planted in 1895 under the direction of the Reverend William Brunner Musselman, a Mennonite preacher from Pennsylvania, who then was presiding elder of his Conference.

On 5 January 1895, in Annandale, New Jersey, the Reverend Mr. Musselman and seven women from his church began a home missionary ministry that is now known as the Gospel Worker Society. The purpose of this ministry was twofold: to reach people who were not reached by the churches in their communities and to encourage people to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour from sin.

The purpose of this ministry was accomplished through missionary meetings, daily colportage work (distributing religious tracts and literature), tent meetings, and saloon work. Missions were set up in gospel-neglected towns, and their number increased as the ministry grew. 

In 1907 the Gospel Workers Society moved to Cleveland, Ohio. 

The Reverend Mr. Musselman conducted chapel services for the missionaries of the Gospel Worker Society. His words of encouragement, explanation of the Scriptures, and practical illustrations were helpful to the Gospel Workers. They were zealous in their faithfulness to the mission and to the publishing ministry. He often reminded them to remain loyal to the Lord and to His work. The Reverend Mr. Musselman often stated that it was not popular to be isolated from the practices of the world system. He said that Jesus spoke of laying down His life and being forsaken by all, and He encouraged His disciples to be sacrificial, to deny themselves, and to follow Him.

The Gospel Worker Society and Union Gospel Press continued under the leadership of the Reverend Mr. Musselman until his death in 1938. His youngest daughter, Miss Mary E. Musselman, was elected president, and the corporation continued under her leadership during most of the years following until her death in 1971.