Louis S. Bauman
1875-1950
Louis Sylvester Bauman, pastor, missionary statesman, Bible
conference speaker, and author, was born on November 13,
1875. The son of an itinerant Brethren minister and evange-
list, William J.H. Bauman, he yielded to the call of God to
the Christian ministry in young manhood. Dr. Bauman served in
pastorates at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Mexico and Rowan,
Indiana; Long Beach, California; and Washington, D.C. His
pastorate at Long Beach continued for 34 years, building a
membership of over 1,900 and attendances nearing 2,500.
During that time, many branch churches were started
in Southern California, and over 150 young men and women en-
tered full-time Christian service. His ministry as an evange-
list was blessed of God. Brethren churches from coast to
coast credit his early meetings as the beginning of their
work.
Early in his pastorate in Philadelphia, a street car
conductor, James Gribble, was saved. Mr. Gribble became the
first Brethren pioneer missionary to go to the Central Afri-
can Republic, a ministry that has produced today almost 500
Brethren churches and a membership of over 80,000 African
Christians.
Dr. Bauman served on the trustee board and as a mis-
sionary editor of the Foreign Missionary Society of the
Brethren Church from 1904 to 1950. He died on November 8,
1950, and was buried on his 75th birthday.

---

Christian Biographies