The issue which is often given as cause for division in the early 1900s was the changes brought by quick acceptance of telephones and automobiles among the Old German Baptist Brethren. Generally, the more conservative Old Brethren originally wanted more uniform adherence to Annual Meeting decisions. Ultimately the Old Brethren chose to uphold the older form of Annual Meeting, which was simpler and more Scripture based than the legislative business model which had recently developed among the Old German Baptist Brethren. Attempts in 1929-30 to reunite the Old Brethren and Old German Baptist Brethren were not successful. After 1930, the Old Brethren placed less stress on Annual Meeting authority than did the parent body, believing it to be a simple gathering more for edification, fellowship and teaching, than for legislation. Personal conviction and moral persuasion to follow the Bible are now the basis for adherence to the church's order, rather than legislative decisions of Annual Meeting. In 1939, those Old Brethren who wished to stress following legislative decisions of Annual Meeting and also to maintain the rejection of automobiles, telephones, electricity and tractors formed a more conservative traditional group, called the Old Brethren German Baptists.
Religious practice
The Old Brethren do not use the German language in worship any longer, neither a German dialect in everyday life nor High German for Bible and church readings, because they had already given up the everyday use of the German language when the first split of conservatives from the main body of German Baptist Brethren occurred in the 1880s. They have given up horse and buggy transportation and accepted the use of automobiles, while they have retained plain dress. The Old Brethren prefer to allow time and space for the Holy Spirit to guide a person's life. Brotherly counsel according to Matthew 18 and other Scripture is also followed. Teachings of the New Testament are interpreted and applied literally, especially those in the Sermon on the Mount They have less rules than the German Baptist Brethren, preferring to let the Holy Spirit convict hearts and lead people to live holy lives, according to the Scriptures. Old Brethren are more plain in dress and more conservative in lifestyle than their parent group, the Old German Baptist Brethren; but are similar to them in many other aspects such as nonresistance, using the Trine Immersion mode of baptism and the three-part communion service including feetwashing and a love feast.
