BRUNER (Rev) Benjamin H. - Putnam

Greencastle, Ind June 7 – The Rev. BH Bruner, pastor of the First Christian Church in Greencastle has written one of the books used in the celebration of the 1900th anniversary of the birthday of the church which will take place tomorrow. The title of the book is, “Pencost: A Renewal of Power.”  The material in the book was given as a series of lectures before the school of religion of Butler University.  The book was published in the fall of 1928 by the Doubleday, Doran & Co of New York. It has received favorable comments in the review of all of the outstanding religious journals in America and has had a very large sale.  Since leaving college in 1913, the Rev. Mr. Bruner has held pastorates in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri and Indiana. He also served as a chaplain in the world war,.  He is author of four books: Evenings with the Master, 1920; The Evangestic Message, 1922; Pentecost: A Renewal of Power, 1928 and The Meaning of Church Membership, 1930.  He is just now finishing another book, which will be called, Which Gospel Shall I Preach? And which will be published this fall by the Richard R. Smith Inc publishers of New York. The Rev. Mr. Bruner has been pastor of the Greencastle Church for four years and served last year as president of the Indiana Christian Ministerial Association.

Source: Indianapolis News Tue 20 Sept 1966 p 4

The Rev. Benjamin H. Bruner, 78, 345 Burgess, who was a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister 59 years, died last night in Community Hospital. For several years, the Rev. Mr. Bruner had been an interim minister, serving pastorates at Vincennes, Delphi, Union City, Bainbridge, Anderson and New Castle.

After he came to Indianapolis in 1949, he served as editorial associate in the department of resources of the United Christian Missionary Society in Irvington.  Before he started his interim work, he held regular pastorates at Erie, Pa, Arcola and Danville, Ill; Lexington, Mo; St. Louis, Weirton and Hinton, W Va and Terre Haute, New Albany, Greencastle, Edwardsport, Bicknell and Linton, Ind.

The Rev. Mr. Bruner was author 12 books on religious subjects and was a frequent contributor to church papers and periodicals.

He was a graduate of preparatory school and college at Hiram, Ohio.  He was a member of Downey Avenue Christian Church and Irvington Kiwanis Club.  He had been a Kiwanis since 1924.

Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Downey Avenue Church with burial in Washington Park Cemetery East.  Friends may call after noon tomorrow at Dorsey Funeral Home.

The Rev. Mr. Bruner’s wife, Edna died 1 ½ years ago. They had been married 52 years.  Survivors: daughter Mrs. J. Kirby Riley; son Robert H; sister Mrs. Burton Handy. – kbz

From the Indianapolis Star 21 Sept 1966 newspaper obituary