River Brethren
There are three bodies of
River Brethren in existence:
The
River Brethren began about
1778 in
Pennsylvania. Martin Boehm, (later bishop of the
Church of the United Brethren in Christ) was initially the spiritual leader of those who formed the
River Brethren. Such brethren were often known by their locality. A group of brethren north of
Marietta, Pennsylvania on the east side of the
Susquehanna River became known as the
River Brethren. The
River Brethren distanced themselves from Boehm and the United Brethren movement. They were influenced by the
Dunkers and developed a conviction that trine immersion was the scriptural form of baptism. Yet they did not join the Dunker movement. The first confessional statement of this group was formulated around
1780.