Church of God
or CHURCHES OF GOD, a Christian sect which originated in 1830, in a movement in which John Winebrenner, previously a minister in the German Reformed Church, was most prominent. A new society was organized by him, and others who accepted his views, which took the name of the Church of God. It exists principally in Pennsylvania and the Western States. The government of the Church of God is congregational, with a supervising church council, composed of the preachers in charge, the elders, and deacons. Associations, or conferences of churches, called elderships, meet annually, and a general eldership meets every three years. The Church of God holds the doctrines of the Evangelical a stand at this hamlet, on the river Churubusco, 6 miles S. of the City of Mexico, to resist the advance of the United States army under General Scott. Churubusco had the strongly fortified convent of San Pablo and an elevated causeway with a stone bridge across the river. Generals Worth and Pillow attacked and carried the bridge; the convent, after holding out two and one-half hours, yielded to General Twiggs. General Shields, who had been engaged on the right, joined in the pursuit, which extended nearly to the City of Mexico.
Of 8,000 United States troops in the two actions there were 139 killed and 926 wounded; the Mexicans lost 4,000 killed and wounded, 3,000 prisoners, 37 guns, many small arms, and much ammunition.