[1] Between school teaching and his locksmith shop in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Oberholtzer was in daily contact with a wider variety of people and ideas than other Mennonites in the area, who tended to be more withdrawn.
Because of Oberholtzer's interest and contact with the wider world, his ideas clashed with the more conservative members at Franconia conference sessions.
Areas of disagreement arose around the need for ministers to wear a particular style of colonial coat, whether more formal meeting procedures should be adopted and how open the church should be to Christians from other denominations.
Oberholtzer suggested that the Franconia Conference adopt a formal constitution, document procedures and keep minutes of their meetings.
Attempts to reconcile the division failed and in 1847 a new group, East Pennsylvania Conference, was formed from about a quarter of the original Franconia members.
He published Der Religiöse Botschafter (the Religious Messenger) with a circulation of 400, the first successful Mennonite periodical in North America.
He was opposed to church members participating in secret societies and believed foot washing should be taken symbolically, not literally.
In an effort to communicate with like-minded Mennonites, Oberholtzer's publications were circulated beyond the borders of the East Pennsylvania Conference.
Oberholtzer pursued contacts with Mennonites in Ontaria, Ohio and Iowa, promoting his ideas about inter-Mennonite cooperation.
Oberholtzer was a key committee member in drawing up the organization's constitution and presided over four of the initial sessions.