Mennonites

“ Up until a certain period in the History of America it is evident that as a nonresistant and nonproselyting people the Mennonites are known to have more often fallen victims to persecution and disturbance from their white brethren of different customs and practices from their own, than from Indian attack. ”

“ Under such circumstances the peace-loving Mennonites, many of whom were located along the border settlements at this time, became exposed to the savage fury of the Indians and along with that they were made to suffer the reproach and persecution of white men of other religious persuasions because they refused to assist them in wars of extermination on the Indian or to drive him away. ”

“ The Mennonites call themselves “Defenseless Christians,” being strictly opposed to all warfare, and during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries they suffered terribly at the stake and by other methods of persecution. ”

“ While in Germany the Mennonites exist in considerable numbers, more important are the German Mennonite colonies in southern Russia, brought there in 1786 by Catherine II., and freed, by the grant of complete religious liberty, from the hardships imposed by Prussian military law. ”

“ The ancient Mennonites professed a contempt of erudition and science, and excluded all from their communion who deviated in the least from the most rigorous rules of simplicity and gravity: but this primitive austerity is greatly diminished in their most considerable societies. Those who adhere to their ancient discipline are called Flemings or Flandrians. The whole sect were formerly called Waterlandians, from the district in which they lived. The Mennonites in Pennsylvania do not baptize by immersion, though they administer the ordinance to none but adult persons. ”

“ The modern Mennonites are descended from the followers of Menno Simons, who was born in the Netherlands in 1496. In 1524 he was ordained as a Catholic priest, but he soon came to doubt the soundness of that religion, and found his way into Anabaptist ranks, where he became one of the leading expounders of the radical principles, placing great emphasis upon non-resistance. In his biblical language, he thus stated his belief on this point:
"The regenerated do not go to war, nor engage in strife. ”

“ An entire exemption from military service is by law and Order-in-Council granted to the denomination of Chris tians called Mennonites. The fullest privilege of exercising their religious principles is hereby accorded to the Men nonites without any kind of molestation or restriction what ever. ”

“ The Russian Mennonites are mostly of Dutch ancestry, their forefathers of the Reformation period having fled from Holland to Prussia and Poland whence they emigrated to Russia. Yet a number of the Russian Mennonite churches in America are of Swiss origin. ”

“ It is known that during the Revolutionary War Mennonites were located in considerable bodies in the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Membership was confined largely to the class who were married and settled in life. Though the customs of their home life were in all respects contrary to the tactics of military training, single young men of Mennonite parentage found it difficult to keep out of the army. Early settlers, both old and young men, were given much to hunting, and of course were habitual gun carriers, and hence they were much accustomed to camp-life in the woods. ”

“ The Mennonites and their kind were "born" advantageously after the Reformation, when the Bible had been translated from the Hebrew into German, and not from the Latin Vulgate, which up until that time was the only evidence of religion, scarcely available--and then through an approach to self-expression which did not appeal to the masses.
Men like Martin Luther and Menno Simon, as well as other "pro-test-ants," differed greatly even with one another, as to how men and women ought to worship, after breaking away from the Catholic church of that day. ”

“ Whether we regard their personal history, or the results of their teachings, the Mennonites were the most interesting people who came to America. There is scarcely a family among them which cannot be traced to some ancestor burned to death because of his faith. ”

“ The opposition of Mennonites to war is not of a sudden growth, but it is an abiding conviction in the Church based on the teachings of our Savior and traces back to some of the persecuted Christians out side of Romanism to the times of Christ and His apostles. ”

“ Many of these Mennonites settled in Northern Germany. This religious belief was opposed to military service and about the close of the American Revolution the Mennonites began emigrating, until more than fifty thousand of their number had found homes west of the Dneiper, near the Black Sea, in Southern Russia, around Odessa. ”

“ The three prominent sects of Mennonites all claim to be non-resistants, or wehrlos. The Old Mennists, who are the most numerous and least rigid, vote at elections, and are allowed to hold such public offices as school director and road supervisor, but not to be members of the legislature. ”

“ Mennonites as a people have never been known to come into aggressive or defensive conflict with the Indians. When Mennonites or Quakers were known by them, they were readily recognized as peace-loving and peace-practicing people who were not suspected in the least of betraying a league of confidence. ”

“ It was not long before pity for our fellow-believers was excited still more forcibly. Fiercer than ever became the persecution of the Mennonites in Switzerland. The prisons at Bern were filled with the unfortunates, and the inhuman treatment to which they were subjected caused many to pine away and die. The rest feared from day to day that the minority in the council which demanded their trial would soon become a majority. Through the intercession, however, of the States General, whose aid the Netherland Mennonites sought, not without success, some results were effected. ”

“ Van Beuning, the Dutch ambassador, speaking of these Harmless Christians, as they choose to call themselves, says, “The Mennonites are good people, and the most commodious to a state of any in the world; partly, because they do not aspire to places of dignity; partly, because they edify the community by the simplicity of their manners, and application to arts and industry; and partly, because we fear no rebellion from a sect who make it an article of their faith never to bear arms.” ”

“ The Mennonites are generally well educated; but their information has no more than their wealth the effect of impairing the patriarchal simplicity of their habits. We happened to see a young man, belonging to one of the wealthiest families, on his return from a long foreign tour ”

“ In the United States of America, it appears, there are more than two hundred Mennonite churches, some of which contain as many as three hundred members in each. They are mostly the descendants of the Mennonites who emigrated in great numbers from Paltz. ”

“ It is not definitely known when and where the first Mennonites set foot on the shores of America, but it appears that with the invasion of the Dutch settlements at New Amsterdam, now New York, in 1664, there had for some years previous been located with them a community of Mennonites. ”

“ During these wars Mennonites became largely engaged in the production of foodstuffs, and owing to the advance in prices many of them became wealthy and were able to lay up much goods for themselves and their children. It was the first era of prosperity and sumptuous living for Mennonites in America. ”

“ The remnant of the Swiss Mennonites (not tolerated till 1710) broke in 1620 into two parties, the Uplanders (or Amish, from their leader Jacob Amen) holding against the Lowlanders that excommunication of husband or wife dissolved marriage, and that razors and buttons were unlawful. In Holland the Mennonites have always been numerous. ”

“ If the Commonwealth gives these people a free rein in their religious expressions, there will be Mennonites for-ever-and-a-day, for they will hold their own in a world where around then there is much strife and discord ”

“ When great armies are made up by selective draft regulations, it is apt to develop a hard situation for people of noncombatant faith. It is mentioned that in Germany Mennonites were shot for refusing to go into the army. In Canada, as well as in the United States, the widespread sentiment prevailed that Mennonites were dodgers, slackers, and friends to the enemy. ”

“ The New Mennonites being forbidden by the "Rules of the Meeting" ever to hear a prayer or sermon by one who is not "a member," it was necessary, at the end of the Reverend Abram Underwocht's sermon, for all the Mennonites present to retire to a room apart and sit behind closed doors, while the Evangelical brother put forth his false doctrine.
So religiously stirred was Tillie by the occasion that she was strongly tempted to rise and follow into the kitchen those who were thus retiring from the sound of the false teacher's voice. ”

“ Because of these and other failings of the Church to do her whole duty to her offspring, it may be truthfully asserted that no other denomination in America has suffered as fearful reverses as have the Mennonites. ”

“ The Mennonites gratefully recognize the good will of our government in the enactment of six:h laws as offer continued protection and religious liberty laws which attracted our forefathers to this country and has been the occasion of constant joy and thanks giving to Almighty God.
Years have come and gone, and whatever the trials of faith may have been, today we stand on the threshold of a new era. The untried future with all its mysteries and opportunities lies before us. We review our past experiences and try to understand what this has meant to us individually and collective ly. ”

“ David Heatwole was the first deacon of the Mennonite Church in Virginia and Magdalene Weland Heatwole, his wife, was the great grandmother to the writer.
Other accounts of Indian outbreaks on Mennonite families might be given, but the circumstances are meagre in the details and not sufficiently authentic for record here. In a general way destruction to life and property by Indians against Mennonites are not so frequent, when compared with the numerous instances where people of other nationality and religious faith suffered greatly. ”

“ The habits of these sectarians are of an extreme austerity that strips domestic life of all its ordinary charms. The wife and daughters of a Mennonite, whatever be his fortune, are the only female servants in his house, and Madame Cornies and her daughters waited humbly on us at table, as though they had no right to sit at it with the head of the family. Notwithstanding this apparent inequality of the sexes, there is a great deal of happiness in the married life of the Mennonites ”

“ From the lowlands of the Vistula, near Culm, sire, and it seems to me they belong to the sect of the Mennonites, for they never take off their hats, and address everybody with 'thee.'—These patriotic persons have performed their journey on foot, and say that their eyes have known no slumber, and their feet no rest, since they left their village in order to see the king and queen. ”

“ Much of this opposition probably is because the sect refuse to take oaths. With such opposing circumstances in the Old World, it is not remarkable that the number of Mennonites in the United States has been reported to exceed that in all the rest of the world put together. [3] The Amish are named from Jacob Amen, a Swiss Mennonite preacher of the seventeenth century. ”

“ While their lives are well-ordered they have not gone to the extremes noticeable among some of the other sects. Even the general run of Mennonites conform generally to habits not at all unusual. It is the extremists that our foregoing account covers. ”

“ After a second generation had grown up, the number of Mennonites in America became greatly augmented by the Amish element that located in large numbers in Pennsylvania, as well as in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. In the meantime the seeds of disunion began to germinate and grow to the extent that certain leaders took the unwise course of separating themselves from the main body, when in such case the foment and disturbance that was created, became the cause for certain adherents to withdraw voluntarily, or suffer themselves to be expelled from the main body. ”

“ It appears to the writer that there can scarcely be a people in our country among whom the ancient practices are more faithfully maintained than among the Amish of Lancaster County. [36]
Notwithstanding the great falling off from ancient principles and practices which we read of among Holland Mennonites (see Herzog’s Cyclopædia and the Encyclopædia Americana) , it seems that there are yet left in Europe others of the stricter rule. In Friesland, Holland, where the Mennonites are divided, as here, into three classes, there are found, by comparison, most traces of the old Mennonism. ”

“ Each family among the plain people support themselves generally on their own efforts of farming the earth. They pay no salaries for their preachers, for they all are potential ministers among them, hence need to pay, nor titheing for such purposes.
The Mennonites, however, have broadened out to such an extent that they have missionaries throughout the world, with some churches and ministers in India and South America. ”

“ Divine worship is conducted among the Mennonites much as among the churches of the reformed, or among the Dissenters in England, only with this peculiarity, that collections are made every Sabbath day, sometimes in the middle of the sermon, in two bags, one for the poor, and the other for the expenses of public worship. They have a Mennonite college at Amsterdam, and the ministers are chosen in some places by the congregation, and in others by the elders only. ”