Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-09-10
Tho Mennonites.

The Russian Meunonites, of whom
we wrote day or two ago, are still |
pouring into the country. another |
ship-load of them having just landed
at New York. There are now sew.
eral hundred upon our shores. and i,
is asserted that they have decided
upon founding their colony in Kan
-as, though this does rot SEEM to br
a settled fact, as yet. Many inllu-
crccs arc being brought TO bear upon
them, holding them I'M q kind of o
bcwildcrmemt, which incapacitatcs
them to arrive at any decided plans.
Several OF their leading men sailer
for the old country OH the Goth, and
many believe their mission is TO con-
suit higher authorities with refei-
emce to a location of tie colony.
|. The Russian Mcmnonitcs are pco-
pie entertaining peculiar religious
notions "a kind of Muscovitc- Ecu
tonic Quakerism. They profess u
form of Protestant Christianity older
than Luthcranism, but widely dis
sinct from the Orthodox Greck
church. They are opposed to warin
every form, resembling our Quakers
very much il, -iis.< .<r~rrfcuTar- fact
they will not serve in any. under an!
consideration, unless forced.
The Mennoniics are good agricul-
turisis, but are particularly noted
tor their plantations of fruit, forest
and mulberry trees. This culture
they have followed with great sue
cess OH stcppcs that were formerly
perfectly bare. They arc. accordiu.
to the best accounts, Intelligent, in-
| dustrioUs and pcrsevcriug. In al
dItion, they are very clean, orderly
moral, temperate and economical.
They arc excessively religious. Peiz-
holtt, in his travels in 1876, says thai
it is his firm conviction that Russia
cannot show any more diligent or
more useful citizens" There are
schools in every village, attendance
at which is made compulsory. Edu-
cation is universal among then.
The conscientious scruplcs enter
tanned by the sect against bearing
arms under any circumstances must
have been imported into its doctrines.
for little was said on that question
during Mcnno's lifetime. = The Men.
nonites only intermarry among them
selves. They baptize by spri killing
and observe the pracllce "a feet
washing. They avoid the use o
Jewels, and dress in subdued colors
50 far resembling the Quakers.
The followers of Melno served the
purposes of Catherine II, and wer,
afterwards looked upon as priyi.
legged class Of foreigners residing III
the country, until three generation.
of them hah passed under the Rus.
sian flag. Then caiuc a misundcr.
standing, which led them 10 thi lk OF
changing their location to the United
States. Russia concluded to reor.
ganizc her military system, cn | the
cdict resulting set forth that every
native Eussian, without an exception
OF any character, must pass givcI
time i'll the ranks of the army. This
ot course, reached the Mcnnoui;cs
anu as consequence this country j,
getting them as fast as steam unt
, wind can bring them over.
1t Is crime for Russian to cmi
CRATE without permission OF i gov,
, grnncnt. and it IS also Il crime tci
any person to go into Russia and at
: tempt TO induce cmigraiion-s here
was stumpcr 1t the start. Arplica
: ton was made to certain Unite,
=, states officials in Russia by leaders o
:, the sect, asking somethin. about III,
. condltions upon which the Memo
y mites would be received into til
,, country, and it came near settin
those officials into trouble. The
;. were promptly arrested by the Rus
'. sian Government as open violatnrs q
:, Russian law, but fiuaily the matte
y WAS settled and the Russian Govern
mcnt decided to let the Nc monte
j.. go. on their forfeiting to the govern
= ment all their rich possessions All,
Y lands.
,, When this understanding had beer
a clearly arrived at. u delegation .
;, Mennouites was sent to America {,
. look at the promise of things, and o.
l accounts of offers that had been mad
p i'll Canada they first shaped thrl
:. course thither, where they lande
!, some four or five months-ago. Frol
Canada they came to the Unite,
q States, where they found 4 countr,
y exactly to their liking, and whcr
they have concluded to settle them
- selves for the future.
=, A grand influx OF the Mennonite
~ ~ has already commenced aud sti
grander influx is expected soon t
:. follow. They are now forced t
n travel from Katra, in the Crime,
4 and from Odessa, to Hamburg. l
~ order to embark for the Unite
20 States, and it is Il tedious AMI cxpeI
IN sive journey, but no doubt it wi
~ soon be relieved by vessels sailiu
X from the Bosphorus direct for son
,s American port. In 1855 the numb,
Of adult MennonitcS was IL. 100. an,
o. as there con he no question rs ,
IN their removing from Russia to Amc
g. lea. the conveyance of them throug
,y the Black Sea, the Mediterranean ail
m across the Atlantic is q question ,
4 great importance to the steamshi
ss lines.
Cs
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