The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
WHO ARE THE MEgNoylrEsy


the fact that large number of persons
so-called are settling in this country,
not in casual and hap-hazard way, but
with system and organization-a large
colony, for example, having Just pur
chased a tract of land of nearly two
hundred thousand acres in and around
Marion county, in Kansas, and an4
nouncing themselves as the forerunners
of many more.
The Mennonites are the followers of
the doctrines propounded by remarka-
BILE man, who shared in the awakening
of mind of the sixteenth century. His
birth is variously placed in 1896 and
1905; but of his being a priest of the
church, and not very good at that, there
is no doubt. The reading of the New
Testament, the history declares, pro-
duced change of view and of charac-
ter, his meekness, purity and gentleness
becoming very conspicuous. 1t was
common in those days to call all radical
reformers Anabaptists, that name being
familiar, and rather ill-omened and
Memo (Slmonis was his second name)
was so classed. But he did not hold
or teach the extreme views ascribed to
the Anabaptists, who denounced war,
magistracy, oaths and science, and are
charged by their enemies with violence
in attempting to carry out their ideas,
and set mp a visible millennial "k1ng-
dom of Goo" at Munster. It must be
borne in mind, however, that all ac-
counts of sect that come from its enc
mics have to be largely discounted.
Whatever be the truth regarding the
Anabaptists, it is admitted that Menno
did not go to extremes that he COM
mended his cause to the judicious and
moderate, who desired Scripture-teach-
ing for all men, and free Christian in
stitutions that he was extremely ac-
tive in spreading his views in Holland
and Germany, especially along the
shores of the Baltic, and accordingly
was much persecuted, finding protec-
ton at length in Holstein, and availing
himself there of that great missionary
agency-the printing press. He died
there in 1861, leaving work published
in 1880, known as the Ft1,adan1erat6atch,
expository of his doctrines.
WRITING ANOTHER MANS LOVE
LETTERS.
There resided in the lower portion of
Rondout, not long since, swain whose
sweetheart ldwelt in distant place, and
in communicating with her her lover
was compelled to call In the aid of
third person, as his early education
was defective, perhaps from too fre-
quent indulgence in ''piaying hockey. y
To guard against any temptation for the
scribe's falling in love with his sweet.
heart, the young fellow settled upon .
married man to perform the duties
thereof, and so for time things worked
most harmoniously. The scribe had
been there himself, and protiting by his
experience, he penned such deliciously
gushing letters to Mary Amin the
name of George, of course-that the
little maid soon surrendered the citadel
of her heart to George, and promised II
| due time to surrender her hand also
Now, time in its fight caused the swaiI
to move to neighboring river town tc
pursue his calling; but was necessary tc
keep up the correspondence with Mary
Ann in the same handwriting, es George
| got friend in his new home to write
the tender messages and mail them tc
the scribe in this city to copy and post
The plan succeeded admirably for 6
| time, but on one iu-fated day thetsoribe
after inditing most loving epistle tc
Mary Ann, ending, of course, with {
prayer for reply by return mail, in {
fit of abstraction signed his own instead
of Georges name. The return was
female, and no less a one than Mary
AIMS own mother, who searched ou
] the scribe, and laying his last tender
tefusion to her daughter before his as
tonished eyes asked him in such tones
as only an outraged mother can com
mand, how dared he, married man
with family, write such q letter to hel
innocent lamb of daughter. The1
that scribe had to rise and explain hov
he had been engaged in an amicabl,
fraud, and the words must not be take1
as an expression of his own sentiments
-oh, no by no means but those O
George. His explanations, however
fully satisfied the matron, and all ii
again serene. S.