The daily gazette., 1877-07-02
"A. ~ CURIOUS PEOPLE.
MoRs M;NN0NlTeS FROM
lAfi RUSSIA. s-i
A sCEsE UPON THE ~HED-Cov.
Erred WA ARE OF THE RED
STAR LINE. ....
Eton be Phaadelphia Ttmes.

= = 'N"'
Eight hundred and twenty-five Men
MONTE emigrants Slept last night upon the
shed-covered wharf of of the Red Star
line, at the foot of Christian street.
Away back in the time of Luther, the
Anabaptist, religious sect differing
from the Baptist profession of faith in a
few particulars, sprung into existence in
Zurich, Switzerland Worried by prose-
cution majority of their people were
driven through Germany and Austria,
unui nnaiIy In 1888 they settled in the
province of Faurien, in the souther rn part
Of Russia. Here there appeared among
them new apostle in. Menpo- Symous OF
Simmons IN emo, the son of SImop,.
who altered somewhat the tenets of tn, i r
faith and from whom subsequently tbev
obtained the title of Mennonifes, by
which they are known to-day. The ne
cularities of their belief are main these:
Tney uphold adult baptism, but instead
ot immersion they practice sprlnkling in
the ministration OF the rite. They ars ali
non-combatants, being opposed towar and
refralning generally from petty quarrels
among each other, and they disapprove
of the settling of difficulties in the courts
and consequently lawyers are tabooed
The Mennonites are really cross be-
tween the Baptist and Quaker. By their
industrious habits they gained the es-
TEEN OF the Russian Czars, and as thev
professed horror of.war they were ex
emped from military duty. In 1871 how
ever, Alexander i III. withdrew this Driv-
liege and gave the Mennonites notice
that all those who had not emigrated bv
1880 would be subject to the draft. Alarm
ed 6y this threat the sturdy farmers
nearly all of them till the soii-got their
families around them and started toward
America. he Gear, alarmed at the
wholesale hegira, made his order less se-
we're, but the ball was started on the roll
and 1t still continues revolving towards
this country.
THE FIRST WHO CAME OVER.
The first Mennonites, however, reach
ed this county from Holland in 16S3-
they were then Anabaptists-and thew
oullt church at Germantown, among
the willows OF the Wissahicon valley. 1t
was In 1871, however, that they began
swarming to these shores, the first of
these colonies settling in Kansas and
Minnesota. There are now 5000 of these
people in Kansas. and in consequences of
the warmIy-wOrded letters they have sent
70 their friends near the shores of the
Black Sea, and also owing to a prevail
Ing fear among the latter that the con-
ungencies of the war now raging might
leaai to their conscription, eight hundred
and twenty-five Russian Mennonites
packed their wealth and their posses
sions In lowered quilts and iron-bound
chests, and finding there way to Antwerp
Belgium, they shipped two weeks ago
ABOARD the Red Star line steamship Va
derland. Their great number taxed even
the sleeping capacity Of the Admirably
constructed vessel, but they were not
huddled together, and every precaution
was taken TO prevent disease from treak-
ing OUT among them. Contrary to the
regulations the entire upper deck was
opened to them TO drink in the salty
breezes, and, az is the custom of both
the Red Star and American lines, fresh,
wholesome food was prepared for them
every day.