The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-03-20
THE MENNONITES.
Where They Come From and the DOC
trines They Believe.

The MennoniteS are religious sect of
! Pr"testants who, like the Baptis's, reject
! infant baptism, baptizing only adults on
profession of faith, and who. like Quak-
ers. practice non-resistance and absti-
hence from oath. But the sect antedates
both the Baptists and Quakers. the first
church having been organized at Zurich.
Switzerland, in 1925. They rapidly spread
in Switzerland. but persecution soon
drove many of them to South Germany.
where they suffered new prosecutions.
They were called by their opponents
Anabaptists, and thousands of them suf-
fered martyrdom in Swabia, Bavaria.
Austria and Tyrol. They found refuge
i'll Morevia, where they greatly increased
until the thirty years war drove them
away.
About twenty years after the origin of
the sect, Simon Memo, a Catholic vicar
of Friesland. became a convert to the
new faith and a leader of such authority
that his name was given TO tie sect
The first century Of their history was
one of nearly continual prosecutions.
About 5000 of the Dutch Mennonites
suffered martyrdom under the reign of
that blood-thirty bigot, Philip the III. of
Spain, and it was not until 1851 that they
were tolerated by the law in the Neither
lands. The Dutch Mennonites were
early divided by docrrinal discussions.
but in 1901 they were reunited in one
body, and founded a theological seminary
at Amsterdam. The Dutch Mennonite>
in 100 numbered 100000. At present
they number only some 10000. In
Switzerland and Southern Germany there
are about s, 900 communicates. and about
the same number in East Friesland
West Prussia and other parts of South
Germany. About Il hundred years ag"
large numbers of them began to emf
crate from West Prussia to Southern
Russia. where they settled at first on TIL,
banks Of the Dnieper and later on tn,
Sea Of Azof. BY special DEGREES of tie
Emperors they were exempted from mill
tary duty, and in 1870 formed popua.
ton of 10000. But in 1871, the privil-
eye of exemption from military duty was
revoked, and to avoid conscripton the,
embraced the alternative of emigration
which was conceded to them-this iattei
privilege, however expiring ir 1880. l.,
consequence of this measure there was !.
considerable emf grafton OF the Russian
they settled mainly in Minnesota. Kan.
sas, Dakota and Manitoba There is
considerable colony of those Mennonite,
at Mountain Lake if we remember right
ly, on the st. Paul and Sioux City Raj
road. and there are others in other parts
of the State and in Southern Oak ota-
But the first emigration of Menuonite.
to the United States took place over tw,
hundred years ago. Some Of the frs
Dutch settlers OF New York were Men
nontcs, and in 1854 the first church W.;
organized at Germantown. near Philadel- |
phia, consisting mainly of Holander> |
In 400, there was large emigration |
from Switzerland and the Palatinate.-
These settled in Lancaster county, Pa.
and in the beginning of the present cen |
fury they began to spread from Pennsyl- |
vania and Maryland into the Wester, |
States and Canada. The Mcnnonitcs il
America now number about 60. 600 com.
800 meeting houses-o
which about one-eight are in Canada.
The Mennonites are generally thrift.
and highly respected people nowadays. !
in all countries. For they consider hon
esty, industry and plainness of dress ant
manners to be prominent christian duties.
They will not take oatls or intict prl,,-
ishment, and for this reason they will |
not accept public Offices which woul |
make it necessary to do eithor. The
never go to law. In this country, as in
Europe. they are nearly all farmers. L.
is great pity that the example OF thi
quaint and interesting people. which il
some respects conforms SO closely to tn,
principles and practice of the great
Founder of Christianity, was not NOR
generally followed by other and MOI,
tiourishin. sects.