Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-01-03
THE AMISH PEOPLE.
Peculiarities of a Singular Com
munity in Illinois.
A Sect Organized Nearly Two
Hundred Years Agso.

ILL.,, known as the Amish (pro nounced
Ommish) people.
The history of this denomin alton goes
back to 1903, when it bran ched OH
from the Mennonites. 1t takes its
name from Jacob Amman, the founder.
The first appearance of the real Amis.n
in this country was in Monroe county,
O., about 1S47 There are now con-
gregations scattered over Ohio, New
York, Indiana and Illinois, with few
in Iowa and Kansas.
This Amish settlement is we'll knit
community, world by itself. 1t is
easy to see that the church is its centre.
The church represents society, recrea
tion; there youth plans the future and
maternity displays her treasures; the
church is courthouse where quarrels
and differences are adjusted, for the
Amish never 90 to law; aud whert
character is weighed, and woe to any
man or woman found wantingl
The extreme penalty of excoInmunica-
tion is used among them only for the
gravest faults. They ease sinnc
down gradually, through stages o
admonltion, suspending his right to the
sacrament, etc
1t is an unwritten law that they must
/ do l.It Nnty
money off each other. In one case
good member of this community bought
cultivators for his brethren, and ac
cumulated to himself as mddleman's
profit, so cents on each machine. The
church tried him. for this fault, and sus.
pended HIM from communion for
year. Had he persisted in the sinful
ness of making so cents profit off them
they would next have deprived him of
the brothcrly kiss. There is no deeper
depth save expulsion.
The church has no rules and disci
pline, and keeps no records. The only
clue to the names of members is list
which hangs on the kitchen wall Of
families who furnish the dinner during
the year.
This Fountain Creek settlement grad.
ually gathered into the community
which they now form. Their church is
b'ind-looking structure with the
kitchen at the front. A narrow hall
divides the kitchen from the assembly
room. Two doors lead into meeting,
and the women must go in and sit
down on one side and the men on tho
other.
There is no chance here for courting.
John might hand Lydia hymn book
across the partition, bus her arms would
probably be occupied by her mother
youngest baby. The whole new cror
comes to Amish meeting. You see
babies of all sizes. Their voices may
be heard a-whoop in the kitchen and
their gurgling embcllishes the prayer.
All the women are in plain, dark
gowns, with kerchiefs or ribbons tied
around their necks and, invariably, a
square of black barege folded three
cornered and tied across their heads
under their chins Some old mothers,
indeed, wear black silk Dutch caps
But these must be advanced beyond tho
customary headdress, while, on the
other hand, little girls of thirteen and
fourteen may be seen just aspiring to
the womanly badge.
All faces are set seriously towards
worship. Baby-carriers are at liberty
| to pass in and out or to and from the
| stove as their restless loads dictate. Yet
the congregation is quiet one. Some
benches are set lengthwise in the aisle
on the womens side. And nuns faces
were never more devout than the coun
tcnances of girls sitting thus in row,
making use of their hymn books and
contralto voices. One of them uncon.
sciously swings herself like pendul um
while she sings.
The men have peculiar look of hav-
ing arrived at mature age without expe-
r;ence. Perhaps their beard less cheeks
give them this meek air. The singing
is done without any instrumental accom-
paniment.
Nothing could be palmer than the in
terror of an Amish chapel. The pulpit
is a long bulwark of wood, on which
the great book lies without cushion
The unpainted seats have been secured.
Be lie each door hangs a small tin bos
with brass paddock, evidently for vol
untary contributions.
No stained glass, no picture, no sym