The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-01
THE MENNoNITE CHURCH.
History of the Oldest Congregation in
America, Now Disbnnded.

Philadelphia Ledger.
The practical disbanding of the .congrega-
ton of the Mennonite Church, of German
town. brings to mind some historic facts
relative to the oldest congregation in Amer
known as the followers of Simon Memo.
The meeting house which for years has
been the ,a OF sne pot +
inside and out. devoid of all churchly orna-
menration, and stands on the ancient grave
yard in which lie generations of former
worshipers.
From this church sprang all Others Of
Of founders are to be found in almost every
State of the Union many occupying high
positions of honor and trust
The first MennoniteS came to Pennsyi-
vania by invitation OF William Penn ar
irving at Germantown Oct. s, 1888. Although
the first, settlers appeared to have been
nonites, they all seemed for number Of
years to have. worshiped together with one
ceremony. When Wilhelm Rittinhuysen
civilian Rittenhouse) arrived. in 1858,
preaching services were instituted. About
20 haye beeg @ on the pa 81
the Mennonites to have their own meeting
house. The first practical movement in
No. Arnold Van Fossen delivered to Jan
Neus, behalf of the Mennonites, a deed
for three square perches of land for q meet
ing house on the main street The meeting
house, however was not erected until f70S.
1t was constructed of logs and stood where
deed for it was dated Sert. 6, INA; and
was given by Henry Sellers. William Ritz
" afterward was made bishop, his ordi-
nation, according to Mr. Daniel kolb Cas-
sci. being. performed by one of the mem.
bers on the authority of the minister's and
deacons of the Altoona congregation, none
of whom cared to undertake the danger
Gus voyage to this country to perform II.
Rittenhouse died the same year that the
meeting house was built and it is believed
that Klaus iNiohoiasa RI, Kistenhouse ana
After the completion of the meeting
house the congregation entered upon an
churches were organized in various parts
of Pennsylvania and in less than twenty
pack, Conestoga, Green Swamp Mana
tawny and elsewhere, with fifteen ministers
and exhorters.
/ lest days of the primitive church and was
held in the same rude building. II was
nous ovep IN bock
whose hymns are still sung by the Mem
MONTE congregations.
In 1927 the congregation employed the
printing press to spread its doctrine. Its
"Confession of Faith" was translated into
ing ing the the years a5-4s the Germantown con-
gregation made arrangements with the Re-
cluse Monks of Ephrata to do its printing.
Apples in Silver Skins" The next work
was the translation, from Dutch into Ger
b mal "a and ine martyroios ss. Der Biutiss
Schawplatz," which work was completed In
174S and which is CONSIDERED 10 De one or
the largest books published in America, a
folio of 1872 pages. weighing about twenty
five pounds. Both books are now among
the rarest and valuable of American prints.
This was followed by several editions. on
the Sauer press, of the hymnal, "Das
Psalterspel The third edition bears the
imprint 1764.
few years prior to the outbreak of the
revolutionary war the congregation had
outgrown the log church. and arrange
ments were made to replace it with a more
substantial structure. On Jan 20, ITO. the
subject was referred to a building commit
tee, consisting of Jacob Keyser, sr., Mich
olas Rittenhouse, Abraham Rittenhouse
and Jacob Knorr. The new building was
finished the same year at a cost of t202
5 shillings, Pennsylvania currency. At
that time the Mennonites in Pennsylvania
numbered thirteen congregations, and had
forty-two meeting houses, fifteen bishops
and fifty-three preachers.
The meeting house at Germantown, when
built was much the same as IL is now, ex-
cept that a low stone wall separated ths
graveyard from the street. which has since
been replaced by an iron fence. The in
terror of the house has been somewhat mod
ernized. but still maintains its plain char
acter and stands as q living monument to
those early German pioneers who came to
America over two centuries ago to on
joy religious liberty, and who, by their
thrift honesty and piety, proved them
selves worthy to be ranked AMONG the
most valuable pioneers of Pennsylvania