The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-10-27
THE ANlSH COLONY.
RELG Gus ext m NEW
YO7k STATE.

Fest Eash'D:s =: Il IT pt" IrnmCrsoEs-
Fine Farmers ard Ok a2 Agar 81 Lev.
During The two !. ears foflogiDg lis
ori. IL. IN 1s4S Ike Araish religion
arrived aud pros2zyej Ike 81 fsn&t-
i:&l orgau .li21s of his character, lis
aeisht was fesc;.e3 IN Is pine The
number OF AHis5cea decreases year
ry year. l. iii Ect be q great while
until the existence O: s1oi 3 sect viii
be a mater cf histcrg cnly. The few
remaining colonies bav9 mcdi6ed the
Amish theology 10 al ex!e4t SIS t.
clake the original a.nGst u1recogn;Z
acle Tls Aa,i>h ere bitterly oppused
70 al appea.aGceS OF wOrldliLess. and
frivolitY they &onor. Thy lock up
on mcd5rn IDEAS IS 3 detIiment 10 the
future welfare Of markind, and &ll
tH0rts for Zee advaG cement CT civili-
zAtiun they hCid in ccutCmvt
O4e Of the chief AID SIR c,es. doc
:riues IS that the men ard women
rtust wear the pl&inest kind OF cloth-
ing, and woe to the believer who VIC
Ia!sS the teachings Of tEe church.
AIcrg the picturesque banks Of the
ScEoang3 river. IL Lawcence county,
New Yara, G@el:s "a Auisl COMMIT
uity. Tbs laws are possibly mere rig
idly enforced il this co,ony than any
otker IL existence. Il is arsLch q;
the original SEC, which settled in the
southeastern part Ct Pennsylvania in
l64S Thly were unable to secure
possession Oi The entire Buffalo Val
ley, in Lancaster county, wnere hey
tad hoped 10 establish community
OF their own, and as result small ar
mics of them enigrsted to different
parts oi the country 70 caTGe cut their
own Kingdoms.
The Laurence county branch took
up lis present abode mora tha4 forty
years ego, and their OILY occupation
Since then has been the cultivation OF
tie soil. Their neighbors confess that
there are 10 better formers in the
state. They ara skilled III ali the arts
OF agriculture auG many Of then have
become wealthy. Any person wlo
will visit Lawrence county colony
wiIi f1d a thrifty, honest, temperate
and Industrious class Of psople, who
are progressive IL spite CT their un-
worldly methods. TIE mems and
women's clothing is SIS plain as il can
be. Their attire IS devoid OF buttons,
hooks AID eyes being used il their
place. The men never shave OF cut
theic hair. Their coats are shaped in
style which their reighbors call
shad 5ellied.
The women dress according to Qla.
ker simplicity, wearing sunbonnets
and loose, foaing, homespuu gowns.
Is considered a breach OF eriqaeite 20
weac ornaments OF any kind. Recent
~ the church divided oa the question
OF hooks and eyes, and faction OF
the congregation OecaGe worldly
enough 10 wear bu1o2s. Tbs more
picus brothers and sisters still hold up
taei- hands in horror when this
breach in he Anlisn laws is spoken
of. Az idea Of the rigidiLy OF the
Amish laws in reference to dress can
be gaired from the following little
episode, whica ior time caused a
sensation II the community:
Some years ago Jonathan Acatcner
moved from Lawrence to Mitia coun-
ty. Turee years age he died, leaving
son, who Inherited considerable prop
er.y. The Lawrence county Anish
knew very little about youog kratcher,
whose Christian name is Aoram, for
he lett the colony when small child.
Several weeks ago fle-looklng
young man, dressed in the height of
fashion, appeared in the colony. He
was ABOUT z6 years old, wore a mus
tacne, long cu.away coat, black
trousers, white shirt, rel recktie,
a shining silk hat aad smoked cigars
He passed unrec cgulZed at fist, but
final y introduced Dims5lf IS the heir
Of old Jonathan kraicher and c!aiDe6
relationship with score Or mere IL
the neighborhooG. Not one d lis iela
tiyes would recognize him ald he
was avo;dsd generally. So cold did
The treatment become that be was
Obliged to leave the colony.
But Abrgm thoug BIT thaC by donning
the typical dress OF tie Amisn he
would be welcomed with open arms.
He went to NeG Castle, ana after con-
siderable difficulty, obtained 2 regUla
tlon cJ3;Gmc, thoG ret2rn&d, and
adopted the nletbo&s CT the colony.
But it Vas OF nc avail. He was Dan
ished without ceremony. He returned
to Mifin county, but before be went
he tr.ed 10 convince the Amish men
that he was only trying to play III
tie joke on thea with his worldly
clothing. The jjke didn'tgo.
After person has once rercunceo
the Amish faith ne can never return
to the fold again, as the crime is con-
sidered too grave for forgiveness. Ac-
cordiDg TO The ideas OF the Amish, this
country could get along very well
without & government, il the people
adopted ard lived strictly up to their
dcctrines. They have no use for
courts, and not since the colony was
established, half century ago, is there
record Oi al AulSuN&H 4aFtuS DSeH
before q tribunal for g misdemeanor.
They are rigidly set against Law and
war processes. They exhaust all means
to arrange any dispute with their
ne:ghbors, and if they fail they bear
the loss that might otherwise have
been avoided by legal recourse. Quar-
cels and con:er!ions, however, are al
mostunknowO.
Tbs Amish religion was form CT
the German Baptist, but in the cere
mony OF baptism it is a peculiar feat.
ure Of their function that there should
be three inrers;ons ms. cad OF one.
Every Sunday great crowds assemble
on the banks OF the Shenargo to wit
ness ceremonies. There is no regular
Il constituted church, religious ooserv-
ance being held il the homes of the
community alternately. An impor-
tant ceremony during the love feast
which is held n the last three or four
days Of the year IS the wasoing OF feet.