The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-25

part OF those among whom they settled.
They poasesoed moral earnestuess, sober
meas Of mind. persistency and staying
qualities. They were determined to i'm
prove themselves and their fortunes, and
to enjoy freedom OF worship. In 1859,
Benjamin Franklin said that the Germans
made up q third Of the 100000 whites In
Pennsylvania.
In lisa, on account OF the prosecutions
to which they were subjected at home.
some Moravians came to America and
settled In Georgia. There they remained
until i7t0, when the Spanish war broke
out. As their religion would not permit
them to bear arms, they went northward
TO Pennsylvania, where they founded
Bethlehem, and, later on. Nazareth. The
Thinkers are a scot Of German-Americ
Baptists- called by themselves Brethren.
Sometimes their name is enormously
spelled "Dunkers," and 'Dunkards,' but 1t
comes from the German verb tunken, TO
Dip" They came to America because Of
prosecutions In Germany. and settled in
Germantown, choosing one Joseph Becker,
q weaver, to be their minister. Tho 'Sieb-
entaeger." or German Seventh-Day Bap-
fists, are an offshoot OF the Thinkers. They
settled In 1889 at Ephrata Lancaster county.
Pa. They dressed like monks and nuns.
and confined themselves to a. vegetable
diet They might marry, but they did
80 they were obliged to leave the settle.
ment at Ephrata. Some Of them afterward
moved to Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia
and several other States. The denomination
is now we'll nigh extinct. On the other
hand, the Thinkers have increased In num-
bers. They should not be confused with
the Mennonites and others that refused to
bear arms though all such scots resemble
one another In one particular, to wit. the
quiet and peaceable lives led by their mem
bers Because OF this characteristic, they
have sometimes been called, collectively.
the harmless people
Thus has Prof Jones shown in detail
to what q remarkable extent the Middle
Colonies furnished the oppressed OF many
lands and many creeds q safe retreat from
the PROSECUTIONS to which they had been
subjected In their native countries. In no
other considerable part Of North America
was liberty OF conscience granted to the
same degree during the Colonial period.
Themselves the victims OF relentless perse-
cution for the sake OF their religious be-
iieis, the Dutch had adopted In their colonies
a policy OF broad liberation. Especially
did they make II the policy Of the Govern
n emit OF New Netherland. and the English
followed this good example after their con-
quest OF that province. Consequently
New York came to harbor a mixed popula-
ton OF many creeds-Walloons Hugueno,s,
Lutherans, Quakers Jews, Waldensee.
Roman Catholics and Palatines Lord
Baltlmore's experiment had been under
taken in behalf Of the persecuted Roman
Catholics; but other colonists were well
coined, and soon we find settled within
the borders OF Maryland Puritans, Laba-
dists and Palatinee. In like manner. William
PENIS Holy Experiment was introduced
primarily on behalf Of the oppressed Friends,
but the prosecuted OF all creeds we're in
vited to Pennsylvania upon an equality
with the followers OF George Fox. Ac-
cordingly, Mennonites, Lutherans, Walden
ses, Palatines, Moravians and Thinkers
came in great numbers. Likewise, New
Jersey was settled largely by the Friends,
but the oppressed Of other colonies were
welcomed within it's borders. Undoubt-
eddy there were somesporadic exhibitions
Of intolerance, as In the case OF Stuyve-
sant's outbreaks against the Quakers, the
Lutherans and the Jews, and In the sue
cessful uprising OF the Puritans against the
Roman Catholics in Maryland For the
most part, however, such oppression was
exceptional and attracts our attention by
reason OF that fact alone. Nothing. in
fine, is more characteristic Of the Middle
Colonies during the period under consid-
Grafton than the close approach to uniform
liberation OF the religious beliefs Of all
elements OF the population. From this
point Of view the Middle Colonies pre-
sented a pleasing contrast to most OF the
other divisions Of the country during the
period.