The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1922-04-26
mennonites Ever Seeking Haven
Where They Can Follow ReIi-
gl0uS Beliefs in Peace.
MEXICO NOW PROMISED LAND
interest in the Sect Aroused by Their
Exodus From Canada to Mexico,
Taking With Them SIS, 900
in Goods and Cash.

Observation-Disclosures to Russia and
exempted from taxes and military
service because they could farm. then
banlshed because coine of them estab-
llsiied Il c~ommunistic colony obeying
the laws of many lands. but refusing
10 take part in making or enforcing
them; froWning upon science, buttons.
life insurance and tobacco-such are
various branches Of the M~ennonites.
whose exodus from Canada to Mexico
ADDS another chapter in the centuries
old anabasis of this quaint and goodly
people.
While geOgraphers are studying HUI
man i%nigrations on the basis of eco
monte determinism, here is a consider
able group who defy any such chart
Ing. and move about solely upon the
oasis of the best opportunity to follow
their religious beliefs says a bulletin
from the Washington headquarters of
the National Geographic society.
From Holland to Germany, thence
to Moravia, Hungary, Rumania and in
to Russia-so u n the earlier course
OF Mennonite wanderings. From the
steppes Of Crimea and the treeless
banks Of the Molochnaia to Bonhomme
county in South Dakota was not too
long a trail for the most demonstrating
people in the world-so long as they
are not disturbed. They seldom travel
individually. just before the war a
trip to Washington was offered as an
agricultural prize to II young men Of
Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, one Of
the oldest American Mennonite strong
holds, and of the u winners not one
had been outside his own county be-
fore!
Now about 1900 Mennonites are
leaving Manitoba and Saskatchewan,
Canada. for Durango, Mexico, and the
productive loss their going will mean
Is only slightly Indicated by the esti-
mate that they take along with them
some $15,OOO,O OO worth Of goods, farm
implements and cash.
Schooling Begins at Three Years.
Compulsory education requirements,
including the teaching of English,
which could easily be adjusted by a
more compromising people, caused the
migration from Canada. In some
branches of their church every Menno-
mite child must begin his schooling
when he is three years old. From
that time until he is six the Bible and
the Mennonite catechism are used for
his instruction. After three years he
takes up the three RS but in the
more orthodox branches of the church
all science. as such, is frowned upon.
In farming, however, the Mennonites
are efficient and practical scientists.
European countries have profited by
their example. and to them western
Pennsylvania owes much of its pros
perity.
There are various gradations of pol
Icy among the various groups such as
Hutterians, the Amish, the Wislar, the
Defenseless and other branches. All
hold against taking Oaths and to non
resistance, which led to their exemp-
tion from the draft without any such
stigma as attached to many types. Of
conscientious %objectOrs.' Their like
ness to the Quakers led William Penn
to invite them to his colony where they
first established themselves at Ger
mantown, spreading thence TO Lancas-
ter, Berks and Bucks counties in Penn
sylvania, and later into Ohio, Indiana
and Illinois.
Have Quaint Dialect.
I'm Title Mrs. Fiske disclosed
of the peculiarities Of custom
and dialect of the Pennsylvania Men
nonites. Their adherence to teaching
in schools is not SO much that
they love that language as because !