Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-04-18
MENNONITES PECULIAR
They Seldom Travel, But They Often
Migrate.
NON.RESIDEyCE FUNDAMENTAL FAITH
Sect Had Its Origin Several Hundred
Years Aso-obey All Laws Except
Military conscrption; But Will Not
Enfor.a 4 aws-l i've at Home.


Years Aso-obey All Laws Except
Military conscription; But Will Not
Enforce Laws-Live at Home.
Invited to Russia and exempted from
taxes and military service because they
could farm, then banished because
some of them established a communis-
tic colony; obeying the laws Of many
lands but refusing to take part IN
making or enforcing them; frowning
upon science, buttons, life insurance
and tobacco-such are various branch
es of the Mennonites, whose exodus
from Canada to Mexico, adds another
chapter in the centuries-old anabasis
of this quaint and goodly people.
While geographers are studying hu-
man migrations on the. basis OF eco
nomic determinism, here is consider
able group who defy any such chart
ing, and move about solely upon the
basis of the best opportunity to follow
their religious beliefs, says a bulletin
from the Washington, D. c. headqaur-
ters Of the National Geographic soci-
ETY..
South Dakota Their "Promised Land.>
From Holland to Germany, thence to
Moravia, Hungary, Rumania and into
Russia, so runs t he 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 trail for the most home-staying
people in the world-so long as they
were not disturbed.
Seldom Travel But Often Migrate.
They seldom travel. individually.
Just before the war trip to Washing
ton was offered as an agricultural prize
to twelve young men of Lancaster
county, Pa, one of the oldest Mennon-
ite strongholds, and of the twelve win
ners not one had been outside Of his
own county before!
Now about 1900 Mennonites are re-
ported to be leaving Manitoba ard
Saskatchewan, Canada, for Durango,
Mexico, and the productive loss their
going will mean is only slightly indica-
ted by the estimate that they will take
along with them some $15,000,0o0 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
more compromising people, caused the
migration from Canada. In some
branches of their church every Men
monte 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 or
thodox branches of the church all sci
ence,> as such, is frowned upon. In
farming, however, the Mennonites are
efficient and practical scientists. Eu-
ropean countries have profted by their
example, and to them western Pennsyl-
vania owes much Of its prosperity.
There are various gradations of poll
cy among the various groups, such as
the Hutterians. the Amish, the Wislar,
the Defenseless and other branches.
All hold against taking oaths and to
non-resistance, which led to their ex-
emption from the draft without any
such stigma as attached to many types
Of conscientious objectors." Their
likeness to the Quakers led William
Penn to invite them to his colony,
where they first established themselves
at Germantown, spreading thence to
Lancaster, Berks, and Bucks counties
in Pennsylvania, and later into Ohio'
Indiana and Illinois.
Have Quaint Dialect.
In "Tillie," Mrs. Fiske disclosed some
of the peculiarities Of custom and dia-
lect Of the Pennsylvania Mennonites.
Their adherence to teaching German IN
schools is not so much that they love
that language as because they fear
translation would detract from the lit
eral import of their founders works.
Their detachment from the world is
shown by their curious use Of English.
A caller at a Lancaster home rang the
bell many times without answer. FL
nally a woman appeared at the door to
apologize, "Oh, did you bell? 1t didn't
make" The women wear poke bon
nets, resembling those of the Dunkers.
Men. women and children avoid colors,
Jewels or any grace of dress that might