Milford chronicle., 1930-05-16
ORIGIN AND HISTORY
OF THE MENNONITES

cecded against with such fury in
your E. E. city, that in consequence
of the edicts, they are not allowed
Though they are harmless and not
accused of any crimes) to remove
with their possessions and temporal
effect out of your city and jurisdic-
tion and go elsewhere, yea, that some
soley out of hatred against their
faith, are deprived of their goods and
confined in prison.
They the supplicants request, that
we through our intercession, should
endeavor to avert if possible, the
punishments decreed against their
brethren; which their request being
founded upon just argument, if
they are at all founded on truth,
we by virtue of our duty and offic
could not ignore.
Hence we request your e. p. High
ly esteemed lords, yea, we beg your
E. E. for the sake of religion and the
faith of Christ; X that your K. E.
would be pleased, either utterly to
abolish the aforesaid exceedingly Sc
we're DEGREES enacted against the in
nocent, erring or wandering ones, or
| IL yOuI =. e. DnOuAu nuI uCCuA thio
compatible with the situation of
your state, of which the judgment
belongs to your E. E. Would at least
permit that the afflicted people, af-
ter selling their real estate, and ar
ranging their matters, may remove
with their means to where they may
expect more tranquility and safety.
AS far as we are concerned, Hon
Orable Lords, we have ever since the
foundation of this city held, that
this class of people can quite safely
be tolerated in the state without in
jury to the republic.
And for this our judgment we have
to thank Prince William of orange
of blessed memory, who through his
valOr established for us freedom OF
conscience, whom the entreaties and
perverse zeal of a class of evil dis
posed men never could move, to re-
fuse the Mennonites any civil prlVl-
leges.
And truly, we have not yet re-
GREETED it, having found, that the
Mennonites under the cloak OF re-
ligion x X have never sought TO
brew anything in the state; but on
the contrary, that they have always
with a cheerful and willing mind
lTendered customs and taxes, and all
that a subject owes to his prince,
yea, that they relieved with their
very liberal contributions, the re-
formed that were elsewhere suffer-
ing trouble for their faith, and again
recently the Vaudois, our fellow be-
levers, when they, were ms
erably maltreated by the Duke OIL
SaXony.
1t is not hid from us, highly es-
teemed lords, that certain madmen,
through a wrong and perverse zeal
endeavor to persuade your Il. Il. by
arguments that the toleratiNS OF the
Mennonites is injurious the re-
public; but they do this With surn
arguments, the weight of which was
never sufficient to induce us, TO op-
press the Mennonites with any Sc
we're edicts."
All of which, highly esteemed
lords, if it is properly considered by
YOUR excellencies, we indulge the
hone that your E. E. will either abol-
ish the severe DEGREES against the
Mennonites or at least after the ex-
ample of Schaffhausen, one OF the
Swiss Cautons, and the example OF
the Roman Catholic Prince of New
hurry. grant the afflicted erring Tor
wandering) ones sufficient time to
arrange their affairs, and to settle
down elsewhere. \ We pray Goa
Almighty to enlighten your +. r.
persons and republic with the radl-
ance of his truth, and to preserve
you in lasting prosperity. ,o.o
In Rotterdam the 14th of Feb. 1860.
Your E. e. Excellencies affection
ate friends, burgomasters and rulers
of the city of Rotterdam in the name
of the same. -
This is only one of several letters
written at the time by high civil au-
IShorities of Holland in defense OF the
GOOD citizenship of the Mennonite
peoples, through their cOnsciences
did not permit them to identify them
selves with either the Catholic or
Reformed churches, for which cause
alone they were being prosecuted
and the main body of Mennonites
are the same in faith and integrity
today, as will be testified to by I'M
martial witnesses of church or state
who are acquainted with the inhu-
ence of their settlements throughout
the United States and Canada.
In view of Russia's determination
policy referred to above we pray
that nations and peoples moved by a
spirit of religion and humanitarian
ism might take some effective steps
to save this prosecuted and martyre0
people whose only crime is to refuse
to surrender the Gospel of Christ or
at least to refrain from giving wings
to persistent misrepresentation,
thus creating prejudices contribut-
ing to the weight of oppression which
already is crushing out the lives ot
e! multitudes of men, women ana chill
dren in Russia.
"There is so much work to do today
And so much golf and bridge to play
A million cars to whirl away
Is there no time to help or pray
While martyrs die?'
BISHOP GEO. R. BRUNK,
Denbigh, Va.
MeunOnite COlOuV