Page:Mennonite Handbook of Information 1925.djvu/90



It is known that during the Revolutionary War Mennonites were located in considerable bodies in the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Membership was confined largely to the class who were married and settled in life. Though the customs of their home life were in all respects contrary to the tactics of military training, single young men of Mennonite parentage found it difficult to keep out of the army. Early settlers, both old and young men, were given much to hunting, and of course were habitual gun carriers, and hence they were much accustomed to camp-life in the woods. The first ranks of the continental armies were made up of young men and were later recruited by men more advanced in life.

Among the latter class were those members of Menonite faith who claimed exemption from military duty on conscientious grounds and that the positive creed of the Church was such that forbids carnal warfare. Because of this attitude public feeling ran high in some localities in Pennsylvania and in Virginia, where Mennonites were threatened with mob violence. In Virginia, Quakers as well as Mennonites were kept under surveillance and their motives ascribed more to cowardice and fear than the teaching of Scripture.