Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/402

 390 MENNONITES MENNO SYMONS delphia, and consisted mainly of Hollanders; the first meeting house, built in 1708, still stands. In 1709 began a much larger emigra- tion from Switzerland and the Palatinate. These settled in Lancaster co., Pa. As their religious views then were but little known, they republished the confession of faith adopted at Dort in 1627, which is still adhered to by all Mennonites in America. In the be- ginning of the 19th century they began to spread from Pennsylvania and Maryland to the west- ern states and Upper Canada. As few of them keep lists of membership or minutes of their annual conferences, it is impossible to ascertain their exact number. According to the most recent estimates, the number of their communicants in America is about 60,000, with 500 meeting houses, those in Canada con- stituting one eighth of the whole. They are most numerous in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indi- ana, and Canada. Their principal divisions are : 1. The Old Mennonites, by far the largest body, having a publishing office at Elkhart, Ind. 2. The Reformed Mennonites (in Ger- man Herrn-Leute), founded in 1811 by John Herr, who returned to the rigor of the ancient Frisian Mennonites, prohibiting all religious intercourse with other Christians, even at fu- nerals and family prayers. They are very strict in the reception of members and in the sepa- ration from the excommunicated. 3. The New Mennonites, organized in 1847 by J. H. Ober- holtzer, have introduced various reforms, and founded a theological seminary at Wadsworth, Ohio. Their publishing office is at Milford Square, Pa. 4. The Evangelical Mennonites separated from the preceding party in 1856, because they held it to be a duty of all Chris- tians to hold stated meetings for prayer. 5. The Amish Mennonites, usually called Omish, next to the Old Mennonites, are the most nu- merous body in America. They first rose in 1693 in Alsace. Their founder, Jacob Am- man, after whom they were named, enjoined on his adherents strict separation from the ex- communicated, feet washing, and greater plain- ness in dress. They discarded the use of but- tons on their clothing, and hence were called Haftler or Hooker Mennonites, while the oth- ers were known as Knopfler or Buttonites. In their general doctrines the Mennonites agree with the great body of evangelical Chris- tians. In church government they are in Eu- rope Independents, while in America they somewhat resemble Presbyterians, inasmuch as the resolutions of their annual conferences are binding on the churches. They have bish- ops, preachers, and deacons ; but the only dif- ference between the bishop and the preacher is that the former is ordained, the latter only licensed to preach. Baptism is administered to almost all children of Mennonites when they arrive at a certain age, in Germany in their 14th year, in Holland and America about their 18th. The mode, except among the Evangelical and some of the New Mennonites, is always pouring. The Lord's supper is cele- brated twice a year, preceded in America in a large majority of churches by feet washing. All Mennonites consider honesty, industry, and plainness of dress and manners to be promi- nent Christian duties. They do not assume public offices, which would make it necessary for them to take an oath or to inflict punish- ments. They never go to law. On this conti- nent, as in most parts of Europe, they are nearly all farmers. Almost the entire Mennonite lit- erature is in Dutch and German. The princi- pal works are: T. J. van Braght, Net bloedige tooneel der Doopsgezinde en weereloze Chris- tenen (Dort, 1660; Amsterdam, 1685); Her- mann Schyn, Historia Christianorum, qui in Belgio Fc&derato Mennonitce appellantur (Am- sterdam, 1725 and 1729); Blaupot ten Gate, Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Friesland^ Holland, Zeeland, &c. (Amsterdam, 1837-'50) ; J. A. Starck, GescJiichte der Taufe und der Taufgesinnten (Leipsic, 1789) ; Hunzinger, Das religiose Kirchen- und Schulwesen der Menno- niten (Spire, 1831) ; and Cornelius, Geschichte dcs Munsterischen AufruJirs (Leipsic, 1855). MEMO SIMONS (commonly written MENNO SIMONIS, and defined as u Menno, son of Si- mon;" but Symons was his surname), a re- ligious reformer, born at Witmarsum in West Friesland about 1496, died at Wiistenfelde, Holstein, Jan. 13, 1561. In 1524 he became a vicar at Pingjum, where he studied the Bible and preached repentance. In 1531, in the neighboring city of Leeuwarden, Sicke Snyder, an Anabaptist, was beheaded. This led Menno to examine the question of infant baptism, which he thereafter considered un- scriptural. Yet he accepted a call as curate of Witmarsum, and while he resided there a band of Anabaptists seized and fortified a cloister in the vicinity, but were captured and put to death (February, 1535). Menno's brother was among the slain, and he re- proached himself for not having joined these brethren, in order to teach them better. Re- nouncing the Roman Catholic church and the priesthood, and accepting a call to be the pas- tor of a few Anabaptists who never had been connected with the fanatical party, Menno be- gan the life of an itinerant preacher, and with others organized numerous churches, princi- pally in West Friesland. In 1543 persecution became so severe that he had to leave his native province. He first went to Cologne, where a flourishing church was gathered. Driven from there in 1546, he travelled in Holstein, Mecklenburg, and Livonia, preaching and organizing churches. The last years of his life were embittered by dissensions among his adherents on the nature of ecclesiastical excommunication. The stricter party, led by Bouwens, insisted on total separation from an excommunicated person, even on the part of the wife. The milder party objected to this. Menno, to avoid excommunication, sided with the stricter party, a step which he afterward