LITMIR.BIZ

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them with a promise of certain exemptions. After some negotiations the following was granted : "The Mennonites who shall be called out for military service shall be assigned to duty only at other places than at the front, as in hospitals, in military works and similar establishments, and shall be exempt from bearing arms. This provision shall not include such Mennonites as shall unite with the Church after the new military law shall have come into force, or such as shall come into the Russian Empire from any foreign country. "

      Many of the Mennonites accepted this and remained in the country, and in case of war they were allowed to take forestry instead of service at the front. They planted trees and cut out under brush and dead timber. They were under the directions of a man who had military training but who at that time was a civilian. This did not prove very satisfactory. It gave no protection to those who became members of the Ghurch after the law went into effect. Parents saw that their sons were destined to accept combatant service or suffer per secution at the hands of (government. Also, that if they remained their posterity would soon lose the principle of nonresistance entirely. This brought on the -second wave of emigration to America.

European Trend and Nonresistance

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      With such strong counter^currents against them, not only in Russia but in Holland, Germany, Switz erland and France, the Mennonites of Europe either emigrated or largely lost their nonresistance. Tak ing any kind of service a few decades ago meant noncombatant service for their children and com batant service for their grandchildren. It meant compromise on a Gospel principle, and while that may be a seeming advantage for the time being, it invariably means disadvantage in time to come. True nonresistance is not a matter of taste, ease, or trial, but of obedience to the teachings of Christ and His apostles on this subject.

Nonresistance Affects Actions

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      Nonresistance is inseparably connected with fair dealing because the party knows that he can not defend himself, and he must be careful so that there will be no occasion to resist. That was William Penn's way of dealing with the Indians, and the very small amount of blood that was shed in the early settlements of Pennsylvania compared with marauding and murders committed in other colonies tells its own story. Incidents could be given where the nonresistant attitude of a few faithful people saved whole settlements from these ravages.

Ancient and Modern Councils of Defense

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      The following shows that in Revolutionary times these same classes of people were required to suffer for their faith, and compared with condi tions in some localities during the great World War it is an evidence that the improvement has been comparatively small regardless of our boasted growth in civilization :

      "AT A MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE OF INSPECTION AND OBSERVATION OF THE COUNTY OF LANCASTER, at Lancaster, Penna., on the 29th day of May, 1775, Edwin Shippen, Esq., Chairman.

      "The Committee having received informataion that diverse persons, whose religious tenets forbid their forming themselves into Military Associations, have been mal-treated and threatened by some violent and ill-disposed people in the County of Lancaster, notwithstanding their willingness to contribute cheerfully to the common cause otherwise than by taking up arms.

      "The Committee, duly considering the same, do most heartily recommend to the good inhabitants of the County, that they use every possible means to discourage and prevent such licentious proceedings and assiduously cultivate that harmony and union so absolutely necessary in the present crisis in public affairs. At the same time they consider it to be their indispensable duty to intimate to the public their entire disapprobation of any abusive, opprobrious or insult ing expressions that may be made use of by any person whatsoever against such of the respectable inhabitants who may think proper to associate for the defense and support of their inestimable rights and privileges.

      "The Committee will find means to bring such impudent persons to a proper sense of their misconduct. Yet they ardently wish and hope that no further violence, threats or animosities may appear, but that every member of the Com munity will readily use his utmost endeavors to promote peace, good order and unanimity among the inhabitants of this respectable county."

      LANCASTER. Printed by Francis Bailey, King Street,

      The above is a verbatim copy of the English part of a handbill which is now on exhibition in East Wing of Independence Hall, Philadelphia. The German translation is printed on the same handbill.

      Some of the Councils of Defense serving during the late war and winking at mobs and mob vio lence might have learned a lesson from their great grandfathers that would have been worthy of their study.

Mennonites and Tories

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      At the time of the Revolution there was a class of people living in the various colonies Which sympathized with the British, called "Tories." They naturally opposed the war. Others, among them Amish and Mennonites, were also opposed to it, but were not at all in symlpathy with the actions of the Tories. Many of the colonists >could not under stand how any one could be opposed to what they were doing and not be in sympathy with the enemy. The Tories felt sure that these nonresistants were helping the colonists, and that their opposition to the war was simply a means of hiding their true position. This meant persecution from both sides, as is shown in the report of the Committee of Inspection and Observation, just given.

Some Trials

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      The following from Hartzler and Kauffman's "Mennonite Church History" shows some of the trials which came upon this people:

"During the war many of the able-bodied Amish brethren of Berks County (Pa.), were drafted into service. Refusing to serve, they were imprisoned at Reading. bo many were thrown into prison that the women were com pelled to work in the -fields to support their families. Ac cording to tradition those who were imprisoned for refusing to do military service were sentenced to be shot, and the day was set for their execution. A meeting was held in the Reading prison to administer the Lord's supper to the con demned brethren. But the execution was never carried into effect. Through the leading of a kind Providence, friends in terfered (particularly Henry Hertzel, Pastor of the Re formed Church) who appealed to the authorities in behalf of those who had fled from Europe to escape mitiary service and who could not be expected to do what their conscience forbade them to do in their former country. The appeal was heard and the peace-loving prisoners were set free."^[1]

      Exemptions: Letter of Thanks

      As early as 1775 the Pennsylvania Assembly passed a law exempting the Mennonites and Qua kers from military service under certain circum stances. The Mennonites wrote a letter of thanks to the Assembly and had a number of the bishops to sign it. The following are extracts from it:

      "To the Honorable Assembly, In the first place we acknowledge us indebted to the most high God, who created heaven and earth, the only good Being for all His great goodness and manifold mercies and love through our Savior Jesus Christ."

      "Further, we find ourselves indebted to be thankful to our late worthy Assembly for their giving so good an advice in these troublesome times to all ranks of people in Penn sylvania, particularly in allowing those who, by the doctrine of our Savior Jesus Christ are persuaded in their conscience to love their enemies and not to resist

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