USA > Pennsylvania > History of the province of Pennsylvania > Part 15
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The Menonists are settled chiefly near Lancaster in Penn- sylvania, they are a sober industrious people, in general of good economy and good morals. The articles of faith respecting oaths and war I give in the words of one of themn.
ART: XIV. Since we think it most highly necessary to keep the commandments of Christ, we allow by no means of no manner of an oath; because Christ has forbid it, say- ing, I say unto you swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is Gods throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
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neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king; neither shall thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black; but let your communica- tion be yea yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil .- This point we confess ought to be kept inviolably, and that the truth, and the things which are yea, must be attested by yea; and what is nay, by nay; and if any one is found false herein, he may very well be punished as a liar and perjuror. For this reason we also think and are entirely of opinion, that the evidence and yea and nay as well in all dealings and conversations as in all courts and states, both temporal and spiritual, ought to be well considerd, and not abused, for God hath in the begin- ing, in witness of the truth, made use of and established the word yea; and Christ has restored and reinforced it unto us, that yea should be yea; and this point is of such weight with us that in no wise we would exceed yea and nay on any evidence if even we were to sustain great loss by it in goods or in blood; and we find that this has been observed by Christians from days of yore.
ART: XV. Concerning war and vengeance, either by sword or any other weapon, we think it unlawful and that no arms are to be used neither against friends or foes in no wise, for Christ is gone before us like a lamb, without any vengeance, and he bids us follow him, When his disciples wanted to call for vengeance on their enemies, Jesus said unto them, Know ye not what manner of spirit ye are of. He like- wise said unto his disciples ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I say unto you, that resist not evil, &c .- ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy; but I say unto you love your enemies, &c .- and when Jesus was taken prisoner, Peter drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and smote off his ear; but Jesus said unto his disciple, put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the
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sword, and he healed the servants, as his enemy's ear. When he hung on the cross in great sufferings and agonies, he prayed for his enemies-father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Thus Christ not only commanded his disciples not to resist the evil, but also himself as a lamb, quite armless and harmless is gone before us, and is still calling upon us to follow him as unarmed sheep and lambs. This likewise the apostles have taught, and shewn to in their lives and conversations: and the same way we profess to this day, namely not to avenge ourselves on any- body neither for good nor blood; but rather with Christ to suffer revenge on good and blood. Here much more may be added, if it was not to avoid being too tedious.
OF THE SWENCKFELDERS.
Those who bear the name of Swenckfelders in Pennsyl- vania are called so from one Caspar Schwenckfeld of Ossing, who at the time of the reformation in the 16th Century was a teacher of note. He was born in Silesia, and of a noble birth." The sect he gatherd was from the begining tolerated under several of the Roman emperors, in their archdukedom of Silesia, especially in the principalities of Tauer and Lignitz for about two hundred years successively, tho' not without envy of the Romish clergy in several other places who insti- gated some of the inferior magistrates and occasiond them to afflict them with many troubles, which in and about the years 1590 & 1650, amounted to what they thought a severe persecution :- after that they enjoyd peace 'till the reign of the late emperor Charles VI: At the end of the year 1719, a missionary out of the college of the Jesuits was sent to them in order to persuade and convert them to the Roman Catholic religion, who continued to use his endeavors to gain them for about six years, during which time they were soliciting the Emperor for a further toleration, but tho' their petitions were always favorably accepted by the
* Vid: Godfried Arnolds Hist. of the Church.
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emperor in person, the clergy and their instruments plied him with so many objections that it could never be ob- tained in his country, wherefore the most of them after fre- quent citations appearing before the regency, arrests and imprisonments, heavy fines and penalties, threats and menaces, taking away their children to catechize and in- struct them in the Roman catholic doctrine, constituting Roman catholic executors for the widows, and guardians for orphans, and many other hard proceedings found them- selves obliged to leave their real estates and habitations behind & make an emigration to some other country, and obtaining a place of shelter in upper Lusatia in Saxony, under the senate of Gorlitz, as also under count Zinzendorff they enjoyd the same contrary to their expectation for the space of eight years, after which their toleration being with- drawn a certain time was appointed for them to depart; they enquiring to find a place of safety under some of the Protestant Princes and counts of Germany, either would not obtain it or dared not venture their protection, imagin- ing that the same would be of no duration, and besides were in fear concerning the military exercise, and having luckily gained intelligence some time before of the province of Pennsylvania, and of the fame of its liberties and priveledges, they thought this a fit time to try the success of an enter- prize thither, and accordingly having the advice and assist- ance of some good friends in Holland, they resolved upon the attempt. Some of them came over in the year 1733 but the greatest number in 1734 and some families afterwards, here they found what they wanted, full liberty of conscience and many other desirable things not to be had where they came from.
They hold and profess with regard to the article of swearing:
That whereas the son of God in his humiliation by his sufferings, death and bloodshed has fulfilled the law and erected a new covenant; and amongst other instructions which are described by his holy evangelists especially
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Matthew, Cap: V. VI. VII. has given a doctrine to his disciples, and together wth them to all his followers and partakers of the new covenant, how to behave himself in the new covenant, and he there Cap: V. v. 34. commands them to swear not at all, tho' it had been ordained to swear in the time of the old covenant, only they should not forswear themselves and should perform their oaths. Wherefore do we hold that in the new covenant in consequence of the doctrine of Christ a faithful christian shall not only not swear at all, but also that he shall have a firm will never to speak any untruth; and what is demanded of him to promise, shall do it with deliberation, lest he should promise what he is neither able, nor willing to perform, unto which doctrine of Christ the apostle St James Cap. V v. 12 also gives a consistent doctrine and exhortation.
Of the article of bearing arms:
Hereof do we also hold & confess, even in consequence of the foregoing, after that Christ hath fulfilled the law, and erected a new covenant and his kingdom and he in his doctrine, Matthew V. v. 38, 39, commanded his disciples and faitful followers and subjects of his kingdom, that they shall not resist evil, wherefore we do hold, that the bearing and use of arms does not appertain to the new covenant and the kingdom of Christ forasmuch also St Paul: Rom: XII. v. 18, 21, giveth a consistent Doctrine and information. According to that an obedient disciple of Christ finds him- self entirely obliged by virtue of such doctrine and command, as also according to his inward feeling, not at all to make use of any such armours; nor in any forcing manner suffer himself thereto to be employd, yet with this, we would not be understood, as if we would reject or abrogate the laudable state and office of the magistrate and the due obedience thereof. For we do believe and confess with St Paul, that the same is ordained of God and that every soul shall be subject thereunto Rom. XIII v: 1. 7 Tit: III. v: 1. Item, as St Peter writes, submit yourselves to every ordinance
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of man for the Lords sake &c. I Pet: I. v 13, 14. But only in things not striving against God and his commandmts after Acts: IV. v. 19. Cap: V. v. 29. which we also do hold of the use of arms, and desire to be understood after the same manner.
The carrying on the wars that were ordaind of God in the old Covenant by Joshua and the children of Israel do we take for a figure of the spiritual wars and victories over the enemies of the Lords people in the new covenant; as also the remains of the seven nations in the land of Canaan, with whom God did exercise and prove his people, we look on a figure of the remaining sins in the flesh of the believers and partakers of the covenant in the kingdom of Christ, Rom: VII. v. 18. & segu: as with whom they have to fight and whereon they will be exercised.1 as also St Paul Ephes: 6, describes such spiritual wrestling very distinctly and emphatically together with the arms to be used thereby.
These People are charged in the 20th Edict: of Chamber- lain's present state of England, with the neglect of the use of the word, meaning the scriptures, and also the use of those called the sacraments-the first charge they deny as utterly untrue, as to the second they say their forbearance therein hath not, nor doth happen out of contempt but merely out of consciencious motives to the contrary. They are also charged with undertaking to determine the precise year in which the day of judgment should happen, but this they deny as neither believed nor asserted either by their ancestors or them. Their founder Schwenckfeldius is likewise charged with sundry things which they say will appear not true to any one that will be at the pains to search the Theological works left by him.
The following is a translation of the king of Prussia's edict to recall these people into his dominions.
1 Vide Originem in Homil: 12 et 15 super Josuam.
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EDICT.
Concerning the reestablishment and collocation of the so called Schwenkfeldians in Silesia and other provinces of his royal majesty :
De dato Seelowitz the Sth day of March 1742:
WE FREDERICK by the grace of God, king of Prussia, Marck-grave of Brandenburg, archchamberlain and elector of the holy Roman empire &c. &c. &c.
Be it known to all to whom these presents may come: whereas we do hold nothing to be more contrary to nature, reason and the principles of the Christian religion, than the forcing of the subjects consciences, and to persecute them about any or other dissenting doctrines which do not con- corn the fundamental principles of the Christian religion: so we have most graciously resolved, the so called Swenck- feldians who were exiled out of an imprudent zeal of religion to the irreparable damage of the commerce and country, again to recall them into our sovereign dutchy of Nether: Silesia. We have therefore thought fit to assure all those by these presents, who confess themselves to the said doc- trine, upon our royal word, that they shall and may safely return not only into our sovereign Dutchy of Nether- Silesia, but also into all our provinces, peaceable to live and trade there: since we not only do receive them into our special protection but also will give them all necessary supply for the promotion of their Commerce; and to all them, who several years ago, were deprived of their habita- tions and effects in our country of Silesia, in case they are not paid for by the new possessors, shall be restored without any reward. Such as will settle in our villages shall Farms have assigned them, and care be taken to meet with good employment, and them that will fix their abode in towns, shall besides several ordinary free years have places assigned them gratis to the building of their houses, for which pur- pose they only need to apply to our military and domainen
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chambers. We do therefore command our superior colleges of justice and finance, as also all mediate primes, lords, magistrates &c., carefully to observe the same. In witness whereof, we have signed this present edict with our hand and caused our royal seal to be affixed.
Done at Seelowitz
March 8th 1742
FREDERICK OF CONEY Count of MUNCHAN
This edict is a strong testimony of the usefulness of the Schwenckfeldians as subjects, those of them in Pennsyl- vania, inhabit about .*
They are an industrious frugal people of exemplary morals and of a general good character.
* A space left here. Ed.
CHAPTER XVII.
OF THE DUNKARDS OR DUMPLERS. AND OF THE MORAVIANS.
OF THE GERMAN BAPTISTS COMMONLY KNOWN BY THE NAME OF DUNKARDS OR DUMPLERS.
Some of these people came over to Pennsylvania in the year 1719, others in 1729, and others afterward, they hold it not becoming a follower of Jesus Christ to bear arms or fight since their true Master has forbid his disciples to resist evil and because he has also told them not to swear at all, they will by no means take an oath, but stick in this respect close to his advice to affirm with yea what is yea, and by nay what is nay. As to their origin they will allow of no other than that which was made by Jesus himself, when he was baptized of John in Jordan. They have a great esteem for the New Testament valuing it higher than all other books, and if they are asked about the articles of their faith, they know of no other than what is contained in this book, and therefore can give none. They declare that the most ancient among them have been awaken'd here and there in Europe from their profound sleep of sin, by the voice of God in and about the year 1705, that being a time of many awakenings in that part of the world, that being then quickend by the light of Christ to a sense of their degenerate evil condition, they began to see a reformation necessary, many of them being taught by the Calvinists from their youth out of the Heydelberg confession, had given them high notions of the purity that ought to be in those who were converted to God, with the sense of their own evil condition, and considerations in consequence of it they began to see that the ministers themselves were not yet converted, and tho' they were freely admitted to the com- munion table, they say they observed them to be a covetous people, and often worse. For these reasons, they determined
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to depart from under their tuition, and daily searching the holy scriptures, after the practices of the first and best Christians, they became in time to have a particular gift of prayer, after they could no longer say the prayers which before they had learnd by heart, they went in the Fields and prayed by themselves and when they met together bowed their knees in fellowship, praying and prophesying as they thought the spirit gave them utterance.
After some time the Clergy began to oppose them, but to little effect, and at length growing inveterate, excited the Magistrates to persecute them, which occasioned their being banished from many places of their former abode, and made them choose an Assylum in a few places where they had liberty of meeting without being disturbed, to wit Schwarzenau in the county of Witgensteen and Creyfeld in the dutchy of Cleves belonging to the king of Prussia, in which two places, they gathered themselves together from many parts, namely Switzerland, Strasbourg, out of the Palatinate, from Silesia, the dutchy of Wertemberg, Saxony, from Hall, Harburg and many other places besides. Some indeed were allowed for a while to keep un- disturbed meetings at the Ronneburg and Old Castle in the county of Buddingen and at Marienborn in the county - of Usenburg where they had taken refuge, but at last were also at different times persecuted there, and obliged to flee from thence and join their bretheren, some at Schwarzenau, others at Creyfeld.
Having chose the new testament for their rule or Canon, eight persons among them met to endeavor to agree upon and establish the right use of exteriors in religion at Schwar- zenau aforesaid, and agreed that in conformity to the ex- ample of their true master, they should amongst other things establish baptism by way of immersion or plunging in water as that was the meaning in the original Greek in the place, which does not signify to sprinkle or pour water upon any one but to dip or immerse him into the water, as
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also most agreeable to the comparison the apostle Paul makes Rom: v. 7. where he calls Baptism a burying; in consequence of this conclusion, in the year 1708 they were baptized into the water, that to these eight persons a number was soon added here, & there, and wherever they went, they were calld baptists. The learned sometimes endeavored to controvert this point with them, but were, they say, obliged to acknowledge that the first Christians had been baptized in this manner, but alledged the climate, as being in warm eastern countries, and that in the cold northern parts of the world, it was not advisable because it might impair peoples health, to which they replied that Christ had ordered his gospel to be preached not only in warm but also in cold climates without any exception at all, that it is no where found that in cold countries he would have people only to be sprinkled.
That the scripture says, all things are possible to him that believes, if therefore people believe their being dipped in cold water upon such faith would not hurt them, that in this belief they had been powerfully strengthened, and that many occa- sions had afforded them so many instances of Gods power in preserving those who in simplicity of heart keep to his com- mand, that in the midst of winter they have sometimes cleared the water by cutting off the thick Ice, and baptized without any hurt-nay, women that were brought up so delicate that they could not bear to wet their feet, without being made sick by it, when through faith in the Lord Jesus, they had sufferd themselves to be quite immersed into the water it has not only noi hurt them, but been a means for their recovery from bad states of health, of which they give the following as an instance. There lived on the banks of the Rhine an ancient matron, who had been sick for a considerable time, in such a manner that all hopes for her recovery and life were vanished, as well with herself as those who attended her. This woman desired to be baptized, but her friends endeavored to dissuade the baptist from it,
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telling him that she would doubtless die in the water, whereupon the baptist asked her whether she had faith, that this might yet be done to her. She replied, Yea I have, and was I to die in the water, I will be baptized, upon this, two healthy persons took her between them, and carried her to the large river Rhine, the baptist immersed her into the water in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and she was whole, from that very same hour and no need of any bodys leading her, but went before them all, and coming home, served them.
Thus much for baptism. They hold what they call the eucharist, in commemoration of the sufferings of Christ at night, as they say, Christ himself kept it, washing at the same time one anothers feet, agreeable to his example, and command. They meet together to worship on the first day of the week, in confidence of his promise, who said where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
They have from time to time sufferd a great deal in Europe, not only been banished from their native country, but often, and in many places fettered and imprisoned- they have been put to the wheelbarrows, and as prisoners made to work at the Fortifications. One of them was pilloried in the city of Bazil in Switzerland; another was made a galley slave and obliged to row with an iron about his neck like the convicts with whom he work'd. Six of them were imprisoned at and near Dusseldorp in the lower palati- nate for four years together, and obliged to work at the for- tifications for a long time. They were sometimes visited by the clergy who endeavored to draw them from their confessions, and make them return to their religion, which they had forsaken, but their labor was in vain; they were then condemned as stubborn and incorrigible, and threatned with death, which being told them in prison, one of them for himself and the rest, wrote the following farewel letter to their bretheren.
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" In Jesus our sole and eternal arch-shepherd, high priest and king, who sits at the right hand of the majesty of God, and intercedes for us, highly blessed and praised forever and ever, Hallelujah.
"Dearly beloved bretheren and sisters:
"I and my dear bretheren, who are my fellow prisoners in the lord, salute you all very heartily, and all those that are co-partners in our small share of afflictions; praying and wishing before God, that by his spirit you may likewise be made partakers of the joys which out of the fullness of the grace of Jesus are imparted to us. It is impossible for me to describe with this pen the great love of God our father in our crucified & risen Jesus, which by his holy spirit he is pouring out into our hearts, which makes us praise the cross of Christ with thanksgivings, and call it our delight and joy; and the love of Jesus obliges us the more through faith in him to approve ourselves as the servants of God in much patience in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by long sufferings, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by the armor of righteous- ness, on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dis- honor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers and yet true, as unknown and yet wellknown, as dying and be- hold, we live, as chastened and not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. For we experience daily that it is not sufficient only to know, to speak or to write inuch of the ways of God, but that we must also learn to know Jesus in spirit and in truth, and the power of his sufferings. I wish nothing more than to be transformed into the image of the son of God in his sufferings, and to be planted with him in that likeness of his death, for which I, and my dear bretheren and fellow prisoners are daily pre- paring, and account ourselves as sheep for the slaughter, expecting soon to be counted worthy to be made a sacrifise
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of; and though indeed we are anxious about this matter, yet our hearts are often in the midst of our anxiety filled with joy and comfort, so that we might flow in tears; and perceive frequently a desire after this crown of martyrdom; we wish to depart & to be with the lord Jesus, I look upon such a death, no otherwise than life, a door through which we pass into eternal Joy, going out of all sufferings into everlasting glory, but this is our grand concern, dear breth- eren, that we may not only endure faithful until death; but also, being sensible our depravity and the impurity both of body and spirit, which in a great measure we carry yet within us, that before our departure hence, we might be well cleansed and washed in the blood of the lamb. Ah! do not cease to pray for us, that we may be well purged and purified of the corruption and poison of all sin, that is so deeply rooted within us; by all reports it will not be long before some of us must have finished their course. O! help us therefore with conjoint forces-struggle and fight for the precious truth of the gospel of Christ, that by no means any one of us may depart from it, but that we soon, yea, . very soon obtain the end of our belief, to wit, the salvation of our souls, when men are endeavoring to embitter death unto me, by telling me how severely they will deal with us, then, at one time, the inexpressible joy and glory that is to follow, upon a moments suffering represents itself to me. Another time, when they try to frighten me with the terrors of Death, I consider what an exceeding great loss I should sustain, if I was to fear those that can only kill the body; and that I must expect such a woe, which would make me wish not to be born; because if in anything I was to give way, I should not only sin against my own soul, but many souls would be offended by it; these considerations urge me more and more to the performance of my promises in the covenant of baptism, namely, to remain faithful in the salutary doctrine until death; another thing which moves me patiently to endure all sufferings, (tho' far from wishing
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