MENNONITE

I LIFE

SEPTEMBER 1982 In this Issue This issue features a study of the sandstone tombstones which the Swiss-German Mennonites who immigrated from Pennsylvania to the Waterloo Region of Ontario decorated with ornate carvings. Nancy-Lou Patterson is Professor of Fine Arts and Chairman of the Department of Fine Arts, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. Peter Penner, Associate Professor of History at Mount Allison University, Saekville, New Brunswick, shares his research on Henry S. Voth, a leader in the Canadian Mennonite Brethren Church dur­ ing the first half of the twentieth century. Voth began his career as a Reiseprediger (itinerant minister) and was among the last of the Mennonite farmer-preachers among the Mennonite Brethren. J. Denny Weaver, Associate Professor in the Department of Religion at Bluffton College, explores the implications of recent shifts in the interpretation of Anabaptist origins for contemporary beliefs. Mennonite Life has occasionally included selections in Low Ger­ man in an effort to acquaint readers with this aspect of Mennonites’ linguistic heritage. Robert H. Buchheit, Assistant Professor in the Department of Foreign Languages at Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa, discusses his extensive study of “Plautdietseh,” Menno­ nite Low German. The annual bibliography continues to grow in length and indi­ cates widespread research in Anabaptist-Mennonite studies. We ap­ preciate the assistance of our colleagues in preparing this important aid for scholars. Among the book reviews is John II. Yoder’s extended essay on Theron Sehlabaeh’s Gospel Versus Gospel, a book which has aroused considerable interest since its publication in 1980. Robert Kreider has returned from sabbatical and will resume the editorship with the December issue. MENNONITE

September 1982 Vol, 37 No. 3 LIFE

Editor Death and Ethnicity: Swiss-German Mennonite Robert Kr eider Gravestones of the ‘‘Pennsylvania Style” Associate Editor (1804-54) in the Waterloo Region, Ontario 4 David A. Haury Nancy-Lou Patterson Front Cover Cemetery, Germantown Mennonile Church. Germantown. Pennsylvania. Guardian of the Way: The Farmer Back Cover Cemetery, Germantown Mennonile Church. Preacher, Henry S. Voth (1878-1953) 8 Germantown. Pennsylvania. Peter Penner Photo Credits Pp. 4-7 Nancy-Lou Patterson; pp. 9, 10, 12 Peter Penner; and covers, Robert Kreider. The Anabaptist Vision: From Recovery to Reform 14 J. Denny Weaver

MENNONITE LIFE is an illustrated quar­ terly magazine published in March, June. September and December by Bethel Col­ “Plautdietsch” : Some Impressions about Men- lege, North Newton, Kansas. Second Class postage paid a t Newton. K ansas 67114, nonite Low German in Kansas and Nebraska 16 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One year, S8.00: Robert H. Buchheit Two years, S14.00 (U.S. Funds)

Statement of ownership and management as required by the Act of Congress of O ctober 23. 1962, Section 4369. T itle 39. As of O ctober 1, 1977, M ENN O N ITE L IF E is Radical Reformation and owned and published quarterly by Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. Tiie own­ Mennonite Bibliography 1981 21 ing corporation is a nonprofit educational organization, has no stock and security holders and carries the publishers own ad­ Marva Hiebert, Assisted by Nelson Springer, vertising. Editor Robert Kreider, North Lawrence Klippenstein, Rachel Hiebert, and Newton. Kansas. Signed Paul Harder. Business Manager. North Newton, Kansas Grace Schowalter 67117.

The total number of copies of MENNO­ NITE LIFE printed during the preceding twelve months has averaged for each issue Book Reviews 27 a total of 1500 w ith a paid circulation as of O ctober 1. 1982, of 950. T he balance of the number of copies from each issue is Theron Schlabach, Gospel Versiis Gospel, available for free distribution as samples, Reviewed by John H. Yoder and complimentary copies, deferred sales Sanford G. Shetler, Preacher of the People, and library holdings. and Urie A. Bender, Four Earthen Vessels, ISSN 0025-9365 Reviewed by E. Morris Sider. Death and Ethnicity: Swiss-German Mennonite Gravestones of the ''Pennsylvania Style” (1804-54) in the Waterloo Region, Ontario by Nancy-Lou Patterson

The best known tombstone in tion brought from Pennsylvania a- found at Petersburg Cemetery, Pe­ Waterloo County has the earliest long with the early Swiss-German tersburg, Ontario (circa 1840). date: John Bricker (1795-1804). He Mennonite settlers, whose ancestors These stones offer a rare opportunity was the second son, and the first of had come to North America by way to observe and document the gradual three Johns, born to John Bricker of the Rhenish Palatinate. disappearance of a specific ethnic and Anna Erb, who settled near Cemeteries containing these form, the "Pennsylvania Style’’ Blair, Ontario in 1802 and raised stones are, in the order of their stones erected during the first fifty twelve children. In 1970, former earliest known or estimated dates: years of settlement by Swiss-Ger­ members of the Blair Union Sunday Blair Cemetery, Blair, Ontario man Mennonites in the Waterloo School erected a memorial to John (1804); Kinsie-Biehn Cemetery, Region, Ontario. Bricker, incorporated his stone. Doon, Ontario (1806); Eby (First A regularly striated sandstone (Fig. 1) He was the first person Mennonite) Cemetery, Kitchener, from the Whirlpool Formation in of European descent buried in Ontario (1809); Limerick Ceme­ the Georgetown area of Ontario Waterloo Region. John Bricker’s tery, now located at Doon Pioneer was commonly used to build in nine­ stone is one of several hundred of Village, Kitchener, Ontario (1812); teenth century Ontario: Hart its type, which are found in nine Wanner Cemetery, Hespeler, On­ House, Knox College, and Trinity Waterloo County Cemeteries. Mixed tario (1817); Freeport Cemetery, College, all at the University of among the many conventional white Kitchener, Ontario (1817); Hagey Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, were quartzite stones of Ontario Vic­ Cemetery, Cambridge (Preston), built of stones quarried from this torian Style, these sandstone slabs Ontario (1820); and Martin’s Meet­ formation, which is situated at the show themselves to be derived from ing House Cemetery, Waterloo, On­ base of the Niagara Escarpment an eighteenth century ethnic tradi- tario (1831). One stone is also and was laid down by an Ordivican

Fig. 1: The earliest dated stone in Fig. 2: Contour with convex arch Fig. 3: Contour with convex arch Watei-loo County: gravestone for flanked by concave forms: grave­ flanked by smaller arches: grave­ John Bricker (d. 180k), Blair Ceme­ stone for Samuel Clemens (d. 1836), stone for Elizabeth Eby (d. 18kk), tery. Eby (First Mennonite) Cemetery, Eby Cemetery. Kitchener.

4 MENNONITE LIFE sea. Originally cream or rust-colour­ types. As an architectural feature, stone were born in 1806 and 1813, ed, it is now weathered to dark both single arches flanked by scroll and died within a day of one an­ grey. The laminated structure of the buttresses, and tripled arches, form other, along with their sister Mary Whirlpool Formation, called “reed” central features of facades in Ger­ (b. 1809). The marking of the by stone-cutters, is well-suited to man Baroque and Rococo churches. graves of children with distinctive the making of flat slabs for grave­ The gravestone contoured in this elements such as lambs is not found stones. Slabs from this source were manner suggests a door with an in the “Pennsylvania Style,” but sawn into shape (see the saw-marks arch above it: a ceremonial portal many of those with symbolic motifs on Figure 10) for use in Waterloo which combines two related sym­ were for children’s graves, suggest­ County, and given distinctive con­ bols. The door opens to receive the ing an extra care in memorializing tours which are part of their style. dead into the afterlife, and the them. At Eby (First Mennonite) Ceme­ arch suggests the overarching sky, A second inscription of interest tery, which with some 110 slabs to point their destiny heavenward. calls attention to the trek from contains the largest deposit of these The meaning of this spatial form is Pennsylvania to Ontario, a unique stones, at least twenty-four differ­ reinforced by the images which are feature of this stone. The memorial ent contours were counted—twelve placed there. is for Elizabeth Schwartz, in Blair unique, and twelve repeated with The inscriptions on the stones Cemetery. Translated from the varying frequency. The basic form are lettered in both Roman and somewhat phonetic German inscrip­ of the stone is always a vertically Gothic forms. These include a Mixed tion, it declares: “She was born rectangular slab, and in most cases Roman, containing upper and lower in Billtown ( IBildaun) in Bucks this is surmounted by one or more cases, circa 1804-1836 (Fig. 1) ; County, travelled to Waterloo (Wa- hemispherical lobes or convex Gothic, circa 1816-1845 (Fig. 3); derloo) in the year 1822, died 20 arches. Roman capitals, circa 1823-1841 March 1833 . . .” No other stone of The two most popular contours (Fig. 9); and Italic, circa 1840- this type reveals so much personal are 1) a form composed of a cen­ 1854 (Fig. 12). Apparently the Ro­ history, though the travel narra­ tral arch flanked by two concave man forms span the entire period, tive is a feature of many local curves which suggest scroll but- while the Gothic is earlier and the family records in handwritten and treses (Fig. 2), and 2) a trilobar Italic, influenced by the encroach­ printed form. form in which a central arch is ing popular style, is later. Both Ger­ Many of the surmounting arches flanked by two smaller arches (Fig. man and English inscriptions ap­ of these stones contain the words 3). These contours, and the decor­ pear throughout the period: about Hier Ruhet or “Here rests,” as if ative motifs which occasionally orna­ half of the German inscriptions are to suggest a rest not only in the ment them, most closely resemble in Roman and half in Gothic. Both earth but in Heaven. Eleven of the the arcaded panels painted on the Roman and Gothic forms are found surviving stones, however, also dis­ front of the Kischt or storage chest in Pennsylvania. play ornamental motifs in this posi­ common in Pennsylvania, which is Most of the inscriptions consist tion. Motifs so placed are the heart based upon South German proto- of a simple record of birth and (1833), the tulip or lily (1836, 1837, death, with name and dates (includ­ 1837, and 1847[ ?]); the willow tree ing in many cases the years, months, (1836, 1837, 1837, and 1840), the and days of life). The longer epi­ quatrefoil (1841), the Sechstem taph became a regular feature of (1842), and the eye (1845). There the white “Ontario' Style” stones, are a few late sandstone slabs cut but the inscriptions on sandstone exactly like the quartzite forms are distinctly laconic. A few excep­ which contain conventionalized wil­ tions may be noted. One very early low trees clearly not part of Pen­ stone in Limerick Cemetery is sur­ nsylvania German traditional style, mounted by twin lobes of equal like one for William Tyson (1844). size, and bears (in part) this in­ A number of slabs (1812-1850) al­ scription : so bear ornaments which could be HERE REST called flourishes; these vary in form in the from simple strokes to leaf-bearing Firm hope of a joyful boughs, and are used to space or Resurrection embellish the lettering (see Figs. 1, 2, and 12 for examples of simple Elizabeth Also flourishes). One or two slabs use Clemens Harriet one or more equal-armed crosses Clemens for these purposes. These were two of the eighteen Most of the featured motifs are children of George Clemens (1777- incised with the precision and vigour 1863) and Esther Stauffer (1790- which is part of their ethnic style, Fig. 4: Heart: gravestone for Maria 1836), born between 1813 and 1835. but the four willow trees (found in Bauman (d. 1833), Eby Cemetery. The sisters who share this grave­ three cemeteries) are somewhat

SEPTEMBER, 1982 5 feeble versions of the widely-used lips or lilies which center the arch 11) This, perhaps the most beauti­ weeping willow of Ontario popular of three stones in Eby (First Men­ ful of all those in the "Pennsylvania culture. Quartzite stones began to nonite) Cemetery. The earliest of Style,” places the elegantly formed appear about 1846 and soon out­ these, for Samuel Clemens (Oct. 5, blossom within a rotund central numbered the earlier sandstone 1836-Dec. 29, 1836), is arranged in arch, its elaborate calyx flanked by slabs. horizontal format, with a hand­ two small curved leaves, and its The earliest of the stones which some lily, its calyx formed of two stem growing from a firmly hori­ bear motifs features the heart, scrolls and three pointed petals, zontal earthstroke. (Fig. 11) The which is one of the most typical spreading two graceful leaves across German Gothic lettering on this motifs of Pennsylvania German folk the upper register of the stone. stone is especially graceful, well-cut, art. In Eby (First Mennonite) (Fig. 2) This infant was one of and carefully arranged. The lily is Cemetery, a tiny heart of 3 cm. in eight children of Abraham Clemens perhaps the most ubiquitous and height appears on the stone of (1814-1888) and Magdalena Eby significant of all Pennsylvania Ger­ Maria Bauman (18317-1833), who (1810-1833). His paternal grand­ man motifs. It suggests the soul as may be the third daughter of Benja­ father, Jacob Clemens, had come a blossom in Paradise. min Bauman and Susannah Bechtel, from Montgomery County, Pennsyl­ The four naive willow trees show recorded by Ezra Eby in his in- vania, to Upper Canada, in 1825. variety as to their specific details dispensible Biographical History of There is a tulip of very similar form but uniformity of general appear­ Waterloo Township as having "died on the badly worn stone of Anna ance. They cannot compare in ele­ in infancy.” (Fig. 4) The heart is Eschlemann, daughter of Moses gance to the “Ontario Style” wil­ often an image of the earth, out of Eschlemann, who may have died in lows and are so shallow in their which the soul is born like a flower. 1847. A distinctive vertical tulip carving that at least one other stone The concept of the blossoming or lily graces the stone of Elizabeth now shows only a trunk, bereft of soul-flower is expressed in the tu­ Eby (1787-1844). (Figures 3 and boughs. The trees are found on the stones of Anna Martin (1775-1836), who was buried at Martin’s Meet­ ing House Cemetery just north of Waterloo, Ontario (Fig. 5) ; Veroni­ ca Eby (born and died in 1837) (Fig. 6) and Heinrich Schuh (1785- 1837) (Fig. 7), both in Eby (First Mennonite) Cemetery; and Mary Schlichter (died 1840), in Hagey Cemetery near Cambridge (Pres­ ton), Ontario. (Fig. 8) These four stones are widely placed but all were carved within four years of one an­ 5: Willow tree: gravestone for other. The Tree of Life is an im- Anna Martin (d, 1S36), Martin’s Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo.

Fig. 6: Willoiv tree: gravestone for Fig. 7: Willoiv tree: gravestone for Fig. 8: Willoiv tree: gravestone for Veronic Eby (d. 1837), Eby Ceme­ Heinrich Schuh (d. 1837), Eby Mary Schlichter (d. 1840), Hagey tery. Cemetery. Cemetery, Cambridge (Preston).

6 MENNONITE LIFE portant Pennsylvania German sym­ is a very popular Pennsylvania Ger­ motif (and there are a few specifi­ bol, but these are not Lebensbaiime: man motif which has its European cally Masonic stones in Wanner they are weeping willows, part of origins in Late Classical mortuary Cemetery), but here it lacks the the mortuary symbolism of Vic­ art of the Early Christian period. triangular field and rays of light torian taste. It is usually interpreted as a celes­ usually found in its Masonic usage. The quatrefoil is a motif mid­ tial symbol, appropriately placed in Gazing with undiminished fidelity, way between the floral and the the heavenly arch of the stone for it closes the twelve year period dur­ celestial. A kind of astral rosette, Sarah Bechtel (1809 7-1842) in Blair ing which such motifs were carved. it concentrates upon the radiating Cemetery. (Fig. 10) Sarah (Sallie) As the Ontario Style Stones, rich­ aspect of both flower and star. The Brower was the wife of John Bech­ ly ornamented with willows, urns, quatrefoil on the tiny stone of Han­ tel; she left eight children, and her torches, lambs, roses, and gestur­ na Schantz (1838-1841) enlivens her husband later married Elizabeth ing hands, began to be erected in little memorial with a flower/star Knechtel. large numbers, the making of stones of four petals and four leaf-like The latest of the stones bearing in the Pennsylvania Style diminish­ strokes, (Fig. 9) which blossoms motifs in the arch is that of Hiram ed and was abandoned completely under a firmly incised celestial Thomas (d. 1845), at Eby (First by mid-century. The last of these arch. Hanna[h] Schantz was the Mennonite) Cemetery. (Fig. 12) known to the writer is that of daughter of Benjamin Schantz Here a shallow arch with two flank­ Barbara ICinzie (d. 1854) in Kinsie- (1811-1868) and Lydia Kolb (1814- ing curvatures contains a staring Biehn Cemetery near Doon, On­ 1862). The naive carving of the in­ eye, carved with expert precision. tario. Only a few non-stereotyped scription and the dainty but mean­ Placed in this celestial position, it stones of quartzite appear in these ingful ornament make this an es­ suggests the “Eye of God,” ever cemeteries. Three of these worthy pecially appealing stone. watching over the faithful. The Eye of note were carved with Fraktur The Sechstem or six-pointed star of God is an important Masonic lettering for members of the family of Isaac Z. Hunsicker, an active Waterloo County Frakturist, whose distinctive back-hand Fraktur style probably served as prototype for the commercial carver. With this exception, the designing of stones was left to commercial stone-cutters of the dominating culture in south­ ern Ontario, whose products, while yielding their own delights, no longer reflected the ethnicity of the dead for whom, in Waterloo Region, they were made. Fig, 10: Sechstem: gravestone for Sarah Bechtel (d. 1842), Blair Cemetery.

Fig. 9: Quatrefoil: gravestone for Fig. 11: Lily, gravestone for Eliza- Fig. 12: Eye: gravestone for Hiram Hanna Schantz (d. 1841), Eby beth Eby (d. 1844), Eby Cemetery. Thomas (d, 1845), Eby Cemetery. Cemetery.

SEPTEMBER, 1982 7 Guardian of the Way: The Farmer Preacher, Henry S. Voth (1878-1953) by Peter Penner

Far too little is known about the avoid peaks of farming activity, the nevertheless, the fateful commit­ generation of farmer-preachers and stresses from the combined occupa­ ment to serve God unstintingly was Reiseprediger (itinerant evangel­ tions overwhelmed him at times. made in 1895, the year of his bap­ ists) who dominated the religious This interacting rhythm of seed­ tism. By the end of 1901 he had scene among Russian Mennonites time and harvest can be traced in already been noticed as a hard­ between the 1870s and the years his preaching diaries. During cer­ working colporteur, having also re­ following World War I. Only with tain months of spring and fall there corded 26 sermons in North Dakota, the creation of archival deposits were few sermons recorded, and no Manitoba, and Kansas in that year. are we able to rediscover some of new texts. The tempo of travelling His father sent him, rather than an their colourful humanity, their con­ and preaching increased as the win­ older man, on a delicate church siderable achievement despite their ter progressed, and baptisms would mission to North Dakota.5 general lack of formal education, follow in August and September, This parental-spiritual influence, and, in some cases, their incongrui­ adding to the joys of “harvest while the dominant one, does not ty as ploughmen. One such char­ home.’’ We do not know how many fully explain Voth. Though his edu­ acter was Henry S. Voth (1878- persons he might have claimed as cation seems quite unexceptional to 1953) who earned a revered posi­ having been converted under his our generation, his mental develop­ tion as a conference leader in the ministry, for he baptized only where ment was not neglected. He later generation before the full-time pas­ he was a leading minister, in Ore­ evinced a good command of German tor became common. He was the gon, Minnesota, and Manitoba. grammar and composition, both of eldest son of Elder Heinrich Voth These numbered 619, by his own which facilitated his sermon-mak­ (1851-1918), a farmer-preacher and count, between 1909 and 1952. He ing, as well as an independence of family patriarch in Cottonwood recorded just under 5,000 preach­ thought. Mountain Lake primary County, Minnesota. He provided ing occasions between 1901 and and secondary education was fol­ much-needed leadership in the pio­ 1953. This meant travel on bicycle lowed by teacher training, eventual­ neering years of the North Amer- and buggy in the early years, by ly acquiring a North Dakota teach­ can Mennonite Brethren Church.1 train on the expanding networks of ing certificate (Grade III) on 31 Voth’s theory was that farm­ rail, and later by car. By our count May 1901. Armed with this he ing would yield the primary income, he employed 366 texts, 134 from the taught grade school at Langdon, and remuneration from assigned Old Testament, 232 from the New. N.D., travelled during summer preaching would help cover family Thus, on the average, each text was months as colporteur, as far away needs. Preaching had primacy in the used 12 to 14 times.3 as Lake Superior, and also helped on sense of vocation, whereas farming the farm at home. In 1902 he spent should provide independence and Background and education one term at McPherson College, freedom from influence.2 H. S. Voth, What kind of influences produced Kansas, and during the next year however, was always a little em­ the character and personality of he took instruction from J. J. Balzer barrassed that success as a grain Henry S. Voth? As the son of in the Deutsche-Vorbereintungs- fanner „eluded him. His calling to Heinrich and Sara (Kornelson) sclnde (German Preparatory School evangelize and build the M. B. con­ Voth, he grew up in a patriarchal, at Mountain Lake). Whatever other ference led him away from the farm authoritarian home. Praying par­ education he received was in the and family when he should have ents and Sunday School teachers university of experience, through stayed at home. Seedtime and har­ helped bring him to a conversion intense "wrestling with the Lord”, vest in their fluctuating seasons experience at age thirteen. After and by his own self-study.6 at times frustrated his harvesting four years of backsliding, he re­ of souls. He was constantly driven ceived his "call” and soon had his Evolution of the preacher to sow the Word and to rush off first opportunity to speak during Teaching was, however, not to be to board and conference meetings. revival meetings.4 Intense spiritual his life's work. In 1902 he was ap­ Though these were scheduled to struggles continued until age 23; pointed Reiseprediger, and at age 24

8 MENNONITE LIFE he ranged over the congregations large assortment of tracts, full of of the Bundeskonferenz (General anecdotes, published by Cranston Conference) of the M.B. Church. and Curtis in Cincinnati. The re­ He had already met and courted his mains of his library show that H. S. wife-to-be, Susie Warkentin, daugh­ Voth was preoccupied with eschat­ ter of Johann Warkentin, a leading ology (the doctrine of last things) minister in Winkler, Manitoba. The and tended towards dispensational- distance from Langdon, N.D., to ism.10 Winkler, one way, is 77 miles; yet His sermon titles indicate that he cycled that a number of times he placed the "two ways” clearly on a weekend to win her promise before his auditors. Among his of marriage. This shows something favourite evangelistic texts were of the physical stamina, determina­ Luke 23, "Today thou shalt be with tion, and persuasive powers which Me in Paradise” ; Matthew 11, characterized II. S. Voth. When he "Come unto Me all who labour. . . ” ; married Susie in August 1904 and Genesis 19, "Salvation [of Lot] as settled first in Winkler, he was by fire” ; and Luke 19:1-10, "Za- earning $350 a year as a full-time chaeus”. He was not above using itinerant." fear of judgment to come to per­ Throughout this period Voth un­ suade people into a decision. His derwent severe struggles over the brother-in-law Ben Warkentin (now question of God’s enablement. Was age 89) still remembers how he was God really with him? Could he "scared into the church” at age preach in the power of the Spirit? fourteen. His hermeneutics was too Was he worthy?s In spite of con­ literalistic for a younger generation, stant encouragement from his fath­ including some of his children, er, the brotherhood, and the con­ though this literalism was in com­ gregations, he had an almost dis­ plete harmony with the prevailing astrous early experience in the very fundamentalism which many Men­ Susie and Henry S. Voth with church which he would afterward nonite Brethren had adopted.11 Esther, Harry and Sarah. serve for decades, Winkler. Just It is obvious that as an evangelist married, having preached only a and popular speaker, Voth employed dozen times in the area since 1901, mostly well-known texts and achiev­ he had stage fright at the thought ed success through repetition of the of the older men in the "Amen same truth before different audi­ Martha’s activity (Luke 10). He corner”, ran out of things to say, ences with a great variety of anecdo­ himself at one point volunteered to and in his mortification, unthink­ tal material.12 He was a great topi­ go as a missionary, as did his broth­ ingly stepped off the Winkler church cal preacher who could embellish a er John. dias, a drop of three feet. Only point. For example, using the text, As to his style, his was a com­ after about three months did he "If the righteous scarcely be saved manding presence. People remem­ undertake a series of meetings, and . . .”, he would ruminate on that ber his measured tread on entrance, then only among people with whom word scarcely until he could sense his flashing eye, and flowing wavy he felt really comfortable, in Har­ people bending to his persuasion. hair. He was a stylist and orator vey, N.D.s Or he would employ ever more prac­ and, to accentuate a point, would Though he was not a systematic tical and pointed anecdotes. Then, slap the pulpit with the palm of theologian and never ranked among in order to ensure that his meaning his hand. In North Dakota once, the most influential Bible exposi­ was not misunderstood, he would he split a pulpit top by such a vio­ tors among Mennonite Brethren bring his message to the point of lent blow. These were overtones of preachers, he seems to have man­ offering direction to his listeners, Billy Sunday who, the family be­ aged a good balance between the an offer that could hardly be re­ lieves, greatly influenced him, emphasis on salvation and on ser­ fused without leaving the person though Voth never imitated Sunday vice. A representative selection of without some measure of guilt. As to the extent of climbing chairs and books which he used for his own the record indicates, he could move using other forms of exhibition­ development in spare hours on the people to respond to the Word. In ism.14 farm includes homiletic aids, ser­ many ways, Voth stood in a class by mons which might be described as himself as an evangelist.13 The first thirty years pietistic and Baptist in orientation, In spite of this approach, Voth It will be helpful to divide Voth's soul-winning guides by C. H. Spur­ gave service its due emphasis: career broadly into two periods: geon and R. A. Torrey, and treat­ stewardship, discipleship, church at­ the first thirty years (1901-1931), ments of the ordinances, particular­ tendance, family worship, surrender, and the last twenty. The first peri­ ly baptism. Voth’s reading included missions—a good balance between od contains four distinct segments, much devotional literature and a Mary’s contemplative habits and each of which prepared him for his

SEPTEMBER, 1982 9 More distressing was the depar­ ture of his parents, with Isaac and Abe, for Vanderhoof, B.C., to take up a new homestead. Most disheart­ ening was the death there of his father on November 26, 1918. He had just made the long trip to the Northern District Conference in Winkler and had visited Henry and Susie in Minnesota. While there he had been interrogated by the “secret police” (Geheimpolizei) who asked about his sons, particularly Isaac and Abe.19. The family burden was also getting heavier, as Henry and Susie now had five children and their financial situation was always precarious.20 The results of these stresses are reflected in his preach­ ing diary. From that high of 275 appointments in 1916, they fell off yearly to 177, 70, 69, to a low of 38 in 1920. H. S. recovered from this de­ pressed emotional and financial condition by moving to Roland, Manitoba (not far from Winkler) in 1919. Aided generously by his father-in-law, and cheered by his wife, Henry found a new role which Top, Mennonite Brethren Church, Bingham Lake, Minnesota. prepared him for his years of lead­ Above, Heinrich Voth with his sons—seated: John, Heinrich, and Henry; ership in the Winkler congregation. standing: Isaac, Jacob, Peter, and Abram. For his itinerant evangelism he was paid as high as $100 a month, plus later influential career as a confer­ to the Bingham Lake (Carson) M.B. travel. He even acquired a new suit ence personality. The first segment Church, and was looking for a place by what might be called hindsight­ (1903-1908) as a full-time Reise- to retire. These were stressful years ful ways. His son John L. writes: prediger corresponded to the rapid for the entire family. Not only did One winter when Mother was influx of American Mennonites into H.S. seem to exhaust his emotional preparing Dad’s clothes for his trip the new province of Saskatchewan. resources by preaching a record she found out his Sunday pants He enjoyed great success in 1905 275 sermons in 1916 (all except had worn out on the seat. There when upwards of 100 converted in 36 in American M.B. churches); was no money for a new pair. She put two neat patches on the pants the Laird-Ebenfeld area.15 In 1908 but also the strains of the next two and sent Dad on his way. The his activity peaked at 218 sermons, years, when America joined in the Brethren took due note of Dad's the second highest of his career. war against Germany, brought him dilemma and when he came home Ordained in Winkler in 1907, he an­ to nervous exhaustion. One night he was wearing a brand new suit of clothes.21 swered the call to serve small con­ in April 1917 his brothers Isaac gregations in Dallas and Portland, and Abe left for Manitoba to evade While these were relatively good Oregon, made up of migrating Men­ the draft.17 Henry was left with years and H. S. farmed a half-sec­ nonites and Germans. Here, from the farm, though he still managed tion of land, it is necessary to point 1908 to 1915, he ran a 23-acre plum three or four sermons a week on out that Voth’s family was basically farm, and felled trees in the forest circuit. The melancholia deepened unhappy with him as the increasing­ to augment his income. He also had in 1918 when his life was endanger­ ly famous conference man. the physical and mental stamina, ed by American patriots who re­ it seems, to include the growing sented the Mennonites for their The conference man Pacific District Conference in his pacifism and German-language-use. The second major period of H. S. preaching circuit.16 For example, while preaching in Voth’s life encompassed the years In 1915 Henry and Susie Voth Nebraska, some Brethren took him 1931 to 1950, when he moved to his responded to the call from Heinrich to his host farm by a circuitous father-in-law’s own farm nearer and Sara Voth to return to the route because they knew some pa­ Winkler, and succeeded him as mod­ family farm. Heinrich confessed in triots were lying in wait at a cer­ erator of the church.22 These were correspondence that he was tired tain bridge to ambush Voth—per­ the years of his personal rejoicings after giving 30 years of leadership haps to tar and feather him.18 over large baptisms and of his domi-

10 MENNONITE LIFE nant influence—first among equals gations should live in fellowship. ever be evangelistic enough? —as conference leader. Two years Such a reconciliation was achieved Not least of his concerns was the after settling in the Winkler area, between Reedley and Dinuba, but cause of home missions. Mission he was chosen moderator of the not without imposing considerable work beyond the pale of the local Northern District (Canadian) Con­ strain on all concerned, not the least congregations, known as Randmis- ference and served in that capacity on Voth.26 sion, began for Manitoba and for almost uninterruptedly until 1947.23 For 27 years (1927-1953) H. S. Voth personally when he was asked Known far and wide, he greatly in­ Voth served on the prestigious to baptize new believers at Lindal, creased his influence in the M.B. Board of Foreign Missions. In the south-west of Morden. As a result Church. year he died, M.B. Foreign Missions of a revival among Czech and other But life in the Winkler M.B. supervised the activities in six ethnic peoples there in 1935-6, the Church in the ’twenties was not countries of about 140 missionaries Manitoba conference began an ac­ made easy by the large influx of (more than 60 in Zaire, over 40 in tive search for additional outposts, Mennonite families from Russia, in­ India), and raised over $400,000 such as Winnipegosis. Along with cluding such leaders as Abram H. annually 27 B. B. Janz and A. A. Kroeker, H. S. Unruh and Johann G. Wiens. When Voth was also a spokesman for Ta­ Voth took a leading part in the Unruh founded the Winkler Bible bor College, serving on its board for conceptualization of the Canada In­ School in 1925, these men were seen seven years. (Tabor became a con­ land Mission in 1943-4 as an um­ to have a dominant influence over ference school in 1935.) There, too, brella organ of the Canadian Con­ the younger minds. Though Voth Voth found himself at the center of ference for home missions. The received the wholehearted support a storm in early 1945. There was Canadian Inland Mission would help of these brethren, nevertheless he an outcry from various sources a- to employ those young people who always felt somewhat inferior to bout the degree of intermingling of had already gone out under other those better trained than himself, male and female students at Tabor. missions, and prevent them from particularly to J. G. Wiens.2’3 Some­ President P. E. Schellenberg was stumbling into tendencies foreign what overwhelmed by these and sharply criticized for permitting to the “M.B. way.”31 other respected Bible expositors “socials” as an innovation which (A. I-I. Unruh, D. D. Derksen, and strained the ethical canons thought Family relationships J. S. Reimer), Voth acutely felt to be in force. P. R. Lange, Voth’s It was during the Roland years his essential Amerieanness. He felt friend, wondered whether “we are (1919-1931), when Voth adhered happier among his intimate friends at the point of disintegration or ... stubbornly to the independence of in the Bundeskonferenz such as H. at the beginning of a great forward the farmer-preacher, that his chil­ W. Lohrentz of Tabor College, P. C. stride as a Conference.28 Voth also dren began to build up resistance to Hiebert, R. C. Seibel, and W. J. gave six years as chairman of the the “M.B. way.” Though circum­ Bestvater (city missionary in Win­ Winkler Bible School board, follow­ stances for Canadian farmers gen­ nipeg, 1913-1921). ing the departure of A. H. Unruh erally improved during these years, Nevertheless, Voth took satisfac­ to found the M.B. Bible College in the succeeding depression drove tion from his repeated election as 1944, in Winnipeg.29 grain prices down and the monthly conference moderator on the Ca­ In the aftermath of the war the stipend for Reisepreidger went nadian scene, in spite of a regula­ cause of the Hilfswerk (MCC) in­ down accordingly, to about $30. But tion adopted in 1927 that no one creasingly claimed his attention. In a weak financial position was not should be moderator more than many ways his views here reflected the chief reason for family ten­ three years running. Some thought the position Mennonite Brethren sions. The children felt that their him peerless in giving direction have taken towards MCC. In a let­ father placed the Conference and and balance to a conference. lie was ter to B. B. Janz, Coaldale, re­ Church before family and farm, a great inspirational leader, gentle garding the Mennonite thrust in while mother sometimes placed but firm, and his guidelines were aid of refugees, Voth wrote that he father before children. During the given respectful attention.25 could not stand by idly while others winter months father was away To be moderator or his stand-in, worked. The Brethren should sup­ weeks without end, it seemed, and was also to be a member of the port the effort heartily and rally during the farming months they weighty Fuersorgekomitee (Board behind their fellow M.B., who was were taken in the 1917 Model T of Spiritual and Social Concerns) chairman of MCC, P. C. Hiebert. He Ford to Kronsgart and Morden, a which, for example, had to deal with was, after all, “a strong man, a different congregation each Sunday. such distressful matters as congre­ solid M.B. churchman, and of sound Besides they missed their more inti­ gational separations. When this hap­ views as to how to proceed in the mate friends in Minnesota. At the pened in Reedley in 1925, over the stabilization of the Mennonite Debonair School, Roland, they were issue of “discipline”, H. S. Voth was Church in Europe.” But the follow­ called “Bloody Minites”, even after one of four brethren appointed to ing lines were characteristic: “A- the Great War. Consequently, as attempt a reconciliation between bove all, we should never neglect John wrote recently, during this the mother church and the group evangelism. That would heal, help, decade they showed almost “no ten­ that split off. Failing that, the com­ and save!”30 That was one of the dency toward religion”. Though mittee desired that the two congre­ great questions: could Hilfswerk there were daily devotions, with or

SEPTEMBER, 1982 11 without father, what they saw as to the University of Manitoba that exhausted. “God help us!”, he wrote, the fundamental legalism which de­ he, and later Ruth, came to recog­ “It will not be easy. Besides [and manded confession of sins, surren­ nize how deeply many congrega­ this was an increasing problem] der of the will, and implied a threat tions respected the preaching and the conference will be almost en­ of eternal loss did not appeal to character of their father. They also tirely in English, and I doubt I them. And when their father ad­ came to appreciate his sermons as will stay until Sunday.” In closing dressed Johnny's Grade XII gradua­ works of art, and generally stood he tucked in a cheque in the amount tion from the Winkler High School in awe of their father’s native of SIO.33 in 1929 on the subject of “the Chris­ ability. Ruth compared her father’s Two years later, on a combined tian family”, H. S. stated specific­ preparation for a delivery of a visit to the Reedley Conference and ally that his own family was not the Sunday sermon as the work of an to John’s in San Francisco, and ac­ model he had in mind.32 Ultimately, “artistic temperament—coming up companied now by his wife Susie, only three of his children joined to a performance”. She recalls how H. S. tried once more to win over the M.B. Church. on Sunday morning her father meas­ his second son. They all went to Fortunately there never was a ured the length of the house as he hear Handel’s Messiah performed in serious problem about providing his strode back and forth, rehearsing an Episcopalian church. John re­ children with sufficient education his sermon in sort of a mutter. At members how the conversation with in order to prepare them for a suit­ times he would show considerable his father went: “At breakfast... able place in society. There was irritation when the children were Dad posed a hypothetical question, however an inveterate struggle to too noisy. A hired man has re­ speaking of the priest we had seen maintain the traditional family minded John that the Yoth kids at the performance the night be­ paternalism. Whereas Harry, the got their best lickings on Sunday fore. Suppose a man came to the eldest, early left home, John Lester morning.34 priest and cried: ‘Save me. I am a stayed to break new ground by de­ There is no doubt that Voth felt poor lost sinner’. What would the manding payment for work on the the burden of this family disil­ priest do? ‘He would know what to family farm. This reflected the lusionment. He tried in his last de­ do,’ I said. ‘He would send him to struggle on the part of the chil­ cade of active travelling to main­ the Holy Rollerst!]’ No more was dren for religious, social, and occu­ tain contact with the family, and said at the time, but some years pational freedom. Father relented he never entirely gave up the at­ later, on another visit, Dad asked and John went off to Berkeley about tempt to win his children over to me if I recalled the conversation. 1935 with $700 in order to study his persuasion. In 1943, on his way ‘You know, John’, he said, ‘I liked chemistry. Esther attended Bible to Hillsboro in The Rocket, he wrote your reply’.”36 school in Winkler and Winnipeg; from Kansas City, sharing some of Sara qualified as a teacher in Man­ his innermost feelings, including The last years itoba; Ruth went to Tabor College homesickness. There had been heavy Even the last eight years were and then to California; and Reuben, rains, numerous washouts, and ex­ not without their anxieties. In 1945 the youngest, remained on the tensive travel delays. On board, too, the Winkler Church arranged for farm.33 were A. H. Unruh and other Ca­ Voths to live very near Winkler, Yet, it was well before John went nadian Brethren. Voth was tired, but still left them largely dependent on the farm, now run by Reuben. Whereas the mortgage had been “lifted”, to use John’s term, during the War, Reuben once married found it difficult to provide for two fami­ lies from the half-section. The di­ lemma before H. S. when he died on 23 October 1953 was an old one: shall we take another loan, hopefully thereby to increase productivity, or shall we sell? In fact, financial questions plagued Voth all his life. If he was not facing untoward expense on the farm, he was worrying about how to finance a trip to conference some­ where. John paid for his mother’s trip to California in 1945, and even helped to keep them in Davis during the winter of 1950-51. H. S. had re­ signed the Winkler leadership, hav­ ing felt some pressure to do so. Though he never really relaxed when away from Winkler, he was

12 MENNONITE LIFE also not the one to take up his those considered heretical, like the ir H. and S. Voth, Bingham Lake, to I-I. S. Voth, Dallas, Oregon (Penny post­ son’s suggestion that he should Adventists ? What percentage loss cards), (19 July 1912; 7 June 1917), Sara write his memoirs.37 Klippenstein Collection. in potential membership was there, H J. L. Voth, 2; Taped Interview. Death by heart failure does not even in Reiseprediger families? in I-I. Voth to H. S. Voth, from Jasper. Alberta (4 November 1918); J. V. Neufeld seem to have come unexpectedly to How successful were they in form­ (grandson), “The Mennonite Settlement at him. There had been premonitions ing up new “conversion-emphasiz­ Vanderhoof in the Nechako Valley" (un­ published family account, with pictures), at various times, not to mention the ing” congregations among immi­ 1978; Neufeld argues that without the serious illnesses which marked his grant communities?41 pressures of World War Two there would have been no Vanderhoof settlement at career.38 Whatever the conclusions might th a t time. The eulogies following his death 2<> The frustrations of Henry's last year be from such a comparative survey on the Minnesota farm and of Susie as a were many. Letters came to Susie of Voth’s contemporaries, they could straw widow, and the anxieties over the sale of that farm are reflected in I-I. S. Voth from near and far, not least hardly detract from the fact that and Susie’s letters to Mrs. H. Voth, Van­ from missionaries abroad, who val­ Voth cut a large swath in the M.B. derhoof (27 April 1919). Klippenstein Col­ lection. Taped Interview (5 August 1981). ued their association with Voth as Church for many a year. He had 21 J. L. Voth, 3. their advocate and supporter on the been involved in all the large ques­ 22 Peter Penner, “By Reason of Strength : Jo h a n n W arkentin, 1859-1948” . ML (De­ Board at home, as well as from the tions which faced his Church dur­ cember 1978), 4-9; this article has pictures Conference leadership. And Sara in of Susie with her family, and of the ing the first half of this century. Warkentin farmhouse where the Voths her own eulogy wrote: “We were lived from 1945. NOTES -■•Northern District (Canadian) Confer­ privileged to have been Dad’s Chil­ ' Clarence Hiebert. ‘'The Development of ence Yearbook (NDCYb) (1922), 6; (1925), dren.”39 the Mennonite Brethren Church in North 3-3; (1927), 14-34; (1929), 49-55. All told. A m erica” , in P au l E. Toews, eel., Pilgrims Voth was Canadian Conference moderator If H. S. Voth lacked extensive and Strangers (Fresno, 1977), lllff; J. A. for 21 years, assistant for 2. Only illness theological education, and even if Froese, Wifaess Extraordinary: A Biog­ prevented him in 1939 and 1940. A t the raphy of Elder Heinrich Voth (1851-1918). General Conference level he was assistant he failed somewhat with his chil­ 1975. moderator for 19 years (from 1927 on­ dren—a malady not reserved only - Heinrich Voth, " Vorteile und Nach­ wards) ; In the Manitoba Conference, mod­ teile” (advantages and disadvantages) of erator for at least 6 years, Cf. ME, IV, for Reiseprediger—he had many being a farmer-preacher, File No. 8, H. S. where his brother Abram’s calculations winning ways with his German­ Voth Collection, M.B. Archives, Winnipeg. differ somewhat. G. D. Pries interview. The main preaching diary, covering 24 G. D. Pries, A Place Called Penicl: speaking Mennonite farmers and th e years 1915-1952, and containing a list of Winkler Bible Institute, 1925-75 (1975), 67- all the persons Voth baptized, was made 72. Wiens attended the Hamburg Theo­ their families. They knew he under­ available by Mrs. Esther (Voth) Enns. logical Seminary, from Russia, as early stood their joys and frustrations, Winkler. Other diaries covering the years as 1899, lived In E ngland subsequently, from 1901 a re in th e H . S. Voth Collection. served as a missionary in India, and as farming folk. Advanced theology M.B. Archives, Winnipeg. founded a Bible Institute in the Crimea or clinical training hardly seemed All sermon data are from these sources. during Lenin’s time, Pries Peniel, 19; J. A. Frank Brown, History of Winkler (1973) Toews, 161-3. necessary. There was no identity claims Voth preached 5744 sermons, though 2’> G. D. Pries interview witli the author, problem, at least not until the com­ he does not give his source. 6 August 1981; actually Henry and other i Isaac I-I. Voth. ”Rev. H. S. Voth”. members of the Voth family never became ing of the “Russian” Mennonites in Konferenz-Judendblatt (June 1946), 4: Canadian citizens. John L. Voth, “Recollections of My Fath­ 2<> H. S. Voth Collection, File No. 15: the 1920s. Before that, Voth’s er” (unpublished paper, 1980), 2. A. H, Unruh. Die Geschichte der Menno- Americanness suited the new con­ 5 H. S. Voth Collection; General Confer- niten-Bruedergemeinde (1954), 474. ence/M.B. Yearbook (1901), 11. 27 GC/MB Yearbook (1954), 73ff gregations formed in Saskatchewan (i H. S. Voth Collection; Mennonite En­ 25 P. R. Lange to I-I. S. Voth (12 Febru­ from the American influx of 1900- cyclopedia (ME) III, 761; J. A. Toews. ary 1945), in F ile No. 15. Cf. J . A. Toews, History of the M.B. Church (1975), 268-9. History, 268ff. 1910. He also, like them, was a self- 7 GC/MB Yearbook (1904), 5. 6, 14; John 2» P ries. Peniel, 32. made man, who had in part been L. Voth 2; ME, IV, 280. 4» I-I. S. Voth to B. P. Janz (10 Septem­ # H. S. Voth's "Diary” for these years, ber 1946, freely translated), in File No. 16. driven to Canada only by wartime M. B. Archives. 2t Peter Penner, “Twenty-One Years of h J. L. Voth, 2; 1904 is the likely date Witnessing at Lindal”, Mennonite Observer American intolerance, and also by for this event, though one cannot be abso­ (9 March 1956), 5; Manitoba Conference the rapid language change under­ lutely certain. He still managed to preach Yearbook (June 1936), No. 6; (September 142 tim es th a t year. 1936), 7; (June, 1944), 7-8; Alberta Confer­ way immediately following the Great i'J See J. B. Toews; analysis of the theo­ ence Yearbook (November. 1944). 6. War. logical leadership in the M.B. Church, in 22 Taped Interview. Paul E. Toews. ed., 134ff. 22 Taped Interview; J. L. Voth “Recol­ His life and archival remains sug­ On the subject of baptism, there is one lections” . item in Voth's library which strikes the 24 J. L. Voth. 4; Taped Interview; Ruth gest a research topic vital for our researcher as very odd: a book published to the author (27 November 1981). understanding of the period when in 1898 by Mennonite Publishing Co., Elk­ 25 H. S. Voth to Susie and Reuben (21 hart, by Rev. R. A. Mackay entitled Im­ May 1943). the Reiseprediger peaked in their mersion Proved to be NOT a Scriptural 2(5 J. L. Voth, 6. Mode of Baptism, but a Romish Inven- activity. Without extensive research 27 J. L. Voth, 6; H. S, Voth to Johnny fio u t!] (4 July 1945; 11 October 1950); I-I. S. Voth there is no way of knowing how ii Peter Penner, "Ben Warkentin, Edu­ to the Winkler M. B. Church Council (4 Voth compared with his kind quan­ cator and Sage", Mennonite Reporter (31 September 1950). October 1977). 17; J. B. Toews, in Paul 2S H e w as seriously ill, as stated , in 1917- titatively or qualitatively. Though E. Toews, ed., 144ff. 18; attended the Hepburn Conference in he was not a farmer, C. N. Hiebert 12 Voth methodically recorded where he 1930 but was too ill to take the chair; and had given each sermon, so as not to be was very ill in 1939 and 1940, w hen his (1881-1975) provides one compari­ embarrassed by repetition. preaching dropped to a low of 20; Taped !'! G. D. Bries Interview with the author interview . son. His career as colporteur, evan­ (6 August 1981), In Winnipeg; H. S. Voth's 2» J. A. Wiebe, Mahbubnagar [A. P.], In­ gelist, city missionary, not to men­ sermonette "Selbatbeherrschung (Self-Con­ dia, on behalf of India missionaries to tro l)” , Konferenz-Jugendblatt (l March/ Susie (Warkentin) Voth (20 January 1954). tion his European ministry paral­ 1939), 10. J. A. Toews. Canadian Conference Moder­ leled Voth’s in many ways.40 Did 11 Taped Interview with Esther, Ruth, ator. to Susie Voth (28 October 1953); and Reuben in Winkler (5 August 1981). Sarah (Voth) Klippenstein. "A Daughter these early servants of the spread­ 15 F . I-I. E pp, Mennonites in Canada. Remembers”, Christian Leader (1 January 1876-1920 (Toronto, 1974), 303ff; E. J. 1954). 16. ing congregations of German speak­ Berg’s nostalgic letter to Mrs. Susie Voth 4n Esther (Hiebert) Horch, C. N. Hiebert. ing immigrants stem the flow into (24 October 1966), in the Sara (Voth) W as My Father (Winnipeg, 1979). Klippenstein Collection. 4i Clarence Hiebert, op. cit., lllf f . existing denominations, or into l'l J. L. Voth, 5; Taped Interview.

SEPTEMBER, 1982 13 The Anabaptist Vision: From Recovery to Reform by J. Denny Weaver

The last decode has seen the crys- In order to disassociate Ana- other traditions. For all movements, talization of a new era in the inter­ baptism from Thomas Muentzer these origins are explainable in pretation of Anabaptist origins— who was viewed as a social revolu­ terms of secondary causes, acces­ from the monogenesis view of Har­ tionary, Bender argued that Ana- sible to anyone in possession of the old S. Bender to the polygenesis per­ baptism began in Zurich. For the tools of historical scholarship. Ana­ spective which emerged beginning same reason, the Bender school of baptist origins and ideas play in the in the 1960’s and was articulated interpretation also argued for a same historical arena as other succinctly in a 1975 article.1 This purely religious impetus to the Ana­ movements, with the questions of newer perspective argues that rath­ baptist reformation. Iiis Conrad sincerity and obedience and truth­ er than arising solely from within Grebel, for example, virtually elimi­ fulness removed to another level for the Zwinglian reformation as a ho­ nates all formative influences on all traditions. With all traditions mogeneous religious movement, Grebel except the Bible.'1 Anabapt­ placed on the same historical foot­ Anabaptism was actually a vari- ists emerge as the sixteenth cen­ ing and evaluations of truth re­ gated movement not uniformly tury individuals most serious about moved to another level, ecumenical pacifist, with several independent following Jesus and heeding the discussions can have a less emotional beginning points and divers in­ message of Scripture, and following beginning point and can commence tellectual and political and his­ Jesus.5 This assessment of origins with more common understandings. torical origins. Although polygene­ thus per force distinguishes various The revisionist perspective is thus sis has been around in some form reforming movements on the basis an ally in transtraditional compari­ for a number of years, little con­ of sincerity. It evaluates Anabaptists sons and discussions. It can help sideration has been given to its as open to God’s truth, whereas us to see dialogue among traditions theological implications and signifi­ Zwingli, Luther, Muentzer, and as mutually recognized authentic at­ cance for the self understanding of others hear and heed merely human tempts to find truth, with the key the contemporary church. Further, opinion or compromise God’s truth. questions concerning such things as while Mennonite academics have Revisionist scholars have “de- hermeneutical or ethical presuppo­ generally welcomed the newly ar­ mythologized” Anabaptist origins. sitions, rather than using dialogue ticulated view,2 the discussion of They have identified at least three to attempt to establish the superior multiple origins itself has not really points of origin and six distinct six­ sincerity or discipleship commit­ moved beyond academic circles. One teenth century Anabaptist move­ ment of one tradition over another. notes for example that neither the ments. Alongside or even supersed­ To make the same point another first, historically oriented volume of ing their religious components, these way, the recent scholarship distin­ the Foundation Series nor the newly movements display a multiplicity of guishes more clearly than did the published lesson series on Menno­ social and economic and political Bender generation between causes nite history from Faith and Life and revolutionary causes as well as and influences in the historical Press shows any awareness of his­ intellectual antecedents which in­ realm accessible to anyone, and torical analysis since Bender.3 I clude monasticism, humanism, mys­ those value judgments which fall think that the revised view of Ana­ ticism, nominalism and ascenticism. into a confessional realm or are baptist origins has some rather sig­ For some of those steeped in the accessible only to faith. We now nificant implications for the self­ tradition of Bender, articulation of know, for example, that a minority understanding of contemporary these multiple origins and lack of of Swiss Anabaptists were not paci­ Mennonite churches. What follows homogeneous theological movement fist ; and that some Swiss Anabap- is an initial attempt to develop some may feel like a betraval of the re­ ists became pacifist at least partially of these implications. Comments on ceived faith or the denial of a bib­ by trial and error and for prag­ historiography in both text and lical basis to Mennonite theology. matic reasons.6 These conclusions notes are not exhaustive but are The revisionist perspective actu­ stand on the historical evidence meant to illustrate and provide sam­ ally places Anabaptist origins and rather than on one’s ideological com­ ples of the perspectives in question. ideas on the same value level as mitment to pacifism; accepting the

14 MENNONITE LIFE evidence is independent of one’s people and the meaning of follow­ tion. It assumes a past, finished judgment concerning the truth of ing Jesus and the way to make product which must be recovered pacifism. The Bender generation did visible or witness to the kingdom of and preserved. attempt to answer some kinds of God. In the new era, I am more In the revisionist perspective, historical questions and to evalu­ comfortable with my genuinely hu­ standing in the Anabaptist tradi­ ate people and movements histori­ man — demythologized — ancestors tion must inevitably assume a feel­ cally on the basis of confessionally and their infallible thought than ing quite different from restoring based data. Thus for example, with the heroic figures and pristine the “Anabaptist Vision” described Balthasar Hubmaier, who partici­ theology of the earlier version. by Bender. The revisionist scholars pated in the disputations in Zurich Thus I am more willing to identify have not articulated systematically and who provided the first major with their legacy in its contem­ a way for Mennonites to stand in theological defenses of believers porary form. the wake of the origins they de­ baptism, was not considered a real The above analysis makes it vir­ scribe. However, I believe revision­ Anabaptist because of his opposi­ tually self-evident that the revision­ ist scholarship implies a fundamen­ tion to pacifism.7 Pacifism was one ist scholarship leads the way toward tally different orientation from the of the constitutive elements, Bender a fundamental reorientation in the Bender school. Given the multiple believed, which placed the Ana­ understanding of what it means to origins and differing early ‘visions' baptist movement on a higher plane stand in the Anabaptist tradition. or impulses, one can no longer focus than the Lutheran or Zwinglian This reorientation is actually a on the one vision to be recovered reformations (it was the “culmina­ shifting in time of the point which and preserved. Rather, one is con­ tion of the Reformation”) and en­ we identify as the one providing the fronted by a number of impulses, abled him to conclude that the religious framework of contempo­ some in conflict with each other.14 magisterial reformers had compro­ rary life. all of which continue to influence mised the gospel.8 However, it is a The Bender generation had a contemporary life and thought.15 To confession of faith to identify the tripartite division of history, one take seriously all the elements which pacifist stance as the true one or common to the self-perception of comprise the tradition means a re­ to attribute its development to di­ many movements—religious as well fusal to absolutize any one set of vine leading or to greater serious­ as non-religious. The tripartite di­ them. They all comprise part of the ness about following Jeus. We have vision of history visualizes an or­ story, teaching both positively and long recognized the human elements iginal, golden age, followed by a negatively.16 This context forces the in Luther’s reformation. Revisionist ‘dark’ or ‘middle’ age, which loses contemporary church to be present scholarship makes plain the same the original vision. Finally there is and future oriented. The past pro­ element in the Anabaptist move­ a period of restoration of the origi­ vides direction and orientation, but ment. Recent scholarship has simi­ nal vision.10 Following the lead of present and future needs and prob­ larly shown that the idea of a free Neo-Orthodoxy in defining a homo­ lems dictate the agenda and the church did not arrive full blown geneous reformation theology, Har­ focus of questions to be asked. when Grebel’s Zurich circle read the old Bender described the Anabaptist While there is a distinct past em­ Bible under divine guidance. Rather, Vision of the sixteenth century as a phasis through use of the past to it evolved over a period of time, pristine theological movement.11 provide historical identity and con­ after the failure of attempts to form Lost by Mennonites in the centuries tinuity to the present, the orienta­ a mass church.9 It is a confession following the Reformation, the Vis­ tion remains nonetheless to the pres­ of faith then to accept this model ion was a model to be copied and ent and the future. This is essenti­ of church as the most biblical or as recovered in the present.12 Particu­ ally a liberal outlook, that is, one the most faithful way to follow larly in popularized versions of the which accepts change. It assumes Jesus. Bender perspective, sixteenth cen­ that the movement is never finished Revisionist scholarship has thus tury Anabaptist personages and but rather is always in a state of put moderns on the same level as martyrs were held up as prophetic becoming Anabaptist or re-forming their sixteenth century counter­ models. The modern heirs to that the Anabaptism legacy. Thus the parts. One has a choice of saying tradition were called to measure advent of the new era in the under­ the sixteenth century personalities themselves against the heroic model standing of Anabaptist origins have been reduced in stature or that of the spiritual ancestors, to adopt means switching from the idea of moderns have grown to theirs. In their program and to partake of recovery to the principle of con­ either case, moderns are now as con­ their courage in carrying it out. tinual formation and reformation of scious of the foibles of sixteenth Most of us learned we were the the legacy. The new historiography century figures as of their own. De­ dwarfs standing on giants’ shoul­ leaves us without pristine role mod­ cisions are taken the same way by ders.13 This perspective of the Ben­ els and unambiguous historical pre­ both eras—by trial and error, in der school uses the Anabaptist past cedents. Rather than inheriting a specific historical situations, with as a lodestone. Although there is a finished product, our legacy consists much searching and testing. For distinct present emphasis through of a movement in the process of both past and present personalities, use of the past to focus the present, becoming. We can only continue to to the extent that it can be done, the orientation of the view remains search together for the shape to their intent is to discover in their nonetheless to the past.. It is es­ give contemporary Anabaptism. own context the shape of God’s sentially an attitude of conserva­ Rather than recovering it, we are

SEPTEMBER, 1982 15 called—but also compelled—continu­ I.'i98-1526: The Founder of the Swiss Breth­ of the Mennonites (Berne, Ind. : Menno­ ren Sometimes Called Anabaptists, Studies nite Book Concern, 1941). p. 63; Harold ally to forge new versions of the in Anabaptist and Mennonite History, no. S. Bender and Ernst Correll. review of vision. Although we learn from the 6 (Goshen, Ind., Mennonite Historical So­ The Story of the Mennonites, by C. H enry ciety. 1950: reprint ed.. Scottdale, Pa: Sm ith. MQR 16.4 (O ctober 19-12) : 273. experiences of our spiritual ances­ H erald Press. 1971), pp. 79-81. 192-203. ■' "A n ab ap tist V ision.” Ch. 13.1 (M arch tors, like they did, we also live and •< Harold S. Bender, "The Anabaptist 1944): 9. 13 and MQR 18.2 (A pril 19-14): V ision", Church History 13.1 (March 144) : 7-1. 78. work on the cutting edge. It is an 3-24 and MQR 18.2 (A pril 1944): 67-88: f G oertz, Die Täufer, p. 23. anxious as well as an exhilarating "The Zwickau Prophets, Thomas Muntzer. i" There can be an interlocking complex and the Anabaptists." MQR 27.1 (January of original visions to be restored. For ex­ experience. 1953): 15: "The Anabaptist Theology of ample, Bender understands the Swiss D iscipleship” , MQR 24.1 (Ja n u a ry 1950) : Brethren as having recovered the idea of NOTES 25-32. following Jesus. Thus to recover the Ana­ 1 James M. Stayer. Werner Packull, and Jam es M. S tayer. Anabaptists and the baptist vision means simultaneously to re­ Klaus Depperman, "From Monagenesis to Sword (Lawrence, Kan.: Coronado Press, cover first century Christianity, or to imi­ Polygenesis: The Historical Discussion of 1972; reprint ed. 1978), pp. 99ff; "The tate the sixteenth century recovery of the Anabaptist Origins.' Mennonite Quarterly Swiss Brethren: An Exercise in Historical recovery of first century Christianity. Review ‘192 (A pril 1975) :83-121. A m ajo r Definition." Church History 47.2 (June 11 Point made by James Stayer. "Tht- analysis of evidence is In Hans-Jurgen 1978): 177. 18-1; "R eublin and B ro tli: T he Swiss Brethren," p. 175. Goertz, ed., Umstrittenes Taufertum 1525- Revolutionary Beginnings of Swiss Ana- 12 Note, for example, the title of Guy 1975: Neue Forschumjen (Gottingen: Van- baptism," in Marc Lienhard, ed., The Hershberger, ed.. Recovery of the Ana­ denhoeck and Ruprecht, 1975). The first Origins and Characteristics of Anabaptism baptist Vision, (Scottdale. Pa. : Mennonite synthetic history of Anabaptism from the /Lcs debuts et les caracteristiques de Publishing House, 1957: 3rd printing. polygenesis perspective in Hans-Jurgen Fanabaptisme, International Archives of 1972), and its pp. 25-27. G oertz, Die Täufer: Geschichte und Deu­ the History of Ideas, no. 87 (The I-Iague: 12 Walter Klaassen has written of those tung (Munich: C. H. Beck, 1980). M artinus N ijhoff. 1977, pp. 83-102. M arxist who engage in "breast beating" and "wal- 2 See. tor example. Stayer’s comment in historiography is partially responsible for law in guilt" for having failed to uphold "Reflections and Retractions On Anabap­ developing the revolutionary origins of the heroic model. Anabaptism: Both Posi­ tists and the Sword,” MQR 51.3 (July some Anabaptists. See Abraham Friesen. tive and Negative, Word and World, no. 1 1977): 197, and John S. Oyer's listing of "The Marxist Interpretation of Anabap­ (Waterloo: Conrad Press. 1975), p. 6. Mennonite scholars who in various ways tism ," Sixteenth Century Essays and 11 For example, see Bender-Correll. pp. qualified Bender’s view and have contrib­ Studies 1 (1970) : 17-34; and Reformation 272-73 and C. Henry Smith’s response, "A uted to the polygenesis perspective. and Utopia: The Marxist Interpretation of Communication From C. Henry Smith Con­ "Goertz’ ’History and Theology’: A Re­ the Reformation and its Antecedents, Ver­ cerning the Review of his Book ’The Story sponse," MQR 53.3 (July 1979): 19-1-96. öffentlichungen des Instituts fur Europ­ of the Mennonites’." MQR 17.4 (October a John Driver, Becoming God’s Commu­ äische Geschichte Mainz, vol. 71 (Wies­ 1943) : 248-49. nity, Foundation Series, vol. 1 (Scottdale, baden: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1974). is Theron Schalabach has described four Pa.: Herald Press, 1981): Rudy Baergen. ' John Morsch. "Is Dr. Kuehler's Con­ contemporary versions of the vision. "The The Mennonite Story (Newton, Kansas: ception of Early Dutch Anabaptism His­ End of Mennonite History.” Christian Liv­ Faith and Life. 1981). torically Sound? I," MQR 7.1 (January ing 28.10 (O ctober 1981): 22-24. -i Harold S. Bender. Conrad Grebe], c. 1933): 50-52: C. I-Ienry Smith, The Story i'i See K laassen, pp. 7-8.

“Plautdietsch”: Some Impressions About Mennonite Low German in Kansas and Nebraska by Robert H. Buchheit

During the last five years I have grants came directly to the United which has been of particular inter­ had an opportunity to acquaint my­ States from the German-speaking est to me during the past five years. self with a good many German- countries of western Europe while In some ways it is different from Americans and their German dia­ others spent a century or longer other Low German dialects that I lects on the Great Plains. I have in the eastern European countries have encountered on the Great been able to compare and con­ of Poland and Hungary or in Rus­ Plains. It serves not only as a dis­ trast the various German-speaking sia before coming to the United tinguishing characteristic of the groups with respect to their ethnic, States in late nineteenth century. Russian-German Mennonites but al­ religious, and linguistic back­ One of the groups among the so surpasses most if not all other grounds. I discovered that although Russian-Germans was the Menno­ forms of Low German in the num­ the groups have much in common, nites from the Molotschna Colony, ber of active speakers, in the over­ they also differ greatly, particular­ who settled in Nebraska and south- all condition of the dialect itself, ly in their religious and linguistic central Kansas. These immigrants and in the opportunities for lin­ backgrounds. One reason for this brought with them a Low German guistic research. In fact, whenever I variation is that some of the immi­ dialect known as “Plautdietsch," need a concrete example to illus-

16 MENNONITE LIFE träte a particular linguistic phe­ dences to standard German, pro­ words were given a Low German nomenon of German settlement dia­ ceeding from what I knew to the pronunciation and they sounded per­ lects in the United States, I in­ unknown. However, this effort was fectly normal for Low German. variably return to “Plautdietsch,” relatively unsuccessful, since some Furthermore, some of the loanwords due to my greater experience with of the sounds and the vocabulary had been adopted previously by the it and more importantly, because I bore little or no resemblance to those parents or grandparents, so that the am fairly certain that ‘‘Plaut­ of standard German. I then at­ speakers did not realize that they dietsch” will contain the examples tempted to relate it to what I gen­ had been borrowed from English. that I am seeking. erally knew about my mother’s Low The presence of borrowed words The following comments contain German, thinking that the two Low for so many high frequency items some of my impressions about German dialects ought to be simi­ in “Plautdietsch” can be explained “Plautdietsch,” which I have col­ lar. This, too, proved to be rather by the migration pattern of the an­ lected during my linguistic field unsuccessful, basically for two rea­ cestors of the Russian-German Men­ work among the Russian-German sons : First, I was not as familiar nonites in Nebraska and Kansas. Mennonites of Kansas and Nebras­ with my mother’s Low German as I From the time of the Reformation ka. As a nonnative speaker of the had previously hoped or believed to to the present, they emigrated three dialect I had to discover the sound be, and therefore, any attempt to times which placed them in contact system and the grammatical struc­ build on that experience was not with many different languages and ture by listening to many hours of going to be successful. Second, both cultures. From the time of the Re­ recorded speech on tape. This en­ dialects, although they were Low formation to the 18th century they abled me to gain an understanding German, were so different in the resided in West Prussia but used of the meaningful units of sound sound system and the vocabulary Dutch as the standard language, and form, much in the same man­ that my mother was not able to un­ and at first, a Dutch dialect and ner as children must have learned derstand my tape recordings of later, the Low German dialect of “Plautdietsch” from their parents “Plautdietsch.” West Prussia as the colloquial and grandparents over the years. Only after considerable analysis speech. It was in West Prussia This method gave me valuable in­ and reading about Mennonite Low that the first important transition sights into the process of learning a German in the United States and occurred from Dutch to German. On second language without the aid of Canada did I realize that much of the colloquial level the transition a grammar text. Since that time I the vocabulary for foods and com­ from Dutch to Low German seems have attempted to incorporate some mon household objects was not Low to have gone rather smoothly, main­ of these techniques, such as exten­ German but loan-words, or words ly because the Mennonites were sur­ sive listening, into my own teaching borrowed from various other lan­ rounded by Low German-speaking of standard German. guages including Russian and Eng­ neighbors. It was necessary that As a nonnative speaker, I had lish. Vrenek’e, boklezhan, bulk’e, they learn the local dialect in order the additional advantage of being fshisnick, kucheruz, and arbuz are, to communicate and cooperate with able to maintain some distance from for example, Russian loanwords for them. the speakers and their ‘‘Plaut­ “cheese pockets, tomato, a type of On the standard level, however, dietsch,” which is important for ob­ Russian bread, garlic, corn, and the transition was not as smooth. jectively analyzing the structure, watermelon.”1 Other common words Several attempts were made in the estimating the number of speakers, such as blot, glomz, kobel, koda, 18th century to introduce standard and determining the rate of reten­ and schaubel are words borrowed German into church services, but tion of “Plauddietsch” vis-a-vis oth­ from Polish and mean “mud, cot­ the more conservative congregations er German settlement dialects. Most tage cheese, mare, (dish) rag, and and those in the cities such as Dan­ of my impressions are based on re­ bean” respectively.2 Such vocabulary zig who remained in contact with corded interviews with Low Ger­ items as pinich, vondoaq, olbassem the Dutch congregations for a long­ man speakers as well as the personal and foaken are also not Low Ger­ er period of time retained the notes and observations during those man but Dutch loanwords and ap­ Dutch language longer.4 The re­ interviews. parently peculiar to Mennonite Low luctance to switch to standard Ger­ My initial impression, as I be­ German for “diligent, today, cur­ man combined with the natural ten­ gan my research in Henderson, Ne­ rants, and often”.3 dency for retaining some vocabu­ braska in 1976, was that “Plaut­ Finally, there were a number of lary items from Dutch, at that time dietsch” seemed totally unrelated to words which sounded like Low Ger­ a fairly prestigious and important any other form of German that I man but at the same time bore a language of the sea, allowed for a had learned previously. Although striking resemblance to English, small percentage of Dutch words to my training in standard German e.g., koa, doa, fens, and traekda. for be taken into German. had been extensive and my mother “car, store, fence, and tractor.” The The presence of Polish words in had spoken some Low German at speakers themselves were most often “Plautdietsch” is likewise related to home during my earlier years, I was unaware that they were using Eng­ the contact between two languages. amazed at how little “Plautdietch” lish loanwords until it was pointed Until late 18th century West Prus­ I understood in my first exposure to out to them. This phenomenon can sia was under Polish political con­ it. I attempted to find correspon­ be explained by the fact that these trol, and Polish was the national

SEPTEMBER, 1982 17 language. However, the native Luth­ nonites arrived in the United States, ed the word for T as [etj] while erans and Catholics spoke standard they initially faced a similar lin­ others preferred [ekj]. For the German and a Low German dialect, guistic situation as they had ex­ word ‘cows’ an additional variation which the Mennonites also adopted. perienced in Russia. Although Eng­ was noted so that some pronounced From this contact between the na­ lish was the official and dominant the word [kji :e] and at least one tional language and the local ver­ language, "Plautdietsch” and stan­ speaker preferred the pronunciation nacular, some of the Polish words dard German were tolerated as mi­ [tji :e]. I now believe that the latter were adopted in Low German and nority' languages, as long as there was an individual variation rather have been retained since that time. was no political or military threat than a dialect variation. The speak­ The linguistic situation in south­ from the German-speaking coun­ er with the [tji :e] pronunciation ern Russia was similar to that of tries. After the United States enter­ was most likely substituting the West Prussia. The Mennonites to­ ed World War I against Germany nearest English consonant combi­ gether with the Catholic and Luth­ and Austria in 1917, however, the nation for the more difficult pala­ eran German-speaking groups form­ tolerance of German-speaking mi­ talized [kj] sound. ed language islands where German norities ended. German-Americans A second impression that I gain­ language, culture, and ideas pre­ were forced to abandon German in ed after more linguistic field work vailed. Some of the German-speak­ all public places, including church­ with other German settlement dia­ ing groups including Mennonites es and schools, as proof that they lects is that "Plautdietsch” is no maintained close ties with the were indeed patriotic Americans. It ordinary Low German dialect. Gen­ churches and schools in West Prus­ was generally believed that no one erally I have found that speakers of sia, so that the German language could speak German and at the same Low German on the Great Plains and culture were preserved in Rus­ time be patriotic and loyal to the view their dialects either negatively sia. At the same time they were United States. Standard German or with ambivalence. Upon hearing permitted almost complete autono­ suffered more than Low German, the label “Low German,” they are my over their schools, churches, and simply because it functioned as a immediately reminded of a lower local government, which was the public language, and ministers and form of German as opposed to result of generous terms offered teachers were watched closely for “High German,” a more prestigious them by Czaress Catherine the compliance with the law which for­ form. The speakers themselves are Great as an inducement to immi­ bad the use of German in public. often self-conscious or even apolo­ grate to Russia in the first place. “Plautdietsch” was in a somewhat getic about their Low German pre­ Consequently, standard German was better position, since it was a col­ ferring not to speak it in public or the language of the churches and loquial form spoken mainly in the with strangers. Although one could schools while “Plautdietsch” re­ privacy of the home and small in­ argue that this response is due to mained the informal speech of the formal social gatherings. In spite the anti-German sentiment of World home and small social gatherings. of this, however, there was some War I, I personally believe that it Very few Mennonites learned Rus­ pressure on the Russian-German is more a matter of the speakers sian during the century long so­ Mennonites to become Americanized responding negatively to their own journ in Russia, although it was and Anglicized, and English was speech. the official and dominant language eventually forced upon the speakers Anyone who has in any way been of the country. The Russian words of Low German through their chil­ associated with "Plautdietsch” real­ which do occur in "Plautdietsch” dren in the schools. izes that the above notion of Low are, according to oral tradition, the The pronounciation of several German does not apply to Mennonite result of a working relationship be­ vocabulary items was a second fac­ Low German. The speakers may on tween the Mennonite landowners tor which contributed to my diffi­ occasion, if asked about the lingu­ and the Russian peasants, who were culty in recognizing the correspon­ istic roots of "Plautdietsch,” con­ employed as domestic servants and dences to standard German. I ob­ fuse it with Dutch since their ethnic day laborers. The latter prepared served, that there was a regular heritage can be traced to sixteenth the meals, drove the coaches and shift of the consonants [k, t, g, n] century Holland, and they realize the buggies, and performed other to [kj, tj, gj, nj]. For example, the from their foreign experiences that tasks related to agriculture. The word for T was [ekj], for ‘pots’ Dutch and “Plautdietsch” are simi­ foods that they prepared were quite was [tja:p], for ‘bridge’ was lar in pronunciation and vocabulary. naturally those indigenous to the [brrgj], and for ‘to sing’ was In actual fact "Plautdietsch” has area, e.g., vrenek’e, arbiiz, and bolc- [zenj]. I eventually realized that its roots in the Danzig area of West lezhan. The Mennonites, not having the above differences from standard Prussia and what is today Poland. words for these foods in German, German were part of a more general Aside from this factual inaccuracy, adopted the Russian words and gave linguistic phenomenon known as however, there is no mistaking how them a Low German pronunciation. palatalization of consonants, which positive most speakers feel about Thus, "Plautdietsch” retained some is a common feature of German their “Plautdietsch.” If asked about of the Russian linguistic heritage, dialects of West and East Prussia. their associations with “Plaut­ which was not preserved in any I also noted that not all speakers dietsch,” they would probably name other form. agreed on the pronunciation of cer­ some of the delicious ethnic foods, When the Russian-German Men­ tain selected words. Some pronounc­ recite a joke or humorous anecdote,

18 MENNONITE LIFE or perhaps quote a proverb such as Usually an immigrant language or to the United States and many the following: Want Haimstje nijh dialect becomes so infiltrated with even settled as a group in the same leat, leat Hauns nimmama “What English that the natural result is to communities in Kansas and Nebras­ Johnnie doesn't learn Johnnie will switch to English. It has been my ka. This assumption about the ho- never learn.”5 experience that speakers of “Plaut­ mogeniety of “Plautdietsch” re­ In any case, the attitude toward dietsch” make a greater conscious required some modification, how­ “Plautdietsch” is a good deal more effort to avoid borrowing than ever, as I gathered examples from positive than I have seen elsewhere other Low German-speaking groups. more speakers. on the Great Plains, even to the One particular example of this Some of the variations seemed to point of the speakers showing their comes immediately to mind. Several parallel various church conference pride in their medium. During my years ago in Henderson, one inform­ affiliations, while others were at­ visits it also became evident to me ant, whom I was about to inter­ tributed to groups which were not that the residents of Henderson, view and record, looked at my tape clearly identified. For the most part Goessel, Hillsboro, etc., thoroughly recorder and immediately asked me the variations that were most ap­ enjoy speaking the dialect and that whether that was my [/nakebpunt]. parent to me occurred mainly in the it has served an important social I was surprised at his question since pronunciation of individual words function for over two centuries. Per­ I did not expect to find a Low Ger­ such as “blue” and “gray”. Some of haps the best evidence of the high man word for such a recent inven­ the speakers pronounced them as amount of interest in “Plautdietsch” tion. It then occurred to me, how­ [blau] and [grau], similar to that is the attendance at the annual Low ever, that this speaker has created of standard German, while others German program during the Fall a new word for “tape recorder” by pronounced them as [byEiv] and Fest at Bethel College. It is not combining two existing words from [gvEiv]. Similarly, the words for uncommon to find three to five "Plautdietsch.” Despite this person’s ‘to cook’ and ‘to make’ were pro­ hundred persons at the Low German creativity, however, the word never nounced [lcoka] and [moka] by play or skit. Of these I would esti­ really gained wide acceptance in the some and as [koeka] and [moeka] mate that eighty to ninety percent community, as far as I was able by others. In addition to the group still understand the Low German, to determine. Other speakers had variations, there were individual and more than fify percent are still difficulty with the meaning of the variations such as [t/i:e] and able to use “Plautdietsch” actively. word even after having heard it [kji:e] already mentioned above A third impression about '‘Plaut­ several times. In retrospect I sus­ for “cows” as well as [tu:s] versus dietsch” is that compared to most pect that there are at least two rea­ [ty:s] for “t home”. In some cases other German settlement dialects on sons for its lack of acceptance: the variations produced humorous the Great Plains, it is still in rela­ First, “Plautdietsch” like most other results, while in others there were tively good condition and continues nonstandard forms of German lacks long debates about which pronunci­ to be actively spoken by a large a grammatical authority such as a ation was considered correct. What number of speakers. Most persons lexicographer who would have sanc­ often seemed to me to be a minor over sixty years of age are still tioned its usage and given it wider variation, because of my basic as­ able to converse with others over appeal. Second, such authorities de­ sumption of homogeneity within the quite a wide range of topics while pend heavily on a writing system dialect, turned out to be quite an im­ employing only a minimum of Eng­ for the communication of ideas, es­ portant variation for the individual lish loanwords. Heinz Kloss, a prom­ pecially new terminology. Since no groups of speakers. inent German linguist who has re­ extensive and widely recognized My final impression concerns the searched the retention efforts of writing system exists for “Plaut­ future of "Plautdietsch” and its many different German-Ameriean dietsch,” any attempts at creating ability to survive once the older groups in the United States, attri­ new words have been generally un­ generation of speakers is gone. De­ butes the survival of Mennonite successful. spite the past strength of the dia­ Low German to the quality mainte­ A fourth impression of “Plaut­ lect in Henderson and the communi­ nance efforts which the Russian- dietsch” has to do with assumptions ties in south-central Kansas, the German Mennonites put into prac­ about language based on nonlin- prospects of its survival for an­ tice while they were still in Russia.6 guistic factors. As I began my initial other generation do not appear to By quality maintenance efforts he field work with “Plautdietsch,” I be good. In my estimation too few meant that the dialect has remained noted immediately that the speakers young people speak the dialect for the medium of subtle thinking, lofty had a common ethnic, religious, and it to have much chance of survival ideals, and diversified occupational linguistic heritage, and I assumed, beyond that point. Many of the interests and skills.7 These efforts therefore, that the Low German speakers remember the 1950s as the were especially important for sur­ would also be homogeneous with few decade when one could still attend vival in twentieth century America variations. Afterall, most of the im­ an annual Christmas program in where there have been rapid changes migrants had come from the same “Plautdietsch” as well as other ac­ in values and technology. villages of the Molotschna Colony tivities which promoted the use of One important aspect of language and many from the same village of the dialect. Although “Plautdietsch” retention is the ability to keep for­ Alexanderwohl. In addition, they is still occasionally spoken in daily eign words out of the language. had immigrated together as a group social intercourse in Henderson,

SEPTEMBER, 1982 19 Goessel, and Hillsboro, there has asked to speak “Plautdietsch” and ple in their linguistic roots. Very apparently been a marked decrease talk about the past. A precedent for little has been written about “Plaut­ in the amount of Low German this type of activity has already dietsch” in the United States in the spoken in recent years. In addition, been set in the form of a Low Ger­ last fifteen to twenty years. If there there has been a corresponding in­ man and Mennonite German Ar­ is to be any hope for a revival of crease in the amount of English chive at the Mennonite Library and “Plautdietsch” similar to that of borrowings because of the empha­ Archives, North Newton. Thus far Pennsylvania German after World sis on electronic technology such as the collection includes cassette re­ War I, it will be necessary to pro­ the computer. cordings, as well as the older reel- vide a link from one generation to Although the prognosis for the to-reel and even wire recordings of the next. Without the interest and future is not very positive, there the early 1950s. skill development of young people, are several measures which can be A second countermeasure would there is little hope for such a re­ taken to preserve the existing dia­ be to establish a center for Low newal. lect and perhaps even prolong the German in the communities where it The entire experience with life expectancy of “Plautdietsch.” is still spoken. The center could “Plautdietsch” has also served as an First, every effort ought to be serve as a type of linguistic mu­ archtypal search for my own lin­ made to record on tape oral his­ seum as well as a place for speakers guistic roots which have somehow tories, jokes, proverbs, etc., of per­ to meet and speak “Plautdietsch.” remained hidden in a haze of un­ sons who still speak Low German. Various resource materials such as certainty. I know far less about the The exact format of the recordings books, dictionaries, and tapes could specific events and perhaps more is less important than the fact that be made available for interested importantly, the motivation sur­ they are in Low German. These persons. An alternative proposal rounding the immigration of my recordings would preserve these would be to offer instruction once forefathers than I do about the samples of speech for later analysis again for adults in evening school. Russian-German Mennonites’ immi­ by folklorists, sociologists, histori­ I understood that previous attempts gration to the United States. From ans, and linguists. In addition to the to conduct such classes were suc­ the folklore concerning the immi­ research function of such record­ cessful when there were sufficient gration of my mother’s ancestors, I ings, I have found that the inter­ native speakers available to teach know that they probably had at action with older speakers also such classes. least two things in common with the serves a useful social function. The A third countermeasure in the Mennonites: 1. They spoke a Low majority of the persons interviewed preservation of “Plautdietsch” is to German dialect; and, 2. They left are extremely pleased when they are stimulate the interest of young peo­ Germany for the United States be­ cause of the restriction of personal and religious freedom. In short, my contact with “Plaut­ dietsch” and its speakers has been a far richer and valuable experience than I had ever dreamed possible when I first began my research. It has shown me the importance of be­ ing acquainted with our ethnic and linguistic roots when we attempt to discover and define ourselves. In my own situation, the study of the lin­ guistic roots of Russian-German Mennonites has given me a greater appreciation for my own linguistic and ethnic heritage.

NOTES 1. John Thiessen, “The Low German of the Canadian Mennonites," Mennonite Life, 22, No. 3 (1967), 110, See also Ger­ hard Wiens, “Russian in Low German," Mennonite Life, 13, No. 2 (1958), 75-78. 2. T hiessen, p. 111. 3. T hiessen, p. 111. •1. Jacob A. Duerksen, “Transition from Dutch to German in West Prussia,” Mennonite Life, 22, No. 3 (1967)), 107- 109. 5. Warren Kiiewer, “Low German Prov­ erbs,” Mennonite Life, 15, No. 2 (1960), 78. Illustration from Arnold Dyck’s Koop enn Bua op Reise, 1954. 6. Heinz Kloss. "German-American Lan­ guage Maintenance Efforts,” in Lan­ guage Loyalty in the United States, ed. Joshua A. Fishman (The Hague: Mou­ ton and Co.. 1966). p. 209. 7. Kloss. p. 209.

20 MENNONITE LIFE Radical Reformation and Mennonite Bibliography 1981

By Marva Hiebert Assisted by Nelson Springer, Lawrence Klippen stein, Rachel Hiebert, and Grace Seho waiter.

BIBLE AND DOCTRINE Aukerman, Dale. Darkening Valley: a Bib­ [Amersfoort, The Netherlands]: Kerk en McGrath, W'illiam R., Complete in Christ— lical perspective on nuclear war. New Vrede. [1980?] Pp. 53. My Life Story. New Enlarged Edition, Y o rk : S eabury Press. 1981. Geiser. Linea, God’s Faithfulness. Scott­ s .l .: au th o r. 1981. Pp. 45. Baer. Mervin J.. The Doctrine of Salvation. dale. PA: Mennonite Publishing House. McGrath, William R., My Heart: Christ’s Crockett, KY: Rod and Staff Publishers, 1980. Dwelling! My Body: God’s Temple. Min­ 1980. Pp. SO. Geiser. Linea. God’s Grace. Scottdale, PA: erva, O H : au th o r, 1981. Pp. 20. Baker. Robert J.. I’m Listening, Lord, Mennonite Publishing House. 1980. Mast. Daniel E., Lessons in the Sermon on Keep Talking. Scottdale, PA: Herald God’s Marvelous Works: Teacher's Edition. the Mount. Gordonvilie, PA: Print Shop, Press. 1981. Pp.. 181. Book Two. Crockett. KY: Rod and Staff reprinted 1982, Pp. 169. Bible. N.T. Acts. Pilaga. 1980. Da'me Publishers. 1981. Pp. 213. Mennonite Central Committee, Crime is a 1'onataxanaxa'j saa’ Jesus lalemaxase'te- Harder. Helmut, Anleitung zum Glauben. Peace Issue, W innipeg. M anitoba, 1981. Los Hechos do los Apostoles (en pilaga). Winnipeg. Manitoba: CMBC Publications. Pp. 285. Roque Saenz Pena, Chaco, Argentina: 1981. Pp. 167. Miller, Paul M., Leading the Family of [B uckw alter], 1980. Pp. 135. Hartman. Evie, O God Our Help in Ages God. S cottdale, P A : H erald Press, 1981. Bible. N. T. Thessalonians. Toba, Soua Past. Winesburg. OH: Longenecker Men­ Pp. 207. lede so Pablo lai'alo so Tesalonica l'ecpi nonite Church. 1980. Rupp, Anne Neufeld, Prayer in Corporate gataq aso lede so Santiago. Edicion pro- Hartman, Ruth B., Never Give Up “God Is Worship. Newton, KS: Faith and Life visoria. s.l.: s.n., s.a. Pp. 36. Faithful”: The Life Story of Walter Er­ Press, 1981. Pp. 48. Boldt. Cornelius.There he Builded an Altar, vin Hartman. Harrisonburg, VA: author Sider, Ronald J., Cry Justice: The Bible Brief meditations. Saskatoon, Saskatche­ 1980. Speaks on Hunger and Poverty. Downers wan : Western Tract Mission. 1981. Pp. Haury. Samuel S.. Letters Concerning the Grove, IL : In terV a rsity Press, 1980. Pp. 70. Spread of the Gospel: in the Heathen 220. Butzer, Martin. Deutsche Schriften, Bd. 17. World. Scottdale. PA: Herald Press. S prunger, W. Frederic, Tee in Japan: .4 1981. 1981. Pp. 64. Realistic Vision. Pasadena, CA: William Byler. David. A Voice Crying in the Wil­ Hostetler, Pius. Life, Preaching and Labors C arey L ib rary , 1981. Pp. 472. - derness, Gordonvilie, PA: Print Shop. of John D. Kauffman. Gordonvilie. PA: Swartley, Willard M.. Mark, the Way for 1982. Pp. 56. G ordonvilie P rin t, 1980. all Nations. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, Crous, Ernst. Die Religionsphilosophischen Kehler, Larry. Prayers, s.l.: Ruth Schroe- 1979. Lehren Lockes Und Ihre Stelhcng Zu der. 1980. Pp. 44. Toews, John A., People of the Way: Select­ Dem Deismus Seiner Zeit. Heldesheim: Loeschen, John R.. The Divine Community: ed Essays and Addresses by John A. G eorge Oms, 1980. Pp. 118. Trinity, Church and Ethics in Reforma­ Toews. Winnipeg, MB: The Christian Death and Dying Resource Study Packet. tion Theologies. Kirksville, Missouri: Press, 1981. Pp. 245. Elkhart, IN : Mennonite Board of Congre­ S ixteenth C entury Jo u rn al, 1981. Pp. 238. Unruh, Fred, Questions I’d Like to Ask gational M inistries. 1980. Loewen. Abram J.. Ein Jegliches hat seine God: A Leader Guide for a Fourteen- Drescher. John M., Ich hebe emine Augen Zeit. C learbrook, B .C .: author, 1981. Pp. session Course for Teenagers. Newton. auf . . . Gebete und Gedanken. M arburg 139. K S: F aith and L ife Press, 1980. an der Lahn: Verlag der Francke-Buch- Lowry. James W., North America is the Wenger, John C., A Cloud of Witnesses: handlung Gm bh, 1980. Telos-Agage-Serie. Lord's Harrisonburg, VA: Christian Profiles of Church Leaders. H arrison­ Unpaged. L ight P ublications, 1980. P p. 550. burg. VA: Eastern Mennonite Seminary. Eller. Vernard. ed.. Thy Kingdom Come: MacMaster, Eve. God’s Family: Stories of 1981. Pp. 288. A Blumhardt Reader. Grand Rapids, MI: God and His People: Genesis. Scottdale, Wenger, John C., Disciples de Jesus. Mon- W illiam B. E erdm ans. 1980. Pp. 177. PA : H erald Press, 1981. Pp. 166. teliard, F ra n ce: C h rist Seul, 1981, Pp. 80. Fahrer, Walfred J., Allegiance: Confessing MacMaster, Eve. Young People’s Illustrat­ Whedon, D, D., Whedon’s Commentary Re­ Christ as Lord. Scottdale. PA: Menno­ ed Bible History. Belleville. PA: s.n.. vised: the Gospels. V.l Mattheio-Mark, nite P ublishing House, 1981. Pp. 32. 1981. V.8 Luke-John. Rev. ed. Harrisonburg, V olum e 1. Martens. Elmer A., God’s Design: A Focus VA: C hristian L ig h t P ublications, 1981. Fahrer. Walfred J.. Communion: Joined on Old Testament Theology. Grand Rap­ Yoder, Bruce, The God Connection: Living to the Body. Scottdale, PA : Herald Press, ids. M I: B aker Book House, 1981. Pp. the Future Now. 1980. 1981. Pp. 29. A S tudy for New B elievers: 271. Yoder, John H., Die Politik Jesu-Der Weg Vol. 4. Martin. John R., Keys to Successful Bible Des Kreuzes. Maxdorf, W. Germany: A- Fahrer, Walfred J.. Covenant: Baptized in­ Study. Scottdale. PA: Herald Press. gape V erlag, 1981. Pp. 234. to Christ. Scottdale, PA: Mennonite Pub­ 1981, Pp. 180. Yoder, John H„ Preface to Theology: lishing H ouse, 1981. Pp. 32. McGrath, William R., Bible Herbs, Plants Christology and Theological Method. Elk­ Fahrer, Walfred J., Faith: Walking in the and Trees: How They Were Used for h art, IN: Goshen Biblical Seminary, n.d. Resurrection. Scottdale, PA: Herald Meat, Medicine and Meditation. M inerva. P ress. 1981. Pp. 25. A S tudy for New O H : au th o r. 1981. P p. 25. BOOKS—GENERAL B elievers: Volume 3. McGrath. William R., Bible Numerology: Aberle, George P., Anecdotes of the Friesen, Ivan and Rachel, What Did Jesus Devotional Studies on the Spiritual Mean­ Prairies. Bismarck. ND: Quality Print­ Teach Us! Scottdale, PA: Herald Press. ing and Use of Various Numbers in the ing Service, n.d. 1981. Pp. 15. Shalom P am phlet 3. Bible. M inerva. O H : au th o r, 1981. Pp. 31. Aberle, George P., From the Steppes to the Friesen. Ivan and Rachel. What Has the McGrath, William R., A Bible Treasury: Prairies. Bismarck, ND: Tumbleweed Church Done! Scottdale, PA: Herald A Brief Survey of the Bible for Those Press. 1918. Press, 1981. Pp. 15. Shalom P am p h let 4. Who Love God’s Word. Harrisonburg. Adams. Robert Hickman, White Churches Friesen. Ivan and Rachel. What is a Chris­ VA: Amish M ennonite P ublishers. 1981. of the Plains: Examples from Colorado. tian? S cottdale, PA : H erald Press. 1981. Pp. 132. Boulder, CO: Colorado Associated Uni­ Pp. 16. Shalom P am phlet 2. McGrath. William R., The Charismatic versity Press. 1970. Geloof Niet in Geweld: Gesprerksmaterlal Movement Versus the Bible. M inerva, Albert. David. Tell the American People: over bijbel, Kerk en Anti-militarisme. O H : au th o r, 1981. Pp. 20. Perspectives in the Iranian Revolution.

SEPTEMBER, 1982 21 Philadelphia. PA: Movement for a New Ewert. David, Und Dann Kommt dos Ende. m ann Boehlaus N achfolger, 1980. Pp. 137. Society. 1980. L ie sta l: W orte des Lebens, 1981. Pp. 64. Kraybill, Russell. Index for Rural Evan­ Allyger, Jolin D., Kentucky Bound. L an­ The Face of Change in Central America: gel and Gospel Evangel from 1919-1980: caster, PA : 1981. Pp. 72. An MCC Study Resource. Akron. PA: Congregational and Biogrophical s.l.: Ammacher. Max. Geschichtliches über Reut- MCC. 1981. Unpaged. au th o r, 1980. Pp. 21. iijcn-Stocken. s.l.: s.n., [19817]. Pp. -19. Fike. Doug. The Rising Tides Essays for Landis. Mary M., Ice Slide Winter: A Arndt, Karl J. R.. George Rapp’s Separat­ the Traveler, Goshen. IN: Pinchpenny Merry Brook Story. Crockett, KY: Rod ists: 1700-1803. W orcester. MA: H arm ony Press. 1981. Pp. 62. and S taff Publishers, 1981. Pp. 289. Society Press. 1980. Pp; -180. Friesen, Delores Histand. Living More Lange. Martin, Witnesses of Hope: the Ary. Noel. Museums of Southwest Kansas. With Less: Study/Action Guide. Scott­ Persecution of Christians in Latin Amer­ Dodge City. KS: Cultural Heritage and dale. PA : H erald Press, 1981. Pp. 111. ica. Maryknoll. NY: Orbis Books. 1980. A rts Center. 1969. Friesen, Ivan & Rachel. How do you De­ Lehman. James. The Divorce of Russell Augsburger, David. Caring Enough to For­ cide? Scottdale. PA: Herald Press, 1981. Ilershey, Elgin, IL: Brotherstone Pub­ give: True Forgiveness. Caring Enough Pp. 16. lishers, 1981. Pp. 409. to not Forgive: False Forgiveness. Scott- Friesen. Ivan & Rachel. What are the Liebbrandt. Gottlieb. Little Paradise: 'The dale. PA : H erald Press. 1981. Pp. 98. Issues t Scottdale. PA: Herald Press, Saga of the German Canadians of Water­ Bair, Ray & L illian. God’s Managers: A 1981. Pp. 15. loo County, Ontario 1800-1975. K itchener. Budget Guide and Daily Financial Rec­ Gerber. Samuel, Habt Nicht Lieb Die Welt. O N : A llprint Co. L td.. 1980. Pp. 342. ord Book for Christians. Scottdale. PA: Liestal. Switzerland: Worte des Lebens. Linehan. Kevin. Odyssee eines Homosexu­ H erald Press. 1981. Pp. -17. 1981. Pp. 52. ellen. Berneck, Switzerland: Schwengeler, Baldwin. Kathlyn, The 89ers: Oklahoma Good. Noah G., The Henner Stories, (cas­ 1980. Pp. 218. Land Rush of 1889. O klahom a C ity : sette). Lancaster, PA: PA Mennonite Loewen, Abram J.. Wechselvolle Pfade. W estern H eritage Books. 1981. H eritage. 1980. Clearbook. B .C .: au th o r. 1980. Pp. 67. Barlcman. Alma. Times to Treasure. Chi­ Gooding, Lorie, Mostly Sunny Weather. Longenecker. Stephen L.. The Christoper cago, IL : M oody Press. 1980. Pp. 96. M urray. K Y : au th o r. 1981. Pp. 24. Sauers: Courageous Printers Who De­ Barkman. Sue. The Common Sen.se Alma­ Gräber. Kenneth L.. Credit and the De­ fended Religious Freedom i» Early nac. Steinbach, MB: Derksen Printers, velopment Process. Akron, PA: Menno­ America. Elgin, IL: The Brethren Press. 1981. Pp. 181. nite Coneral Com m ittee, 1981. Pp. 28. 1981. Pp. 147. Beachv, Marlene. Creative Nutrition for Harding, Vincent. There is a River: The Lowry. James W.. In the Whale’s Belly: Kids: Putnam. IL: Teacher Tested Ma­ Black Struggle for Freedom in America. Stories of Christian Martyrs Whose Faith terials, 1981. Pp. 87. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. W as Stronger Than Death. Harrisonburg. Becker. Palmer. Congregational Goals Dis­ 1981. Pp. 46. VA: C h ristian L ight P ublishers. 1981. covery Plan. Newton. KS: Commission Harfield. Hermann. Irina oder die Enkel Pp. 127. on H om e M inistries. 1980. Pp. 96. der Revolution. Wuppertal: R. Brock- Luebke, Frederick C.. Ethnicity on the Beckmann. David M.. Where Faith and haus V erlag. 1980. Pp. 272. Great Plains. Lincoln, NE: Nebraska Economics Meet: A Christian Critique. Hershberger, Maretta, Around the World U niversity Press. 1980. Pp. 237. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House. With Ernest Sam. Elkhart. IN: MBM. Martin. Maurice. Identity and Faith: Youth 1981. Pp. 154 1981. Pp. 20. in a Believers Church. Scottdale, PA: Berg, Nettie. Jackoo's Secret Letter, W in­ Hess. Arlene and Miriam Lefever. eds.. H erald Press. 1981. Pp. 103. nipeg. M B: T he C hristian Press, 1980. Ladies Auxiliary of Black Rock Retreat. Mast. J. Lemar. Index to C. Z. Mast and Pp. 48. Family Favorites. Lancaster, PA: Ladies R. E. Simpson’s Annals of Conestoga Boldt, Cornelius. The Sowers Went Forth A uxiliary of Black Rock R etreat. 1981. Valley. Elverson. PA : author, 1981. Pp. to Sow. Saskatoon SA: author, 1980. Pp. Pp. 312. 67. 70. Hiebert, Waldo. Deacons and Their Minis­ McGrath. William R.. What is Like Tobac­ Bontrager. Martha. The New Favorites. try. H illsboro: K indred Press. 1981. Pp. co—But Highly Esteemed by Many. Min­ Shipshew ana. I N : au th o r, 1981. Unpaged. 44. erva. OH : au thor. 1981. Pp. 24. Bowman. Dale E. and Mary Jo Frederick. I-Iintz, Forrest. The Vanishing Towns of McGrath. William R.. Why We Wear Plain From Under the Bed a Moo. Goshen, IN: Kansas. Wichita. KS: Wichita Eagle- Clothes, s .l.: au thor. 19817. Pp. 44. P inchpenny Press. 1981. Pp. 36. Beacon, 1981. Meeting Calendars. Ml. Foresl. ON: Book Brubaker. Dianne, Exposition II: A Collec­ Hobbs, Ruth Kurtz. The Christian Short Room. 1980. Pp. 504. tion of Essays. Goshen. IN : Pinchpenny Story. Crockett, KY: Rod and Staff Pub­ Mellinger. Martha. Little Ones Praise. H ar­ Press. 1981. Pp. 52. lishers. 1980. Pp. 356. risonburg. VA: Christian Light Publica­ Brunk. William C.. The Progeny of Chris­ Holsopple. Curtis R.. The Expansion of tions. 1981. Pp. 25. topher Brunk. Harrisonburg. VA: au­ WGCS Radio, Goshen, Indiana. Muncie. Miller. Elizabeth. The Winding Road. Ayl­ thors. 1981. Pp. 510. I N : au th o r, 1980. Pp. 47. m er. O N : P ath w ay Publishers. 1981. Pp. Bruntz. George G.. Children of the Volga. Horst. Isaac R.. Baptismal Records 1842 171. A rdm ore. PA : D orrance & Co., 1981. 1980. Mount Forest. ON: Book Room. Miller. John W.. Step by Step Through Bruyn. Serveryn T.. Quaker Testimonies 1980. Pp. 64. the Parables. New York/Ramsey: Paul­ and Economic Alternatives. Labanan. PA: Hurt. R. Douglas, The Dust Bowl: an ist P ress. 1981. Pp. 162. Sow ers P rin tin g Co.. 1980. Agricultural and Social1History. Chicago. Mondy. Robert William. Pioneers and Burkholder, J. Lawrence. To Drink or Not I L : N elson-H all. 1981. Preachers: Stories of the Old Frontier. to Drink. Scottdale. PA: Herald Press. Isern, Thomas D., Custom Combining on Chicago. IL : Nelson H all. 1980. Pp. 268. 1981. Pp. 23. the Great Plains: a History. N orm an. Month of Jubilee Packet. Elkhart. IN: Buzzard. Lynn Robert and Ron Kraybill. O K : O klahom a U niversity Press, 1981. Indiana-M ichigan Conference. 1981. Un­ Mediation: A Reader. Oak Park, IL: Pp. 248. paged. Christian Legal Society and Mennonite Jackson. Dave, Dial 911. Scottdale, PA: Munro. Joyce Clemmer. Willing Inhabi­ C entral Com m ittee. 1980. H erald Press, 1981. Pp. 150. tants: .4 Short Account of Life in Fran­ Conley, Lucy. The Priceless Privilege and Janz, Willy, Gemeinde unter de?» Kreuz conia Township, Montgomery Co., Pa. Other Stories. Crockett. KY: Rod and des Suedens. Herausgegeben von der Soudertor.. PA: Horace W. Longaere S taff Publishers. 1981. Pp. 242. Suedamerikanischen Konferenz der Men- Inc.. 1981. Pp. 125. Conrad. Robert W.. The First 150 Years. m enoniten B rüdergem einden. 1980. Pp. Nafziger. Verna M.. Things Aren’t Like Goshen. IN: The News Printing Co.. 225. They Used to Be. Hopedale. IL: author. 1981. Pp. 276. Johns, Steven Ray. Kissing the Sky. Gosh­ 19817 Pp. 39. Death Penalty Packet. Elgin. Illinois: en, I N : P inchpenny Press, 1981. Pp. 38. N eufeld. Bernie. W orship in Youth and Church of the Brethren. [19807], 14 en­ Johnson, Arta F., flow to Read German Children's Groups. Newton. KS: Faith closures. Records Without Knowing Much German. and L ife Press, 1981. Pp. 43. Derstine. Gerald. Following the Fire. Colum bus, O H : author, 1981. Pp. 48. Newcomb. Thomas L.. Bilingual/Bicultural Plainfield. N.J.: Logos International. Kauffman, Joel, The Best of Brothers and Instruction with Pennsylvania German 1980. Pp. 277. Sisters. Elkhart, IN: Brothers and Sis­ Speaking Children. Garrettsville. OH: Drescher. John M.. An stillen Wassern: ters, 1981. Pp. 91. au thor. 1980. Unpaged. Der 23. Psalm in Wort und Bild. M ar­ Keefer, Carl E. and Gerald J. Brinser, You Newcomb. Thomas L.. Buggies, Broad­ burg an der Lahn: Verlag der Francke- and Your Will: A Guide to Christian Es- brims, Bonnets and Beyond, Garrettsville. B uchhandlung 1980, Unpaged. state Planning. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker O H : au thor, 1980. Pp. 10 Drescher. John M., Du bist die Quelle: Book House, 1981. P p. 24. Neu comb. Thomas L.. Factors and Con­ Kleinode aus Gottes Schatzkammer. M ar­ Kehler, Larry, Making Room for Strangers. siderations When Testing and Evaluating burg an der Lahn: Verlag der Francke- W innipeg, M B : MCC Canada, 1981. Pp. Pennsylvania Dutch Speaking Children. Buchhandlung. 1980. Unpaged. 78. G arrettsville, O H : au th o r. 1980. Pp. 3. Duerrenmatt, Friedrich, Es stegt geshrie- Klaassen, Walter, The University: The Newcomb, Thomas L., The Rose and Other ben. Die Wiedertauefer: zwei Stucke. Temple of Intellect Past and Present. Stories of the Plain People. Garrettsville, M uenchen: DTV. 1979. Waterloo, ON: Conrad Grebel College, O H : B lue Denim Books. 1980. Pp. 28. Durnbaugh, Donald F., Flock food: A Con- 1981. Pp. 14. O'Neill. Brian, Kansas Rock Art. Topeka. summer’s Guide to Better Sermons. Elgin. K lassen. A. J ., .4 Bonhoeffer Legacy: K S: KS S tate H istorical Society. 1981. IL : T he B rethren Press, 1980. Pp. 16._ Essays in the Understanding. G rand Osiander. Andeas. Schriften und Briefe, Epp, Frank H., Evangelism: Good. News Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., Mai 1530 bis Ende 1532. Guetersloh: or Bad News. A kron. PA : MCC, 1981. 1981. Pp. 382. Guetersloher Verlagshaus Gerd Mohn. Pp. 22. Korell, Guenter, Juergen Wullenwever: 1981. Pp. 498. Estate and Financial Planning Handbook. Sein sozial-politisches Wirken in Luebeck Our Country of Belize. Spanish Lookout. Steinbach. MB: Evangelical Mennonite und der Kam} mit den erstarkenden B elize: T he School Board. 1981. Pp. 54. Conference, 1980. Pp. I d. Maechten Nordeuropas. Weimar: Her­

22 MENNONITE LIFE Peachey. Paul, Proceedings Marpeck A- 1980. P p. 185. P rin t Shop, 1981. Pp. 39. cademy. Washington. D.C.: Marpeck Witmer, Edith. Ray’s Adventures with New Winter-Loewen. Maria. Gelegensheits-Ge- Academy, 1980. Pp. 36. Neighbors. Crockett. KY: Rod and Staff. dichte: Weihnachts, Neujahrs, Geburt­ Petkau. Irene Friesen. Where Land and 1981. stag, Hochzeits, Silber-und Goldenen- People Meet. Winkler. MB: Blumenfeld Wortman, Julie A,, Legacies: Kansas Old­ Jubilaums Gedichte, St. Catherines. ON: H istorical Com m ittee. 1981. Pp. 264. er County Courthouses. Topeka. KS: Selbstverlag. 1981. Pp. 174. Phoenix 1981. Vol. X X III. S haron Sacra, Kansas State Historical Society. 1981. ed. H arrisonburg. VA: s.n., 1981. Yoder, Robert S.. Judgment Unto Victory, GENEALOGIES Pocket Diary of Martha A. Good. In d ian ­ Sugarcreek, O H : L ife Lines P ub.. 1981. Andres. Helen C.. Sawatsky Genealogy apolis. IN: Niddi Stoddard-Scofield, 1981. Pp. 128. 17110-1980. Abbotsford. B.C.: author, 1980. Pp. 24. Young. Margaret L., Subject Directory of Pp. 75. Refugees—Friends Without a Home. Akron. Special Libraries and Information Cen­ Baer. Lydia Kurtz. The Jacob S. Kurtz PA : M ennonite C entral Com m ittee, 1981. ters. Vol. IV. Detroit. MI: Gale Re­ Family. Harrisonburg, VA: Park View Reimer. Bernhard, P. D., Index to Obitu­ search Co., 1981. Pp. 404. Press. 1981. Pp. 67. aries in “Familienfreund” 1934-June 1981. Zehr, Howard. The Christian as Victim. Bangs. Jeremy D., Friesens and Cousins, A S teinbach. M anitoba: 1981. Pp. 26. Akron, PA: Mennonite Central Commit­ Baltic Past. Palatine, IL: author, 1980. Rem pel. John. Manitoba Wine Bargains tee. Victim Offender Reconciliation Pro­ Pp. 24. and Non-Bargains. Winnipeg, MB: Hy­ gram . 1981. Pp. 27. Bauer. Royal II.. Descendants of Peter perion P ress L td.. 1980. Pp. 61. Zimmerman. Ada Mae, The Playhouse. Bauer <1833-1906) and Christian Sacken­ Rich. Elaine Sommers, Am I This Coun­ Crockett, KY : Rod and Staff Publishers. reuter Bauer (1839-1882). Goshen, IN: tryside? Goshen. IN: Pinch penny Press. 1980. P p. 31. author. 1981. Unpaged. 1980. Pp. 37. Zook. Nancy. A Garden for Everyone. Brubaker. Mary S., Mauch-Brubaker fami­ Roth, Jonathan N., Microbiology for Every­ Crockett. KY: Rod and Staff Publishers. lies of the Page Valley of Virginia. 1980. one. Goshen, IN : Conviron. Inc.. 1981. 1980. B urkhart, B. Le Roy, History of the Fami­ Pp. 53. Zweite Fibel, Belize. 1980. Pp. 54. ly of David Z. and Mary Ann Burkhart Ruth. Merle. The Significance of the Chris­ with Prelude: The Forebears, s .l.: au­ tian Woman’s Veiling. Crockett. KY: — COOKBOOKS thor, 1980. Rod an d S taff P ublishers. 1980. Pp. 23. Bartlett. Virgina K., Pickles and Pretzels: Burkhart, Menno B., History of the EU M. Sawatsky. Walter, Soviet Evangelicals Since Pennsylvania’s World of Food. Pittsburg. Burkhart and Elizabeth G. Brubacher World War II. Scottdale, PA: Herald PA: University of Pittsburgh Press. Descendants. Brutus, MI: author. 1981. Press. 1981. Pp. 527. 1980. Pp. 287. Unpaged. Scarinci. Tom, After the Last Heartbeat. Braun. Helene. Gemischte Rezepte fur Dyck, J. P.. Klass Dueck and Descendants Chappaqua. NY: Christian Herald Books. Küche und Backstub. Chaco. Paraguay: (1743-1981). S pringstein, M B: 1981. Pp. 1980. Pp. 186. K olonie Menno, 1979. 122. Schmidt. Barbara Schwartz. Flowers from Children’s favorite meals from Amish Eash. Joe and Thomas Miller, Family Rec­ the Garden of My Thought and Others: schools. Dalton. Ohio: Poetry Publishers, ord of David J. Kauffman and His Des­ Book No. 2. M onroe, I N : 1981. Pp. 48. 1979. cendants 1859-1981. s .l .: s.n., 1981. Un­ Schmidt. Melvin D., Funerals and Funeral Gaeddert. LouAnn, Survival Cooking for paged. Planning. Newton. KS: Faith and Life the Busy and the Broke. Canaan, NY: Ens. Anna Epp, ed.. Das Haus Heinrigh: Press, 1980. Pp. 72. M ilk and H oney Press. 1981. Pp. 48. die Geschichte von Heinrich Epp (1811- Schrock. Miriam Martin, Holistic Assess­ Groff. Betty. Betty Groff’s Country Good­ 1863) von Rosenort, Molotschna und seine ment of the Healthy. Iow a City, IA : ness Cookbook. Garden City, NY: Dou­ Nachkommen, Winnipeg. MB: Epp Buch Jo h n W iley & Sons. 1980. bleday £ Co., 1981. Pp. 320. Kom itee, 1981. Pp. 95. Schrock, Simon. The Price of Missing Life. Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church Cook­ Eshelman. John W. and Esther F. Eshel- Scottdale. PA: Herald Press for Choice book. Hillsboro. KS: Ladies of the Upper m an, Descendants of Peter Eshelman of Books, 1981. Pp. 100. Room S unday School class. 1981. Pp. 217. Swaora, 1724-1780 Immigrants 1749, s.l. Schultz. Lilli, Shadow of Death. H arriso n ­ Horst, Isaac R., compiler. Conestoga Men- authors. 1979. Pp. 147. burg, VA: Christian Light Publications. nonile Cookbook. Mt. Forest. ON: au­ Filby. J. William, Passenger and Immi­ 1981. Pp. 281. th o r 1981. Pp. 238. gration Lists Index . . . 3 vols. Detroit: Scribner, R. W., For the Sake of Simple Longacre. Doris .Tanzen. More-With-Less Gale Research Co.. 1981. Folks: Popular Propaganda for the Ger­ Cookbook. New York. NY: Bantam Friesen. Gerry. The Friesens Past and man Reformation, 2nd ed. London: Cam­ Books. 1981. Pp. 328. Present. S an ta B arbara. C A : n.p., 1979. brid g e U niversity Press. 1981. Pp. 299. Lund. Adrienne F.. The Amish W ay Cook­ Pp. 46. Slive. Seymour and H, R. Hoetink. Jacob book. Chagrin Falls, ON: Jupiter Press. Gingrich. John Edmond. Gingrich Family van Ruisdael. New Y'ork: Abbeville 1981. Pp. 196. Genealogy with Limited Historical and Press. 1981. Pp. 271. Miller. Mark Eric, ed., Amish Cooking. other data of the Ulrich Gingrich Family. Smith. Tllman R., In Favor of Growing Deluxe Edition. Scottdale. PA: Herald Owen Sound, ON: author, 1981. Pp. 754. Older: Guidelines and Practical Sugges­ Press. 1981. Pp. 318. Gnagey. Elias, -4 Complete History of tions for Planning Four Retirement Ca­ Muddy Pond Mennonite Community Cook­ Christian Gnaegi and A Complete Family reer. S cottdale. P A : H erald Press. 1981. book. Monterey. TN: The Habegger Sis­ Register. Third Ed. Salisbury, PA: Noah Pp. 197. ters. 1981? Pp. 79. D. W engerd, 1981. Pp. 204. Sommer. Pierre, Historiquc des Assem­ Voth. Norma Jost, Festive Cakes of Goering. M artin M. (M rs.) and Jo h n D. bles. s.l.: Association Francaise d'His- Christmas. Scottdale. PA: Herald Press. Schräg, The Peter P. Kaufman Family torie Anabaptiste-Mennonites, s.a. Un­ 1981. Pp. 87. 1824-1981. N orth N ew ton. K S: T he Men­ paged. Zook. Joe. Authentic Pennsylvania Dutch nonite Press. 1981. Pp. 120. Stoll, Joseph, A Partial Index to the Book, Recipes. Gordonville. PA: Print Shop. Habegger. David L., The Life of Samuel Out of the Wilderness, s .l .: au th o r, 1981. 1981. Pp. 14. B. Hirschy. W ichita, K S: au thor, 1981. Pp. 4. Pp. 34. Stoll. Joseph. Shagbark Hickory. Aylmer. FICTION. POETRY, and CRITICISM Hansborough, John W., History und Gene­ O N : P ath w ay P ublishers. 1981. Pp. 176. Dyck. Arnold. Tivo Letters/The Million­ alogy of the Ilansborough-Hansbrough Studies in Nonconformity on Outline Study aire of Goat field/Runde Koake. T ran s­ Family with data on the Hanbury, Gar­ Form. Sugarcreek. OH: Schiabach Print­ lated and edited by Elisabeth Peters. rard, Lash, Devous, David, Wathen and ers. 1981. Pp. 51 Steinbach. MB: D erksen P rin ters. 1980. Bell Families. A ustin. T X : author, 1981. Swope, E. J. Jr.. The Life and Times of Pp. 70. Pp. 277, One Boy ivho Grew up in America from Esh. Samuel H.. Poems of God’s Servants. Hawbaker, Gary T.. A New Index, Lan­ Horse and Buggy Days to the Rocket s.l. : au th o r. 1981. P p. 14. caster County, Pennsylvania. Before the Age. Escondido, C A : au thor, 1982. P p. 95. Froeschle. Hartmut, Nachrichten aus On­ Federal Census. 2v. Thiessen. Hermann. Martin Thiessen und tario: Deutschesprachige Literatur in Hawbaker. Gary T., Records of Pastoral Seine Nach Kommen 1737-1977. B urgdorf, Kanada. H ildesheim : Olms Press, 1981. Acts at the Lutheran and Reformed W. Germany. 1981? Pp. 290. Congregations of the Muddy Creek Towards Wholeness (a resource packet pre­ I-Iarnish. Elta. Through-out the Years. G or­ Church, East Cocalico Township . . . pared for Handicap Awareness). Winni­ donville, PA : P rin t Shop, 1979. Pp. 67. Pennsylvania. peg, MB: Mennonite Central Committee, Keith, W. J., .4 Voice in the Land: Essays Heinrichs. Neil, Kornelius Heinrichs and 1981. by and about Rudy Wiebe. Edmonton. his Descendants, 1782-1979. A ltona, MB: Weimar. ’Robert E.. German Religions A L : N eW est Press. 1981. Pp. 256. 1980. Pp. 286. Come to America. Albuquerque, NM: Klassen, I. P.. Licht und Schatten. I. Teil. Helmuth. Martha. Descendants of John W eim ar Press. 1980. Pp. 411. Gedichte. Winnipeg, MB: Selbstverlag. Helmuth. 1980. Welty, Lavon, Youthinlc: Essays on Con­ 1981. Pp. 92. Hershberger, Larry, et. al., Edwin Hersh­ gregational Youth Min is try. Scottdale. Morley, Patricia A.. Hugh Hood & Rudy berger 1880-1965. Sykesvill, M D : authors, PA: Mennonite Publishing House, 1981. Wiebe: the comedians. Toronto: Clarke. 1980. Pp. 45. Pp. 69. Irw in & Co.. 1977. Hildebrandt, Henry E., The Hildebrandts Wiebe. Katie Furik. Second Thoughts. Schmidt. Barbara Schwartz. Flowers from 1762-1981: a Pictorial Album of the des­ Hillsboro. KS: Kindred Press. 1981. Pp. the Garden of My Thoughts and Others. cendants of Peter and Mary Hildebrandt. 201. Gordonville. PA : P rin t Shop. 1981. Pp. Sw ift C urrent, SA : au th o r, 1981. Un­ Wiebe. Rudy, The Mad Trapper. T o ro n to : 48. paged. M cCelland and S tew art, 1980. Pp. 189. Schmucker. John. Laura and Lovina. Ein Hollinger. Paul R., Clayton G. and Fianna Wingert, Norman A., To Have is to Owe. Zuspruch zu Euch Liebe Kinder auf B. Hollinger Family "1980’'. s.l.: 1980. Ontario, CA: Bunkhouse Publishers. Diese Pilger Reise. Gordonville. PA: Pp. 20.

SEPTEMBER, 1982 23 Humphrey. Judy Hertzler, Isaac Hertzler sen. 1980. Pp. 119. MENNONITES AND RELATED Family Reunion with Allied Nefzinger Roupp, Paul E.. Roots, Continuing Gener­ DENOMINATIONS Descendants. Waynesboro, VA: 1980. ations: John Risser Hess, 1828-1897. Hess- Amish Directory of the Lancaster County Isaac. Peter. A Family Book from 1694 to ton, K S : au th o r, 1980. Unpaged. Family: Extending to Chester, \fork. 1916 and Personal Experiences by Peter Royer. Gladys Cool. The Ernest (Kuhl) Lebanon . . . Gordonville. PA: Pequea Isaac, Rosenort, M B: Prairie View Press. Cool Family. Goshen, IN: author, n.d.. P ublishers, 1980. P p. 304. 1980. Pp. 66. Pp. 154. Arnold, Emmy. Torches Together, the Be­ Janz, Edward David. Jam Familien- Ruff. Paul Miller, The German Church ginning and Early Years of the Bruder­ Stammbaum: Canada, Brasilien, Para­ records of Westmoreland County, PA. hof Communities. Farmington, PA: guay, Deutschland, Russland, Polen. wv. 1980-1931. Plough Press. 1971. D eutschland, Bibeischuie B rake, 1980. Schlabach, Owen (Mrs.), Family History Arnold, I-Ieini & Annemarie, Seeking for Ms. Pp. 17. of the Descendants of Jeremiah and the Kingdom of God: Origins of the Jeffery, Mary Dueck, Aeltester Johann Veronica Miller 1848-1980. T renton. KY : Bruderhof Communities by Eberhard and Funk: A Faintly Tree ivith Notes on his au th o r, 1980. Pp. 188. Emmy Arnold. Farmington, PA: Plough Life and Work. Winnipeg, MB: Jeffery. Schmidt. Etta S.. Genealogy of Johann Press. 1974. 1980. Pp. 229. Gerbrandt 1808-1881. W arsaw , IN : B artel Attorneys for Amicus National Committee Kauffman. Lloyd Charles Sr., A Genealogy Printing Co.. Pp. 156. for Amish Religious Freedom. Brief and History of the Kauffman Families. Schmidt, John F.. and Jacob A. Duerksen. Amicus Curiae of National Committee W illow S treet, PA : author, 1980. P p. 12. Sum m aries of Passenger Lists of Men- for Am ish Religious Freedom . No. 80- Kauffman, S. Duane, Christian Kauffman : nonite Immigrants to America, 1873-1900. 767 in the Supreme Court of the U.S. His Descendants and His People. B alti­ N. Newton. K S: authors, 1981. Pp. 49. P hiladelphia, PA : 1980, Pp. 14. m ore. M D: G atew ay Press, Inc., 1980. Schmidt, Nicholas J.. Jacob and Barbara Baergen, Rudy, The Mennonite Story: Pp. 285. tBoshart) Schmidt Genealogy, Milverton, Leaders Guide. Newton, KS: Faith and Keil, Marie, and Doris Swinehart, The O N : author. 1980. Pp. 61. L ife P ress, 1981. Pp. 62. Family of David and Catherine Geiser Schmucker. Smoker. Smucker. North Amer­ Bergthaler Mennonite Church of Morden, 1981. 5.1., authors. 1981. Pp. 66. ican G athering. Ju ly 23-24. 1981. Sm ith- Milestones and Memories, 1931-1981, M or­ Klosek, Linda M. G., The Gross family ville. OH. s.l.: s.n., 1981. Unpaged. den, MB: Bergthaler Mennonite Church History, 1754-1980. 1980. Schräg, Keith G.. et at. (ed.), The Daniel of M odern, 1981. Pp. 192. Kriebel. Warren R.. Ruth genealogy: a Schräg Family History and Genealogy. Blaikie, Alexander, The Philosophy of Partial Record of the Descendants of K itchener, O N : editors, 1981. Pp. 196. Sectarianism; or a. Classified Vieiv of Pioneer Henry Rugh and Several other Shank. Ames et al., John Shank (Schenck) the Christian Sects in the U.S. L ondon: Rugh Families of Bucks and Montgomery Family 1750-1979. s .l.: s.n., 1980. Pp. 187. Sam pson Low, Son & Co.. 1854. Counties in. Southern Pennsylvania. F ree­ Shank, James T., The Shank history. Des­ Comba, Emilio, History of the Wahlenses port, PA: Fountain Press, 197S. cendants of Daniel P. Shank, s.l.: Park of Italy, from their Origin to the Refor­ Kroeker. Evangeline et. ah, Johann Boese View Press. 1980. mation. New York: AMS Press. (1889), tBese) 1816-1977. U npublished, 1979. Pp. Shirk, Elizabeth, et, ai.. Henry B. Weaver’s 1978. Pp. 357. 329. Descendants, s .l .: author, 1981. Pp. 336. Craumer, Peter R., Energy Use and Agri­ Kropf. Ida Martin, Descendants of George Showalter. Elizabeth and Edith, Family cultural Productivity: a Comparison of .4 Yoder and Mary Miller, s.l.: authors. History of George Brauner Schoioalter Amish and Modern Agricultural Systems. 1980. Pp. 41. and Elisabeth (Lizzie) Ellen Blosser, s.l. : Madison, Wise: Wisconsin University. Lehman. Daniel R., The Descendants of authors. 1981? Pp. 27. 1977, Pp. 163. David B. and Sarah L. fHege) Lehman. Sm ucker. Jo h n R., -4 Collection of Smucker D enlinger. A. M artha, Real People: Amish Fayetteville. PA : au th o r, 1980. Pp. 35. Descendants Prepared for 1981 North and il/eiuioiiifes in Lancaster, Pennsyl­ Litwiller. Mary and Earl. Peter Litwiller American Smucker Reunion. I-Iarleysville. vania. Revised Ed. Scottdale, PA: Herald and Elizabeth Lichti Family History and PA : au th o r. 1981. Press. 1981. Pp. 86. Genealogy. Petersburg. ON: authors. Sperling. Jennie R.. Emma Jane Kratz Detwiler, Sharon. Philadelphia Mennonite 1981. Pp. 323. (Fulmer) family: descendants of John Directory 1981. P hiladelphia. PA : Men­ Meyer. Henry. Genealogy of the Meyer Valentine Kratz. 1981. nonite Board of Missions, Student and Family. 1980. Sperling, Jennie R.. Some Descendants of Young A dult Services, 1981. Pp. 37. Miller. Ammon (Mrs.). Schrock Family Henry Sell of Upper Saucon Twp. Lehigh Dick, C. L.. The Mennonite Conference of History. Goshen. I N : au thor. 1980. Pp. Countv. PA. Landsdale. PA: author. Alberta: A History of its Churches and 65. 1981. Pp. 70. Institutions, Edmonton, AB: The Men­ Miller. Edna, and Ruth Baer. John Sum­ Steiner. Lewis II. and Bernard C. Steiner. nonite C onference of A lberta. 1981. Pp. mers Family 1837-1981. s.l. : authors. History of the Steiner-Stoner Families 147. 1981. Pp. 105. in Germany and America Especially of Doopsgezinde bijdragen/nieuw reeks, 6, Miller. Firman M.. Family Record of the Descendants of Jacob Stoner, s.l.: 1980. A m ste rd am : Doops. H ist. K ring, John M. and Lydia Ilochstetler and their s.n., 1981. Pp. 24. 1980. Descendants from 1866-1981. Sugarereelc. Thomas. Irene Miller, Solomon Miller Fam­ Doopsgezind .jaarboekje (1980). Kolium: O H : au th o r. 1981. Pp. 38. ily History: Descendants of Solomon Banda. 1980. Miller. Ivan I.. The Handclasp: Ancestral Miller and Catherina Wengard 1843-1981. Dueck. Peter G.. el. al., Lowe Farm Berg­ History and Family Record of David D. M illcrsburg, O H : author, 1981. Pp. 85. thaler Mennonite Church 1905-1980. Lowe Schlabach and Sarah N. Miller 1860-1980. Turn, Helen Overholser, Samuel Overholt- Farm, Manitoba: Lowe Farm Bergthaler s.l.: author. 1981. zer of Virginia and Some of His Des­ M ennonite C hurch. 1980. Pp. 48. Miller. Marie Arlene (I-Ielmuth), The Links cendants. Belton. T X : author. 1981. Pp. Dyck. Betty, Hugging the Meridian-Mac- in my Life: Descendants of David D. 365. donald: .4 Manitoba Municipal History Helmuth and Fannie J. Kauffman (1876- Tuscarawas County Genealogical Society. 1881-1981. Sanford, M B: M acdonald Mu­ 1981). M iddlebury, IN : au th o r, 1981. Tuscarawas County. OH. Marriages. nicipality. 1981. Pp. 388. Pp. 58. 1808-1844, Vol. II. 1981. Dyck. Cornelius J. ed., An Introduction to Miller, Oscar R.. Descendants of Solomon Ulrich, Lloyd, The Descendants of Jacob Mennonite History: .4 Popular History: S. Miller and (1) Mary Hershberger and Susan Ulrich 1817-1981. Birdsboro. of the Anabaptists and the Mennonites, 1,2) Barbara Christner. Berlin. OH: au­ P A : au th o r, 1981. Pp. 130. 10th Printing. Scottdale, PA: Herald thor. 1981. Pp. 85. Waite, Francis Wise, Conley/Connelly: Press. 1981. Pp. 452. Miller, William. The Family Record of Descendants of Thomas Connelly of Dyck. Cornelius J. ed.. Something Mean­ John J. S. Miller and Nancy Catherine Northern Lancaster and York Counties, ingful for God: the MCC Story. Scott­ Miller and Their Descendants 1981. La- Pennsylvania. Doylestown. PA: author, dale. PA : H erald Press. 1981. Pp. 399. G range, IN : au th o r. 1981. Pp. 56. 1980. Pp. 302. Dyck Peter J., Troubles and Triumphs Miller, William Harold, Descendants of Weaver. Dorothy Lee. John George Weaver 1914-1924: excerpts from Peter J. Dyck, Michael Miller: a history of the descen­ Family, Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Ladekopp . . . Springstein. MB: John P. dants of Michael Miller II, son of Michael 1980. Dyck. 1981. Pp. 259. Miller I. Crawfordsville. IA: author. Weber, Eldon D.. Descendants of Pioneer Esh, Christian G.. The Beginning und De­ 1972? Pp. 75. Henry I-Iershey Weber (1793-1862) and velopment of Parochial Special Schools Newhard, Malinda E. E.. A Guide to Gene­ Salome (Baer) Bauman (1791-1868). in Lancaster County, 1875-1982. G ordon­ alogical Records in Indiana. 2nd ed.. K itchener, O N : author, 1981. Pp, 298. ville. PA : P rin t Shop. 1982. Pp. 29. H arlan. I N : author. 1981. Pp. 140. Yoder, Eli A., Descendants of Michael E. Eben-Ezer Mennonite Gemeinde, A bbots­ Niekeh John P., The Nikkel-Nickel Family Yoder, 1874-1980. 1980. ford. B.C. 197S. of Prussia, Russia, America and Canada. Yoder, Lester S., The Roots and Descen­ Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Confer­ Nanaimo. BC: Derksen Printers, 1981. dants of Mast and Mary Stoltzfus (as of ence. A concise record of our . . . annual Pp. 203. M ay 1981). W ooster, O H : author, 1981. conference reports. 1889-1979. (1980)? Noll, Paul. Roots to Joseph S. Witrner Pp. 148. Fike, Edwin and Faye. Index: A History (1842-1905). New Holland. PA: author, Yoder, Raymond Mark, Michael Yoder: His of the Brethren. Flemington. W.V.: Ed­ 1981. Unpaged. Roots 1799-1S78. Goshen, I N : author. win. Faye. Fike, 1981. Pp. 47. Oyer, Darrell. Descendants, of John B. 1981. Pp. 236. Foth, Maria. Beyond the Border. Maria’s Zimmerman and Martha Fahsbender. Zimmerly, John, Descendants of John and Miraculous Pilgrimage. Burlington, On­ A lexandria, V A : au th o r, 1980. Pp. 9. Elizabeth (Basinger) Zimmerly 1816-1980. ta rio : G. R. Welch Co. L td.. 1981. Pp. Pannabaker, Norman W., Samuel S. Pan­ s .l.: au th o r, 1980. Pp. 74. 140. nebaker Genealogy. Downington. PA : au­ Zook. Ann M., Family Record of Ephraim Griesen. Orland R., Out of the Wilderness: thor, 1980. Unpaged. and Katherine (Hoover) Hershey. History of the Central Mennonite Church Peters. Katie. Genealogy of Jacob Kroeker Brownstown. PA: author. 1980. Pp. 10. 1835-1960. G rand Rapids, M I: Dean-H icks 1754-1980. W innipeg, MB: E lsie A. K las­ Co. 1960. Pp. 243.

I 24 MENNONITE LIFE Groenveld S., Wederdopers, Menisten, Mast, Robert W., Building at Mt. Pleasant. Weaverland Conference, 1981. Mennonite Doopsgezinden in Nederland, 1530-1980. Chesapeake, VA: Mt. Pleasant Mennonite Calendar, s.l.: Weaverland Conference. Z u tp h e n : W alberg. 1980. Pp. 288. Church, 1980. Pp. 88. 1981. Guenther. Jacob G., Men of Steele: The McGrath, William R., Appreciating 15 Widmer. Pierre. Ce Que Croient Les Men­ Lifestyle of a Unique Sect, Saskatoon. Values of Our Amish-Mennonite Herit­ nonites. Montbeliard. France: Crist Seul. SA: au th o r. 1981. Pp. 261. age.. M inerva, O H : au th o r, 1981. P p. 24. 1981. Pp. 80. Marnish, Bob Brunk, Chicago Mennonite Matheson, Peter, ed.. The Third Reich and Wiebe. Gerhard, Causes and History of the Directory. Chicago. IL : MBM, 1980, the Christian Churches. Grand Rapids. Emigration of the Mennonites from Pp. 58. M I: E erdm ans. 1981. Russia to America. Winnipeg. MB: Mani­ H aurv. David A., A Guide to the Menno­ Melia, Pius, The Origin, Persecutions, and toba M ennonite H istorical Society, 1981. nite Library and Archives. North New­ Doctrines of the Waldenses. New York: Pp. 58. ton, K S: Bethel College, 1981. Unpaged. AMS P ress. 1978. Wolle, Heinrich and Gerhard. Die Menno­ Maury. David A.. Prairie People: A His­ Mennonitcngemeinde Ludwigshafen am niten Bruedergemeinde in Russland 1925- tory of the Western District Conference. Rhein. Die Mennoniten in Ludwigshafen 1980. Fresno, CA: C enter for M ennonite Newton. KS: Faitli and Life Press, 1981. Gemeinde Seit 1702. L udw igshafen. B rethren Studies, 1981. Pp. 229. Pp. 533. R hein: die Gem einde, 1980. Yoder, Don, ed., Rhineland Emigrants: Herr. H. Elvin. Memories of a Country Minutes of Old Order Amish Steering Com­ Lists of German Settlers in Colonial Mennonite Deacon. Goshen, IN: Susan mittee, 1966-1981, Vols. /-///. Gordon­ America. Baltimore. MD: Genealogical H err B urkholder. 1981. Pp. 62. ville. P A : P rin t Shop, 1972, 1980, 1981. Pub. Co.. 1981. Pp. 170. Hershberger. Neil N.. Church and Home Miracle on Marshall Road: 25 Years of the Yoder, Elmer S., The Amish Mennonites Directory of the Old Order Amish. Dover, Mennonite Benevolent Society of B.C. of Macon County, Georgia: the History D E : au th o r, 1980. Unpaged. 1953-1978. Cloverdale, B.C., Friesen P rin t­ of the Beachy Amish Mennonite . . . Hertzler. Daniel. From Germantown to ers, 1978. Hartville, OH: Diakonia Ministries, 1981. Steinbach: A Mennonite Odyssey. Scott- Molnar, Amedee, Die Waldenser: Ges­ Pp. 259. dale, PA : H erald Press. 1981. Pp. 255. chichte und europäische Ausdehnung Hofer, Joshua, Japanese Hutterites: A einer Ketzerbewegung. Berlin, Germany: MUSIC, FINE ARTS, AND EDUCATION Visit to Owa Community. Manitoba: Union V erlag, 1980, Pp. 456. ABC Lesebuch fuer Kinder. Gordonville. James Valley Book Centre, 1981V Pp. 94. Musselman, Howard, From the beginning: PA: Print Shop. (1982). Pp. 25. Hoffnungsfeld (Hopefield) Cemetery, Fairfield Mennonite Church 1927-1977. Arndt, Karl J. R.. ed.. Harmony on the Moundridge. Kansas: Hopefield Menno­ F airfield. P A : s.n., 1972. Pp. 72 Connoqueuessing: 1803-1815. W orcester. n ite Church, 1980. Unpaged. Newcomb, Thomas, A Brief Introduction MA: H arm ony Society Press. 1980. Pp. Holllnger, Paul, A History of the United to Amish Culture and Language Dialects. 1021. Zion Church, 1931. s .l .: U nited Zion G arrettsvllle, O H : au th o r, 1980. Pp. 4. Berry, Roger L., Teacher’s Guidebook for Church. Pp. 163. Newcomb, Thomas, Understanding the God’s World—His Story. Harrisonburg. Honig, Simon. 300 jaar Doopsgezinde vacr- Amish and Mennonites. Garrettsvllle. VA: C hristian L ight. 1980. maning in Koog en Zaandyk. s.l.: s.n.. O H : au th o r, 1980. Pp. 5. Brubaker, J. Lester, Personnel Adminis­ 1980. Old Order Amish Steering Committee tration in the Christian School. W inona Hoover, Amos B.. The Jonas Martin Era. Guidelines in Regards to the Old Order Lake, I N : EM H Books. 1980. Denver. PA: Muddy Creek Farm Li­ Amish or Mennonites. Gordonville, PA: Gospel Light Melodies. 2nd Printing. Gor­ brary , 1982. Pp. 1128. Print Shop. 1981. (4th printing) Pp. 72. donville, PA: Amish Mennonite Churches Hostetler, John A., Amish Life, Scottdale. Peachey, Alvin I., Somerset County Old of L an caster Co., 1980. Pp. 192. PA : H erald P ress. 1981. Pp. 39. Order Amish Church Directory. S alis­ I-Iandrich, Joetta, Living Lightly: New Hostetler. Pius, Life, Preaching and La­ bury, PA: Roy S. Kinsinger, 1981. Pp. Priorities for Home Economics. Teach­ bors of John D. Kauffman, Gordonville, 79. ers guide to eleven lessons on responsible PA : P rin t Shop, 1916 (rep rin ted 1980), Petkau, Irene Friesen and Peter, Blumen­ living for students. Akron, PA: Menno­ Pp. 36. feld. Where Land and People Meet. n ite C entral Com m ittee, 1981. Pp. 40. Johnson. Clara T., Milk for the World: Blumenfeld, MB: Blumenfeld Historical Hershberger, Henry J., Minimum Stan­ The Heifer Project on the West Coast: C om m ittee, 1981. dards for the Amish Parochial or Private A Story of Love in Action. Elgin, IL: Precious Ilemories: Borden Mennonite Elementary Schools of the State of Ohio T he B rethren Press 1981. Pp. 160. Brethren Church 1905-1980. Borden, S A : as a Form of Regulations. Apple Creek. Kaylor. Early C.. Out of the Wilderness. Borden Mennonite Brethren Church, OH: author, s.a. Unpaged. 1780-1980: the B rethren . . . in central 1980. Pp. 71. Hershberger, Maretta, ed.. Beautiful Feet: Pennsylvania. 1981. Qualls, Clara, Adam and Lizzie: Reformed A Journal for Teens. Elkhart. IN: Men­ Klassen. Walter. Ana-baptism: Neither Mennonites. A uberry, CA: author, 1981. nonite Board of M issions. 1981. Pp. 50. Catholic nor Protestant. Revised ed.. Pp. 101. Lederach. Paul M., The Christian on the Waterloo. ON: Conrad Press. 1981. Pp. Renno. John B., Writings by John B. Highway: A Study of Highway Safety 87. Renno. Bellviile, PA: Ezra Y. Peachey, from a Christian Perspective. Scottdale, Klassen. Walter. Anabaptism in Outline: 1980. Pp. 17. PA : M ennonite P u b lish in g House, 1981. Selected Primary Sources. Scottdale, PA: Schlabach, Ervin, The Amish and Menno­ Pp. 78. H erald Press, 1981. Pp. 356. nites at Walnut Creek. Sugarcreek, OH: Lovelace. Beryle and Marion Moorhead, Klippenstein, Lawrence, Mennoniten-Ges- Schlabach P rin ters, 1981. Pp. 117. eds., The Christian Family in Japan: chichte und Literatur: Eine Buecherliste. Schlabach, Virginia G.. et. al., Franconia Hayama Missionary Seminary. Amagi Winnipeg, MB: Mennonite Heritage Cen­ Mennonite Conference Continuing Christ’s Sansao, Japan: Hayama Men's Mission­ ter. 1981. Pp. 16. Presence in the World. Souderton, PA: ary Sem inar. 1981. Pp. 59.. K roeker. M. J.. First Mennonite Villages F ranconia M ennonite Conference. 1981. Mennonite Choral Festival ’80 Mass Choir. in Russia: Khortitse-Rosental 1789-1943. Pp. 21. (Cassette). Winnipeg, MB: Mennonite Vancouver, BC: author, 1981. Pp, 279. Scott, Stephen. Plain Buggies: Amish, B rethren Com m unications, 1980. Lapp. James M., What Mennonites Believe Mennonite, and Brethren Horse-Drawn Miller, Marie, Selected Songs. Gordonville. About Church Membership. Scottdale, Transportation. Lancaster, PA: Good PA : P rin t Shop, 1980. Pp. 58. PA : H erald Press. 1980. Pp. 8. Books. 1981. Pp. 96. Newcomb. Thomas, Getting Ready for Leaman, Mary Ellen Eby and Ivan Barge Shirk, Joseph II. and Ezra S., Records of School: A Booklet Prepared for Amish L eam an, The Story of Stumptown Men­ Ordinations of the Old Order Menno­ and Mennonite Parents. Garrettsvllle, nonite Church. Lancaster, PA, Menno­ nites: Groffdale Conference Churches O H : au th o r, 1980. Pp. 5. nite C hurch. Stum ptow n, 1981. 1750-1980. A dam stown, P A : authors, 1981. Our View of Education. Crockett. KY: Linscheid. Glen, We Did Take Root: A Pp. 125. Rod and S taff. 1981. Pp. 24. Brief Saga of the Migrations to the New Smith, C. Henry. Smith’s Story of the Men- Overholt, Joseph, Theological Themes in World by Galician . . . Butterfield MN: ucnites. Fifth Ed., Newton, KS: Faith the Hymns of the Ausbund. Uniontown. s.n., 1981. and L ife Press, 1981. Pp. 589. O H : au th o r, 1980. Pp. 96. Loewen, Abram J., Immer Weiter Nach Stauffer. Leon and Nancy, Mennonite Your Oyer, Mary, Exploring the Mennonite Osten: Sudrussland-China-Kanada, Ein Way Directory III. Salunga. PA: Men­ Hymnal, Scottdale, PÄ: Mennonite Pub­ siebzehnjähriger . . . Winnipeg: CMBC nonite Y our W ay, 1981. Pp. 80. lishing House, 1980. P p. 140. P ublications, 1981. Pp. 120. Stucky, Solomon, The Heritage of the Siviss Pellman, Rachel T. and Joanne Ranclc, Loewen. Ted, Reedley First Mennonite Volhynian Mennonites. Waterloo, ON: Quilts among the Plain People. L ancas­ Church: The First Seventy-Five Years, C onrad P ress, 1981. Pp. 222. ter, PA : Good Books, 1981. Pp. 96, 1906-1981. Reedley, CA: F irst M ennonite Three Score Years and Ten tvith God in Rasimus, Hans, Auswanderer aus Jockgrim Church, 1981. Pp. 102. Tiefengrund Rosenort Mennonite Church im 19. Jahrhundert, Karlsruhe: Baden­ Lohrenz. Gerhard. Mia. Neber den Amur 1910-1980. A ltona. M B: T iefengrund Rose­ druck, 1980. in die Freiheit. Die Lebensgeschichte n o rt M ennonite Church. 1980. Pp. 247. Rempel, John D. and Paul Tiessen, For­ einer Mennonitischen Frau, Maria De- Through Our Kitchen Windows, Sarasota, ever Summer, Forever Sunday. P eter Fehr auf Grund ihrer Aufzeichnungen, Florida: Tuttle Avenue Mennonite Gerhard Rempel's photographs of Men­ Winnipeg MB: DeFehr Foundation. 1981, Church. 1980. Pp. 254. nonites in Russia, 1890-1917. S t. Jacobs, Pp. 180, Triumph: 75th Anniversary Balko Menno­ O N : Sand H ills Books, 1981. Pp. 140. Looking Back: Salem-Zion Mennonite nite Brethren Church 1906-1981. Balko. Schmitt, Orlando, Church Music and Wor­ Church of Freeman, S.D. 1880-1980. F ree­ OK: Balko Mennonite Brethren Church. ship Among the Mennonites. Newton, man, S.D.: Pine Hill Press, 1980. Pp. 237. 1981. Pp. 175. K S: F aith and L ife P ress, 1981. Pp. 48. M artin, H. Roy, 1955-1980—Twenty-Five Twenty-five Years: a Time to Grow, W in­ School Day Favorites: Approx 188 Favor­ Year History of the Green Terrace Men­ nipeg. MB. Canada. Canadian Mennonite ite German and English Parochial School nonite Church, Ephrata, PA: Green Ter­ Bible College. 1972. Songs. Gordonville, PA: Gordonville race M ennonite C hurch. 1980. Pp. 35. P rin t Shop. 19S0. Unpaged.

SEPTEMBER, 1982 25 School Favorites: Around 110 of Our Fav­ RADICAL REFORMATION ples of Paraguay: Their Plight axid Their orite Songs. Gordonvllle, PA : Gordonville Balke. Willem. Calvin and the Anabaptist Prospects. Cambridge, MA: Cultural Sur­ P rin t Shop, 1980. Pp. 56. Radicals. Grand Rapids. MI: Eerdmans vival Inc., 1980. Pp. 122. Schwartz. Christian and Elizabeth, Sch­ P ublishers. 1981. Pp. 338. Pauls, Peter. Mennoniten in Brasilien: wartzs’ Song—Book. Geneva, IN : author, Bauer, Peter, Erfahrungen aus meinen Gedexikschrift zum 50 Jah r-Jubiläum 1981. 4th printing. Missionarsleben in den Dakotas: Ex­ ihrer Einqanderung. W itm arsu m : 1980. Steckley, Anna Marie, -4 song i»i the periences from my missionary life in Pp. 270. night. Elgin IL: The Brethren Press. the Dakotas. Cleveland. OH: Central Smucker, Carl F. and Irene Y., A Model 1981. Publishing House, n.d. to Assist Coxigregations in their Unique Stoltzfoos, Katie, Ausbund Tunes for Lan­ Bonnechose. Francois Paul Emile B. do Role in Ministry with the Aging. Akron, caster Co. Q uarryville, P A : author, 1980. The Reformers Before the Reformation. PA: Mennonite Central Committee, Waterford School Third Graders. The Good Reprint of 1881 ed. published by Harper. (1980). Pp. 13. Old Days: Stories from Greencroft. NY. AMS Press. 1980. Pp. 199. Zuercher. Melanie, Piti Piti Zouazo Fe Goshen, IN : K ids P ow er P ress, 1981. Glatfleter, Charles H., Pastors and People: Nich: Essays on Haiti. Goshen, IN: Pp. 57. German Lutheran and Reformed Church­ P inchpenny P ress, 1981. Pp. 56. Wiebe, Esther, Go Ye: A Cantata for Mixed es in the Pennsylvania Field, 1717-1793. Choir and Congregation. Winnipeg: vol. 2 The History. Breinigsville, PA: THESES AND DISSERTATIONS CMBC P ublications, 1980. Pp. 34. T he PA G erm an Society, 1980. Baum, Ruth E., The Etlinohistory of Law: Wohlgemuth. Paul W., Rethinking Church Harder. Leland, Zioinglt’s reaction to the the Hutterite Case. M.A. thesis: State Music. Carol Stream, IL: Hope Publish­ Schleitheim Confession of faith of the U niversity of New York, 1977. ing Company, 1981. Pp. 101 Anabaptists. Sixteenth Century Journal, Berg, Wesley Peter, Choral Festival and Yoder, Oien F., Axtsbund Melodies. Goshen, XI 1980: 51-66. Choral Workshops among the Meimonites I N : au th o r, 1980. Jensen. De Lamar. Reformation Europe: of Manitoba and Sasketchexvan, 1900- Zeager, Lloyd, Master Alphabetical Com­ Age of Reform and Revolution. L exing­ 1960 . . . P hD d isse rta tio n : U niversity of pilation of First Lines of All Hymns Ap­ ton, MA: D. C. H eath and Co., 1981. Pp. W ashington, 1979. P p. 232. pearing in Principal English-language 468. Biggs, Mark, Conservation Farmland Man­ Mennonite Church Hymbooks. . . Kirchhoff. Heinz. Utopia 1534-35. 2nd ed. agement—The Amish Farm versus Mod- M unster: A schendorff, 1981. dern Farm Belt Agriculture. M.S. thesis: PEACE AND WAR Klaassen, Walter, ed., Sixteenth Century S ta te C ollege P A : 1981, Pp. 41. Clouse, Robert B., War: !, Christian Views. Anabaptists: Defenses, Confessions and Epp, Esther Ruth, The Origins of Menno­ Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, Refutations, Waterloo, ON: Conrad Gre- nite Central Committee Canada. W inni­ 1981. Pp. 210. bel College. 1981. Pp. 208. peg, M B : 1980. M.A. Thesis. P p. 237. Directory of Civilian Public Service May, Landis. Ira D., Index of Scriptures, Quo­ Friesen, Lauren, Three Acts of King David. 1941 to March, 1947, W ashington, D .C .: tations and Allusions in the Complete M.A. thesis. Berkeley, CA, Pacific School National Service Bd. for Religious Ob­ Writings of Menno Simons 1496-1561. of Religion. 1981. Pp. 137. jectors, (1947). Reprinted, 1981. Pp. 166. Elkhart. IN : Goshen Biblical Seminary. Funk, Herta, Die Religiouse Weltanschau­ Dyck, Anny, Frieden, die Sehnsucht der 1981. ung in Ernst Bahrends’ Romanreihe das Welt. Nehausen-Stuttgatt: Hannssler- Macek, Josef. 7'he Hussite movement in Volk der Wanderschaft. Ph.D Disserta­ V erlag. 1979. Bohemia. N ew York. AMS P ress. 1980. tion, University of Kansas, 1981. Eitzen, Dirk W., and Timothy R. Falb, A Pp. 138. GIngerich, Ray C., The Mission impulse of Source Listing of I-W Materials. A kron, Mullet. Michael. Radical Religious Move- early Siviss and Soxtth German-Austrian PA. MCC, 1980. ments in Early Modern Europe. London. Anabaptism. PhD Dissertation: Vander­ Eller, Vernard, War and Peace from Gene­ E n g la n d : George Allen and U nwin, 1980. b ilt U niversity, 1980. P p. 368. sis to Revelation. Seottdale, PA: Herald Pp. 193. Gräber, Robert Botes, The sociological dif­ P ress. 1981. Poole, Reginald Lane, Wycliffe and Move­ ferentiation of a religious sect: schisxns Friesen, Ivan and Rachel, Why Is Peace ments for Reform. New York: AMS axnong Pennsylvania German Mennonites. Missing? Seottdale, PA: Herald Press, P ress, (1889), 1978. M.A. thesis: University of Wisconsin at 1981. Pp. 16. Schoeffler, Herbert. Die Reformation: ein- M ilw aukee, 1979. P p. 293. Funck, Werner, Kriegsdienstverweigerung: fuehrung in eine Geistesgechichte der Janzen, William, The Limits of Liberty in W as sagt die Bibel? W as tun die Kir­ deutschen Neuzcti. v. 1, 1936. Canada: The Experience of the Menno- chen? Graben-Neudorf, Jegendwerk der Stupperich, Robert, Martin Bucers Deut­ nites, Hutterites, and Doukhobors, PhD Konferenz Suddeutscher Mennoniten- sche Schriften. Gueterslaher: Gerd Mohn, dissertation: Carleton University, Ottawa, Gemeinden, 1930. P p. 52. 1981. P p. 647. 1981, P p. 743. Gallagher, May Beth et al, Education for Zehr, Howard. The Christian as Victim. Laurence, Hugh Getty, Change in Relig­ Peace and Justice: A Manual for Teach­ Akron, PA: Mennonite Central Commit­ ious, Sconomic, and Boundary Conditions ers. St. Louis, MO: St. Louis University, tee, (1981). P p. 27. among Amish Mennonites . . . D octoral 1974. T hesis, McGill U niversity, 1980, Pp. 313. Gutmann, Myron P., War and Rural Life SERVICE, OUTREACH, FAMILY Nachtlgal. Gary B.. Mennonite migration in the Early Modern Low Countries. AND MISSIONS and settlements of California. M.A. the­ Princeton. N J: Princeton University Becker. Dennis, ed., Faxnily Night at sis, C alifornia S ta te U niversity, 1972. P ress, 1980. Iloxne: Learning and Sharing Activities Oishan, Marc Alan, 7'he Old Order Amish Harder, Helmut, The Biblical Way of for the Family. Hillsboro. KS: Kindred as a model for Development. P hD dis­ Peace. Akron, PA: International Men­ Press, 1981. Pp. 153. se rtatio n , Cornell U niversity, 1980. nonite Peace Com m ittee, 1982. Pp. 34. Drescher, John M.. Seven Things Children Roth. Dwight E., Aging and Modernization Kraybill, Ronald S,. Repairing the Breach, Need. S eottdale, P A : H erald P ress, 1981. Among the Yoder Amish and Hesston S eottdale, PA : H erald P ress, 1981. Pp. 95. P p. 88. Mennonites. M.A. Thesis, Wichita State Marchand, C. Roland. The American Peace Eigsti, Diane Gerber, Susan Ann Clem­ U niversity, 1981. Pp. 103. Movement and Social Reform, 1898-1938. ent and Sandra L. McGuire, Comprehen­ Roth, Glen A.. Effecting Reconceptualiza­ Princeton, NI-I: Princeton University sive Family and Health Nxirsing. New tion and Change in Seven Mennonite P ress. 1972. York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1981. Pp. High Schools . . . Doctoral Thesis, Uni­ A Matter of Faith: A Study Guide for 625. versity of C incinnati. 1980. Churches on the Nuclear Arms Race. Ewert, Merrill, Humanization and Develop­ Schipani, Daniel S., Conscientization and Washington. D. C .: Sojourners, 1981, Pp. ment. Akron, PA: Mennonite Central Creativity: A Reinterpretation of Paulo 107. C om m ittee, 1981. Pp. 28. Freire, focused on His Epistemological McGinnis. James. Parenting for Peace and Harder. Gary and Lydia, Celebrating Chris­ and Theological Foundations xoith Im­ Justice. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. tian Marriage. Newton, KS: Faith and plications for Christian Education The­ 1981. L ife P ress, 1980. Pp. 48. ory. PhD dissertation. Princeton, N J: McGrath, William, Why we are Consci­ Harris, Joy, compiler. Our Father’s Lamp 1981. Pp. 260. entious Objectors to War. Minerva, OH: and Mother’s Light. Harleysvllle, PA: Schmidt, Henry J., Continuity and Change au th o r, 1980. J . Ja rris , 1981. Pp. 268. in an Ethical Tradition: a. case study of McSorley, Richard, Nexv Testament Basis Janzen, J. M., The Development of Health. North American Mennonite Brethren of Peacemaking. Washington, D. C .: Cen­ Akron, PA: Mennonite Central Commit­ Church-State rhetoric and practice 1917- te r fo r P eace Studies. 1979. tee, 1980. Pp. 32. 1979. Unpublished Phd dissei cation. Uni­ Peachey, Lome J.. How to Teach Peace Keidel, Levi, Gefangen im Kreuzfeuer. versity of Southern California, 1981. Pp. to Children. Seottdale. PA: Herald Press, Berneck, Switz: Schwengeler, 1980. Pp. 515. 1981. P p. 32. 183. Showalter, Shirley Hershey, A Triumph of Selective Service System. Classification In­ K insinger. Roy S., Me?ao7-ies of Paraguay: Comedy: Edith Wharton, Ellen Glasgow, formation Booklet. Washington, D. C.: Letter to the Home Folks while Enroute Willa Gather, and a Professional Coming- Selective Service System , 1981. Pp. 10. to Paraguay and Experience While Liv­ of-Age. PhD. Dissertation, University of Shelly, Maynard. Affirm Life: Pay for ing There by the Hertzlers. Salisbury, T exas, 1981. Pp. 345. Peace. Newton, KS: Historic Peace PA : Pp. 179. Yoder. John Durgin, Melville, Manifest C hurch T ask Force on T axes, 1981. Pp. Kraybill, Janet and Korla Miller. Two Destiny, and American Mission. PhD 79. Voices: -4 China Journal. Goshen, IN: Dissertation. State University of Iowa, Stackley, Muriel Thiessen, Read Peace, P inchpenny P ress, 1981. Pp. 32. 1980. P p. 451. Speak Peace, Teach Peace, Newton, KS: Landis, Paul M., Keuschheit im christlich­ Yoder. Lawrence M., The Church of the F aith and L ife Press, 1980. P p. 190. en Heim. Crockett, KY: Rod and Staff Muria: A History of the Muria Christian War Tax Packet. Revised and Updated P ublishers, 1980. Pp. 31. Church of Indonesia—GKMI. M. A. th e ­ Akron, PA: Mennonite Central Commit­ Maybury-Lewis, David, The Indian Peo­ sis. P asadena, C A : 1981. Pp. 633. tee, 1980. 26 MENNONITE LIFE Book Reviews

Theron F. Schlabach, Gospel Versus ture is offered by Schlabach’s “Men­ both at the same time. That learn­ Gospel; Mission and the Menno- nonite Revivalism, Modernity— ing is what Harold Bender proposed nite Church, 1863-1944. Scottdale, 1683-1850” in Church History 48 to call The Great Awakening.” In Herald Press, 1980 (Studies in No. 4 (December, 1979) 398-415. term of message, piety, and the Anabaptist and Mennonite His­ The encounter with America most appreciated hymnology, it was tory No. 21). brought these rural Mennonites in from revivalism that Mennonites touch with a variety of beckoning borrowed most. This did not keep The boards and staff of the Men­ options. We may imagine it after them from benefiting as well from nonite Board of Missions (Elkhart), the image of the letter T: upon the example of Sunday schools, sensing the need for an institutional moving vertically from the base in journalism, and church schools in history, invited American historian the immigrant Mennonite culture which the mainstream Protestant­ Theron Schlabach of Goshen College they encounter the crossbar, name­ ism was stronger. to make free use of their archives, ly American Protestantism after Schlabach has rightly pointed out and to draw upon the memories of 1860. To the right there is revival­ that by the use of this term Bender their veterans before it was too late, ism: a new incarnation of the piet­ and his predecessors put in an ex­ in order to assess the meaning of ism with which European Menno- ceptionally favorable light what three quarters of a century of the nitism had maintained a delicate could also be called dilution or ac­ life of their agency. Not content to interface for centuries. In America, commodation. (T. Schlabach, “Re- gather a simple chronicle of names however, since there is no establish­ velle for Die Stillen im Lande, MQR and places, Schlabach chose the ed church for it to revitalize and LI/3 July 1977, 213ff.). Schlabach challenge of an issue-oriented an­ accept at the same time, the effect prefers to call it “quickening,” alysis, making his work far more of that search for ever greater au­ meaning by that a non-value-laden interesting and also more difficult thenticity and faithfulness was to word for “acceleration,” rather to review. His work is both a story be an increasing proliferation of than what the term more usually with a simply objective data base, new churches and non-church agen­ means. well anchored in the archives, and a cies, as well as the crystalization The crossbar tension determines partisan testimony expressed in a two generations later of the new the way Schlabach tells his story: provocative title. The reader may doctrinal rigor of fundamentalism. yet in order to understand his own choose which of the gospels is which On the left arm of the crossbar evaluative perspectives we must yet in that title; it is clear that for the there is mainline Christianity. It is locate the fourth theological type. author there is more than one gos­ like the established churches which Prodded by the tensions along the pel, that they stood in some ten­ Mennonites had known in Europe, crossbar, American Mennonites in sion, and that what was being com­ in being culturally and numerically the 20th century projected the ideal municated by Mennonite missionary dominant, but having no link to the of the “Anabaptist Vision.” While personnel was not always the one state, it is a free church like the claiming to distill the essence of he most respects. Mennonites in some other ways. In what made 16th century Anabaptism Four different models of what most cases (the dominant denomi­ a third way, neither Catholic nor the Christian message really is nations being Presbyterian, Meth­ Protestant but something better orient Schlabach’s account. The be­ odist, Baptist) its worship was not than both, avoiding the vices of both, ginning is the cultural solidity of liturgical and its preaching was this neo-Anabaptist vision was also the life and piety of Mennonite evangelical. Its leaders being more stated as a third way for the present. family churches in mid-America be­ educated, and its agencies being Thereby it could claim to be a means fore the Civil War. Mostly still Ger­ large, it could afford to be more of transcending the dilemmas of man speaking, almost entirely rural, tolerant, even cooperative. This is the mainstream Protestant crossbar. this Christian culture exemplified the context in which both ecumeni­ This vision is more communitarian especially the virtues of solidarity cal organizations and theological than the individualism of the re­ and humility. The rootage of this liberalism were to arise a few gen­ vivalist, yet more different from experience in the Bible and the erations later. When Mennonites be­ the world than Mainline Protestant­ Martyr’s Mirror: i.e. in the still gan to relate to the crossbar it was ism. Its nonconformity is a reflec­ lively memories of the age of per­ not yet so tightly stretched between tion of the distinctiveness of God’s secution and migration, was suf­ fundamentalism on the right and own call; its pacifism is not the ficient to maintain a high level of social activism on the left as it was mere refusal of military service, not clarity about identity. They and to come to be in the 1920’s. It was an addendum tacked on to majority others knew who they were. The possible in the age of John Fretz Protestant piety, but a part of the foundational description of this cul­ Funk to learn from and lean on core of the very gospel.

SEPTEMBER, 1982 27 So the letter T has become a baptist church can be missionary. that they become the most evident, cross. The narrative of Mennonite Considerable strides have been and some aspects of the mission identity in America can be inter­ made in the last two decades in agency story (support policies, work, preted by plotting it on the graph formulating an ideal type ecclesi- er competence, field administration, thereby produced. The vertical line ology consonant with the neo-Ana­ leadership training) are neglected, is stretched from the Amish farm baptist vision, whose impact ought because they do not readily lend community to the neo-Anabaptist logically to be good news to all the themselves to being taken as speci­ assembly living against the stream nations, and ought actually to at­ mens for this question. of urban America. The temptations tract people of other faiths or (es­ Therefore Schlabach is obliged are individualism, emotionalism, and pecially) of no faith to the values to demonstrate the appropriateness fundamentalism to the right; dilu­ of kingdom discipleship. Yet as a of his “types” by using them on the tion, respectability, and relativism matter of factual experience, these kind of data for which they are to the left. projections remain largely academic. least at home; the records not of a It was about time that some his­ Where Mennonite church communi­ “chureh-as-a-whole,” but of a spec­ torian should try to bring to bear ties are growing they still use the ialized sending agency. on contemporary Mennonite experi­ language and the institutions of the A sending agency by its very na­ ence the assistance to be gained by evangelical heritage. ture cannot be the same thing as typological interpretation. Other­ Schlabach reads his sources with the body of the churches whose sup­ wise narrative bogs down in the thorough skill and critical empathy. port it hopes to enjoy. The services variety of events with no frame­ He is quite right in interpreting the it carries out are aimed at other work to give them sense. The pro­ Mennonite experience in the nexus worlds, other cultures, must answer posal Schlabach makes is fitting and of conflicting styles of acculturation questions home churches have not rises authentically out of the story rather than “on its own.” He lifts yet met, and which they often even he is telling. The criticisms to which the history from mere chronicle by believe it is their duty to refuse to it leads him are proper, although knowing that these identity strug­ meet. Missionary personnel, and (as I shall indicate) sometimes over­ gles are there even when unavowed, therefore the agencies supporting done. and thereby brings a kind of self- them, must therefore adapt and It is, however, a shortcoming of aware adulthood into the Mennonite modify their message, especially its the project that the particular data experience in America (as usual in cultural shape, in ways which (al­ base chosen to run through the typ­ such matters, the Canadian com­ most by definition) will seem to the ology does not come from a broader ponent of the story is underrepre­ home folks like betrayal. survey of the churches and their sented). He records the substance The sources for tension are now culture, but must rather be recount­ of serious conflict yet without obvious: ed from the institutional history of muckraking. a) intrinsic conflict between origi­ a Board of Missions and Charities. The task of historical revision is nal solid Mennonite conserva­ The first shortcoming of this dis­ always a gospel imperative. The re­ tism and the patterns of mission tinctive field is that mission out­ vision projected in the age of the picked up from protestantism; reach, in any of its normal mean­ “recovery of the Anabaptist vision” b) intrinsic conflict between types ings, is one point at which the nor­ when standing alone was too much of protestantism, especially when mative Mennonite visions mentioned an ideal type, too little a product of Mennonite conservatism corre­ above have not been well defined, induction from the sources, to in­ lates with fundamentalism and and have even less been effectively terpret real-life choices and strug­ the missionaries with cooperative implemented. Although 16th century gles. We are indebted to Schlabach protestantism; Anabaptism was aggressively evan­ for a most thorough retelling of as c) places where any of the above gelistic, both locally and in sending much of the story as the archives clash with the implications of people for considerable distances, will enable, and indebted to his the nascent neo-anabaptist ideal; this was not the case for the culture fourfold interpretative framework d) places where human frailty and of brotherhood and humility where for providing an Ariadne’s thread finitude fail to resolve any of Schlabach’s story starts. These peo­ through the data to make the story the above to the satisfaction of ple had never thought seriously of live. The limits of the study are the critics. the possibility that the gospel they those of using specifically a mis­ It must be at the very least the knew might be good news for the sionary agency as the specimen for thankless duty, or at best it may be “English” or “the world.” Their that identity review. By the nature seen as the prophetic ministry of the fathers centuries hence had accept­ of the case it is at the point of trans- sending agency, to serve not only ed ghetto quietism as the price of cultural mission that any communi­ as a bridge but sometimes also as toleration. This self-understanding ty, even the Mennonite cultural com­ a buffer between the home folks of maintenance without outreach munity has the least identity, even and the cultural creativity and had been underlined, reinforced and when stated as an ideal. Thus some adaptability of the missionaries. rationalized further by migration elements of the Mennonite identity There is almost no way for the patterns. At the other end of the quandary (materialism, Americani­ strong cultural solidity of the home vertical scale, we cannot claim to sation, unity) are inadequately ana­ churches (which is more important know with any experientially con­ lyzed, because it is not in the ex­ in Schlabach’s definition of baseline firmed confidence how a neo-Ana­ perience of a missionary agency Mennonitism than it would be for

28 MENNONITE LIFE revivalists) to express concern for tional setting, and even less how and all organization (140). Wider faithfulness than in the form of it would run foreign missions, reading in the missionary literature negative criticisms of the adjust­ makes critiquing the churchmanship of the time would have made it clear ments the professionals in far coun­ of Sanford C. Yoder too easy. Need­ that “organic” was a distinctive tries make. ing to serve almost alone as bridge term peculiar to the aggressive uni­ Much of Schlabach’s early account and buffer between overseas staff, ty advocacy of E. Stanley Jones, ex­ is taken up with the maneuverings on the one hand, and on the other pressing in biblical body language whereby this service of bridge and the highly disciplined advocates a vision for unity not concentrated buffer was exercised, especially by (sometimes called Lancastrians and on centralized or hierarchial struc­ Sanford Calvin Yoder. The dynam­ sometimes Lancasterians) of a dis­ ture yet ceasing to disobey the bib­ ics would have been different if the cipline demanding plain coats and lical call to be one body. Jones and field of study had been something institutional separation, Yoder prop­ his fellows were not precise about other than the sending of foreign erly (this reader would judge) how the “organic” unity they called missionaries. Then there would have needed both a degree of institutional for would be both less and more been more points of interconnection discretion (in not spreading on the than organizational unity, but it is between the values of the basic cul­ record all possible discussions of abundantly clear that the kind of ture and the agenda of American­ matters of discipline) and a degree loose coordination of specialized in­ ization. of trusting frankness (in sharing at stitutional interests in which the Yet another limitation besets the least with one or two or three of small Mennonite missionary staff in analysis by virtue of the fact that his more trusted staff colleagues a central India did their share of the the issue of conscription has come picture of how to handle those chores was nothing like the Jones to be the prototype of being a com­ strains). Schlabach considers the vision. When saying that their co­ munity of peacemakers. The neo­ former a duplicity (140) and the operation with other mission agen­ anabaptist vision proclaims far latter as a confession of guilt (146). cies (not yet with churches) had more than the refusal of military In the absence of any viable models nothing to do with organic union, service, but at least it can not be of how better a college president the old Mennonite missionaries were satisfied with less than that. Thus a could in his spare time administer telling the pure truth in the com­ test of the faithfulness of mission­ a mission board, that moral judg­ monly understood language of the aries in far countries which is ob­ ment seems to this reviewer unfair. time. “Organic unity” would have jectively manageable for the state­ The historian’s task of describing involved at least some formal mu­ side observer, is whether and how the strains intrinsic in the ministry tual recognition of church bodies by they make military service an issue of overseas sending could have been each other, some kind of inter­ for the indigenous young men in discharged without such censorious­ communion and exchange of minis­ their churches. The issue of military ness. On the one issue, separation in tries, some kind of policy-making service is one point at which the doctrine, garb, and organization, the clearance, some kind of economic old Mennonite vision and the new administration is faulted (“Teach­ solidarity. The cooperative commit­ one agree, although it has different ing All Things (I)’’) for defending tee structures in which a few senior meaning for the two of them, as the missionaries’ freedom against Mennonite missionaries in India issues of non-registration or alter­ the inappropriate standard-setting shared involved nothing of all of native service have demonstrated. It from back home. On the other, mili­ this. is thus too easy to measure the tary service, the reproach (“Teach­ The more ambitiously one pro­ success of the missionaries in pro­ ing All Things (II)”) is for failing jects the future vision of a consis­ claiming a peace church message sufficiently to apply back-home tently pacifist gospel, and the more by what the church in the first standards. respectfully one reconstructs the generation, still led by missionaries, One point where the prior criti­ power of the pre-modern Mennonite did about the challenge of military cal commitment leads to a specifical­ culture of humility, the more tenu­ service, either as a good way to ly unfair judgment will have to suf­ ous appears the thin strand of com­ make a living in times of peace fice. Missionary personnel were ac­ mon definition linking the two. (India) or as a patriotic duty (Ar­ tive on committee levels in cooper­ There is little left but an ethnic/ gentina). Such a focus skews the ative projects among the Protestant linguistic identity to give “being account by giving to military ser­ missions and churches in India. Mennonite” a place to stand in the vice a different meaning from what They were more cooperative there present which stretches from the it has in the Anglosaxon world, and than their counterparts in the home impact of Moody to that of the by suggesting that the first-gen­ churches were at the same time. “Anabaptist Vision.” eration foreign missionary, who is They reported that their involve­ A more gentle critique would sug­ in the country by grace of a visitor's ment in such matters as clearing gest that when the non-missionary visa, ought to be or could be re­ house committees for information survival culture of Gelassenheit was sponsible for positions taken by the regarding educational policies or no longer sufficient to keep Menno­ young church on such matters. literature was not “organic.” Schla­ nite churches going alone in an in­ The fact that we don’t really bach accuses them of duplicity be­ creasingly tolerant, increasingly know what kind of institutional cause these relationships certainly evangelical environment, and the shape a neo-anabaptist church would were organized, and without further message of radical discipleship was take, not even in a basic congrega­ ado he equates “organic” with any not yet born, it would have been

SEPTEMBER, 1982 29 natural to appropriate and incorpor­ identity question for Mennonites sionaries were consciously follow­ ate, not as betrayal or dissolution, from now on, I suggest it will come ing? Or would it have been better but as a part of Christian obedi­ not from finding a new balance to do less when we could not do it ence, those elements of missionary point for the teeter totter between better? There are places in the more evangelicalism the most compatible fundamentalism, which puts the bi- narrative and less critical sections with Mennonite identity and the ble on a pedestal but does not read of the text which assure me that the least representative of the vices of it carefully, and mainstream prot- former is his preference. Those established Christendom. This would estantism, with its relativizing of readers who have been most critical have been the moderate missionary the particular canon, nor a new bal­ of the book seem to have caught method of revival evangelicalism ance point between old and new rather the other implication. (distinguished from fundamental­ sectarian images, but must rather John H. Yoder ism) and the modest social witness come through the discovery of a Elkhart, Indiana of the “social gospel” (distinguish­ renewed quality of dialog with the ed from modernism). That is just canonical text as if it mattered about what the early missionaries powerfully. If it is the case that did. there is'a missionary vision of the For one other limit in the struc­ peace church that will be more ade­ Sanford G. Shetler, Preacher of ike ture of this approach Schlabach can­ quate than that of the American People: A Biography of S. G. not be faulted. It is not the his­ fundamentalism, that will have to Shetler (1871-1942). Scottdale: torian’s task: yet it is a part of be confirmed on the ground of Herald Press, 1982, 286 pp. our challenge. Whether in the ten­ scripture study: it will not be credi­ Urie A. Bender, Four Earthen Fc.s- sion between the older and the ble simply because we historians say sels: Biographical Profiles of Os­ newer normative Mennonite iden­ it is the most appropriate extrapo­ car Burkholder, Samvel F. Coff­ tity, or in the other tension between lation from the inner integrity of man, Clayton F. Derstine, and the right and the left in American the Mennonite frontier experience, Jesse B. Martin. Scottdale: Her­ Protestantism, the question always or because we peaceniks want our ald Press, 1982, 315 pp. arises as to what higher criterion agenda to remain central. Menno­ one could ultimately appeal to to nite identity will only be worthy of Biography continues to be an ef­ move beyond the more tense balanc­ doing missions with if and as the fective and popular way to read ing of polar opposites. Even more reason we are about it is no longer Mennonite history. In spite of their is it the case when the two tensions a concern to be denominationally emphasis on brotherhood, Menno­ are superimposed cross-wise on each worthy of our own respect but nites and related groups have a other. The Christian claim is that rather a renewal of the same yield- certain fascination for strong lead­ our variations are subject to ad­ edness before Scripture which was ers, perhaps in part because such judication from an appeal to the where it all began. leaders often both model the ideals canon of Scripture as read in the One specifically Mennonite vice is of the group and reflect the cher­ face of contemporary challenges and common to the bottom and the top ished background from which the in the power of the Spirit. Schla­ ends of the cross, namely the insis­ group comes. bach does not attempt that ad­ tence that we must do everything Sanford G. Shetler tells the story judication. As historian he could just right, as if it would be better of his father, S. G. Shetler, in not, yet as Mennonite lay theologian not to do something at all than to Preacher of the People. The elder he must. It is another of the short­ do it fallibly. The gospel of the Shetler was born into an Amish comings of the limitation of his Protestant missionary world, i.e the home in western Pennsylvania, be­ study to mission boards (correlated gospel as formulated on the cross came a Mennonite and a successful with the fact that mission boards bar, with the call to personal re­ schoolteacher and was ordained first have been less clear about what they pentance for the individual and the as a minister (1897) and then as a are doing in theological education building of schools and hospitals bishop (1915) in what is now the and articulation than they might for India, was the only gospel there Mennonite Church. He gained his have been) that it seemed natural to was then: i.e. the only formulation reputation in Mennonite circles as leave out of the picture the question of the missionary message which a widely travelled evangelist, a Bible of how Mennonites read the Bible, was ready to operate. It is not clear Conference speaker, a teacher in and the narrower but more prom­ from Schlabach’s choice of a provo­ Bible School terms (beginning at ising discussion of how the reading cative title whether he would rather Goshen in 1904), and a leader in of the Bible by Mennonites has that it had not been done than have Young People’s Institutes. He serv­ been changed by a wealth of ecu­ it done so inadequately. Does his ed on several church-wide boards menical learning, first of all from projection of the more adequately and committees, including the Pub­ the Biblical Seminary in New York, anabaptist “Gospel,” which would lication Committee. and more recently (but more vague­ have been preferable but did not In describing his father’s activi­ ly) from the impact of historical- exist, point to a practical affirma­ ties, the author provides interesting critical scripture scholarship, as tion of praise for all that still did and helpful insights into Mennonite well as by feedback from the trans- get done, even for the times where life in the years of what has been cultural mission experience itself. what really did happen was more called the “Great Awakening.” His If there is to be an answer to the anabaptist than the models the mis­ pictures of his father as a man of

30 MENNONITE LIFE action, as warmly evangelical, as ters, although the author sees their shakers and wearing broadfall one whose faith was “marked with Fundamentalism as being tempered trousers and three-quarter length an unequivocal acceptance of the by their Anabaptist-Mennonite frock coat (I missed, however, the Bible as the inerrant Word of God” background and thus prefers to tuning fork which Coffman used in (p. 235), as a preacher of the peo­ write instead of their simple bib- leading singing, and which fasci­ ple with little in common with licism. nated us Brethren in Christ young “showy intellectualism,” and as a Striking parallels exist among the people when we saw him at our supporter of conservative views, are biographees. All four were pastors periodic visits to the Selkirk Men­ also pictures of much of the Men- with long ministries in one congre­ nonite Church). C. F. Derstine nonite world of his day. It was a gation—Burkholder at Cressman working on his punching bag in the world which he also helped to shape. Church in Breslau, Coffman at basement of the parsonage, and J. The book is easily read, although Moyer Church in Vineland, Derstine B. Martin, busy churchman that he at times the author tells more than at First Mennonite Church in Kitch­ was, doing the grocery shopping for is needed (for example, frequent ener, and Martin at Erb Street Men­ the wife whom he adored. This good listings of meetings and sermons) nonite Church in Waterloo. Outside eye for detail helps to make Bender and at others not enough. The lat­ their congregations, all held sig­ the superb story teller that he is. ter is particularly true concerning nificant leadership positions in On its own terms, this is such a his father’s weaknesses. These are their denomination, to which all good book that any criticism of it alluded to but never developed. The gave unstintingly of their time. But comes with some bad grace. There author admits, for example, that his this was often done at the expense are several small errors of fact: for father’s life was not without mis­ of family and congregational life; example, Rainham and Selkirk are takes, but hastens to insist that as a result, complaints sometimes the same church, not separate ones there is “no point in highlighting came from both home and church (pages 140-154) ; Spurgeon’s taber­ these mistakes.” Such reticence is members. Financial sacrifices were nacle no longer stands, having been undoubtedly on the whole an admir­ made, since the leaders were often destroyed in World War II (p. 286). able Mennonite virtue, but it is a absent from their regular employ­ More significantly, the book devotes widespread failure in Mennonite ment and their congregations sel­ virtually as much space to each biography. Until Mennonite bio­ dom gave in support anything close leader’s family background as it graphers become willing to explore to the needs of their pastor. All four does to his church life; but since it their subjects in the round, we shall were earthen vessels, not perfect, is the latter that gives the leader continue to be shortchanged, despite but willing to be shaped and used by his historical significance, a sense otherwise good writing. God. Each had a good wife, who of imbalance seems to prevail in Urie Bender in Four Earthen kept the family togther during her each study. Moreover, the characters Vessels writes on four men who husband’s frequent absences from of the biographies, once past the helped to shape the Mennonite home, helped to manage the fi­ point of conversion, generally seem Church in Ontario, Canada, during nances, and gave her husband much to have a static quality about them; approximately the same years that needed support and encouragement. for completely successful biogra­ S. G. Shetler was active in the Read on this level, the biographies, phies, some sense of character de­ United States. The four biographies one senses, reflect the lives of many velopment is important. For what­ —on Oscar Burkholder, Samuel F. Mennonite pastors, their families, ever reasons, this quality seems Coffman, Clayton F. Derstine, and and their congregations in the first difficult to achieve in the writing Jesse B. Martin—are tied together half of this century. of Mennonite and Mennonite-related by various devices. Most obvious In his preface, Bender urges his biography. Finally, Bender neces­ is the author's development of the readers not to consider these four sarily relies heavily on interviews four leaders’ relationship to the biographies as fully developed, but with people who knew his subjects. Ontario Mennonite Bible School in rather as sketches that are “amal­ Memories, however, are notoriously Kitchener. Each taught in the school gams of historical fact and impres­ selective; more documentation from for many years, and all but Der­ sion,” an approach which he con­ other sources would have strength­ stine served as principal. In the siders gives a “more rounded pic­ ened the validity of the interviews. second chapter, “Birth of a School,” ture” of each man. Thus the author But these reservations aside, Ben­ the author provides a short histori­ eschews a strictly chronological der has written a fascinating book, cal background to the founding and treatment of his characters, and fills one that on its own level may serve development of the institution in his accounts with stories, memories as a model for others. Particularly which they taught. of people, and revealing character to be encouraged is his coverage of Another device tying the bio­ traits. This last feature is especial­ Mennonite leaders in a collection of graphers together is a similar treat­ ly well done; Bender is a master at biographies. Probably few Menno- ment of each character, under the dropping a word, a phrase, a story nites merit book-length attention; headings of “early years,” “life in that heightens an element of char­ many, however, warrant the shorter the family,” “serving the church,” acter. There is, for example, Oscar treatment that Bender models in and “the man.” A third, although Burkholder, according to his daugh­ Four Earthen Vessels. more indirect, device is Bender’s ter, “forever quoting Scripture as E. Morris Sider identification of the fundamentalist a reason for doing things,” S. F. Grantham, PA orientation of each of his charac­ Coffman collecting salt and pepper

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