Spring Meeting Celebrates 200 Years

The spring meeting of the some members of the family Ontario Mennonite Historical Society of objected to other members joining Ontario included a full program the United Brethren. that celebrated the Swiss The MHSO spring meeting Mennonite pioneers who came to Mennonite also included the dedication of a Waterloo 200 years ago. Black Walnut Garden. Paul History The 20-minute play, Tiessen commented on the "Sunday Afternoon at the significance of the black walnut Brubachers," written by Barb tree and how this project came Draper, highlighted the Brubacher about. The black walnut, which THE family and the Mennonite pioneers grows in fertile soil, has been who settled in Waterloo Region. identified as a symbol of the NEWSLETTER The play was also performed Swiss Mennonites who came in OF THE outside on July 1 at the University search of good farmland. Just as of Waterloo Canada Day the oak tree and memorial garden MENNONITE celebrations and at Kitchener City is a tribute to the Mennonites who Hall on October 11 as part of the came to Canada from Russia, so HISTORICAL Oktoberfest Pioneer Day which the black walnut garden SOCIETY OF ONTARIO this year featured Mennonites. symbolizes the Mennonite pioneers who moved from Edsel Burdge Jr., the Pennsylvania to Ontario 200 years featured speaker for the spring MHSO meeting, has done ago. The tree was provided by extensive study of his home area Robert Woolner. Henry Paetkau, VOLUME XXIII of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. President of Conrad Grebel University College, led in NUMBER 2 He spoke about "A Land Beyond a prayer of dedication. • Their Expectations," describing why Mennonites from the NOVEMBER 2005 Cumberland Valley (including • Sherks, Schlichters, Reesors, ISSN 1192-5515 Schneiders and Burkholders) left Pennsylvania and moved to Waterloo. Although matters of conscience (military exemptions) may have been a drawing card, land hunger was a major factor that brought them to Canada. They seem to have had the financial backing of their parents and they were not without land or capital. Although he had no hard documentation, Burdge surmised that the pietist influence on the

Mennonite community, with many This small black walnut tree was dedicated at the families joining the United spring meeting of the Mennonite Historical Brethren, may also have been a Society of Ontario. Photo by Maurice Martin. factor. They may have moved to Canada to avoid the conflict as Continued on page 2 Page 2 — Continued from page 1 — The Brubacher House Museum and the Brubacher family by Barb Draper the one who lives by the bridge over the brook. The name John (or its German equivalent, Johannes or Hans) has been carried down through the generations. Persecution of Anabaptists in Switzerland was sporadic through the 16th century, but it intensified in the 17th century. In The Brubacher House as it appeared in 1890. Photo 1637, a man named Peter courtesy of the Mennonite Archives of Ontario. Brubacher was imprisoned for his

Photo by Maurice Martin. faith in Zurich, Switzerland, and John E. Brubacher was a second- was released after about a year. generation Canadian, born in what Lorna Bergey was happy to be (This information comes from the is now the city of Kitchener in able to attend the dedication of the Brubacher family, but is not 1822. His parents helped John and black walnut garden. The plaque independently verified.) Later, he his wife, Magdalena, establish a reads: The Black Walnut tree and his family fled to southern farm of his own where they cleared marks the 200th anniversary of the Germany where there was less the trees and built a large establishment of the German persecution of Anabaptists (who fieldstone house in 1850. This Company Tract in 1805. came to be called Mennonites). farm was among those purchased It commemorates the first Presumably the Brubachers moved by the University of Waterloo in Pennsylvania German Mennonite to Ibersheim, north of Mannheim, the 1960s to develop its 1,000-acre settlers in Waterloo Region. in the Palatinate where Brubacher campus. In the 1970s, the families were listed in the census Mennonite Historical Society of in the early 1700s. (Source: Ontario led a project to restore the Palatine Mennonite Census Lists, house to its original appearance. H. Guth, 1987) The Brubacher House Museum Three generations later, opened in 1979; it allows visitors about 1717, Johannes or Hans to get a glimpse of what life was Brubacher was among the like for Mennonites in the latter Mennonites who established a half of the 19th century. community in Lancaster, The Brubachers are a Pennsylvania (Ezra Eby, typical Mennonite family in Biographical History, of Early Waterloo Region who can trace Settlers of Waterloo Township). He their ancestry to Pennsylvania, to settled on 500 acres of land along Photo by Roy Draper. Germany and to Switzerland. the Little Conestoga Creek. Hans Among the early Anabaptists who Brubacher married Anna Ernst Leanne Shantz, Vicky Roeder met in the village of Zollikon near who bore him six children. After Martin, Rick Weber and Randy Zurich, Switzerland in 1525 was a her death, he was married in 1730 Bauman shout out their lines for man named Hans Bruggbach. to another Anna, surname the play, "Sunday Afternoon at the Later the name seems to be spelled unknown, and the marriage was Brubachers" during the University Bruggbacher, or Brubacher. A blessed with another four children. of Waterloo's Canada Day translation of "Bruggbach" from Hans' children provided him with a Celebrations on July 1. Swiss German is "bridge-over-the- brook," and Brubacher would be — Continued on page 3 — Page 3 Continued from page 2 - request for help came to while Susannah rode on horseback. dependable source of labour, a Pennsylvania from some When they got to Waterloo, valuable commodity in a pioneer Mennonites who had moved to Susannah and John stayed with society. As well as a farm, he built Canada. These earliest Mennonite Susannah's daughter Mary, and her the first mill in this part of settlers to the Waterloo area feared husband, Benjamin Eby. By that Lancaster County. they might lose their farms time Benjamin had a few years of Hans Brubacher's oldest because of a political squabble experience as bishop of the son was also named John. When he about land titles. The government Mennonite churches in the was about 30 years old, he finally agreed that titles would be Waterloo area. travelled to Germany to visit granted if the large block of land Susannah stayed in Canada relatives and while he was there he that Richard Beasley had for about a year, keeping house for married Maria Newcomer. Soon purchased from the Six Nations John in a log cabin as he worked to after their marriage, the couple aboriginals would be paid in full. establish a farm on what is now came to Pennsylvania, bringing In the end, Mennonites from Frederick Street in Kitchener. with them John's cousin, Abraham. Pennsylvania formed the German When John was married to The Brubachers in Waterloo Company and paid cash for the Catherine Sherk in 1817, Susannah Region are descended from these 60,000 acres in question. returned to Pennsylvania. John and cousins John and Abraham One of the major Catherine lived in the log cabin for Brubacher. Maria died about a year shareholders of the German a few years, but one morning, after arriving in Pennsylvania and Company was Susannah Erb while Catherine was making John married Maria Dohner in Brubacher. Probably she became pancakes for breakfast, a fire broke 1751. John and Maria had ten involved because her brothers were out .and the cabin was burned to children. the major leaders behind this the ground. They replaced the Jacob Brubacher (second venture and because her sister cabin with a proper house with son of John and Maria) married Anna, married to John Bricker, eight rooms to accommodate their Susannah Erb in 1781. Like other was one of the early pioneers growing family. John and Mennonites in Pennsylvania, Jacob whose land title was in question. Catherine had 15 children and in was a hard worker and very Susannah bought ten lots most of 1838 they built another, even larger prosperous. Like his grandfather which were over 400 acres each. house. At the age of 60, John he had a milling business as well Susannah's parents, three brothers, retired from farming and built a as a farm. In 1793, while on a four sisters, a son and daughter all house on Brubacher Street. business trip to Philadelphia he eventually moved to the Waterloo Like his mother and other contracted yellow fever and died at area. She herself came for long ancestors, John bought un- the age of 35. His wife, Susannah, visits but continued to make her developed land when he could so was left with seven children—the home in Pennsylvania. that he could set up each of his oldest was 11 years and the In 1816, Susannah came to sons with a farm. John was youngest 6 weeks. Life must have Waterloo for a visit, accompanying ordained as a deacon at the local been difficult for Susannah, but her youngest son, John, who was Mennonite Church where he she played a key role in bringing moving to the area. Several other served with his brother-in-law, this Brubacher family to Canada. families travelled with them for the Benjamin Eby. Susannah had been a four-week trip. John drove a widow for about ten years when a Conestoga wagon with four horses Continued on page 4

Ontario Mennonite History is published semi-annually by the Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario, Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G6, and distributed to all members of the Society. It is distributed free of charge to public libraries and school libraries in Ontario, upon request. Editor: Barb Draper Editorial Committee: Linda Huebert Hecht, Lorraine Roth, Maurice Martin, Marion Roes, Larry Rittenhouse Financial assistance from the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Culture is gratefully acknowledged. Inquiries, articles, book notices or news items should be directed to the Editor, Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario c/o Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G6 TEL. (519) 885-0220, FAX (519) 885-0014 Page 4 Continued from page 3 fourteen children. The first child, Church in Waterloo. named Leah, lived only a few The three youngest boys weeks, but the rest of the children did not establish families in the were born healthy. The youngest, Waterloo area. Martin moved to Harriett, suffered an illness in her Kansas, Enoch died at age 22, and childhood that left her lame for the Noah never married. Amanda rest of her life. Enoch, one of the married Oliver Martin, but she was boys, died at age 22. widowed early as Oliver was killed In 1850, when John and in a train accident west of Sudbury Magdalena had been married four in 1910. Oliver and Amanda also In 1967, a spark from a lawn mower began a fire years, they built a new house on attended the Evangelical Church. that gutted the Brubacher House. Photo courtesy of Harriett, the youngest of the the Mennonite Archives of Ontario. their farm. The new large house children, also never married. She John E. Brubacher, the had thick field-stone walls and lots was lame but she didn't let that second son of Deacon John of room for a growing family. The keep her from public view and she Brubacher, was born August full two-storey house was built in became a soloist at the Emmanuel 9,1822. Although school the traditional Mennonite style. It Evangelical Church. attendance was not compulsory was built into the side of a hill with When Harriett was seven when he was young, John belonged a southern exposure and a years old, mother Magdalena to a community that believed in the basement walk-out. In the summer, became ill. In those days, before importance of education. He the women used the kitchen in the hospitals, emergency surgery was probably attended the Red basement to do their cooking. done by the local doctor on the Schoolhouse beside the Eby David, the oldest surviving kitchen table. In spite of the meeting house. His uncle child, married Susannah Sittler and surgery, Magdalena did not survive Benjamin Eby was probably one of they lived on a farm near St. and died in 1877. She is buried in his teachers. It is interesting that Jacobs. Mary Ann married David the cemetery at First Mennonite John used the initial "E," because M. Martin, a cousin, in 1868. They Church in Kitchener. A few years the custom was to use the initial of farmed north of Elmira and later later, John married his sister-in- the mother's maiden name. John's moved to the St. Jacobs area. law, Magdalena's sister Esther, the mother was a Sherk so according Nancy (Anna) married Levi Groff widow of Amos Martin. John E. to tradition he should have been in 1876 and they farmed northwest lived to the age of 80 and died in known as John S. There was of Waterloo. Magdalena ( Mattie) 1902. He is also buried at First already a John S. Brubacher in the married Samuel S. Snider in 1875. Mennonite. Mennonite community so perhaps They lived on a farm west of After John's death, an he chose to use his grandmother's Waterloo. In spite of the fact that auction was held and the farm was name of Erb instead. church leaders tried to keep sold. It was purchased by a niece Like other young musical instruments out of and nephew of John E. Brubacher, Mennonite men, John would have Mennonite homes, Mattie insisted Benjamin M. and Esther Eby. At worked for his father until he was that they have an organ. the time of the public auction, held 21. He then began working for Tilman, married to Louisa November 12, 1902, the estate himself on land provided by his Cressman, lived near St. Jacobs; included the house, a 90' x 64' father on what is now Columbia Susannah married Peter Eby. When bank barn, a 52' x 35' driving shed, Street in Waterloo. After about two John E. divided up the farm into a stone pig stable and a brick hen years, when John had built a small three parts, Benjamin, who never house. There was also an orchard house and barn, he was ready for married, built the red brick house of about 2 acres with a variety of marriage. On February 6, 1846, he to the east of the Brubacher house. fruit. was married to Magdalena For many years this house has been Within a few years, one of Musselman, the daughter of David used as a childcare facility. the Eby daughters married Alvin and Esther Musselman of Benjamin chose not to join the Shantz and they moved onto the Conestogo. Mennonite church but became a John and Magdalena had member at Emmanuel Evangelical Continued on page 5 Page 5 Continued from page 4 - GATHERING BIOGRAPHIES farm. Due to financial difficulties OF ONTARIO MENNONITES during the Great Depression in the by Linda Huebert Hecht 1930s, the Shantz family sold the farm, but regained possession in The Ontario sub-committee 1943. In the 1950s, the farm was of the Canadian Mennonite sold to William and Caroline Encyclopaedia Online (CMEO) Schmidt and in 1965 it was began in the Fall of 2001. Last year purchased by the University of it became a standing committee of Waterloo. The Brubacher House has been restored to its the Mennonite Historical Society of The Brubacher House was original apearance. Photo courtesy of the Ontario. Mennonite Archives of Ontario. chosen to be the museum piece The committee members, Ed for the Mennonite pioneers of many barns through the 1930s and Boldt, John Reimer, Lorraine Roth, this area, partly because its 40s, provided good expertise. Sam Steiner and myself, have architecture is very typical of Simeon himself had lived in the compiled a list of 100 names of the Mennonites of the time. house for a while when he worked deceased persons from Ontario J. Winfield Fretz, the first as the hired man. Simeon hewed Mennonite churches who had a president of Conrad Grebel the timbers for the supporting significant influence beyond their congregation and for whom College and heavily involved with beams by hand as they would have biographies should be written for the Historical Society of Ontario, been done in 1850. As much as the encyclopaedia. With the use of played a major part in getting this possible, the restoration project CMEO guidelines set by the national project organized. For a while used original materials. editorial board, committee members The Brubacher House everyone's hopes were dashed have written a few of the opened as a museum in1979. when a major fire gutted the biographies for persons on our list Brubacher house, destroying While the land and building are and have solicited others to write everything except the outer walls. owned and maintained by the some as well. A number of In spite of this set-back, funding University of Waterloo, the biographies were contributed by the was secured and the house was museum is run as a joint project Essex-Kent Mennonite Historical restored to its original design. between Conrad Grebel University Association in Leamington, Ontario. College and the Mennonite Simeon Martin, an In processing these experienced carpenter who built Historical Society of Ontario. biographies, the committee makes the initial editorial changes before sending them to the national ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA focusing on North America. editorial group in Manitoba. After Hopefully new global partners will IS GROWING the editing is complete the expand the range of subjects and biographies are sent to Sam Steiner, Since 1996, the Mennonite languages. One of the first projects managing editor of the CMEO, Historical Society of Canada has is to scan and upload the five who puts them on the website been developing an online volumes of the Mennonite (www.mhsc.ca). When the CMEO is Mennonite encyclopedia at Encyclopedia published by Herald expanded in December of this year, www.mhsc.ca. Together with Press from 1955-1959 with a the Ontario sub-committee will be Mennonite Church USA Historical supplemental volume in 1990. part of the new Global Anabaptist Committee and Mennonite Brethren Presently the Canadian Mennonite Mennonite Encyclopaedia Online Historical Commission, they hope to Encyclopedia Online has 2,500 (see article on GAMEO in this expand the website to include articles as well as 125 issue). Mennonite history worldwide. This confessions of faith or Anyone interested in writing ambitious project is called the denominational statements of biographies, doing editorial work or Global Anabaptist Mennonite faith. Sam Steiner, is the having names to suggest for our list Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO). managing editor. should feel free to contact me or any The intention is to begin From: Mennonite Historian, member of the committee. We with English language materials, September, 2005 welcome your help and suggestions. Page 6 Interview with Bishop Swaim of the Brethern in Christ Frank H. Epp, as editor of Mennonite Reporter, interviewed Bishop E. J. Swaim on October 10, 1971. This article is reprinted from Mennonite Reporter, November 1, 1971, pages 7, 8 and 12.

Ernest J Swaim (1897-1991) two children. Another one was sweetest voice she ever heard in farmed near Duntroon, Ontario born at sea and buried. They were her life said, "You are forgiven, but (Collingwood area), and served in 16 weeks coming across. They go down to Markham where your the Brethren in Christ Church as a walked up from Barrie to husband is working and you will minister and bishop, beginning in Duntroon. He carried a four-year- meet people down there who wear 1920. He also served on many old boy and she carried a two-year- long beards and women who wear inter-Mennonite committees, old child on her back. He had a prayer veilings and you should including the Conference of bundle of provisions and she had make your confession to them. If Historical Peace Churches and some blankets. They walked they forgive you, you are forgiven, Mennonite World Conference. through a foot of snow to get here. but if they don't, you are forgiven In 1977 the University of Waterloo The government gave them a cow. anyway and ask them to marry awarded him an honorary doctoral The next summer he had no work. you." She did that and it's a long degree. My great-grandfather heard about story about how they walked down Q: Bishop Swalm, how long have a man by the name of Hagey, near there. They had the neighbours you lived here? Toronto, who had a sawmill. He keep the two children. They were A: I was born here and that was 74 went down there and got a job and two days walking, 70-80 miles. years ago plus a few months. came home every two weeks. He When they got there, she thought Q: When did the Brethren in Christ had to walk, of course. And while she would make a confession to settle here? he was away, she came so near this man, but he had gone off 10 A: My great-grandparents Conrad starving to death that she dug up miles west to the bishop's home and Mary Swalm came from the potatoes, that she had planted, and so then they walked those Germany in 1834 and the to eat. Since she didn't know what miles also. The next morning she government gave them five acres was poisonous growth, she was led to fast and pray. She did of land at Duntroon. They watched the cow and whatever the not have any breakfast. They homesteaded this farm, for which I cow would eat, she would also walked ten miles to the Humber have the crown deed that came into cook and that's what she lived on. River to this meeting, just as they my possession recently, written on Q: What was he by religion? were singing the closing hymn. parchment, dated 1840. A: Lutheran, and by all accounts, She said the bad spirit told her she better not say anything. But the Q: Was your great-grandfather I don't think my great-grandfather part of a larger movement? was very religious. But my great- good spirit told her to give this A: No. My great-grandfather grandmother was a devout testimony. So she got up and asked worked in a mill. He carried 120 Lutheran, so much so that before if she could say something and lbs. of flour upstairs all day long. they got on the boat at Hamburg, they let her and I guess she must They had no elevators. They were she knelt down on the dock in front have created quite an emotional very poor. They lived common-law. of hundreds of people and said her stir. She always told my father that A lot of people in their financial Lutheran prayers for a safe some of the people cried out loud standing did, because it cost too journey. She read the Bible and as she was talking. It must have much to get married. They came to came to accept that her husband been quite a thing. Then the bishop this country because they heard was not a Christian, that he was not there married them. They came they could get 100 acres of land. saved. She didn't have a vital back home and the Brethren in When they got here they received experience of her religion and she Christ sent a preacher up every only five acres. They arrived at prayed and the Lord gave her a eight weeks to have a Sunday Toronto, which was only a few vision and the Lord showed her service in their little hut on this houses then, and the stage coach that living common-law was farm, later every four weeks and brought them to Barrie and that wrong. She prayed and asked then every two weeks—on was the end of the line. They had forgiveness and she said the Continued on page 7 — Page 7 Continued from page 6— Pentecostals, or anything like that, Q: The love feast was a two-day horseback. My great-grandmother but as far back as I can remember, festival? and great-grandfather were the we have always put great stress on A: Yes, starting at 10:00 in the first baptised members of this the personal experience, more so morning....During the recesses congregation and they were than we do now. Our meetings people would visit together. We baptised in a little stream just often consisted of people giving brought in visiting ministers from across the road here that is pretty their testimonies and experiences. other congregations and people came. It was the big event of the near dried up now. Q: Were the Brethren in Christ year. We had communion together Q: My I have your version of the non-resistant from the beginning? Sunday morning, then there would beginning of the Brethren in Christ A: Yes. That was one of the be another testimony service. Church in Canada? reasons we came to Canada. The A: Well, sorry to say, our real governor promised us exemption There would be two preachers that would preach and then again early history is pretty dim. Our when we came. Our records show Sunday night, and Monday fathers thought it was more that. Your history is the same. Of morning again. By the end there necessary to get work done than to course, from 1941 when we went was enough of that keen fellowship keep records, which I regret very to Ottawa they told us that the built up that they sang farewell much. In fact, I think there was a privileges had been abrogated. hymns and tears flowed traditional feeling that to keep too With one stroke of the pen, they plentifully.... many records was pride, you know. said, government can take away As near as we can tell, in the early your rights, which they Q: When did the Brethren in Christ days they had quite a revival in oversimplified. It wasn't quite that start to relate to the Mennonites again? Lancaster County. The Old easy. Mennonites at that time were a A: Shortly before the First World pretty formal outfit I believe. That Q: Did you have any splits like the War. They would have done well to Mennonites? is how the River Brethren, as we have pulled the Quakers in during A: Early in the 1800's, 1850 or 60, were first called, started. The latter the Great War, but they didn't. In the liberal group—they thought part of the 1700s, they migrated to the first place, we were a little too they were liberal at that time— Canada, probably for reasons of conservative. The Quakers were a thought they should have a church, land. I don't think they came as little too cosmopolitan. The first and so they built a church against missionaries to start with. committee was made up of the expressed wishes of the Brethren in Christ and Mennonites, Q: Did the Brethren in Christ Bishop, and they put them out of and not Russian Mennonites either. membership develop almost the church. Many have come back completely out of the Mennonite You see, we didn't have much to do people? to us and we have officially with the Russian Mennonites. In apologized 100 years later. And A: They drew some from the fact, I must say, in 1940, when I then the conservative group, they Mennonites, some from the became chairman of the organized in the county of York, Church of the Brethren, and they Conference of Historical Peace also drew some from the Pennsylvania. They were called Churches, and David Toews and Lutherans. Yorkers. They still drive horse and these men came down, I was buggy like the Old Order Amish, embarrassed about my ignorance Q: All from the Pennsylvania but they have the love feast and all Dutch background? and how little I knew about the those old practices. In our case this A: Oh yes, very much so. Western Mennonites.... custom has gone by the board too. Q: So you think the peace and non- Q: What was it in the founding of We haven't time to spend two days. the Brethren in Christ church that resistance emphasis is becoming But they do, and then they split made them less preoccupied than stronger rather than weaker? the Mennonites with the again and let one group have A: At the present, that's right; very preservation of an ethnic identity? automobiles. We are not as bad as noticeably so. A: They became very strong on the Mennonites, but we are of the the personal experience with quite same tribe, you know. an emotional flavour to it. They were never emotional like — Continued on page 8 — Page 8 Continued from page 7 New Editor We welcome Q: You may know that among the Barb Draper as by Linda Huebert Hecht Mennonites there are more and the new editor more voices talking about the Chair, OMH Newsletter Committee of our newsletter. Barb has contri- Mennonites dropping the name. We extend sincere A: I think the name Mennonite has buted articles for thanks to Brent the newsletter in hindered some, at the same time it Barb Draper Bauman for all the past and has has kept you intact better than our his work and been a MHSO board member for church. They will leave our church leadership in some time. As a part-time staff sooner than they will leave the editing our member of the Canadian Mennonite Brent Bauman newspaper she brings journalistic Mennonites. newsletter the expertise to this job. We give her our past seven years. Thanks Brent for Q: There is a lot more mobility in support and good wishes in this new and out? doing a great job! position. A: This is particularly true since we have relaxed some of our NEW BOOKS sales across Canada and the United traditions, you know, like garb. We States. This book provides the story certainly have taken in a lot more Sawatsky, Rodney James. History and behind these quilts which were Ideology: American Mennonite Identity donated by Mennonites from North members and it's been a great help Definition through History. Pandora America immediately following World to have made it easier to join the Press, Kitchener, Ont., 2005, 216 pages. War II. MCC gave the quilts to An church, but by the same token, it's Twenty-eight years after Rod Sawatsky Keuning-Tichalaar and her husband, made it easier to leave. I am happy finished his PhD dissertation, it is Mennonites in the Netherlands, who to say that since 1957 when we finally printed. When Sawatsky hosted Mennonite refugees from submitted it for publication in 1977 to reorganized and relaxed some of Russia. Proceeds from the sale of this the publishing series "Studies in these traditions we have book are going to MCC. The book Anabaptist Mennonite History" based includes many colour photographs of Q: What traditions did you relax? at Goshen College, it was not the old quilts. A: Well the dress question, mostly, completely rejected but the editors Weaver, J. Denny. Becoming Anabaptist: and oh, open communion. And we requested so much re-working that The Origin and Significance of Sixteenth- removed our restriction against Sawatsky considered it as a rejection. Century Anabaptism. Second Edition, wedding rings. He assumed that he had been too Herald Press, 2005, 280 pages, $19.99. critical of the "Goshen school" of This is the second edition of Q: Do you think MCC (Canada) Mennonite history when he pointed out Becoming Anabaptist, first published should be a forum for a larger that Mennonite historians sometimes agenda than what we have had, in 1987. This history of the beginning manipulated history to serve their own relief and peace? of Anabaptism includes insights from ideologies. In looking at how American A: Yes, I think there is room for an recent scholarship, but is written for Mennonites defined their identity expanded program in MCC the average person. Weaver is a through history, Sawatsky provides an professor of religion at Bluffton (Canada) and I think we must do analysis of the ideas and assumptions University. our best to relate to MCC Akron. of (Old) Mennonite leaders in the early State of the Art of North American 20th century. Q: Are you still an MCC (Canada) Mennonite History is the 2005 issue of board member? Sawatsky was enthusiastic »The Journal of Mennonite Studies. about having the book published but A: Yes, I will be this year yet. I It features the papers presented at the he passed away in November, 2004 told my church to put somebody 2004 conference held in Winnipeg, after a battle with cancer, and was not else on for next year. entitled "The State of the Art of North able to see it in print. American Mennonite History." Keuning-Tichalaar, An and Lynn Q: Shouldn't you raise your voice Among the papers included are: Kaplanian-Buller. Passing on the real good and hard then this last Comfort: The War, the Quilts and the Fundamentalism, Mennonite Latino time around? Women Who Make a Difference. Good History, Peacemaking and Church A: Yes, I wouldn't mind. Books, 2005, 186 pages. Conflict, as well as many more. The Through the summer of 2005, a 2005 issue is available for $20. travelling quilt show has been featured from Royden Loewen, University of in conjunction with the Winnipeg, 515 Portage Ave., Mennonite Central Committee relief Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9.