Ontario Mennonite History:Ontmennohistory20-1.Pdf
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Tribute to ORLAND GINGERICH 1920-2002 MHSO CHARTER MEMBER Ontario MHSO vice-president 1965 -1977 Mennonite MHSO President 1977 -1980 Orland spent his early years on the farm cleared by his great-grandfather History Jacob W. Gingerich in the late 1820s. It was located on the German Block (the centre section of Wilmot Township) west of Waterloo Township . It had been THE surveyed in 1824, in anticipation of the coming of immigrants from Europe NEWSLETTER following the 1822 visit of Christian Nafziger, looking for land to which to OF THE bring his family and co-religionists . The Gingerich family were members of MENNONITE the first Amish congregation organized in Canada . While studying church history at HISTORICAL Goshen Biblical Seminary under Harold S. Bender in 1948 Orland was required to SOCIETY OF ONTARIO write a 5000 word essay on some aspect of church history. He chose to write about the Amish in Canada but found a lack of data on the subject. Bender promised Orland leniency provided he continue the Or/and Gingerich research and produce a more comprehensive history later. VOLUME XX In 1975 an historical plaque was NUMBER 1 When 35 people interested in created by the Ontario Heritage promoting research and publication of Foundation, at the initiative of the Ontario Mennonite History met at Conrad Waterloo Historical Society. It was MAY 2002 Grebel College on May 8, 1965, Orland erected on the cemetery grounds across addressed the group on the topic "Why a the road from the Steinmann Mennonite Mennonite Historical Society'?" Dr. J.W. Church in honour of the early Amish ISSN 1192-5515 Fretz, president of the College, chaired the settlers of Wilmot Township . When the meeting . Orland noted the importance of Historic Markers Board received the knowing our history and the need to foster submitted text for the plaque they the acquisition and preservation of records contacted the Mennonite Historical and materials by and about Mennonites in Society to provide the source of this a central archives and library to be located documentation . The Society indicated at Conrad Grebel College . this information regarding the early The Society was organized several Amish settlement in Canada was printed weeks later and Orland was elected vice- in Orland's book The Amish of Canada president. In November 1966, Orland containing pertinent information of their presented an informative paper on "Early early history "handed down verbally ." Amish Settlements in Ontario ." During a In preparation of the Sesquicentennial, workshop in 1970 on the topic "Preparing a copy of Samuel Street Wilmot's 1830 to Commemorate Our Heritage" Orland report on the German Block had been reported plans to celebrate the 150th found in the National Archives at Ottawa . anniversary of the coming of the Amish to However, it did not contain any reference Canada in 1972 . Orland provided a fitting to Christian Nafziger whose contribution climax to the Sesquicentennial to the Amish settlement was to be Celebrations by completing the promised featured on the plaque . Orland made comprehensive history The Amish of of another search in the archives at Ottawa Canada which was published by Conrad Press, Waterloo, late in 1972 . - Continued on page 2 - Page 2 Continued,from page 1 community will be contained by the visit to the store, post office and bank in town, and finally found Christian Nafziger's and the occasional veterinarian visit. For story in the Council Minutes of others, a truck picks up their beef or hogs September 4, 1822 . The contents on a regular weekly basis, or a courier confirmed the information which had truck stops to pick up their manufactured been handed down orally by three items five days a week. For the David generations to a remarkable degree. Martin group, there is daily computer the years of Orland's Throughout contact. Most old orders still use the horse in the program of the participation and buggy as their primary means of Historical Society of Ontario Mennonite transportation, the Markham group being strongly subscribed to the purpose of he the only exception . Old orders are still in our Anabaptist- promoting interest considered an oddity by tourists, whether John F. Peters speaking at MHSO meeting, History . Mennonite seen at the stockyards, walking the streets November 24, 2002 . Photo credit Larry Rittenhouse Orland died of cancer on January of Kitchener and Waterloo, or travelling 23, 2002 at his home on Avalon Place along the roadside by horse and buggy. enmeshed in the wider world, with trucks in Kitchener Five distinct groups and courier service at their shop doors The five groups have a great degree of daily. In other ways they are even more similarity, yet within the old order insular than other old order groups with The Ontario Old community find themselves as distinct . whom they have minimal association . (They are similar to the Amish, who live Comments in this paper which address Order Mennonites as The most progressive of the old near by.) old orders and the government do not Markhams, who have 11 Citizens orders are the relate to the David Martin group. Canadian meeting houses and a membership of John F. Peters A much smaller group, officially known by 1,332 (December 2001). For 63 years they as the Orthodox, most of whom live in the Mennonites have lived in have used black cars or vans, and Old Order Gorrie and Kinloss areas, are the most known as Ontario, for over telephones. (Since the days when the what is now peculiar and simple . They have three were once totally chrome bumpers were painted, their cars 200 years . They meeting houses and now number about while now still living in the are less conspicuous .) They tend to have agrarian, but 125 families . One unique characteristic is rural community, they make their more contact with the larger society than the wearing of beards for men . They use livelihood in a variety of ways: farming, any of the others . Their farms are larger, only farm animals to till the soil. Some large poultry barns, furniture making, and some work for non-old order have small farm generators. Their teaching, bookkeeping, employers . However, their theology is foundries, school dwellings have no flush toilets or quilting, housekeeping, grocery or textile definitely old order. telephones . Their numbers augmented stores, or a stall at the weekly market. The Dave Martin group began in 1917 when about 15 families severed from the Through the past half century the over excommunication practices . They Old Order Mennonite group, who decided, Canadian government has increased its now number 350 families and have five in 1989, to allow the telephone in their obligations, services and ties with its meeting houses . Of the old order groups, homes . There is a much smaller group of citizens . In some ways this has made it they strike the outsider as the most several families, known as the New difficult for the old orders who want paradoxical . While they do not use Elamites . Their belief and practice minimal contact. Old orders see it as a tractors or public hydro, they send their resembles that of the Orthodox group. God's command to obey the government, children to public schools . They The largest church group is officially but at times government legislation participate in government programs such known as the Old Order Mennonite violates their tradition, biblical as child tax benefits and old age security . Church, which makes the name confusing interpretation and conscience . Farming is now secondary to when speaking about all old order Their contact with those outside their manufacturing . In the past 15 years they peoples . They severed from a much larger group varies in frequency and quality by have expanded their cottage industry with Swiss Mennonite group in 1889 . Slowly occupation and geographical location . For the use of robots and computers . In some, conversations outside the manufacturing they are definitely Continued on page 3 .., 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 : Brent Bauman Editorial Committee : Linda Huebert Hecht, Lorraine Roth, Sam Steiner, Barb Draper 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 clo Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario N2l. 3G6 TEL. (519) 885-0220, FAX (519) 885-0014 Page 3 Continued from page 2 Old orders believe in a distinct is prized. One spends long hours in the unique features of dress, rules, practice separation of church and state . They do barn and fields. If in the winter there is and tradition evolved and were not vote in elections . Government is seen extra time, one becomes engaged in a institutionalized. The four groups as a human institution, riddled with leader secondary activity, such as woodworking . mentioned earlier evolved from the Old aggrandizement, manipulation and power. Kin assist one another, as do neighbours. Order Mennonites. (The larger group One treats state ruling bodies with caution The process of change and suspicion, while at the same time in the 1889 split identified themselves While respecting it. Since the 1960's municipal, the old orders see themselves, initially as Old Mennonites, then Ontario and provincial and national governments have are perceived by others to be Mennonites, and now Mennonite "separate all moved more closely into the lives of and peculiar", their practices do Church Canada). change all Canadians. In a direct way, these . Separation has shades, colours and They have 16 meeting houses and an rulings have impacted the old orders in texture differences.