An Introduction to Mennonite History

Uruguay: The settlement of Mennonites in Uruguay began in 1948 with the coming of 750 immigrants from Danzig and Poland. Together with all their coreligionists they had been forced to leave these homelands in the closing days of World War II in 1945. Upon arriving in Uruguay they immediately found employment and by 1950 were able to purchase El Ombu, a 2,900-acre ranch northwest of Montevideo, with the help of the Mennonite Central Committee. [MK: this is where Erika's mom grew up] In October, 1951, a second group of 431 came to join them, locating on an even larger ranch near Tres Bocas, and which they named Gartental. A third colony was established in 1955 on 3,600 acres some sixty miles northwest of Montevideo and named Delta after their Vistula Delta homeland in Prussia. All three of the colonies are primarily agricultural, growing wheat, peanuts, corn, potatoes, and other crops, as well as raising cattle and giving great effort to the establishing of a dairy industry. Except for help in purchasing land, most of the settlers were self-supporting from the beginning due to their energetic spirit and the rich economy of the country. Though some returned to Germany, the Mennonite census has grown to approximately 1,500 by 1964, of which total nearly 1000 were church members. Most of these had affiliated with the General Conference Mennonite Church, a small group belonging to the Mennonite Brethren Church.

Quoted on February 25, 2017

A third wave of immigrants came to Paraguay from Russia after World War II, establishing colony Neueland in the Chaco and colony Volendam near Friesland in East Paraguay. Having fled eastward before the advancing Russian armies, thousands of Mennonites from Russia had been crowded into Berlin and West German refugee camps awaiting resettlement. When emigration to North America seemed impossible, large numbers of them decided to go to Latin America. Consequently 2314 persons in 641 family units, of which 253 were without father or husband, came to establish Neuland Colony between 1947 and 1950. During the same period 1,810 persons in 441 families founded the Volendam Colony, so named after the Dutch ship which brought them to the New World. Though the help of the pervious immigrants made life much more bearable for later groups than they themselves had experienced, many of the Neuland and Volendam settlers left at the first opportunity, some going to Canada and others returning to Germany. Consequently the number of persons in Neuland was about the same in 1964 as when they first arrived in 1947-8, while Volendam counted approximately 750 in 1964.

Quoted on February 25, 2017

[Part of a 3 or 4 page overview of Amish belief and practice; the author gives a very reasonable explanation here; it's pretty sympathetic!]
The Amish feel that it would be a tragedy to give up the German language. It would have a disruptive influence on their church life; they are comfortably familiar with their beloved German Bivel (Bible), and they would not wish to hear God's Word in any other language, least of all the worldly English around them!

Quoted on February 25, 2017

It is clear that freedom of conscience was central to these migrations, particularly if conscience is defined to include the economic, social, and other conditioning factors which shaped their life together as much as pure religious convictions.

Quoted on February 25, 2017

There is a story of how the elector was riding across his lands one day and came to a Mennonite farm. One of his aids whispered the rumor that the Mennonite was so wealthy because of his skill in making counterfeit money. When the elector confronted the Mennonite with this charge, the farmer simply showed him his blistered hands...

Quoted on February 25, 2017

Meanwhile Mennonite refugees continued to come into the region. Among them was Jacob Ammann (b. 1644), who soon became minister and elder of the congregation in Markirch. There he became troubled over the lack of church discipline in his and other Alsatian and Swiss congregations. Appealing to the Dordrecht Confession which the congregations had now adopted, he insisted that church discipline should include avoidance, i.e., that members have nothing whatever to do with a transgressor who had been excommunicated. In its strictest form this meant that even family members must avoid him, making him eat, sleep, and live completely alone. This was to force him to repentance. Ammann also insisted that all congregations should practice foot washing, that members wear simple clothing including beards for the men. Though he met with considerable opposition, particularly from elder Hans Reist in Switzerland, he traveled through the churches in Alsace and Switzerland to share his convictions, frequently banning those who disagreed with him. ... From this time (ca 1700) his followers have generally been known as Amish Mennonites, or simply Amish.

Quoted on February 25, 2017

A century or more after the Mennonites suffered deeply for their faith, they were tolerated and many were wealthy. Many no longer believed deeply in the things for which their fathers had died. Ease and luxury had done what persecution could not do. Galenus Abrahams, a leading minister in Amsterdam, proposed that the devil had found a clever way of dealing with the Mennonites: he stoped persecution and led them to become interested in the material things of the world.

Quoted on February 25, 2017

[In the mennonite 'Golden Age, the late 1500s]
Mennonites nevertheless soon made a place for themselves in the life of the [Dutch] nation. The overseas trade with Greenland and whale and herring fishing were almost completely in Mennonite hands.

Quoted on February 25, 2017

To see why 'following Jesus' was a unique position we must be reminded of what the other churches were saying. .. Some felt that the existing social order was instituted by God and in such a way that if you were born a peasant God wanted you to remain a peasant, if you were born a prince God wanted you to be a good prince, and so on. Thus when the anabaptists insisted on following strictly the words and example of Jesus, this was not easily understood or accepted. Most could think of Jesus as a dying Savior, or a future judge, but not as someone to follow earnestly in life.

Quoted on February 25, 2017

But where do you stop, when you begin to separate from those with whom you disagree? Much of the history of the Mennonites in the Netherlands from 1555 to 1650 shows that there was no clear and simple answer about where to stop breaking fellowship.

In the disputes of this period some weaknesses became clear. The need to maintain purity in beliefs and practices, for example, is a demand which the church and the Christian ought to feel at all times, but how can this be prevented from becoming an unfair judgement of others who are also striving sincerely but find different answers? For some the church as an organization which demands complete agreement and purity overruled their love and concern for persons who needed fellowship and support.

Quoted on February 25, 2017

These debates made it clear that the Mennonites differed with the state churches on two basic issues: the nature of the Christian life, and the nature of the church. On the first they stressed the importance of the new birth and discipleship. Only persons who were repentant and knew by experience the grace of God should be baptized and join the church. Evidence of new birth was to be seen in the serious attempt to live as disciples who had committed themselves fully to Christ as Lord. Vital signs of this discipleship were love and non-resistance. On the nature of the church they insisted that it must be a voluntary gathering of believers. Church members were to be bound together only by their loyalty to Christ and their love for each other. Their life as disciples would separate them from the world and the ban served as instrument of love to warn and chasten the erring among them. The use of sword or other instruments of the state to enforce the will of the church, was rejected as contrary to the example and teachings of Christ and the apostles.

Quoted on February 25, 2017