A 
 
 MAY 27 1919 
 
 Division -By8vi\ 
 
 Section .F*?S 
 
i MAY 27 1919 
 THE V%0,„ ..v^ 
 
 MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 AND 
 
 HER ACCUSERS. 
 
 A VINDICATION OF THE CHARACTER OF THE MENNONITE 
 CHURCH OF AMERICA FROM HER FIRST OR- 
 GANIZATION IN THIS COUNTRY TO 
 THE PRESENT TIME. 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN F. I^UNK. 
 
 ELKHART, IJSTDIAINA, 
 MENNONITE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 
 
 1878. 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 
 in 2009 witii funding from 
 
 Princeton Tineological Seminary Library 
 
 littp://www.arcliive.org/details/mennonitecliurclihOOfunk 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 " For Zion's sake will I uot hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's 
 sake will I not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as 
 brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth, and the 
 Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all Kings thy glory." 
 Isa. 62: 1. 
 
 For the sake of truth, for the sake of the church, and the many 
 faithful witnesses which, in times past, have so earnestly contended 
 "for the faith once delivered to the saints," the following work has 
 been written. - 
 
 The writer undertook this work with reluctance. He sincerely 
 regrets that the necessity of this vindication ever existed; he would 
 much rather have devoted his energies to a more pleasant task, but 
 for the sake of the truth and the Church it would have been, in his 
 estimation, a most serious neglect of duty, to allow such an unwar- 
 ranted and untruthful misrepresentation of facts and doctrine to pass 
 by unnoticed. 
 
 If our friends of the so called "Reformed Mennonite Church" did 
 these things ignorantly. Christian charity demands that we should 
 show them their errors. Should they have done them willfully and 
 with design (which we hope is not the case), then again it would 
 be in the highest degree, our duty to reprove and warn them of 
 their uncharitable and unjust actions. 
 
 Though the writer in the following pages uses, oftentimes, what 
 may be considered by some, as harsh and severe language, he was 
 not actuated by any feelings of animosity or ill-will He is free to 
 confess that even while writing his sharpest reproofs, his heart was 
 moved with mingled feelings of kindness and pity for those who 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 under the garb of religion could venture on the assertions, charges 
 and condemnations presented in Daniel Musser's "Reformed Menno- 
 nite Church", and it is the sincere prayer of the writer, that God, 
 who giveth "liberally" to all men, "and upbraideth not," may bestow 
 upon them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, that they may 
 see their delusion, and in the true spirit of Christian love, self abase- 
 ment and charity, turn to God, pulling out first the beam from their 
 own eyes, that they may be able to see more clearly to pull out the 
 mote from the brother's eye. 
 
 The writer sincerely prays to God to lead them into a better 
 way, and if in anything that he has written he has erred and done 
 injustice to any one, he asks God to lead him to see it and forgive 
 him. 
 
 The writer also trusts that this little work may be the means of 
 inspiring many with a firmer devotion and a warmer love to God and 
 the church, while, at the same time it may prove a warning voice to 
 many who are lukewarm in the cause of Christ, in showing them to 
 what men may come, when they allow themselves to be led by selfish 
 motives and human traditions to establish a righteousness of their 
 own. 
 
 Elkhart, Ind., Nov. \st, 1878. The Author. 
 
 Note 1 A large portion of the matter contained in this work, 
 was originally presented to the public in a series of articles published 
 in the "Herald of Truth," and is now revised and with some addi- 
 tions and a few corrections published in its present form. 
 
 KoTE 2. It is only a matter of justice to remark here, that in the 
 collecting of the material for this work, and also in the preparation of 
 the matter, the Author has been assisted to a large extent by Bro. 
 Amos Herr, of Lime Valley, Lancaster County, Pa. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 CLAIMS AND ACCUSATIONS OF DANIEL MUSSEE AND JOHN HERE, 
 WITH EXTRACTS FEOM THEIR WRITINGS. 
 
 In the year 187:3 a book, written by Daniel Musser, of Lan- 
 caster County, Pa., a bishop of the Mefonned Mennonite 
 Church, was published, of which we secured a copy and spent 
 some time in its examination. The contents of the book struck 
 us so strangely that for a long time we kept thinking over the 
 matter whether we should undertake to expose its inaccuracies 
 and ill-timed judgments, or whether we should pass it by in si- 
 lent contempt. Some of our friends thought that such inaccu- 
 racies should not be passed over in silence, but a want of time 
 and many other duties pressing urgently upon us, we deferred 
 the matter until during the Smnraer of 1876, when we again took 
 up the book, and in our reading of the same, we felt that in 
 justice to the cause of Christ and his church we could not con- 
 scientiously remain silent. 
 
 The Reformed Mennonites are a sect which took their rise 
 about the year 1812. John Herr was their first pastor. On 
 many points they hold the same views as the Old Mennonites, 
 but in other respects they hold most singular and unscriptural 
 doctrines, as we shall show in the course of this work. They 
 claim that there is only one true. Christian church in the world, 
 and that they comprise that church. They utterly condemn all 
 who do not unite with them, as Babel and in error ; they refuse 
 to hear any ministers, except those of their own church, and are 
 very strict in shunning those who are expelled from their com- 
 munion, and extremely rigid in the observance of all outward 
 
THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 forms and customs. They also claim that there was no church 
 of God, no children of God, no forgiveness of sins, and no 
 one that possessed or could receive the Holy Spirit before 
 Christ was crucified. 
 
 We do not wish to be understood that we make any objec- 
 tions against those who are strict in the observance of outward 
 rites; we commend them, so far as the teachings and command- 
 ments of Jesus Christ require of us. We lionor and love a man 
 all the more when he adheres strictly to the requirements of 
 the Bible, and is faithful in the discharge of the duties of his 
 profession, but there is a difference between closely following 
 in the footsteps of Jesus and observing his commands, and be- 
 ing strict in observing self-made laws, and the unscriptural tra- 
 ditions of men. 
 
 The writer of the book referred to, claims that the Menno- 
 nites were once a pure church. In the days of Menno, God 
 was with the church and his blessing was upon her; that they 
 were the true and living church of God, and that they remained 
 measurably pure until about the close of the seventeenth cent- 
 ury. As soon as the bloody persecutions, to which they had 
 for so long a time been subjected, began to subside, and the 
 Mennonites in common with other denominations, were permit- 
 ted to enjoy religious freedom, they began to forget God, de- 
 parted from his pure doctrines and the purity of their long and 
 well maintained teachings, and gradually became corrupt — be- 
 came very corrupt. 
 
 He claims that very probably, they wei-e already, to some 
 extent, corrupted when they first arrived in this country in the 
 year 1683. And that from this time forward they made rapid 
 progress to a complete corruption, and at the close of the 18th 
 century they were a dead and impure church, without life, 
 without righteousness, without truth, without the favor of God, 
 and without any hope of future happiness; a church so com- 
 pletely lost to the favor of God that it was unworthy the name 
 of a Christian cliurch; forsaken of God, despised of men and 
 without any of the qualifications which God demands of his 
 church. Let us listen to his own words. 
 
AND HEE ACCUSERS. 
 
 On pages 233 .and 234 of his work Daniel Musscr says : 
 "Nothing so much provokes tlie enmity of the world, as to 
 testify of her works, that they are evil. This provoked the 
 Jews to such a bitter hatred of the Savior, who had done so 
 much good before their eyes, and never done anything but good; 
 but for this simple reason they hated him unto death. Even he 
 had to be tempted through one of his deai- disciples, to be more 
 sparing in his denunciations, and he would escape their per- 
 secutions. (Matt, 16.) (The German version renders the ap- 
 proach of Peter more plain, than the English.) When this spirit 
 gains ascendency, it will lead to silence on those points which 
 are offensive to the world; and finally to the countenance, en- 
 couragement and support of such ideas and things as will 
 please the world, and elicit its admiration and applause. In 
 this way, the enemy, in times of peace and prosperity, insinu- 
 ates himself, and finally, darkness overtakes the soul, and walk- 
 ing in darkness they know not whither they go. Thus it 
 seems to have gone loith this glorious Mennonite church, * 
 which God had so highly glorified and adorned with the divine 
 virtues, and so abundantly ministered unto her an entrance into 
 the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 
 This glory Satan, with all his persecutions, imprisonments, 
 torturings, fire, sword and rack, could not dim the lustre of. 
 But by the enticing charms of the world, she was finally 
 induced, like Samson, to lay her head in the hip of t/iis 
 enchantitig Delilah. 
 
 On pages 236, 237, 239, 240, after referring to the question, 
 whether the Mennonites were still in the true faith and prac- 
 tice when they came to this country in- 1683, or not, he further 
 says, "But whether they weie in the true faith or not when they 
 first came to this country, it is well known to tliose who are ac- 
 quainted with the doctrines of Menno, and are at all conversant 
 with the history and afi^airs of the Mennonites of this country, 
 that they had very widely departed from the faith and jiractice 
 
 * The italic through the following pages are put in by way 
 of distinction by the author of this work. 
 
THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 of Menno and his brethren, long before the close of the eigh 
 teenth century. This many of their oion members freely 
 acknowledged in the early jyart of the present century. 
 Whether they wottld do so nov) or not I do not knoio. 
 
 "The work on which we are engaged, makes it necessary 
 to speak of this Old Mennonite Church, in a way which we 
 would very willingly forbear to do, did not necessity require it 
 of us. We hold that Christ established but one church, and 
 that he can have but one. Adam had but one Eve, and Abra- 
 ham but one Sarah. God had but one Israel, which had but 
 one Jerusalem and one temple. So Christ has but one spouse, 
 and we nowhere find any figui^e representing more than one 
 united church; and if the church is the body of Christ, there 
 can be no schism in it; for a kingdom divided against itself 
 cometh to naught, and a house divided against itself cannot 
 stand. 
 
 "The apostles built that church in the beginning, accord- 
 ing to the command of Christ, as a house or home for his 
 children to dwell in. Had it been built or established differ- 
 ently from his command, it would not have been his church, 
 but a human institution, as all other organizations of man are. 
 The Holy Spirit, which this organization possessed was what 
 made it the church or spouse of Christ. Wheresoever this 
 Spirit has His abode, there was the church of Christ; but he 
 could not dwell in an unclean^ sinful^ and disobedient 
 body. When our natural body dies, ihe Spirit does not die; it 
 remains the same as it was before, but the body is dead because 
 the spirit has departed from it. Thus the Holy Spirit is what 
 gives life to the church, and wherever the Holy Spirit is, there 
 is the church, and that is God's house and the home of his 
 children. When that organization, which was a continuation 
 of what the apostles had formed, became unbelieving and dis. 
 obedient, the Holy Spirit no more dwelt with it, and it became 
 a dead body, nothing different from any other human organi- 
 zation, however long it might have continued in existence. 
 But the church of God was not extinct. Wlieresoever two or 
 three were met together, in the name of Christ, there he was 
 
AlfD HER ACCUSERS. 
 
 in the midst of them by his Spirit ; and here was the church 
 of God; and these were united, and one with all others in the 
 world; for they were by the Spirit, which they possessed, bap- 
 tized into one body and were made one heart and one soul. 
 Thus though this particular organization lost the spirit 
 and life which made it a churchy the church was not 
 extinguished, or lost. Though this organization continued 
 many centuries^ it lost every mark, evidence or character 
 of its original, divine nature. However, many such organ- 
 izations took place in different parts and ages of the world, so 
 long as they were true and faithful believers, the life-giving 
 Spirit abode with them; but when they would become unbe- 
 lieving and disobedient, the Spirit would forsake that body, 
 and however long the organization and form of worship might 
 be kept up, it would nevertheless be but a spiritless, dead 
 body. 
 
 "In this light we look upon the 'Old Mennonite Church.' 
 We believe it was once the church of Christ, possessed of the 
 Holy, life-giving Spirit, and so continued for many years; but 
 as it had gone with the Roman church, (which was the contin- 
 uation of the first organization), it became unbelieving, diso- 
 bedient, lost the Spirit, and with this the marks or evidence of 
 the Divine nature. As such it had come down to the peo- 
 ple of our country at the close of the eighteenth, and the 
 beginning of the present century. 
 
 "The originators of the organization known as the 'Re- 
 formed Mennonite Church' held, that Men no Simon and his 
 brethren of his day, held sound and orthodox doctrine; and 
 that the church which bore his name, at that time was the 
 pure, true, and united church of Christ. To justify the course 
 they took in forming a new organization, it became their duty 
 at the time, to show that the Mennonite cj\urch of their day, 
 whose organization had descended from this recognized 
 church, had become apostate, or a spiritless, dead body. 
 This they freely did at the time, whioh brought them 
 much enmity from, many sources. 
 2 
 
10 THE MBNNOUITE CHTTKCH 
 
 "From all the evidence I can gather, I believe they were 
 right in their judgment. They looked upon the members 
 of this church as u7iconverted, carnal people of the loorld, 
 as all non-professors are. We propose to show this from 
 evidence which I have never heard contradicted^ nor 
 do I believe it can be. We will give traditional evi- 
 dence of persons who lived amongst them, and sato and 
 Tcneio what they related; then written evidence, of persons of 
 unquestionable character for truth; and lastly, my own obser- 
 vation of what I seen, heard and know. 
 
 "From such persons as *vere friendly to the church, I 
 learned in my early youth, that at the time alluded to, viz: the 
 latter part of the last, and the beginning of the present century, 
 the members of the church were, in regard to inward or spir. 
 itual life, as ignorant, cold, a?id dead as any carnal, 
 unconverted person could be. It was the custom generally, 
 that when their children would grow up to years of maturity, 
 they were baptized, and received into the Church; that their 
 preachers or teachers were altogether inexperienced, and 
 ignorant in spiritual matters; and, as a consequence, their 
 preparatory instruction, and examination, was a mere matter of 
 form. * * * They had neither the knowledge of sin, or 
 righteousness. Their parents belonged to the church and 
 they were told that they should also be joined to it. There 
 was nothing in the step which forbade the enjoyment of 
 what the flesh could have life and gratification in, and 
 they generally agreed to the proposition of their parents. The 
 natural result of such a course, was a carnal, cold and senseless 
 religion. 'Yh.o. p>ublic service was generally cold and form- 
 al, and p7-ivate religious exercises ivas something almost 
 unknown. They had their amusements and pastimes in rustic 
 sports and plays, telling stories, jesting and making fun gen- 
 erally. They were generally what the world accounts moral, 
 industrious, frugal and honest. But as there are always dispo- 
 sitions which tend to extravagance in conduct and behavior, 
 there were not wanting many instances, where the conduct 
 
AND HER ACCUSBKS. 11 
 
 rather exceeded the bounds of propriety; but thera were so 
 many precedents where these were passed over without notice, 
 that they had to be very flagrant, if any notice was 
 taken of them by the church authorities; and if notice was 
 taken of them, it was often in a mere formal manner, which 
 excited more meri'iment and sport in the church, than grief 
 and sorrow. At that time spirituous liquor was more freely 
 used in all families than at present; and inebriation was a 
 thing not at all uncommon, and had to be very aggravated if 
 any notice was taken of it. Cases were related to me, where mem- 
 bers got outrageously disorderly and no notice was taken of it. 
 
 " It was a very customary thing, at the time we refer to, 
 for the younger members to meet tegether on Sunday after- 
 noon, from church service, and spend the afternoon in such 
 sports as wrestling, jumping, running foot-races, playing ball, 
 or whatever sports and games of the kind were in vogue at 
 the time. The older members, with preachers, would look 
 on as spectators, and had for a proverb. Honorable sports or 
 diversions no one can forbid. At their marriages, feasting, 
 drinking, and noisy mirth were carried to great extremes. 
 
 " At that time the old-fashioned fairs were annually held 
 at all the tovns of any size, even down to small villages. At 
 Lancaster, the gatherings were usually very large. Numbers 
 of the members of the church attended also. There was, as 
 may well be supposed, all kinds of wickedness and ungodly 
 deeds practiced here. I have no information how far the mem- 
 bers of the church took part in these acts of wickedness, but 
 by their presence they showed them such countenance as 
 tended to uphold and support them. The old portion of the 
 community usually attended the second day, when many of 
 the elderly members also attended It was the custom of these 
 old men to have their bottle of wine, round which they would 
 sit, and often become partially intoxicated, and sometimes 
 considerably more than partially. At this time nearly all 
 attended elections, and many of them participated very act- 
 ively in electioneering, to further the chances of their favorite 
 
12 THE MENNONITE CHURCH. 
 
 candidate. This I have myself seen, and heard one say openly, 
 that he had on one occasion voted twice at the same election. 
 These things were not of accidental or private occurrence. 
 They were common, open and known to the world; and well 
 known to the church also, and even some of their jyreachers 
 were not free from the charge." 
 
 On pages 240 and 241 we find further the following: 
 " John Herr, in his writings, from which I propose to make 
 some extracts, makes some allusion to these things. I have 
 heard that some of the younger members of the church say, 
 they know nothing of such things, and assert that they are not 
 true. It may be they do know nothing of it; but they have 
 members of their church who do know better, and if they 
 would, could testify to their truth; and the day is coming 
 which will reveal it. When John Herr and his co-workers 
 commenced laboring to build up a church, the 'Old Menno- 
 nites' generally, charged them with motives of enmity and self- 
 ishness, which prompted them to the course they took. This 
 charge is now still reiterated, and the generation which has 
 knowledge of the things referred to is fast passing away, and 
 in a few generations more, or only a few short years, none will 
 be left, who from actual knowledge, can attest to the truth 
 of what he wrote. From my own knowledge and observations, 
 I know that such things as he writes are true. In saying this, 
 I know to whom I must give account, and it is to Him I appeal 
 for its truth. I am sorry Herr was under the necessity of say- 
 ing it, and still more deeply grieved, that the necessity exists 
 for our re-asserting it. Much, yea, very much, rather would 
 I have left these things to oblivion. There are yet many old 
 members in the Monnonite church, who know well that these 
 things are true;3and if they think that their church is now 
 reformed, and in a truly living and spiritual state, it would be 
 much more to their credit to come out and say openly, that the 
 time was when the church had fallen into such sh<tme/ul 
 practices, but she is now reformed, revived and renovated. 
 
 "They still, as a general thing, were plain in their dress, 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 13 
 
 and manner of life. They also still professed to be non-resist- 
 ant, and refused to swear; but they very grossly violated their 
 profession of non-resistance, by acts tending to countenance 
 and abet warfare, and more especially, by seeking for redress 
 of grievance, at law, and defending themselves at law against 
 claims which they considered unjust. This was violating a 
 very decided principle of Menno's profession. The washing 
 of feet, if not rejected, was at least practically omitted for 
 many years. The kiss of peace was very little, if at all prac- 
 ticed. The refusal to hear the service, or join in worship with 
 those who reject and refuse to obey the plain commands of the 
 gospel, together with avoiding excommunicatea members, both 
 of which Menno so strenuously upheld, they rejected alto- 
 gether, and do so still, to the present day, in our part of the 
 country." 
 
 "A church that does not walk in the love of God, must be 
 destitute of the Spirit, and consequently a dead body. If the 
 members of this church lived and walked as we have related, 
 that tradition reports they did, they certainly were not obedi- 
 ent to Christ. Although there may have been exemplary 
 and worthy characters amongst them, and even some wlio 
 seemed pious and God-fearing, yet being cognizant of these 
 things in other members, they could not obey Christ, without 
 making such protest against these things, as would bring them 
 to an issue before the church; and if the church would refuse 
 to obey the gospel command, they must withdraw from them 
 in order to full obedience. There were occasional withdrawals, 
 as I have been informed, and these proved themselves obedi- 
 ent, and possessed of the love of God. But the mass who still 
 clave together, and bore with those disorderly and carnal mem- 
 bers, were surely not obedient, and, consequently, by Christ's 
 own declaration, did not love Him. If they did not love 
 Christ, they must surely have been destitute of the Holy 
 Spirit, and must have been dead. I do not hold that every 
 failure in obedience is evidence that a soul is void of grace. 
 We are poor, weak creatures, and may be overtaken in many 
 
14 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 ways. But when a congregation of people continue for many 
 years to walk habitually and persistently in a carnal course 
 and despite the motions of grace in the heart, and the protests 
 and reproofs of others, I do not see how we can conclude oth- 
 erwise, than that they are dead. On this ground, 1 conclude 
 this church was dead, and I should like to see upon what 
 Scripture grounds the position could be overthrown." 
 
 Quoting from the writings of John Herr he gives the fol- 
 lowing extracts: " But according to this, these of our time ai-e 
 far from doing, and esteem the doctrine of their reformer, in 
 many points, but lightly. The cause of which, is this: Menno 
 Simon's and Detrich Philip's writings and doctrine, sets their 
 present community quite out of the order of Christ and His 
 apostles, as in truth it is entirely out of that order; which is 
 testified before the whole world, by their evident fruits. 
 
 " Therefore I will direct thee, my dear reader, to them. 
 Search the above mentioned writings with an unprejudiced 
 heart, and spiritual mind, and observe how they pictured the 
 church of Christ, and how gloriously they set forth by the 
 testimony of apostolic truth and Divine power, and which also 
 their church members testified by their fruits and sealed with 
 their blood; and when thou hast rightly apprehended this 
 truth, then look over also on the present community with a 
 spiritual eye, and view their fleshly life, their proud, arrogant 
 deportment, and their careless, cold hearts in Divine things; 
 their insatiable world-spirit, their dealing and their way, how 
 sensual it is in every point, almost throughout the whole of 
 them And when thou hast observed this, then go a little 
 further, where thou wilt find a great many defenseless, unarmed 
 mm. Then ask the judge and the attorney; they will tell 
 you that some of them are engaged in strife and law suits, 
 as much as others. And then go on and ask the debtors and 
 criminals; they will tell you that they see none more frequently 
 on the seats of judgment, passing sentence upon them and 
 assisting to judge them, than these. Then ask the tavern- 
 keepers, and they will also tell thee that many resort thither, 
 
AND HER ACCtJSEES. 15 
 
 who are lovers of spirituous drink, and from which even some 
 of their teachers are not free; and if thou wouhJst ask the 
 race-riders and their like, they would tell thee that they also 
 have some of them as spectators, as well as of all others. And 
 if thou wilt search all these fruits impartially, according to 
 the gospel, then thou wilt soon find that they falsely term 
 themselves the church of Christ; and as far as the evening is 
 from the morning, or darkness from the light, so far are they 
 separated from our first reformers' doctrine or community, or 
 from the community of Christ. And it is to be feared that the 
 candlestick is removed from them, that they cannot see; and 
 if even they do see it and do not repent, it will ultimately be 
 taken from them, because they will not receive the truth which 
 is yet oflEered to them." (Rev. 2.) 
 
 On page 262 he (John Herr) calls the ministers of the Old 
 Mennonite Church, in his day, false and unfaithful teach- 
 ers^ blind leaders of the blind, and says, that it is manifest 
 that they do not love Chiist, because they do not keep his 
 commandments. And on page 266 he makes the following 
 remarks : "But these teachers not only suffer their brethren to 
 go unreproved, but likewise the public sins that occur before 
 the whole world; that is through the lusts of the eye, and 
 fleshly gratifications, arrogant distinctions, yea, and sometimes 
 they loiter in public places till they become inebriated with 
 vnne, which occasions disorder, and in general they lead such 
 an evil, dissipated life, that the heart of the true Christian 
 must bleed for them. 
 
 "All this, I say, they suffer to pass on, which is proved by 
 their open acts, and even encourage them in it, when they come 
 to the Sacrament or Supper, as if they were members of Christ; 
 and by this iJiey show that they are in darkness, for they love not 
 the brethren, for if they had any love for them, they would 
 pull them out of the fire (Jude 23 j. And since they neglect to 
 do this, and much rather comfort them with the holy,token 
 of the broken body and blood of Christ, * * they are man-slay- 
 ers or murderers, for they lead their souls onward to death under 
 
16 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 a false comfort; so that they imagine all is well with them in 
 the midst of their fleshly pursuits; and thus they rest in a 
 deceitful security, till death overtakes them and bears them to 
 eternity, where they shall knock and say, 'Lord, we have eaten 
 and drank in Thy presence, (the Supper), and on the streets 
 (or meeting houses) hast thou taught us;' but he shall answer: 
 Depart from me, for I know you not.'" Luke 13. 
 
 Again on page 267, after speaking of the characteristics by 
 which the true followers of Christ should be distinguished, he 
 says, " But as nothing of this is seen in the present Mennonite 
 society, but rather the reverse, with both teachers and hearers, 
 as every godly person may see; so that according to St. Peter's 
 doctrine, they must be blind, and 'grope as if they had no 
 eyes, and stumble at noonday as in the night; and are in deso- 
 late places as dead men, for the way of peace they know not, 
 and there is no judgment in their goings; they have made them 
 crooked paths; whosoever goeth thei'ein shall not know peace.' 
 (Isa. 59.) 'For their vine is the vine of Sodom, and of the 
 fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are grapes of gall, and their 
 clusters are bitter.''' (Deut. 82.) 
 
 On page 268 friend Musser continues these extracts from 
 the writings of John Herr, where he (Herr), says in the same 
 connection and in reference to the same subject: "While on 
 the contrary, the prince of this world, or the poisonous and cor- 
 rupt vine, stands in the spiritual Sodom, in the midst of the con- 
 gregation or church of darkness, and puts forth such fleshly and 
 sour branches, from the corrupt moisture or sap, which pro- 
 duces bitter clusters, of which is born the poison of dragons, 
 and the cruel venom of asps (Deut. 32), namely, fleshly minded 
 men, and members who bear the fruits of the flesh, which are 
 hatred, malice, wrath, strifes, seditions, emulations, drunken- 
 ness, revelings, fornication, adultery, cursing, swearing, lying 
 and deceiving^ and coveting their neighbor's goods, having 
 hearts overgrown with avarice, which is idolatry, and the root 
 of all evil. (Gal. 5.) Tliey seek after great riches and honor 
 in the world, which is given to them, because they fall down 
 
AKD HER ACCUSEES. 17 
 
 and worship him and serve him (Matt. 4), and testify by their 
 works, what spirit they are of." 
 
 He further accuses the members of the church of a carnal, 
 vain and haughty life, living in the lusts of the world and the 
 flesh, of drinking and rioting, worldliness, buffoonery, &c, 
 and that they "were no more circumspect in their walk" than 
 he himself was, which is the usual way in which self-righteous 
 persons justify themselves in their sins and short-comings. 
 And in this manner he proceeds to show the inconsistencies of 
 the Old church, to prove that they were dead, corrupted, 
 rejected of God, and no longer a church. His writings 
 througout breathe forth the very same spirit as the writings of 
 Musser, or perhaps it would be said, with better grace, that 
 Musser following in the footsteps of John Herr, received his 
 mantle, and his writings breathe forth throughout the same 
 spirit as those of his self-righteous predecessor and for the 
 purpose of showing this fact, we have given the foregoing 
 extracts from Herr's own writings as quoted by Musser. The 
 kind reader should bear in mind that Musser fully endorses all 
 these accusations of Herr and says, he knov^s them to be true. 
 
 On page 284 D. Musser says further: "There are yet people 
 living (and of their own members too), who know that drink- 
 ing to excess, revelry, strife and envyings, were very common 
 amongst members of the church, and that the church generally 
 (ministers amongst the rest), knew it, and no notice was taken 
 of it." 
 
 On page 285 he accuses the older members of deceiving 
 the younger portion of the community in regard to the truth 
 of his assertions and other irregularities. He says, " There are 
 old members of the church who if they would be candid, could 
 relieve the minds of their younger brethren in this matter, and 
 if they wish to tell the truth in relation to it, must admit it. 
 They know it was a common thing for their members to sit 
 on juries; that it was not an uncommon thing for them to 
 have law-suits, and some of them being lovers of strong drink. 
 I myself, know of different persons, who were commonly 
 3 
 
THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 reported at the time as addicted to drunkenness, and also seen 
 them intoxicated; yet they were members till their death; 
 and to my own certain knowledge their habits were well known 
 to the preachers. Of their being spectators at race-ridings, 
 I have seen myself in my younger days; and of helping to 
 elect men to such office and position, as they themselves would 
 consent, was not consistent for them, as Christians, to hold, it 
 is scarcely necessary to speak, because it is yet very common 
 amongst them; but not so general as it was then. But at 
 that time they did not only vote, but were active politicians 
 in their districts, causing bitterness and strife; which I have 
 myself seen, and know to be true; and their elder brethren 
 cannot deny it." 
 
 On page 286 he comes back again to the spiritual condi- 
 tion of the church and says: "But as their works were carnal, 
 dead works, it proves that they had neither faith, love, nor 
 the spirit of life. If even the members did not all indulge in 
 carnal deeds, such as have been named of some, their ministers 
 knew it well, and every intelligent member knew it; and as 
 they did not reprove and purge the church of these offenders, 
 it is proof that they themselves were destitute of the love of 
 God and of his Holy Spirit and consequently dead." 
 
 Again on page 283 he says: "The carnal woiks which I 
 have spoken of as having learned by tradition, I have from so 
 many sources and from such authority, that I cannot help but 
 believe it to be true. The whole church and the world well 
 knew of their existence, and yet they were suffered to exist 
 from year to year for several generations." 
 
 On pages 286, 287, he again compares the Mennonite church 
 with the Catholic chui'ch and says in substance, that as the 
 Catholic church in the days of the Reformers was dead and 
 would not suffer herself to be reformed by those men, so also 
 the Mennonite church was dead in the days of John Herr and 
 would not consent to a reformation either from Kauffman, Lan- 
 dis, or John Herr, and speaking of Francis Herr in this con- 
 nection, he certainly makes a most unfortunate application of 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. ID 
 
 facts (as will hereafter appear), when he says, "Francis Herr, 
 of this vicinity, became awakened in the last century, aind 
 after exhausting every means to make his brethren sensible of 
 the error of their ways, he was necessitated to withdraw from 
 their fellowship, as all his prostestations were disregarded and 
 opposed. For many years he privately and publicly protested 
 and cried aloud against the iniquity. The church would not 
 hear, but slandered and defamed him, to drown the voice that 
 sounded in their ears, as well as to neutralize its effect upon 
 others." 
 
 Thus he goes on in his accusations, malignings and mis- 
 representations, repeating and rehearsing the same things so 
 often that the mind grows weary in its perusal. His assertions 
 are so full of expressions of doubt, probabilities, suppositions, 
 unsubstantiated traditions, and unjustifiable conclusions that 
 the careful and unbiased reader is involuntarily led, at once, 
 to question in his own mind whether these things are not the 
 products of prejudice, envy and self-righteousness. 
 
 These extracts from the writings of D. Musser and John 
 Herr will serve to show the reader very plainly the general 
 style, character and credibility of their writings concerning 
 the Old Mennonite Church. D, Musser approves and endorses 
 the writings of John Herr and on page 240, he uses the fol- 
 lowing strong and significant language, "From my own 
 knowledge and observation I know that such things as he 
 writes are true. In saying this I know to whom I must give 
 account, and it is to Him I appeal for its truth," Of his own 
 writing he says, page 285, "jT conscientiously believe tt to 
 he true^ and if I am in error, I beg them to convince me 
 by the Word of God, and I will freely retract." 
 
 To judge from these quotations and many other remarks 
 in the book referred to, the only conclusion we could arrive at, 
 would be, that the Mennonite Church was, during the last 
 hundred years, so corrupted as to have forfeited all claims 
 worthy of the Christian name, yea, a sensual, debauched, pleas- 
 ure-seeking, corrupted" people. The whole gist and tenor of his 
 
20 THE MEHTNONITE CHURCH 
 
 representations of the church, bear upon this one subject, 
 viz: to make the "Old Mennonite Church" just as low and 
 degraded, and contemptible and infamous as possible, and 
 this he does according to his own admission, for the simple 
 purpose of justifying the conduct of John Herr and his fol- 
 lowers in organizing the "Reformed Mennonite Church." He 
 admits that unless they can show the old church a corrupted 
 church, they should have had no ground for withdrawing. The 
 degree of pure benevolence, pure love for the souls of such 
 great sinners, for a church so utterly blind and ignorant and 
 the spirit of Christian love, possessed by Musser, becomes 
 apparent from such a course. The correctness of the assertions 
 of one laboring, in so large a degree, for the interests and jus- 
 tification of the actions of his own party or sect, should, under 
 all circumstances, be subjected to a most careful examination. 
 The strong prejudice under which the writer, in this case, is 
 laboring, coupled with his own avowed object in view, are 
 facts which naturally awaken doubt and suspicion, and his 
 repeated assertions that what he writes is true, have a tendency 
 rather to strengthen than to allay our doubts. 
 
 Now if these accusations are true, and if these charges 
 •can be sustained, then our church is certainly in a very deplor- 
 able condition, and we dare no longer boast that our forefa- 
 thers of from fifty to one hundred years ago, were members of 
 a Christian church ; neither can we (if we are the dead body 
 which we are represented to be), make any such claims for 
 ourselves. If these things are true, we must condemn the 
 Mennonite ministeis of that day as blind leaders of the blind, 
 corrupters of the word of God, partakers of the evil deeds of 
 corrupt and ungodly men, unfaithful, guilty of the most shame- 
 ful neglect of duty, and entirely unfit for the sacred office they 
 filled. We must look upon the brotherhood of that day as a 
 combination of men, guilty of the most flagrant immorality 
 and sunken into the deepest depth of spiritual corruption ; a 
 sensual and carnal people, who could not in the remotest 
 degree, lay any claims to the privileges of the church of Christ. 
 
AND HER ACCUSBR8. 21 
 
 If these things are true, we must esteem the church of that 
 day, as a body so corrupt that she had lost every virtue of 
 gospel purity and was so dead to every sense of righteousness 
 and holiness, that under her cloak men could be drunkards, 
 deceivers, dishonest, defraud, break the Sabbath, gamble, 
 dance and play, and indulge in all manner of sinful practices 
 without reproof. 
 
 If a man has nothing better wherewith to justify his 
 course of action, than the faults and failings of his fellow- 
 men, whether such faults are real or imaginary, he is certainly 
 leaning upon a broken reed ; and the man who would estab- 
 lish his own righteousness, and justify himself by condemning, 
 slandering, maligning and lowering the character of others, is 
 surely not fulfilling the perfect law of love. 
 
 The inconsistency of these charges becomes the more 
 apparent when we notice that after laboring very hard to make 
 the members of the old church partakers of every evil work, 
 charging them with being given to shameful practices^ dis- 
 honesty, deception and falsehood, he says, "They are generally 
 what the world called morale frugal, industrious and honest,'''' 
 "good moral citizens faithfully fulfilling their moral obliga- 
 tions." 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 CHARACTERISTICS MOTIVES OUR POSITION THE CHARACTER 
 
 OF MUSSEr's TESTIMONY. 
 
 Slander is the complainer's great weapon. It is almost 
 always the refuge and consolation of a dissatisfied mind ; 
 whenever one whose heart is not filled and restrained by the 
 love of God, becomes dissatisfied with any person, an associa- 
 tion of persons, a church or society, his grand resort is almost 
 always to -slander, and this is, most of all, the case with dissat- 
 isfied church members, members who have fallen under church 
 censure, or who for any other reason have withdrawn them- 
 selves or been expelled from a church, and that especial 
 church from which they have withdrawn, or with which they 
 have once been connected, always becomes the target of their 
 bitterest denunciations. When a man who did not enter by 
 the door (Christ) but climbing up some other way, has found 
 admission into the church and perhaps for years, been dragging 
 himself along on its skirts, as a dead body, standing in the 
 vineyard as a fruitless tree, occupying the place of a candle- 
 stick and giving no light, the subject of many prayers and 
 exhortations, and the cause of much care and anxiety to his 
 minister or bishop, is suddenly awakened from his stupor by 
 some new sensation, in the pojjular theology or religious prac- 
 tice of the day, and allows himself to be led in ihe same path 
 of insincerity and hypocrisy as before, by some blind leader of 
 the blind, and vainly supposes that he now has found the true 
 way and is converted and a true Christian, he at once sets up a 
 tirade of slander and abuse against those with whom he was 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 23 
 
 once identified. Now a man could not tell it in plainer lan- 
 guage, nor prove by a more unmistakable and stronger evidence 
 that he never was a Christian and that he is not a Christian now, 
 than by just such a course. Meekness and forgiveness, love, 
 pity, and kindness, are Christian virtues and fruits of a con- 
 verted heart; prayer for enemies and the conversion of the err- 
 ing and the ignorant, and efforts to bring them to the knowl- 
 edge of God, are Christian practices; but abuse and slander 
 belong to the works of darkness; they are the products of 
 an unconverted and an impenitent heart. 
 
 If John Herr or his successor Daniel Musser, had ever 
 been members of the Mennonite church, we would feel that it 
 was only the natural course which nearly all dissatisfied and 
 unrenewed persons take to justify themselves when they need 
 a reason for withdrawing from a church, but when we consider 
 that neither of these persons ever were membei's of the Menno- 
 nite church, we fail to see any reason why they should try so 
 hard to abuse, degrade, condemn, misrepresent and slander the 
 Old Menuonite Church as they do, unless it be to make them- 
 selves a name and gain honor and popularity among men; or, 
 unless envious of the stronghold, the well-established reputation 
 and superior numbers of the Old church, they are seeking 
 from selfish motives, to supplant and destroy her. In either 
 case, the motive is so far beneath all Christian dignity (to say 
 nothing of the false statements it contains), that it seems to us 
 impossible that any one making any claim to the Christian 
 religion, could so far forget his calling as to stoop to such 
 uncharitable, such unfeeling and wholesale denunciations as 
 appear in this work. And the pretense that all this is prompted 
 by the spirit of love and done from a sincere conviction of duty, 
 for the good ot the Old church, is truly one of the most pecul- 
 iar claims we have ever heard. It is practically just such an 
 illustration of the teachings of the Gospel, as war Christians 
 present us with, when they pretend to obey the Savior's precept, 
 '■'■Love your enemies,'''' by taking the weapons of death and 
 going out to destroy their lives. The whole account of the Old 
 
24 THB MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 Mennonite Church given in this work, indeed, seems to be a 
 master-piece of pharisaical, self-righteousness and egotism 
 unequaled by any author of the present age, while the multi- 
 tude of conjectures, suppositions, expressions of doubt and the 
 relation of circumstances of which he acknowledges that he 
 does not know whether they are so or not, at once stamp it 
 as entirely unworthy of the smallest degree of credence. 
 
 In our attempt to show the sincere reader, that many of 
 the statements so uncharitably made by Daniel Musser against 
 the Old Mennonite Church, are altogether incorrect and untrue^ 
 we wash to be distinctly understood that we make no claim to 
 perfection as long as the church is composed of frail, imperfect, 
 human beings. We do not claim that the Old Mennonite 
 Church, is a church without spot or blemish, that she has no 
 unfaithful members among her numbers, and we do not believe 
 that there is a church, of any considerable number, upon the 
 face of the earth (the Reformed Mennonite Church not 
 excepted), that has not some members that are untrue, and who 
 are more of a discredit to the church than otherwise. There 
 was a Judas among the twelve apostles, the little number whom 
 Jesus had chosen as his special followers; there was an Ana- 
 nias and Sapphira and others who unworthily crept into the 
 Christian church in its very earliest days, and should we pre- 
 sume to be more sagacious, better judges of human nature, and 
 better able to disclose the secrets of men's hearts than even the 
 heaven-inspired apostles of eighteen hundred years ago? 
 
 We believe and teach that the church should be kept pure; 
 that is, when members become transgressors and it becomes 
 known, it is the duty of the church, as required by the gospel, 
 to expel the offending member or members from her com- 
 munion. This doctrine the Old Mennonite Church has always 
 maintained, taught and practiced, even during the very period 
 of time in which Musser and Herr claim that she was so very 
 corrupt and altogether without discipline, as will appear here- 
 after, and as Musser also acknowledges in several instances 
 referred to in his book. 
 
AND HEE ACCUSERS. 25 
 
 That there may have been members in the church who 
 manifested no good light, who were more loose in their morals 
 than they should have been, and that there were even ministers 
 and bishops who were less I'igid in their administration of the 
 affairs of the church, than the gospel requires, we will not 
 deny, for as we above remarked, we do not look for perfection 
 in imperfect, human beings on this- side of the grave; and if 
 the Old church had, and still has, weaknesses in this direction, 
 the Reformed Mennonite Church had a greater weakness, by 
 endeavoring to display, adorn and beautify her own perfec- 
 tions by pointing out the imperfections of the Old church, and 
 basely falsifying and misrepresenting her. Pharisee-like she 
 seems to stand in her lofty temple, thanking God that she is 
 not like other men, or even like this poor publican. 
 
 If our light is so dim that it will not shine unless we first 
 extinguish our neighbors, we ought to gather more oil and put 
 it in better trim. If our actions, our walk and conversation can 
 not prove edifying to the world without we disgrace our neigh- 
 boi's, we ought to set about improving ourselves in the Chris- 
 tian graces, and if a church cannot stand on its own merits, 
 and prove a power and exert an influence on the world without 
 stooping to degrade its neighbors, it proves that the church is 
 not the church of God, for the Savior says, " Upon this rock 
 will I build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail 
 against it." "Ye are the light of the world; a city that is set 
 on a hill cannot be hid.'' "Lo! I am with you always, even 
 unto the end of the world." "In my name shall they cast out 
 devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up 
 serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt 
 them." Thus the promise of God is with his people, and his 
 church should look for the blessings of heaven unto him who 
 has promised and is faithful, and build the house of the Lord 
 in faith, seeking to gather, to bind up, to heal and to lead the 
 erring ones to the true fountain of life, and not cast down, 
 destroy and scatter. Besides, according to the above promises, 
 if the Reformed Mennonite Church is the true church, as they 
 4 
 
26 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 claim she is, then all that the Old church could do would not 
 affect them; she would prosper and grow notwithstanding, and 
 hence there would not have been the remotest necessity for 
 the slanderous production which Musser has so greatly exerted 
 himself to produce. 
 
 To judge a man by one act of his life, by one word from 
 his lips, by a single manifestation of his moral or religious 
 character would be unjust. No prudent man would do it, and 
 no one, whether of good or bad character, would be willing, on 
 any matter of importance, to be thus judged. A whole chain 
 of words and actions are sometimes linked together, the devel- 
 opment of which often thx*ows a very different light upon 
 the subject of our investigations. So in forming a just esti- 
 mate of the condition or character of a church we should be 
 thoroughly acquainted with the church in general, with her 
 doctrines, teachings and practice. This knowledge should be 
 obtained by repeated and continued observations, and the testi- 
 mony of impartial and unprejudiced witnesses; not from 
 flying and uncertain reports, or from persons who are the open 
 opposers and enemies of the church. Neither would it be right 
 to convict and condemn a man upon the testimony of persons 
 who were prejudiced against him, or who from selfish motives 
 would be inclined to testify against the accused unjustly; to 
 do full justice, we need unprejudiced witnesses, an impartial 
 jury and an unbiased judge. 
 
 This is the prominent error of D. Musser in his attack 
 Upon the Old Mennonite Church. His testimony is in a large 
 degree traditional, and both his traditional testimony .as well as 
 that which is written, is mostly, if not altogether, from per- 
 sons, who, because they could not be allowed to dictate to the 
 church, or for other reasons, became dissatistied and withdrew 
 from the church, or who as transgressors were expelled, or 
 from such as had never been members at all, but were strongly 
 prejudiced against the church. In this manner he is able to 
 make an apparently very strong case, but we shall be sui-prised, 
 
ANT) HBE ACCUSHES. 27 
 
 if the injury he has sought to do to others, will not in the end 
 rebound^with double force upon himself. 
 
 Christian Kauffraan, whose testimony Musser gives, was, 
 according to his own statement, disobedient to the require- 
 ments and long established customs of the church, and when 
 he found the church would not yield to her well established 
 rules, he became dissatisfied and withdrew. Under such cir- 
 cumstances it could hardly be expected his testimony could be 
 other than 'what it is — derogatory to the church. Abraham 
 Landis, whose testimony is also given, was evidently a similar 
 character, looking only on the dark side, finding fault with 
 everything and everybody in the church except himself, and 
 not being able to rule, he is determined, if possible, to ruin. 
 Full of self-righteousness, he knows only to tell of his own 
 good works, while the actions of others are ^11 wrong. 
 
 John Herr, who may be considered the founder or father 
 of the Reformed Mennonite Church, never was a member of 
 the Old Church, but having wholly devoted himself to 
 the New Church, and risen to its leadership, and liis church, 
 to a great extent, a rival of the Old Church, and he with 
 many of his followers strongly prejudiced, and no doubt 
 somewhat hurt in his own feelings, on account of the expul- 
 sion, from the church, of his father, Francis Herr ( of whom 
 we will hereafter speak), we can, of course, expect noth- 
 ing else but the severest censures and denunciations. The 
 impartial historian could never venture to base the record 
 of any event upon such testimony, if he desired to give a 
 faithful account of it. But this is just the kind of evidence 
 from which D. Musser draws his conclusions, and declares 
 that he believes they are true, and that he never heard them 
 contradicted, and does not believe they cnn he, and that 
 from his own personal knowledge he knows them to be true. 
 Let us see. 
 
 One of the most unhesitating statements which D. Musser 
 gives in his work, in conn(»ction with his long parade of cor- 
 ruptions, in the Old Church is, that Francis Herr, the father of 
 
28 THE MENNONITE CHUECH 
 
 John Herr, was a member of the Old Church, but that because 
 the Old Church became so corrupt he could no longer, Avith a 
 good conscience, remain with her, and that on this account he 
 withdrew from the church. Musscr takes considerable pains 
 to show that Francis Herr was a very good and devoted Chris- 
 tian, and that he stood high in the estimation of his neighbors 
 and friends, and that his pure principles, pious walk, and the 
 general demoralization of the Old Church, led him to separate 
 himself from her, and contradicts what we have above inti- 
 mated, namelj', that he was expelled for misconduct. 
 
 We shall here be under the necessity of saying what we 
 would rather not buj. It pains us that the necessity for saying 
 it exists, but in justice to the truth, we beg leave to make the 
 following statement : Francis Herr was a member of ihe Old 
 Mennonite Church, but how he graced the Christian profession 
 will appear in the course of our remarks. He was called to 
 account by the church for unfair dealing and dishonesty 
 toward a neighbor, in connection with the sale of a horse. 
 The church requested him to make recompense and confess his 
 error. This he refused to do, and consequently was expelled 
 from the church, and from that time forward began to abuse 
 and malign her. This statement, however it may vary from 
 that given by D. Musser, can be substantiated by a number of 
 persons whose testimony is unquestionable, and who know 
 whereof they affirm : it is the testimony of men who are so per- 
 fectly familiar with the circumstances that there can be no mis- 
 take about it, and we feel sure that if friend Musser had made 
 the effort, he could very easily have obtained an account of 
 this matter, much more in accordance with the facts in the 
 case than the one he has given. Musser stoutly denies that 
 Francis Herr ever was expelled from the church for the miscon- 
 duct above referred to, but the account which he gives of it, is 
 so full of suppositions, uncertainties, doubts, and conjectures 
 that as a reliable and authentic account it has no value. * 
 
 * See further the testimony of Susan Herr and remarks on a sub- 
 sequent page. 
 
AND HEK ACCUSERS. 29 
 
 We see that T). Musser was not only unfortunate in the 
 selection of his witnesses, but doubly unfortunate in giving 
 place to an article and confirming the same, which the most 
 positive and indisputable evidence condemns as incorrect and 
 untrue. 
 
 It just seems to us as though Musser felt, when he wrote 
 his account of the character of Francis Herr, that he was 
 treading on uncertain ground. When a man states facts it 
 seems to us altogether superfluous for him to make so great an 
 effort to prove them true. The truth will always vindicate 
 itself, and a fact will always stand on its own merit; but when 
 men make a doubtful declaration they feel that they ought to 
 say something to prove it true, and this seems to be just the 
 case with these statements of Musser. We would much rather 
 believe that it was the result of incorrect information on the 
 part of friend Musser, and draw the mantle of charity over his 
 weakness, but this strong effort to un popularize everything 
 that belongs to the Old Church forbids any other conclusion 
 than that which we have given, much as we wish we could 
 have some hope of being mistaken, and that his intention was 
 a great deal better than his writings show. 
 
 Let us now direct our attention to the consideration of 
 evidences and testimonies which set forth the condition and 
 character of the Old Church in that period of time in which 
 Musser so unhesitatingly condemns and denounces her. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 HOW WE MAY KNOW — THE OLD MINISTERS WRITINGS OF 
 
 HENRY FUNK AND OTHERS. 
 
 Being naturally of a modest turn of mind, it is with a 
 good deal of diffidence that we venture upon the task of 
 showing, to the ijiipartial reader, the true characteristics and 
 condition of our church, during the eventful period in which 
 our accusers and defamers claim she was so corrupt and 
 fallen. 
 
 We would rather leave the delicate task to another ; we 
 would rather bear infamy in silence, but we believe it to be a 
 duty we owe to the church and to posterity, to give, at least, 
 a fair and true representation of facts as they existed. We 
 would, however, discard and avoid every appearance of ego- 
 tism and selfishness ; we would rather ourselves bear all the 
 unjust accusations and shameful slanders which selfishness has 
 prompted men to endeavor to heap upon us, than to overdraw 
 the picture in our favor. We have, however, taken pains to 
 inquire of older persons, who well remember the condition 
 of things, and the ministers of that period of time, during 
 which, according to our friend Musser's statement, the church 
 was so very corrupt, and we have not yet found one who 
 could say, or who knew of the existence of such a state of 
 affairs as that presented in the book referred to in the preced- 
 ing chapters of this work. 
 
 We have already admitted that there were unfaithful 
 members, and that there may have been unfaithful ministers 
 in the church ; there were weak brethren and there were those 
 who were not zealous of good works as they should have 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 31 
 
 been, but a few unfaithful members did not constitute the 
 church, neither could it be maintained on this ground tliat 
 the church was a corrupt church. 
 
 We wish the reader to bear this in mind. It is our pur- 
 pose to illustrate more particularly the condition of the church, 
 than the life of individual members, (though to some extent 
 this may also be necessary), and for this purpose it will be 
 needful for us to investigate, to a considerable extent, the 
 lives, actions, teachings and conversation of the ministry; 
 their writings (if any there be); the dealings of the church with 
 transgressors, which in addition to traditional testimony will 
 no doubt give us a very accurate representation of the con- 
 dition of the church, and so present to us the evidence of the 
 truth, or the untruth of the chai-ges made. 
 
 The public teachings of a church are generally a very good 
 criterion of its inner life and doctrine. The Savior teaches 
 that "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." 
 So according to the measure of light and the measure of 
 the Spirit of God, which a man possesses will he preach. 
 Hence, if a man is sincere in his heart, his preaching will 
 declare the spirit and character which he possesses. So in 
 writing. A letter, an article, a book tells a gi-eat deal, not only 
 of the man, but also, the spirit of tlie man. 
 
 In this manner we may form a very fair estimate of the men 
 who lived and labored in the Mennonite church, three quarters 
 of a century, or a century ago. Though they are dead, yet 
 they speak. They are gone to their reward, yet their influ- 
 ences remain, and their words are not forgotten; their works 
 still do follow them. 
 
 Now let us look at the words and works which they have 
 left us. Ask any of our old inen what they can say about the 
 ministers of their day; the old ministers whom they can 
 remember when they were young. What kind of men were 
 they? Were they the light-minded, frivolous, vain, corrupt, 
 pleasure-loving characters represented in the book of D. Mus- 
 ser, and the writings of John Herr? Go baek in your mem- 
 
32 THE MENNONITE CHURCa 
 
 ories! Listen again to the solemn cadence of their voices as 
 they re-echo through the plain, old meeting-houses, and liear 
 their solemn ajapeals, and how they made you almost tremble 
 as you felt in your hearts the solemn truths that they uttered, 
 and you know if you had followed their instructions as you 
 ought to have done, you would have been better men, better 
 women. Tell me they were unconverted and corrupt men! 
 Tell me ihey did not have the love of God in their hearts! 
 You dare not utter the word! You know better; you feel 
 now, "If I only was, what they were; if I only possessed now 
 the grace that they possessed and manifested, how good it 
 would be for me." 
 
 Listen again to their pious conversation when they 
 visited your house; the good advice they gave you; "Oh !'' 
 you say, " If I had only listened better to them, and obeyed 
 their instructions, I should have done more for my Savior than 
 I have." They were men who were strong in the Lord, and 
 whose influences were felt wherever they went, in public and 
 private, and we love to think of them and live over in our 
 memories again the sweet thoughts with which they inspired 
 us. "Oh," said a dear old brother recently of these very men, 
 "Young as I was when I united with the chm-ch, I cannot say 
 that I did not know what repentance was. They called us 
 together from time to time for months, and instructed us in the 
 truths and doctrines of the word of God." The custom in 
 those days was to hold young converts under instruction for 
 a period of from three to six months. 
 
 Then read the writings of these men and you will feel 
 that there was something more than the empty jargon which 
 fills such a multitude of the so-called religious books of to-day. 
 Read if you will, the writings of Henry Funk, of Christian 
 Burkholder, of Abraham Godshalk, of Benjamin Eby, and 
 others, and then judge what the representatives in the Menno- 
 iiite Church of that day were, and see if you can discover in 
 all these things, traces of the corruptions charged against us. 
 
 We shall first refer to the writings of Henry Funk. He 
 
AliTli HEE ACCUSERS. 'S3 
 
 came to America in 1719 and settled on Indian Creek, in what 
 is now called Franconia Township, in Montgomery Co., Pa, 
 After a number of other brethren came and settled there, he 
 was chosen to the ministry and afterwards ordained to the 
 office of bishop. He was a faithful and zealous minister, 
 and during his life did much for the advancement and prog- 
 ress of the church. He and Dillman Kolb supervised the 
 translation of the Martyr's Mirror from the Dutch to the 
 German and certified to its correctness, the first American 
 edition of which was published at Ephrata, Lancaster County 
 Pa., in 1748. He also wrote considerable, and his writings 
 prove him to have been a man of more than ordinary abilities, 
 a deep thinker, and a careful Bible student. His '• Mirror of 
 Baptism" was first published by Christopher Saur, in Ger. 
 mantown, in 1744, and has since passed through at least five 
 editions. He also wrote a volume of over three hundred large 
 pages under the title of "Erklaeruug einiger Hauptpunkten 
 des Gesetzes,'' in which he gives an explanation of some of 
 the principal parts of the law, their fulfillment through Christ 
 and their signification under the gospel dispensation, in twen- 
 ty-five parts or chapters. This work was published by his 
 children in 1763, three years after his death, and was printed 
 by Anton Armbruster in Philadelphia. It was also reprinted 
 in Biel, in Switzerland, in 1844, and in Lancaster, Pa., in 1862, 
 and is a very interesting and valuable work. * 
 
 From the foregoing it will be seen that the time of the 
 life and labors of Henry Funk was through the first half or 
 two-thirds of the eighteenth century, and from his writings 
 we may gather, at least, some idea of what the church was and 
 what her teachings were during that period. 
 
 On page 109, in the edition of 1763, in the article, " The 
 Priestly Office of Jesus and Sis followers,^'' he says, "Therefore, let 
 every one of my kind readers well consider, how that Jesus is 
 
 * For some of the above facts we are indebted to "Notes" by S. 
 W. Pennypacker, iu the article, "Mennonite Emigration to Penn- 
 sylvania," in Pennsylvania Magazine, No. 2, 1878- 
 
 5 
 
34 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 a Being of the most incomprehensible greatness. Isa. 4:10- 
 12 ; 41 : 4 He is, 'The mighty God, the everlasting Father 
 (Isa. 9 : 6), a Stone and Kingdom that fills the whole earth.' 
 Daniel 2 : 35, 44. Such an indescribable Being is Jesus. 
 Thus he is also the indescribable King of kings, an indescrib- 
 able High Priest; and just so indesci'ibable is his raiment or 
 priestly apparel, and his royal, high-priestly office, and the 
 sacrifice which he brought into the Holy of Holies and ac- 
 complished for us such an indescribable great joy; and just so 
 indescribably great is the number of souls which he brought 
 from death unto life, from the beginning of the ivorld until his 
 second coming at the end. Thiis also by his blood he has 
 brought forth an indescribable Church, Tabernacle, and Tem- 
 ple, both on earth and in heaven, which shall remain eternal in 
 eternity. In this eternal Temple, Jesus is the .forever-abiding 
 High Priest. All this Jesus accomplished by the sacrifice of 
 his body and blood, by his suffering, death, and resurrection. 
 Therefore every soul should draw nigh unto Jesus tvifh a true, living^ 
 and active faith, and submit to him with body and soul, that 
 they may possess this glorious High Priest both in this present 
 time and in eternity." 
 
 Again, on page 111, he says: " There, sitteth the High 
 Priest, in his glorious, priestly office and raiment, on the 
 throne of his glory, and on his raiment, in his heart, he has the 
 breastplate of the New Testament, filled with light, love, and 
 righteousness, in which he speaks, from above, from heaven, 
 in the spirit of his wisdom, through his servants (2 Cor. 5 : 20), 
 and by his Gospel exhorts the fallen sinner to come to him, 
 and be reconciled with God, not by the law of Moses, with 
 oxen and rams, and such like offerings, but with the offerings 
 of a broken heart, a broken and contrite spirit which are well-pleas- 
 ing to God Ps. 51 : 17. Therefore, shall man come to the 
 High Priest, Jesus, with a living faith in him, with repentance 
 and reformation of life, with the laying aside of the works of 
 sin and the putting on of righteousness, with the full convic- 
 tion that Jesus has full power to forgive sins, and that he is 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 35 
 
 the only High Priest, in whom and through whom alone we 
 can obtain reconciliation with God. When man comes to 
 Jesus in this manner, Jesus will be to him the merciful High 
 Priest that desireth souls of this character (Matt. 11 '. 28); that 
 he may release them from the burden of their sins, and give 
 them the easy yoke of his love, that they may serve him, and 
 he desires to receive them as Levitee and priests instead of the 
 firstborn (Num. 3 : 12), to serve in his Tabernacle, Temple and 
 Church." 
 
 Further, on page 112, after referring to Jno. 17 ; Heb. 7 : 
 25 ; 1 Jno. 2 : 1, 2, we find this passage, "Such a great High 
 Priest is Jesus, that all men that come to him in true 
 faith, repentance and reformation^ may through him, and the 
 sacrifice which he made, come to God." 
 
 On pages 112 and 113, he further says, "But Jesus in his 
 priestly ofiice is much more perfect (than Aaron and his sons), 
 because he not only sees the outward impurity of the leprosy 
 of sin, in man, but he also sees and knows the hidden impu- 
 rity of the heart. Mark 20 : 23. When such impurity arises 
 or makes its appearance in the house of God among believers, 
 Jesus, who seeth in secret, warns them through the Gospel, to 
 cleanse themselves from such impurity of heart. If such 
 warning is accepted, and men lay hold of themselves, by the 
 grace of God, to purify themselves fi'om such impurity of 
 heart, with a sorrowing and penitent heart, Jesus our High 
 Priest knows it at once, receives him as pure, forgives him 
 his sins, reconciles him with the Father and retains him 
 in his house, in the spiritual citizenship of Israel. If, how- 
 ever, a man does not reform, but goes on in his evil ways, he 
 will through his evil thoughts, exclude himself from those 
 spiritual gifts, so that faith, love, and the peace of God, will 
 no longer have any influence with him. If a man then sees 
 and finds that his heart has become so impure and corrupted, 
 that the divine influences, as faith, love, and peace, and what- 
 soever more belongs thereto, do no longer affect him, and that 
 his exclusion by the High Priest is near at hand, and he 
 
36 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 becomes concerned, and reforms himself with a sorrowing and 
 penitent heart, Jesus, the great High Pi'iest is ever at hand to 
 notice it, and will by no means reject him if he repents, but 
 much rather forgive and before the Father reconcile him. If 
 a man, however, will not leave the deceitfulness of his heart, 
 evil thoughts will take possession of him, which will corrupt 
 him and produce an evil leprosy full of sin and blasphemy, of 
 which we have the first example in Cain (Gen. 4 : 5, 8), and 
 still a more perfect one in Judas. Of this leprosy, and wick- 
 edness, which have no place in the Temple and Kingdom of 
 Christ, the Scriptures speak in Gal. 5 : J 9-21 ; Rom. 1 : 21-32 ; 
 2:5, 9 ; Rev. 21 : 8 ; 22 : 15 ; 1 Cor. 5:11. Observe well, 
 where such a leprosy of ungodliness and sinful corruption 
 appears in man, before the all-seeing eye of God, without true 
 repentance, they are in the Holy Scriptures, by the High 
 Priest, Jesus, excluded from his house and from his king- 
 dom, as we have shown above. When, however, he who is 
 taken in this leprosy of sin, is able by the g]-ace of God in 
 this present life, to see his sinfulness and leprosy, and becomes 
 conscious that on this account, he has been excluded and 
 expelled from the Camp, by the Lord; and with the King, 
 Manasseh, enters within himself, and exercises himself in sin- 
 cere sorrow and repentance on account of his many sins, 
 prayina: and sighing to God; and with the prodigal son returns 
 to the Father; leaves the herd of swine (which are the many 
 sins) and ungodly works, (Luke 15) and turns, in faith, to 
 Jesus, with repentance and reformation of life, then the offer- 
 ing, the body and blood of Jesus, the High Priest, with which 
 he entered into the Holy Place, is yet so powerful that it again 
 makes full satisfaction for all the sins which he committed, 
 so that man is again received by the Father as a son, in the 
 fullness of divine grace, and by command of the Father 
 clothed in the best garment, the garment of righteousness, and 
 the Father with his house (the angels) rejoices over the event. 
 Luke 15 : 10, 22, 23, 
 
 "If, however, man in his selfishness and wickedness of 
 
AND HBE ACCUSERS. 37 
 
 heart, refuses to accept the grace of God unto repentance, 
 which is taught in the Gospel by Jesus and his ambassadors, 
 he, according to the words of the Gospel, must remain 
 excluded, and Jesus remains a High Priest forever; and at the 
 last day he will make a separation between the leprous and 
 the clean, between the sheep and the goats, and place the 
 goats on the left, out of the kingdom of God, into everlasting 
 fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. But the sheep he 
 will place to his right, into eternal life, where will be fullness 
 of ^joy forever and ever. Let us as children and priests of 
 God, hasten and seek through Jesus, to obtain an entrance 
 there." 
 
 From the foregoing, the reader will readily perceive what 
 the teachings of the church were in the middle of the last 
 century. It is true we present here the testimony of a single 
 preacher, but there were but a small number of churches in 
 the country in the days of this writer, and these churches, 
 according to reliable and trustworthy traditions, were united 
 in the strongest bonds of union and fellowship. Services 
 were held at an early day, at Germantown, Pa., where the 
 first church was organized in 1683, and at Deep Run, not less 
 than thirty miles distant, and also at Skippack, or w^hat is now 
 known as Franconia, where the writer, above quoted, resided. 
 The ministers from the different churches frequently visited 
 each other and aided them in their services. And a little 
 later, in the days of Christian Funk, who was a son of Henry 
 Funk, and ordained to the office of Bishop by his father in 
 1757, only three years before he (Henry) died, we have 
 written evidence of the warmest co-operation between the 
 several churches then organized. And as far back as w^e have 
 any tradition, there always was a warm intimacy between the 
 churches in Conestoga, (Lancaster County) and those of Skip- 
 pack or the more eastern counties. From this fact we may 
 reasonably conclude that if the brethren of that day main- 
 tained such a warm intimacy between themselves in their 
 labors and efforts to build Zion and extend the influence of 
 
88 THE MENNONITE CHUKCH 
 
 the church, they must have been of the same mind, taught the 
 same things, preached the same doctrines, and lived by and 
 practiced the same rules. 
 
 Another proof of ttiis exists in the fact that in 1763, three 
 years after the death of Henry Funk, his writings were pub- 
 lished. The book contains 309 large pages, and was well 
 bound in leather, and must have in that day cost a consider- 
 ble sum, and it is not likely that the book would have been 
 printed if there had not been manifested a demand for it. 
 Had Heni-y Funk not been a teacher, teaching such doctrines 
 as the church — the people at large — desired and believed to 
 be good and profitable for the brotherhood, there would have 
 been no demand for the book. Hence we have here a testi- 
 mony of considerable force, showing that the church believed 
 in, and had a desire to read and promulgate just such a doc- 
 trine as that book contains, and that doctrine is certainly the 
 doctrine of the Gospel, and as a certain writer, in a recent 
 work says, contains nothing that is " contrary to the writings 
 of Menno Simon." 
 
 This view of the matter is also confirmed by the fact 
 as referred to above, that in 1744 the "Mirror of Baptism" 
 was published, and in 1748 the translation and publication of 
 the large Martyr's Mirror was completed at Ephrata, and an 
 edition of 1,300 copies circulated in a very short period of 
 time. When we consider that all this was done by the church 
 in America, without any assistance or encouragement from 
 their wealthier brethren in Europe, * and while the church 
 here was comparatively weak and possessed of small means, it 
 does not show as though either the ministers or the church at 
 large, could have been so unconcerned about the welfare of 
 the church and their children as Musser and his friends desire 
 to make it appear. On the contrary, the zeal they manifested 
 
 * In fact tbe. brethren in Europe, to whom they had written for 
 advice on the subject, delayed their answer about two years, and 
 advised them not to undertake the publication of .so expensive a 
 work. 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 39 
 
 in this direction, seems to show much more that both ministers 
 and people, were especially interested in the work of the Lord 
 and the maintenance and promulgation of the doctrine they 
 professed. The desire manifested for the circulation of these 
 excellent books seem also to bear strong testimony of a true, 
 spiritual life. If they were what they are represented to be, 
 by our accusers, then it seems to us they would have had no 
 taste or desire for the class of reading contained in these 
 books. The carnal, worldly-minded man would care very 
 little for such reading as is contained in the books above 
 referred to. 
 
 As another evidence of the condition of the church about 
 the close of the last century, and just before, we will give an 
 extract from the writings of Jacob Stauffer, who, though in 
 after years, not a friend of the Old Mennonite Church, still at 
 this time, bears an excellent testimony in her favor, which 
 has only so much the more weight, because it was written 
 at a time when his prejudices were against the church. If 
 one speaks well of a person or a church to which he is not 
 friendly, it shows that there must be an undeniable truth 
 in the facts presented, which an honest mind will not allow 
 even prejudice and hatred to overcome or deny. Stauffer* 
 was born in the latter part of the eighteenth century, and 
 lived at the same time as John Herr, and hence had a very 
 good opportunity to judge from the testimony of the older 
 ministers and members, of the character and condition of 
 the church during the latter part of the eighteenth and 
 the beginning of the nineteenth centuries, until the time 
 of his death; and in regard to this subject, says Holdeman, 
 ''Hetorites the contrary," of what Musser writes. Accord- 
 ing to Stauffer's writing it would appear that the corruption of 
 the church had its commencement between the years of 1800 
 and 1830. ''During this period,'' says he ''/Satan sought 
 to bring the beautiful and prospering church into cor- 
 
 *From John Ilokleman's History of the Church of God. 
 
40 THE MENNONITB CHTIRCH. 
 
 ruptionP But "during these years there were still many 
 faithful witnesses in the church, who sought to avoid every 
 appearance of evil (Thess. 5 : 22), and with a sincere desire, 
 through prayers and supplications continued before God, and 
 with his help endeavored to walk before the Lord, in faith- 
 fulness, purity, uprightness and love, and who at all times 
 testified against the beforementioned things and all that could 
 serve to the ruin, corruption, and desolation of the church, m 
 order to preserve the church pure and separate from the 
 world, just as Jesus ordained and called her." Stauffer's 
 Chronik, Pages 128 and 134. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 MARTIN BOEHM's DEPARTURE DOCTRINES AND PRACTICES OP 
 
 THE CHURCH SET FORTH. 
 
 We now present our readers with the contents of an old 
 manuscript, a copy of a statement made by the ministers of 
 the Mennonite Church of Lancaster County and vicinity, 
 about one hundred years ago, giving us a clear represen- 
 tation of the character of the church during that period of 
 time, in which the church, is said, by her accusei's, to have 
 had so far departed from the faith, doctrine and practice of 
 the old fathers of the church. 
 
 We regret that we cannot give the exact date of the 
 manuscript, nor the names of the bishops, ministers and 
 deacons who constituted the Conference which acted in the 
 matter. But the fact that the matter was brought before 
 the Conference, and that the Conference labored to effect 
 a reconciliation, proves that the Conference was united in 
 the views brought out by the manuscript, and that we may 
 safely accept it as a reflection of what the church, in that 
 vicinity, not only believed, but also practiced. 
 
 From the best evidence that we can gather, and the 
 inference of the manuscript, we are led to the belief that these 
 events must have occurred about the year 1775, or between 
 17*75 and 17S0. This seems to be indicated by the reference 
 in the beginning of the manuscript, to war, desolation, famine 
 and sword being in the land and very near at the dooi*. And 
 also from the fact that Christian Kautfman, in his relation 
 as given by Musser, says, " He had some acquaintance with 
 6 
 
42 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 Martin Boehm, and frequently attended his preaching." 
 Kauffnian says that he was baptized in 1Y80, and as he speaks 
 of Boehm separately from the Mennonites, it must have 
 been after Boehm had left the Mennonite Church. Hence 
 Boehm must have had left the church, at all events, sometime 
 previous to 1780. 
 
 This manuscript, though not written in very good style, 
 shows very plainly, not only what the church at that time 
 believed and taught, but also what she practiced, and how 
 she held transgressors, and in what manner she dealt with 
 them. To this purpose it is especially valuable at this time. 
 It is throughout a very cogent argument against the unjust 
 and indiscriminate denunciations of our accusers, and forms 
 the connecting link between the time of the death of Plenry 
 Funk and the close of the eighteenth century. It reads as 
 follows: 
 
 " Since the great God, the God Shaddai, the Almighty, 
 who alone is good, and who himself is love, and who, through 
 Jesus, as the eternal truth, teaches us, that as we discern the 
 signs of these present times, so we should also discern what is 
 right for us. We are compelled with terror, fear, and sorrow 
 to realize what Christ taught, that, When a kingdom is divided 
 against itself, it comes to desolation; and a house divided 
 against itself shall not stand. This desolation, famine, hunger 
 and pestilence, with the sword of revenge, exist in the land, 
 as a punishment and a severe judgment, and stand before 
 us very near to the door, and all this exists on account of the 
 great sins which the children of men have in various ways 
 committed. 
 
 "Experience, however, proves that the sword, war and 
 bloodshed will not lead men to unite together in meekness, 
 humility and love; for instead of love and faithfulness, we 
 find that pride, covetousness, deception, and back-biting, have 
 (not by all but by many), gained a powerful hold. But that 
 which is the most deplerable is, that even as in the kingdom 
 of this world, there is discord, confusion, and dissension, so 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 43 
 
 also in these sad times, these same things manifest tliemselves 
 among those of the same faith, and those who should teach 
 the same things, and be of one mind in Christ Jesus, and for 
 whom Christ himself prayed that they might be one, as he 
 in the Father, and the Father in him are one; for unity and 
 love are the ensigns of the children of God, as Christ teaches, 
 that thereby ' shall all men know that ye are ray disciples, if 
 ye have love one for another.' 
 
 "Now while the enemy of peace still seeks to sow abroad 
 the seeds of dissension whereby disunity arises, even among 
 those who profess to walk in the narrow way, the admonition 
 of the apostle to the Corinthians, is very needful, in which he 
 says, ' Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there 
 be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined 
 together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.' 
 Because he had learned that there was dissension among them, 
 and that one called himself by this name, and another by that 
 n;ime, he gave them this sharp reproof and admonition, that 
 they should not take flesh for their arm, neither put their trust 
 in men, but in Jesus alone, who was crucified for us. 
 
 " Now, however, it is a well known fact that between us 
 and Martin Boehm, there is, in many points, a difference of 
 views, and we have, at times, for several years already, labored 
 to become more of one mind and to understand each other 
 better, that we might be found faithful laborers in the church 
 of Christ; which, however, has not yet been accomplished, 
 and the matter has, from time to time, become worse. 
 
 "For the reason, however, that the brotherhood do not 
 possess as good a knowledge of the cause and origin of this 
 disagreement between us, which consists in many things both 
 in words and deeds, as we do (although many also are not 
 entirely unacquainted with it), we have thought it prudent to 
 write them and thus explain the matter. 
 
 "In the first place, in that, in which we believe that he 
 (Boehm) erred in the doctrine of Christ, he had a great deal 
 
44 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 to do witli forming a union and associating with men (pro- 
 fessors) wliich allow themselves to walk on the broad way, 
 practicing warfare, and the swearing of oaths; both of which 
 are in direct opposition to the truths of the Gospel and the 
 teachings of Christ. 
 
 "In the second place, he also receives such persons as 
 were under church censure, or not in good report, or who 
 were from one i-eason or another not at peace. In regai'd 
 to the first accusation, it was believed by those who had to do 
 with the matter, that it was not proper for any one who pro- 
 fesses to be a witness of the truth, so to do, since Christ 
 teaches us, to observe all things, 'whatsoever he commanded 
 us;' and the most imponaijt and the greatest commandment 
 which God gave us through Jesus Christ, is, 'To love God 
 with all our hearts,' and where such love exists in the heart 
 of a minister, it will lead him to show men the errors in which 
 they stand. 
 
 " In the third place, in regai'd to those who became his 
 followers (of such as were under censure), or whom he 
 received, it was believed that if he had rather admonished 
 them, and sought to convince those who were under censure, 
 of their sins, whatever they might have been, and would not 
 have received their complaints, he would have been enabled to 
 do more good, and those who were not in peace, he should have 
 directed to observe the rules of the church, and exercise the 
 spirit of forgiveness; and if both he and we give the same 
 testimony against such cases, we believe, we would be able 
 to accomplish good results among the people. 
 
 "Through these and many other things besides, originat- 
 ing from an exchange of views, all of which cannot be given 
 here, a difference has arisen between us, so that some thought 
 him worthy of the ban. He also said some things which 
 caused great offense, as he maintained that Satan was a ben- 
 efit to men. This was then stated, and he (Boehm) was 
 reproved, and was advised to turn back in true repentance, 
 and recall what he had said. We believe and acknowledge 
 
AND HEK ACCUSEKS. 45 
 
 that, if we do not, according to the teachings of Christ, 
 endeavor to show men the error of their ways, that we are at 
 fault. We did not mean to forbid him to preach ; he should 
 have liberty to preach everywhere, onlj he should do as Christ 
 teaches, ' Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have 
 commanded you,' In consideration of this, those who were 
 more strongly opposed to him, agreed with those who advised 
 this, that on this condition, that is, if he should obey and do as 
 he was advised, they would be satisfied. If he, however, 
 would not obey, nor do as he was advised, they would hold 
 him as before. He then made an acknowledgment, but 
 not such an acknowledgment as was desired; he simply said, 
 in substance, That he knew that he was weak and imperfect, 
 and where he had transgressed against the gospel he was 
 sorry for it. But that which was really the cause of the 
 offense was not removed, for he manifested by his actions that 
 he was not penitent, as he did afterwards just as he had done 
 before. 
 
 "Thus the offense remained and became greater, as he 
 added other offensive expressions to those already given, as 
 before intimated. On one occasion he said, among other 
 things, in a public discourse, 'The Scriptures might be 
 burned,' for at that time there was much talk by him and 
 those like him, that the word was a dead letter. 
 
 "His first declaration, 'That Satan was good and beneficial 
 to man,' was contradicted by many, because Satan is the great 
 enemy of the human race, and through hira sin and entire 
 corruption was brought into the world, and it required the 
 life and blood of Christ again to release us from the power 
 of darkness. 
 
 "In regard to the burning of the Scriptures, it was indeed 
 admitted that paper and ink, in themselves, were dead and 
 might be burned; but the word in itself is, as Christ teaches, 
 'The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they 
 are life;' and since 'man lives not by bread alone, but by 
 every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,' and as 
 
46 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 Jesus himself points us to the Scriptures, he says, 'He that 
 believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said. Out of his belly 
 shall flow rivers of living water,' and since the Holy 
 Scriptures were instituted by the Holy Spirit, and given us as 
 Paul says, by inspiration of God, as a book of doctrine and 
 instructions, such expressions are improper, and -should not 
 be used. 
 
 '' On account of these things and others, all of which can 
 not be given here, he (Boehm) was required the second time 
 to make an acknowledgment; and since he had not done 
 as it was required the first time, it was done this time with 
 the counsel of the church. It was required that he should 
 make a full acknowledgment of the charges that were 
 brought against him; and if he should obey, they would all, 
 according to the teachings of the Savior, forgive him and be 
 satisfied. Upon this he made a partial confession, but the 
 chief cause of offense he did not recall. 
 
 "It is a most solemn thought! Some of the aged laborers 
 who were not satisfied with him, have passed away, and we 
 and Boehm are also on the way to eternity, where we must 
 all appear before the judgment bar, and where there will be 
 no difference and no respect of person, and where men must 
 give an account of every idle word which they have spoken. 
 And since Boehm after this acknowledgment which the 
 church required of him, pursued the same course that he had 
 before, and did not regard the advice of the church, we 
 believe that we and the church both erred, and did not keep 
 ourselves as closely to the word as we should have done, 
 although not entirely without cause, for we continually feared 
 what is now before us, a division in the church. Efforts, 
 however, were continually made to bring us nearer to one 
 mind, and to understand each other better, and sometimes it « 
 seemed as though he would yield, but after all, it now appears 
 that our efforts were in vain. Sometimes it appeared that the 
 more we withstood him, the more he and his adherents 
 opposed us, and as Paul testifies, it is now manifest that in 
 
AND HER ACCUSEES. 47 
 
 the last times there will be those who think more highly of 
 themselves than they ought to, and with sorrow we must see 
 in these sorrowful times that it is among us, as Paul long 
 before, through the Spirit pointed out, when he says, 'Also 
 of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, 
 to draw away disciples after them.' 
 
 "We have already referred to the perverse words which he 
 spoke, but this was not all, for afterwards he said other things 
 just as much out of place as these; for he acknowledges 
 piablicly and maintains that faith cometh from unbelief, life 
 from death, and light out of darkness. But when he tries to 
 explain the words, he points to how man by sin departed from 
 God, and God from him, and how man is in an unhappy 
 condition, in unbelief, in death, and in darkness; and how 
 God through Christ must again release man, or the soul of 
 man from .the power of darkness ana death, and how Paul 
 testifies that ' God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that 
 he might have mercy upon all.' With such arguments as 
 these he tries to prove the above mentioned assertions, and 
 to show that they are true; but according to our understand- 
 ing of the matter, it is impossible to accept this explanation 
 as correct. 
 
 "It is incontrovertible that unbelief, death, and darkness 
 are qualities of the devil; and what these powers produce, 
 they produce in accordance with the qualities they themselves 
 possess. Boehm does not ascribe to these powers that they 
 accomplish these things, only he wants to maintain that thus 
 it is. But faith, life, and light are attributes of the invisible, 
 living God, and if a single soul becomes enlightened, believ- 
 ing and alive, it comes from him whose power has produced it. 
 
 " Therefore, when Christ was asked, 'What shall we do, 
 that we may work the works of God?' Christ said, 'This is 
 the work of God, that ye. believe on him whom he hath sent.' 
 Faith, therefore, is the power of God through which man 
 turns away from unrighteousness to righteousness, of which 
 Paul testifies, That those who believe are risen with Christ, 
 
48 THE MENNONITE CHUECH 
 
 through faith which God worketh, and again, that Christ is 
 the author and finislier of our faith, 
 
 "In regard to the saying, that life cometh out of death, 
 Christ teaches us that as the Father hath life in himself, so 
 also hath he given to the Son to have life in himself, as John, 
 speaking of Christ declares, 'In Him vi^as life.' And John 
 declares that ' We know that we have passed from death unto 
 life.' Paul speaks of the believers, as of those that were 
 dead and were made alive ; but he does not say that life 
 cometh from death, but praises God for his great love that 
 when we were dead in sin, he with Christ made us alive, and 
 so gives God the glory that he, through Christ did this. 
 
 "Finally, concerning the declaration that light cometh out 
 of darkness, John testifies that 'God is light, and in him is 
 no darkness.' Therefore, when Paul says, that 'God com- 
 manded the light to shine out of darkness,' he did not say 
 that light comes from darkness, for the light infallibly must 
 come from him, who commanded it to shine forth. Christ 
 teaches us that he is the light of the world and that whosoever 
 believeth in him may not be in darkness. And John says of 
 Christ, 'In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 
 And the light shineth in darkness:' and further, 'That this 
 was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into 
 the world.' Hence we acknowledge that we believe that it 
 is improper to make such expressions as above given, for they 
 are not in accordance with the truth, and thereby we do not 
 give to God the glory which belongeth to him. 
 
 " It was ill received from Moses that he did not give God 
 the glory when he was lo smite the rock, and instead of 
 reverencing the name of God, and giving him the glory, and 
 acknowledging that the Lord would give them water, he spake 
 unto them, 'Must we fetch you water out of this rock?' On 
 account of this, Moses was not permitted to enter the prom- 
 ised land. 
 
 " Hence we see that God will have the words which he 
 commands obeyed; and though men set up words, the inven- 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 49 
 
 tion of human reason, which contradict the teachings of 
 truth, we are not to accept them; for there is only one gos- 
 pel, and if any one should bring us another, and if he even 
 were an angel from heaven, we are admonished not to 
 receive it. 
 
 " We also have to say that at times the rules and ordi- 
 nances of the church are very disrespectfully spoken of. A 
 complaint was brought against Boehm and testified to that he 
 had said, 'That the old men (Bishops and ministers'), or men, 
 lay so much stress upon the ordinances, viz: baptism and 
 communion, and the people are thereby only led to the devil 
 and not to God.' Boehm, however, denied it with the words, 
 'That he would not have so spoken.' He was then asked 
 how he had said? He answered, 'That he did not know so 
 well any more, but that such were not his views,' and called 
 upon many witnesses who said that he had not so spoken. 
 The question now arises when a preacher speaks in public 
 meeting and makes use in his discourse, of words that are 
 offensive, and there are two, or three, or more witnesses who 
 testify that he did use such words, whether others can rise 
 up and say that he did not use such words. We think it 
 will be hard for them to do so. They could not properly 
 say that they heard or understood it. We will, however, 
 leave these witnesses on both- sides to their own merits, and 
 give that which we ourselves heard from his own lips; for as 
 he explained himself at that time, upon the testimony, as to 
 what he had said, he expressed himself in accordance with 
 his belief, and had no reference to any particular people, but 
 spake in general terms of the world, and that there was so 
 much stress laid upon the ordinances, and on the manner in 
 which the world observe these ordinances, they lead more 
 to the devil than to God. 
 
 " Now the question is, whether the ordinances are com- 
 mands of God or not? Are they commands of God, as we 
 believe they are, it is very ill spoken of any body to say that 
 they lead to the devil. Our God is good, and all things 
 
 7 
 
50 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 that come from him, and whatsoever he commands is good, 
 even as He is good, for Christ says. ' The Father which sent 
 me, gave me a commandment what I should say, and wliat I 
 should speak, and I know that his commandment is life ever- 
 lasting.' If the Father's command is life everlasting, it 
 follows that not the ordinances, but unbelief, as the power 
 of Satan, leads men to eternal ruin. For we acknowledge 
 that the ordinances which are commanded us in the gospel 
 are only types and guides of true, spiritual life, for the 
 outward baptism of wate;- represents spiritual baptism, and 
 how man must, through faith and repentance, die unto sin. 
 The suffering, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus rep- 
 resents the life of his followers. Thus the apostle Paul 
 makes it very clear when he says, ' Know ye not that so many 
 of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into 
 his death?' For when this body of sin, that is, the sinful 
 inclinations, is laid aside, then we are buried with Christ; then 
 we are also raised up with Christ to a new life; for this is 
 the fruit of the death of Jesus, that we thereby are redeemed 
 from the power of darkness, and are made worthy to become 
 children, and to receive the Spirit of God, and this, man 
 should be taught, that he, through faith, may receive, 
 make a covenant with God, and become obedient unto him; 
 not any longer living unto himself, but unto Him who died 
 and arose from the dead for him; and this is the answer of a 
 good conscience toward God, and this is what Christ teaches, 
 when he commands to ' Teach them and baptize them.' 
 
 " Likewise with the Communion of the Lord's Supper, 
 and the command, ' This do in remembrance of me,' by which 
 we are to put ourselves in remembrance of the mercy, and 
 the merits of Christ, with bread and wine, which represents 
 the communion of believers; for as the bread, from many 
 particles through the heat of fire, is made into one bi-ead, so, 
 also are the believers, , by the power of the fire of the love of 
 God (since they in a spii-itual manner through faith partake 
 of the true bread from heaven, which is Christ), made to 
 
AND HER ACCUSEKS. 51 
 
 be members of the body of Christ, These may then, with 
 uuderstauding hearts and minds of faith, thank God for his 
 kindness and mercy which he accomplished for us through 
 Jesus Christ, whereunto the apostle admonishes the believers, 
 saying, 'Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit, in the bond 
 of peace, one body and one Spirit.' Here, hovvever, a man 
 should well examine himself befoi-e he approaches to eat of 
 this bread and to drink of this cup, and see whether he loves 
 God or the world, for he who eateth and drinketh unworthily, 
 eateth and drinketh to himself damnation. But open sinners 
 who lead a carnal life, whereby, as Christ teaches, the heart 
 becomes corrupted, and as Paul testifies of such as do the 
 works of the flesh, that they shall not inherit the kingdom of 
 God, such shall be expelled from the communion of the church. 
 "For this purpose the ban is given of Christ in the gos- 
 pel, because a severe condemnation is pronounced against 
 those who cause offense, and he commands to cut off offend- 
 ing members. Paul also says, 'Know ye not that a little 
 leaven leaveneth the whole lump?' and commands, 'Put 
 away from among yourselves that wicked person.' And even 
 as all the ordinances have a spiritual signification, so also 
 the ban serves as a means to convince of sin, him, that 
 through transgression, has departed from God, and that ne 
 should believe that it is the will of God that man should 
 repent, mourn over his sins, and amend his life. For as sin 
 separates from God, so true sorrow for sin is a power in the 
 hands of God, by which man is again reconciled to God, and 
 this is the object of the ban. Likewise it is with all the ordi- 
 nances, also with feet-washing, which represents genuine 
 humility, and to this he would direct us when he says, ' If ye 
 know these things happy are ye if ye do them.' This humil- 
 ity is founded upon Christ, because by his power he has 
 washed our souls, as he says to Peter, 'If I wash thee not, 
 thou hast no part with me.' He did not, by this, abolish the 
 outward washing of feet, but commanded it, and said, ' Tf I 
 then your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also 
 
52 THE MENTSrONITE CHURCH 
 
 ouglil to wash one another's feet, for I liave given you an 
 example that ye should do as I have done unto you;' and this 
 is therefore a commandment of Christ, as well as baptism and- 
 the Lord's Supper. 
 
 "We acknowledge, therefore, as above intimated, that 
 all the ordinances lead to God from whence they came. Paul 
 testifies to this and says, 'Behold Israel!' God commanded 
 Israel that they should look to the pillar of cloud by day, and 
 to the pillar of fire by night, and follow them, and they 
 should be brought into the promised land. Since, however, 
 unbelief was so great tliat they in unbelief murmured against 
 God, and became unfaithful to him, they had to peiish in 
 the wilderness. So we see that in all times, unbelief as a 
 power of Satan, and not the commandments of God, robbed 
 men of the promises of God. 
 
 "Now we know to lay no other foundation except that 
 is laid which is Jesus Christ, whereupon the whole ground 
 of our faith rests, and not upon ordinances, although we 
 acknowledge them as the commands of God. We hear a 
 great deal said about the decline of the church, and we are 
 greatly slandered on account of the ordinances, as though we 
 endeavored to satisfy the people with ordinances. Which, 
 however, is entirely without foundation. It is very true that 
 the decline in the church is great, and that iniquity, accord- 
 ing to Christ's own teaching, abounds, and the love of many 
 waxes cold, but truth remaineth truth notwithstanding. And 
 disorder will not abolish order, neither will unbelief abolish 
 faith, and as we see the injury sustained by the church, we 
 should be all the more zealous in helping each other to 
 reprove sin. But this is one of the complaints, besides others, 
 that we have against him (Boehni), that too many things are 
 passed over, and we believe it would be better for all if we 
 were more active in the exercise of brotherly reproof, and 
 to show the erring the error of their ways, and to expel those 
 who do things worthy of expulsion. In this manner we might 
 hope to be able to accomplish more, and obtain God's blessing 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 58 
 
 in a larger measure. But in nearly every thing he has his 
 own particular way, and it is impossible for us with him to 
 preserve the established order in the church, for all the above 
 given points, besides many others, have frequently been 
 contradicted to him; but it is plainly to be seen that he and 
 those with him have attained to that degree of wisdom that 
 it seems to them folly for any one to oppose their views, and, 
 according to their judgment, all that is brought against 
 them is either a want of charity or foolishness. 
 
 " Therefore it came to pass that at a certain Conference 
 of ministers and deacons, much conversation was had with 
 him upon these subjects, for the pui-pose of convincing him 
 that he erred, and that these things could not stand before 
 God, but it was labor in vain. Finally he was advised by 
 the counsel of the ministers that he should acknowledge and 
 recall, with true sorrow and repentance, all that was held as 
 erroneous in him, whether by word or deed, and should unite 
 as one with us, that in preserving the established order of 
 the church we might work together. But he refused to do so. 
 He said he could not, but if it could be shown him that he 
 had done wrong, he would recall; and he brought severe 
 charges against a number of the ministers and deacons, but did 
 not manifest so much charity that he inquired whether it was 
 truth or not, or to point those who had told him, to the rules 
 and order of the church, but rather sought to spread it 
 abroad in opposition to the doctrines of Christ which teaches 
 us, first, to find out (the truth ), and then to reprove. After 
 some time, two brethren were again sent to him to inquire 
 of him whetHer he would receive the reproof and make his 
 acknowledgment. He again refused, as at first, and mani- 
 fested his penitence by slander and abuse against the minis- 
 ters and deacons, and on account of the manner in which they 
 dealt with him, he called them vain and light-minded men. 
 
 "We herewith inform the entire brotherhood that these 
 were the chief reasons of difference between us as above given, 
 and may here be briefly repeated. 
 
54 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 1. "Because he had too much intercourse and fellowship 
 with men (professors) who admit and allow war, and the 
 swearing of oaths; and because these are directly opposed to 
 the teachings of Christ, we believe that it is good for us to 
 do as Christ teaches us, that is, 'Take heed that no man 
 deceive you,' for, 'By their fruits' says he, 'ye shall know 
 them;' and as the apostle advises, that we should separate our- 
 selves, and come out from among them, and be a witness 
 against them; and as Christ teaches, 'I testify of the world 
 that their works are evil;' and that we teach to observe all 
 things whatsoever he commanded us. 
 
 2. "In this that he says, that Satan is a benefit to man- 
 kind, we acknowledge that it :s a falsehood; for Christ said 
 to Peter, when he advised him to spare himself when he 
 speaks of his suffering, ' Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art 
 an offense unto me.' Now -if the advice of Satan to Christ, 
 when he sought to hinder him in fulfilling his Fathers will, 
 was offensive to Christ, we may well say, 'If they do these 
 things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?' For 
 he is our adversary seeking whom he may devour. 
 
 3. "And in regard to what he said. That we might burn 
 the Scriptures, and also by some of those who were with him, 
 that what is in the Bible is not the word of God, we have 
 already said that paper and ink may be burned. But as 
 Christ declares that the 'Scripture cannot be broken,' it is 
 self-evident also that they cannot be burned. Paul says, 'All 
 Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for 
 doctrine;' and further, Christ teaches that, Heaven and earth 
 shall pass away, but my word shall not pass a^vay; and again, 
 Jesus says concerning the word, 'Thy word is truth,' and 
 ' the Father which sent me, he gave me a command- 
 ment, what I should say and what I should do, and I 
 know that his command is life everlasting.' Now if the 
 Father's command, which Christ speaketh, is in the gospel, 
 then it also contains the word of God, which Isaiah says, 
 'remaineth forever,' and of which Peter says, that 'holy 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 55 
 
 men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' 
 4. "In regard to the expressions, 'That faith cometh 
 from unbelief, life out of death, and light out of darkness;' 
 we need only consider the origin of each, namely of faith, 
 life and light, or from whence unbelief, death and darkness 
 come, and we may easily decide that they can have no com- 
 munion one with another; and concerning the ordinances, 
 that in the manner in which the world, in unbelief practices 
 them, they lead more to the devil than to God, we confess 
 that all things that come from God are good, and not injuri- 
 ous to the souls of men; neither will they lead any one to 
 Satan, for unbelief is Satan's power, 
 
 " Thus the matter stands between us, and such are the 
 expressions used by Boehm and his followers, and we believe 
 as we have confessed; we believe it is safer to believe the 
 Holy Scriptures and the word of God than the words of men; 
 and since we believe that Boehm and his followers, who 
 acknowledge such doctrines as he does, are in error, we can 
 not otherwise than in love advise them to return and believe, 
 and acknowledge that such a course is wrong. Should we, 
 however, be in error, and should we be convinced thereof by 
 the Word, we will willingly turn away from our errors, 
 acknowledge our faults and recall them. But if we cannot 
 be convinced by the Word, that we are in error, we believe 
 that it is their duty to acknowledge their error. 
 
 " If they, however, refuse, and think they know better than 
 we, we will let the matter rest with them and with God. 
 We will not set up ourselves as judges, but only as witnesses 
 against it, leaving judgment entirely in the hands of God, for 
 we do not desire a schism, and do not wish to be the cause of 
 one, but hope to remain standing upon the foundation that 
 has been laid long ago, 'For other foundation can no man 
 lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ;' and the old con- 
 fession of the brethren in the faith, adopted so many years 
 ago, which we acknowledge that it is founded upon the 
 gospel; and we will seek, by the help and grace of God, 
 
56 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 according to the measure of understanding given us, to direct 
 and govern the church in accordance with the confession 
 therein contained, to which we sincerely wish the grace and 
 blessing of God, that the Lord through grace by Jesus Christ 
 may add his blessing thereto." 
 
 In an additional page accompahying the old manuscript 
 from which the foregoing statement was taken, it is further 
 said, that on account of the foregoing points of difference, 
 the church could no longer retain Boehm and his followers 
 who had been members of the church, as brethren, and that 
 they should be excluded from the communion and the counsel 
 of the brotherhood, until in true sorrow and penitence they 
 should return and acknowledge their errors both to God and 
 to the church. 
 
 The reader will observe that the foregoing statement 
 of the doctrines, teachings and practices of the church, in 
 connection with their dealings with a disobedient member or 
 minister, afford us a very excellent testimony of the fact that 
 the ministers and bishops of that day, were men who fully 
 comprehended the responsibility of the important charge 
 with which they were intrusted. That they watched over the 
 flock of God, with fatherly care and took cognizance, not 
 only of the unallowable conduct of the members, but also of 
 the doctrine they taught, and this was right; we should guard 
 the doctrines and the teachings of our church with zealous 
 care. When we carefully examine the doctrines and teachings 
 which are here set forth, we will find them in exact accordance 
 with the word of Got), and when we consider again that the 
 foregoing manuscript contains the views and sentiments of 
 th« Conference of the ministers and deacons of Lancaster 
 _County, and thus reflects the doctrines, teachings and prac- 
 tices of the entire church, as a body, we at once see liow 
 widely, the view, which we here obtain, differs from that given 
 by D. Musser. If these representations of the church had 
 been written in a different locality, and by men of a different 
 church, and describing a different people, we might suppose 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 6*1 
 
 that in the two churches set forth, a different state of affairs 
 raiglit have existed, but Musser's writings describe the same 
 people, the same church, the game ministers and bishops, who 
 produced the foregoing statement, who held and taught the 
 doctrines set forth therein, and who manifested such a zeal 
 for the truth and gospel order in the church. 
 
 But it may be said that this difference may be reconciled 
 by the fact that Musser's representations, may cover a later 
 period of time, and that the church may have deteriorated 
 and become corrupt. But in answer to this, we remark that 
 this manuscript was written, without doubt, about the year 
 1775, as shown above, and Musser says that long before the 
 close of the eighteenth century, the church "had very widely 
 departed from the faith and practice of Menno and his 
 brethren." In the year 1800 he positively declares the Old 
 Mennouite Church dead, and in 1811-12 the Reformed 
 Church, under John Herr, was organized. Now if the church 
 in 1800 and later was a dead churcli, and long before 1800 
 "had very widely de2:)arted from the faith and practice of 
 Menno and his brethren," she must have been already dead, 
 or at least in a dying condition, when Boehm for disobedience 
 and false doctrine was expelled, and Burkholder wrote his 
 article on "Repentance" in 1792, as will appear hereafter. 
 But the foregoing testimonies already plainly show a differ- 
 ent state of things. Let the kind reader reflect, compare 
 these facts, and decide for himself. 
 
 In addition to the foregoing, we have another manuscript 
 by a minister in another part of the State, but who lived and 
 labored at the same time in which the foregoing was written, 
 and bears testimony to the same unchangeable gospel truths 
 contained in all the writings of our ministers of that period, 
 which we have had the opportunity to examine. It is a 
 remarkable fact which the careful reader will not fail to 
 notice, that all our older ministers, each one according to the 
 gift which he possessed, taught the same doctrine. Though 
 they have written on different subjects and at different times, 
 
58 THE MKNNONITE CHURCH 
 
 the same fundamental truths, the same views and sentiments 
 underlie and pervade all of them. 
 
 What a beautiful illustration we have here of the instruc- 
 tions of the apostle when he admonishes his brethren in his 
 Corinthian letter, that they should "all speak the same thing," 
 and this, in itself, is an additional evidence that they were 
 really ministers of the true church of Christ. Had they not 
 been moved by the Spirit of Christ, they would hardly have 
 manifested such oneness of dectrine throughout all their 
 teachings and writings, neither would they have been so care- 
 ful to guard against false doctrine as we have seen that they 
 were, from the foregoing manuscript. 
 
 The Author of the manuscript from which the following 
 extract is taken, is not definitely known, but we have evidence 
 suflicient to determine that it was written either by Christian 
 Funk or Christian Holdeman, both of whom were ministers, 
 and we think, bishops, in the Mennonite church. Christian 
 Holdeman lived in Upper Salford Township, Montgomery Co., 
 Pa., and Christian Fuuk in Chester Co., where he died in 
 the preacher's desk in the church. The manuscript bears date 
 March 31st, 1Y82, and gives an account, chiefly of the his- 
 torical events of the Old Testament from Adam to David, and 
 then after referring to the way of salvation as taught bv our 
 Savior, and the institution of the gospel dispensation, he says, 
 " True Christians seek to walk in the ways and follow the 
 footsteps of Jesus which are, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, 
 gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, compassion ; patient 
 in suffering, not seeking to avenge themselves, not proud, but 
 lowly, humble; not avaricious, not seeking honor or high 
 places or offices in the world, but rather seek after God; and 
 yield themselves willingly under the banner of the cross of 
 Christ. They give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to 
 God the things which are God's They do not exalt themselves 
 against the word of God, but bear all with meekness and 
 patience. The children of this world (or aiiti-Christ) are not 
 thus minded, but seek to avenge themselves, are given to 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 59 
 
 iinger, hatred, disobedient to the word of God, cui-se and 
 swear, rob and steal from their fellow men that which be- 
 longs to them (their fellow men), form themselves into sects 
 and persecute and oppress those who are under their power. 
 &c., &G. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 TESTIMONIES FROM THE WRITINGS OP CHRISTIAN BURKHOLDER 
 
 ON REPENTANCE, REFLECTIONS, &C. 
 
 We shall now proceed to show that the doctrines and 
 practices of the church towards the close of the last, and the 
 early part of the present century, harmonized with and were 
 the same as those taught and practiced in the earlier portions 
 of the last century. 
 
 One of the principle accusations brought by Musser against 
 the Old Mennonite Church, as the reader will have observed 
 above, is, that the Mennonite church was a de<id church; 
 that repentance was neither understood nor taught^ and 
 that both ministers and people were unconverted, unregener- 
 ated and carnal professors. From the writings of Henry 
 Funk we have seen, that in his time, this could not have 
 been the case, and according to all the testimonies we have 
 (and our testimony is quite full and very positive and clear), 
 we must, if we would judge impartially, conclude, that there 
 was but very little change in the spiritual condition of the 
 church from the time in which Henry Funk lived, to the close 
 of the eighteenth century. And now, to confirm the above 
 assertion, and to give further proof of the condition of the 
 church, in the time, in which both Musser and Herr bring 
 their accusations against her, we here present to the reader 
 an address on this very subject, viz: "Repentance," written 
 during the latter part of the eighteenth century, that is, previ- 
 ous to 1792, by Christian Burkholder, one of the ministers of 
 this so-called dead church, residing in the very neighborhood 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 61 
 
 where this undesirable condition of things is said to have 
 existed. 
 
 Christian Burkhohler was a minister of the Mennonite 
 church, residing in the vicinity of New Holland, Lancaster 
 Co., Pa., and wi'Ote a small book in which we find articles or 
 addresses to the young or rising generation on the following 
 subjects: "True Repentance,'' "Pure love to God and our 
 neighbor," "Obedience to the word of God and a full sur- 
 render of the soul into his hands," &g. These articles were 
 written with and by the consent of the church The preface 
 to these articles is dated Feb. 21st, 1792, and were first pub- 
 lished in 1804, and in the same year reprinted at Ephrata, 
 and again in 1829. They were finally added to our confession 
 of faith, and have at this day a wide circulation. The fact 
 that these were written by, and with the consent of the church, 
 and that two editions were required in the same year to sup- 
 ply the demand, shows that the church believed and accepted 
 the doctrine taught therein, and that there was a desire for 
 just such teachings as these instructions contain, which 
 would not have been the case if the church was a dead and 
 unconverted church. Let us now examine his views on the 
 doctrine of Repentance. 
 
 " Repentance is the first command of Christ, as is to be 
 seen Matt. 4 : 17. From that time Jesus began to preach and 
 to say, 'Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' But 
 this is not merely his first command — his first command to his 
 disciples — but also his last, as is to be seen in Luke 24: 46, 47; 
 where he opened unto them the Scriptures, and said : ' Thus it 
 behooved Christ to suffer, that repentance and remission of 
 sins should be preached in his name,' &c. This command the 
 apostles were to proclaim to all men, 'And now he com- 
 mandeth all men every where to repent.' Acts 17 : 30. 
 
 "Thus it is indisputable that all men need repentance, 
 as they have all sinned, are children of wrath, and by nature 
 carnally and earthly minded. Yea, in this state our hearts 
 are a desert, overgrown with thistles and thorns ; and into 
 
62 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 this desert comes the voice of the preacher : ' Prepare ye the 
 way of the Lord, make his paths straight,' Luke ;5: 4, This 
 is the voice of true repentance — the voice unce addressed to 
 Adam, when the Lord said : 'Where art thou?' Whereupon 
 the soul answers : 'I hear thy voice, and am afraid, because I 
 am naked.' 
 
 " Thus man is brought to a proper sense of himself, by 
 the quickening power of the word of God, so that he learns 
 to know himself with all his inherent defects. Yea, hereby 
 he is brouglit to 'acknowledge his transgressions, and his sins 
 are ever before him.' Psalm 51: 3. Yea, to one who is 
 penitent, every thing becomes a burden, and every thing sinful 
 a great sin. 'He is bowed doMm greatly; and goes mourn- 
 ing all the day long.' Psalm 38 : 6. 
 
 " Greatly afflicted and troubled is a penitent soul, if she 
 somewhat delights in the pleasures of youth, .and then retires 
 to solitude. This becomes, as it were, a hell to her con- 
 science, and she is ready to cry out : ' O what have I done ! 
 O wretched man that I am ! ' Thus looking upon the tree of 
 nature as one that bringelh forth no good fruit ; as one con- 
 cerning which the preacher of repentance says : ' Cut it down, 
 why cumbereth it the ground ? ' Luke 13: 7. 'Every tree, 
 therefore, which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, 
 and cast into the fire.' Luke 3 : 9. 
 
 " Man carnally minded, or in a state of nature, is com- 
 pared to the 'vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah;' 
 whose 'grapes are of gall,' and whose ' clusters are bitter ;' whose 
 wine is the ' poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.' 
 Deut. 32: 32, 33. 
 
 " The Lord, in alluding to the disobedience and wicked- 
 ness of the children of Israel (Deut. 32 : 23), says : 'I will 
 heap mischiefs upon them ; I will spend mine arrows upon 
 them.' Thus speaks and feels a person who has come to 
 a knowledge of his sins; his heart is tender as melted wax; 
 he is penitent; he is heartily sorry, that so much evil cleaves 
 unto him; for when he wants to do 'good, evil is present with 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 63 
 
 him.' But his being in possession of this knowledge, is not 
 yet sufficient. For John the Baptist says : 'Bring forth there- 
 fore fruits meet for re])entance.' Matt. 3 : 8. 
 
 "The fruit of true repentance grows in a change of 
 heart, for the heart of man by nature, is proud and conceited; 
 but the heart of a penitent is humble and contrite; and as 
 the heart is, so is the fruit thereof. It moreover 'sets its 
 affections on things above, and not on things beneath,' Col. 
 3:2. In short, it imitates the virtues of our Savior while on 
 earth, who himself declared that he was ' meek and lowly in 
 heart.' Matt. 11: 29. And here it may be remarked, that a 
 person who is 'meek and lowly in heart, cannot bring forth 
 fruit that has externally the appearance of pride, whether it 
 be in words, actions, or the 'putting on of apparel.' 1 Pet. 3: 
 3. 'For in pride is destruction and much trouble.' Tobit. 4: 
 13. But when further the heart is filled with the meekness of 
 Christ, it bespeaks a good tree (Matt. 12 : 33), while on the 
 other hand, evil fruit grows out of evil seed which the enemy 
 has sown into the human heart by means of the senses and 
 thoughts; whereby much evil fruit has been brought forth; 
 particularly in reference to the lusts of incontinence, with 
 which poor man is, as it were, intoxicated. 
 
 "True repentance is further very necessary; yea, 'fruits 
 meet forrepentance ; ' whereby an entire change for the better 
 takes place — whereby we come to a pious and virtuous course 
 of life; so that we do no more that which we were wont to do 
 in our former sinful course of life. The grace and power, 
 however, of leaving off a wicked course of life, and leading a 
 pious life, as just stated, must be obtained of the Lord, 
 through earnest prayer day and night. Good resolutions 
 alone are not sufficient for this purpose; for it is the 'goodness 
 of God that leadeth us to repentance.' Rom. 2: 4. 
 
 "We have moreover to take care, that we do not ' after 
 our hardness and impenitent hearts, treasure up unto ourselves 
 wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the right- 
 eous judgment of God.' For in true repentance we are sub- 
 
64 THE MENNONITE CHtJECS 
 
 ject to great temptations, as the enemy assails us in many 
 different ways. At times it appears to us, that at no time 
 more sinful and adverse things have come into our way, than 
 just now that we are resolved to amend our lives. We are 
 ridiculed by the world; of others we see bad examples. Again 
 the enemy tempts us with self-exaltation, trying to jjersuade 
 us that we have had much experience — much more than we 
 really have had; that we are far advanced in the" divine life, 
 &c. In short, he tempts us in every way. But the weapons 
 of our 'warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to 
 the pulling down of strong holds, and bringing into captivity 
 every thought to the obedience of Christ.' 2 Cor. 10 : 4, 5. 
 For he who yields obedience to Christ, endeavors to ' keep his 
 word.' Luke 11 : 28. 
 
 "A person who labors under temptation, does well if he 
 diligently takes heed to the word of God, as ' unto a light that 
 shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star 
 arise in his heart.' 2 Pet. 1: 19. For the Lord says: 'Because 
 thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee 
 from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the 
 world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.' Rev. 3 : 10. 
 
 " The whole work of regeneration, or the new birth, 
 grounds itself on true repentance ; and penitent souls ' love 
 one another with a pure heart fei'vently. being born again not 
 of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, 
 which liveth and abideth forever.' 1 Pet. 1: 22, 23, 
 
 "To a penitent the word of God becomes life and light 
 in the soul. He who listens to it, becomes thereby changed 
 in heart — converted; namely, from pride to humility; from 
 incontinence to chastity; from hatred to love; from covet- 
 ousness to liberality; from the habit of lying and cheating to 
 truth and honesty. Yea, he is thus transformed from dark- 
 ness into light; rescued from the power of Satan, and con- 
 verted to God. This, dear reader, is what is produced by 
 'fruits meet for repentance.' " 
 
 In his address on Saving Faith, on page 193, the same 
 
AND HEK ACCUSERS. 65 
 
 author says : " God is an invisible mighty Being, and speaks 
 through his Holy Spirit, to many a soul in secret, in order 
 to reprove it, and convince it of sin and the depravity of 
 its nature, and after repentance again to comfort it. Yea, 
 this is the case even with such souls as have not the Script- 
 ures, or cannot read them. But the convictions of such souls 
 agree with the doctrines of the Son of God and that of his 
 apostles ; for the teachings of the Spirit of God agree with 
 these doctrines. Therefore Scripture is not to be set aside^ 
 for it is with it as with natural food : this appears before our 
 eyes to be dead, and yet there is a power in it, whereby our 
 natural life is preserved. If we however do not relish such 
 food, it follows that we are not in health. And so it is 
 with the word of God. If we do not enjoy its precious con- 
 tents, it follows that we are yet in a state of spiritual disease, 
 if not dead — dead in sin. 
 
 "Another means of becoming strengthened in faith is 
 earnest prayer to God. Of this means the disciples of our 
 Lord made use in their weakness. They went to Jesus and 
 prayed: 'Lord increase our faith.' Luke 17 : 5. So the 
 father of the child which had a dumb spirit cried out, and 
 said with tears, ' Loi'd, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief.' 
 Mark 9 : 24. So again the disciples, to whom we just alluded, 
 although they at all times believed and acknowledged, that 
 Christ was the Son of the living God, yet were they some- 
 times, in times of necessity, of ' small faith.' " In the fore- 
 going passages, the writer would show how needful it is that 
 we, too, should exercise ourselves in prayer that we may be 
 strong in faith. He says further : " But how weak are we 
 in faith in our time ! Yea, I fear that our faith is in many 
 respects too weak — that if we were put to the test, it would 
 be found wanting." 
 
 "The Savior says: 'When the Son of man cometh, shall 
 he find faith on the earth?' Luke'18 : 8, Indeed every body 
 believes and confesses, that there is an invisible Divine Power, 
 which 'created every thing, and preserves every thing , and 
 
 9 
 
66 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 that Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, conceived by the 
 Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, &c. But what 
 does it help us if we embrace and adhere to such confession 
 of faith, and yet lead a heathenish course of life, in all kinds 
 of sin and wickedness? 'What does it profit, my brethren, 
 though a man say he hath faith, and have not works ? Can 
 faith save him?' James 2 : 14. 
 
 " True faith leads us into a state of self-denial — a state 
 in which we follow Christ, as did his faithful followers in 
 the time of his incarnation. Yea, hei-e a faith is required 
 that ' worketh by love;' a faith whereby we become 'justi- 
 fied,' and obtain ' peace with God, through our Lord Jesus 
 Christ.' Rom. 4 : 1, 2. Yea, a faith which has for its foun- 
 dation the word of God ; which ' word ' the apostle says, ' is 
 nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart ; thai is, the 
 word of faith, which we preach.'" Rom. 10 : 8. 
 
 " Through faith we obtain the pardon of our sins, and 
 salvation through the blood of Christ." " A person who 
 has received a new heart, also speaks with a new tongue." 
 " An impenitent heart is a breeding nest of this jsoison and 
 seed of servients ; which may however be expelled by faith 
 and repentance. Flee therefore from sin, as you would flee 
 from a serpent. For it is a deadly draught to the soul ; which 
 may occasion its disease, if not death.'' " But Christ is the 
 proper destroyer of serpents. * * * Through faith in him 
 and his word, the serpents, with their tricks and wiles, are 
 expelled from the heait ; and when the hands of faith are 
 laid upon the sin-sick soul, it will recover." 
 
 " Now my dear young hearts, if the word of God binds 
 us so closely, to love him as our Creator, ' with all our heart, 
 and with all our strength,' there remains nothing of our 
 heart wherewith to love the vanities and pleasures of this 
 world ; such as the ' lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, 
 and the pride of life ; ' for ' if any man love the world, the 
 love of the Father is not in him.' 1 John 1:15. Therefore 
 let every one well distinguish whether he is actuated by 
 
AND HEK ACCUSERS. 67 
 
 the love of God or by the impure love and lusts of 
 nature." 
 
 " He who lives in ' envy, hatred, wrath, and strife,' gen- 
 erally lives in a state of self-righteousness, — thinking that 
 he has a right to speak and act as he does, and this false 
 righteousness keeps him in his sinful course of life. For did 
 he believe in regard to himself, that his conduct was ' earthly, 
 sensual, and devilish,' it is impossible that he could live on 
 from^year to^year in ' wrath and strife.' For the apostle also 
 says : ' They whicli do these things shall not inherit the king- 
 dom of God.'" Gal. 5 : 21. 
 
 We feel that our extracts from this work have been ample 
 to give the reader a good idea of the teachings of this author, 
 and any one who is not fully satisfied from these extracts, 
 will find it of advantage to read it in full in the, " Conversa- 
 tion of Saving Faith." He further admonishes against hatred, 
 uncharitableness towards brethren and neighbors ; against 
 falsehood, ridicule, slanderous and vain conversation, vain 
 and idle company ; against all evil desires and fleshly lusts, 
 dissensions in the church; against seeking revenge, in any 
 manner, of ^'those who in any wise have injured us ; in short, 
 we believe that in his several addresses, he covered the whole 
 ground of Christian doctrine .and practice, and any one fol- 
 lowing the teachings which he gives, and avoiding the sins 
 and snares which he points out and MMrns us against, will 
 be a true Christian and an heir of heaven. 
 
 Now these teachings, doctrines and instructions were 
 written and published with and by the consent of the churches, 
 and were acknowledged and accepted by the signatures of 
 twenty-seven ministers and deacons in the name of the whole 
 church, which shows very conclusively that the church 
 accepted, ^esteemed and maintained the genuine doctrine and 
 practice of the Gosjjel. Let the kind reader consider, and 
 judge with an unbiased mind, whether, in view of these 
 things, the accusations of Musser show any plausibility of 
 truth. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF PETER BURKHOLDER AND 
 ABRAHAM GODSHALK, WITH REMARKS. 
 
 We will here present the reader with a number of extracts 
 from the writings of Peter Burkholder, of Rockingham 
 County, Virginia. He was born in Pennsylvania, on the 
 2Yth of August, 1783, and while yet quite young, his father, 
 with his family, removed to Virginia, Here Peter spent the 
 rest of his days. He was ordained to the ministry in 1805, 
 being then only twenty-two years of age. He afterwards 
 became a bishop, in which capacity he served the church a 
 good many years, though our informant is not able to give 
 the exact time in which he was ordained to the bishop's office. 
 He was beloved and respected as a God-fearing and pious 
 Christian, both by his own people and others. He pi'eached 
 only in the German language, and persons who did not 
 understand that language, and consequently had no bene- 
 fit of what he said, came to hear him preach and sat, atten- 
 tively listening to his discourses. They said, they knew he 
 was a Christian by his deportment. English people were 
 very desirous to hear him speak in their language, and often 
 requested him to do so, but his knowledge of that language 
 was so limited that he would not consent to do so. A brother, 
 still living, who knew him well, lived a close neighbor to 
 him, and had constant dealings with him, bears testimony 
 that in his business transactions he invariably found him 
 manifesting a disposition rather to give than to take. " In his 
 ministry," says this brother, " he was decidedly the ablest 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 69 
 
 man I ever heard." He preached lengthy sermons with tears 
 trickling down over his cheeks, and invariably manifested 
 such zeal and power as to melt his audience to tears. He 
 preached what he believed to be Gospel truths, and never 
 varied therefrom to suit those with itching ears, or who, like 
 so many in our day, desired continually to hear something 
 
 new. 
 
 He wrote a number of " Reflections " on portions of the 
 Sermon on the Mount and other parts of Scripture, which 
 were translated by Joseph Funk, and with the Confession 
 of Faith (also translated by him), published at Winchester, 
 Virginia, in 1837. These "Reflections" by Peter Burkholder, 
 like the writings of Christian Burkholder, of Lancaster 
 County, Pa., illustrate and set forth the doctrines, faith, and 
 practice of the church, in a very able and practical manner, 
 and we find in them some very excellent and pointed remarks 
 on repentance, conversion and the new birth. He indeed 
 devotes one entire chapter of his writings to the subject of 
 regeneration, basing his remarks on John 3 : 3 — 6, and his 
 writings throughout are strictly scriptural and fully harmonize 
 with the confessions of our church and other Mennonite 
 writers. It will also be observed that as he was ordaimed to 
 the ministry in 1805, his labors extended through that period 
 of time in which the "Reformed Church" had its origin, and 
 in which Herr and Musser lay their severest charges at her 
 door. We will let the reader himself judge of the character, 
 both of the man and of his teachings from the following 
 extracts from his writings. 
 
 In the first of his Reflections, on page 266, where lie speaks 
 of the Poor in Spirit, Matt. 5 : 3, he says, "Here our great 
 Teacher instructs us in the ways of blessedness, and tells us 
 clearly that it is necessary for us that we should be poor in 
 Spirit. Now let us examine and see what is meant by being- 
 poor in Spirit, and in what it consists. It consists principally 
 in a true self-knowledge. The person who is acquainted with 
 his own heart, is of a humble, lowly spirit ; for if we examine 
 
70 THE MENNONITE CHUKCH 
 
 ourselves we will find that of ourselves we are nothing, we have 
 nothing, and we can do nothing, but that all we are, and all we 
 have is of God. P^'rom him we derive our being, the faculties of 
 the soul, every good thought, and it is he that 'worketh in 
 us both to will and to do of his good pleasure.' Phil. 2 : 13. 
 For God is all in all ; the Giver of every good and perfect gift, 
 for he is rich unto all that call upon him, and in him are hid 
 all the treasu.res of wisdom and knowledge. Therefore, every 
 humble discerning penitent will acknowledge that God is rich, 
 strong and powerful, but he poor, weak and impotent ; and in 
 this self-abasement will humbly bow before the throne of his 
 majesty and confess that he has nothing to boast of but 
 his infirmity ; and thus renouncing all self-righteousness, will 
 groan and say with the apostle Paul, 'For I know that in me 
 (^that is in my fiesh), dwelleth no good thing: for to will is 
 present with me ; but how to perform that which is good, I 
 find not.' ' O wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me 
 from the body of this death?' Rom. 7 : 18, 24. Such an 
 one will feel himself to be unclean and leprous, like the lepers 
 in Israel of old. — But how consolatory to him to find that 
 when the leprosy had covered all the skin of him that had 
 the plague, from his head even to his foot, and had all turned 
 white, the priest was then to pronounce him clean. Lev. 13 : 
 
 12, 13. So, in like manner, when the truly penitent mourner, 
 groaning under a sense and load of coiTuption, sin, and 
 uncleanness, deej^ly humbled and poor in spirit, coraeth to 
 .Jesus, the Great High Priest, he has the promise of being 
 pronounced clean. But he must come to Christ, burdened 
 and sin-sick ; with a sincere desire beseeching Him, to cleanse 
 and purify him from all sin and uncleanness, as did the ten 
 lepers of Israel, who lifted up their voices, and said, 'Jesus, 
 Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said 
 unto them. Go, show yourselves unto the priests : and it came 
 to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.' Luke 17 : 
 
 13, 14. In such a manner will all those do who are poor in 
 spirit; who feel the weight of their corruptions, sins and 
 
AKD HER ACCUSERS. 71 
 
 infirmities. Sin-sick and mourning they will come to Jesus, 
 their Great High Priest, beseeching him to cleanse and heal 
 them from all their sins and maladies. And for such is he 
 a Physician, and a Redeemer, as he saith : ' They that be 
 whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. For I 
 am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' 
 Such poor in spirit he calls to him and saith, ' Come unto me, 
 all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 
 " The true penitent, experiencing that he is poor in spirit, 
 that he is altogether sinful, fallen, degraded, in a lost state 
 by nature, and unable to flee from the wrath to come, and to 
 deliver himself, he begins to mourn over his sinful state, 
 with godly sorrow that worketh repentance to salvation not 
 to be repented of. With a broken heai't and a tender con- 
 science, he humbleth himself and says with penitent David, 
 'I am troubled; lam bowed down greatly ; I go mourning 
 all the day long.' Ps. 38 : 6. In this mourning over sin, 
 the sinner will feel his sins to become an intolerable burden 
 to him ; altogether too heavy for him to bear ; and thus he 
 will strive to have them blotted out, in looking unto the Savior 
 of sinners, by true repentance and by faith. For, as long as 
 the sinner is yet willing to live in sin, after the lust of the 
 flesh and the rudiments of the world, he is not come to a 
 repentance acceptable with God. For, ' If any man love the 
 world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in 
 the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the 
 pi'ide of life is not of the Father, but of the world. And the 
 world passeth away, and the lust thereof : but he that doeth the 
 will of God abideth forever,' 1 John 2 : 15, 16, 17. There- 
 fore, sin, and the lust of the world, must become intolerably 
 loathsome to every true penitent, and a burden too heavy for 
 him to bear, so, that he can say with the apostle Paul, 'The 
 world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world ! Gal. 6 : 14. 
 To such an humble, sin-burdened, sin-sick soul, the words 
 of Christ will be sweet, when he says : ' Come unto me, all 
 ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' 
 
72 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 " From the foregoing it is clear and evident, tliat mourn- 
 ing and godly sorrow must go before peace, comfort, and 
 consolation ; of which we find many examples in the Script- 
 ures. Especially that of the woman, who was a sinner, and 
 came to Jesus when he sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, 
 bringing an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet 
 behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, 
 and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed 
 his feet, and anointed them with the ointment, Luke 1 : 38. 
 This is quite a different representation of a truly penitent sin- 
 ner, from what we see in our day, in many of those who 
 pretend to be converted, and yet go forth in all the pomp 
 and conformity to the world, decorating their heads according 
 to all the vain and fleeting fashions. This was not the case 
 with the woman under consideration, who used the hairs of 
 her head for a towel, to wipe the feet of her beloved Lord 
 and Master, whom she loved and adored above all things ; 
 inasmuch as she thought herself unworthy to appear before 
 him, but stood behind, in humility and self abasement, but 
 yet in a firm faith and hope of obtaining from him mercy, 
 grace, and forgiveness of her many sins. And this she 
 obtianed when Jesus said unto her, ' Thy sins are forgiven. 
 Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace.' Here were fulfilled 
 the words of the Lord, ' Blessed are they that mourn ; for 
 they shall be comforted,' 
 
 " Here we see, how merciful, kind, and condescend- 
 ing our Lord is, to those poor sinners who come to him dis- 
 tressed and mourning over their sins. But, let us beware 
 and not err in comforting ourselves with a vain comfort, 
 before we have been deeply humbled for sin, by feeling the 
 evil of it, and our lost state by nature ; which, it is to be 
 feared, is the case with too many, who pretend to shout and 
 exult over their sins, ere they have been brought to see the 
 sinfulness of their own hearts and the evil of sin, and thus 
 become deeply humbled arid go into godly mourning. Such 
 exultation and shouting is not pleasing to the Lord, For, 
 
AND HBR ACCUSERS. 73 
 
 when Israel of old went out against the Philistines to battle, 
 and were smitten before the Philistines ; and they slew of 
 the army in the field about four thousand men, — the people 
 sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of 
 the covenant of the Lord of hosts which dwelleth between 
 the Cherubims, to save them from the hands of their enemies. 
 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the 
 camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the 
 earth rang again. And when the Philistines heard the noise 
 of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great 
 shout in the camp of the Hebrews ? And they understood 
 that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp. And the 
 Philistines were afraid ; for they said, God is come into 
 the camp. And they said, 'Woe unto us ! for there hath not 
 been such a thing heretofore.' 1 Sam. 4 : 1 — 1. But all this 
 great shouting helped them nothing : and the Lord was not 
 pleased with it, neither did he hear them, notwithstanding their 
 expressions of joy and exultation, and their idle notion that 
 all was now well with them since they had the ark of the cove- 
 nant of the Lord with them in the camp. The Philistines 
 also feared that it was so. But the event proved it to be quite 
 otherwise. For when they again went out against the Phil- 
 istines to battle, and the Philistines fought, Israel was smitten, 
 and they fled every man to his tent; and there was a very 
 great slaughter ; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand 
 footmen. And the ark of God was taken ; and the sons 
 of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas were slain. — Now is the ques- 
 tion. Why did the Lord not hear Israel in their great shout- 
 ing when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into 
 the camp? When their shouting was even so great that 
 the earth rang again ?— The answer is, because ihey mourned 
 not over the sins which they had committed, and many 
 things which they had among them with which the Lord 
 was displeased. This is clearly seen in the sequel. For, 
 when they presumptuously looked into the ark, at Beth-she- 
 mesh, the Lord smote of the people fifty thousand and three 
 10 
 
74 THE MBNNONITE CHURCH 
 
 score and ten men. This brousfht them to a state of mourn- 
 ing, and to a knowledge of the evil of sin ; for the men of 
 Beth-shemesh said, ' Who is able to stand before this Holy 
 Lord God ? ' — After this, the ark of the Lord was taken up to 
 Kirjath-jearira, and. while it was there the time was long ; 
 for it was twenty years ; and all the house of Israel lamented 
 after the Lord. This was the beginning of that mourning 
 and godly sorrow which is acceptable to the Lord. And 
 when Samuel saw this their lamentation, he spake unto all 
 the house of Israel, saying. If ye do return unto the Lord 
 with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and 
 Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the 
 Lord, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of 
 the hands of the Philistines. Then the children of Israel 
 did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord 
 only. And tliey were gathered together to Mizpeh, and fasted 
 on that day, acknowledging their sins to the Lord. And 
 Samuel offered a burnt-offering unto the Lord, and prayed 
 for them, and the Lord heard him. And as Samuel was offer- 
 ing up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle 
 against Israel ; but the Lord thundered with a great thunder 
 on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them ; and 
 they were smitten before Israel. 1 Sam. 7 : 1 — 10. 
 
 "Now, here we may clearly see, that all the shouting, 
 rejoicing, and exultation of the children of Israel, heljjed them 
 nothing, so long as their hearts were not deeply humbled by 
 penitent mourning for their apostasy and sins, and by 
 renouncing their idols, and those things which were an abom- 
 ination in the sight of the Lord. But, if my readers should 
 say, We have not Baalim and Ashtaroth among us, to wor- 
 ship them, and what have we that is so displeasing to the 
 Lord, for which we should repent and mourn ? I would 
 answer, That, though we have no images or heathen deities 
 that we worship among us now, yet, there are many other 
 things which are of an idolatrous nature, and are equally dis- 
 pleasing and abominable in the sight of the Lord our God ; 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 75 
 
 and which we must renounce and forsake if we would be his 
 children. First, Christ our Lord saith, ' For that which is 
 highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of 
 God.' Luke 16 : 15. Such abominations are to be found 
 among men only too much : for the whole rac^ of man is by 
 nature inclined to be high-minded, and to pursue the vain 
 modes and fashions of the world, and the conformity to it ; 
 notwithstanding the admonition of the apostle Paul, where 
 he says, 'And be not conformed to this world ; but be ye trans- 
 formed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove 
 what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.' 
 Moreover, how prone is rHan to seek honor of men ; and how 
 vain glorious of renown ? Whereas Christ saith, ' I receive 
 not honor from men.' Also, How can ye believe, which 
 receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that 
 Cometh from God ? John 5 : 41 — 44. Again, many hanker 
 after riches, and labor to amass perishable treasures, and 
 serve them by having their hearts fixed on this mammon', pre- 
 tending also to serve God; whereas Christ saith, 'No man can 
 serve two masters : for either he will hate the one, and love 
 the other ; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the 
 other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.' Matt. 6 : 24. 
 Therefore, if we would be truly converted to the Lord, we 
 must abandon and forsake all these sins which the Lord 
 abhors ; seek his favor ; devote our hearts wholly to his ser- 
 vice ; cleave and cling to him with reverence and love, and 
 adore and serve hini alone, in obeying his voice. 
 
 " When Saul was disobedient to the voice of the Lord, 
 Samuel reproved him and said, ' Hath the Lord as great 
 delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice 
 of the Lord ? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to 
 hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of 
 witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.' 
 1 Sam. 15 : 22, 23. Here we see that disobedience to the voice 
 of the Lord is a heinous sin ; and if we would be acceptable 
 to God, and be heard of him, we must put away from us the 
 
76 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 sins of disobedience and rebellion, which are iniquity and 
 idolatry, and be made pure and holy, ready and willing to 
 do whatsoever he has commanded us. For, ' Whosoever 
 transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath 
 not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath 
 both the Father and the Son.' .2 John 5 : 9. But so long 
 as we have not renounced and forsaken those sins and abom- 
 inations which the Lord abhors and has forbidden in his word, 
 we may cry and call aloud, and yet not be heard of the Lord, 
 as he saith by the mouth of his prophet Isaiah : ' And when 
 ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you ; 
 yea, when ye make many prayers, Iwill not hear: your hands 
 are full of blood.' Isa. 1 : 15. 'But,' saith Christ, 'If ye 
 abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what 
 ye will, and it shall be done unto you.' John 15 : V. 
 
 " Our Lord saith, in the 4th verse of the words under 
 consideration, ' Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit 
 the earth.' To be meek is to be of a soft, tender, gentle, 
 quiet, humble, forbeai-ing and submissive disposition, and not 
 easily provoked. Of this disposition we must also participate 
 if we would be prepared for the kingdom of God and for a 
 share in the promised, blessing. For, as long as our hearts 
 are yet hard, obdurate and impenitent, there is no blessing 
 promised us, but, much more, indignation and wrath, tribu- 
 lation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil. 
 For, by nature the heart of man is the seat of evil, corrupt 
 and vile affections ; it is hard, obdurate, presumptuous, self- 
 willed and impenitent ; by reason of which it is in a fatal 
 and unhappy state. Therefore, the sinner's heart must be 
 changed, renewed, softened, and broken with the hammer of 
 the law of God's word, and thus brought to a knowledge of 
 the evil of sin, and of the evil of his own heart ; for, by 
 the law is the knowledge of sin. Rom. 3 : 20. Now, 
 when the sinner is brought to see the justice of the law, and 
 feels himself under the condemnation of it, he will be afraid 
 of the judgments of God, as it is written, ' My flesh trem- 
 
AND HEB ACCUSERS. 
 
 77 
 
 bleth for fear of them : and I am afraid of thy judgments' 
 Ps. 119 : 120. Moreover, 'Like a crane or a swallow, so 
 did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove; mine eyes fail with 
 looking upward : O Lord, I am oppressed ; undertake for me.' 
 Isa. 38 : 14. Thus, full of anguish and fear, the sinner is 
 brought to see his sad case by nature, and now begins to seek 
 for a°remedy, by humbling himself under the mighty hand of 
 God and beseeching Him to give him a new heart and a new 
 spirit. And now, as the sinner is humbled and comes to 
 the Lord in his appointed way, the Lord also confirms his 
 promise to him, when he saith, ' A new heart also will I give 
 you, and a new spirit will I put within you ; and I will take 
 away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you 
 a heart of flesh.' Ezek. 36 : 26. And such a heart as this 
 will then be meek. It will be of a soft, tender, gentle, quiet, 
 teachable and submissive disposition. And to all such as are of 
 this disposition is promised that they shall inherit the earth ; 
 namely, the new earth, of which the apostle Peter saith, 
 'Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new 
 heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.' 
 2 Pet. 3 : 13. 'But the meek shall inherit the earth, and 
 shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.' ' Ps. 
 
 37 : 11. 
 
 On page 288, in his Reflections on the Pihre in hearty 
 *he says, after quoting several Scripture passages, "From these 
 words it follows, that if we would .serve God according to 
 his will, we must purge and purify ourselves from all sin 
 and uncleanness, and that justice and righteousness must be 
 manifested and shown forth in our walk and conversation. 
 For, should we daily attend on public worship, praying much 
 and saying. Lord, Lord ! and with all this not do the will of 
 the Father which is in heaven, in keeping his commandments 
 which he has commanded us to do, it would not be pleasing 
 to the Lord: for, as our inner religion of the heart cannot 
 subsist and stand the test except it be evidenced in our out- 
 ward walk and conversation, and in using the appointed 
 
78 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 means, so likewise cannot our outward good works stand the 
 test and be acceptable to God if they are not wrought by 
 faith of the inner man. For this reason it would be vain 
 to say— If only the heart is good, it don't matter for exter- 
 nals ; and on the other hand, it would be equally fruitless and 
 pernicious to say — It is enough if I am baptized — go to hear 
 the word of God preached, and partake of the Lord's Supper ; 
 if I do this I am a Christian, and what need I more ? Of 
 this order were the Pharisees, in having all their religion and 
 divine service in outward ceremonies and tradition of the 
 elders and the commandments of men, for which the Lord 
 reproveth them when he saith, ' This people draweth nigh 
 unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips ; 
 but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship 
 me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.' 
 Matt. 15 : 8, 9." 
 
 Again on page 292 he writes as follows, " Here the 
 sinner must be made willing, with all his heart, to forsake 
 and renounce sin and all ungodliness, and with all his soul 
 to submit to the divine moving and teaching of the Spirit of 
 grace, and with humble prayer and supplication to God, seek 
 to be purified in heart, and sanctified, as David saith, ' Create 
 in me a clean heart, O God ; and renew a right spirit within 
 me. Cast me not away from thy presence ; and take not 
 thy Holy Spirit from me.' Ps. 51 : 10, 11. And so soon as 
 the supplicant is thus purified in heart, by being washed 
 and cleansed from within, he will be clean from without also: 
 and this cleanliness, or purity from without, consists in obe- 
 diently keeping the commandments of God, as Peter saith, 
 'Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth 
 through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see 
 that ye love one another with a pui'e heart fervently. Being 
 born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, 
 by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.' 1 
 Pet. 1 : 22, 23. Hei*e, by obeying the truth, (which is the 
 word of God), they were purified and cleansed from without, 
 
AND HEK ACCUSERS. 
 
 79 
 
 as Christ clearly shows when he saith, 'Now ye are clean 
 through the word which I have spoken unto you.' John 15 : 
 3, And with this obedience to the word of God, must all 
 true Christians and children of God comply : Therefore did 
 the Son of God pray so earnestly to his heavenly Father that 
 He would sanctify his disciples saying, 'Sanctify them 
 through thy truth : thy word is truth.' " 17:7. 
 
 He says further in his Reflection on the Kew Birth, 
 pages 387-8-9, " If any one thinketli that he is born again, 
 and the spirit by whose influence he was regenerated, leadeth 
 him not to the obedience of the Gospel, and to imitating and 
 following Christ, in his regeneration, in all the command- 
 ments of Christ, he may be assured that he is deceived in his 
 new birth and that he was not born of the incorruptible seed 
 of the word of God, for as the seed is, so will the fruit and 
 the birth be. And when the seed of the word of God is 
 sown into the heart of man, and is quickened by the co-oper- 
 ative influence of the Holy Spirit, it will become operative in 
 the heart to subdue and mortify the deeds of the body and its 
 sinful lusts, and crucify the old man." " ' And ye now therefore 
 have sorrow ; but I will see you again, and your heart shall 
 rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.' John 16 : 21, 
 22. This sorrow and anguish consists in mourning over sin, 
 and crucifying the lusts of the flesh with its deeds, for Paul 
 says, ' They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the 
 affections and lusts.' Gal. 5 : 24. 'Moreover, mortify therefore 
 your members which are upon the earth ; fornication, unclean- 
 ness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetous- 
 ness, which is idolatry.' Col. 3:5. ' Also, that ye put off 
 concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is 
 corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in 
 the spirit of your mind ; and that ye put on the new man, 
 which, after God, is created in righteousness and true holi- 
 ness.' Eph. 4 : 22 — 24. * * * Therefore lei every one who 
 thinketh that he is born again of the Word and Spirit of 
 God, prove and examine himself, whether he has crucified and 
 
80 THE MENNONITE CSFEca 
 
 put to death his old Adaraic nature ? — put off concerning the 
 former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt accord- 
 ing to deceitful lusts ? — and whether he has put on the new 
 man, which after God is created in righteousness and true 
 holiness ? — for where this is not found, there is no true regen- 
 eration — no new birth that is wrought by the word and Spirit 
 of God, but is imaginary and fanciful, and will not be able 
 to bear the test." 
 
 On pages 397-8-9, he further says, " From the foregoing 
 words and remarks it is plain and evident, that by this spir- 
 itual birth, we participate of the spirit of Christ ; and con- 
 sequently partake of his holy nature, and are like minded 
 with him. And from his own words we learn, that he is meek 
 and lowly, as he saith, ' Take my yoke upon you, and learn 
 of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find 
 rest unto your souls.' Matt. 11 : 29. Now, as he, our Lord 
 and Savior, is meek and lowly in heart, — all those who are 
 born of his Spirit will be meek and lowly in heart too ; and 
 will manifest this humble, meek and lowly disposition, by 
 taking his cross upon them, and following him in the regen- 
 eration, by leading a holy, harmless and pious life. For 
 true regeneration, which is wrought by the Spirit of God, will 
 manifest itself by self-denial, copying after and imitating 
 Christ in a godly life, following after him, and thus continue 
 till death : for the crown is not at the beginning ; neither is 
 it in the middle ; but he that endui-eth to the end shall be 
 saved. ' Moreover, Christ Jesus has left us an example, that 
 we should follow his steps. Who, when he was reviled, 
 reviled not again ; when he suffered, he threatened not, but 
 committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.' 1 Pet. 
 2 : 21, 23. And, according to this example, will the disciples 
 of Christ be of a lamb-like disposition, and shew forth the 
 praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into 
 his marvelous light. 1 Pet. 2:9. 
 
 " And besides, the new birth which is effected by the 
 Spirit of God, overcometh the world ; as John saith, ' For 
 
AND HBR ACCUSERS. 81 
 
 whosoever is born of God, overcometh the world : and this 
 is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.' 1 
 John 5 : 4. And those who have overcome the world, must 
 not seek its honor and glory, its comforts and delights — 
 neither live conformably to it, as the apostle saith, * Love not 
 the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any 
 man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For 
 all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of 
 the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of 
 the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust 
 thereof : but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.' 
 1 John 2 : 15 — lY. Now, this love of the world, with the 
 lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 
 belongs to the natural birth : but the new-born, spiritual 
 birth of God, by faith, overcometh the world. Hence, let 
 every one who thinketh that he is born of God, prove him- 
 self and examine, whether he participates in the divine nature 
 and disposition ; and whether he is advancing in the Chris- 
 tian graces and virtues, and in heavenly-mindedness : and if 
 he should find that he does not partake of this heavenly 
 and divine nature and tendency, and has not put on this 
 lamb-like disposition of being humble, meek, and lowly in 
 mind, he may be assured that he is not born of God : which? 
 it is to be feared, is the case with many, who vainly imagine 
 that they are regenerated and born of God, and yet do not 
 manifest, in their life and conversation, that humility and 
 meekness which adorns the disciple of Christ, and his doc- 
 trine. But, on the contrary, they oppose the holy doctrine 
 of Christ and his apostles, by a conformity to the world, in 
 pride and haughtiness ; using the laws of the world to oppress 
 their neighbors, and the sword to avenge themselves, and 
 to do violence to their enemies, all which is opposed to the 
 divine nature, tendency and disposition of Christ Jesus, and 
 belongs to worldly mindedness, and not to those who are 
 heavenly minded, for ' He that saith he abideth in him, ought 
 himself also so to walk, even as he walked.' " 1 John 2 : 6 
 11 
 
82 THE MENNONITE CHUECH 
 
 We will now pass over to another writer, who lived, 
 preached and wrote probably about the same time as Peter 
 Burkholder. This writer is Abraham Godshalk, of the Deep 
 Run Church, in Bucks Co., Pa. The English work from which 
 our extracts are made was printed in 1838. The work is called 
 "A description of the New Creature, from its birth until grown 
 up into a perfect man ; unto the measure of the stature of 
 the fullness of Christ, with its necessity, origin, growth, and 
 final glorious and happy state through Jesus Christ." The 
 work was first written and published in the German language, 
 and it is very probable that at least, several years elapsed, 
 between the first writing and the English publication. He 
 wrote and published this work in his later years, and he, him- 
 self, says that he was, "at a pretty early day," that is, at a 
 pretty early age, " called to be a preacher of the Gospel," so 
 that he must also have lived, and preached, at least in the early 
 part of his ministry, just in the very time, or at least soon 
 after, in which the church is represented as so dead and 
 impure. We will give only a few extracts from his writings 
 which we deem sufficient, however, to give the key-note to 
 the entire work. 
 
 On pages 32 and 33 he says, " I go on, Secondly, to show 
 what regeneration is, and first, it is a change in man, as the 
 terms of 'Regeneration,' 'New creature,' &c., sufficiently imply 
 and show forth. Our Savior could hardly have made use of a 
 more powerful and significant expression, or given a better type, 
 than the birth of man. * * * Paul says, ' My little children, 
 of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in 
 you,' notwithstanding it is not in the power of the bride to 
 give the increase, but God gives it ; therefore, regeneration 
 is a change of such a nature, as not to be produced by man 
 alone ; neither by the regenerated, nor by him who is to be 
 regenerated, but by the co-operation of God with man, so 
 that it may be said with propriety of the regenerated man, 
 that he is born of God. There are many, I know, who think 
 that all who will, may be regenerated, and so I think too ; 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 83 
 
 but it is in the will that regeneration has its commenceraent ; 
 for if the wicked man only once has the will to receive Christ, 
 or in other words, to cease from evil, and to learn to do good, 
 has he not the most essential part, and is no more what he 
 was before, but a new creature ? Understand me rightly, 
 he is new in will ; and Paul shows most clearly, that it is God 
 which worketh in man, both to will and to do, of his good 
 pleasure, though this may by some be considered small, it 
 is nevertheless a commencement of regeneration, a birth out 
 of God by faith, and when to the will is added the deed, 
 we have regeneration in a good degree. 
 
 " Regeneration is putting on Christ by faith. And where 
 Christ, who may with much propriety be called a new man 
 (for there never was any like him on earth before), is to be 
 put on, the old man must be put off, as Paul says (Eph. 4 : 
 32), ' That ye put off concerning the former conversation 
 the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful 
 lusts ; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that 
 ye put on the new man, which after God, is created in right- 
 eousness and true holiness : wherefore, putting away lying, 
 speak every man truth with his neighbor.' To put on Christ, 
 is not merely to believe that he is, but to receive him in 
 all, as he is, namely : in doctrine, in examples and merits, 
 as Paul says, 'As ye have learned him, so walk ye in him.' 
 And if we put on Christ with his holy doctrine and example, 
 repentance must be the consequence with the sinner for the 
 first, and secondly a patterning after Jesus, which leads to 
 sanctification of the flesh and of the spirit ; and if we then 
 also put him on with his merits, then are we begotten again 
 to a lively hope of life everlasting, by the resurrection of 
 Jesus Christ from the dead. 
 
 " Now he that has truly put on Christ, cannot other- 
 wise than love God and his brother ; for this Christ repeatedly 
 taught, namely, ' A new commandment I give unto you, that 
 ye love one another.' Again, 'Thereby shall all men know 
 that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another.' And here- 
 
84 THE MENNONITB CHURCH 
 
 with John agrees, saying, 'Beloved, let us love one another, 
 for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, 
 and knoweth God ' 1 Jn. 4 : 7. Again, ' By this we know 
 that we love the children of God, when we love God and 
 keep his commandments, for this is the love of God, that we 
 keep his commandments.' 1 Jn. 5:2, 3. And when man 
 has once such a love to God, by virtue of which he keeps his 
 commandments, then he is indeed a new creature. ' Old 
 things have passed away, behold all things are become new.' 
 2 Cor. 5 : 17. Yea, man is changed in will, understanding, 
 and deeds : yea, in heart. So then we see that regeneration 
 consists in light from God, faith, a change of the will, a 
 change of the passions and propensities : where the blind are 
 made to see, or the ignorance of the will of God must depart. 
 And faith grounds itself on knowledge that gave evidence, 
 being convinced, whereby the perverse will become right, 
 so that man only wills, what God wills, and the passions are 
 so altered that we love that which before we loved not, and 
 hate, or at least, deny ourselves of what we before loved, 
 that is to say all things forbidden of God. I have now given 
 a brief description of regeneration, in so far as it is necessary 
 unto a complete entrance into the kingdom of Christ on earth ; 
 it being righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." 
 We have now in the foregoing pages, presented the 
 reader with extracts and articles from the writings of different 
 men, to show the teachings, and represent the condition of 
 the church from 1760 or before, to 1830 or 1840, or from the 
 time in which our accusers admit and claim that the church 
 was, at least, reasonably pure, and in which it began to 
 become corrupt, and covering the period in which they claim 
 that it was a dead church, and in which its corruption was 
 greatest, for Musser also makes the assertion, that since the 
 Reformed Mennonite Church was organized, the Old Men- 
 nonite Church, has, to some extent reformed, and that in many 
 respects her members live a much more moral life, than 
 during the period, as he claims, of her greatest corruption. 
 
AND HER ACCTTSEKS. 85 
 
 The reader will remember that Henry Funk came to 
 this country in 1719, and that he died in 1760, so that he 
 represents in his writings the doctrines and teachings of the 
 church during that period. The old manuscript, given in a 
 previous chapter, which gives an account of the dealings 
 of the church with Boehm, was evidently written in, or about 
 the year 1775. The extract from another manuscript given 
 in the same chapter, bears date of 1782, and Christian Burk- 
 holder wrote his essays or admonitions on Repentance, &c., 
 about the year 1792, or just previous to it, while the writ- 
 ings of Peter Burkholder and Abraham Godshalk were pub- 
 lished in the English language in 1837 and 1838, both having 
 been written previously in the German, and those of God- 
 shalk were also previously published in that language. 
 
 The testimonies presented in these writings, it seems to 
 us, should be conclusive to every reflecting and unprejudiced 
 mind. If the church taught the true doctrine of the Gospel, 
 in the days of Henry Funk, as his writings so plainly show ; 
 if the Conference composed of the entire body of ministei-s 
 and deacons, with the consent and acquiescence of the mem- 
 bership of the church in, or about 1775, leave us a testi- 
 mony, reflecting the true doctrines of the Gospel and a faith- 
 ful adherence to the same, and showing that they not only 
 professed, but also lived in accordance with their faith, and if 
 Christian Burkholder wrote and advocated the true gospel doc- 
 trine of repentance, in 1792, to which the church still at this 
 day adheres, which things neither Musser nor any one else can 
 deny, then it is not at all probable, yea, we may say, impossi- 
 ble, that the church in a few years should have become so 
 entirely corrupt, that it must be branded as a dead church. 
 Even if the testimony given us in the old manuscript above 
 referred to, and the writings of Christian Burkholder and 
 others, should fail us, it would be an unheard of thing for a 
 church as the Mennonite church, is acknowledged, even by 
 Musser himself, to have been, that with a doctrine so pure, 
 a faith so strong, and an adherence so firm, that neither the 
 
86 THE MENNONITE CHTJECH 
 
 wiles of Satan, nor the fires of persecution could extinguish 
 her devotion during all the centuries of her sufferings, the 
 Mennonite church, should have, in so short a time, lost her 
 candlestick and have become a dead church. Besides this, 
 the writings of Peter Burkholder and Abraham Godshalk 
 leave us an indisputable testimony, that the same Gospel 
 doctrines were taught, and earnestly taught, during this very 
 time and also afterwards, while many witnesses, still living, 
 can be produced who confirm the correctness of our remarks, 
 and the injustice of Musser's charges. 
 
 It requires time to corrupt a church that is truly a church 
 of God, as well as to reform a corrupt people and bring them 
 back to God. We seldom, if ever, find an individual person, 
 who plunges suddenly from a pure, innocent, Christian life, 
 into the depths of sin, debauchery and crime. The most 
 notorious criminals always begin their course by little trans- 
 gressions ; the taking of little things makes, at last, the high- 
 way robber; the wantonly killing of harmless insects and ani- 
 mals, often leads a man, step by step, to bloodshed and murder; 
 the dnnking of the daily dram or the morning and evening 
 bitters, creates, gradually, a desire for more, until step by 
 step, the man becomes a confirmed drunkard. Hence the 
 idea that the Mennonite church, standing as we have seen, 
 upon the genuine doctrines of the word of God in 1760, 
 should, in the course of forty years or even less, become so 
 entirely corrupt, as our defamers would have it, is to say the 
 least, not at all probable. 
 
 Jesus says, "Upon this rock will I build my church, 
 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." God 
 also gives us the promise that he will never leave nor 
 forsake his people. Now if the church was so corrupt in 
 1800 as is represented, then the transition from a pure and 
 glorious church to a corrupt one, must have been exceed- 
 ingly rapid. In much less than fifty years every vestige 
 of her glory must have perished, and her candlestick taken 
 away. Every minister, who had once raised his voice for 
 
AND HEK ACCUSBBS. 8*7 
 
 the pure doctrine of the Gospel, must have been silenced or 
 corrupted, and every true believer must have been departed 
 from the true faith and taken to the refuge of lies and false 
 doctrine. 
 
 But of such a sudden transformation, or such a rapid, 
 retrograde movement, as would have been required for the 
 entire church to come down from that exalted position in 
 which our friend Musser holds her, while she was in her 
 glory, to the depths in which he would have her at the 
 beginning of the present century, we find no record beyond 
 that of Musser and his friends, and to what credit that is 
 entitled to, we have already shown. Neither would we find 
 the men of such spiritual power and pure teaching immedi- 
 ately after the beginning of the present century, if their 
 immediate predecessors had been so cornapt and dead. For 
 out of such a dead church it would be impossible to bring 
 forth men of such vigorous, spiritual strength, such living 
 faith, without a general awakening and reformation. But 
 we have no account, whether written or traditional, of any 
 sudden, powerful and wide-spread awakening or reformation 
 taking place during that time. 
 
 The foregoing testimonies are sufficient for our present pur- 
 pose, namely, to show what the church taught, what kind of a 
 spirit was manifested by the leaders, teachers and prominent 
 men of the church, who lived and labored during the time 
 referred to. In the next chapter we will give letters written 
 during that time, and testimonials from men who are still 
 living, but whose memories go back to that very period, and 
 bring down to us the spiritual condition of the church in that 
 day, and which give us, perhaps more of the practical life of 
 the church than what has already been presented. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 LETTERS FROM HEJ^RY HUNSICKER, CHRISTIAN NISSLEY, JACOB 
 HOSTETTER, AND HENRY KOLB. 
 
 We will now proceed to give as corroboratory evidence 
 to that already given, and as bringing the account of the 
 condition of the church nearer to our own time, the following 
 letters and extracts of letters, interspersed with such expla- 
 nations and remarks as may seem necessary. These letters 
 passed between the parties in the form of a friendly cor- 
 respondence, in which men are not expected to confine them- 
 selves strictly to religious topics, and if these men, most of 
 whom were ministers, were the light-minded, frivolous, carnal 
 and worldly people, that Musser claims they were, then 
 surely it would appear to a greater or less extent in their 
 correspondence, for out of the abundance of the heart, the 
 mouth speaketh. But instead of this, all these letters, breathe 
 forth Christian sentiments ; they have a religious tone, they 
 speak of the mercy of God, of the gift of eternal life, of our 
 duties to God ; of the church, &c. They encourage, exhort 
 and admonish one another, and in every respect they give 
 proof of the higher life in the hearts of the writers, which 
 could not well have been the case with men whose minds 
 were engaged only with the vain and perishable things of 
 this present time. 
 
 The first of these letters was written by Henry Hunsicker 
 to Christian Herr of Pequea, about the time the latter united 
 with the church. Henry Hunsicker was a bishop in the 
 church. He was born in 1752, in Skippack, Montgomery 
 
AKD HER ACCtrSERS. 89 
 
 County. He was ordained to the ministry in 1Y82, and died 
 July 8th 1836, at the age of 85 years, having served in the 
 capacity of a minister 54 years, and most of this time as a 
 bishop. He is said to have been both an able and eloquent 
 speaker, of quick perception, mild but firm in his dicipline, 
 and held in high esteem, both as a man and a preacher. Chris- 
 tian Herr, as may be seen by the following letters, united 
 with the church in or about the year 1816, was chosen to 
 the office of deacon about the year 1820, advanced to the 
 ministry in 1835 and five years later, in 1840, ordained to 
 the office of bishop, and died in 1853. He was the father of 
 Benjamin Herr, bishop, and Amos HeiT, minister, both now 
 living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 
 
 The letter reads as follows : 
 
 November 30th, 1816. 
 
 " Highly esteemed brother, I received your letter of the 
 23rd. We are in the enjoyment of good bodily health, and 
 thank God for his paternal love, and wish, as a sincere and 
 friendly greeting, that you may prosper according to the 
 good pleasure of God, both temporally and spiritually. May 
 the dear Savior graciously inspire you with his Holy Spirit, 
 that your spiritual eyes may possess that needful keenness 
 of sight which will enable you to prove the spirits, however 
 disguised they may be. Believe me, dear brother, if I had 
 the wings of an eagle, I should already have visited you per- 
 sonally, since my return home ; however, in spirit I have often 
 been with you. My prayers and petitions often ascend to 
 the throne of God, that he may direct the good work, which 
 he commenced in yoii to his glory and to your salvation. 
 Amen. 
 
 " Should I in some measure, open my heart to you, dear 
 brother, I would say that I believe,- in the first place, that 
 some have been re-baptized to them * who deceive themselves. 
 
 * The followers of John Herr, or as they are now called, ' Re- 
 formed Mennonites.' 
 
 12 
 
90 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 saying that they received their first baptism, without con- 
 viction and without penitence. In the second place their 
 forbidding to hear other denominations preach * is certainly 
 a spirit of sectarianism of which the apostle plainly speaks, 
 Col, 2 : 18, to the end of the chapter. Thirdly, they lack 
 charity. Read 1. Cor. 13 ; Jn. 13 : 34, 35 ; and there are 
 many other passages which I have not room to quote. 
 Fourthly, I do not believe that since Jesus ascended to heaven 
 the gospel has been preached to the whole world as a testi- 
 mony ; for when this is done then will the end be. Fifthly, 
 what they claim that the ministei's of the Old church, as 
 they call them, do not preach true i-epentance and regenera- 
 tion, is without foundation. Sixthly, though I admit, that 
 after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the church was of one 
 mind, and that they were anointed with the Holy Ghost, I 
 do not believe that there were no spots or blemishes. This 
 may be seen when we read the Acts of the Apostles. I 
 do not look for such a church (without spot or blemish) 
 among us, and I do not believe that it will be found with 
 them. In the church militant, such a church in the full sense 
 of the term, will not be found. May God grant that our 
 names may be found in the book of life, in the church tri- 
 umphant, which John saw in the Spirit, and which no man 
 could number, from all nations, people and tongues, standing 
 before the throne and clothed in white gai-ments. 
 
 " Dear brother, You desire me to inform you of the 
 principal doctrines of the Christian church on earth. Christ, 
 the Son of the living God, came to us in this vale of sorrow 
 and of tears, to seek sinners and save them, and this power 
 of the salvation of Jesus, reaches all who believe in him ; 
 he is the Author and Finisher of our faith. I believe that 
 Jesus, the founder of his church, will be with his church — 
 that is, with those who have learned meekness and humilitv 
 
 * Even at funerals or on other occasions to which one may 
 unexpectedly or otherwise happen to be present, they entirely for- 
 bid their members to listen to the preaching of others. 
 
AND HEB ACCUSERS. 91 
 
 in the school of Christ — and co-operate with them even unto 
 the end of the world. Read Matt. 5 : 1 — 12, and also the 18th 
 chapter, and you will see what Jesus requires of us, and 
 how he sent out his disciples to teach the people, and to 
 baptize the believing in the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghost : and to teach them to observe 
 all things whatsoever he commanded them. 
 
 "But, dear brother, It just occurred to me, why thus 
 write to one who himself is taught of God ? I sincerely 
 desire to see you with us. I have few unoccupied days. I 
 have this week already baptized nine and cast two lots (chose 
 ministers, bishops or deacons by lot and ordained them). 
 Next Thursday there are to be two others cast, and in a week, 
 a day of fasting and prayer has been appointed. On the 8th 
 of December, if the Lord will, there are thirty-three to be 
 baptized with us. How glad I should be to see you with us. 
 I remain your sincere well wisher, and may the grace of God 
 be with you and all them that love the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 Henry Hunsicker. 
 
 To Christian Herr, Pequea. 
 
 The foregoing letter breathes forth the spirit, not of 
 cold formalists, but of the warm-hearted, devoted child of 
 God, and thereby, as also in the contents, gives evidence that 
 the life of God truly did exist in the church. 
 
 We will here give two other letters from Christian 
 Nissley to the same person. Nissley also was a bishop in 
 the church at the time when he wrote these letters, and from 
 them it may be readily seen by what spirit he was moved. 
 We are informed by such as were well acquainted with him., 
 that he was a strict disciplinarian, from which we may con- 
 clude that he must also have been faithful in observing the 
 rules and ordinances of the church. He was ordained to 
 the ministry in 1803, and died in 1831. He was the father 
 of Pre. Peter Nissley, now living in Donegal, near Mount 
 Joy, with whom many of our readers are personally 
 acquainted. 
 
92 THE MENNONITE CHUBCH 
 
 Mount Joy Tp., Lancaster Co., Pa., 
 
 March 5th, 1818. 
 
 " A friendly greeting to you beloved and respected 
 friends, Christian Herr, and family, and all who may hear 
 this. I send you all a sincere and friendly greeting, in and 
 through the great love, grace, and mercy of God, which 
 appeared unto all men through Jesus Christ, and may the 
 co-operating power of his Holy Spirit be with you. Amen. 
 
 " Dear friend and brother, through the abundant and 
 gracious light and knowledge of God, which is in Jesus 
 Christ, I will seek to become more obedient and faithful by 
 the keeping of his commandments, through crosses, trials and 
 temptations, and to endure to a happy end, which the Lord 
 the righteous Judge promised to give to all them that love 
 his appearing. I do not intend to write much this time 
 because I am convinced that you are not ignorant of that 
 which God requires of the children of men, namely, that 
 they should love him with all their hearts, and with all the 
 desire of their souls, and his fellow-man as himself : on these 
 two commandments, says Christ, hang all the law and the 
 prophets. Mark those who have prophesied of Christ and 
 the new Testament ! How could it have been made so as to 
 be more easily understood ? Again, he says. Whatsoever ye 
 would that men should do to you, do ye even so unto them. 
 O, this I will ever bring home to ray own heart, into the 
 secret chamber, where all believing souls rejoice in spirit, and 
 love each other as brethren and sisters ; and unite together 
 as members of the body of Christ, which is the communion 
 of the saints. Then will all such hearts and souls be able 
 to unite themselves with him as the bridegroom of their souls, 
 and have the hope of a better portion in eternity. 
 
 " The entire purpose and object of my writing is only 
 to show you my love, and put you in mind of the little 
 acquaintance we so unexpectedly made and enjoyed together, 
 and since we also by writing may converse together, though 
 we be absent from each other. We are, thanks be to 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 93 
 
 God, all well, and hope this may find you the same, desir- 
 ing to be remembered by you all." 
 
 Christian Nissley. 
 
 Mount Joy Tp., Lancaster Co., Pa. 
 
 Feb. 10th, 1820. 
 
 "Dearly beloved Brother, Christian Herr, family and 
 friends, and all whom this may reach, a sincere and friendly 
 greeting to you all, through the great love, grace, and mercy 
 of our heavenly Father, in and through Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 The reason of my writing to you is alone the remembrance 
 of sincere love to you. For a long time already I have 
 desired to have a conversation that might strengthen our love, 
 and prove edifying ; therefore, I send you this to show you 
 that I of tea think of you, and that I have this confidence in 
 you, that though we are not together personally, we may yet, 
 in mind and spirit comfort ourselves and rejoice in God and 
 in his grace, and truth, and in the righteousness of our 
 Savior Jesus Christ, as Paul writes to his believing brethren, 
 'Rejoice in the Lord always ; and again I say, Rejoice.' In 
 such joy may the Comforter, the gracious and blessed Savior 
 fit us that we may comfort ourselves and encourage and edify 
 ourselves one among another, that we and all men may con- 
 sider our salvation, and make a proper use of the precious 
 time of grace, that many precious souls may be brought to 
 his rest, and to the heavenly feast where all things are ready, 
 and nothing wanting except the coming. I for my part have 
 always to complain of my weakness and inaptitude, to place 
 my candle upon the candlestick, that it may give light to 
 all them that are in the house. But that for which I feel 
 the most sorry is that there are so many different opinions, 
 and that they seek to hinder each other in the way, while we 
 all believe in one and the same God. 
 
 " I am reminded of what Paul says, Romans 10 : 2, ' For 
 I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not 
 according to knowledge.' This Paul himself experienced 
 when he was so zealous for the traditions of the fathers, when 
 
94 THE MBNNONITE CHUKCH 
 
 by the brightness of the Lord he was brought to the knowl- 
 edge of the Lord. Through which circumstance many were 
 led to believe in Christ, as you, beloved brethren and sisters, 
 all abundantly know, and it is not necessary that I should 
 teach you, but it affords me the greatest pleasure to manifest 
 to you a small token of my love, and to be able to say some- 
 thing from the word of life that may be beneficial unto eternal 
 life, in order that we may thereby comfort, encourage, and 
 edify one another, because we do not know how soon 
 the Bridegroom will come. Yea, that we may choose that 
 better part, and with the children of God suffer a little afflic- 
 tion which hath the promise of great reward, and will be the 
 inheritance of those that abide in the faith, and with the help 
 of God, finish their course. All these shall obtain the crown. 
 Amen. 
 
 "We are, thanks to God, well, and hope this may also find 
 you the same. I commend you all to God and his grace, 
 and wish you the kiss of peace. Written out of love and in 
 memory of your friendship." Christian Nissley. 
 
 Maria Nissley. 
 To Chi-istian Herr and friends. 
 
 We give here another letter written by Jacob Hostetter, 
 of Manheim, bishop of the church in the northern part of 
 Lancaster County, to Christian Herr and wife, some time 
 after they had united with the church. Peter Eby was, at 
 the time. Bishop of the district where Herr lived. 
 
 August 1st, 1818. 
 
 " A friendly greeting to you, my dear brother and sister, 
 Christian Herr (Pequea), and wife, and I hope these lines 
 may find you well, which would afford me sincere pleasure, 
 but should it not be the case, we must receive with patience 
 what the Lord may see fit to bestow upon us. Afflictions are 
 often sent to us of God as means by which we may be brought 
 nearer to him. This has already been the experience of 
 many, and through afflictions many have been converted 
 to God. I have often said that the enjoyment of health 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 96 
 
 is the noblest gift of God that we can enjoy in the time 
 of grace. May God give grace to all that from him have 
 obtained the light, that they may live to the glory of God, 
 for not one will regret it in that eternal world of joy, when 
 this life is past. I I'cpeat it, we should be zealous to work 
 out the salvation of our never dying souls in the days of 
 health. This, however, can be done only by renouncing sin 
 and with true self-denial, and in keeping the commandments ; 
 for Jesus says, ' If any man will come after me, let him deny 
 himself, and take up his cross, daily, and follow me.' In 
 the keeping of his commandments we have, through grace, 
 the promise of eternal life, as we may plainly see. Luke 10 : 
 25 — 28. There the Lord said to the inquiring lawyer, ' This 
 do and thou shalt live.' In Rev. 22 : 14, we read, ' Blessed 
 are they that do his commandments, that they may have right 
 to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into 
 the city.' Therefore it is necessary to follow the teachings 
 of his word and give heed to the same according to Matt. 5 : 
 17. ' This is my beloved Son : hear ye hiim.' And the 
 apostle says. Acts 3 : 22, 23, ' For Moses truly said unto the 
 fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you 
 of your brethren, like unto me ; him shall ye hear in all 
 things whatsoever he shall say unto you ; and it shall come 
 to pass that every soul which will not hear that prophet shall 
 be destroyed from among the people.' 
 
 "From this we may understand that God, through his 
 Son Jesus, made known unto us his will, for in Baruch 4:1, 
 we read, ' This is the book of the commandments of God, and 
 the law that endureth forever : all they that keep it shall come 
 to life ; but such as leave it shall die.' So also in John, 14 : 21, 
 we read, ' He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, 
 he it is that loveth me : and he that loveth me shall be loved 
 of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself 
 unto him.' Again, in the 24th verse he says, ' He that 
 loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings.' Brethren and sisters, 
 and all who have bowed our knees and opened our lips before 
 
96 THE MENTNONITE CHURCH 
 
 God and the church, and have accepted his word, and sealed 
 it with the covenant of baptism, as the apostle says. 'As ye 
 have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in 
 him ; rooted and built up in him, and established in Him.' 
 'For we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 
 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have 
 put on Christ.' Therefore we are in duty bound by the 
 covenant of baptism to observe all things whatsoever he 
 commanded us, for so the Savior teaches : ' Teach them to 
 observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and 
 lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' 
 Therefore, let us not be discouraged in the work which we 
 have begun, but, with the help of God, become faithful sol- 
 diers. For the crown is not in the beginning, neither in the 
 middle, but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 
 
 " Therefore we have to wage a continual war against our 
 enemies, before we obtain the crown, as a certain writer 
 expresses himself. That he in this world has three enemies, 
 viz : The devil, the world, and his own flesh and blood ; and 
 this no doubt evei-y awakened person will experience. There- 
 fore, the Savior in his word has provided an excellent means, 
 because he himself, on the mountain expei-ienced the temp- 
 tation of the devil : and this means is, watching and prayer, 
 which he commanded to all his followers. Yea, we are to 
 watch and pray, and walk in humility, for humility brings 
 us great blessings, and thereby we obtain grace from God ; 
 a great deal depends upon this, and he who possesses this 
 virtue, is protected in his soul, blessed in his walk, blessed in 
 time and happy in eternity. 
 
 " These ^re the strongest weapons of defense which the 
 true follower of Jesus Christ has to bear, for we know, in a 
 temporal sense, when an enemy is encamped before a city, 
 and the city places her guards before the gates of the city, 
 and the guards fall asleep, the enemy that is before the city 
 may easily enter and spoil it ; just so it is when we cease 
 to watch over our hearts and neglect prayer ; then comes the 
 
AND HEB ACCUSERS. 97 
 
 enemy to spoil the city of the heart ; for Satan is ever busy 
 in his efforts to lead man from the narrow into the broad 
 way, because he is the enemy of the happiness of the souls 
 of all men. 
 
 " I have not written tliis as though it was a new thing 
 to you, for I know that God has already given you so much 
 light and knowledge that you fully comprehend the danger 
 of the soul, but I have written it, prompted by a true and 
 sincere brotherly love as an encouragement to you to exert 
 yourself to become more and more faithful in living according 
 to the will of God. Brother and sister, if we only could 
 exert ourselves with all zeal and earnestness to walk in the 
 light, as the apostle John directs us, 1 John 1:7,' But if we 
 walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship 
 one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son, 
 cleanseth us from all sin.' Amen. 
 
 " Continue in prayer, and watch therein ; pray also for 
 me, that the Lord may open the door of his word to me, that 
 T may speak of the mysteries of his grace, and that he may 
 reveal unto me what I shall say ; and I will also remember 
 you in my prayers as much as the Lord gives me strength." 
 
 Jacob Hostetter. 
 
 We will close this chapter with another testimony from 
 Henry Kolb, from Montgomery County. His letter was, also 
 written to Christian Herr, after he had been chosen to the 
 
 ministry. ^ 
 
 Lower Salford Tp., Montgomery Co., Pa. 
 
 June 1st., 1824. 
 " A friendly greeting to you respected friend, brother, 
 and fellow-pilgrim in the Lord ; also to your ministers, and 
 the whole church. Although not personally acquainted 
 with them, we are under the same bond of peace, and through 
 the grace of Jesus Christ, are bound together as one body, 
 and the same Spirit; one baptism, one God the Father of 
 all. With this assurance I wish to you and us the grace of 
 God, peace through Jesus Christ, and the co-operating and 
 13 
 
98 THB MEN'N'ONrTE CHURCH 
 
 comforting power of his Holy Sjairit, through whom we may 
 be fitted and made worthy to every good work in Christ 
 Jesus our Lord, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen. 
 
 " Your visit last fall has induced me to write these lines, 
 because it was a great encouragement to me. Your com- 
 pany was especially pleasant to rae. I have often thought of 
 you, especially of the time when I left you in Franconia ; but 
 there also nothing was left me but to say, Go on in the name 
 of the Lord. The Lord will be with you. Do his work, and 
 he will lead you, till under his blessing you may reach your 
 home in peace. I was reminded of the words of the poet : 
 
 ' An Gottes Gnacl und milden Segen, 
 
 1st Alles ganz und gar gelegen : 
 
 Und ohne Gottes Huld und hiinmel's Gunst, 
 
 1st alles Menschen Than umsonst.' 
 
 "'Finally, ray brethren,' says the apostle, 'Be strong in 
 the Lord and in the power of his might : put on the whole 
 armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles 
 of the devil.' Eph. 6 : 10, 11. Sincere prayer will make us 
 strong to withstand all the fiery darts of the wicked. There- 
 fore, since we know these things, let us be zealous, for we 
 all desire to behold each other there in that glorious bright- 
 ness of God, where there is joy and fullness of joy for ever 
 and ever at his right hand * * * *. With this I will close. 
 You will, however, find my writing full of weakness and 
 imperfection, but if I could have made it better I would have 
 done so. The apostle commends his brethren to God and 
 the word of his grace, who is mighty to preserve, to edify, 
 and to give the inheritance unto them that are sanctified. If 
 the apostle gave this commendation, why should not we do 
 likewise? Written from your weak brother, friend, and well 
 wisher." Henky Kolb. 
 
 To Christian Herr, Minister of the church in Lancaster Co. 
 
 In all the foregoing letters we have taken the liberty to 
 make the necessary grammatical corrections, but in no case 
 have we changed the author's meaning. 
 
AKD HER ACCtJSEES. 99 
 
 Our object in giving these letters is to show our readers 
 the spirit which pervaded the hearts of the men who wrote 
 them. To show whether we might reasonably conclude 
 from the tenor of these letters that the writers were unconvert- 
 ed and unregenerated persons, or whether we might conclude 
 that they were j^rompted and directed by the love of God; 
 that they felt a warm interest in the church, and especially 
 in the recently converted ; and that they in Christian love and 
 zeal sought to fulfill their duties. If they had been light- 
 minded and jesting characters, unconverted and not full of the 
 grace of God, instead of speaking of his love, of the salvation 
 of men, of our duties to God and of the Christian virtues, they 
 would much more have written of the thoughts and things 
 with which their hearts were filled, " for," as we have before 
 remarked, " out of the abundance of the heart the mouth 
 speaketh," We also observe that these letters were written 
 by different men, from different churches, and different places, 
 which gives us reason to believe that the mind and spirit 
 manifested in these letters, prevailed, at least, among the min- 
 istry, pretty generally. On the whole, these letters give us 
 a very excellent testimony of the spiritual life then existing 
 in the church, and if we compare it with the testimonies given 
 in the preceding chapters, it harmonizes well, and thus we 
 have a two-fold evidence of the correctness of our assertions, 
 that the church in this time was not a dead church, but a 
 living church. God grant that it may always remain a living 
 church. 
 
CHAPTER YIII. 
 
 LETTERS PROM VARIOUS PERSONS, &C. 
 
 On the 31st of January 1843, Christian Herr, being then 
 bishop, wrote a long letter to John Herr, the so-called leader 
 and founder of the Reformed Mennonite Church, in reply to a 
 correspondence which had passed between them, in reference 
 to the assertions, accusations and publications of John Herr 
 against Christian Herr, and the church in general. In this 
 letter Christian Herr gives his positive and emphatic testimony 
 against the truth of the wholesale denunciations and accusa- 
 tions of John Herr against him and the church, and shows 
 that in several instances John Herr misconstrued his words 
 and misrepresented him. He also unhesitatingly denies and 
 declares untrue, a number of personal charges which John 
 Herr had brought against him. He also declares the charges 
 of John Herr, that the ministers of the Old Church were 
 unfaithful, unconverted and deceivers of the people, and that 
 all manner of gross sins and carnal indulgences were tolerated 
 in the church, without reproof, as unfounded and false, and 
 sharply reproves him for his harsh and unjust condemnation 
 of all professors outside of his own church, and also for claim- 
 ing to himself and his followei's the honor of being the only 
 true church upon earth, and kindly warns him of the danger of 
 such an assumption. He further states that the members of 
 John Herr's Church are just as worldly-minded as others ; that 
 they claim to be the pure church of God which existed in the 
 days of the Martyr's, while they have an abundant display of 
 pride and superfluity in their houses, and that their children 
 are so given to pride, that when other parents make an effort 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 101 
 
 to bring up their children properly and with modest apparel, 
 the children of the Reformed Mennonites are referred to as 
 examples of pride andjjutward adornment. 
 
 Though placed under circumstances in which most men 
 would have been prompted to severity, his letter, throughout, 
 while containing many keen reproofs and unhesitating denials 
 of wrong and unjust charges, breathes forth the spirit of love 
 and friendly exhortation, and closes as follows. "I feel a 
 peaceful determination hereafter to have no disputation on the 
 subject of religion, either with you or any other person, neither 
 by writing nor orally, neither publicly nor privately, as the 
 enemy has little regard by what means he brings enmity 
 between men, only so that he is able to cause strife and hatred. 
 Therefore, my friend, let us be careful that we be not caught 
 in his net. Herewith I commend you to God and his grace." 
 
 From this letter we further make the following extracts, 
 from which the reader may judge for himself. 
 
 "What you write and teach in reference to conversion and 
 regeneration is correct, only with this difference, that not all 
 are led through the same experience, but whether it is enjoined 
 upon a preacher to relate his conversion over and over again 
 publicly to the people, I leave for you to decide." 
 
 "But that there are two kingdoms on earth, namely. The 
 church of God, and the church of darkness, the holy Scriptures 
 plainly enough inform every one that loves God and searches 
 them ; and that these two churches are separated from each 
 other in every person, who by the convincing grace of God 
 permits himself to be led by true repentance to God, and faith 
 in the Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel demonstrates unto us as 
 clear as the light of day; and when those, in whom this sepa- 
 ration spoken of has taken place, learn of Jesus, true meekness 
 and humility of heart, and remain faithful and watchful in 
 prayer unto the end, all such members of his church, Jesus 
 will know to find, and gather them together from the ends of 
 the earth ; so that there will be such a multitude that no one 
 will be able to number them, of all nations, people, and 
 
102 THE MEITNONITE CHURCH 
 
 tongues, as John saw. Rev. V. This church of God upon 
 earth, had its beginning with our first parents Adam and Eve, 
 and through all times until the present day, it has remained, 
 and will remain until the end ; and in proof of this the attent- 
 ive i-eader will find, in the word of God, abundant evidence. 
 He will also find that of such persons the apostles organized 
 the apostolic church, and prescribed and left unto them rules 
 and ordinances, as to how the church of Christ should be con- 
 ducted, namely, where a union of such persons is formed and 
 a church organized ; and such have existed in the world from 
 the days of the apostles unto the present time, as already 
 referred to from the testimonies of the Martyr's Mirror. All 
 such churches had, and still have, just as much the keys of 
 the kingdom of heaven (that is, the power to bind and 
 unbind, according to Matt. 16 : 19), as you and your church ; 
 for they had and still have the gospel preserved by the pi-otect- 
 ing care of God which contains the key to bind as well as to 
 loose ; and all those whom the key of the gospel binds on 
 earth shall also be bound in heaven ; and all those whom the 
 key of the gospel looses on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. 
 (Read what Hieronymus teaches on Matt. 16, Martyr's Mirror 
 page 109, Ger. Ed.; Eng. Ed. page 135)." 
 
 From the above remarks the attentive reader may readily 
 determine the views of the aged brother on the subject of 
 repentance and conversion, and we also plainly see what he 
 believed constituted an acceptable, true, christian church. He 
 also gives his views in reference to church rules, ordinances 
 and discipline in such a manner that no one need be mistaken 
 in regard to them. His entire letter, though containing, as 
 before remarked, many sharp reproofs, bi-eathes forth the spirit 
 of love and tender anxiety for the welfare of souls, for the 
 church and even for his opposers. John Holdeman, who also 
 read this letter, in his "History of the Church of God," says, 
 concerning this letter, "As far as I could judge of the humility 
 and spirit of the writer, I am inclined to think that Christian 
 Herr's letter breathes the most humble and lowly spirit." 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 103 
 
 One thing in this letter appears to us especially remarka- 
 ble, and that is this, that Christian Herr should be looked upon 
 and accounted as an impenitent and unconverted man, and a 
 teacher and leader of a dead and unconverted church, when 
 upon the subject of repentance and conversion, he according 
 to his own words, holds and acknowledges as correct, the same 
 views as those which his accuser maintains and teaches. 
 
 We will now give a number of testimonies from witnesses 
 still living, who can yet call to mind scenes and incidents, 
 connected with the history, condition, customs and practices of 
 the church during the time in which these accusations are 
 made against th.e church, and some reach back even to the 
 time before the Reformed Mennonite Church had an existence. 
 
 The kind reader will bear in mind, as we noticed in some 
 of our foVmer articles, that John Herr, in his writings, charges 
 the Old Mennonite Church with all manner of immoralities, 
 corruptions and gross sins which were practiced by the mem- 
 bers, without reproof or notice being taken thereof by the 
 church. Daniel Musser in his book reiterates these charges 
 and vouches for the truth thereof and produces various evi- 
 dences as proof of them, to some of which allusion has been 
 made in some of the preceding chapters. He also desires, if 
 these statements are not correct, to have them refuted and says 
 that the older members know that they are true. 
 
 For these reasons we give the following testimonies, viz, 
 First, to show the incorrectness of the charges of John Herr 
 and Daniel Musser against the church ; and. Secondly, To 
 show the general character, conduct, doctrines, and practice of 
 the bishops and ministers in the church in those times, as well 
 as the general condition of the church. 
 
 With these remarks our readers will no doubt understand 
 the bearing of what follows. 
 
 Bro. S. G. Kindig, of Lancaster County, Pa., writes, in 
 substance as follows : " I will give you some information 
 about the Mennonite Church for sixty years past. Francis 
 Herr's father was a faithful minister in the church and 
 
104 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 remained so to the end. He often complained of the actions 
 of his son Frank, and seemed to trouble himself about him. 
 As far back as I can remember there was always peace and 
 union in the church, through our vicinity and conference, with 
 the exception of what took place in Weaverland. There were 
 also strict rules observed, and none of those things of which 
 Musser writes were allowed. The church always stood in 
 good report by the world and all others, except by the 
 Reformed Mennonites. If any members were disobedient and 
 did not observe the requirements of the gospel and the rules 
 of the church, they were suspended or expelled for better fruit. 
 And this was done ever since I know anything about the 
 church." S. G. Kindig. 
 
 The following letter was addressed to Bro. Amos Herr. 
 
 November 23rd, 1876. 
 "Dear Friend and Brother, Amos Herr, Since I promised 
 to write you and am a poor writer, and in all things feeling 
 my inability, I tried to get another and an older brother to do 
 this. I visited Peter Nissley but did not find him at home, 
 and therefore asked the aged Christian Nissley, whether he 
 knew of a time when the church was dead, and repentance 
 toward God and faith in Jesus Christ were no longer preached, 
 when the new life was no longer a requirement for church 
 membership, and whether there ever was a time, in which 
 adulterers, fornicators, drunkards and such like were no longer 
 reproved and put away from the church ? He told me, he did 
 not know otherwise than this was done (viz, that the gospel 
 was preached and transgi-essors reproved and expelled). And 
 I, for my part, also do not know otherwise ; and I was present 
 on one occasion, upon which the old deceased brother, Jacob 
 Hostetter excluded a brother. This may have been thirty 
 years or more ago. So much from your unworthy brother, 
 <fec." Christian Newcomer. 
 
 Cumberland Co., Pa., 1876. 
 
 "Heni'v Rupp was a minister in our church. He was 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 106 
 
 ordained in 1810. He was a very earnest preacher. He 
 preached repentance and conversion. Peter Eby was the 
 bishop who usually served us. He was a strict disciplinarian 
 and reproved the transgressor. He received me into the 
 church, and his instructions to us were, that without repent- 
 ance to God and faith in Jesus Christ all outward ordinances 
 were vain." Samuel Zimmerman. 
 
 Cumberland Co., Pa., 1876. 
 
 "Henry Rupp moved from Lancaster Co., to Cumberland, 
 in 1807. In 1810 he was ordained to the ministry. He was 
 an earnest, gospel minister. He admonished the transgressors 
 and suspended thcm from the communion, while gross trans- 
 gressors were expelled from the church. Peter Eby was usu- 
 ally our bishop, and before him Samuel Nissley generally held 
 communion for us. They were both strict disciplinarians- 
 After I was chosen to the ministry and attended conference 
 the first time, Bro. Nissley led the conference. The same 
 rules of order which we now have, he taught us then, and that 
 with great earnestness. Peter Eby baptized me and ordained 
 me to the ministry, and I am convinced that they then taught 
 and maintained the doctrine of repentance to God, faith in 
 Jesus and a new life, just as much as now." 
 
 George Rupp. 
 
 The brethren Samuel Zimmerman and Geo. Rupp are both 
 ministers in the church in Cumberland (Jo., and Bro. Rupp is 
 now 78 years old and has been in the ministry 44 years. 
 
 " I can testify that sixty-five or seventy years ago I was 
 well acquainted with the bishops, Jacob Hostetter and Benja- 
 min Hershey *, and that they conducted the church in accord- 
 ance with the word of God. I am now 90 years of age. 
 
 her 
 
 Mary X Swar. 
 
 mark 
 
 " I can testify that sixty years ago I was well acquainted 
 
 * Of Bishop Hershey it is said that he at one time got into diffi- 
 culty on account of his son-in-law, through which he was considera- 
 bly censured, but it is believed, was not in fault- 
 
 14 
 
106 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 with the bishops, Jacob Hostetter and Peter Eby, and that they 
 conducted the affairs of the church in accordance with the 
 gospel, and I also saw Jacob Hostetter excommunicate a man 
 from the church. I am now in my YQth year." 
 
 Daniel Erb. 
 
 Manor Tp., Lancaster Co., Pa., 1876. 
 "I well knew Bishop Jacob Brubacher. He was a true 
 gospel preacher. He preached and enforced sincere repent- 
 ance and a change of heart, because without this all the out- 
 ward commands will not bring us salvation. He was a strict 
 disciplinarian. I knew him 76 years ago and never heard 
 anything bad about him. He received into the church, and 
 excluded therefrom whenever it was necessary." 
 
 Christian Mellinger. 
 
 Manor Tp., Lancaster Co., Pa., 1876. 
 "We the undersigned were very well acquainted with 
 Bishop Jacob Brubacher. He was a true gospel preacher. He 
 preached and insisted upon sincere repentance and a change 
 of heart because without this all outward commands are of 
 no benefit to our salvation. He was a good disciplinarian.'' 
 
 Abraham Wither (Minister), 
 Jacob Wither, 
 Abraham R. Miller, 
 Christian Charles. 
 
 Lancaster Tp., Lancaster Co., Pa., 1876. 
 "Jacob Brubacher was bishop in our church, and a true 
 gospel preacher. He baptized me. In his instructions to the 
 applicants for baptism, he taught repentance to God, faith in 
 the Lord Jesus Christ and a new life, and this he also 
 preached." Christian Herr (Minister). 
 
 A pious old sister sends the following : 
 
 Salisbury Tp., Lancaster Co., Pa., 1876. 
 "Peter Eby was our minister. He was chosen to the 
 ministry in ISOO, He was a strict disciplinarian. I remember 
 
AND HEB ACCirSftRS. 101 
 
 that my uncle (a minister) was deposed from the ministry in 
 1809, for taking undue advantage of a friend. 
 
 "In 1811 Bishop Eby expelled a brother on account of 
 drunkenness and in 1815 he expelled another for adultery, and 
 in 1823 another for drunkenness." Anna Hershey. 
 
 Buyerstown, Lancaster Co., Pa., Nov. 22nd, 18Y6, 
 " This is to certify that I, Christian Metzler, now in my 
 86th year, became acquainted with Peter Eby, bishop in the 
 Old Mennonite Church, in Weaverland, where I attended 
 church before I was married, which was in 1819. I knew of 
 him being called there to settle a dispute. The said Peter Eby 
 was the first bishop in the Pequea Church, to which place I 
 moved in 1831, and from that time was personally, acquainted 
 with him and conversed with him frequently until his death, 
 and I can testify that he was a strict housekeeper in the church, 
 and excommunicated from the church, those who did not live 
 in accordance with the Old Mennonite Faith, and know of 
 certain persons who were taken into the church by him, and 
 excommunicated some years before I moved here." 
 
 Christian Metzler. 
 
 Concerning the doctrine of Peter Eby, hundreds can 
 testify that he preached a genuine gospel doctrine. He was a 
 most remarkable man. Harris, in his History of Lancaster 
 County, has given his biography, which the reader will find 
 in a subsequent chapter of the work, to the correctness of 
 which many can bear testimony. 
 
 West Lampeter, Nov. 21st, 18Y6. 
 "Peter Eby was ordained to the jninistry in 1800. He 
 was the bisliop that officiated in our district. He was a very 
 zealous, gospel minister and a strict disciplinarian. In 1807 he 
 excommunicated a member at Strasburg (our district), for for- 
 nication ; some years later one for misconduct and one for 
 intemperance. The theme of his discourses was, repentance 
 to God, faith in Christ Jesus and obedience to his word. He 
 baptized me and my wife, and well do I remember how he 
 
108 THE MENNONITE CBtURCa 
 
 impressed upon us in the instructions he gave us, the need of a 
 living faith in Christ, and a newness of life, without which all 
 ordinances are vain. Yours in love." Benjamin Herr. 
 
 Bro. Herr is now bishop in the same district where Peter 
 Eby, in his day, officiated. 
 
 Donegal, Lancaster Co., Pa., 1876. 
 "Samuel Nissley was ordained to the ministry in the 
 beginning of the nineteenth century He was the bishop in 
 our district. He was a strict gospel minister. His theme of 
 doctrine was repentance to God, faith in Christ, newness of 
 life and obedience to his commands. Transgressors were 
 reproved, and if no amendment of life was manifested, they 
 were suspended from communion, and those who committed 
 gross sins were excommunicated. Jacob tlostetter officiated 
 as bishop in our district, after the decease of Bishop Samuel 
 Nissley. He taught the same doctrine and was a very zealous 
 minister and a strict disciplinarian. I know of such that were 
 reproved and excommunicated by him. I was much in com- 
 pany with Bishop Peter Eby and Bishop Christian Herr 
 (Pequea), and I often heard them preach, and can give them 
 the same testimony. We also had some short-coming members 
 then and have yet." Peter Nissley. 
 
 (Minister in the Donegal Church). 
 
 Earl Tp., Lancaster Co., Pa., 
 
 Nov. 18th, ISYG. 
 "Since you desire to know something in reference to 
 Bishop Henry Martin, I will inform you that as near as I can 
 learn, he was bishop already before the close of the last 
 century and until 1825. You also desire to know whether he 
 ever excommunicated members on account of transgressions. 
 I recollect that in my youth I heard the old brethren say, that 
 he kept house very strictly in accordance with the word ; and 
 if I remember rightly, he expelled his own brother-in-law on 
 account of intemperance, and severely reprimanded his son 
 and admonished him to repentance. Of others I have 
 
AUD ItEB ACCirSBRS. 109 
 
 positive information that he excommunicated them. Bishop 
 Jacob Zimmerman often told me that he earnestly sought to 
 conduct the church after the rules and instructions of old 
 Plenry Martin. 1 also myself have witnessed a number of 
 excommunications by him. I am very sure, if this question 
 would have arisen twenty years ago, before all the older 
 people had died, there would have been many who could 
 testify to the above and to a great deal more. The grace of 
 God be with you all." George Weaver. 
 
 (Bishop of the Church in Weaverland). 
 
 Manor Tp., Lancaster Co., Pa., 1876. 
 " I heard preacher Jacob Brubacher preach from my youth, 
 and he was a very zealous preacher. He taught repentance 
 and a change of heart very earnestly, and that without these 
 the outward commands and ordinances would be no benefit to 
 us as regards our salvation. He was bishop in our church. 1 
 remember that he expelled three members from the church, one 
 for taking undue advantage of his neighbor, one on account of 
 of a quarrel, and one for drunkenness." John Charles. 
 
 Petersburg, Lancaster Co., Pa,, 
 
 Nov. lYth, 1876. 
 "Herewith I send a couple of testimonies. I visited 
 another old sister over 80 years of age, who can bear the same 
 testimony in favor of the old bishops, but is entirely helpless 
 80 that she could not write her name. There are also other 
 brethren of from 60 to 70 years, who said, that as far back as 
 they could remember, the chui'ch was conducted in the same 
 way as now. The old witnesses think that the bishops of the 
 past, were more strict than thosie of the present time and did 
 not pass by so much." John B. Landis (Ministei-). 
 
 Lancaster Tp., Lancaster Co., Pa., 1876. 
 "In my youth I knew preacher Jacob Brubacher. When 
 I lived with my uncle, Andreas Shenk, he and preacher Benja- 
 min Hershey and deacon Mellinger came to our house. They 
 had been to see Francis Herr. They said, they had tried 
 
110 THE MENNONITE CHITRCH 
 
 everything to bring him to see and acknowledge his fault, but 
 he would not do anything, but greatly abused them. They 
 also said, they had borne long enough with him ; they would 
 not go to see him any more, and could no longer hold him as 
 a brother. The difficulty was about a horse He had taken 
 undue advantage of a neighbor. Brubacher was bishop in our 
 church, and when any committed a fault, they were excluded 
 from communion, and if they did not reform they were excom- 
 municated. I knew four whom he excommunicated. He bap- 
 tized me, and in his instructions he taught us that without 
 repentance to God and faith in Jesus, baptism would be no 
 benefit. He told us that the whole ocean would not wash 
 away a single sin." Susanna Herr. 
 
 Signed for her, by her request, by her son, Pre. Christian 
 Herr in the presence of five witnesses. Her sight is nearly 
 gone. This sister is 85 years old, but possesses a most extra- 
 ordinary memory for her age. There are persons now living 
 to whom she i-elated this matter about Francis Herr, more than 
 forty years ago, precisely as here given. 
 
 The foregoing statement proves beyond a doubt, that the 
 statement of Daniel Musser, that Francis Heir had withdrawn 
 from the Old Mennonite Church, because she was so corrupt 
 that he could no longer, with a good conscience, remain in her 
 communion, is incorrect. These brethren, as they said, had 
 visited him for the last time, and declared that they could bear 
 with him no longer. Besides this we have also positive evi- 
 dence from several others that he was expelled. Hence we 
 need have no hesitation in making the statement, that Francis 
 Herr, instead of leaving the church to preserve his own con- 
 science void of offense, W(ts exjyelled as a transgressor and 
 a disobedient and unfaithful member and that Daniel 
 Musser's statement to the contrary, is altogether incorrect and 
 without foundation. 
 
 Mount Joy, Lancaster Co., Pa., 
 
 Dec. 5th, 18V6. 
 
 "I heard old Bishop Jacob Hostetter preach from my 
 
AND HEB ACCTTSERS. Ill 
 
 youth to the time of his death. He preached repentance and 
 conversion. He baptized my wife and me and admitted us 
 into the church. We were instructed that witliout true repent- 
 ance and faith in Jesus Christ, baptism and admission into the 
 church would avail us nothing. He admonished us to be true 
 to the Lord our God ; to watch and pray ; to remain stead- 
 fast and comply with the word of God, and not conform 
 ourselves unto the world. Some of his remarks are still fresh 
 in my memory. When he commenced to preach, he would 
 ask the blessing of God, 'that his Spirit might rest upon us, 
 be with us, among us and even in us.' And again, 'You say 
 you believe : show it by thy works.' " 
 
 Gabriel Bear. 
 
 Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Co., Pa., 
 
 Dec. 20th, 1876. 
 " With the assistance of Bro. Gayman, of Dauphin Co., 
 who is 93 years old, I will try and give you a statement, as to 
 how the church was conducted. My father was ordained to 
 the ministry about 1817, as near as I can find out. He was 
 ordained to the office of bishop in 1825. Bro. Gayman says, 
 the church was more ardent and zealous in the cause of Christ 
 then, than it is now. They preached repentance and faith in 
 Christ, and were more strict in church discipline and the ordi- 
 nances than they are now. I well know that my father 
 expelled Daniel Diel for drunkenness and one other person 
 whom I will not name, and different others were put back. 
 Bro. Gayman also well recollects all this. Some of these 
 things happened when I was yet at home. This was the 
 manner in which the church was conducted at that time, and 
 you can rely upon this statement as correct. I would have 
 written sooner, but wanted to see what brother Gayman still 
 recollected." Jacob Mumaw. 
 
 Lancaster, Pa., Dec. 2nd, 1876. 
 "The following lines have reference to a book published 
 by Daniel Musser, under the title of the '■'■Reformed Menno- 
 
112 THE MBNNONITE CHURCH 
 
 nite Chxirch^'' <&c., in which the author censures, accuses and 
 defames the Old Mennonite Church for tolerating all manner 
 of transgressions, and offending members in the church, 
 without separating or excommunicating them. I will, there- 
 fore, give some account of events which transpired in the 
 church, from my own personal recollections, to show that 
 fi'iend Musser is in error, and that he unjustly accuses the Old 
 Mennonite Church as he does. I recollect when I was a boy, 
 fouiteen or fifteen years old, I was in church, in the Conestoga 
 Township District, in Lancaster County, where Peter Eby had 
 a number of applicants to baptize He directed his discourse 
 to show and teach the necessity of repentance and faith before 
 baptism. After his sermon he came forward and said to the 
 applicants. If their desire was yet the same as they had 
 expressed that morning, they should come forward, and then 
 added the following words, "But if any of you should yet 
 want more time for the purpose of searching the Scriptures 
 more thoroughly, in order to be better prepared to enter into 
 this holy covenant, you shall freely be at liberty to do so." 
 All, however, came forward, were baptized and received into 
 the church" as members. 
 
 "After this was done, there were also two persons present, 
 a man and a woman who for transgression had previously 
 been put back and separated from the church, and were now 
 desirous to be received into the church as members. Bishop 
 Eby received the man first, and with mild words (or a light 
 confession). No doubt this man had committed only a minor 
 transgression ; the words, however, I do not remember ; but 
 when he si)oke to the woman, his words so fixed themselves 
 on my mind that I still recollect some of them very distinctly. 
 After many years I told my father how Bishop Eby's words, 
 in receiving that woman back into church, had fixed them- 
 selves on my mind. " Yes," said he, " I mind well that it 
 made me inquire for what reason this woman had been 
 expelled, and when I heard the cause, I no longer wondered 
 why he demanded so strong a confession." 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 113 
 
 "In these two cases we see that the lighter transgression 
 was as little overlooked as the greater one. Our Friend, Daniel 
 Musser, in writing of transgressions in the old church, says, 
 that -they had to be very flagrant if any notice was taken of 
 them.' It may not be amiss in this place to quote the words 
 referred to above, as they are still distinct in ray mind. As 
 they were spoken in the German language, I will quote them 
 as they were spoken, ' Zam Ersten frage ich clich, oh du 
 es erkennest unci freimuethig bekennen kannst^ dasz du 
 mit Recht, um der Ungerechtigkeit, Suende und Ueber- 
 tretung Willen, seiest neben die Gemeinde, zur Busze 
 gestelU wordenf These words translated into the English 
 read as follows, 'In the first place I ask you whether you 
 acknowledge it, and whether you can freely confess that you 
 were, justly, on account of iniquity, sin and transgression, 
 expelled from the church, unto repentance,' &c. These words 
 do not seera to indicate any disposition on the part of the 
 bishop to pass over the matter lightly. 
 
 "Several yeai-s later another instance took place in the 
 same district, to which I also desire to call attention. One of 
 the ministers became entangled in a law-suit. The church was 
 not willing to bear this, and complaint was brought against 
 the minister. Bishop Eby was called to investigate the case, 
 and finally, with the consent and counsel of the church, 
 silenced the minister.* Not being satisfied with the action of 
 the church and the bishop, this man said, in rather an imperti- 
 nent manner, 'Yes, well then, hold me as a heathen man and a 
 publican,' which was accordingly done, and he was not again 
 called to the ministry. Musser says, that it toan not uncom- 
 mon for the members to be engaged in lawsuits without 
 reproof. , 
 
 "I will also call your attention to Bishop Jacob Hostetter 
 of Lancaster Co., who was chosen to the ministry and proba- 
 
 * We are informed from the evidence of one of our old bishops, 
 who knew him well, that Bishop Ehy not only silenced this minister^ 
 but also at the same time suspen4ed him from the communion of tbfl 
 church. — The Author, ' 
 
 15 
 
114 THE MBNJNONITE CHURCH 
 
 bly also ordained to the office of bishop, a number of years 
 before the so called New Mennonite Church was organized. 
 He instructed and baptized both me and my wife and others at 
 the same time, and received us as members into the church. 
 He endeavored to impress on us the necessity of repentance to 
 God, and faith in Jesus Christ before baptism, and often, very 
 often had I heard him on such occasions, and this was always 
 the doctrine he endeavored to inculcate into his hearers. He 
 tried to make them sensible of their duties, and how indis- 
 pensable this is to salvation. He also was at tlie head of the 
 Lancaster County Conference for a number of years. It was 
 his place on such occasions to admonish and to remind his 
 fellow-bishops, ministers, and deacons, of the great responsi- 
 bility resting on them in their ministerial duties, I was often 
 present and heard him on these occasions, and his doctrine 
 was always the same as above given. He always cliarged 
 those assembled in Conference to be true and faithful in their 
 duties, in the care of the flock. I also saw and heard him 
 ordain deacons, ministers, and bishops, and he always charged 
 deacons what their duty is when strife, discord, or disorderly 
 conduct manifests itself among members. That when it 
 becomes known to them they should carefully see after it, 
 investigate and examine the same, and if possible have a 
 reconciliation brought about ; and if this cannot be done, 
 then to follow the regular course and rule laid down in the 
 gospel. He also charged ministers with their duties, and the 
 bishops he especially charged and enjoined upon them, as a 
 part of their duty, to teach their hearers, as above intimated, 
 namely, Repentance to God, and faith in Christ Jesus, and to 
 baptize the penitent if they desire it, and receive them as 
 members into the church, and also with them observe the com- 
 munion of the Lord's Supper, feetwashing, &c. He also 
 charged them to watch over the flock, and if a member or 
 members walk disorderly and are not willing to be reconciled 
 and render satisfaction to the church, to separate and exclude 
 such disorderly members. These things I have jiot from 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 115 
 
 hearing others say so, but I 'have seen and heai-d them myself, 
 and some of them often, and I do not recollect of having heard 
 this old bishop, speaking to his hearers of these weighty 
 matters, but that tears could be seen rolling down his cheeks. 
 How then can it be possible that Daniel Musser dare publish 
 to the world, a book censui-ing and accusing the Old Menno- 
 nite Church as he does, and calling her a dead body, &c.? 
 If charity or the love of Christ prompted him in that work, 
 then I have not yet learned that charity or love. 
 
 "I also knew Bishop Chi-istian Herr (Pequea). He lived 
 almost in the same neighborhood with John Hen-, the founder 
 of the so called New or Refoi-med jVIennonite Church, and at 
 the same time. 
 
 "Christian Herr (Pequea), was ordained to the office of 
 bishop by Bishop Peter Eby, and by him also strictly charged 
 to observe the rules of the church according to the gospel, as 
 above said, and to separate and expel from the church, as well 
 as to receive into the church, and to spare neither layman, 
 minister or bishop, if circumstances required it ; and I know 
 that he observed and carried out these rules and ordinances as 
 long as health and strength permitted him to do so. 
 
 "All the above instances to which I have called attention 
 in this article, except the second, have come under my own 
 personal observation, and having been a hearer and an eye 
 witness to them I can testify to the truth of them. The 
 second case relating to the minister who became entangled in 
 a law-suit, I have direct from the member who first brought 
 •complaint against him, and he was followed by a number of 
 his fellow members ; and it so happened that this brother was 
 afterwards chosen to the ministry, to fill the vacancy occa- 
 sioned by the excommunication of the former one.* 
 
 * From this coincidence some might be led to suspect unfair 
 means, for personal ends or self-promotion, but as ministers in the 
 Mennonite Church are chosen by lot, this cannot be the case. Should 
 any one have such a design, it would avail him nothing, as the decis- 
 ion is left entirely in the hands of God to cast the lot as may best 
 promote the glory of his name. 
 
116 THE MENNONITE CHtJBCM 
 
 "The calling of Jacob HostePter to the ministry and also 
 to the office of bishop, occurred before my recollection, but it 
 i,s about forty years since I first learned to know him, and 
 during this time I know him to have adhered to the rules and 
 principles given above. I recollect another instance where a 
 neighbor of my father's, for strife and contention with one of 
 his neighbors, on account of a line fence, was excluded from 
 the church. This was done prior to the Spring of 1822, before 
 my recollection, but I know that he moved out of the immedi- 
 ate neighborhood in the Spring of 1822, and that he was put 
 back before he moved away, but how long I do not know. I 
 remember well, when I was already a grown up young man, 
 that my father reproved him for standing aloof from the 
 church and exhorted him to come forward and be reunited 
 with the church. From good and reliable tradition, I can 
 name another instance of a member being expelled from the 
 church for indulging too freely in spirituous liquors. This 
 instance took place not less than one hundred and five years 
 ago and may be one hundred and ten. 
 
 "I will now close by adding that my father was a bishop 
 and ray grand-father a minister ; his brother and step-brother 
 were both bishops ; my great-grand-father on the grand-mother 
 side, was also a bishop and one of his sons was a minister and 
 another, a deacon. Often did bishops, ministers and deacons 
 meet at my father's house, and staid with us over night. I 
 have been acquainted with many of those bishops, ministers, 
 and deacons, from far and near, from my earliest recollections, 
 even from my childhood, and some of those men were from 
 seventy to eighty years old, when I was only a boy from ten 
 to fifteen. From my earliest recollections, I paid strict atten- 
 tion to their conversation and far was their talk from the idle 
 sport, jesting and merriment of which D. Musser, in his book 
 accuses them. But I sometimes heard some of them reprove 
 members for light-minded talk. The grace of God be with 
 you." John Shenk. 
 
 "P. S. I have not given this line of the bishops and 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 1 1 V 
 
 ministers for the purpose of boasting, but to show how I had 
 opportunities to become acquainted with these men, their 
 views, principles, practices and conversations, even from my 
 earliest recollections." 
 
 We have now given such a variety of evidences and testi- 
 monies to substantiate our position, and vindicate the charac- 
 ter of our much despised church, that we feel it should be suffi- 
 cient to convince the most unbelieving. Those who are filled 
 with prejudice and envy towards us would not be convinced in 
 any case, while the unprejudiced and impartial reader will 
 already have seen how unjust and uncharitable these wholesale 
 denunciations of Daniel Musser are. But we ask not for 
 sympathy ; we do not complain that the voice of slander has 
 been raised against us. We rather rejoice that we are slan- 
 dered and evil spoken of, for the Savior says, "Blessed are ye 
 when men shall revile you, and shall persecute you, and shall 
 say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 
 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad : for great is your reward in 
 heaven." All that we ask is the opportunity to refute these 
 accusations and vindicate the church by well substantiated 
 and undoubted evidence. This privilege we have, and this we 
 have aimed to do. 
 
 This is one of the very best proofs that our church is an 
 acceptable church of God. The ensign of God's people has 
 always been their faithful endurance under suffering ; their 
 meekness and forbearance, their sorrows and their tears, and 
 of this our church has always had her full measure ; and we 
 are told that " whom God loveth he chasteneth." We expect 
 to bear the cross ; we expect to suffer for Jesus' sake, if we 
 svould wear the crown and reign with him, and we ought to 
 rejoice with the apostle of old that we are accounted worthy 
 to suffer for his sake. Therefore, as said before, we are not 
 complaining, and not asking for sympathy in this that we are 
 thus ill-treated ; we only ask the privilege to show to our 
 church at the pi-esent day and to our posterity, that of the 
 
118 THE MENNONITE CHtmctt 
 
 descendants of those who have once represented the pure Old 
 Mennonite Church, John Herr and Daniel Musser with their 
 followers, have not alone remained, but that the Lord, during 
 all these times, has reserved unto himself more than seven 
 thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal, and, that 
 while with all others, we have a great deal to humble us, and 
 nothing to boast of, we feel, that in the fear of the Lord, and 
 with gratitude toward him who has preserved our church 
 through all the centuries past, we are not claiming too much 
 when we say, that we have the assurance and the most positive 
 proof that the Lord has been with us, and is with us stilj. We 
 readily admit, as said before, that we had our shoi't-coraing 
 members and that we have them still, but wc have never been 
 forsaken, and are not forsaken now. The name of the Lord 
 has been established among us, and has continually been with 
 us to the present time, notwithstanding the assertions of 
 envious, puffed up and self-righteous men to the contrary, and 
 we humbly pray and trust that our heavenly Father will 
 bestow upon this church, his grace and his divine blessing, 
 that the church may be blessed and prospered, and children, 
 and children's children may reap a rich harvest of grace from 
 the seeds of piety and purity sown by their devoted ancestors. 
 We could have condensed some of the preceding letters 
 more than we have done, but we feel sure our readers will 
 peruse them with the same interest that we have done. And 
 we believe too, that a perusal of them will give better satis- 
 faction than a more condensed form would have done. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 REMARKS, EXTRACTS, &C. 
 
 The following remarks imd extracts are gathered from 
 private letters and other sources, and are here given in confir- 
 mation of the facts already presented. 
 
 "Two of the most eminent bishops, in the Mennonite 
 Church in the beginning of the ninteenth century, were Jacob 
 Brubacher and Peter Eby." " The first of these," the writer 
 says, "I heard preach only once when a boy. It was at a 
 funeral. It was his last sermon and made an impression on 
 me not yet forgotten ; he was esteemed as a very pious and 
 godly man, and many of his sayings are still remembered." 
 He was born in 1751, ordained to the ministry in 1780, and 
 not many years after he was ordained to the ofiice of bishop. 
 Of his preaching, an old sister now 78 years old, recently said, 
 "That when she was but a young girl, she heard him preach at 
 her grand-mother's funeral, and that the sermon made such an 
 impression on her mind that she never forgot it." Among 
 other things said on that occasion, in speaking of repentance, 
 he made the remark, "Der Mensch musz geleutert werden wie 
 Silber und Gold." Man must be purged or refined as silver 
 and gold. 
 
 The same writer says of bishop Eby, "The doctrines of 
 Peter Eby were sound Mennonite doctrines, based on true 
 repentance and obedience. He was often at our house, and 
 often did I sit and listen to him and others conversing of spir- 
 itual things. I often heard him preach and can heartily bear 
 
120 THE MBNNONITE CHUBOH 
 
 testimony to all that has been said of hira. He was a most 
 remarkable man." 
 
 "With Jacob Hostetter I was quite familiarly acquainted. 
 He was a very zealous man. Methinks I can yet see the tears 
 rolling down his cheeks, when pleading with sinners and 
 encouraging the brethren. O, how he encouraged me to be 
 a faithful watchman on the walls of Zion after I was ordained 
 to the ministry. May I never forget it. He died in 1865, at 
 the age of ninety-one years. It is said that he was ordained to 
 the ministry when only twenty-five years old. After the death 
 of Peter Eby, he was at the head of the Lancaster County Con- 
 ference. Bro. Benjamin Herr, who was a fellow bishop with 
 him during nine years, fully substantiates the testimonies 
 given him." 
 
 In reference to the character of Bishop Peter Eby, we 
 would yet add the following. 
 
 Jacob Stauffer to whom we have previously referred, in 
 his German work speaks well of him, and Alexander Harris, 
 in his Biographical History of Lancaster County, also gives 
 the following most excellent account of him, "This member 
 of the family deserves more than a passing notice. His fame 
 as a preacher was widely known, and served to fill the houses 
 to their utmost capacity wherever he was known to ofiiciate. 
 The ministers in the Mennonite Church are not educated for 
 the pulpit." "The bishops have also certain districts allotted 
 to each, and the privilege of presiding among them, is gener- 
 ally accorded to the senior in ofiice or the most eminent in 
 abilities. This position Peter held for many years up to the 
 time of his death ; and his authority also extended over the 
 church in Canada, until he was succeeded there by his younger 
 brother Benjamin. To form some idea of his powers as an 
 orator, it is necessary to state that the principal sermon in the 
 Mennonite Churches was always prefaced by an introductory 
 discourse from one of the younger ministers present ; and 
 that on communion day, the subject invariably used to be 
 Bible History, from Adam down, bringing out prominent 
 
AND HEK ACCUSEES, 121 
 
 events and prophecies pointing to the new dispensation. The 
 introductory discourse generally brought it down to the time 
 of Noah and Isaac when it would be taken up by the bishop 
 and continued to the birth of Christ, his ministry on earth and 
 his final sufferings and death. Old as the story had become, 
 the audience never tired listening to it from the eloquent lips 
 of Peter When he slowly arose, all noise subsided into an 
 almost painful expectation. Then he would break the silence 
 with a kind and fatherly greeting to his hearers, and glide 
 gently into the course marked out for himself. Proceeding 
 step by step, describing, explaining, illustrating and sustain- 
 ing his points as he went along, with copious quotations from 
 the Scriptures, for all of which he drew upon his extraordi- 
 nary memory ; he would gradually warm up into his theme, 
 and, when under full sway, his discourse moved along, like a 
 deep, clear stream, rolling ocean-ward, without a break or 
 ripple, grand, majestic, and irresistible. His powers, however, 
 were brought out most fully when he came to portray the acts 
 and sufferings of his Master during his last few days upon 
 earth. The scene in Gethsemane ; the sleeping disciples; 
 the noise and tumult breaking upon the stillness of the night, 
 when the armed men came to take him ; the doings before 
 the Jewish and Roman tribunals ; the embarrassment of 
 Pontius Pilate, and his fruitless device to save ; the message 
 sent him by his wife ; his last resorc, when he gave the Jews 
 to choose between Jesus and Barabbas, and the cries of the 
 infuriated multitude that pronounced his condemnation. Then 
 the sorrowful train moving up Calvary ; the preparation to 
 carry the fearful sentence into execution ; and lastly the finish- 
 ing act of the sublime drama ; the Savior of mankind nailed 
 between heaven and earth, his side pierced, and yet with 
 parched lips in the agonies of death, crying to the Father to 
 forgive ; the darkening of the heavens, the quaking of the 
 earth and the elements bearing witness, in thunders and light- 
 ning, to the divinity of him who was suffering. All this he 
 would portray in a manner so vivid, that the speaker would be 
 16 
 
122 THE MENNONITB CHUKCH 
 
 forgotten in the subject. Then as his voice, suppressed by 
 emotion, and sinking into silence, would allow the attention 
 of the hearers to return to the speaker, he would stand before 
 them, tears streaming down his cheeks, his countenance glow- 
 ing, and his raised hands directing the penitent sinner, as it 
 were, to the foot of the visible cross. His preaching was 
 altogether extemporaneous, and its effect upon an audience, 
 great. And yet he was not a sensational preacher ; he addressed 
 the judgment as well as the feelings, and his discourses 
 abounded in arguments and reasonings that weie listened to 
 with admiration by the most polemical or logical. So much 
 was this the case, that it frequently happened, that strangers 
 hearing him for the first time, although otherwise informed, 
 would not be convinced that he was not a person regularly 
 educated and trained for the ministry. 
 
 "An acquaintance of his, who had heard some of the most 
 noted orators of the state and nation, in and out of the pulpit, 
 gave it as his opinion, that for none of them, it seemed, had 
 nature done so much, towards making the "Orator," as for 
 this grand, old sei-vant of the church. In the councils over 
 which he presided as bishop, his voice was equally potent. 
 His clear intellect enabled him to probe difficulties to the 
 bottom ; and his impartial decisions, pronounced without fear 
 or favor, were acknowledged to be just, and rarely appealed 
 from. He died April the 6th, 1843, in the seventy-eighth 
 year of his age." 
 
 John Holdeman, in his writings, after quoting the above, 
 says, "This brother was a ministering servant in the church for 
 about forty-three years, and, according to the above and other 
 testimony, was an impartial man, and by no means as corrupt 
 and dead as D. Musser, John Herr and others would have us 
 believe ; for they make no exceptions of any one (in the 
 church) being yet a living member of Christ, and therefore, 
 he is no doubt also included in their accusations against the 
 ministers and the church. According to what J. Stauffer 
 writes of this brother (Peter Eby), he did not suffer such sins 
 
AiS-D HER ACCUSERS. 12-^ 
 
 find transgressions in the church as John Herr and his asso- 
 ciates charge the Old Mennonites to have tolerated." "I have 
 the testimony of Amos Herr, that he inquired of the old 
 bishops of different localities, whetlier the church was so 
 corrupt as it is represented by the Reformed Mennonites, and 
 they said that it was not. I am personally acquainted with 
 Bishop Abraham Rohrer. He experienced a change of heart 
 and preached in power. He is now about eighty-six years of 
 age, and was personally acquainted with the Bishop, Peter Eby, 
 above referred to, and also gives him a very good testimony. 
 He is also acquainted with the Reformed Mennonites and 
 claims that they misrepresented the matter concerning the Old 
 Mennonites. He has been bishop over forty years and was 
 the principal man in the Ohio Conference for many years, and 
 his influence reached to Canada and other states. He did not 
 tolerate such ti'ansgressors in the church as are named by the 
 Reformed Mennonite writers. This brother was about twenty- 
 two or twenty-three years old when the Reformed JMennonites 
 organized and did not live far distant from them at the time 
 when they organized, and therefoi-e should know something 
 concerning the state of the church in that locality in 1812 — 
 the date of the new organization." 
 
 Samuel W. Pennypacker of Philadelphia, to whom we 
 .are indebted for much valuable information in regard to the 
 early history of our church, in this country, has, in his library, 
 a copy of Godfried Arnold's Kirchen and Ketzer Historie, 
 which Bishop Henry Hunsicker of Skippack, (whose name has 
 already been mentioned in a former chapter of this work, as 
 the author of a letter to Christian Herr, in 1816), together 
 with John Kassel, Benjamin Johnson, Isaac Hunsicker, George 
 Clemens, Isaac Kassel, Harman Pannebecker, Godschalck God- 
 schaclk, Benjamin Johnson Jr., Gerhard Clemens and Henry 
 Pannebecker imported, jointly from Europe, January 29th 
 1785. It certainly required no small degree of interest in the 
 church and her history, to be willing to meet the difficulties 
 and the expense of importing so large a work from Europe, 
 
124 THE ME"NISrONITE CHUECH 
 
 and though it may not show any special degree of piety or 
 purity in Christian life, it certainly does not indicate that 
 these persons were such light minded, cold, indifferent char- 
 acters as they are represented to have been. What a man 
 reads is pretty generally a good criterion of his life and char- 
 acter, and if the libraries of our Mennonite families, in those 
 days especially, and even down to the present time, may be 
 taken as evidence in the matter, or as an exponent of the inner 
 life, what can we say of a people, or what conclusion must we 
 arrive at, when we find that in their houses they had, almost 
 exclusively, such books as the Bible, the New Testament, 
 Martyr's Mirror, the writings of Menno Simon, Detrich Philip 
 and Johann Decknatel, Denner's Predigtbuch, Arnold's Erste 
 Liebe, Arnold's Kirchen and Ketzer-Geschichte, Huebner's 
 Bible Narratives, Confession of Faith, Lustgaeitlein, Hymn- 
 books of different kinds, and others of a similar character ? 
 Even in the schools the children were taught their first lessons 
 out of a primer, a large portion of the contents of which were 
 selections from the New Testament, after which they were 
 advanced to the New Testament and the Psalter, or book of 
 Psalms. These were the text books in their schools ; and a 
 people who are educated from books of this class, and who . 
 exert themselves to secure this class of literature, as we have 
 seen in the former parts of this work that our Mennonite 
 people have done, are not likely to become what our accusers 
 try so hard to make them. 
 
 Samuel W. Pennypacker, in a letter written December 
 11th 1877, says, "Direct evidence as to the spiritual condition 
 of the church in past years is not easily obtained, because 
 when people are virtuous, they are not apt, if modest, to 
 declare their merits, either in writing or print. The tenet of 
 non-resistance was strenuously maintained by the Mennonites 
 during the revolutionary war, and some of them were, in con- 
 sequence, imprisoned. Christian Funk, for a slight deviation 
 in this respect, was put under the ban. One of the best indi- 
 cations of what people have in their minds and hearts, is what 
 
Airt) HBft ACCUSBES. l26 
 
 they read. The 'Martyr's Book' was translated into the 
 German language and has passed through four editions. The 
 ' Handbuechlein' of ' Dirck Philips,' was also translated 
 from the Dutch and three editions have been exhausted. The 
 'Wandelnde Seele' has been translated into both German 
 and English and the editions are numerous. The extensive 
 publishing-houses of Billmeyer at Germantown, Ehrenfried 
 and Baer at Lancaster, all of whom were to a very large 
 degree sustained by the Mennonites, and whose publications 
 were almost exclusively religious, prove that the tastes of the 
 church did not run toward frivolit3\ 
 
 "My own great-grand-father, Matthias Pannebecker, who 
 was born in 1742 and died in 1808, was a bisliop and the 
 founder of the church at Charlestown, near Phoenixville, 
 Chester County, Pa. He was a miller, and so strict in his 
 conduct that when loaning money to struggling friends, 
 as he often did, he refused to take note, bond or mortgage. 
 He would not permit a door in his house to have lock or key. 
 He was the first person in that part of the country to discoun- 
 tenance the use of liquors in the harvest-field, which was then 
 the universal custom. That his course of life accorded with 
 the sentiments of his fellow Mennonites, is shown by the fact 
 that when he died, his funeral was attended by people from 
 five counties, who drove that distance to show their regard for 
 him. In fact all the writers, both in Europe and America who 
 have said anything about the Mennonites, have, so far as I 
 know, given uniform testimony as to their simplicity, honesty, 
 industry and rectitude." 
 
 Many instances of a similar character might be given 
 which in themselves might appear trifling, yet nevertheless 
 give us a true index of the heart and spirit by which our 
 old people were actuated. Saturday, in the true scriptural 
 sense of the word, was ^preparation day. — A day of general 
 cleaning up and getting ready for Sunday, so that no unnec- 
 essary work would have to be done on the Sabbath. On Sun- 
 day morning, after the breakfast things were away, the floors 
 
l26 THK MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 were carefully swept and wiped and the house put in order for 
 the day. If it was meeting-day * the family would be ready 
 at an early hour to attend their accustorned place of worship. 
 If it was an intervening Sunday, or from any cause the family 
 was detained from attending public worship and no company 
 was present, books were taken and the time spent in reading 
 and meditation. The Bible, Testament, hymn-book, a book 
 of sermons, or some other edifying book was taken and 
 the time profitably employed in reading them. The chil- 
 dren were instructed in the same manner and earnestly 
 admonished to walk in the pious ways of their parents, and 
 thus both by precept and example the children were taught to 
 respect the Sabbath and honor God On a certain Sabbath 
 morning, perhaps sixty years ago, an aged gi-and-mother was 
 sitting in her chair, in the room where the girls had just been 
 sweeping and wiping up the floor. When they had done, she 
 said, "Ah, if only our hearts too, were cleansed like this 
 flooi'." "I often had to think of this incident,' said my 
 mother, as she related it, many years afterwards. My own 
 grand-mother, who died in 1852, at the age of eighty years, was 
 nearly blind, and on account of her infirmities could no longer 
 attend public services, always, when circumstances admitted it, 
 insisted on having a sermon, or at least a part of a sermon, 
 from Denner, read to her on Sunday forenoon. 
 
 Of this character we could gather up a great many inci- 
 dents and testimonies as evidences of the inner life of men 
 and women in the church in former days, which show a very 
 different state of things from that which our accusers claim. 
 It is very true that such a condition of things may not have 
 existed in every Mennonite family, because there were always 
 those who were not as faithful as they should have been, 
 but this spirit of piety and Christian devotion was the rule 
 and not the exception, and its influence was observed and 
 felt wherever one mingled in their society, and we would here 
 
 * In many places it was the custom and is still, to hold meet- 
 ings only every two weeks at each meeting-house. 
 
AND HBE ACCUSERS. 127 
 
 repeat what we have said in a preceding chapter, that we have 
 no right to condemn a whole church, because some of the 
 members do not live as upright a life as they ought. 
 
 An aged mother, a widow, said to me, "Oui- oldest son, 
 when a boy, fell into a bad habit which caused us a great deal 
 of sorrow, and my husband and I, used every means in our 
 power to break him of it, but all to no purpose ; he continued 
 in the habit. At last we counseled together and determined 
 to lay the matter befoi-e the Lord and make it the burden of 
 our daily prayers. This we did for a time, and in a little 
 while the answer came, and to our great joy the boy, of his 
 own accord, left the evil habit and we had no further trouble." 
 
 A minister who. was born before the close of the eigh- 
 teenth century, and who died some years ago at a very 
 advanced age, on two occasions, not very far apart, had his 
 spring-house entered on Saturday night and the entire week's 
 supply of bread, &c. stolen. The matter was passed by with- 
 out any effort to discover the thief or bring him to justice, 
 though strong suspicion rested on a neighbor who had a con- 
 siderable family, and was very poor and shiftless. This poor 
 neighbor some time after took very sick and lingered a long 
 tirue, and his family, as a matter of course came to want. 
 Our old brother promptly provided for their necessities, and 
 like the good Samaritan offered to do more if it was needed. 
 
 Another minister we could mention, who had valuable 
 property stolen, and believed he knew well where it was, but 
 made no effort to recover it. He thought it better to folloM- 
 the scriptural injunction "not to ask it again." The same 
 brother had other valuable property taken from him to a con- 
 siderable amount, which he could readily have held by law, 
 but rather than go into litigation, he gave it all, believing it 
 to be "more blessed to give, than to receive," or to suffer the 
 spoiling of one's goods, than to seek justice at the hands of 
 the law. So careful was he, indeed, in regard to this mattei-, 
 that he prohibited his heirs, even, from making any effort to 
 recover it after his- death. It requires a good deal of true, 
 
1^28 THB aiBNifONITB CHURCH 
 
 religious principle and love to Jesus, to be able to bring 
 into actual practice the true spirit of endurance and non-resist- 
 ance as exhibited in the life of the Savior and in the life of 
 many of his followers, and we could hardly believe that the 
 light-minded, unconverted men of friend Musser's ideal, dead 
 church, would be able to present to their descendants, exam- 
 ples of meek endurance like these. 
 
 Henry Funk made a provision in his will that no debts 
 of his estate should be collected by law, and all the provisions 
 set forth therein show the inoffensive spirit of Christian piety 
 and devotion to the teachings of Christ. 
 
 During the difficulties which occurred in the church, in 
 eastern Pennsylvania, in 1847 — 48 on account of the disobe- 
 dience and innovations of John H. Oberholtzer, in Bucks 
 County, and the Hunsicker faction in Skippack, Montgomery 
 County, there still remained, in the Old Church, so much love 
 to God and the teachings of the Savior as to enable them, by 
 the grace of God, to fulfill the teachings of Christ in a most 
 noble manner, and leave to the world one of the most glorious 
 examples of self-denial and devotion to their religious princi- 
 ples, presented to us in modern times. The new factions 
 claimed the old meeting-house and were determined to have 
 it at all events. The property was one of considerable value 
 and justly belonged to the Old Church, and any impartial 
 judge or Jury would have, without any scruples, freely 
 accorded it to them, had they presented their claims, but 
 instead of doing so, they chose rather to obey the scriptural 
 injunctions "not to resist evil, and of him that taketh away 
 thy goods, not to ask them again," and quietly, leaving the new- 
 factions in possession, they purchased other grounds and- built 
 themselves a new house. 
 
 There are other men also who could give similar testi- 
 mony, and other incidents to illustrate our point. We could 
 gather up many of such a character, to show the piety, the 
 steadfastness, the self-denial, the patience, meekness, forbear- 
 ance, benevolence, charity and prayerful watchfulness of the 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 129 
 
 faithful men who during the past century, have lived, and 
 labored, and died in the triumphs of a living faith, in the Old 
 Mennonite Church ; but we have already said enough. We 
 have shown that the accusations so boldly made by Musser 
 and Herr are to a large degree only the result of envy, preju- 
 dice and selfrighteousness, and that they are almost altogether 
 incorrect and untrue. They made false and unwarranted asser- 
 tions ; and even contradict themselves. The assertion that a 
 certain minister in the Old Church voted twice at the same 
 election, has been proven entirely without foundation, from the 
 fact that no person can be found, even among his most inti- 
 mate friends and acquaintances, who ever saw, or heard of 
 him being at the polls, after he was chosen to the ministry. 
 The same minister has been charged with intoxication, and 
 this charge also has been satisfactorily refuted by a number of 
 reliable witnesses. It was the common custom of all, in those 
 days to use liquors, but drunkenness could as little be borne 
 with then, as now ; and as we have seen that members were 
 expelled for this crime, it is not likely that this minister could 
 have been given to such a bad habit without reproof. A 
 number of persons testify that he was a perfectly sober man, 
 and that he did not attend elections after he was called to 
 the ministry.* 
 
 Mark now an example of inconsistency. John Herr says 
 the church was without discipline. Musser vouches for the 
 truth of it. The writings of Abraham Landis, quoted by D. 
 Musser, were composed in the same period of time that John 
 Herr wrote. Landis refers to two instances of excommunica- 
 tions of members from the church, by a certain bishop. 
 Landis was one of the first ministers of the Reformed Menno- 
 nite Church, and the especial friend and fellow-laborer of 
 John Herr. Now, how can John Herr say that the church was 
 
 * Musser, in his book, gives no clue as to whom he had reference, 
 in speaking of this minister. He however told two of our minis- 
 ters, who visited him shortly before his death, who this minister was. 
 Hence the above remarks. 
 
 17 
 
130 THE MENNONITK CHTJECH 
 
 void of discipline, and Musser corafirm it, while Landis 
 declares that at least two excommunications of which he has 
 knowledge, had taken place within a short time? We should 
 have thought Musser would have guarded himself against such 
 a contradiction. 
 
 It will be perceived that in our testimonies, we have 
 chiefly given such as relate to the life and conduct of the 
 ministry. The reason of this is, because the lives and actions 
 of the leaders of any association of persons, are more dis- 
 tinctly marked and observed ; and as Daniel Musser himself 
 asserts, that the character of a church depends in a large 
 measure on the chai-acter of the ministry, we may very safely 
 determine that whex-e there is a living, faithful, devoted, god- 
 fearing ministry, a church of like character will be found. If 
 the church was as Daniel Musser repi-esents it, then her minis- 
 try must have been the same. But we have abundant testi- 
 mony that the ministers of that day were more devoted and 
 more strict and zealous than many at the present day. 
 
 In regard to excommunication, sufiicient evidence has 
 been given, to show that the bishops and ministers of that day 
 tried as much as was in their power, to preserve the church 
 pure, and that the church was not without discipline. The 
 testimonies we have given show positively, that excommunica- 
 tions did take place, and that the ministers and bishops of 
 that day did guard with zealous care and watchfulness, both 
 the doctrines and the morals of the church. That they had 
 their trials and their difficulties as well as we in our day, and as 
 all other churches had, no one will deny ; and that there were 
 weak members, that there were unfaithful men, both in the 
 ministry and among the members, we freely admit ; but this 
 would not make a dead church, neither would it form a cause 
 to reject the church. "To err, is human ; to forgive, divine," 
 "and charity covereth the multitude of sins." 
 
 In the conclusion of this part of our subject, we desire to 
 notice, that in all the testimonies here presented, not one 
 agrees with that of Herr and Musser, and Musser says that 
 
AND HUB ACCTJSEES. 131 
 
 the older members know that what he writes is true. A 
 brother minister made special inquiry of the older^members, 
 wherever opportunity presented itself, and the unanimous tes- 
 timony of all who were asked, was, that they knew nothing of 
 such a condition of things. Indeed they had so much charity, 
 that if the evidence could not have been shown, they would 
 not have believed that it were possible, that such accusations 
 could have been brought against the church by any one. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 DOCTBIJSTES OF DANIEL MUSSER — THE FORGIVENESS 
 OF SINS. 
 
 We wish to notice, now, several questions which are pre- 
 sented to us, by D. IMusser, in his book, as points of doctrine ; 
 and for the purpose of showing our readers what he teaches, 
 from his own words, we will here give a number of quota- 
 tions. On page 13 of his book we find the following in 
 regard to the church of God in Eden. "There is nothing said 
 in the word that there was a church existing in the garden of 
 Eden ; but as the relation which existed between man the 
 creature, and God the Creator, is the same as that which is said 
 to exist between God and the church, it would seem to favor 
 or countenance the idea, that man's fellowship with and access 
 to God, his purity and holiness, constituted a relation which 
 might be called a chui'ch." 
 
 After speaking of the fall of man and setting forth his 
 utter ruin, he continues on page 14, "Nevertheless, man had 
 not fallen beyond the power of God to redeem or restore him, 
 and there is abundant evidence that God had not utterly cast 
 him away. So soon as man fell, God gave him the promise of 
 a Redeemer, and those who believed this promise and trusted 
 in that Redeemer, he had also promised to bless and protect ; 
 and so far God had pleasure in them, as believing him and 
 depending on the promised Redeemer. But no outward deed 
 or action of theirs gave God pleasure, if not accompanied with 
 faith. It is said of those things which God had commanded 
 Israel to do, that he had no pleasure in them. But the faith 
 
AND HEB ACCtJSEBS. l33 
 
 which moved them to obedience, was what pleased God and 
 moved Hira to give witness of approval to that which they 
 had done. God imputed their faith unto them for rlgJit- 
 eousnessP 
 
 "Scriptm-e testimony shows that the nimiber of those who 
 thus believed and trusted in God's promise, were few in com- 
 parison to the number of people which existed on eartli. 
 These, whether few or many, iioere under the promise and 
 constituted the people of God. They had an interest in 
 the Redeemer, but themselves were under bondage till the 
 time of his coming., and working out this redemption, when 
 their debt would be paid and they delivered from their cap- 
 tivity. With all such believers God made a covenant, and 
 being under that covenant, they were under God's favor and 
 blessing.2' 
 
 On page 15 he says, " Under the old covenant God calls 
 the believers his people ; but under the new covenant he calls 
 the believers sons, daughters and children. Under the old 
 covenant in all his dealings with his people, he never once 
 speaks of a church. The word is never once used in the Old 
 Testament." Again on page 16, he makes this remark, "It 
 is evident then that we become children of God by a spiritual 
 birth, but we surely cannot be born of the Spirit without 
 becoming partakers of or possessing the Spirit. All men must 
 certainly have been in their sins, till Christ came and 
 satisfied the justice of God, by dying on the cross for the 
 sins of man. Inasmuch as they were in their sins, they could 
 not receive the Holy Spirit, because he would not dwell in a 
 defiled temple. We do not read of any one receiving the 
 Holy Ghost from the time of the fall of man till after Christ 
 had ascended into heaven, and sent the Comforter with great 
 power on the day of Pentecost." 
 
 On page 17, he makes the most remarkable expression, that 
 "John the Baptist and those spoken of (Elisabeth, Zacharias, 
 Simeon, &c.), were yet in their sins because the blood of 
 Christ was not yet shed ; and without the shedding of blood 
 
134 THE MENNONITB CHURCH 
 
 there is no remission [of sins.] True, they had an interest in 
 Christ by faith, but did not realize it until Christ died." And 
 again, " Obedience to the law could not give any one the 
 Spirit, and from the testimonies cited, it is evident that the old 
 covenant believer, could not possess the Holy Spirit ; and if 
 not, then he could not be born of him, and could consequently 
 not be a child of God. To he a child of God we must be 
 born of the Sx)irit. It is further to be observed that God 
 called Abraham and blessed him, and gav^e great promises to 
 him and his seed. God renewed these promises to Israel after- 
 ward, and especially by Moses. He said he would be with 
 them, dwell with them, be amongst them ; he would be their 
 God and they should be his people: but in all his promises 
 and sayings, he does not once say to them as he does to the 
 New Testament believer, that they shall be his sons and 
 daughters. We never read anything of their being born of 
 him, or of his dwelling or being in them, and they in him. 
 Neither do we ever read of God and them having communion 
 or fellowship, nor even they having fellowship one with 
 another. God had, as I have said, given promise of the 
 woman's seed, and to Abraham the seed in which all the fami- 
 lies of the earth should be blessed. They who believed this 
 promise, received witness that they were righteous. This 
 was all they could do for the time then being, but did not 
 give them the Spirit nor make them children." 
 
 On page 19, occur these declarations, "From the time of 
 the fall of man till Christ died on the cross, all mankind were 
 sinners and regarded as such of God" "If then, they wei-e 
 in their sins, they could not draw nigh to God, or have fellow- 
 ship with him ; nor could God, as the Holy Ghost, dwell or 
 abide in them, in this defiled state or condition." " All man- 
 kind in this time were under the covenant of the law, unbe- 
 lievers as well as believers, but there was this difference : 
 The believer embraced the promise of the Father and relied 
 on it, and dying in this state, although dying in his sins^ 
 was still under the promise, and at Christ's coming and mak- 
 
AND h:er accusers. , 135 
 
 ing the atonement he received the benefit of it," &c. * * * 
 "But the unbeliever died in unbelief, having rejected the 
 promise," &c. 
 
 Again we read on page 23, "If we attentively observe 
 the testimony which the Scripture gives of these three great 
 classes of mankind (viz, The believers under the Old Testa- 
 ment, the believers under the New Testament, and the unbe- 
 lievers under both Testaments), we cannot fail to perceive that 
 unbelievers under either covenant, or believers under the old 
 covenant, could not, in anywise, answer the purpose, or serve 
 as material of which to build such a structure as the church of 
 God is declared to be ; or that any organization of such 
 people could be formed, which would, in any way answer to 
 that glorious body which Christ gave himself for and pur- 
 chased by his own blood." 
 
 Speaking of the reason why God, under the old dispensa- 
 tion did not form a church, on page 24, he presents this ques- 
 tion, " Why did God not build up a church under the old 
 covenant? Which it is so far from God's doing, that he does 
 not even speak of it, the word church not even once occurring 
 in the Old Testament. The reason is obvious : There was not 
 material out of which it could be done." "All mankind 
 being unregenerate there could no church be formed, until 
 Christ came and by his death, prepared the soul of man for 
 the habitation of the Holy Spirit." 
 
 Speaking of the promise of God to -man after the Fall, 
 Friend Musser presents this idea, " By believing in this prom- 
 ise, he had assurance of deliverance from his fallen state 
 and restoration to that favor with God which he had lost by 
 transgression and sin. This promise, however, made no 
 change of the relation existing between God and man ; it 
 took not that from man which forbade his approach to God or 
 gave him anything of the nature which he had lost by trans- 
 gression. It only gave assurance that this would be done." 
 
 After giving an account of the formation of the first apos- 
 tolic or Christian Church, he says, on page 44, "This was the 
 
136 THE MBNNONITE CHURCH 
 
 first association of man that ever existed on earth, as a true, 
 living churchy 
 
 From the foregoing extracts we gather the following con- 
 clusions, in reference to the doctrines which Musser teaches : 
 
 1. That between the fall of man and the death of Christ 
 on the cross there was no forgiveness of sins. He says posi- 
 tively that all who died previous to that time, died in their 
 sins, mentioning John the Baptist and others. 
 
 2. That there were no children of God, previous to this 
 time, because there were none regenerated, and could not be 
 regenerated, because there could be no forgiveness of sins, 
 and no means through which to bring them unto a union with 
 God, and into the relationship of children. 
 
 3. That there were none who possessed the Holy Spirit, 
 or the Holy Ghost, or the Sjoirit of God, because the Holy 
 Ghost was not yet poured out. Consequently none could 
 have been moved, led and directed by that Spirit during all 
 this period. 
 
 4. That there was no church of God, or that God had no 
 chui'ch, previous to the organization of the first Christian 
 Church on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ. 
 As a reason why God did not establish a church it is said that 
 there was no proper material from which to form it, which 
 would unavoidably follow if the first three of the foregoing 
 conclusions were correct. 
 
 An examination as to whether these conclusions, or any 
 of them, are true and will stand the test of the word of God, 
 will form the subject of this chapter and the succeeding one. 
 The subjects whi(;h pi-esent themselves in this connection are 
 important, and we feel a most solemn responsibility resting 
 upon us in being required to appear before the public in a 
 vindication of these important doctrines. May God grant us 
 grace to do it with an eye single to his glory, and for the 
 benefit of bis people. 
 
 The forgiveness of sins is one of the most important 
 subjects that presents itself to our consideration in connection 
 
AND HER ACCITSERS. 
 
 isl 
 
 with the plan of salvation. Without the forgiveness of sins, 
 none can enter the kingdom of heaven. Upon this doctrine 
 are based all our hopes of salvation, and this forgiveness has 
 reference to the whole human family, in whatever age of the 
 world they may have lived, whether before the flood or after, 
 whether under the Mosaic or Gospel dispensation. But the 
 question has been raised whether forgiveness of sins was or 
 could be granted by Jehovah, under the law, or Mosaic dis- 
 pensation, or whether it could, according to the divine econo- 
 my, be granted only under the Gospel dispensation which was 
 established after the death of Christ. Daniel Musser advanced 
 the idea, and labored hard to prove his possition coi-rect and 
 in accordance with Scripture, that under the old dispensation, 
 that is from the fall of man until the death of Christ, there 
 was no forgiveness or pardon of sins, and could not be until 
 after Christ died and satisfied the law. It is our present pur- 
 pose to inquire whether this view can be maintained by God's 
 word or not. 
 
 Musser holds, that those who believed in the promises of 
 God were received into the favor of God, and God blessed 
 them, and "imputed their faith unto them for righteousness." 
 " These were under the promise and constituted the peo- 
 ple of Gody "They had an interest in the Redeemer, but 
 themselves were under bondage till the time of his coming." 
 "With all such believers God made a covenant, and being 
 under that covenant, they were under God's favor and bless- 
 ing." According to our view of the matter, Musser here 
 plainly contradicts himself. That God who is just, a right- 
 eous and a holy God, who is of purer eyes than to behold 
 iniquity, could choose a nation or a portion of the human 
 family, upon whom was still resting his curse, the penalty of 
 the broken law, his divine and just wrath, which held them 
 under the bondage of sin ; a people still sitting in darkness 
 and the shadow of death, groaning under the burden of iniq- 
 uity and transgression unremoved and unforgiven, a people in 
 the hearts of whom his Spirit could find no resting place and 
 18 
 
138 THE MBNNONITB CHtJKCH 
 
 who were altogether unfit to form a church of God, a people 
 
 who must live and die in their sins, as his "peculiar people," 
 bestow upon them his favors and blessings, make with them a 
 most solemn covenant, give them his promises and "impute to 
 them their faith for righteousness," is to us, we must freely 
 confess, an incomprehensible mystery. That God, consist- 
 ently, with his divine attributes, could have chosen a people, 
 dead in trespasses and sins, a people Avho as Musser says, 
 " Must certainly have been in their sins till Christ came,'''' 
 and bestowed upon them his special favors and blessings, and 
 in a special manner revealed himself to them, made known to 
 them his laws and promises, watched over them, gone before 
 them, led them, protected them, been with and dwelt amongst 
 them, and still regarded them as vile, unforgiven sinners, is a 
 doctrine that is not only in itself contradictory, but unfound- 
 ed in the word of God. 
 
 The Bible teaches plainly and distinctly, that in reference 
 to our relations with God, we cannot occupy two opposite or 
 contrary" positions, or be subjects of two different and separate 
 kingdoms at once. We cannot enjoy the light and sit in 
 darkness, or serve God and mammon, or be saint and sinner at 
 the same time. What fellowship hath righteousness with 
 unrighteousness ? and what communion hath light with dark- 
 ness ? We must be either one or the other. We must belong 
 either to the people of God, or to the world. God has desig- 
 nated in his word only two classes, and to one of these two 
 classes, the whole human race belongs. Consequently, those 
 believers who lived before Christ, have been either God's 
 people or God's enemies. Either they must have obtained for- 
 giveness of their sins, or they must have remained in their sins. 
 If they remained in their sins and received not forgiveness, 
 then they cannot have been God's people ; God never could 
 have dwelt among them ; never could have been with them ; 
 never could have chosen them for his people and bestowed 
 upon them the blessings which he did. They could never 
 have received the benefits of God's promises, never have had 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 139 
 
 an interest in the Redeemer, and consequently they could 
 never have been saved. 
 
 But if, as Musser says, they enjoyed the favors and bless- 
 ings of God ; if they were under the promise and constituted 
 the people of God and had an interest in the Redeemer, then 
 their sins must have been forgiven them, for no human soul 
 can belong to God's people, while his sins are not forgiven ; 
 no person can have an interest in Christ the Redeemer of men, 
 and continue in his sins. Hence Musser'p conclusion, that 
 believers under the Old dispensation remained in their sins 
 and thus lived and died, while at the same time the}' enjoyed 
 the promise and possessed the faith which was imputed to 
 them for righteousness, is not only entirely contrary to human 
 reason, but also altogether opposed to the teachings of the 
 word of God, as we shall yet further show. 
 
 The faith of believers, in the promises of God, under the 
 Old Dispensation, according to Musser's own statement, was 
 imputed to them for righteousness, and this faith in the prom- 
 ise of a coming Redeemer was just as effectual and just as 
 sufficient for their justification, as our faith to-day, in a Savior 
 who has already made his appearance and paid the price of 
 our pardon with his own blood upon the cross. Justification 
 is the result, the fruit of a living faith and true and sincere 
 repentance, and if any one under the law — the Mosaic dispen- 
 sation, turned to God with a sincere heart, repented of his sins 
 and accepted the promise of a coming Redeemer, and walked 
 in accordance with the laws, the precepts and commandments 
 of the Lord, that pei-son was accepted and justified in the sight 
 of God. And that God accepted such, blessed them, and 
 delighted himself in them, the Bible gives us the most abund- 
 ant proof, as will be seen in the course of the following 
 remarks and testimonies. 
 
 Abel was called, "Righteous Abel," and the apostle testi- 
 fies, "that by faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent 
 sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was 
 righteous." Heb. 11:4. If he was righteous, he cannot have 
 
140 THE MENNONITB CHURCH 
 
 been in his sins, for a sinful man cannot be a righteous man, 
 and righteousness (because we have no righteousness of our 
 own), Cometh through justification. It is the gift of God 
 through Jesus Christ. Justification, as we have shown before, 
 is the consequence or the fruit of the forgiveness of our sins ; 
 and the forgiveness of our sins can be obtained only by 
 repentance and a new life, through which we yield ourselves 
 up to the full obedience of the will of God. 
 
 But our friend will say, there was no repentance. He 
 claims that under the law there was no regeneration and no 
 spiritual birth, and for this reason no forgiveness, conse- 
 quently there could be no repentance, and if repentance could 
 have taken place, it would . have been altogether useless, 
 because a man will receive no benefit from repentance unless 
 he can obtain the blessings which repentance is intended to 
 confer. 
 
 On this subject, however, let us look a little further. We 
 »will take the example of our first parents, in the garden of 
 Eden. After they had sinned, they were afraid. The con- 
 sciousness of their sin or transgression (for sin is the trans- 
 gression of God's law), filled them with fear, and they fled 
 before God and hid themselves. But God was not willing 
 that his creatures, created in his own image, should thus 
 remain under the dominion of sin, death and the devil, and 
 called them, just as every sinner, now, is called to repentance, 
 "Adam, where art thou?" Not that he did not know where 
 they were, but to humble them, and to bring them to realize their 
 condition. Are you now like unto me ? Do you now possess 
 that innocency, that sinlessness in which you were created ? 
 No ; the consciousness of guilt was upon them, and with fear 
 and, we believe, with a penitent heart, Adam acknowledged and 
 confessed his transgression. He did not in his answer to God, 
 as some say, try to put the fault on Eve, and Eve on the ser- 
 pent ; but they made a true and honest confession, stating the 
 facts just as they had taken place. If they had come to God 
 with a lie on their tongue, as Cain did, they would have found 
 
AND HEE ACCUSERS. 141 
 
 no mercy. But by honestly confessing their sins and sin- 
 cerely repenting of them, God, whose chief attribute is mercy, 
 gave them the promise of a Redeemer, a Deliverer, the 
 woman's seed, "which seed," Paul says, "is Christ" They 
 believed God's promise, and thus were justified by faith in the 
 Savior, who was slain from the foundation of the world, and 
 thus by repenting of their sins, and confessing them, and faith 
 in Christ, they received that righteousness which is by faith, 
 of which Paul writes in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews. 
 God also clothed them with skins which, no doubt, were 
 obtained from the animals slain in sacrifice, and this is the 
 first shedding of blood of which we have any account, and 
 " without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins." 
 All sacrifices pointed to the atoning Lamb. May not these 
 garments of skins have been a figure of that wedding garment. 
 Rev. 19 : 8, purchased by the atoning blood of the Lamb of 
 God, which taketh away the sins of the world, and which was 
 shed on the cross for all that repent and believe, from Adam 
 unto the end of time ? That our first parents did repent of 
 their sins and believe in the promises of God, is most conclu- 
 sively shown by the fact, that Eve, when Cain, her first son was 
 born, said, " I have gotten a man from the Lord." They had 
 accepted the promise, and were already looking forward to 
 its fulfillment, and their hearts were filled with joy in the hope 
 that this might already be the promised one, though he was so 
 far from it that he became the murderer of his own brother. 
 Had they not repented, they could not have been restored to 
 the favor of God ; neither could they have received nor en- 
 joyed the promise. 
 
 Concerning the spiritual condition of Adam and Eve we 
 have several pointed testimonies from ancient writers which 
 we will here quote. Menno Simon, in his article on " Justifi- 
 cation " (Menno's Complete Works, Part 2, Page 261), says, 
 "When Adam and Eve heard these glad tidings of grace, the 
 gospel of peace (that is the promise of a Savior), from the 
 mouth of the Lord, they joyfully accepted and believed it as 
 
142 THE MENNONITB CHUBCH 
 
 the immutable truth of God, anxiously cleaved to it and con- 
 soled themselves therewith as a sure foundation of salvation. 
 And thus Adam and Eve were again accepted of God, through 
 Christ Jesus, justified and delivered from the eternal death and 
 curse, for they, according to the promise of God, believed and 
 trusted in him." Dietrich Philip also writes on page 339 as 
 follows: "This is the first proclamation of the gospel of 
 Jesus Christ, the only Redeemer and Savior of the world, 
 through whom Adam and Eve were again revived ( Jn. 2 ; 
 1 Tim. 2) and received the lost image of God ; for they were 
 created anew of God, and born anew of him, because they, 
 by true faith, and the power, and enlightening of the Holy 
 Spirit, accepted the gracious promise of the gospel." 
 
 According to the Scriptures, it is an utter impossibility to 
 attain to the favor of God without forgiveness of sins, and it 
 is just as impossible to obtain forgiveness of sins without 
 repentance, and the Scriptures acknowledge and require repent- 
 ance throughout. The Savior says, If the mighty works which 
 had been done in Capernaum, "had been done in Sodom, it 
 would have remained unto this day." Matt. 11 : 23, and if the 
 mighty works which had been done in Chorazin and Beth- 
 saida, "had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have 
 repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes." Matt. 11 : 21, 22. 
 The men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, and 
 God spared them. Solomon in his prayer, at the dedication of 
 the temple, 1 Kings 8 : 47 — 50, prays to God, for Israel, that 
 if they should sin ("and there is no man that sinneth not," 
 says he), and afterwards bethink themselves and repent and 
 make supplications and pray unto God, (confessing their sins 
 and return to the Lord with all their hearts, "Then, ' says he, 
 "hear thou their prayer * * * and forgive thy people that 
 have sinned against thee." Job also declares, "I abhor myself 
 and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42 : 6. The Lord com- 
 mands the prophet Ezekiel to say unto Israel, "Thus saith the 
 Lord God : Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols," &c. 
 Ezek. 14 : 6. The prophet Joel also declares, 'Therefore also 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 143 
 
 now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your 
 heart, and with fastina: and with weeping and with mourning ; 
 and rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn unto 
 the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to 
 anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 
 Who knoweth if he will return, and repent, and leave a bless- 
 ing behind him ?" Joel 2 : 12 — 14. Even the wicked Ahab 
 humbled himself before the Lord, and the Lord showed so 
 much mercy, that the evil which he had spoken against his 
 house, was reserved until after Ahab's death. 1 Kings 21 : 29. 
 
 From the foregoing quotations, and references we see that 
 repentance and forgiveness were not unknown under the Old 
 Dispensation. Many other references and examples might be 
 given but as we have seen that repentance was taught, required 
 and practiced under the Old, as well as under the New Dispen- 
 sation, we feel that what we have given, is amply sufficient 
 for our present purpose, and will return to our original subject. 
 
 Enoch was acceptable to God and was translated, that he 
 should not see death. God took him, and he was not ; that is, 
 he was not found upon the earth, for God took him to himself, 
 but before he was translated he had this testimony, that "he 
 pleased God." Gen. 5 : 24 ; Heb. 11 : 5. Can a man who 
 lives in his sins please God ? Or can a man, " walk with 
 God," as the Bible says, Enoch did, and live in his sins ? 
 Could God consistently take a man in his sins, without for- 
 giveness, without justification, without sanctification, to him- 
 self, or into the abode of the righteous ? Is this a Scriptural 
 doctrine? Let the kind reader judge. "Noah was a just 
 man, and perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with 
 God." By faith he " condemned the world, and became heir 
 of the righteousness which is by faith." Heb. 11:7. Now, 
 can a man, impenitent, unforgiven, an unjustified sinner, walk 
 with God, condemn the world and be a preacher of righteous- 
 ness ? And if he was an unjustified and an unforgiven sinner, 
 could he have obtained that saving faith by which he was 
 accounted righteous in the sight of God ? 
 
144 THE MESTNONITE CHURCH 
 
 The calling of Abraham, and the expeiiences of his life, 
 give us an undeniable testimony that the faithful old patriarch, 
 could never have been what the Scriptures prove him to be, if 
 he had not been an accepted and justified child of God. In 
 him was the Scripture fulfilled which saith, " Abraham 
 believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, 
 and he was called the Friend of God.'''' Jas. 2 : 23; Gal. 3 : 6. 
 
 In Moses we have another of those shining characters, 
 which so gloriously illuminate the pages of sacred history, 
 and who will dare to rise up and say that he was not changed 
 in mind and heart, and that he had not received forgiveness, 
 been accepted and lived in full favor and acceptance with 
 God ? We observe in him a more remarkable and decisive 
 change in the course of his life, than is manifested in any 
 other one of the pious patriarchs of that age. It is true, 
 Abraham was obedient to the divine command, and left the 
 parental home, and the association of the sinful and idolatrous 
 world, and went forth not knowing whither he was going, and 
 gives us a most beautiful type of repentance and conversion, 
 of the translation of man from the kingdom of darkness, into 
 the kingdom of light, from the kingdom of unrighteousness, 
 into the kingdom of righteousness. Jacob, fleeing before 
 Esau, his elder brother, after he had obtained of him his birth- 
 right, resting his head upon a stone in the dreary wilderness, 
 was led, in a dream, to behold the glories and beauties of 
 another world, to see God revealed to him and the promises to 
 his fathers renewed, " vowed a vow " and consecrated himself 
 to the Lord in a very special and remarkable manner, and was 
 a true and sincere worshiper of the living God, who so sig- 
 nally revealed himself to him ujjon that and other occasions, 
 which shows that God was with him, and hence Jacob, too, 
 must, by the grace of God, through repentance, have been 
 made a partaker of that righteousness which is obtained by 
 faith in Christ and obedience to the requirements of his law 
 or word. 
 
 But the course of Moses, in his turning to God and to 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. l45 
 
 God's people, seems still more remarkable. Moses was the 
 adopted son of the king's daughter. He had reason to esteem 
 her as the preserver of his life ; as the instrument in the 
 hands of God through which, he, in his childhood, was res- 
 cued from the vengeance of a wicked king. He was reared 
 in the royal palace, educated in all the wisdom of the Egypt- 
 ians, possessing a good understanding and a large degree of 
 natural talent, he had before him the brightest prospects of 
 being able to rise high in worldly honor, power and influence. 
 But by the grace of God he was led to esteem all these as of 
 no value, and with -an unswerving determination, "when he 
 was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's 
 daugliter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people 
 of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." He 
 was led to see the difference between earthly and heavenly 
 honors, between a perishable and an imperishable crown, and 
 in view of this he would rather be identified with the poor 
 herdsmen and the brickmakers of the land of Goshen, who 
 were then a nation of slaves, despised and under a powerful 
 yoke of oppression, than to live in the palace of the king and 
 enjoy the fullness of a royal board. 
 
 This change could not have been brought about by human 
 power alone. A divine influence operated in the heart of 
 Moses and accomplished the work, so that while Moses him- 
 self was led to turn to God v/ith a living faith for forgiveness, 
 justification and salvation, he himself became a beautiful type 
 of the Son of God, " who, for the joy that was set before him, 
 endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the 
 right hand of the throne of God." Heb. 12 : 2. 
 
 That Moses not only looked forward to the imperishable 
 crown of life, and the rest which remaineth for the people of 
 God,' but that he also obtained it, and that already before the 
 death of Christ, is clearly shown by the circumstances con- 
 nected with the transfiguration (Luke 9 : 28 — 36), where both 
 19 
 
146 THE MENNONITB CHURCH 
 
 Moses and Elias appeared " in glory, ''^ * and talked with Jesus 
 of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." 
 And as these two holy men of God were together with Jesus 
 and his disciples on the mountain, they received a token of the 
 divine favor, by being overshadowed by a cloud, and a voice 
 declaring, " This is my beloved Son : hear him." Could we 
 indeed believe that God would have conferred so great a favor 
 on men who were in their sins, and had died in their sins, as 
 to permit them to go on such a mission as these men did, and 
 appear " i7i glory'''' with the spotless Lamb of God, on an 
 occasion like this ? Indeed among the large number of 
 prophets, patriarchs and holy men of old, whose histories are 
 given us in the Scriptures, we have no example of any one, 
 who enjoyed greater privileges, and received higher honors 
 from God than Moses, and we Cannot see how any man who 
 is a believer in the truths and doctrines of the Bible, can 
 have the heart to stand up and say that Moses, "to whom 
 God spake as a man to his friend," was an unregenerated 
 man ; that he lived and died in his sins, or that he was not 
 moved, and led, and directed by the Holy Spirit. Can any 
 man moved by the Spirit of Christ, write and assert a doc- 
 trine so at variance with the plain teachings of both the Old 
 and New Testaments, and the writings of the fathers ? It 
 is a matter of the greatest surprise that one who claims to be 
 so strict a Mennonite, the representative of the very strictest 
 sect of the Mennonites, a man who claims that his sect alone 
 deserves, and alone can lay claim to the time-honored name of 
 Mennonite, and that all others are corrupt and have departed 
 both fi-om the principles and practices of the Mennonites of 
 earlier days, can advance and hold forth a doctrine, so directly 
 contrary to the teachings of Menno Simon, Dietrich Philip 
 and our oldest confessions of faith. 
 
 The man who would be a reformer in the Mennonite 
 
 * Of Lazarus, too, we read that he was carried by the angels into 
 aham's bosom, where he was ''comforted.''' This was also previ- 
 
 Abraham 
 
 ous to the crucifixion 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 147 
 
 Church, or of any other church, should needs, possess a better 
 knowledge, both of the word of God and the doctrines of his 
 predecessors whom he professes to follow, than Daniel Musser 
 has evinced in his defense of the views of the Reformed 
 Mennonite Church, respecting the spiritual condition of the 
 people of God before the death of Christ. 
 
 The evidence given in God's word, to prove and establish 
 the truth of the belief, that the believers under the Old Dis- 
 pensation were accepted, forgiven and justified, and that they 
 neither lived nor died in their sins, as Musser claims, are so 
 abundant that both time and space will allow us only to refer 
 briefly to a few more instances. 
 
 The offerings and sacrifices under the former dispensation 
 all comprehended within themselves, and were based upon the 
 doctrine ;^of forgiveness. Every transgression required its 
 special sacrifice. And the offering thus made, as God required 
 it, fulfilled the law and satisfied the demand of God, so that 
 he who made the sacrifice remained in favor with God and 
 enjoyed his blessings. The law itself required obedience, and 
 acknowledged no excuse and knew nothing of forgiveness, 
 but the transgressor, being directed by his sacrifice, which was 
 made by the shedding of blood, to the great sacrifice which 
 was to be offered once for all, and accepting and believing the 
 promise of God in reference to this offering, could, through 
 this faith receive pardon and acceptance of God. In the law 
 of offerings and sacrifices, given in the book of Leviticus, we 
 find it distinctly declared, that when an offering was made as 
 i-equired, and tlie priest made an atonement for him who had 
 transgressed, for the sin which he had committed, then his sin 
 should be forgiven him. Lev. 5 : 10, 16, 18 ; 16 : 30. 
 
 That there could be, and was forgiveness of sins under 
 the Old Dispensation, is distinctly shown in the examples of 
 Aaron, David and others. Aaron was High Priest in Israel, 
 chosen to the sacred office by God, but suffered himself with 
 Israel, to be led into the terrible sin of idolatry, and greatly 
 offended God. Moses, in consequence, returned unto God and 
 
148 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 prayed for the forgiveness of this sin, aud God spared his 
 people, and Aaron continued to be High Priest as he had been 
 before. Can we for a moment entertain the idea tliat if this 
 sin had been left upon Aaron, he could have acted in the 
 capacity of High Priesjb of God in Israel, an office in which so 
 many sacred and holy services were required ? But as a matter 
 of course, Aaron and all Isi-ael were required to purge and 
 sanctify themselves from their sins. 
 
 David was guilty of the double crime of murder and 
 adultery, and greatly sinned against God, but he humbled 
 himself, repented of his sins, prayed for forgiveness, and God 
 heard his prayer, and he enjoyed God's blessing and promise, 
 and was a man of God, as well after his transgi-ession, as 
 before. Likewise when on account of their sins, God deter- 
 mined to overthrow the Ninevites, and commanded Jonah to 
 go and proclaim it throughout their city, when they heard 
 it, they gave heed, proclaimed a fast and repented, and God 
 spared them. 
 
 John the baptist preached repentance and baptized with 
 the baptism of repentance, and was ordained of God for this 
 work, as the forerunner of Christ, and was " filled with the 
 Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb." Luke 1 : J 5. 
 How unreasonable it is to think that he could have been in 
 his sins, while in the performance of this solemn work. 
 
 When they brought one sick of the palsy to Jesus, he 
 said, " Son, be of good cheer ; thy sins be forgiven thee," 
 and when Jesus was eating in the Pharisee's house ; and the 
 woman which was a sinner came weeping, and washing his 
 feet with tears, wiping them with the hairs of her head, 
 kissing them and anointing them with the ointment she had 
 brought, he sharply reproved his host for neglect of his duties 
 and said, concerning this woman " Mer sins, which are many, 
 are forgiven." Matt. 9:2; Luke V : 47. 
 
 Here we have two plain and undeniable instances of the 
 forgiveness of sins, where sins actually were forgiven, before 
 the death of Christ, which prove to us incontrovertibly that 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 149 
 
 there was forgiveness of sins under the Old Dispensation as 
 well as under the New. These instances, the reader will 
 remember, though granted by Christ, when upon earth, after 
 his advent in the world, were given, while the Old Dispensa- 
 tion was yet in force, and before Christ had died and made 
 the great atonement for the world, in his own body upon 
 the cross The New Dispensation was not put in force until 
 after his death and resurrection. A testament has no force 
 while the testator is yet living, but only after he is dead. 
 
 It is true that there is a difference in the requirements and 
 practices of the church under the Old and New Dispensations, 
 but the same results were arrived at and the design or purpose 
 was the same, namely, the salvation of man." Under the Old, 
 offerings and sacrifices, and the observing of the judgments, 
 commandments and statutes, given of God, were required, and 
 when these were performed and observed in God's own 
 appointed way, his requirements were fulfilled ; he was pleased 
 with his people and his blessings and promises followed, as he 
 declares Lev. 18 : 5, " Ye shall therefore keej) my statutes, 
 and my judgments^; which if a man do, he shall live in them," 
 and as we also read of Zacharias and Elizabeth, the parents of 
 John the Baptist, that "they were both righteous before God, 
 walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord 
 blameless." Luke 1 : 6. Under the New Dispensation, the 
 Worship which consisted " only in meats and drinks and 
 divers washings and carnal ordinances,'' was superceded by 
 the more perfect law, which requires man to worship " him in 
 spirit and in truth." Menno Simon bears us testimony in this 
 when he says. Part 2, Page 77, "The church of the pious is 
 from the beginning ; yet, it had not always the same ordi- 
 nances, nor was it always called by the same name, in the 
 Scriptures." 
 
 From the foregoing it will be seen that the Old Dispensa- 
 tion was designed for the benefit of God's people, and that 
 the benefits it designed, were given to and enjoyed by those 
 who lived under that dispensation and availed themselves of 
 
150 THE MBNNONITE CHURCH 
 
 it. Any one desiring to avail himself of the blessings and 
 promises of God, was required to believe and to turn to God 
 with a sincere heart, like Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses and 
 others as we have shown, and thus they were made acceptable 
 before God through faith in the promised Redeemer, just as 
 we are by faith in a crucified and risen Redeemer. Then if 
 they were made acceptable it must folloAV that their sins were 
 forgiven, that they were children of God, and that they were 
 fit material from which to form a church ; that they were 
 God's church and that they were directed by his Spirit, as will 
 yet hereafter be shown. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 NO CHILDREN OF GOD — NO RECEIVING OP THE HOLY GHOST — 
 NO CHURCH OP GOD. 
 
 In the last chapter, we have distinctly and undeniably 
 shown that through faith in the promises of God there was 
 forgiveness of sins under the Old Dispensation, as well as 
 under the New ; and the several parts of our subject are so 
 intimately connected with each other, that when we have 
 proved one, all the others must, as a consequence, follow. 
 
 Friend Musser claims that there were no children of God, 
 because, to become a child of God, one must be regenerated ; 
 and because there was no forgiveness of sins, men could not 
 be made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and because the Holy 
 Ghost could not be given unto men, there could be no regen- 
 eration and consequently there was no means, by which men 
 could be brought into a union with God and into the relation- 
 ship of children. 
 
 But we have shown that there was forgiveness of sins. 
 Nothing can be more plainly taught in the Word of God, than 
 that there was forgiveness of sins under the former dispensa- 
 tion as well as under the latter. And we propose to show 
 further that believers under the former dispensation not only 
 obtained forgiveness of sins, but that they were also regen- 
 erated and that they were united with God in the relationship 
 of children, and that from the very nature of things they 
 could not have occupied any other position. 
 
 Forgiveness of sins can only be granted to him who sin- 
 cerely repents and becomes willing to forsake all that is 
 
152 THE MENNONITE CHUECQ 
 
 opposed to the will of God, and to do all that God commands 
 him to do, trusting alone in the merits of Christ for salvation. 
 When a person, by the grace of God and the co-operating 
 influence of the Holy Spirit, is brought into this state of mind 
 he is converted ; he is changed ; " he is a new creature ; old 
 things have passed away, behold, all things are become new." 
 In the language of the Psalmist ( Ps. 40 : 3), " He (God) hath 
 put a new song into his mouth, even praise unto our God." 
 God has given him a new lieart, a clean heart, and renewed a 
 right spirit within him (Ps. 51 : 10). Yea, he hath put on the 
 new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true 
 holiness (Eph. 4 : 24). He is now no longer under the con- 
 demnation of sin, "being justified by faith, having peace 
 with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also," as 
 the apostle says (Rom, 5 : 2), " we have access by faith unto 
 this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the 
 glory of God." 
 
 Now sin, being the transgression of the law of God, is 
 the barrier which separates the unconverted and impenitent 
 from God; as the prophet, Isaiah (59 : 2), says, "Your iniq- 
 uities have separated between you and your God, and your 
 sins have hid his face from you." Jesus Christ came to suffer 
 and die for sin, and by his death on the cross and the shed- 
 ding of his precious blood, to take away sin and reconcile us 
 to God (Rom. 5 : 10). Thus Christ has become our peace and 
 our reconciliation, and through him, as Paul says, Eph, 2 : 
 18 — 20, both Jews and Gentiles have access by one Spirit unto 
 the Father, and are no more strangers and foreigners, biat 
 fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 
 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus 
 Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. 
 
 Now, when the cause which separates two persons from 
 each other is removed they come together. When the enmity 
 which lies between pei'sons or nations is taken away, then there 
 is peace. So when sin is removed between man and God, 
 there is a reconciliation, there is a union ; man is brought into 
 
AKTD HER ACCUSBES. 153 
 
 commuuion with God. The apostle calls this a fellow-citizen- 
 ship with the household of God. And if we are of the house- 
 hold of God, we must be children of God. See Gal. 3 : 7 — 9, 
 14 and 29. 
 
 But again, when we are converted and obtain peace with 
 God, and become united with him in the promises oif salvation 
 through Jesus Christ, and are renewed in our hearts, and seek 
 to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, then we are regen- 
 erated and born again, as the apostle says, 1 Pet 1:3," God 
 hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resui-rection 
 of Jesus Christ from the dead," who "by one offering hath 
 pei-fected forever them that are sanctified." Heb. 10 : 14. 
 
 But the. adherents of the doctrines of Musser will tell us 
 that all these things are said of those under the gospel dispen- 
 sation, of those who live and have lived since the death and 
 resurrection of Christ. How shall these things then apply to 
 those who lived before the offering up of Jesus? 
 
 Jesus Christ is the Lamb which taketh away the sin of 
 the world. He is called the Lamb of God, slain from the 
 foundation of the world; and Paul says, Eph. 1 : 3 — 5, 
 " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly 
 places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him, before 
 the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and with- 
 out blame, before him in love, having predestinated its to 
 the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, accord- 
 ing to the good pleasure of his will." 
 
 Now, when we carefully investigate the condition of the 
 believers under the law, we find that they confessed their 
 sins, that they repented, that their sins were forgiven, that 
 they were accepted of God and stood in the highest favor, 
 and the most intimate communion with God. This is shown 
 very clearly in the case of Adam and Eve, as seen in the 
 preceding chapter. Abel also was a man, born of the sinful 
 seed of Adam as othei- men ; his nature, as inherited from 
 Adam and Eve, was of the same character as that of Cain. 
 
 20 
 
164 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 But Abel is called "righteous Abel," while Cain was a mur- 
 derer. How did Abel attain to his righteousness ? There was 
 only one way, and unless Abel came in that way, he could 
 never have attained that righteousness and been acceptable to 
 God. That way was, to believe the promise of God, repent 
 of his sins, confess them and turn to the Lord with all his 
 heart. And as he was called " righteous Abel " and was 
 acceptable to God, we have an incontrovertible proof that he 
 was both converted and regenerated. And what is said of 
 Abel may, with equal propriety, be said of Enoch, of Noah, 
 of Moses, Abraham and others ; indeed, what in this respect 
 is said of one of the believers under the law, may be said, and 
 held of all of them. 
 
 Again, if Christ was slain from the foundation of the 
 world, and if we, as the apostle says, were chosen of God, in 
 Christ, from the foundation of the world, to the adoption of 
 children, and both Jews and Gentiles, as shown above, 
 " have access by one Spirit unto the Father," and thus 
 become fellow-citizens of the household of faith, then we 
 must conclude that all these believers under the Mosaic Dis- 
 pensation, not only had the promise that they should be saved 
 when Christ came, but they were then saved through faith in 
 the promise. We nowhere find that God promises to save the 
 believer at some future time. He says, "N'oio is the accepted 
 time, behold, npto is the day of salvation," and again he says, 
 "To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." 
 We can find no evidence that God ever said to his people that 
 he could not noio save them ; that they must wait for the 
 accomplishment of certain events ; that they must lie bound 
 until the Lion of the tribe of Judah should come and break in 
 sunder the chains of sin, before they could be freed from sin ; 
 nay, he declares that from the foundation of the world the plan 
 of salvation was laid, and in his eternal providence, Christ was 
 then already slain, and the full benefits of his death and suffering 
 could be bestowed, and were bestowed to the believers under 
 the law and before the law, as well as to those under the gospel. 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 156 
 
 God is not limited in his ways and powers as men are. 
 His eternal plan of salvation was so laid, even from the begin- 
 ning of time, that the great work of human redemption must 
 center in Christ, and so far as God was concei'ned, salvation 
 could just as well be granted to those who came before Christ, 
 as to those who came afterwards. With God, a thousand yeai's 
 are as one day, and one day as a thousand years. God is not 
 limited by time, and therefore, with God, the brief space inter- 
 vening between the creation and the crucifixion could not 
 affect them in the least. The essential point being the accept- 
 ance of the proffered mercy.* When Moses lifted up the 
 serpent in the wilderness, the promise was not that they 
 should be healed after a time, or after they had reached the 
 land of Canaan ; they "were healed immediately, and Christ 
 being lifted up for the salvation of the world, could bestow 
 his healing influences to those who believed on him, even 
 before he had suffered. Human law recognizes the virtue of 
 surety-ship, and a man under obligations to the law, and not 
 able to fulfill them, gives a surety, a bondsman who is bound 
 for the fulfillment of the obligation, and the principal, by 
 virtue of his bondsman, is set at liberty. So Christ may be 
 looked upon as the great bondsman of the human race under 
 the former dispensation. Him God could accept, and being 
 held for their sins, believers were set at liberty. 
 
 If then, as we have seen from the foregoing, believers 
 under the law, could by virtue of their faith in the promised 
 Redeemer, i-eceive such favors of God as the forgiveness of 
 sins ; if they could be brought into that nearness to God 
 which is so boldly set forth in the history of the patriarchs 
 and prophets ; if they could be acknowledged as "Righteous," 
 as pleasing to God, as "just" and "walking with God," as 
 perfect, upright and fearing God ; then, according to the 
 indisputable testimonies of God's word, we must conclude that 
 they were regenerated, born anew, and possessed in their 
 
 * It would be inconsistent with the character of God to oft'er 
 salvation, when he could not give it. 
 
166 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 hearts the full favors of the gospel, and if we accept this con- 
 clusion, then they must have stood in the relationship of 
 children of God, and could have occupied no other position, 
 because the Bible speaks only of two classes, of two kingdoms, 
 of two ways. With one or the other of these we must be 
 identitied. There is no middle class, and if we are believers, 
 we are of the household of faith, and if we are of the house- 
 hold of faith, then we are children, as the apostle so abund- 
 antly shows in his references to the holy men of old, in the 
 eleventh chapter of his epistle to the Hebrews. 
 
 We have now seen from the testimonies of the word of 
 God, that believers under the laAV and before the law, could 
 obtain forgiveness of sins ; and consequently they could be 
 regenerated and born again, according to the requirements of 
 the gospel and the words of our Savior. But whence cometh 
 this new birth ? By what power is regeneration accom- 
 plished ? 
 
 The new birth is a spiritual birth. The Savior said to 
 Nicodemus : " Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man 
 be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Again, 
 " Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot 
 enter the Kingdom of God." And further, "that which is 
 born of the Spirit, is Spirit." Musser, himself, makes this 
 declaration, " It is evident that we become the children of 
 God, by a spiritual birth ; but we surely cannot be born of the 
 Spirit without becoming partakei-s of or possessing the Spirit." 
 This declaration we fully admit, and reasoning from this stand 
 point, it becomes evident, that if believers, under the law, had 
 their sins forgiven and were regenerated, as we have shown 
 above, they must have been born of the Spirit ; they must 
 have both been made partakers of and possessed the Spirit. 
 Consequently they must have been cleansed and purified, and 
 in a pure heai't the Spirit seeks his dwelling place. 
 
 Every man is prompted or moved and led by some power, 
 or motive ; some inward, hidden principle, and this hidden or 
 unseen power in man is called the spirit of man. Paul says 
 
AND HER ACCtJSERS. 157 
 
 (l/Cor. 2 : 11), "For what man knoweth the things of a man, 
 save the spirit of man which is in him." Elihu, one of Job's 
 comforters, says " There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration 
 of the Almighty giveth him understanding." And again, " I 
 am full of matter ; the spirit within me con strain eth me." 
 
 The two great controlling powers under whose guidance 
 and direction all men live, are, First: — The spirit of the world, 
 the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh 
 in the children of disobedience. This spirit is an enemy to 
 God, and to all that is good. He leads men away from all 
 righteousness and purity into sin and ungodliness. He tempted 
 Eve to take of the forbidden fruit and transgress God's law, 
 that he might destroy the happiness of our first parents and 
 the glory of the creation of God. It was this evil spirit, who 
 has been a deceiver and a liar from the beginning, that led 
 Cain to slay his brother, and it was he who instigated, during 
 all the ages of time, the sin, and shame, and crime that existed 
 in the world, and this is his work still. He goeth about like 
 a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour ; he transforms 
 himself into an angel of light, that he may deceive the more. 
 His works are summed up by the apostle as the works of the 
 flesh, and consist of "Adultery, fornication, unclean ness, las- 
 civiousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, 
 wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunken- 
 ness, revellings, and such like, of which I tell you before, as I 
 have also told you in time past, that they which do such 
 things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God." 
 
 Secondly. — The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit ; that good 
 Spirit which is sent into the world to convince the world of 
 sin, of righteousness and of judgment to come ; which leads 
 men into all truth, and directs them in paths of purity and 
 holiness, which leads men to bring forth the good fruit of 
 " Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
 meekness, temperance, against which there is no law." It was 
 this good Spirit which descended from heaven upon the Savior 
 as he came up out of the Jordan, after his baptism ; it was the 
 
158 THB MBNNONITE CHtlBCH 
 
 same Spirit that was shed abroad in an especial manner on the 
 day of pentecost,* and empowered the disciples to speak with 
 other tongues, and so preach Christ and him crucified that 
 three thousand souls, that same day. turned away from their 
 sins and from the world, and consecrated themselves unto the 
 service of God. It is this same good Spirit which always 
 dwells with all good people, and directs them in all their ways. 
 
 Under the Old Dispensation, these same two elements or 
 principles of good and evil, existed and manifested themselves 
 among the children of men, and men were servants to one or 
 the other, as the apostle says, they were servants to hira to 
 whom they yielded themselves servants to obey, "whether of 
 sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." 
 
 Now, if we pursue the thread of our argument a little 
 further, we will discover how utterly unjust it would be for us, 
 to deny that believers under the Old Dispensation were devoid 
 of the Spirit of God. They were led by one of these two 
 Spirits, and if they were not led by the good Spirit, they must 
 have been led by the evil Spirit, If they were not led by the 
 Spirit of God, they must have been led by the Spirit of dark- 
 ness. But the word of God bears testimony that they were 
 righteous, just, and God-fearing men, that they were of good 
 
 * The outpouring or descending of the Holy Ghost on the day of 
 Pentecost, at .Jerusalem, immediately after the ascension of Jesus, 
 does not signify or prove, that there was no Holy Ghost previously, 
 for as belonging to the Holy Trinity, the Holy Ghost is co-exist«nt 
 with the Father and the Son, and hence eternal. Neither does it sig- 
 nify nor prove, that the Holy Spirit did not previously dwell with 
 men, as we have already shown, but the Holy Ghost was thus signally 
 poured out. First, to prove the work and commission of the apostles 
 from God. Secondly, to endue them with power from on high — and 
 bestow upon them special gifts. Thirdly, to show forth the fullness 
 and freeness of the Gospel, and that the restrictions which existed 
 under the Mosaic Dispensation, which was especially for the Jews, 
 and not for the Gentiles, were now removed and that God's Spirit 
 should be poured out upon all fle.sh, without distinction of language 
 or nationality, that whosoever should call upon the name of the Lord, 
 whether Jew or Gentile, should be saved, and that salvation through 
 Jesus Christ should now be preached, and be free to all nations, 
 tongues and people. 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 159 
 
 report ; that they feared God and eschewed evil ; and it seems 
 to us outright blasphemy to say that such men as the patri- 
 archs and prophets, and the holy men of old, whose glorious 
 examples of goodness, piety, and faithful devotion to God, are 
 a bulwark of strength to every Christian of succeeding ages, 
 did not possess the Spirit of God ; for by saying this, we have 
 only one alternative, and that is', to maintain that these godly 
 men were led, influenced and governed by the Spirit of dark- 
 ness, by the evil Spirit. Such a conclusion, while the mind 
 revolts at the idea, is entirely contrary to the spirit and tenor 
 of the Scriptures. 
 
 When God said, " My Spirit shall not always strive with 
 man," we must understand that the Spirit of God was then 
 already given as a, guide and director to those who would 
 receive it. But the ungodly and corrupted antediluvians would 
 not be governed by his Spirit ; they would not accept his 
 reproofs. Now it would have been useless for the Spirit to 
 strive with men, when that Spirit could not be given them, or 
 while they could not be made partakers of that Spirit. 
 
 David says (Ps. 51 : 11 ), " Cast me not from thy presence 
 and take not thy Holy Spirit from me." Here we seem to 
 have conclusive and positive evidence that David did possess 
 the Holy Spirit of God. He prayed, not that he might receive 
 him, not that the Spirit should be given to him, but that he 
 should not be taken from him. Had David not possessed the 
 Holy Spirit, he could not have thus prayed. 
 
 In the days of Nehemiah, when Israel had returned from 
 their captivity in Babylon and rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, 
 and the people were assembled, and confessed their sins, and 
 humbled themselves before God, and the Levites made an 
 acknowledgment of God's goodness, in rehearsing what God 
 did for their ancestors, they confessed to God, saying, " Thou 
 gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them.'''' 
 
 The prophet Isaiah, in referring to the children of Israel 
 in the wilderness, says, " They rebelled and vexed his Holy 
 Spirit." Stephen, the first Christian Martyr, in his memorable 
 
160 THB MBNNONITE CHUBCH 
 
 defense against the Jews, says to them, " Ye stiff-necked, and 
 uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the 
 Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye." 
 
 When God commanded Moses to appoint seventy elders 
 to assist him in his arduous duties, the Lord said, " Gather 
 unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, * * * and I will 
 come down and talk with thee then, and I will take of the 
 Spirit which is upon thee and will put it upon them." 
 
 Now, if the Lord gave his Spirit to instruct his people, 
 Israel ; if Israel could rebel against, vex and resist the Holy 
 Spirit of God, and if the Lord could take of the Spirit which 
 was upon Moses and put it upon the seventy elders, what 
 further evidence do we need to show that believers, before the 
 advent and suffering of our Savior, also possessed the Holy 
 Ghost ? 
 
 The apostle tells us that no man can say that Jesus is the 
 Lord but by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 12 : 3). Peter, before the 
 crucifixion of Christ, when Jesus asked, " But whom say ye 
 that I am?" answered, and said, "Thou art the Christ, the 
 Son of the living God." Jesus replied to him in these com- 
 forting words, " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona, for flesh 
 and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father 
 which is in heaven." How was this revelation given if not by 
 the Divine Spirit ? Job said, "I know that my Redeemer 
 liveth." How could he know this, if it was not revealed to 
 him by the Holy Spirit ? 
 
 If we take into consideration the incidents connected with 
 the advent of Jesus Christ, we will there alone find evidence 
 sufficient to establish, beyond controversy, the fact that the 
 Ploly Ghost dwelt in and with the believers before the death 
 of Christ, as well as after, to which the apostle Peter also 
 bears testimony when he says, 1 Pet. 1 : 10 — 12. "Of which 
 salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, 
 who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you ; 
 searching what, or in what manner of time the Spirit of 
 Christ v>hich teas in them did signify, when it testified 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 161 
 
 beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the gloi'v that should 
 follow." 
 
 Of John the baptist it was said, " For he shall be great in 
 the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong 
 drink ; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from 
 his mother's womb." " He shall go before him in the Spirit 
 and power of Elias," &c. If John was filled with the Holy 
 Ghost from his childhood, and went forth in the Spirit of 
 Elias, then Elias too, who lived under the Old Dispensation, 
 under the law of Moses, must have possessed the same Spirit, 
 i. e.,the Holy Ghost. Nothing can be plainer. 
 
 The Holy Ghost came upon Mary the mother of Jesus, 
 and when she came to Elizabeth the mother of John, and 
 saluted her, " Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost." 
 Zacharias, after the birth of John, when the child was named, 
 and his tongue, which had been bound many months, was 
 loosed, and he spake again and praised God, "he was filled 
 with the Holy Ghost and prophesied." Simeon was a just 
 and devout man, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the 
 Holy Ghost was upon him, and it was revealed to him by the 
 Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen 
 the Lord's Christ, and being led by the Spirit, he came into 
 the Temple, at the time when the parents of Jesus brought in 
 the child, to do for him after the custom of the law, and took 
 up the child and blessed God, and desired to depart in peace 
 to his reward, for, says he, " Mine eyes have seen thy salva- 
 tion." The Holy Spirit revealed to him, also, that this was 
 the Lord's Christ. 
 
 We shall leave this part of our subject here. We find the 
 evidence of Scripture, proving the work of the Holy Spirit in the 
 believers under the former dispensation, so abundant, that we 
 can only present our readers with a very limited part of them. 
 We have only opened up the subject, and leave our readers, who 
 have time and inclination to do so, to pursue it further at leisure, 
 though we have said enough fully and clearly to establish our 
 position, and that is all that is necessary for our present purpose. 
 21 
 
162 THE MENNONITE CHUKCH 
 
 Finally, we come to consider the assertion of D. Musser, 
 that there was no Church of God previous to the formation 
 of the Apostolic Church on the day of Pentecost. The incor- 
 rectness and inconsistency of this assertion becomes evide\^t 
 from the conclusions arrived at under the three preceding 
 heads We will remember that Musser asserts, that the reason 
 why God did not form a church under the former dispensation 
 was, because there was no proper material from which to build 
 such a structure. 
 
 But we have seen that men from the beginning could and 
 did repent, and that they obtained forgiveness of sins, and 
 were brought into favor witli God, and into the most intimate 
 relations, and fellowship with him ; that they, through grace, 
 by faith in the promises of God, were renewed in their hearts 
 and regenerated, and that they possessed the Holy Ghost, and 
 in every sense of the word, were brought, by that divine Spirit, 
 into the relationship of the children of God. Hence, if there 
 was no church of God, before the day of Pentecost, when the 
 first Apostolic Church was formed, it must have been for some 
 other reason, and not because there was no proper material 
 from which to form it. 
 
 But we assert that the first church of God, on earth, was 
 formed with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, and this 
 is the view which has always been held by the Mennonite 
 Church. Musser admits that the relation existing between 
 God and man in the garden of Eden, was such, that it would 
 seem to favor or countenance the idea that it might be 
 called a church. The relationship of a church of God, was 
 sundered, however, when Adam ajid Eve transgressed and fell. 
 But as soon as God promised that Savior, who should bruise the 
 serpent's head, and they confessed their sins and accepted this 
 promise, they were restored to his favor; that which through 
 Adam's transgression was lost, Avas, through faith in the promise 
 restored to them ; and the relationship of a church was re-estab- 
 lished, and this relation of a church of God has been maintained 
 even to this day, and will be maintained to the end of time. 
 
AND HER ACCtlSBBS. 163 
 
 The kind reader has no doubt already perceived, from the 
 evidence given, that the church of God is composed of the 
 true worshii^ers or faithful children of God. The church was 
 designed to embrace under her privileges and favors, all who 
 fear God and walk according to the requirements of his law, 
 in whatever age of the world they may have lived. God 
 chose to reveal himself to his people in different ways and by 
 different means (Heb. 1 : 1), and to give them such com- 
 mandments and laws, and require of them the performance 
 of such duties as he, in his infinite love and wisdom, had 
 designed for their happiness, and as long as men lived in 
 accordance with his revealed will, they were acceptable to him 
 and he performed unto them his promises. Now this defines 
 unto us exactly what the church is, and the relation in which 
 the church stands with God. 
 
 Man was created for society. God saw that it was not 
 good for him to be alone, and this is true with reference to his 
 moral and spiritual relations, as well as his natural or physical 
 life. To govern him in all his relations, God gave him wise 
 and good laws. But as the life and the happiness of the soul 
 is far superior to the life of the body, so the laws given 
 to man for his spiritual welfare, are of much greater impor- 
 tance than those which govern his social relations, yet he who 
 lives in accordance with the laws of God, given for his spir- 
 itual welfare, must not disregard the less important ones, given 
 for his physical and social welfare. To live right we must 
 have respect to all God's laws, whether for our physical, social 
 or spiritual welfare. Now when men thus fear God and obey 
 all his laws and commandments, they are accepted of him. 
 Acts 10 : 35 ; Eccl. 12 : 13. And from this acceptance comes 
 the relationship of the church, however small their number 
 may be. Thus Adam and Eve by accepting their salvation, 
 through the promises of God, after the fall, were re-instated 
 into the relationship of a church, though they were but two in 
 number. The Savior declares that " Where two or three are 
 gathered together in his name there will he be in the midst of 
 
164 THE MBNNONITE CHURCH 
 
 them." Abel became a member of this church and so did 
 Enoch, and Noah, and Abraham, and Lot and the whole line 
 of patriarchs and prophets in the succeeding ages. 
 
 God, from time to time, revealed himself to them, gave 
 them such instructions and laws and commandments as he 
 deemed necessary ; he renewed his promises to them, made 
 covenants with them, and bestowed blessings upon them ; 
 they accepted, loved, feared, honored and obeyed him ; they 
 were his people and he was their God, and thus they stood in 
 the relation of a church. This is just what the Christian 
 Church is admitted to be at the present day, viz., " a number 
 or a congregation of believers in Christ, united together in the 
 order of the gospel." Those living before Christ were under 
 the order of the former dispensation, and as that embraced 
 what God required of them, they were just as much his church, 
 as those under the gospel, though they may not have been 
 called by the same name. It is not the name that makes the 
 church, but the relation men sustain to God. The assertions 
 of Musser that there was no church of God before Christ, 
 because God did not call his people a church, or that they 
 were not his children, because he did not call them children, 
 have no bearing in the matter whatever. They are simply 
 misapprehensions of his word, and prove nothing. God 
 speaks of those under the former dispensation as "his people," 
 "his peculiar people," "the congregation of Israel," "the con- 
 gregation of the Lord," and David calls them, "the great 
 congregation," &c. Stephen calls them the church in the 
 wilderness. The Greek word from which the word church, 
 in this passage, is translated is, ecclesia, and this is said, by 
 Greek scholars, to be the word that is translated chicrch, in our 
 English translation of the New Testament. The same word 
 occurs in the Greek translation of the Old Testament and is 
 translated congregation or assembly. In the German trans- 
 lation of both the Old and New Testaments, the word given 
 as congregation in the English translation, is, we believe, 
 
AND fiER ACCtrSERS. IflS 
 
 invariably given, Gemeine; and Gemeine, in German, has 
 the same signification as church in English. 
 
 Now if the word ecclesia is used in Greek, both in the 
 Old and New Testaments, and means church and is so trans- 
 lated in the New Testament, it must mean the same thing in 
 the Old Testament. This would clearly establish the fact that 
 Musser's assertion, that God did not call his people a church, 
 is incorrect, and would confirm the words of Stephen, when he 
 (Acts 7 : 38) calls the same people, tJie church in the wilder- 
 ness. The German translation of the Bible gives us a cor- 
 roborative evidence of the same fact. 
 
 As a further proof that God esteemed his "peculiar 
 people" and believers before them, as his church, we may 
 refer to the words of Paul (Rom. 11), where he speaks of the 
 Jews of that day as the natural branches of the Olive tree, 
 which branches were broken off, because of unbelief ; and the 
 Gentiles, as branches of the wild Olive tree, were graffed into 
 the good Olive tree. This good Olive tree represents the 
 church from the beginning, grounded and rooted in God, 
 " built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus 
 Christ himself being the chief corner stone." And if the Gen- 
 tiles were graffed into the good Olive tree, that is, they became 
 part of this first, original church, then this first, original 
 church, must have been a true church, and so considered 
 before the Lord. 
 
 Again, those of the household of faith under the gospel, 
 are called, " the children of Abraham " ( Gal. 3 : 1 — 9), and 
 are said to be blessed with him. The apostle also speaks of 
 the blessing of Abraham coming "on the Gentiles through 
 Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit 
 through faith." Here then we see that the grace and salvation 
 bestowed upon the Gentiles as well as upon the Jewish 
 believers, are called, the blessing of Abraham, and that this 
 came through Jesus Christ. Then the blessing of Abraham 
 must have been the full and free favor of the gospel, and 
 hence if those under the gospel composed a church, Abraham 
 
166 THB MfiNNOKlTB CHtJECS 
 
 and his seed must have constituted a part of the same church. 
 In Gal. 3 : 29 the apostle says, " If ye be Christ's, then ye are 
 Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Where 
 can we find words, or evidences to establish more plainly and 
 indisputably the fact that the church of God did exist from 
 the beginning of time, and we add, the church militant on 
 earth, being gathered into the church triumphant in heaven, 
 shall endure forever? 
 
 As confirming the foregoing views we will here add a few 
 extracts from the writings of Henry Funk, to whose work we 
 have already referred in the preceding pages. In the edition 
 of 1763, page 8, he says, " x\nd in this manner, the dragon, 
 the old serpent, through such wise and learned men, has, /Vom 
 the beginning^ persecuted, pursued and imprisoned, and with 
 gallows, fire, water, sword and various instruments, murdered 
 and killed many thousands of the servants and children of 
 God, See Heb. 11: 36-38." 
 
 On page 11, referring to the penalties which Adam had 
 brought upon himself and his posterity by his transgression, 
 he writes as follows, " This was laid upon man as a punish- 
 ment from God, but the love of God was there as an ameliora- 
 tion of the punishment, for God made coats of skins for Adam 
 and Eve, and clothed them to comfort them [and as a token] 
 that he would again clothe them with the robe of righteous- 
 ness through the promised Savior." 
 
 On page 14, he writes further, "Christ was promised, again 
 to release man from the devil and the sins of Adam and Eve, 
 and again to secure unto him eternal salvation. Eph. 1 : 20 ; 
 2 : 14 ; Heb. 9 : 12. To this redemption, God in his love, 
 both in the law and through the prophets, gave beautiful 
 promises and types, that believers should be changed again 
 after the linage of God, with heavenly glory, in his eternal 
 kingdom." 
 
 On page 16 we find these remarks, "We see throughout 
 how that believers are justified through Christ, and not by 
 their own merits through the law. Here then consider the 
 
AND HEK ACCUSERS. 16Y 
 
 matter well ; our first . parents, Adam and Eve, were clothed 
 on their outward person, by God himself, with coats of skins ; 
 but the inner man was clothed loith life, holiness and 
 righteousness, by Jesus Christ, who is also truly God. And 
 when the Lord Almighty, the Almighty God will again appear 
 in his great day, then he will change (or clothe upon with his 
 own glory and heavenly joy) in all his, both the inward and 
 the outward man, in one body, into one." Phil. 3 : 21. 
 
 Again on page lY, we read, "Thus we see, in the 4th 
 chapter (Genesis), 26th verse, that Seth had a son whose name 
 was Enos and that, in that time, men began topreach*of the name 
 of the Lord. Of what Lord's name was preached is sufficiently 
 dent ; that is they preached of the great and mighty name of 
 the Almighty Lord of lords. By whom this preaching of the 
 name of the Lord was done is also evident, namely, through 
 the Spirit of God, as we may see, Gen. 6:3; where God 
 laments that men would no longer hear the reproofs of his 
 Spii-it. Through whom, however, did the Spirit of God 
 preach ? Through the children of God and such as had 
 found grace with God (Gen. 6 : 8), but what they preached 
 of the name of the Lord, Moses does not so clearly state, 
 though the word of God gives it plainly enough in other parts, 
 namely, that men should fear God, love him, be subject and 
 obedient to him, according to the word which, in the name of 
 the Lord, through the Spirit of God, and through the servants 
 of God, was spoken ; and if they did this, it should be loell 
 with them. See Leviticus 26 : 3 ; Deut. 28 : 1. But if men 
 would not be reproved, nor allow themselves to be governed 
 by the Word and Spirit of God, they should be punished. 
 Gen. 6:7; Lev. 26 : 14 ; Deut. 28 : 15. Thus we may also 
 believe, that God in his love, in the days of Seth, had preached 
 of the Lord and of His name, through His Spirit, that men 
 should be redeemed, by the Lord, from death, into which they, 
 
 * German translation. The English translation says, "Then 
 began men to call upon the name of the Lord." But our author here 
 writes in accordance with the idea conveyed in the German- 
 
168 THE MENNONITE CHUECH 
 
 with their father Adam, had fallen ; and that in the name of 
 the Lord, all they who believed it, should receive forgiveness 
 of sins, eternal life and the eternal kingdom. 
 
 On page 19, in speaking of the ark, he says, "And since 
 the window was in the upper part of the ark, we may believe 
 that in the upper part of the ark there was more light than in 
 the middle part, and in the middle part more than in ihe 
 lower part. Thus as the Holy Scriptures show, the light of 
 the Gospel of salvation, through Jesus Christ, so full of com- 
 fort, gave light to the first from the beginning, in the 
 preaching of ihe name of the Lord, through the Spirit of God, 
 and those who believed in it, obtained grace with God, as Noah 
 and others before him." 
 
 On page 20, he further says, concerning the typical repre- 
 sentations of the ark, " Thus it is the will of God that all 
 men should come to him, into the ark and church of his testa- 
 ment, that they may be preserved from the dreadful destruction 
 of this world, and as the ark had three floors, and on the three 
 floors the creatures were preserved, so God in the three periods 
 of the world, had the believers of His church, of His testa- 
 ment, of His blood, through which He redeemed them, and 
 these will He also preserve, in the ark of His church from the 
 terrible destruction of the wicked." 
 
 On page 21 we find also the following remarks. " Abra- 
 liam received the sign of circumcision as the seal of the right- 
 eousness of faith. Thus the outward circumcision was a sign 
 of the circumcision of the heart, by which Abraham was cir- 
 cumcised, by faith in obedience to God, which was accounted 
 to him for righteousness. Thus Abraham was first circumcised 
 i^iwardly, with the spiritual circumcision of the heart in the 
 putting away of sin, and for this purpose came Jesus, to 
 give us the true circumcision, which is the fulfillment of the 
 circumcision of Abraham." John 5:2.* * * " Abra- 
 ham, the father of the faithful had two circumcisions, the 
 circumcision of the heart by faith, and the circumcision of 
 the flesh in his body. The circumcision of the heart was 
 
ATStD HER ACCtJSERS. 169 
 
 made spiritually, through Christ." Again (page 22) he says, 
 '* With what, however, shall this circumcision be made ? With 
 the knife of stone of the Rock, Jesus Christ, through faith in 
 his name, through which the purification and the forgiveness 
 of sin is obtained. In this manner was the circumcision of 
 Abraham from the Lord.'' 
 
 We will leave this part of our subject here. We might 
 say much more. The evidences in support of our views, and 
 the doctrines we maintain, are abundant, and we have by no 
 means exhausted them. We might yet produce many pas- 
 sages from Scripture, to which our limits do not' allow even an 
 allusion, while Detrich Philip, Menno Simon and other writers, 
 give us abundant testimony, to which we have only made a 
 very slight reference. The whole subject has, however, we 
 believe, been presented in such a manner, that the impartial 
 reader will be able, very readily to discern between the right 
 and the wrong, and thus decide the question for himself. 
 
 22 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 FURTHER EXTRA.CTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF DANIEL MUSSER 
 
 WITH REMARKS — ACCOUNT OF THE VISIT OF BENJAMIN 
 
 AND AMOS HERR TO DANIEL MUSSER, &C. 
 
 In addition to the extracts given from the writings of 
 Daniel Mussor, in the preceding parts of this work, we will 
 here further present to the consideration of the reader the fol- 
 lowing, a portion of which however, has already been given 
 on pages 18 and 19. 
 
 On page 283 of his work, he says, " The carnal works 
 which I have spoken of as having learned by tradition, I have 
 from so many sources, and from such authority, that I cannot 
 help but believe it to be true. The whole church and the 
 world knew of their existence, and yet they were suffered to 
 exist fi-oin year to year, for sevei-al generations. The carnal 
 conduct which Kauffman, Landis and Herr speak of, was well 
 known to every one who chose to acquaint themselves with it ; 
 yet their ministers tolerated them as members and admitted 
 them to communion." 
 
 On page 284 he says, "The truth is, there was no evi- 
 dence of life here, amongst either teachers or lay-members. 
 In my youth I was considerably amongst them, and all I ever 
 heard was light, carnal conversation about the world and 
 worldly things." Further, on the same page, he says, " There 
 are yet people living (and of their own members too), who 
 know that drinking to excess, revelry, strife and envying were 
 very common amongst members of the church ; and that their 
 
AND HEB ACCUSEES. l7l 
 
 church generally (ministers amongst the rest), knew it and no 
 notice was taken of it." 
 
 Again on page 284 — 5, speaking of the Old Mennonite 
 Church, he says, " I freely bear testimony to the moral worth, 
 good citizenship, kindness, benevolence, and general worthi- 
 ness, of many of their members ; for whom I have a very 
 high esteem, and would on no account wantonly grieve or 
 wound their feelings. And why should they be grieved ? I 
 conscientiously believe it to be true^ and if I am in error, I 
 beg of them to convince me by the word of God, and I will 
 freely retract. But I believe it my duty to vindicate the 
 truth, and I beg of every one to divest themselves of all preju 
 dice and partiality, and consider the matter in the fear of the 
 Lord. / have made no assertion lightly, and without due 
 consideration, and am willing to bear the consequences. * * 
 * * * * I myself, know of different persons, who were com- 
 monly reported at the time as addicted to drunkenness, and 
 also seen them intoxicated. Yet they toere members till 
 their death/ and to my own certain knowledge, their habits 
 were well known to the preachers." 
 
 We have given these extracts here, in order to bring them 
 up fresh to the mind of the reader, so that he may be better 
 able to compare them with that which follows ; and to show 
 still more clearly, how little truth there is in these assertions 
 and accusations, and what evidence Daniel Musser had to 
 believe them as true, and upon what grounds he was willing 
 to bear the consequences of his assertions (and we hold all 
 equally responsible who heard the manuscript read and ap- 
 proved of it% we will give the reader an account of a visit 
 which Bishop Benjamin and Preacher Amos Herr made to 
 Daniel Musser and the interview they had with him. 
 
 Daniel Musser had sent word to the above mentioned . 
 brethren that he wished to see them. This was in the latter 
 part of December 1876, some time previous to his death. The 
 brethren went. When they came into the room where he was, 
 
172 THB MBNNONITB CHTJECH 
 
 he received them in a very friendly manner, and said, he had 
 been looking for them for some time. 
 
 After some formal conversation he said, that he had 
 heard, that they accused him of having published some things 
 in his book which were not true.* They replied, that they 
 supposed he thought they were true. 
 
 He then began to tell them some of the faults of the 
 ehurch. The brethren told him, they had not come to have a 
 controversy, but to pay him a friendly visit. He however 
 continued to bring charges against, and find fault with some of 
 the members of their church. They replied to him that their 
 church (that is, the Old Mennonite Church) always had short- 
 coming members, and that they had them yet, and that none 
 of us wei-e any better than we ought to be. He assented that 
 no one was. 
 
 Friend Musser then brought a charge of intemperance 
 against a man who had been living a neighbor to both of the 
 brethren, and whom they had known from their earliest recol- 
 lections. One of them having lived on the adjoining farm 
 for thirteen years and had continual intercourse with him, 
 exchanging work with him in harvest, and at other times, and 
 though, like all others at that time, he would take his drink, 
 neither of them had ever seen him intoxicated. Since then 
 they also made inquiries of a man who was raised by this 
 brother, whether he had ever seen him intoxicated. He said, 
 " Never. But he would take a drink sometimes." 
 
 * One of these ministers (Amos Herr), a short time before D. 
 Musser sent for the brethren, in a conversation with John Kohr, the 
 successor of D. Musser, in the offlce of bishop of the Reformed Men- 
 nonite Church, in speaking of D. Musser's boolt, said. There were 
 many things in that boolt that were not correct. Friend Kohr 
 replied, that D. Musser had said to him, that he was surprised that 
 Amos Herr and his brother did not know that what he wrote in his 
 book was truc.f Bro. Herr said. They knew it was not true. Hence 
 the reason that D. Musser sent for them. 
 
 f In a letter to the author, Friend Kohr gives this expression of 
 D. Musser's very different, and as though it had been made by 
 D. Musser after their interview, which is incorrect and so admitted 
 bv Friend Kohr. 
 
AND HEB ACCUSERS. 173 
 
 Then he brought another charge of the same kind against 
 another man, who, he said, was a member of our church and 
 had a great deal to say about him. The brethren told him 
 that this man had been expelled, from the church for a period 
 of at least twenty years jDrevious to his death (and probably 
 before Daniel Musser came to Lancaster County). Musser 
 replied that he thought the man had been a member up to 
 the time of his death, and would hardly be convinced that it 
 was not so, for he had been told by some one that the man did 
 go to communion. But the brethren knew that their asser- 
 tions were correct and that his expulsion from the church was 
 a positive fact. One of them had seen him in a condition 
 that was not becoming to a member, and made inquiries of 
 the bishop of the district about him ; and the bishop himself 
 told him that he was not a member and had been expelled 
 many years before. Other members also, living at this time, 
 know this to be a fact. 
 
 He then brought a third charge of intemperance against 
 another person, which was correct so far as the charge of 
 intemperance was concerned. But this person also had been 
 expelled from the church and stood so for many years. After- 
 wards he reformed and made application to be again received 
 into the church, but was suddenly stricken down by the hand 
 of death before his desire was accomplished. 
 
 He then brought another charge against one of our minis- 
 ters, who had been dead some years. This greatly surprised 
 the brethren. They had known him and had heard him preach 
 from their earliest recollections, and never had they seen or 
 heard anything to warrant the belief that he was intemperate. 
 He took his drink like all others in those days, but after the 
 most diligent inquiry, not one person could be found who knew 
 of him having been intoxicated. Both these brethren, as well 
 as Daniel Musser himself, after this visit, made every effort to 
 find evidence concenjing his intemperance, but neither Musser 
 nor they found the slightest proof that he had ever been 
 intoxicated. Some of those men of whom D. Musser made 
 
174 THE MEJfSrOiaTE CHUIICH 
 
 inquiries and for whom he had sent to obtain proof of the 
 charge, afterwards spoke to the Herr's about it ; said, they 
 were sui-prised to hear the charge, and told D. Musser so ; they 
 had never heard of it before. This was the same minister 
 whom Musser, in his book (page 240), charges with having 
 voted twice at the same election, but these brethren being well 
 acquainted %vith the character of the man, and having at hand 
 the strongest and most irreproachable testimojiy, stand ready 
 to prove that he never even attended an election during the 
 time that he was in the ministry. They challenged Musser's 
 friends to prove the assertion, but they were unable to bring 
 the slightest evidence of the truth of the charge. Some of 
 the oldest men of the neighborhood, some eighty and ninety 
 years old, do not know of him ever having been at the polls, 
 after he had been ordained to the ministry.* 
 
 Musser then brought a charge of intemperance against 
 another minister, who, upon one occasion became intoxicated. 
 The brethren told him, they knew nothing about this case. 
 Musser then said himself, that this minister was expelled and 
 never again received into the church. We also have other 
 evidence to corroborate the fact that this minister was promptly 
 expelled for his transgression, but as Musser himself admitted 
 it, we have no need of any further proof. 
 
 Musser also charged one of the members of our church 
 with having taken part at a political meeting. The brethren 
 told him, if he had done so, he had transgressed the rules of 
 Conference. This rule, that no member shall take part at 
 political meetings, is an established rule in all the Conferences 
 of the Old Mennonite Church throughout the United States, 
 as far as we know, and has been for a long time. 
 
 Friend Musser also related, how he had lived with his 
 uncle Twho was an Old Mennonite^ a long time, and had never 
 
 * Hon. John Stiohm, of Lancaster County, now in his eighty- 
 sixth year, says. He knew this minister iiersonally since 1805, and 
 never heard of him having been at the election, and was surprised 
 at the charge. He also never heard him charged with intemperance. 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 175 
 
 seen his uncle pray, except the silent prayer at the table ; from 
 which he concluded that our people were not a praying people. 
 The brethren told him that our members were taught to pray, 
 not pharisee-Iike, in public, but privately, and to exercise 
 themselves in secret prayer, both before retiring and upon 
 rising up. 
 
 Several other members were also charged with minor 
 transgressions, but these were the principal points tliat were 
 brought up in the conversation of the brethren with Daniel 
 Musser at this interview, though some other conversation of 
 minor inportance passed between them, which however it is 
 not necessary here to insert. 
 
 One of the brethren then said to D. Musser, " And with 
 these charges and accusations you condemn the whole Menuo- 
 nite Church, in the United States and Canada, and hold them 
 dead beyond repentance?" He replied, "Not individually, 
 but as a body." The brethren then told him, that they had 
 seen a number of the oldest ministers from the different locali- 
 ties in the United States and Canada, and made it a point to 
 ask. them, if ever they knew or heard of a time that the church 
 was as represented by his book. They all said, "Never," and 
 were surprised that any person should make such a charge. 
 To this D. Musser replied, that he " guessed they were." 
 
 The brethren then said to D. Musser, If they would pub- 
 lish to the world all that had taken place in the Reformed 
 Mennonite Church, since its organization, not of hear-say, but 
 what they could prove as facts, what a chapter it would make ! 
 To this he made no reply. 
 
 The brethren then told him they wished him all that they 
 wished themselves, and as they bid him "Farewell," they re- 
 marked, "The Old Year has almost passed away, and Oh, that 
 with it all evil surmisings and uncharitableness might pass away, 
 and as the New Year is ushered in, love, charity, peace and 
 newness of life might dwell in all our hearts." D. Musser 
 replied, " No man living, wishes it more than I do." One of 
 
176 THE MENNONITE CHITRCH 
 
 the deacons of the Reformed Mennonite Church was present 
 during the interview and heard all that was said. 
 
 The reader will observe that in the quotations given from 
 Musser's wi-itings, no names are mentioned in connection with 
 the charges made, neither does he mention any names any- 
 where in the book in connection with the accusations which 
 he brings against the church ; but at this interview with the 
 brethren, he mentioned the names of the persons to whom he 
 had reference, and from whose actions he drew his conclusions 
 as given in the book. Had the brethren not visited him and 
 learned from his own lips the names of the persons thus 
 referred to, it would no doubt have remained a mystery which 
 we should never have been able to clear up. But now, that 
 the names of the persons have been made known to the 
 brethren, we find that of the five charges of intemperance, 
 which he produced, three were persons who had once been 
 members, but were expelled, and never again received back, 
 while the other two were men of such unblamable character 
 that we most unhesitatingly challenge them to produce a 
 single shadow of evidence in proof of their accusations. 
 
 In reference to the minister against whom Musser brings 
 the charge of intemperance and of voting twice at the same 
 election, his mind was evidently disturbed a good deal, after 
 the brethren had visited him. The following week another of 
 
 our brethren (Bro. L j, visited Doctor Musser (as he was 
 
 familiarly called, being a physician by profession), and in a 
 
 friendly conversation he asked Bro. L whether he was 
 
 acquainted with this minister. " O yes, very well," said Bro. 
 
 L ; "he was often at my father's house." Dr. Musser 
 
 then asked the brother whether he had ever heard of him as 
 
 drinking too much. "Ey!" answered Bro. L (they were 
 
 conversing together in the Pennsylvania dialect), "Ich hab my 
 Lebe noch nicks so g'hoert. — Ich hab g'meent er is so een 
 feiner Mann g'west." " Why, I never in my life heard any 
 such thing. I always thought he was such a fine man." To 
 this Musser replied, " Ey, des is was die Herre aw g'saat hen ; 
 
AND HEK ACCUSERS, 177 
 
 des kommt mir f re nun voi\ Der Mann der rair's g'saat hot, 
 hot g'saat er het ihn oft so g'sehne." " Why, this is what the 
 Herr's said, too ; this seems strange to me. The man who told 
 me, said he had often seen him in this condition." * 
 
 How sad it seems that any one shoukl make such grave 
 charges against his fellow-man upon such uncertain and incor- 
 rect evidences, as we have seen that Friend Musser has done, 
 and that he should venture, upon these evidences, to make the 
 remarks, that he "conscientiously believes them to be true ;" 
 " that he cannot help to believe it to be true ;" that he knows 
 them to be true, and that he is " willing to bear the conse- 
 quences." We feel to pray, " Lord, lay not this sin to their 
 charge," and " Father, forgive them, for they know not what 
 they do." 
 
 Daniel Musser also made the expression to Bro. L , 
 
 " Und sel Buch — ich hab's net schreibe wolle ; aber die Brue- 
 der hen mir ka Ruh' g'lust t)i8 ich's g'schriebe hab." " And 
 that book — I did not want to write it, but the brethren would 
 not let me rest until I wrote it." 
 
 Friend John Kohr, to whom reference has already been 
 made, on a preceding page, in a letter to the author, written 
 in October 1877, severely criticises our remarks on the forego- 
 ing expression, as given in our article, published in the Herald 
 of Truth, September 1877, and denies it as altogether improba- 
 ble and untrue. We are free to acknowledge that our infor- 
 mation at that time, in the form of the expression, was not 
 altogether correct, and whenever we are made conscious of any 
 error that we have made, we are willing to correct it. We do 
 
 * In our account of this conversation between D. Musser and 
 
 Bro- L , as given in the Herald of Truth, the expressions which 
 
 passed between them were not given quite correctly. To avoid any 
 further mistakes or misconstruction, we give them here in the origi- 
 nal language in which they were spoken. We had also erroneously 
 said that this charge had been made against a bishop We should 
 have said, minister^ as given in these pages. Musser named this minis- 
 ter to the brethren Herr, and charged him with intemperance and 
 voting twice at the same election. He also named the minister to 
 
 Bro. L . 
 
 23 
 
178 THE MBNNONITE CHURCH 
 
 not wish to do any one the remotest injustice, or to make the 
 slightest misrepresentation ; but after all, the substance of the 
 expression as presented in tbat article, was substantially the 
 same as that given here. The expression that he was told, that 
 he had better never written tliat book, was, as it seems, incor- 
 rect, and it now appears, that without any reproof or prompt- 
 ing by the brother who visited him, he voluntarily and of his 
 own accord, said, that he did not want to write the book, 
 which makes it all the more forcible and gives us only a 
 clearer evidence of the feelings of his mind. 
 
 Friend Kohr also claims that Daniel Musser was not per- 
 suaded to write the book, but that it was his own free and 
 voluntary work, and says in his letter, " That if any man will 
 read his (Musser's) book, he will clearly see that 1). Musser 
 has written his own sentiments and not the sentiments of 
 others." That he did not write his own sentiments, we never 
 questioned or asserted, but we cannot help remarking here, 
 that while Friend Kohr claims that D. Musser here wrote his 
 own sentiments, and not the sentiments of others, he also 
 positively asserts that he having read D. Musser's manuscript, 
 before it was printed, " approved of it " and does so yet ; and 
 says, that as far as he knows, every one (that means we sup- 
 pose every one in his church), "looks upon it as containing 
 sound gospel doctrine, and believes it to be a very useful 
 book." He also makes the assertion that any member of his 
 church, who would reject the doctrines contained in the book, 
 would be rejecting sound gospel doctrine and that would 
 expel him from the church. Here it would seem after all as 
 though Friend Kohi- was trying to make it appear that the sen- 
 timents, written by Daniel Musser, were the sentiments of the 
 church, and that the church would restrict all her membership 
 to the doctrines contained in the book, and this, we have no 
 doubt is the case. Consequently, had even Daniel Musser, as 
 a member of the church, though a prominent man and a 
 bishop, entertained and written a different doctrine, he, accord^ 
 ing to the sentiments of Friend Kohr, would have subjected 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. lT9 
 
 himself to expulsion and the ban. With this view of the 
 subject, who, after all, can positively say that Daniel Musser 
 did write his own sentiments and not the sentiments of others? 
 Besides we have positive evidence that the manuscripts of D. 
 Musser's book were read before the church, before being 
 printed, which confirm our views as given above, and thus, 
 after all, whatever his own sentiments may have been, he could 
 only write what the church would approve. And in this very 
 thing we hold that the Reformed Church exercises an un- 
 scri])tural sovereignty or dominion over her membership 
 which the apostle condemns (l Pet. 5 : 3), where he admon- 
 ishes the Elders not to be "lords over God's heritage, but 
 ensamples to the flock." The gospel rule is love, not 
 human authority, or compulsion. The service of the Lord is 
 a voluntary service and not a servile bondage, and if the 
 Reformed Muiinonite Church is able to hold her entire mem- 
 bership under the belief that all that is written in Daniel 
 Musser's book is true, and sound gospel doctrine, whether she 
 does it by gaining the voluntary assent of her people through 
 her teachings, or by fear of church censure and the ban, she 
 shows herself in a far more deplorable and a far less hopeful 
 condition than we have imagined. 
 
 When we further take into consideration the fact that 
 Daniel Musser made such diligent inquiry concerning the 
 character of some of the men to whom he had reference in 
 
 the statements made in his book, not only of Bro. L , but 
 
 also of others, which fact John Kohr, in the letter referred to 
 above, himself admits, it appears very evident that his mind 
 was more or less exercised in reference to the matter, and that 
 after all, he wished to have some more substantial evidence to 
 satisfy himself, and when he found none, it is only reasonable 
 to suppose, if he was sincere and conscientious, that it would 
 cause him still more disquietude of mind, and when we take 
 
 the positive evidence of Bro. L , to the fact that he did 
 
 voluntarily say, he did not want to write the book but was 
 purstiaded to the undertaking by his brethren, it shows itself 
 
180 tSE MENNONITB CHUBCH 
 
 only the more incontrovertibly that his mind was not fully at 
 ease about the matter. 
 
 If there should be any doubt concerning the testimony of 
 
 Bro. L , or if in any way his testimony shonld be disputed 
 
 or looked upon as improbable (which indeed is the case, as we 
 have above seen from Friend Kohr's letter), then we would 
 simply refer the reader to D. Musser's own words, as given in 
 the 2)reface of his book, where lie no doxibt (if the work, 
 according to the claims of Kohr, is the free and voluntary 
 production of his own mind), writes the true sentiments of his 
 heart, and says almost identically, if not in words, yet in sub- 
 stance, the same thing. Here ai-e his words : " The idea of 
 such an undertaking never occurred to me, until it was sug- 
 gested to me by others, to whose solicitations I was induced 
 to accede." " This desire seemed so reasonable, and I may 
 say, commendable, that I felt myself constrained to endeavor 
 to gratify it to the extent of my ability." 
 
 Here he confesses that the idea of writing the book never 
 entered his mind until it was suggested to him by others, and 
 then it was only upon their solicitations, their desire, that he 
 was induced to accede to their wishes. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 SELF-EXALTATION — EXTEACTS PROM BISHOP CHRISTIAN HERr's 
 (pEQUEA) letter to JOHN HERR, &C. 
 
 ''For whosoever cxalteth himself, shall be abased, and he that 
 hurableth himself shall be exalted." Luke 14 : 11. 
 
 "Be not high-minded, but fear." Rom. 11 : 20. 
 
 "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 
 1 Cor. 10: 12. 
 
 "For I say unto you, to every man that is among you, not to 
 think of himself more highly than he ought to think ; but to think 
 soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of 
 faith." Rom. 12 : 3. 
 
 Of the various forms in which pride manifests itself, that 
 of self-exaltation, that through which a man lifts himself up 
 in his own opinion, through which he is led to esteem himself 
 better than others, and to assume for himself a position, 
 powers, virtues, gifts, favors and prerogatives above his fellows, 
 and to boast of them while he despises others — is one of the 
 worst in its manifestations and the most difficult to eradicate. 
 This spirit manifested itself very pointedlly in the con- 
 duct of the Jewish leaders, the Scribes and Pharisees. They 
 esteemed themselves righteous above others ; they were full of 
 pride and self-conceit ; they boasted that they were Abraham's 
 seed, children of the promise, heirs of the kingdom and never 
 in bondage to any man ; they thought themselves a great deal 
 better than the publicans, the Samaritans or others who were 
 not of their nation, caste, or sect, and they could have no deal- 
 ings and no intercourse with them, as is shown very plainly from 
 
182 THE MENNONITE CHURCS 
 
 the prayer of the Pharisee in the Temple, Luke 18 : 10-14 ; in the 
 accusation brought against the Savior, that he was the "friend 
 of publicans and sinners," Matt. 11: 19; in the charge that 
 he received sinners and sat down with them to meat, Luke 
 19 : 1 ; 15 : 2 ; Matt. 9 : 10 ; Mark 2 : 15, and in his conversa- 
 tion with the woman of Samaria, Jn. 4 : 9. They tliemselves 
 could have no dealings with these classes, and if any one 
 sliould go so far as to have intercourse, or associate with them, 
 lie was condemned as one unfit for their society and excluded 
 from their communion. 
 
 Jesus however reproves this spirit of self-righteousness 
 and self-exaltation in the severest terms, and regardless of 
 tlieir traditions, he did eat with publicans and sinners at com- 
 mon meals, but observed the Passover with his disciples only. 
 He knew the law and observed it. Please read the twelfth 
 chapter of Deuteronomy. He declai-es that the publican, 
 who appeared so mean and unworthy in the eyes of the proud 
 Pharisee, in the temple, "went down to his house justified 
 rather than the othei-," and many others whom the Scribes 
 and Pharisees despised and looked upon as unworthy, received 
 the highest favors and the most comforting approbation of 
 our Savior's love toward a fallen and sinful race, because 
 they humbled themselves before him, believed in his name, 
 accei)led the teachings of his word, and became his faithful 
 followers. 
 
 These self-righteous Scribes and Pharisees, however, gave 
 way more and more to their prejudices, the fi'uit of self con- 
 ceit and self-righteousness; and these prejudices developing 
 themselves in hatred, their hatred soon manifested itself in 
 acts of open violence, and they soixght to lay hands on Jesus, 
 to stone him, and finally, when his hour was come, they took 
 him, condemned him and crucified him, and herein we see the 
 great danger to which, those who give way to this spirit of 
 self-exaltation, self-righteousness, and condemning others, ex- 
 pose themselves. 
 
 In the earlier ages of Christianity, this spirit of pride and 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 183 
 
 self-exaltation developed itself in a different form from that of 
 the present day. When men fell into the delusion that they 
 alone were right, and all others were wrong, that all who did 
 not agree with them, were the enemies of God and conse- 
 quently their enemies, they permitted their prejudices to over- 
 rule their reason and resorted to acts of violence, and sought 
 not only to set tliemselves above others in their self-conceit 
 and self-righteousness, but also pursued, and with prison and 
 torture, with fire and sword and other means, persecuted and 
 put to death those who, in accordance with the teachings of the 
 Savio|^ sought to worship God in " spirit and in truth," though 
 it was in the way, which according to the words of Paul, 
 '■'•they called heresy."' 
 
 This spirit manifested itself continually, all along down 
 through the history of the church and raged with fearful vio- 
 lence for many centuries, during which the faithful followers 
 of Jesus were compelled to suffer the most indescribable hor- 
 rors, trials and bodily afflictions, and thousands upon tliousands 
 were cruelly slain, and suffered the most agonizing deaths, 
 because they would not deny their faith in Christ, nor fall 
 down to worship the idols which their self-righteous and delu- 
 ded persecutors liad set up, and thus was literally fulfilled what 
 the Savior declared to His disciples, when he said, Jn. 16 : 
 2-3, "The time cometh that whosoever killeth you will tliink 
 that he doeth God service, and these things they will do unto 
 you, because they have not known the Father nor me." 
 
 In more modern times, however, as we have before stated, 
 this spirit has assumed a different form of development, espe- 
 cially in our own country, and among those with whom we, at 
 this time have more directly to do. Though we still occasion- 
 ally hear from other portions of the world, that there are 
 localities, where the gospel cannot be preached in its purity 
 without restraint, and where men for the sake of religion, are 
 yet at this day, compelled to suffer imprisonment, banishment 
 and other forms of persecution. 
 
 The most pron^inent form, however, in which thig spirit of 
 
184 THE MENNONITK CHURCU 
 
 self-righteousnesa and self-exaltation develops itself, is, in 
 orii^inaliiig and multiplying sects, each claiming that they are 
 the onjy true church of God, that all others are in error, and 
 that they alone are right, and this has been the source of a 
 great deal of wrong. Thereby divisions have been caused, 
 controversy has been awakened, bitter feelings, variance, strife, 
 envy, hatred, false accusations, misrepresentations of character 
 and doctrine, evil surmising and malignings, unjust condem- 
 nations and judgments have been passed, in direct opposition 
 to the teachings of Christ, for He commands His followers 
 that they should not judge, that they may not be judged, 
 neither condemn, that they may not be condemned. Matt. 7 : 
 1; Luke G : 37. He also declares that, "Whoso shall offend 
 one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for 
 him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he 
 were drowned in the depths of the sea." Matt. 18 : 6-7. 
 
 Of this oi'iginatjng and multiplying of sects and the 
 development of this spirit of self-righteousness and self-exal- 
 tation, we have, in our day, a number of striking examples, 
 one of the most prominent of which, it appears to us, is the 
 Reformed Mennonite Church, which foi-ms the principal sub- 
 ject of this work, and with whose history, characteristics and 
 claims, the reader has, already, to a large extent become 
 acquainted. How this spirit of self-exaltation, has especially 
 manifested itself among this sect, and in what light the minis- 
 ters of that day considered it, is further illustrated by the 
 following extracts from the letter written by Bish. Christian 
 Herr (Pequea), to John Herr, to which reference has already 
 been made in a former part of this work. 
 
 EXTRACT FKOM CHRISTIAISr HERr's LETTER TO JOHN HERR. 
 
 "With these two passages last quoted from the fifth chap 
 ter of your book you go on as though you had prov(ul that the 
 Mennonite Church was given to all these terrible sins and 
 abominations, as shown in the passages previously referred to, 
 and as though they suffered all these things without reproof, 
 
And tiER AccttsERs. l65 
 
 and thus, as already said, it is very evident that you do not 
 abide in the truth. You wish, however, to appeal to their 
 works, and thus set up yourself as a judge over the Menuo- 
 nite Church, and thus, as it were, prescribe for the administra- 
 tors of civil law, how they shall hold this disgraceful fornica- 
 tress (to which you compare her). Alas to what may not this 
 fiery zeal and hurtful party-spirit lead a poor worm of the 
 earth." 
 
 " On page 242, you call the ministers of the Old Menno- 
 nite Church ' Deceivers,' because they endeavor with subtlety to 
 corrupt the Scriptures, for the purpose of defending their 
 carnal church. On page 241, you say, 'Thus also here, when 
 truly faithful and God-seeking souls are in this, or any other 
 impure church,' &c,, and on pages 194 and 195 you say, 'O 
 God, is it not a mournful error that we find so few in our time 
 who are not guilty of spiritual fornication, for where among 
 all parties and sects do we find a church that is not taught of 
 the woman Jezebel to commit fornication and eat things offered 
 to idols ? Where do we find those who do not worship the 
 image of anti-Christ ? Where do we find the true, faithful 
 shepherds who go in at the door ? Where are those to whom 
 the porter, or the Holy Spirit hath opened, that they may call 
 the sheep and lead them from all strange worship and sinful 
 idolatry, that the sheep know his voice' alone and follow him, 
 and that they will not follow the false spirits, but flee from 
 them, because tliey know not the voice of strangers ? ' Then 
 you go on and say, ' I for my part, could not find any such 
 who were free from spiritual fornication, for the injurious 
 spirit of freedom (non-restraint in matters of religion), has 
 taken hold of all of them, so that they can all teach one with 
 another out of dissembling hearts, and go on together in their 
 hypocrisy, that they may be able to cast aside the cross of 
 Christ and maintain the honor of men, and thus they have all 
 drunken from the enchanting cup of the Babylonian wliore."' 
 
 "Now, please compare for yourself the last four quoted 
 passages from your book, with the words of the apostle Peter, 
 24 
 
186 THE MENNONITE CHUECH 
 
 Acts 10: 15, 'And the voice spake unto him again the second 
 time, what God has cleansed that call not thou common,' and 
 this was done three times. He also says further, 'God has 
 showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean,' 
 (Acts 10 : 28), but you do not fear, not only to call one man 
 unclean, but all the churches who do not agree with you, you 
 not only call unclean, but under all parties, you say, ' Where 
 do we find one church that is not taught of the woman Jezebel 
 to commit, fornication and eat things oflFered to idols.' O my 
 friend, I fear it may yet be hard for you to kick against the 
 pricks, for Jesus says (Matt, 18), 'See that ye despise not one 
 of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven their 
 angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in 
 heaven.' The prophet Elias also thought that among the 
 prophets he alone was left, but what saith the answer of God 
 unto him, 'I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who 
 have not bowed the knee to Baal.' Rom. 11:4. Now if the 
 great Prophet Elias, could thus be mistaken in his view, you 
 also should, at least think, that you too might err in your zeal ; 
 and as the Lord in the idolatrous time, knew how to preserve 
 seven thousand men in Israel, so in our time, the Lord, no 
 doubt, will know to preserve thousands of little ones, without 
 your knowledge, whose angels always behold the face of their 
 Heavenly Father, though you place them under Babel, because 
 they are not willing to leave their church and join your sect." 
 "You write further, 'I am willing to appear before you 
 and your entire church, and to place the doctrines which I have 
 taught to the present time, into the balance of the word of 
 God, &c.' This sounds boldly, but singular. Who ever asked 
 you to do this? as any one who reads your book may readily 
 examine your teachings and doctrines. You are willing to 
 appear before me and my entire church ; how strange ! Where 
 have I in my life time ever attempted to build up a church, 
 separate from all others, and to place, or permit myself to be 
 placed before her as her leader? The Mennonite Church, 
 which in great poverty and weakness, by the help of God, I 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 187 
 
 seek to serve, had an existence, long before you and I, poor 
 worms of the dust, were born, and her doctrines and confess- 
 ion of faitli, accordinLC to the Martyr's Mirror, had its origin, 
 in the time of the aposth's and in their teachings, and there 
 were also, according to tlie testimony of said book of martyrs, 
 from century to century, those who sought to govern their 
 lives and conduct in accordance therewith, though it may have 
 been in weakness. There were also those who, from century 
 to century, sealed with their blood, the doctrines and teachings 
 above referred to, although these followers of Christ, who 
 held to the doctrine of baptism on faith, did not all administer 
 the outward rite of baptism alike, and were not altogether 
 alike in some of their other outward requirements, they were, 
 notwithstanding united and the same in the chief articles, as 
 in true repentance to God, faith in Jesus Christ, and in truly 
 following in his footsteps, and this same fact both Menno 
 Simon and Detrich Philip also found in their time, and united 
 with them, and by the grace and help of God, became instru- 
 ments of great good to the up-building and progress of the 
 Church of Christ, and have left us their writings, so full of 
 instruction ; and every impartial person, who, by reading their 
 works, or the writings of others, has become conversant with 
 the times and the government under which these godly men 
 lived, will no doubt be led to believe that they had great reason 
 to shun the ruling churches in their day, and also to write 
 against them as they did, inasmuch as the Pope and the ruling 
 churches were the chief instigators, through whom the gov- 
 ernment was incited, with fire, water, sword and gibbet, to 
 destroy the lives of the true followers of Christ, by multi- 
 tudes. 
 
 "And since the doctrine and confession of faith above 
 referred to, has been maintained during so many centuries and 
 through so many changes of time until the present, and since 
 also those have remained, who, though in weakness, have 
 sought to order their lives and walk in accordance therewith, 
 therefore I also believe with Petrich Philip as he writes in his 
 
188 THE MKNNONITK CHUUCH 
 
 Spiritual Restitution, 'Thus also will this other spiritual temple 
 and holy city of Jerusalem, remain until the coming and rev- 
 elation of our Lord Jesus Chi-ist.' That there are, however, 
 weak, sickly, and slumbering members in the Mennonite Church, 
 even as there were in the Corinthian Church, while it was yet 
 under the care of Paul, no Mennonite of experience will deny, 
 and if you did not also have such in your church, we would 
 have to conclude that you with your church, were in advance, 
 even of the apostle Paul with the Corinthian Church. 
 
 "In the preface of your first book, you say, 'Fifthly, I 
 have shown, briefly, why we have separated ourselves from the 
 Mennonite Church, and why we will not liear them, but on the 
 other hand we say openly that we did not leave the true Men- 
 nonite Church* which stood so gloriously several hundred 
 years ago,' &c. This shows plainly, where you place yourself, 
 viz : into the footsteps of the glorious church of the time of 
 the Martyrs. But alas ! alas ! I will leave each one to examine 
 and prove for himself, how the fine houses ornamented after 
 the fashions of the world, which, according to the reports, are 
 found among you, compare with the Mennonite Church several 
 hundred years ago; yes, I will say, fifty years ago; and do you 
 not yourself see, how that the spirit of gain and worldly wealth 
 is among your people as among all others ? and whence come 
 the dangerous slanders, despisings and condemnations against 
 those who do not agree with you, of which we have had to 
 hear so much from some of your members, whom you have 
 baptized as regenerated persons? But whether a person who 
 has learned of Jesus, true meekness and sincere humility, can 
 thus deal with his fellow man, I will leave every experienced 
 Christian himself judge by the gospel. 
 
 "That there is but one church of G.od on earth, is correct, 
 as I have already said, but whether your addition to this, which 
 shows itself throughout your entire book, and which the last 
 part of your discourse at Bauman's funeral also plainly showed, 
 
 *It will be remembered that John Herr never wiis a member of 
 the Old Mennonite Church- 
 
AND HEK ACCUSERS. 189 
 
 namely, that your church is the only visible remnant of the 
 church of God yet remaining on earth, is correct or not, you 
 will, no doubt, in the course of time learn, as you write on 
 pages 235 and 236, 'Secondly, I believe that all faithful souls 
 which truly hunger and thirst after righteousness, will, with 
 the prodigal son, leave the communion of the carnal and im- 
 pure men and turn to the Father, and by him permit themselves 
 to be led to a church where they may obtain the true meat for 
 their souls, and where they may rejoice with the household of 
 the Father, namely, with the believing servants of God, who 
 will bring forth the pure and best garment of righteousness 
 and of the merits of Christ, and clothe them therewith, and 
 the ring of the pure love of Christ they will put on his hand, 
 and the pure gospel of Christ they will also bring and put on 
 his feet, in which he will then walk and keep his command- 
 ments?' This passage I will also leave to every awakened and 
 experienced Christian to examine for himself, — whether a poor, 
 dying preacher can clothe the sinner that is hungering after 
 grace, with the merits and righteousness, and give him the 
 pure love of Christ, and reveal to him the power of the Gos- 
 pel, so that he may walk therein, or whether Jesus, the blessed 
 Savior, has resei'ved this power unto himself, so that he may 
 give the penitent sinner rightly to know, how that he alone is 
 his Savior. It is, however, the duty of every minister to do as 
 did John, the preacher of repentance, namely, to point such 
 souls to Christ. 
 
 "On pages 265, 266 and 267, you especially seek to con- 
 vince your readers that your church alone is the right one, as 
 already referred to, and with other things you say, 'Yea, only 
 one church that has power to bind and to loose, and that which 
 this church cannot loose by the word of God, or which for the 
 sake of the teachings of Christ she cannot accept, must remain 
 without, or the word of Christ, which is more enduring than 
 heaven and earth, must be without virtue,' 
 
 "On pages 35, 87 and 90 you use the vvord 'Threefold, 
 
190 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 (DreifaltigkeitX Of these words* we find nothing in the 
 Scriptures, and the martyrs also rejected them. See Martyr's 
 Mirror, Ger. edition, page 322, and other places. They have 
 their origin, not in the Apostolic Church, but in the Papistical 
 Church of Rome, and if you will examine this church further, 
 you will find that strict Papists are not any more willing to 
 hear your doctrine, than you are to hear them. You will also 
 find that their firm belief is, that thoy are the only true church 
 on earth, and that she alone has the keys to the kingdom of 
 heaven, and hence, that she alone has the power to bind and 
 to loose, and all who do not submit to their church, must 
 remain without, and what has come out of this doctrine ? Did 
 they not by divine permission, in the course of time, come so 
 far, that they declared, all who openly opposed their errors 
 deceivers of the people and heretics, and they were put under 
 their ban, after which usually followed, banishment or the 
 Martyr's death. 
 
 "Then go and ask the Mormons and they will also tell you 
 that their church is the last and only true one, and whosoever 
 does not come into their church, will be lost, and, according to 
 the accounts, we already see whither these doctrines lead, as 
 we hear that they are training their men to the use of the death- 
 dealing implements of war, and forming a military defense, 
 and if God should permit them, as He has the Papistical 
 Church, they will no doubt in accordance with this doctrine 
 seek to exterminate their opposers as they (the Papists) have 
 done, and probably think, in their folly, that they are doing 
 God a<!ceptable service. But now that I have referred to these 
 two churches, do not misinterpret my meaning, as though I 
 would compare you and your church with them. No, my 
 friend, I still hope better things of you and your church. I 
 have only referred to the doctrines of these churche«!. to call 
 your attention and the attention of others to the danger there 
 is in it, when a company of men form themselves into a church, 
 
 *As applied to God. — Author, 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 191 
 
 and determine that they alone are the right church, and that 
 they alone possess the right doctrine, and the power to bind 
 and to loose, and if you, too, had not settled upon this point, 
 namely, that your doctrines and your church were the only 
 right ones, and all others false, it would not have been possi 
 ble for you, so heartlessly to condemn all other denominations, 
 [and especially] those who still maintain and acknowledge a 
 true gospel doctrine and confession, and in their weakness 
 seek to live in accordance therewith, and which thousands 
 have sealed with their blood, and to set them down as worship- 
 ers of idols and branches of the spiritual, Sodomitic vine, 
 which have drank of the wine of the Babylonian whoredom ; 
 and if your followers had not also accepted your doctrines, 
 how would it have been possible for them to call such cimrches 
 as above referred to, blind and dead, and to proclaim her min- 
 isters deceivers^ &c. 
 
 "The Scribes and Pharisees also believed the Jewish 
 Church alone was acceptable to God, and some of them went 
 so far as to say, 'That the people who knew nothing of the 
 law were accursed.' They also thought that Christ the Re- 
 deemer of the world, was promised only to the Church of 
 the Jews, and that the Gentiles had no part in Him ; but how 
 greatly were they mistaken in their views, not only in reference 
 to the re-establishment of the secular kingdom of Judaism, 
 but also in reference to his spiritual kingdom, for the Gentiles 
 received a part in the Kingdom of Christ, as well as the Jews, 
 and by far a greater number of Gentiles accepted the saving 
 faith in Christ, than Jews," 
 
 "Therefore my friend, it is a dangerous thing for a person 
 to seat himself as it were, into the Father's bosom, and endeav- 
 or to cast others out. Paul says not in vain, 'Let him that 
 thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall,' Christ also says, 
 (Luke 14), 'When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, 
 sit not down in the highest room, lest a more honorable man 
 than thou be bidden of him ; and he that bade thee and him, 
 come and say, 'Give place to this man, and thou begin with 
 
192 THti mennoMte cHuiicH 
 
 Rhanie to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, 
 go, and sit down in the lowest room, that when he that bade 
 thee Cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher; 
 then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit 
 at meat with thee ; for whosoever exalteth himself shall be 
 abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.' 
 
 " You may, however, say, that in your book, you did not 
 assert that your church was the only right one, as I have several 
 times referred to. But if by the church which you claim to 
 be the right one, you do not have reference to your own, where 
 shall your readers find the true church ? as you place all others 
 under Babel. 
 
 " Herewith you have my answer and if it will serve to 
 bring you and others to reflect and prove a benefit, I shall be 
 rewarded for my labor. If, however, you reject it and seek 
 to place me where you put the ministers of the Mennonite 
 Church, in the fifth chapter of your book, namely, as unfaitli- 
 ful, deceivers and murderers, my prayer to a merciful God 
 shall still be, that on ray account he may not lay anything to 
 your charge, for I wish you and all your fellow members eter- 
 nal salvation as well as to others." 
 
 The foregoing letter was never replied to. 
 
 Thus we see how John Herr claimed to be a Mennonite of 
 the purest water, a Mennonite as they were two centuries ago, 
 in the days of the Martyrs, when the Church was yet, as he 
 claims, in her glory, though he never united with the acknowl- 
 edged Mennonite Church, but commenced his church as a 
 separate organization, and endeavors to show that the line of 
 succession, or the lineage of the church, her piety, her purity, 
 and her glory, which she once possessed, had departed from 
 tlie Old Organization and passed upon him^and his church, and 
 Musser freely acknowledges, that in order to justify themselves, 
 in forming a new organization, they must be able to prove the 
 Old Church corrupt and dead, and says, page 275, "The ques- 
 tion of whether John Herr and his associates were justifiable 
 in organizing the Refox-med Mennonite Church, rests entirely 
 
AND HfiR ACCUSfiES. 19^ 
 
 upon that of whether tlie Old Mennonite Church was, at the 
 time, a dead or a living body. If she was a true, living 
 church of God, under the influencte of the Holy Spirit and led 
 by him, then the others were not justifiable in the course they 
 took, and it could not have been the Holy Spirit which led 
 them to it, but mucli more an anti-Christian Spirit." On page 
 277 he further says, "If the Mennonite Church, at the com- 
 mencement of the present century, was the Church of Christ, 
 the same as they admit it was in the 16th century, John Herr 
 and his associates, by their own profession, did wrong and 
 were in no wise justifiable in organizing another. The Holy 
 Spirit could not have led them to it, and consequently it 
 could not have been of God, and must have been to him 
 an anti-Christian and an idolatrous work, and an abomination 
 in his sight.' 
 
 From the foregoing the reader will see the reason why it 
 is necessary for them to make so great an effort to prove the 
 Old Church dead, namely, to justify themselves in organizing 
 a new church. They are well aware that if they cannot do 
 this, they, according to their own words, condemn themselves, 
 and so rather than bring a fault upon themselves, or acknowl- 
 edge their errors, as every sincere Christian ought to do, they 
 use every means at their command to prove the Old Church 
 dead, even at the expense of the truth.* But as we have 
 shown that their accusations are false and that they haye 
 failed to prove the Old Church dead, it must follow that their 
 course was unjustifiable, and that they had no Scriptural right 
 to form a new church, and hence, according to their own 
 assertions and their own mode of reasoning^ the kind 
 reader may judge for himself whether they can be the true, or 
 the only true church of God, as they claim they are. 
 
 The true criterion whereby a tree is known, is the fruit 
 it bears ; so men and churches are known by their deeds, and 
 as we are commanded by Christ not to judge, and Paul tells 
 
 *See also extract on page 19 and remarks on page 20 of this 
 book. 
 
 25 
 
194 TfiK MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 US, to speak evil of no man, we will let the facts which we 
 have presented, speak for themselves, and with all charity (for 
 without charity we are as sounding brass and a tinkling 
 cymbal), after the false accusations they have heaped upon us, 
 we feel to pray for them, and sincerely wish them the mercy of 
 God and the merits of Christ, as the hope of their salvation, 
 without which all is in vain. 
 
 REMARKS AND INCIDENTS. 
 
 In confirmation of the fact that the fathers and prophets 
 who lived under the Old Dispensation, previous to the coming 
 of Christ, did possess the Holy Ghost, we have a very plain 
 and decided testimony in the words of Paul (Acts 28 : 25), 
 where he says, "Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the 
 prophet unto our fathers," &c. And another given by Jesus 
 himself, where He says, Mark 12 : 36, "For David himself 
 said hy the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou 
 on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool," 
 The foregoing testimonies are not the opinions of men, but 
 the words of inspiration, and the latter being given by Jesus 
 himself, establishes the fact so firmly as to leave no further 
 room for controversy. 
 
 An Incident. — In conversation with one of our old min- 
 isters. Brother B , we made special inquiries, whether he 
 
 remembered or had seen in the church anything that corres- 
 ponded with the charges made by John Ilerr and Daniel Mus- 
 ser. He answered in the negative, and said that he particu- 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 195 
 
 larly remembered an instance, where a company of young 
 people, with some older ones, had conducted themselves in an 
 unbecoming manner, on a Sunday afternoon, and that those 
 who were members of the church, were all required to account 
 to the church for it. This incident transpired twenty years 
 later than tlie time designated by Musser, but under the im- 
 mediate supervision of the old ministers, who had lived already 
 in the time of which Musser speaks, or if they were not then 
 in the ministry, they at least received their instructions and 
 commissions from the men who had lived during that time, and 
 whose example and instructions they no doubt followed. This 
 incident shows how watchful they were, not only that they 
 themselves, but also that their members should avoid even 
 every appearance of evil. 
 
 Abraham Godshalk, from whose writings, published in 
 1838, we made some extracts in a formei- part of this work, 
 was born in Bucks county. Pa., in 1791, ordained to the min- 
 istry when about thirty years of age, which would have been 
 about the year 1821. His work was written both in the Eng- 
 lish and German languages, in his latter days, probably in the 
 same year in which it was published. The subject, however, 
 had been dwelling on his mind for some years previously. 
 The above facts I had intended to insert in their proper place, 
 with my remarks on this subject, in the body of the work, but 
 did not receive them until after that part of the work had been 
 printed. Hence I give them a place here. 
 
 Another Incident. — The following incident is a valua- 
 ble addition to the testimonies of the piety and devotion to 
 the cause of religion, of the old ministers, already given. 
 How great a contrast there is between the representations of 
 our accusers and the character here shown forth ! 
 
 A minister was conversing with an old brother in regard 
 to the death of Bishop Jacob Brubacher, who died on the 16th 
 of March, 1879. The brother said, he knew both his father 
 and his grand-father (both were Bishops), and related an inci- 
 
196 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 dent which took place in the days of the grandfather, in a 
 village near Lancaster, now called Rohrerstown. The grand- 
 father of the late Jacob Brubacher, (whose name was also 
 Jacob, and is the same one mentioned in the preceding parts of 
 this bookl, was passing through the village and saw some boys 
 (not members of the church) playing ball. The old Bishop 
 rode up to them and said in kind words, " O boys, this is wrong 
 to play ball on Sunday ; this you ought not to do." They 
 quit playing, but the next Sunday one of the party wished to 
 play again. One of the others, however, said, "No: I was 
 ashamed last Sunday. You may play if you want to, but I 
 made a promise to myself that I would not again play ball on 
 Sunday, and I intend to keep it." 
 
 A GOOD LESSON for thosc who think they alone hold the 
 keys to the kingdom of heaven is given us in the reproofs of 
 the Savior to His disciples when they manifested a similar 
 spirit. When they saw one casting out devils in the name of 
 Jesus, they forbade him, because he followed not with them- 
 But the Savior said, "Forbid him not, for he that is not against 
 us, is for us." 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 OTHER MODERN REFORMERS AND THEIR CLAIMS. 
 
 Some thirty years after John Herr had risen up as a 
 Reformer of the Mennonite Church, and so un8(«'upulously 
 brought his unjust charges and accusations against her, Jacob 
 Stauflfer, to whom I have referred in a previous chapter, who 
 was a minister of the Old Mennonite Church, was, on account 
 of some difficulty, expelled from her communion, and then 
 began to build up an organization of his own (though with 
 very limited success), which he, like Herr, Musser and others, 
 claimed to be the true church of God, and like them also brings 
 many serious charges and accusations against the Old Church, 
 and maintains that she had departed from the true faith and 
 was a corrupted church. 
 
 In his writings, however, he endeavors to show, that dur- 
 ing the very time, in which Herr and Musser would have the 
 church so corrupt, her glory had not yet all departed, and that 
 while he remained in the church, she still possessed a reasona- 
 ble degree of life and spiritual power. He says that at the 
 close of the last and the beginning of the present centuries, 
 the church was not so dead and corrupt as Herr and Musser 
 try to make it appear, but that the decay of the church com- 
 menced about 1800 and progressed gradually until 1840 ; that 
 from 1800 to 1830 "Satan sought to bring this beautiful, fruit- 
 ful church into decay, but according to his testimony he did 
 not succeed, for he further says, ' There were in these years, 
 yet many such true witnesses in the church who sought to 
 avoid all appearauce of evil (1 Thess. 5 : 22), and with a cor- 
 
198 THE MENNONITE CHURCH 
 
 dial desire, by prayer, supplication and solicitation to God, and 
 by His aid, sought to walk faithfully, pure and uprightly, in 
 love before the Lord ; and these always testified against the 
 things before mentioned, and everything that tends to the 
 decay, destruction and desolation of the church, to keep the 
 church pure, clear, and separate from the world, whereunto 
 Jesus ordained and called her.' "* 
 
 Then he claims that from 1830 to 1840 the decay of the 
 church increased, and afterwards, about 1845-46, after he was 
 separated or expelled from the church, and began to build up 
 an organization of his own, the mantle of God's approbation 
 fell upon him and his church, as in his writings, he also traces 
 the history of the church from the days of the Martyrs down, 
 and finds the true line of succession in himself, though to his 
 credit we must say, that while to a large degree he manifests a 
 similar spirit to that of Herr and Musser, he was much more 
 moderate than they were. 
 
 Some twelve or thirteen years after Jacob Stauffer had 
 made his appearance as the originator and leader of a new sect, 
 another of these reformers and leaders of the only true and 
 living church of God (of which our age is so prolific), made 
 his appearance, in the church in charge of Bishop John Shaura, 
 and Minister Peter Troxel, in Wayne county, Ohio, in the per- 
 son of John Holdeman, who has brought himself into consid- 
 erable notoriety through his efforts to build up and extend his 
 church, both by preaching and writing, and in his claims and 
 pretentions exceeds all the modern reformers of whom we have 
 any knowledge, claiming to understand the fore-knowledge of 
 God, to possess the "gift of prophecy," the expounding of 
 mysteries, the interpretation of dreams, visions, &c., and 
 places himself in a position so exalted that every one must be 
 astonished at his boldness. 
 
 He united with the church in the above mentioned place, 
 in 1853. He was baptized by Bishop Abraham Kohrer, and 
 
 *History of the Church of God. 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 199 
 
 told him before the services, on the day of his baptism, that 
 he would be called to be a minister, and after being received 
 into the church, he also claimed, like others whom we have 
 noticed in the foregoing pages, that tlie church had departed 
 from the old and true foundation and fallen into decay ; but in 
 his efforts to institute a reformation, in accordance with his 
 views, he met with little success. 
 
 Having a strong faith in his dreams and visions and giving 
 heed to these rather than to the word of God and the rules and 
 traditions of the Church,* to which he had promised to con- 
 form himself, and being directed as he claims, by dreams and 
 a direct revelation of the Spirit, he preached his first discourse 
 on Sunday, January 24th, 1858, in his own house, to an audi- 
 ence of eleven persons, composed of his nearest family con- 
 nections and neighbors, who had come to visit him on that 
 day. This coming together of his friends and neighbors, 
 and the delivering of his discourse, he claims to have been the 
 fulfillment of a prophecy, which, through the Spirit of God, 
 he had uttered a few days previously. In this discourse he 
 spoke about two hours and uttered more prophecies, declaring 
 that God would divide the church into two parts, and if this 
 would not take place, he would be a liar and not sent of God, 
 and that it should come to pass within the period of three 
 years at farthest. 
 
 After some further contention and fruitless efforts with 
 the Old Church, and the Bishops and Ministers of the same, 
 in the effort to conform them to his ideas and his way of 
 thinking, he separated himself from the church, and after a 
 time began to preach regularly, and three othei- persons who 
 were members of the church accepted his teachings, and went 
 with him, and this is the division which he claims to have 
 foretold in his prophecy, that God would divide the church 
 
 *The word of God is a full and sufficient guide to us in all things, 
 and the Apostle Paul directs also to give heed to the traditions or 
 rules of the church and to the instructions of the ministers 2 Thes 
 2 : 15 ; 3 : 6 ; Heb. 13 : 17. 
 
into two parts, and now, following in the wake of Herr,* 
 Stauffer and Musser (all of whom he likewise condemns), he 
 holds that the Old Mennonite Church has departed from the 
 true faith, become a corrupted and decayed church and that 
 his church is the only remaining remnant of the church of 
 God left upon earth. He traces the lineage of the church of 
 God from the beginning of time, and brings it down from the 
 days of the Apostles, through the Waldenses, Menno Simon, 
 and Deitrich Philip, to the time he left her in 1859. Then he 
 claims, as above stated, that the church had become corrupt, 
 and because he endeavored to reform her of her corruptions, 
 and mould her in accordance with his views, and she would 
 not, that God departed from her and gave the token of accept- 
 ance and of the true church to him. 
 
 In his letter to John Shaum and Peter Troxel, as given on 
 page 196 in his work, "History of the Church of God," he 
 says, " God will no doubt propagate His church through us, 
 both in the inward and outward ordinance and command, as 
 long as we remain faithful ; but God has departed so far 
 from you that he will not any more acknoioledge your 
 church as His church, and will send you one confusion and 
 disturbance after another, in such a manner that he will lead 
 out from among you His faithful children and bring them into 
 their proper home."f Again, page 222, he says, " Experience 
 teaches us that the Old Mennonites are not willing to accept 
 the old ground and live thereto. A. Rohrer was a gifted man 
 — had the best gifts of any minister in his time — had gifts 
 sufficient to bring the church to the proper ground if he had 
 been willing as a certain revelation says ; but as he was not 
 willing, God called me for that purposed Behold, dear 
 reader, how does this compare with the words of the Apostle 
 Paul where he acknowledges that it was not meet that he 
 
 * John Herr also bad a number of dreams and visions in which 
 he put much reliance. 
 
 fThis " proper home " evidently means Holdeman's church. 
 
AND HER ACCUSEDS. 201 
 
 should be called an apostle, and that he had nothing to glory 
 in save the cross of Christ and his own infirmities ? 
 
 Thus Holduman goes on and condemns all outside of his 
 own church, setting himself up upon the very highest pinnacle 
 of self exaltation, and claiming to be the chief representative 
 of the only true church of God on earth, and also maintains, 
 like Herr, Musser and Stauffer, that before the organization of 
 his church, the Old Mennonite Church was a true and accepta- 
 ble church of God, and that his own baptism, received in the 
 Old Church, was a valid, Christian baptism, but that aftei'wai-ds 
 all baptisms administered by the Old Church were invalid, 
 because then God had rejected the Old Church as a corrupted 
 or decayed church. He frequently contradicts himself, and 
 shows in his writings many inconsistencies and great weakness 
 in the faith. 
 
 He claims that the Old Church, though a decayed church, 
 was still the church of God until he left it. He says at one 
 time that Bishop Abraham Rohrer had experienced a change 
 of heart and preached in power, and afterwards, speaking of 
 him, he says, God gave him a long time to repent and yet he 
 did not repent. This would show that Bishop Abraham Rohrer 
 was an impenitent man when he baptized him, and thus uniting 
 with a decayed church, and being, accoiding to his own 
 declaration, baptized by an impenitent bishop, he yet claims that 
 the church was a church of God, and his baptism a valid bap- 
 tism, and tliis he does in order to establish his being called of 
 God to the work, in which he is now engaged, and to prove 
 the lineage of the church of God from the days of the apostles 
 down to himself. 
 
 He strongly condemns in others, things wliich he does 
 himself, as any one reading his book carefully, will readily 
 see, and manifests a spirit of self-exaltation, tliat ill-becomes 
 one who possesses the spiritual gifts and tlie measure of divine 
 grace which he professes to possess. He claims to have been 
 called to the ministry, like Paul, directly from God, without 
 human instrumentality, while it is quite evident that the spirit 
 20 
 
202 f HE MENNONlTE CHURCIi 
 
 of self-exaltation which he so largely manifests, had much to 
 do with it, though he complains that this accusation was 
 brought against him, and positively denies it. 
 
 There are many other points which I could notice in this 
 connection, but in this work, I shall not pursue the subject 
 any further, having in contemplation a fuller discussion of his 
 claims in a separate work. I have thus briefly referred to 
 Holdeman's claims in order to show the similarity in them 
 to all our modern reformers, their inconsistencies and their 
 contradictory evidences, which the reader will readily observe. 
 Herr and Musser, as we have shown, condemn our church as a 
 dead church, long before the close of the last and the beginning 
 of the present centuries ; this they do to justify their course 
 of action in organizing the Reformed Church. Jacob Stauffer 
 denies this assertion and claims that the church was still meas- 
 urably pure until 1840, and that after he was expelled from the 
 church in 1845-6, the church was most corrupt. Now comes 
 Holdeman and claims that the church was yet a true and 
 acceptable church of God until 1858-9 when he separated 
 from her, and with his departure, God also departed from her, 
 and she is now a rejected church. Alas, is not the human 
 heart full of selfishness, and deceitful above all things ! Give 
 us an impartial historian who will write the truth from an 
 impartial stand-point, who will not allow himself to warp 
 and shape history to suit his own views and sentiments ; or 
 who will not shade or discolor facts to justify himself and 
 condemn others from selfish motives. "Who shall ascend 
 into the Hill of the Lord ? and who shall stand in llis holy 
 place ? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath 
 not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He 
 who declareth the truth, even to his own hurt and changeth 
 not." Ps. 26 : 3, 4 ; 15 : 4. 
 
 I am personally acquainted with John Holdeman and our 
 intercourse has always been of the most friendly character, 
 and I have always entertained a very friendly feeling towards 
 him ; but vvdien men publicly assail and condemn the church 
 
AND HEK ACCUSERS. 203 
 
 which I believe to be right, and which I love and cherish, — 
 her faith, doctrines, customs and charactei-, and seek to sow 
 broadcast over the land, the errors, misrepresentations, incon- 
 sistencies and self-contradictious, which the men referred to in 
 the foregoing pages have, they must not complain, when their 
 erroneous teachings, their follies, and their inconsistencies are 
 in like manner contradicted and exposed. 
 
 There are also a number of other modern reformers, and 
 leaders of sects, who to a greater or less degree assume simi- 
 lar positions, but as they do not assume such high places, nor 
 make any effort to bring their teachings and their accusations 
 against the Old Mennonite Church, so prominently before the 
 world, as those concerning whom we have written (though 
 some of them may not be any less radical), I will drop the 
 mantle of charity over their weaknesses and for the present 
 leave the matter with the kind reader. I have shown to a suf- 
 ficient degree the inconsistencies of these men, and how they 
 exalt themselves above measure in their own selfish views, and 
 greatly err, and thus exceed the bounds of the gospel, and lose 
 that singleness of heart, which the teachings of Christ and 
 His apostles so highly commend. I have also tried to show 
 the dangers into which such errors lead, and hope, all who 
 read this work, may try to avoid them. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 In writing the foregoing work, I have not written with 
 the expectation of gaining the favor or the praise of men, 
 and shall not be disappointed if criticisms and censures follow. 
 The fear of censure and criticism, however, has not deterred 
 me from saying what I felt that duty and the circumstances 
 
204 THE MBNNONITE CHURCH 
 
 required, and I hope I may always be able to do this. I have 
 written carefully. I have written only what can be substantia- 
 ted by proof and met with actual testimony. I have carefully 
 considered every subject that presented itself and written in 
 the fear of the Lord, asking for that wisdom which is from 
 above to guide me aright, and that I might write only what 
 was edifying and true. I have endeavored to do no injustice 
 to any one. In the effort to present to the reader the course, 
 actions and doctrines of our accusers, I have sought to reason 
 from a correct stand-point, and to write with an impartial and 
 an unbiassed mind. 
 
 Yet with all this the work has its imperfections, and might, 
 by abler hands, have been done much better. This, however, 
 is what, under the kind guidance and blessing of our heavenly 
 Father, was given me to write, and this I have written, and 
 now in the hope that it may do good, that its mission may be 
 a blessing to the chin-ch and the world, I send it forth, and, 
 kind reader, if the reproofs seem too sharp, or too severe, if 
 you have found no special good or benefit in the exposing of 
 the false and unjust accusations brought against the church, I 
 sincerely trust that you may have found history, doctrines, 
 admonitions and counsels that will amply repay you for the 
 reading, and in the language of Scripture I would say, " Prove 
 all things " and " hold fast that which is good." 
 
 I have given the reader a simple sketch of the accusations 
 of Daniel Musser and others against the Old Mennonite 
 Church, and also some of the erroneous and unscriptural doc- 
 trines which some of them teach. I have in my weakness, 
 imperfectly as it may be, tried to show that these accusations 
 are unjust, devoid of Christian charity and almost altogether 
 false and untrue (I can use no milder terra to express the 
 truth), and I believe that the testimonies given, fully show 
 this, though many others, also, not given might be produced. 
 In reference to the erroneous doctrines advanced by Daniel 
 Musser, I think the belief of, the Old Mennonite Church has 
 Ijeen fully vindicated, though giveij rather briefly. I have not 
 
AND HER ACCUSERS. 205 
 
 written with any feelings of unkindness or ill will toward any 
 of the men, or the churches mentioned, or the churches they 
 represent, but simply to vindicate and assert the truth, and as 
 a testimony of our church for the true doctrine of the Bible 
 and the faith once delivered to the saints. Had these men not 
 written as they did and placed the Old Church in so false a 
 light before the world, and transmitted this false view and 
 these misrepresentations to the records of history (and besides 
 the reader will also remember that Daniel Musser expressly 
 requested to be corrected, if in error), the necessity of such 
 a vindication would not have existed, and I should not have 
 written these things. But if the church or her representative 
 men had remained silent after these things had thus been 
 scattered broadcast over the world, history would tell to 
 future generations, without a dissenting voice, the story of a 
 dead, formalistic church, lying in the deepest degradation of 
 moral corruption, a church possessing not one redeeming 
 quality ; history would tell to future generations the story of 
 a perverted doctrine, and as no protesting voice was ever raised 
 against these accusations, and these perversions of doctrine, 
 they would naturally have to be accepted as truths, and our 
 silence would confirm them, and we would be the unconscious 
 witnesses, testifying to the truth of these false accusations and 
 doctrinal perversions against ourselves. We are admonished 
 to "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the 
 saints," and let us not fail to do it. 
 
 While we have sometimes used strong and forcible lan- 
 guage in these criticisms, we have restricted ourselves to 
 subjects, and the actions of persons, thrown open to criticism 
 by our accusers ; and in no case have we arraigned the private 
 actions and dealings of individuals, with a view to lower them 
 in the esteem of others ; neither have we sought to degrade or 
 malign the Church in its general character, but so far as her 
 representative men have laid themselves, their actions and their 
 doctrines, open to public criticism, we have not, and sha.ll not 
 
206 THE MKNNONITB CHURCH &C. 
 
 hesitate to deal with them as ti'uth and the honor of God's 
 kingdom may require. 
 
 We only wish to i-epeat that the love of the truth prompted 
 us to this work. We claim for our Church no better reputa- 
 tion than she deserves. Her own actions, and the walk and 
 conversation of hei- membership, will be her strongest testi- 
 mony ; with deep humility we acknowledge her many imper- 
 fections ; we have nothing to glory in save our weakness ; but 
 where shall we find a church that has anything better ? 
 
 Our Church has stood the storm of persecution for centu- 
 ries ; she has remained steadfast under many trials; she has 
 been slandered, maligned, abused and misrepresented, but 
 never destroyed ; she has seen men who were with her, but not 
 of her, who backslided and departed from her ; she has seen 
 unfaithful men, who loved the world and its honors more than 
 God, Demas-like, depart from her, and with the most malig- 
 nant spirit, heap their severest vituperations upon her, but 
 bearing it all in Christian meekness, they could not I'ob her of 
 her candlestick, nor take the light of heavenly glory from her, 
 for the Lord was with her. The history of our Church is one 
 of persecution and suffering, and remembering the meek 
 endurance of our forefathers, and that these things according 
 to the words of our Savior (Matt. 5 : 11, 12), are a mark of 
 acceptability with God, we, with deep humility of heart, kiss 
 the rod and accept the chastening of the Lord, believing that 
 it is good for us ; and we pray the Lord with all our hearts, 
 "not to lay this sin to their charge,'' but to "forgive them, for 
 they know not what they do." 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 o 
 
 T 
 
 Preface 3 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Claims and accusations of Daniel Musser and John Herr, 
 
 with Extracts from their writings 6 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Characteristics — Motives — Our Position, and the Charac- 
 ter of Musser's Testimony 22 
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 
 How we may know — The old Ministers — Writings of 
 
 Henry Funk and others 30 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Martin Bcehm's Departure — Doctrines and Practices of 
 
 the Church set forth 41 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Testimonies from the Writings of Christian Burkholder 
 
 on Repentance, Reflections, &c 60 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Extracts from the Writings of Peter Burkholder and 
 
 Abraham Godshalk, with Remarks 68 
 
208 COKTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Letters from Henry Hunsicker, Christian Nissley, Jacob 
 
 Hostetter and Henry Kolb 88 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Letters from various Persons, &c 100 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Remarks, Extracts, &c 119 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Doctrines of Daniel Musser — The Forgiveness of Sins.. 132 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 No Children of God — No Receiving of the Holy Ghost — 
 
 No Church of God ^ 151 
 
 CHAPTER XIL 
 
 Further Extracts from the Writings of Daniel Musser 
 with Remarks — Account of the Visit of Benjamin 
 and Amos Herr, to Daniel Musser, &c 170 
 
 CHAPTER XIIL 
 
 Self-exaltalion — Extracts from Bishop Christian Herr's 
 
 (Pequea) Letter to John Herr, &c 181 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Other Modern Reformers and their Claims 197 
 
 Conclusion 203 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Accusations against the Old Mennonite Church 1 — 18, 170, 171 
 Adam and Eve, Their Reconciliation 132, 140 
 
 Boehm, Martin, Departure of 41 
 
 Burkholder, Christian and his Writings tiO, 61, 85 
 
 Burkholder, Peter and his Writings 68, 69, 85 
 
 Brubacher, Bishop Jacob 119 
 
 Characteristics of the Reformed Mennonite Church 5 
 
 Claims of the Author of the "Reformed Mennonite 
 
 Church " 5 
 
 Character of Musser's Testimony 26, 27 
 
 Character of the Old Ministers 32 
 
 Church of God 162 
 
 Claims of John Kohr 177 — iso 
 
 Conclusion of Christian Herr's (Pequea) Letter 192 
 
 Claims of John Holdeman 198 
 
 Conclusion 203 
 
 Extracts from Daniel Musser's Writings. .7—18, 132, 135, 171 
 
 Expulsion of Francis Herr 27, 28, 109, 110 
 
 Extracts from the Writings of Henry Funk 33, 166 
 
 Extract from Christian Funk's Letter 58 
 
 Extracts from the Writings of Abraham Godshalk, 82 
 
 Extract from a Letter from Christian Herr 100 
 
 Eby, Bishop Peter 120 
 
210 INDEX. 
 
 Funk, Bishop Henry 85, 128 
 
 Forgiveness of Sins under the Old Dispensation 132 
 
 Holdenian, John Extract from 122 
 
 Hunsicker, Bishop Henry 88, 123 
 
 Holy Spirit given to Believers under the Old Dispensation 15? 
 
 Inconsistency, An Example of 129 
 
 Incidents 125, 129 
 
 Letter from Henry Hunsicker 89 
 
 Letter from Christian Nissley 92,93 
 
 Letter from Jacob Hostetter 94 
 
 Letter from Henry Kolb 97 
 
 Musser's reason for writing his severe Accusations against 
 
 the Old Mennonite Church 19, 20, 192 
 
 Martyr's Mirror, Publication of 38 
 
 No Children of God under the Old Dispensation 151 
 
 New Birth 156 
 
 Preface 3 
 
 Pennypacker, Bishop Matthias 125 
 
 Reason for writing this Work 5 
 
 Rohrer, Bishop Abraham 123 
 
 Slander 22 
 
 Stauffer, Jacob 39, 120, 19Y 
 
 Self-Kxaltation 181 
 
 Teachings of the Church from 1760 to 1840 84 
 
 Testimonies from various Persons 103 — 117 
 
 Testimony of S. W. Pennypacker 124 
 
 Testimony of Menno Simon 141 
 
 The Old Church in Skippack 128 
 
 Transgression of Adam and Eve 140 
 
 Visit of Benjamin and Amos Herr, to D. Musser 170 
 
 We should not seek to degrade our Neighbor for the 
 
 purpose of exalting ourselves 25 
 
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