Mennonites in the World War: Non-Resistance Under Test. Jonas Smucker Hartzler

stray sheep into the right path, and win many souls for the Lord through His Spirit, power and grace."

Menno and Nonresistance

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      On the question of nonresistance, Menno said, "O beloved reader, our weapons are not swords and spears, but patience, silence and hope, and the Word of God. With these we must maintain our cause and defend it. Paul said, The weapons of our war fare are not carnal; but mighty through God. With these we intend and desire to resist the king dom of the devil; and not with swords, spears, can non, and coats of mail Behold, reader, such re bellion we seek to cause, but never a rebellion of calamity. … True Christians know no vengeance, no matter how they are maltreated."

His Work and Death

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      Menno was a great organizer. With him it was not a question of name but of faith and belief. In his interviews he found Waldenses, Anabaptists, Hussites, etc., who agreed with him on the teach ings of the Scriptures and he received them into the body as members of the Church. In this his work reached far beyond the borders of his own country. He was hunted like a wild beast. Criminals were promised pardon for any crime whatsoever, if they arrested or even killed him. His sacrificing dispo sition was not appreciated regardless of his desire to help mankind and glorify God. Thirty years of active service, under the greatest persecution, with a reward offered for his head, under privations and exposure, all for Christ's sake, was too much for his mortal body, and in his sixty-sixth year he passed to his reward.

Menno's Followers

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      These principles implanted into the lives of his followers made them as despised as he himself was. in times of war they would have no part in the conflict. During the religious wars of Europe both Protestants and Catholics suspected them of treachery. Both persecuted them because of this, but that did not prevent them from following the beautiful example of their Master in forgiving, and praying for their persecutors. They fled to other countries for refuge (Matt. 10:23) only to be driven from there later.

From Germany to Russia

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      At the invitation to Catharine II, Czarina of Russia, a great many Mennonites moved from Ger many to her country with the promise of freedom of worship, freedom from military service, freedom of education, and exemption from certain taxes on conditions that they settle in a part of the country which required a great deal of work to bring under cultivation This began in 1788 and continued at intervals, so that (according to J. J. Wiens, an evan gelist from that country) there were at the begin ning of the late war, eight settlements in Russia and three in Siberia, several of them quite large. Considering the fact that there was a large exodus of Mennonites from Russia to America, Germany must have lost thousands of these people to Russia. From Europe to America

      For various reasons there were periods of un rest in Germany. During one of these, thirteen Mennonite families left there and settled in what is now Germantown, Pa., in 1683. During the next thirteen years quite a number more came. William Penn offered the Mennonites of Europe freedom of worship and exemption from military service if they would move to Pennsylvania. The news spread rapidly and between 1710 and 1735 possibly five hundred families left Europe, most of them from Germany and Switzerland, and settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Still later the Napoleonic idea of conscription aroused the nonresistant people again, and wihile there was no immediate danger, many people felt that this was their time to leave and turned their minds toward America. Between 1800 and 1850 a large number left Europe and set tled in different parts of the United States.

Militarism and Emigration

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      Military pressure was not directly responsible for all the emigration, but in many cases the cause can easily be traced to it indirectly. These emi grants were among the best tillers of the soil, and were a class of people which the country could ill afford to lose. Helping the needy, honest work, fair dealing, and living quietly were all traits of the Men- nonites traits which make for good citizenship notwithstanding the fact that they would not fight. The efforts to strengthen the military laws of Eu rope took many of these people away and thus only weakened the country. "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it."

MENNONITES AND OTHER WARS

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Growth of Militarism in Europe

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      The barbarous practices of war had been in vogue in Europe as far back as one can trace, re gardless of the advancement made along the lines of education and science. As a country excelled in one thing, its rival must excel in some other as a means of protection. Fear and jealousy were gen eral. More and more military laws were being passed and it was becoming almost impossible for nonresistants to get exemption. Practically all the countries had some form of military training. In course of time Germany surpassed all the others in this. The Mennonites of that country accepted the uniform and drill under protest, but in course of time protests grew less and these things were not considered so objectionable from the standpoint of nonresistance. The glitter of the uniform, the glare of the gun, and the thrill of the music helped to qui et the conscience, so that as the years rolled by many young men were glad when they were old enough to begin the course of training.

Effect of Military Training

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      Having once taken the training there was little use to plead conscientious objections, and as a rule the Mennonites accepted some form of quartermaster service or Red Cross work. With the attractions held up before them in song and sermon, the glory of the empire and the duty of loyalty were made to stand out very prominently. With these conditions, and the idea of divine right of kings, it is easy to see how the doctrine of nonresistance became a sec ondary matter, especially when accompanied with the idea that if war was not right the responsibility rested with the officials who were responsible for the war and compelled the individual to serve. However, in some parts of the German empire the C. O.'s received more consideration.

Russia Rescinding her Promise

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      The privileges accorded to the Mennonites who went from Germany to Russia caused many of the Russians to become jealous. Complaints were brought to tdie government regarding such discrim ination, and in time it withdrew these privileges, one of which, as will be remembered, was exemp tion from military service. At once the Mennonites began to look for new homes. They sent commit tees to different parts of the world to find favorable countries and conditions. This resulted in a large number going to America. The Czar regretted losing so many of his most prosperous subjects, and on hearing that many more were going to leave, he sent one of his best diplomats