Amos Herr (1816-1897) lived on a Lancaster county, Pennsylvania farm that had been in the Herr family since 1710 when his ancestors fist arrived from Europe. In addition to being a farmer, he was a minister of the local Mennonite congregation. One wintry Sunday morning about 150 years ago, he awoke to a raging blizzard … Continue reading I owe the Lord a morning song
Meditations on spring in Saskatchewan
For months our yard looked barren. Spring came, the snow melted, yet the weather remained cool and we waited week after week for signs of a change. The grass was brown; the trees were dry sticks. Very hesitantly, signs of new life began to appear. Last week warm weather arrived in full force, temperatures as … Continue reading Meditations on spring in Saskatchewan
What is our heritage?
One day, about twenty-five years ago, my wife and I were visiting in the home of an Old Order Amish couple. The husband was not ordained at the time, but is now the bishop of his Old Order Amish community. He is a fine man with many admirable qualities, kind, warmhearted, industrious, knowledgeable about many … Continue reading What is our heritage?
Christianity betrayed
In his book, The Reformers and Their Stepchildren*, Leonard Verduin points out that the New Testament church was a complete break with all of preceding human history: “the world was being treated to a new and very revolutionary concept of society, namely, that men can get along peacefully in the market place even though they … Continue reading Christianity betrayed
One God, two kingdoms
In 1660 AD, Thieleman J van Bright, a deacon of the Mennonite church in Holland, published the result of his exhaustive historical research of the beliefs and the persecutions of faithful Christians from the time of Christ up to the date of publication. This book, the Martyrs Mirror, runs to more than 1100 pages and … Continue reading One God, two kingdoms
Anabaptists and their persecutors
The following statement was made in 1538 by an unnamed Anabaptist leader during a meeting between the Swiss Reformed and Anabaptists in Berne: "While yet in the national church we obtained much instruction from the writings of Luther, Zwingli, and others, concerning the mass and other papal ceremonies, that they are vain. Yet we recognized … Continue reading Anabaptists and their persecutors
What is wrong with me?
I have been having repeated bouts of extreme lassitude, characterized by headaches, aching legs and a lack of energy that is unusual even for a guy in his seventies. Several days ago, I woke up with a nosebleed, something that hardly ever happens to me. At that point a light came on. Five weeks earleir … Continue reading What is wrong with me?
A gentle admonition
[Benjamin Eby was bishop of the Mennonite churches of Waterloo County. The other Mennonite churches in Ontario, in the Markham and Niagara areas, had their own bishops. Nevertheless, Benjamin Eby was highly regarded and he was often called upon by the others for counsel. This letter gives a hint of the reason for this respect. … Continue reading A gentle admonition
Start somewhere progress report
Well, I haven’t got as far with the weight loss project as I had hoped. After 30 days I was down six pounds. But hey, that’s still six pounds that I don’t have to carry around anymore. I am doing OK with the eating less part, not so well with the part of moving more. … Continue reading Start somewhere progress report
No place to hide
A young man from Africa once made the following comment in a letter: "God can see a little black ant on a black rock, at the back of a cave, in the middle of the night, when the sky is overcast."
Flatlander Faith 