AN HISTORICAL PRESENTATION OF THE ORIGIN OF BAPTISTS OR MENNONITES “This is My Beloved Son: hear Him!”— Luke 9:35. As Jesus, the Saviour of the world and founder of the Christian religion, wanted to start His teaching among the Jews, He let Himself be baptised beforehand in the Jordan by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13) … Continue reading Benjamin Eby’s “Origin and Doctrine of the Mennonites” – part 2
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Who was Benjamin Eby?
Benjamin Eby was a great-great-grandson of Jacob Eby, who was ordained bishop of the Mennonites at Zurich, Switzerland in 1663. Jacob’s son, Theodor us Eby, left Switzerland in 1704 to escape the persecution of the Mennonites that was going on there. This Eby family settled in Lancaster County Pennsylvania in 1715. Benjamin Eby’s older brother, … Continue reading Who was Benjamin Eby?
Benjamin Eby’s “Origin and Doctrine of the Mennonites” – part 1
PREFACE Kind Reader: Since there are many opinions regarding the Christian faith among Christians, and on this account each religious denomination has and seeks to make known its own individual beliefs, it is therefore necessary that each one, who searches for the truth, can prove the same by the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, I also thought … Continue reading Benjamin Eby’s “Origin and Doctrine of the Mennonites” – part 1
The language of the Authorized Version of the Bible
Note: In this and future posts, I will refer to the 1611 English translation of the Bible as the Authorized Version, or AV, as this is the name by which it is known in most of the English-speaking world. In the USA, and to some extent in Canada, it is referred to as the King … Continue reading The language of the Authorized Version of the Bible
Succession of the apostolic faith
While many historians consider that there is no historical relationship or kinship of faith between the Cathars, Donatists, Waldensians, Mennonites, etc., we in the Anabaptist tradition believe they were all manifestations of one, holy, apostolic faith. The following paragraphs are excerpted from the author’s introduction to a massive book (1100 pages) compiled in 1660 by … Continue reading Succession of the apostolic faith
Things I learned from the Anglican Church of Canada
I was a member of the Anglican Church of Canada throughout the years of my youth . Fifty years ago, I concluded that it might well have an abundance of outward and visible form, but was sadly lacking in the true inward and spiritual grace. Since that time, the Anglican Church of Canada has abandoned … Continue reading Things I learned from the Anglican Church of Canada
Leadhead and the Golden Rule
I first took note of Norman when the camp leaders took us all on a hike to Lebret. He was a quiet boy, walking with us, yet alone. He seemed like the rest of us, except that he could not hold his head up straight. It tilted towards his right shoulder, almost resting on the … Continue reading Leadhead and the Golden Rule
The French Foreign Legion and the Church
(My wife has written about the nature of an army and you can read her posts at christineevelynvance - see link at lower right. This is a supplement to what she has written.) The Légion Étrangère was founded in 1831 as a unit of the French Army that would be open to voluntary enlistment by … Continue reading The French Foreign Legion and the Church
Does the Bible say black skin is a curse?
The short answer is no. What follows here is a very abbreviated version of the longer answer. The book of Genesis tells of curses on Cain and Canaan. In ancient Jewish folklore the curse on Cain was linked with slavery and the curse on Canaan, somehow transferred to his father Ham, with a black skin. … Continue reading Does the Bible say black skin is a curse?
Questions
It happened the summer that I was 11 years old. I was bicycling along the shoulder of the highway that ran close by our home when I saw a cardboard box lying in the ditch. I stopped to take a closer look and saw that there were three or four Crispy Crunch bars inside. I … Continue reading Questions
Flatlander Faith 