duced to examine the New Testament for himself. "I had not," says he, "proceeded far therein, before I discovered that I was deceived." His mind was completely changed; he renounced his former views, and embraced the doctrines of the New Testament, and which he zealously advocated.

He now commenced to travel, with a view to consult with some of his cotemporaries, such as Luther, Bucer, Bullinger, and others; having done so, he strenuously opposed the Munsterites. "He condemned," says Mosheim, "the plan of ecclesiastical discipline of the Munsterites, that was founded on the prospect of a new kingdom, to be miraculously established by Jesus Christ on the ruins of civil government, and the destruction of human rulers, and which had been the pestilential source of such dreadful commotions, such execrable rebellions, and such enormous crimes."*

Menno Simon plainly foresaw to what horrid extremities the pernicious doctrines of the Munsterites were calculated to lead the inconsiderate and unwary; nevertheless, as there were many pious souls who had been misled by this pernicious sect, but who had renounced all connexion and intercourse with them, and as there were also others, descendants of the ancient Waldenses, all of whom were as dispersed sheep of the house of Israel: Menno, at their earnest solicitation, assumed among them the rank and functions of a public teacher. That he was calculated to discharge the duties of his office, is evident from his success. "He had," says Mosheim, "the inestimable advantage of a natural and persuasive eloquence, and his learning was sufficient to make him pass for an oracle in the eyes of the multitude. He appears, moreover, to have been a man of probity, of a meek and tractable spirit, gentle in his manners, pliant and obsequious in his intercourse with persons of all ranks and characters, and extremely zealous in promoting practical religion and virtue, which he recommended by his example, as well as by his precepts. A man of such talents and dispositions could not fail to attract the admiration of the people, and to gain a good number of adherents wherever he exercised his ministry."+

From 1537, Menno Simon, in the capacity of a public teacher, commenced travelling from one country to another, amidst pressures and calamities of various kinds, and was constantly exposed to the imminent danger of falling a victim to the severity of the laws. He first visited East and West Friesland, the province of Groningen, thence he directed his course to Holland, Guelderland, Brabant,

Westphalia, and continued through the German provinces that lie on the coast of the Baltic Sea, and penetrated as far as Livonia. "In all these places his ministerial labours were attended with remarkable success, and added a prodigious number of followers."* He laboured assiduously till the close of his life. He died at Fresenburg, near Oldeslohe, January 31, 1561.

His object was reformation, and the spiritual edification of his fellow-men, which he accomplished to an unparalleled extent. He purified the doctrines of the Anabaptists-some of them he reclaimed, others he excluded, who were tainted with the Munsterite heresy. He founded many communities in various parts of Europe.

From the year 1537, to the beginning of the present century, many of the Mennonites were sorely persecuted in Europe. They were compelled to flee from one country to another, and consequently have been dispersed. Some went to Russia, Prussia, Poland, Holland, Denmark, and many, on the invitation of the liberal-minded William Penn, transported themselves and families, into the province of Pennsylvania, as early as A. D. 1683. Those who came in that year and in 1698, settled in and about Germantown, where they erected a school and meeting house in 1708.

In 1709 other families from the Palatinate, descendants of the distressed and persecuted Swiss, emigrated to America, and settled in Pequea Valley, then Chester, now Lancaster county. Among these were the Herrs Meylius, Kendigs, Millers, Oberholtz, Funks, Bowmans and others. They settled in the midst of the Mingo or Conestoga, Pequea, and Shawanese Indians, where under unpropitious circumstances, they improved lands. The first who settled here were soon joined by others, who came to America in 1711, 1717, 1727, and at a later period. Before the year 1735 there were probably rising of five hundred families settled in Lancaster county. For some time they held their religious meetings, and school, in the same rude buildings. As a body, in this country, the Mennonites have spent little money in erecting stately buildings as churches, or for schools. Economy and comfort being their chief aim, they discard ornament.

Their religious views were at an early date, and since, misrepresented, and no small degree of prejudice excited against them. To allay such unfounded prejudices, they had "The Christian Confession of Faith, &c., containing the chief doctrines held by them, translated into English, and published at Philadelphia, in 1727." In the preface to that publication, they say-" that the Confession of Faith of the

* Mosheim.

harmless and defenceless Christians, called Mennonites, is as yet little known, &c.: so that the greatest portion of people doth not know what they believe and confess of the word of God, and by reason of that ignorance, cannot speak and judge rightly of their confession, nor of the confessors themselves; nay, through prejudice, as a strange and unheard of thing, do abhor them, so as not to speak well, but oftentimes ill of them. Therefore it hath been thought fit and needful to translate, at the desire of some of our fellow-believers in Pennsylvania, our Confession of Faith into English, so as for many years it hath been printed in the Dutch, German, and French languages; which confession hath been well approved of, both in the Low Countries and in France, by several eminent persons of the Reformed religion; and therefore it hath been thought worth the while to turn it also into English, that so those of that nation may become acquainted with it, and so might have a better opinion thereof, and of its professors; and not only so, but also that every well-meaning soul might inquire and try all things, and keep that which is best."

This confession, which is given below, was, at that time, (1727,) approved and received by the elders and ministers of the congregations of the people called Mennonites. "We do, (say they,) acknowledge and hereby make known, that we own the Confession. In testimony whereof, and that we believe the same to be good, we have subscribed our names:

"Shipack-Jacob Gaedtschlack, Henry Kolb, Claes Jansen, Michael Zigeler. Germantown-John Gorgas, John Conerads, Clas Rittinghausen. Conestoga-Hans Burgholtzer, Christian Heer, Benedict Hirchi, Martin Bear, Johannes Bowman. Great Swamp-Velte Clemer. Manatant-Daniel Langenecker, Jacob Beghtly."

ARTICLES OF FAITH.

The leading Articles of the Christian Faith of the Churches of the United Flemish, Friesland, and other Mennonites, and those in America, adopted A. D. 1632.

I. Of God, of the Creation of all things and of Man.-Since it is testified, that without faith it is impossible to please God, and that whosoever would come to God, must believe God is, and that he is a rewarder of all those who seek him; we therefore confess and believe, according to the scriptures, with all the pious, in one eternal, omnipotent, and incomprehensible God: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and in no more or none other; before whom there was no

God, nor shall there be any after him; for from him, by him, and in him, are all things; to whom be praise, honour, and glory for ever and ever: Amen. (Heb. xi. 6; Deut. vi. 4; Gen. xvii. 1; Isa. xlvi. 8; Job v. 7; Rom. xi. 36.)

We believe in this one God, who works all in all; and confess that he is the Creator of all things, visible and invisible; who, in six days, created heaven and earth, the sea and all that is therein; and that he governs and upholds all his works by his wisdom, and by the word of his power. (1 Cor. xii. 6; Gen. i. 1-28; Acts xiv. 14.)

Now, as he had finished his work, and had ordained and prepared every thing good and perfect in its nature and properties, according to his good pleasure, so at last he created the first man, Adam, the father of us all; gave him a body, formed of the dust of the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so that he became a living soul, created by God after his own image and likeness, in righteousness and true holiness, unto eternal life. He esteemed him above all creatures, and endowed him with many and great gifts; placed him in a delightful garden, or paradise, and gave him a command and a prohibition; afterwards he took a rib from Adam, made a woman, and brought her to Adam for a helpmate, consort, and wife. The consequence is, that from this first and only man, Adam, all men that dwell upon the earth have descended. (Gen. i. 27; ii. 7 ; v. 1; ii. 18; xvii. 22; Acts xvii. 26.)

II. Of the Fall of Man.-We believe and confess, according to the tenor of the scriptures, that our first parents, Adam and Eve, did not remain long in the glorious state in which they were created; but being deceived by the subtlety of the serpent and the envy of the devil, they transgressed the high commandment of God, and disobeyed their Creator; by which disobedience sin entered the world, and death by sin, which has thus passed upon all men, in that all have sinned, and hence incurred the wrath of God and condemnation. They were, therefore, driven of God out of paradise, to till the earth, to toil for sustenance, and to eat their bread in the sweat of their face, till they should return to the earth whence they had been taken. And that they, by this one sin, fell so far as to be separated and estranged from God, that neither they themselves, nor any of their posterity, nor angel, nor man, nor any other creature in heaven or on earth, could help them, redeem them, or reconcile them to God; but they must have been eternally lost, had not God, in compassion for his creatures, made provision for them, interposing with love and mercy. (Gen. iii. 6; Rom. v. 12; Gen. iii. 23; Psalm xlix. 8, 9; Rev. v. 1, 5; John iii. 16.)

III. Of the Restoration of Man by the promise of Christ's coming.Concerning the restoration of the first man and his posterity, we believe and confess, that God, notwithstanding their fall, transgression, sin, and perfect inability, was not willing to cast them off entirely, nor suffer them to be eternally lost; but that he called them again to him, comforted them, and testified that there was yet a means of reconciliation; namely, the Lamb without spot, the Son of God, who was appointed for this purpose before the foundation of the world, and was promised while they were yet in paradise, for consolation, redemption, and salvation unto them and all their posterity; nay, from that time forth was bestowed upon them by faith; afterwards all the pious forefathers, to whom this promise was frequently renewed, longed for, desired, saw by faith, and waited for the fulfilment, that at his coming he would redeem, liberate, and release fallen man from sin, guilt, and unrighteousness. (John i. 29; 1 Pet. i. 19; Gen. iii. 15; John iii. 8; ii. 1; Heb. xi. 13, 39; Gal. iv. 4.)

IV. Of the Coming of Christ, and the Cause of his Coming.-We further believe and confess, that when the time of his promise, which all the forefathers anxiously expected, was fulfilled, the promised Messiah, Redeemer, and Saviour, proceeded from God, was sent, and according to the predictions of the prophets, and the testimony of the evangelists, came into the world, nay, was made manifest in the flesh, and thus the Word was made flesh and man; that he was conceived by the Virgin Mary, who was espoused to Joseph, of the House of David; and that she brought forth her first-born Son at Bethlehem, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger. (John iv. 25; xvi. 28; 1 Tim. iii. 15; John i. 14: Matt. i. 22; Luke ii. 7.)

We confess and believe, that this is he whose going forth is from everlasting to everlasting, without beginning of days, or end of life; of whom it is testified that he is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last; that he is the same, and no other, who was provided, promised, sent and came into the world, and who is God's first and only Son, and who was before John the Baptist, Abraham, and prior to the formation of the world; nay, who was the Lord of David, and the God of the universe, the first born of all creatures, who was sent into the world, and yielded up the body which was prepared for him, a sacrifice and offering, for a sweet savour to God; nay, for the consolation, redemption, and salvation of the whole world. (Micah v. 1; Heb. vii. 3; Rev. i. 8, 18; John