Mennonite Handbook of Information/Chapter 16
CHAPTER XVI
TRIALS OF MENNONITES DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
It is known that during the Revolutionary War Mennonites were located in considerable bodies in the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Membership was confined largely to the class who were married and settled in life. Though the customs of their home life were in all respects contrary to the tactics of military training, single young men of Mennonite parentage found it difficult to keep out of the army. Early settlers, both old and young men, were given much to hunting, and of course were habitual gun carriers, and hence they were much accustomed to camp-life in the woods. The first ranks of the continental armies were made up of young men and were later recruited by men more advanced in life.
Among the latter class were those members of Menonite faith who claimed exemption from military duty on conscientious grounds and that the positive creed of the Church was such that forbids carnal warfare. Because of this attitude public feeling ran high in some localities in Pennsylvania and in Virginia, where Mennonites were threatened with mob violence. In Virginia, Quakers as well as Mennonites were kept under surveillance and their motives ascribed more to cowardice and fear than the teaching of Scripture.
To counteract this unfriendly public feeling, Mennonites in Pennsylvania in the year 1775 drew up the following short and sincere Declaration:
"TO OUR HONORABLE ASSEMBLY AND ALL
OTHERS IN HIGH OR LOW STATION OF
ADMINISTRATION, AND TO ALL FRIENDS AND
INHABITANTS OF THIS COUNTRY, TO
WHOSE SIGHT THIS MAY COME, BE
THEY ENGLISH OR GERMANS"
"In the first place we acknowledge us indebted to the most high God, who created Heaven and Earth, the only good Being, to thank him for all His great Goodness and manifold Mercies and Love through our Savior Jesus Christ who is come to save the Souls of Men, having all Power in Heaven and on Earth.
"Further we find ourselves indebted to be thankful to our late worthy Assembly, for giving so good Advice in these troublesome Times to all Ranks of People in Pennsylvania, particularly in allowing those, who, by the Doctrine of our Savior Jesus 'Christ, are persuaded in their Consciences to love their Enemies, and not to resist Evil, to enjoy the liberty of their Consciences, for which, as also all the good things we enjoyed under their care, we heartily thank that worthy Body of the Assembly, and all high and low in Office who have advised to such a peaceful Measure, hoping and confiding that, they, and all others entrusted with Power, in this hitherto blessed Province, may be moved by the same Spirit of Grace, which animated the first Founder of this Province, our late worthy Proprietor William Penn, to grant Liberty of Conscience to all its inhabitants, that they in the great and memorable Day of Judgment may be put on the right Hand of the just Judge who judgeth without Respect of Person, and hear of Him these blessed words, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you," etc. What ye have done unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done unto me, among which number (i. e. the least of Christ's brethren), We, by His grace hope to be ranked, and every Leinity and favor shown to such tender conscienced, al though weak Followers of this our blessed Savior, will not be forgotten by Him in that great day.
"The Advice to those who do not find Freedom of Conscience to take up arms, that they ought to be helpful to those who are in Need and distressed Circumstances, we receive with cheerfulness to all Men of that Station they may be it being our Principle to feed the Hungry and give the Thirsty Drink we dedicated ourselves to serve all Men in every Thing that can be helpful to the Preservation of Men's Lives, but we find no Freedom in giving or doing or assisting in any Thing by which Men's Lives are destroyed or hurt We beg the Patience of all those who believe we err on this Point.
"We are always ready according to Christ's Command to Peter, to pay the tribute, that we may offend no Man, and we are ready to pay Taxes and to render unto Caesar the Things that are Caesar's, and to God those Things that are God's, although we think ourselves very weak to give to God His due Honor, He being a Spirit and. Life, and we only Dust and Ashes.
"We are also willing to be subject to the Higher Powers, and to give in the manner Paul directs us for he beareth the Sword not in vain, for he is the Minister of 'God, a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doeth Evil.
"This testimony we lay down before our worthy Assembly and all other Persons in Government, letting them know, that we are thankful as above mentioned, and that we are not at Liberty in Conscience to take up Arms to conquer our Enemies, but rather to ipray to God, who has Power in Heaven and on Earth, for US and THEM.
"We also crave the Patience of all the inhabitants of this country that they think to see clearer in the Doctrine of the blessed Jesus Christ, we will leave it to them and God, finding ourselves very poor; for Faith is to proceed out of the Word of God, which is Life and Spirit, and a Power of God, and our Conscience is to be instructed by the same, therefore we beg for Patience.
"Our small Gift which we have given, we gave to the those who have the Power over us, that we may not offend them, as Christ taught us by the Tribute Penny. We heartily pray that God would govern all Hearts of our Rulers, be they high or low, to meditate those good Things which will pertain to OUR and THEIR Happiness."
"The above Declaration written by Benjamin Hershey, minister of the Menninist Church, and signed by a number of Elders and Teachers of the Society pf Mennonists and some of the German Baptists, presented to the Honorable House of Assembly, on the 7th day of November, was most graciously received."
Though the action of government authorities counseled the people against mob violence, so unpopular became the Mennonites in different sections of the country that numbers of them moved to the wilderness sections of Canada with their families, rather than to longer bear the taunts and jibes of unfriendly and hostile neighbors.
On page 143 of W. L. Grant's High School History of Canada, appears the statement that even after the close of the Revolutionary War and after peace had been declared between the British and the Americans, "An orgy of cruelty broke out in which men and women were imprisoned, whipped, tarred and feathered." As a consequence, more than 28,000 residents of the United States sought refuge in different parts of Canada. As many as 5,000 took up land in the fertile Niagara peninsula and other sections farther west in what is now Ontario. Among the latter were numbers of Mennonites who left comfortable homes in Pennsylvania and set their faces to the wilderness to go through the experiences of pioneer life over again. Though the change meant destitution, privation, and suffering, they longed for the security and protection of the English government.
Out of this general exodus of Mennonites from the parent folds in the United States have in time grown and many different and (in a number of cases) large congregations now comprising the Ontario Conference, one of the important bodies among Mennonites in America.
The peace-loving Mennonites were in most cases misunderstood and were classed in common with the Tories and loyalists of that period. The property of hundreds was confiscated and the proceeds reverted to the government, that was just at that time in dire need for funds. In the meantime the British government made strong inducement to this unfortunate class of people to locate within the borders of Canada. Two hundred acres of land were given to each family and provisions were made to give as much more to each son when he became of age, and as much to each daughter when married.
Provisions, seeds, and tools were also provided. In Ontario alone it is said that nearly 3,000,000 acres of land was so turned over to new settlers. With such inducements there were many Mennonite families from Pennsylvania and elsewhere who left the bounds of the United States to begin homemaking anew in the rich timberlands of Upper Canada.