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Show Till MMMlMrK miiiuov VfAtH n bulletin HI contains the statistics of 9 religious denominations Including the twelve branches of the Mennonlte family The Mennonltes hare never been fully numbered before, A few branch es have maje reports for denomina llonal purpose-, butanythlng like com pUts statistics has not aip-uared until the census of 16D-J. Though this religious re-ligious family Is (julte a religious, one In tho United Htate both In wvatth and numlw.r, ct little Is known outside out-side Its own fold of Its history, ouitoms and doctrine. There are li branches orseel known as Meimonttca, bet dlilerlng In some particulars. The pa'ent atct Ii usually called Tha MeunonllsChurrh. It has lutheUnltodHtstOe SO organizations and 17,00') communicant, 1U,OJO of whom are hi PennflvauK. The valuoof llachurch property Is given at $117,000. ItlaripresentedlnUHtates, and organ I led Into IS conferences. This church traces Its origin through MennoHlmons, to the Waldennlansof the Twelfth ctntury. Men no, the man who gave a name to this sect, was born at Krlesland, UollsuJ, lu 1493. lie became a priest of the Ilomiu Catholic Church, but In ISM he chanted his faith and at first Idcntlfkd hlmcelf with the Waldenslaur. Boon afttr he began to organlxo cbuiches oppofed to Infant baj tlsm and holding the-,rluclple of uon-nsli lance. The II rsl colony of this sttctielllcd lu America Amer-ica In 1053 at a place now oilled Ocr-man. Ocr-man. own In Pennsylvania. Atjr'S-cnt Atjr'S-cnt Holland, Germany, Hwllterlsnd and Ilui-da are represented In tho MennsnlteChurch In this country. In 10.12 a confession of faith was adopted by the sect In Holland. It contains elhtcm articles, and Is c ceted by all Mennonltes In the United Htates. Inaldltlonto artkles declaring declar-ing tho doctrines usually held respiting respit-ing Uod, the creation, the fall of man, the redemption, the Hcrlpturrs, repentance, baptism, aud tho Ior!'-s supper, tha coufessloH enjoins the practise of waihlng the Hslnts feet, the marrlago only of mumbers of the same faith, the uon-niUtoocoof uon-niUtoocoof violence, counseling lllght rather than the sword, ths use of tbe bau or excommunication, and the shunning of eipelled persons; It also forbids the taking of oaths. The ordinance of baptism Is administered adminis-tered tocaudldaleson their knees by a bishop or minister, who takes water with both hands from a vnieland pours It upon the head of the candidate, reciting tbe usual formula. Applicants who request It aro baptized In the water, liueellng therein uhlle the minister pours the element vn their hesjs. The Lord' supper Is observed twice a year, usually In theBprlng and fall. After communion comes tbe ceremony of feet washing. Ministers are chosen from tho congregation con-gregation to bo itirved. The selection Is mado by rote. If tbe choice le unanimous, the announcement Is made by tho bishop, and the ciudldato after examination h ordaluod. Among sonis of the Amlsh and Kus slau congregations the choice is nude by a majority vute. When a plurality of canildates aro nominated, a day is appointed to choose by lot one from among them. Tho deacons Uko as many books m thero lire nominations, U one U placed a slip of paper on which has been wrlltsu: "The lot Is cast Into the lap, but the whole dlspos lug thereof Is of the Lorl." I'.aoh candidate drawa a book, but he who draws that onUlotug the slip Is considered con-sidered chosen and Is ordained. Deaionsuru also chosen In this man tier. Uinicultles between brethren nre settled by arbitration A member who refuses to settle In this way la fix (oiled. Members cau uot accept any pjbltaotllre except something couueol-el couueol-el with school management There are eleven other Mennonlte sects dlflvtlug from eaoh other, and from tho parent sect only In matters of ritual or church discipline. The Amlshstaudi tlrstof these with nine-ty-seveu organization and 10,000 members; the Ueueral Conferonco Mennonltes next, wltlT fjrtyflva or-ganliatlous or-ganliatlous and 0000 members; third, the Old Amtsh Mennotilta Church, with twenty-two organ list loin and StrOO members. The eight remaining sects aggrtgato about 7003 members, so that the total of Mennonltes In tbe Uultud Htates amounts to near W) or-ganlxatlons or-ganlxatlons and about .2,0)0 members. |
