who err, it is necessary to use all care and diligence to observe them, instructing them with all meekness to their own amend ment, and reproving the obstinate according as the case may require. In short, that the church must excommunicate him that sins either in doctrine or life, and no other. (Tit. iii. 10; 1 Cor. v. 12.)

XVII. Of Shunning or Avoiding the Separated or Excommunicated.-Touching the avoiding of the separated, we believe and confess, that if any one has so far fallen off, either by a wicked life or perverted doctrine, that he is separated from God, and consequently is justly separated from and corrected or punished by the church, such a person must be shunned, according to the doctrine of Christ and his apostles, and avoided without partiality by all the members of the church, especially by those to whom it is known, whether in eating or drinking, or other similar temporal matters; and they shall have no dealings with him: to the end that they may not be contaminated by intercourse with him, nor made partakers of his sins; but that the sinner may be made ashamed, be convicted, and again led to repentance. (1 Cor. v. 9, 10, 11; 2 Thess. iii. 14; Tit. iii. 10.)

That there be used, as well in the avoidance as in the separation, such moderation and Christian charity as may have a tendency, not to promote his destruction, but to insure his reformation. For if he is poor, hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, or in distress, we are in duty bound, according to necessity, and agreeably to love and to the doctrine of Christ and his apostles, to render him aid and assistance; otherwise, in such cases, the avoidance might tend more to his ruin than to his reformation. (2 Thess, v. 14.)

Hence we must not consider excommunicated members as enemies, but admonish them as brethren, in order to bring them to knowledge, repentance, and sorrow for their sins, that they may be reconciled with God and his church; and, of course, be received again into the church, and so may continue in love towards him, as his case demands.

lieve and confess, agreeably to the scriptures, that all men who have died and fallen asleep, shall be awakened, quickened, and raised on the last day, by the incomprehensible power of God; and that these, together with those that are then alive, and who shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet, shall be placed before the judgment seat of Christ, and the good be separated from the wicked; that then every one shall receive in his own body according to his works, whether they be good or evil; and that the good and pious shall be taken up with Christ, as the blessed, enter into everlasting life, and obtain that joy, which no eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor mind conceived, to reign and triumph with Christ from everlasting to everlasting. (Matt. xxii. 30, 31 ; Dan. xii. 12; Job xix. 26, 27; John v. 28; 2 Cor. v. 10; 1 Cor. xv.; Rev. xxi. 11; 1 Thess. iv. 13.)

And that, on the contrary, the wicked or impious shall be driven away as accursed, and thrust down into utter darkness; nay, into everlasting pains of hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched; and that they shall never have any prospect of hope, comfort, or redemption. (Mark ix. 44.)

May the Lord grant that none of us may meet the fate of the wicked; but that we may take heed and be diligent, so that we may be found before him in peace, without spot and blameless. Amen.

Done and finished in our United Churches, in the city of Dortrecht, 21st April, A. D. 1632; subscribed:

Dortrecht-Isaac de Koning, John Ja cobs, Hans Corbryssen, Jaques Terwen, Nicholas Dirkson, Mels Gylberts, Adriaan Cornelisson. Zeeland-Cornelius de Moir, Isaac Claasz. Middleburg-Bastian Willemsen, John Winkelmans. VlissingenOillaert Willeborts, Jacob Pennen, Lieven Marynesz. Zierich-Anthony Cornellison, Peter Jansen Zimmerman. Gorcum

Rot

Peter Jahnsen Moyer, Abraham Dirkson, David ter Haer, Peter Jahnsen van Singel, Leyden-Christian de Koning, Johannes Weyns. Harlem-Johannes Doom, Peter Gryspeer, Dirk Wouters Kolenkamp, Peter Joosten. Schiedam Cornelius Bom, Lambert Paeldink. Blokziel-Claes Claesen, Peter Petersen, Dirk Rendersen. Utrecht-Hermann Segerts, John Hendricksen Hooghvelt, Daniel Horens, Abraham Spronk, William von Brockhuysen. Bommel-Wilhelm Jansen van Exselt, Gyspert Spiering. Germany--Peter van Borsel, Anthony Hans. Krevelt-Herman op de Graff, Wilhelm Kreynen.

The foregoing articles are received and maintained by all the Mennonites throughout the United States, Territories, and in Canada, wherever they have been dispersed; for, since the first immigration of the Mennonites to this country, they have been spread over a great portion of Pennsylvania, where large bodies of them are found in Lancaster county, in Bucks, Chester, Philadelphia, Montgomery, Dauphin, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Franklin, York, Westmoreland, and some other counties, and also in Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, New York and in Canada.

The Mennonite congregations in Pennsylvania are divided into three general circuits, within each of which, semi-annual conferences, consisting of bishops, elders or ministers, and deacons, are held for the purpose of consulting each other, and devising means to advance the spiritual prosperity of the members. A similar conference is held in Ohio, where the Mennonites are very numerous, consist ing, however, principally of foreign immigrants who have settled there within the last thirty years. The members of the congregations in Indiana are principally from Switzerland. In Canada they have from fifteen to twenty places where religious meetings are held; their semiannual conferences are alternately held at Waterloo, Clinton, and Markham.

*

Bishops, elders or ministers, and deacons, are usually chosen by casting lots. Their pastors neither receive nor accept stipulated salaries, nor any kind of remuneration for preaching the gospel, or in attending to the functions of their office. Their number of ministers, members, congregations, and houses of public worship, in America, has been variously estimated; but the exact number of members cannot be given, as they keep no records among them for that purpose. In this they hold the same views as they do in giving alms, when our Saviour says (Matt. vi.): "Take heed that ye do not your alms," &c. So they believe it would not be acceptable in the sight of God to make a public display of the number of their communicants, as they know the Head of the Church of God, namely, Jesus Christ, sees and knows who are his children in the whole world. Furthermore, they bear in mind the confession of King David, declaring himself that he greatly sinned by causing Israel to be numbered. (2 Sam. xxiv.)

In a letter to the editor from Shem Zook, who is well-informed in the religious statistics of the Mennonites, he says, when speaking of the Mennonites, "their number in the United

States has been computed at 120,000." This can ascertain, they have about ninety-five estimate, we think, is too high. So far as we ministers in Pennsylvania, one hundred and eighty places of public worship; in Virginia, from thirty to forty ministers, about thirty-five places of worship. In Maryland, Ohio, Inministers, and one hundred and thirty places diana, and New York, probably eighty-five of worship. In all America, about two hundred and thirty or forty ministers, and rising of four hundred places of public worship, and between fifty and sixty thousand members. bly exceed 120,000; but they have not that The whole Mennonite population may probanumber of communicant members.

They are distinguished above all others for their plainness in dress, economy in their domestic arrangements; being frugal, thrifty, and withal very hospitable. They take in

strangers; treat them kindly without charge. They suffer none of their members to become a public charge.-ED.

HISTORY.

THE Mennonite denomination derived its name from Menno Simon, a very zealous and successful reformer; but, owing to the manner in which he and his fol lowers were persecuted, and his doctrines and views misrepresented, through the malice of his papistical adversaries, his name was never handed down to posterity, side by side with that of Luther, Calvin,

and others; though it must be admitted, he did as much towards the enlightening of mankind, and contended with adversaries as powerful, as ever impeded the progress of Luther, and all those illus. trious personages, whose names shed such a lustre on the history of the Reforma

tion.

But as there is required a history of the Reformed branch of the Mennonite Society only, it will not fall within the design of this sketch, to trace her history to that dark and superstitious period, when the earth was daily drenched with the blood of the righteous.

How long the followers of Menno, adhered to the doctrines he had inculcated

how long they practised his precepts, and guarded with a jealous eye those divine truths, that he had promulgated, is not exactly known; but we are informed from

This article has the sanction of the Rev. John Herr, of Strasburg, a Bishop of the Society.-ED.

a source which cannot be doubted, that soon after the persecution ceased, there was a gradual falling off from their former purity, and that they did not carry into effect the doctrines they had formerly taught and professed. From this it is evident, that they became, by degrees, more and more corrupted.

and on reflecting how they had deviated It was when viewing their fallen state, from the path in which they had formerly trod; how they resisted minor evils, though they were instructed that the New Testa ment showed expressly, that Christ taught his disciples to resist no evil whatever; in short, it was when contrasting their con ditions now, with what they professed then, that a few individuals contemplated the design of restoring them to their former purity. They, for this purpose, met repeatedly, and exchanged in simplicity of heart the sentiments of their minds. They warned the Mennonites of their delusion; but as they were unwilling to be convinced of the errors under which they were la boring, and as those few enlightened souls found it impossible to take part in their proceedings, as long as they remained in their defiled condition, they found it neces sary to renovate and renew the whole Mennonite doctrine. They accordingly razed the rubbish to the foundation, on

which they commenced building the church of Christ anew. This happened in the year 1811; and as their number was con