Amish

History

The origin of the Amish , can go back to two dates:

Is with 1660, with the signature, in the Alsatian small village of Ohnenheim, of the Convention of common faith always into force currently in the American communities;
Is - as it is more frequent - with 1693, with Holy-Marie-with-Mines, when a bishop, Jakob Amman (1645-1730), leave, for reasons of theological divergences, the Swiss branch of the Mennonites, after having tried to mobilize the Brothers of Alsace for a simpler life. In 1712, Louis XIV tries to move the Brothers. The trace of Jakob Amman is lost, but one finds the Brothers in the United States of America.

As from 1681, William PEN, founder of the Company of the Friends of God , more known under the name of Quaker S, accommodates all rejected, in the only condition which they tolerate the others. Amish thus settle as from this moment with the the United States (Pennsylvania).

Organization

Each Amish congregation is independent and has its own tradition. The congregations communicate between them, but there does not exist any regional organization or main road. The congregations are directed by a bishop, a preacher, and two levels of deacons. The women who remain quiet during the worships (except singing) take part like the men in the election of the leaders of the congregation: each baptized member gives the name of a man who he thinks of being indicated by God. The future leaders are elected as follows: at the time of a special worship, the men who were proposed by the whole of the congregation present in front of this one and choose each one a Bible prepared for this purpose. A piece of paper with a biblical verse had been slipped into one of them and the man who chose it is thus " élu". By this method, Amish consider that it is the Saint Spirit itself which directed the hand of the elected official.

The life of Amish is based on the reading and the practical application of the lesson of New Testament. For example, the women wear dresses because the Bible condemns the use of men's clothes by the women and vice versa. The women cover their head pursuant to an exhortation of the Paul apostle in New Testament, etc

Between the various communities, the practical applications differ, but in general Amish are vêtent of dark colors. The men are made push the beard as of the marriage. The women carry a cap near to the Quichenotte of the country the Vendée N. The ideal of all consists in being modest .

Amish do not have a Social security nor of contribution of retirement: the mutual aid and solidarity compensate for all that. The families often have from 8 to 10 children. It happens that the father transmits the farm to elder as of the marriage. The father transforms himself then easily into Sculpteur and manufactures small artisanal objects out of wooden; or it becomes Tisserand. In general, Amish do not vote and do not pay a Social Security. They do not take part either in the military service.

Amish of the Old Order , a Church mennonite, have certain characteristics which can strike the visitor or the foreigner:

they have, still today, only cars with Cheval, the Buggy
the ploughings are done with the attachment, without tractor (certain communities have tractors without tires, with iron wheels).

They open nevertheless stores downtown where one can get craft industry amish, mainly quiltées covers (Patchwork), and other objects of craft industry, they can also deal with market-gardening stores. These stores, by exception, are sometimes connected on electric groups if their owner is not Amish.

Education

The primary school is rather close so that the children can go there to foot. The formation aims especially the English, the Mathématiques as well as health, the Géographie and the Histoire. The school, when it is deprived, is managed by a school commission of elected parents amish. In the private schools amish, the teachers come from the community amish itself. At the 14 years age, the young people leave the school.

From 16 to 21 years, in the preserving communities (such as Schwartzentruber and Nebraska) comes the Rumschpringa, kind of Rite of passage during which the teenagers are temporarily released from the rules of the community. They can thus be tested with the practices of the modern life, drink alcohol, smoke, wear modern clothing. They can possibly leave the community during this period. This practice is discussed within the Churches amish. Much gave up it and promotes a behavior decent (and in conformity with biblical morals) at all the ages of the life.

At the end of this period, they can ask the Baptême and live according to the traditions of the community. A negligible minority of teenagers leave the community definitively and decide for the modern life.

Within the amish family the parents and the large parents, even the backs grandparents contribute largely to the education of the children much more by their Actes that by their Paroles. For the amishs the word is dangerous because it can be carrying violence, attack, insult, of inpureté or of spite, they are thus exerted very young person with reflecting well in advance so that they will say in order to speak usefully without wounding whoever. The amish show with their children how to live by their behavior, the Exemple and their faith, they speak little but work hard and as of more the young age. From where the expression to work like Amish.

Health

The amish, private of car, go enormously. The men walk on average 18 500 pas per day and the women a little more than 14.000, they make much more than the 10.000 steps per day recommended to be in health. It make 6 times more physical-activity than an average adult in North America.

They have a food very rich in fat and sugar since they eat many meat, potatoes, bread, cakes and eggs. In spite of that, they are less fatty than the majority of American and Canadian. According to researchers of Université of Tennessee, none the farmers amish were obese and only 9% of the women of the community were it. Their hard labor and walk makes evacuate the few calories of too, concluded the researchers.

Language

The majority of the Amish families speak at the house a German dialect known under the name of German pennsylvanien (“Pennsylvania Dutch”). This term comes from the word “Deutsch”, which, in an antiquated direction, returns to all the people speaking one about the many German-Danish dialects - and not to the inhabitants of the Netherlands. This dialect is rather close to the Suisse German and the Alsacien.

Several currents

Amish of the Vieil Order speak a dialect High-German: the '' Pennsylvania Dutch ''. By tradition strictly farmers, much today, especially in the great communities where it is more difficult to find ground, work in factories or are contractors.
In 1864, in Indiana, a schism occurs under the direction of Old the Henry Egli: one starts to speaking English and sending his children to the School of Sunday , instead of giving the religious instruction to the house, in family. One proscribes the jewels, the Tabac and the alcohol. English causes bringings together with other Mennonites.
the Conférence of Amishs mennonites preserving (liberal schism ) approaches the world. This group dropped the word “Amish” during the 20th century, and is considered Mennonite today.
In 1923, the Beachy Amish (schism come under the direction from Brace Mr. Beachy) receive as well Conservative Amish as of the people attracted by a bringing together with the modern world, with the use of electricity, the cars, the buildings of the worship.

Amish made a mission, between 1980 and 1985, in Germany, like Belgium and Alsace: it was a failure. Amish wanted to impose to the sympathizers not yet baptized on their premises not to have a Télévision, and the Alsatian ones supported the port of the white cap badly. Twenty-five people only were interested by the way of life of the Old Order , whereas the Beachy Amish proposed a certain modernity. Assessment: three baptized.

Except for this mission, organized for the tercentenary one of Amish and the missions Beachy Amish in Latin America, Amish do not make any Prosélytisme.

Amish in France

In the middle of the 17th century after the War Thirty Year old, Ribeaupierre, noble of Protestant confession, tries to find farmers for its grounds devastated by the war. An about sixty families of Anabaptists mennonites, who have just been expelled of the Canton of Bern, there find refuge. They take refuge around the community of Holy-Marie-with-Mines, in Alsace, in the Vosgean mountains . They profit from a military exemption in exchange of the promise not to make a Prosélytisme.

The large majority of these Anabaptists made to France chose to follow the bishop Jakob Amman, in 1693, when this one founds a dissenting community wanting to be more rigorous and more faithful to the principles founders: " Amish". In 1712, Louis XIV tries to move these Amish immigrants of language Suisse German E. The majority of them take refuge in the principality of Montbeliard, which was then a Protestant enclave independent, while others choose to remain around Holy-Marie-with-Mines, in spite of the order of expulsion. At the time of the advent of Louis XV, certain refugees benefit from it to return to Alsace. Montbeliard passes under French control at the time of the French revolution, and in 1792, Amish profit again from an exemption of military service. They lose this privilege at the beginning of the 19th century, under the authority of Napoleon Bonaparte. Amish de France realize of their difficulties of reconciling their lifestyle with that their compatriots, and massively leave the country to settle in the United States of America and Canada. Those which choose to remain in France must accept the Conscription.

In 1850, there was in France: 5000 Amish; in 1900, it only remained about it: 3000. Who more is, during the 19th century century, 14 congregations had disappeared, and the families had moved away from/to each other; certain congregations practiced the worship only once a month. In 1907, Amish de France, in distress, drop the word “Amish” and replace it by “Mennonite”, to mark their reunification with Mennonites. Certain traditions amish, like the Rectal injection of the feet, still perdurent a few years, in spite of the reunification. Today, some Mennonites churches in France owe their origins in old Amish.

See too

Mennonitisme
Religion in the United States

External bonds

the communities mennonites
Bibliography on Amish
Genealogy anabaptist

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