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mennonite journal a different church by mahlon wshantz what is going on in this town the shop jceeper pondered as be watched the man leave t lhe store that is the third one this week shoplifting and petty stealing was known to jjappen and was accepted 35 a normal risk but jvhen people who had not ieen caught came in to tiy for the things they had stolen plus asking to be forgiven that was news the same kind of junusual behaviour was reported all around town employers and overseers in industry were suddenly transformed from cruel slavedrivers into kind and considerate men jomen and children efe treated with love and kindness instead of being beaten at the slightest provocation workers were co operating and working productively instead of fighting perhaps the most unusual behaviour was where people shared their possesions when a man was known to voluntarily give some money to a poor neighbour who had suffered a serious loss the world of 1525 ad was slowly turning upside down in the atmosphere of social and political unrest 90 prevalent in europe at that time the ruling class was very suspicious of any unusual patterns of behaviour their desperate effort to crush the anabaptist movement could have been brought on as much by their fear ql social revolution as their concern for correct theology there was also the factor of a conscience like an accusing finger being pointed at the in- justice and immorality of contemporary society which was unwilling to mend its ways and had no alternative than to silence the voice i to do this they had to stop the spread of this rjew movement they called anabaptism and every legal and illegal means was tried without success legislation was revised and new laws passed the leaders were imprisoned and executed properties were con fiscated and whole families fled in every direction many died before they could escape but those who survived found secret friends in the various countries east north and west of swit zerland where many people had similar ideas about the bible and what it contained several things such as the recent translation of the bible into the language of the people and the use of the printing press made the bible available to the common people who were reading it for themselves also some priests were reading the new translations and some were preaching sermons on personal religion that resembled the teachings of the anabaptists consequently when the persecuted swiss brethren refugees arrived in a town they were welcomed by sympathetic people who were frequently ready to be taught more about the believers church in a few known incidents the local priest would lead his whole congregation in the step of faith and would accept adult believers baptism with his people this kind of hap pening brought about the spread of the anabaptist movement across europe like a grass fire on a hot summer day and then in turn brought the pressure of persecution more firmly upon it in desperation the swiss authorities appointed a special corps of mounted soldiers to exterminate them they were hunted down systematically and executed in many cruel ways without any legal procedure the old proverb the blood of martyrs is the seed of the church proved to be true in the story of the anabaptists when each new wave of public executions at tracted many others to the new religion who were in turn driven yet further into more countries where they laid the foundations for many of the protestant denominations in europe and north america today some crossed the english channel to the british isles and were the roots of quakers bap- tists congregational and methodists in holland a con verted priest named menno simons lived for 25 years with a price on his head but was spared to die a natural death his leadership was largely the reason that many scattered congregations finally were able to stabilize their system of faith and practice he also left some written sermons and teaching of the scriputres which was the main literature for the scattered people these churches were named after this leader as mennonites and others from switzerland and alsace who later joined them in america also became identified with them in austria a little band of several families stopped to rest while in flight during persecution someone suggested they pool their limited resources and laid a coat on the ground everybody responded by putting all their money and valuables on the coat they were able to survive by the economics of communal living their leaders name was jacob hutter and their descendants called hutterites continue to maintain the practice today before the end of the 16th century the sur viving little communities of refugees had been driven into remote and barren lands where no womens church meeting displays fashion pageant around 210 united church women attended the annual meeting of york presbyterial women on monday feb 21 at richmond hill united church jean morely led the group in the music for the day assisted by lorraine hutchinson at the piano marion starr retir ing president of york presbyterial welcomed the assembly stating the theme challenges unending the worship was led by the thornhill ucw who presented a meaningful pageant entitled a fashion show with a difference eight gowns worn by christian women were shown depicting patience kindness humility selflessness joy trust endurance and hope greetings were brought by helen kingsley president of richmond hill united church women rev robert shorten minister of richmond hill united church rev robert bah of unionville representing york presbytery and andrey emms barrie president of toronto conference women a brief business period followed after which may richards introduced the guest speaker of the morning patricia clarke the associate editor of the united church observer fwithmarkham lleading expert for 30 years the price of a new suite 5 years workmanship guarantee 4 monthly payments no extra charge free home estimates toromark furniture 2942581 2972055 one else wanted to live they lived is almost total isolation they all became farmers getting their living entirely from the land the agricultural skills that made their descendants wealthy in pennsylvania and on tario were developed out of stark necessity in the hinterlands of swit zerland and germany in this total isolation they educated their children maintained their religious services of group singing and simple preaching from the bible but did no evangelistic promotion of- their faith outside of their own families they had become the quiet of the land about 100 years later when wm penn a quak er from england was looking for settlers to occupy his land in the american colonies the word was spread in central europe and many of these mennonite families emigrated to america in search of a plot of ground and a country that would permit them to live ac cording to their con science and faith the story of hardship and privation both in pennsylvania and a century later in ontario are quite well known the tribune thursday march 10l 1ot7 7 st patrick program features irish singers the annual st patricks night program of the holt free methodist church will be held on sunday evening march 13 at 700 pm the program this year features an irish quartette fromguelph ontario an irish tenor from thornhill ontario and an irish soprano from belfast now living in toronto also we will have our usual in troduction on the bagpipes by an irish piper the guest speaker will be the reverend frank mcclelland from tandaragee north ireland recently came to canada gjwwwrwiwttw m tribune advertising salesman art dixon is showing a tour group from summitview public school the modern offset printing method of producing a newspaper the 23 students who visited in two groups are in volved in producing the summitview cen tennial news a school elective program project the youngsters spent considerable time perusing factory carpet for every room in your home fckl- j r jj px mraq rrn mzm v a es esaeas ess im- m we do everything to please you 1 low factory carpet prices 1 huge carpet selection 1 no money down no payments til june on our deferred credit plan 1 custom cutting while you wait to save you time and money factory carpet outlet we do everything but make the carpel 1 immediate installation with lifetime service guarantee 1 immediate delivery anywhere in ontario 1 totai satisfaction guaranteed- free 15 day exchange or refund on any area size carpet north york mississauga 1017 finch ave w 1458 ourxus si e ai ouffenn just east of diie road at eiiesmere 6308060 2706600 7526010 hours open- monfn 900 am to 9 00 pm sat 9 00 am to 6 00 pm we now accept master charge scarborough richmond hill whitbyoshawa 1399 kennedy r1 10720 yonoe si n 1618dundase ai eigm mills rd east ol thichson rd opposite winter man 15761500 three locations in montreal 8831723 hamilton 939 upper james stoney creek 940 queenston rd london 515 wellington rd s sudbury 1282 lasalle blvd st catharines 258 ontario st ottawa 1560 merivale rd kitchener 1040 king e church services ijaco the tribune looking for familiar names in last years book and studying stouffvilles past in some of the old issues dating back to the 1930s and 40s students in this picture are from left george preskourkas darren stevens chris garbutt brian brown and wryne stevens mccormack memorlu church highway 48 at vivian revcwsorely pastor 945 am morning worship 1100 am sunday school 730 pm gospel service tues 7 pm pioneer girls tues 7 pm boys brigade thurs 8 pm new life hour springvale baptist church gormleystouifviile rd at 6th cone kennedy rd rev tom hamilton phone 8875651 sunday mar 13th 1977 1000 am sunday school 1100 am morning worship message how to find gods forgiveness 700 pm evening service message speaking in tongues what does the bible say wed 8oo pm prayer meeting bible study ft stouffville united church rev jl carder babd march 13th 1977 11 am worship speaker rev dr r price 945 am sunday school intercongregation class 11 am nursery kindergarten primary junior classes beef dinner today at 5 615 pm you will be welcome bloomington christian gospel church rev cw sorlcy sunday mar 13th 1977 945 sunday school 1100 morning worship the calvary miracles the second miracle r the rending of the veil wed 8 pm prayer bible study 7 pm tues friday pioneer girls gormley missionary church revcecil rosenberger pastor phone ss75s46 sunday mar 13 950 am family sunday school 11 am morning worship 730 pm led by the youth wed 730 pm family night a warm welcome awaits you always christ church anglican 254 sunset boulevard march 13 1977 third sunday in lent 930 am morning prayer sermon rev edney church school wed march 16th 730 pm holy communion wed march 9 730 pm holy communion rev edney film strips discussion everyone welcome rev wf edney rector 29716346401461 unionville gospel hall 2nd street at hwy 7 lords day breaking bread 930 sunday school and bible class 1130 am gospel meeting 7 pm wed prayer bible study 8 pm ah heartily welcome sunday march 13 1977 945 am family sunday school bus service available 1100 am growing as a christian 700 pm the billy graham film time to run special music by the masters touch trio wed 700 pm pioneer girls 730 pm prayer bible study fri 700 pm jr high youth 800 pm sr youth youre always welcome at the missionary church altona missionary church pastor v klauc sunday mar 13lh 1977 10 am sunday school am morning worship 730 pm evening service wed prayer meeting 800 pm you are cordially invited to the missionary church st james presbyterian church rev ted crccn 6404195 10 am worship ser vice 11 am sunday school all are welcome churchill baptist church aurora sideroad 9 cone rev paul hope bth 6405629 minister of youth jim clubine 950 am sunday school bus ride available 1100 am morning worship 720 pm worship service wed 730 pm family night thurs 315 pm pioneer girls friday 730 pm young peoples we warmly welcome you sleep mg bsautydmt skim bom ias i foa r 7fw fat i and 4 1 i pontiacbuickventuraacadiaivigmc trucks 477 main st w stouffville 6403450 2973957 v