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Ask The Amish is a section of the Remnant’s Walk with reprint articles and letters from the Amish community from a publication called “Family Life”, which started back in 1967. Some original authors are listed in the publication, some are not. If there is an author listed, they would be listed at the end of the article with an original publishing date. Some Amish chose not to put their names on articles they write.

New Settlements

We asked our readers to write what they consider the most common pitfalls a family can expect to meet when they become part of a new settlement venture. [People mentioned climate and weather, financial difficulties, and power struggles] Here are some answers.

“One of the biggest problems is the power struggle that often results when people from different locations move together. So, when moving to a new settlement, be prepared to give in on little issues that don’t mean much anyway. The main trouble is too many chiefs and not enough Indians.”

[Comment by the editors] Sometimes people pretend to be moving for spiritual betterment, but all they really want is more liberty to do as they please. This is a motive upon which no blessing can follow, and a foundation upon which no congregation can prosper.

“To avoid another pitfall, get the electricity and telephone out of the property as soon as possible, or better yet before you even move there. Experience has taught us, the longer you use it, the harder it is to put it away.”

“Some people use the new settlement like a reformatory. They leave their children in a bad influence for sixteen years, then when things get out of control, they take them and dump them into a new settlement, expecting the new settlement to immediately undo the harm of the old. But it never has worked to throw a bad apple into a bushel with good ones and expect the good will change the bad. Usually it works the other way.

If the parents wait too long, they have a problem getting their children out of the old settlement, and even more, a problem to get the old settlement out of their children!”

I have noticed that if there are mostly young people in a new settlement, some things might gradually become accepted that the older people might see a danger in, and give a warning. [Other pitfalls include gossip, different backgrounds and lack of leadership]

“Why have new settlements so often failed? Is it not usually for lack of planning, a lack of support, or a lack of true leadership? A sprinkling of families come haphazardly from the four winds and decide to give a new settlement a try. If it doesn’t work, it is easy to pull up stakes and move again.

It seems to me, it is time our older, established congregations took the lead in starting daughter settlements under their supervision and with their support. Perhaps the old and the new settlements could prosper spiritually with Yah’s full blessing.

                                                                                              Writer unknown (4-77)

The Heritage of Our Church Decisions

Our Amish churches everywhere use rules of conduct or Ordnung to maintain uniformity in the congregation, and to keep unwanted practices out of the community. There are people who label all-such as man-made rules, and say they are wrong and detrimental to the church. But we believe one of the points that had enabled the Amish to hold to non- conformity is discipline. To have discipline, we must have standards. If we rebel against the standards decided by the church, it is evident that something is wrong in our heart.

Each restriction we have is the result of some problem or misuse the church faced at one time. When we face new problems, we must make decisions, whether we want to act on them or not. When I was a boy, there was no rule against watching or owning a television set, for the simple reason that there was no television. A hundred years ago the church needed no Ordnung against short dresses, because at that time it was the practice among all women to wear them floor length.

For myself, I prefer to go by collective decisions that have been made and handed down to us over many generations. Is there not a real danger that if we throw out what we have inherited from our forebearers, we may be missing something we will not be able to re- place.

                                                                                                        (D. Wagler, 4-91)

Marriage, A Most Sacred Institution

There are three reasons why a wedding is one of the most unique of the services held by our churches today. For one thing, it is the most joyous. The second reason is that a wedding is such a serious event, where a lifetime commitment is being made. The third reason is that it is such a sacred event because it is an Abbildung, a representation of the spiritual union between Messiah and his bride, the congregation.

In Lancaster county (PA), it is customary for the Amish wedding season to begin after the fall communion and continue until Christmas. The young married couple then spend the rest of the winter in visiting. Uncles and aunts receive an overnight visit. It is the couple’s way of starting out on the journey of life together.

I am thankful that in our churches, marriage vows are taken very seriously and are considered a lifetime commitment. If we listen carefully to the words of the marriage ceremony and to the vows exchanged, we find it inconceivable that any provision can be made for divorce and remarriage. I do not believe our churches could have survived and maintained their separation from the world over the centuries if we had not taken the marriage vows so seriously and literally.

We believe reconciliation is the key word to solving marital problems. As long as remarriage is an option, reconciliation does not get a fair trial. Reconciliation works satisfactorily only when the scriptural requirement is enforced as the only option the church has to offer: possible separation but no remarriage.

                                                                (“Now That I Think of It” D.Wagler, 1-91)

Is our Light Consistent

Three oft-quoted passages of Scripture follow each other naturally:

1st Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a peculiar people.”

1st Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receives not the spirit of Yahweh, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Matthew 5:16 So let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father in Heaven.

We believe the first passage applies to us. If we didn’t there would be something wrong, and it would be time to look at ourselves for improvement. We consider the second passage as directed to us. To a certain extent, we apply this principle, and there is evidence in our works. Our plain clothes draw attention. If we are honest, generous, and helpful; if we are pious and Elohim-fearing, if we are quiet, peaceful and law- abiding- people will see our good works.

We like to believe that the last passage (1st Cor 2:14) is the reason why more people do not follow our way. Our customs seem like foolishness to many. It is easy to look down on others and feel they are too proud to humble themselves the way they do like we do. They couldn’t do without their luxuries!

It is easy to assume our way of living is foolishness to them because they receive not the things of the Spirit. Perhaps on the other hand, could it be that our light is so smokey, smudged, and sooty that they cannot see our good works.

                                                                         (Isaac Horst, Mt Forest, Ont, 5-71)

What it means to be Amish

We dress differently and our lifestyle is different, but is that the only difference between the Amish and all these other churches? Well, let me tell you a story. Some years ago, a group of fifty-two people chartered a bus, and came to Holmes County to see the Amish. They had arranged to have an Amishman meet them and answer some of their questions.

For their first question, they began, “We all go to church”, and they named some churches. “So, we know about Jesus. But what does it mean to be Amish?”

The Amishman thought a bit, and then asked a question of his own, “how many of you have TV in your homes?” Fifty-two hands went up. “Now, how many of you feel that, perhaps you would be better off without TV in your homes?” Again, fifty-two hands went up. “All right. Now, how many of you are going to go home today and get rid of your TV?” Not one hand went up!

Now that is what it means to be Amish. As a congregation, if we see or experience something that is not good for us spiritually, we will discipline ourselves to do without. The world in general does not know what it is to do without!

                                                    (Monroe L. Beachy, Sugarcreek, Ohio, 8/9-92)