Monday, August 26, 2013

ELMER - THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMISH AND MENNONITE

The difference between the Amish and Mennonite that I am explaining is between Jean's Old Order Mennonite and my Old Order Amish.  There are some Old Order Mennonite who don't have electric and telephones and also there are some Old Order Amish that do.

Both Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonite basic beliefs are based the same as I explained in How the Amish and Mennonite religions were founded.  We believe in the simplicity of our faith and the separation from the outside world.  But, in some ways, we express ourselves different.

For example, the Amish feel our church services are more simple as they are held in our member's homes.  Old Order Mennonite have their services in their meeting houses.  Mennonites do missionary work throughout the world,  Old Order Amish mostly keep the work of helping others within the United States and Canada.

Also the Old Order Mennonites are more progressive with the outside world.  As you know they have electric and telephones in their homes.  Also, they drive gas farm equipment while the Amish use horse drawn. An interesting fact, I didn't realize until recently is that more Mennonites own farms than Amish do.

In our way of dress is difference, also.  The Amish women wear their dresses in solid dark colors as black, brown, blue, green, etc.  Old Order Mennonite ladies dress are light colors with prints such as flowers on them.  Old Order Mennonite men clean shave.  On the few Mennonite exceptions of the rule like Jean's Grandfather that does not shave his beard, he does trim it.  Old Order Amish men do not shave their beards nor do they trim them and let them grow as they are..  Also Old Order Amish men wear suspenders and Old Order Mennonite do not.  I could go into more details in the way we dress, but you can see the difference.

Some of the differences that separated the Mennonite and Amish back many years ago, still do today.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

ELMER WILL BE BACK THIS FRIDAY TELLING ABOUT THE BUGGY SALE AT THE HAITI AUCTION.












19 comments:

New York State Of Mind said...

Good Morning Everyone,
Elmer had a hard time with this post. He gave me two posts that he called back and said to clear those. This is the third one he gave me.

Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Amish American has a very interesting post on this morning. If you get a chance, take a look.

Marilyn

denimflyz said...

Good Morning Elmer,
Thank you for sharing your post this morning. I love the culture sharing that is brought here.
My Grandfather was Old Order Amish, but left during Rumspringa. He came out here to Nebraska, joined the Navy during WWI and learned the trade of being an electrician and then came back to Nebraska and worked all through the West-Central area of the state for the REA to bring electrical service to the farms.
I love learning about my heritage through all of you. I am proud of my Amish heritage.
Blessings upon you and your family
Vicki

Anonymous said...

Hi Elmer! Thanks for your post. I'm sure you have much to share about the life+traditions of the Old Order Amish in your area. There's much wisdom in loving the Lord, following His leading in all things and living simply. Looking forward to your next posting. Blessings to you and your family, Carol

New York State Of Mind said...

Hello Vickie,
I will see that Elmer gets your comment. That is very interesting that your Grandfather was Old Order Amish. I enjoyed learning about your heritage, too.

Blessings,
Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Carol,
I will see that Elmer gets your comments. Elmer will be on this Friday telling about the buggy auction at the Haiti Auction.

Marilyn

Chasity said...

Hi Marilyn,
Hope you are well! Please thank Elmer for his post!

New York State Of Mind said...

Hello Chasity,
I will pass on your message to Elmer.

Marilyn

kymber said...

Marilyn - i haven't been around for a while but i have caught up on all of the posts that i missed - i loved the canning posts and the recipe posts! please tell Elmer that his posts are very well received and that we appreciate his taking the time to post them. as we appreciate your keeping the posts going up Marilyn! thank you so much to all of you! having a safe place on the internet to come, and learn much, is a wonderful thing!

your friend,
kymber

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Kymber,
I wonder what happened as I hadn't heard from you in a while. Glad you came back. I will pass on all the comments. Glad you like the canning and recipe posts. Elmer was afraid no one would read him when he first came on. So happy that you like it here.

Marilyn

kymber said...

Marilyn - sometimes i disappear when there is work to be done harvesting, canning, dehydrating and freezing of our produce. we are new to all of this so the recipes, the posts about canning, and the general posts about the differences between amish and mennonite really do have a place in our hearts. please know, and please share with the others, that there are lots of us out there trying to get back to nature and god. we are trying to learn the old ways. and the only way that we have of learning is through these types of posts - without them - how would we ever get back to God? how would we ever learn to put up food?

Marilyn - these posts are so important to so many people. we don't live in communities with elders to teach us anymore - and those of us who yearn to be closer to God are left with nothing to grasp and learn. that is how the good folks who post here can help a large majority of us.

yes, they ban together and go and offer support when a tragedy like Katrina or Oklahoma happens...and for that we are very grateful. but what about the rest of us, who yearn, to learn more about living simpler, closer to God, who never experience a tragedy that these people could come to, help us, and minister?

i am not trying to put any hard pressure on them to share, nor you, to publish. but this is an avenue that we can learn from...and these posts teach us so much! please tell all of the others of the great works that they are doing here. God works in such mysterious ways...i believe that this internet is one of them. thank you Marilyn...and thank you to all that post here. bringing people closer to God, teaching people of simpler ways and means - is there anything more wonderful under the stars?

your friend,
kymber
(so sorry if i rambled. Marilyn, can you be sure that all of the people who post here read my entire message? thank you Marilyn!)

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Kymber,
You did not ramble on. I will pass your comment on to Jean, David, Elmer, Martha, Sue Ann and all. It tells what you would like to see on here and that is important. I am no good on farming as I have never lived or worked on a farm, but they know. Maybe we can get some information like you want on here.

Marilyn

SueAnn said...

Hi Marilyn,
If Kymber had a question for me, I missed it, but, if she or anyone else wants to talk "food" flowers', etc...you have my permission to give them my e-mail so that will be fine with me.

New York State Of Mind said...

Thanks, Sue Ann, I really appreciate it. You know about so many things, that I don't.

Marilyn

Countryside Reflections said...

Elmer's post is very interesting and please thank him for taking the time to do it (several times). I would like to know why a decision is made by either the Mennonites or Amish as to why a beard or no beard, or the color of your clothes, or the suspenders etc. Is it something that is interpreted from the Bible?

Doreen

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Doreen,
I will pass your comments and questions on to Elmer. I am sure he will answer them in a post.

Marilyn

kymber said...

oh Marilyn - i have sooo many questions for Sue Ann but i don't want to hog your comment section. i read and re-read through all of the posts here...it gives me hope and fills my heart with The Lord. please tell everyone how much we all appreciate their posts. and please be assured that we read and learn. and Marilyn - thank you for running this site - it is sooo important to a lot of us.

Marilyn - how is your job going? i would love to hear about it.

your friend,
kymber

SueAnn said...

Hi Doreen,
What I know from Bible study, is, in the Old Testament, the Jews were ordered to NOT be like the heathens, the Egyptians, so, the grew beards, mustaches', long side burns, the heathens were of the "round headed" type, and the fleeing Jews were instructed to NOT look like them. I know in Orthodox Jews, they have the long sideburns, and beards...when they become men...it seems it is the same with the Amish, only they designate married and not married...a good way to tell the single apart!!! This is just what I know...will be interesting to see what Elmer says.

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Kymber,
Can you give me your e-mail at:
lincolnlady1121@yahoo.com as I kow someone who might be able to answer some of your questions.

Marilyn