Multicultural Youth Conference

 Speakers:

Ruth Walman and Susie Stahl

Subject: 

Hutterite History: Past and present

Oct. 5, 1985

Saskatoon Inn

Saskatoon, SK.

As Hutterite, our main reason for our costume and our social activities is our religion.  Our religion is greatly tied into our history.  So what I will be talking about is our religion though it may sound mostly like history.

Hutterites originated in Tirol in the 1500’s.  Their leader was Jacob Hutter, hence the name Hutterites.

But the religion goes back to the time of Jesus’ disciples, and is based on the whole New Testament that tells of the life and teaching of Jesus Christ.  Special heed is paid to Acts 2:44-45.  “And all the believed were together and had all things in common.  They sold their possessions and goods parted them to all men, as every man had need.”

Luther started the Reformation and there were a few who went farther than Luther, who wanted to break away from the state church altogether.

Many new churches were started and then there were the Anabaptists.  (Anabaptists means to re baptize).  They baptize adults, which had been baptized as babies.  This was in the 1500’s.

Anabaptists were heavily persecuted for their faith.  Many were imprisoned and put to death, few escaped.  They were persecuted because they separated church and state. 

Although their leaders (Grebel, Manz and Blaurock) were put to death, Anabaptists were not crushed.  It spread through Austria and Germany.  When persecution became to serve in Austria, they fled to Morvavia.  (Apart of Czechoslovakia today).  It was a Promised Land and Anabaptists arrived from Tirol, Germany and Switzerland. 

By 1527, there were as many as 1200 Anabaptists in Monrovia.  It worried the state church, so the Anabaptists either had to arm and fight for their rights to stay, or move.  Again, it broke the Anabaptists into parts.  One part agreed to fight and the other did not. 

The state armies left them alone, but the division between the two groups was made.  The group that refused to bear the sword remained, and the other faded. 

In 1528, the community of goods was started again.  Leaders sprang up and Jacob Hutter became the chief elder.  He was greatly tortured and burned at the stake for his faith. 

Hutterite life was not easy, for in 1535 they were heavily persecuted, but remained strong in their faith and beliefs.  While some were in imprisoned they wrote great books, beautiful hymns and sermons, which we still, read and sing today.  Our sermons are still the same ones, which our forefathers wrote while in prison.  Peter Ridemann wrote “Confession of Faith” while in prison.  He wrote on matters such as baptism, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, singing, the Christian and war, dress and adornment.  This is still accepted and used by Hutterites.

Luckily for Hutterites, Ridemann escaped from prison and was a great leader.  At this time the Hutterites took to living in caves and were in hiding, as in the catacombs of Rome. 

Then in 1551-1552, persecution eased and they were all allowed back in their colonies.  These were the good years.  From 1565 to 1592 were the Golden Years.  They had great leaders and the brotherhood grew.

Hutterites were well liked and had many different economic activities.  They had a good reputation as skilled craftsman and were reliable workers.  But crafts were limited.  They made no swords, spears or guns.  Tailoring was permitted only to some extent since it could create pride and vanity.  Also they were medical doctors and were great demand by non-Hutterites.

Hutterites were ahead of their time in education too.  They had kindergarten 270 years before the first ones were started in Germany, which was in 1837.  The goal of education was to teach the fear of God and reverence.

The Turkish War and the Thirty Years War were not easy times for the Hutterites.  They had to keep moving.  They moved from one country to another as they were expelled they had to move on.  Finally they migrated to Russia and settled in Ukraine. 

In 1864, Russia changed her politics and the Hutterites moved to North America.  They first settled in South Dakota.  After WW 1, the Hutterites moved to Canada.  During the first was they moved to Canada, in case they would have to take up arms in the States.  Farming was poor where they had settled so they moved back to the States.  During the first and second was they were in C.O. camps. 

Today Hutterites are settled in North and South Dakota, Montana, Washington.  In Canada they were in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Since 1930 new colonies have started in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and England.  There is a colony is Japan.  These later colonies (except the one in Japan) manufacture wooden toys, since there is no farming where they live.  Others do farm.

There are about a total of 23,000 Hutterites in about 300 Colonies today.  Customs and dress may vary among these colonies, but the religion and beliefs are the same. 

Today, Hutterites still live as close to the teachings of Jesus disciples in the New Testament as possible.  No part is exempt.  The New Testament is taught thoroughly.  We also read the Old Testament since it teaches us many lessons. 

Education of religion starts at home by the parents.  At the age of three the children attend kindergarten from 8 AM until 3:30 PM they are under supervision of an elderly sister of the colony.  They are fed, have naps and learn German hymns and prayers.  They also learn obedience and sharing with other children.

At the age of five, they begin their English school taught by a teacher supplied by the school board.  Besides their English School they also have German School taught by a member of the colony.  They learn to read and write in German.  They memorize German hymns and the teaching of Jesus’ apostles. 

English education stops at the age of 15, though not spiritual education.  Every Sunday, these children, now considered young adults, and also the children of school age attend Sunday school.  The young adults also memorize German hymns and they read the testament.  The Sunday morning service is explained to them and talked about. 

Every evening, if possible, we have evening service and a sermon on Sunday morning, with a service in the evening.  All our holidays – Christmas, New years, Easter and Pentecost are celebrated with church services.

At the age of 20 or older, we are baptized.  This may be most important step in the life of the Hutterite.  It is making a great commitment with God.  When we baptized we become brothers and sisters to the other members and also to Christ. 

After baptism is marriage, and our marriages are not arranged.

Our ministers our married men as we learn from the New Testament.  Titus 1:5-11 tells us whom to have as ministers.  Married men and if they have a family, even better.  Our ministers are not self ordained, but made by casting lots.  This is also found in the New Testament, Acts 1:23-26 “And” they cast lots for them...”

We do not send our missionaries here in Canada, for we feel that just living among our neighbors and showing by our actions and deeds that we are Christians is missionary work and if a person seeks to find out how we live and is interested in our way of life, we will not turn him away.  We do not force anyone to become a Christian or a member of our church, not even our own people.  We have laws and rules to follow, but it is up to the individual to become a member.  Also, we are not forced to stay in the colony, but are free to leave.  If a person does leave he is on his own, but if he wants to return, he is welcome back. 

Our style of dress is simple and we all have the same type of pattern varying in size.  Men and women separate through.  We wear no gaudy, flashy cloths, but dark colors because dark colors are more humble. 

We have no radios, TV, cameras or jewelry.  This all has not value whatsoever to any Hutterite.  These things go greatly against our religion and beliefs.  In fact, we feel this leads us away from Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament, especially what is shown on TV. 

Wearing jewelry shows vanity, which a Christian shouldn’t have.  We wear no wedding bands, though our men wear beards when they are married. 

To own cameras are to go against the second of the Ten Commandments: Thou shall not make unto you any graven image”.  We have no divorces, for once a couple is married they stay married and only death can part them.  Some of our widows and widowers do remarry.

Our elderly are taken of by the colony, also the sick, unless they need hospital care.  We have no special homes for these people.  The colony cares for them and provides. 

We know that there are lots of temptations for our young generation.  There is also always a struggle between right and wrong.  Most of the time, right overpowers wrong, but not always.  We are all human beings and have failings like all people in the world.  We are not perfect.

Brotherly love keeps a colony close together.  We try to be open to each other and at the same time we respect each other as individuals.

It may be easier to live in a colony if one has grown up in it.  But, it would not be possible for anyone from outside the colony.  From the New Testament we learn that all things are possible through Christ.

We have a lot of tourists visiting our colonies from all over the world.  We enjoy meeting new people.

It has been a pleasure sharing my religion with all of you.