Church of the Brethren Families

Most of my maternal and many of my paternal ancestors are German Church of the Brethren. In the 1800's they were known as German Baptist Brethren. In the 1700's the Brethren meet in homes and barns, not building their first churches until the 1830's and 1840's. Similar to the Mennonites and Amish who were fellow Anabaptists, they did not baptize infants nor children. They dressed in distinctive conservative attire believing in unquestioning obedience to the teachings of Christ and the New testament, including non-conformity to worldly values, non-swearing, non-resistance, and non-participation in warfare. The motto still guiding the Lower Miami Church is in 1 John 3:18 "Let us not love in word and speech, but in deed and truth."

The Brethren arose as Schwarzenau Brethren in 1708 Germany. Their 300th Anniversary Celebration is in August 2008 in Schwarzenau, Germany. After the Thirty Year War in 1648 each German principality had been able to choose which of three religions - Catholic, Lutheran, or Reformed - would be recognized as their established religion. Known as Radical Pietism the brethren dissenters arose from the spirit wanting to establish the "true" Christian faith. Alexander MACK steered the flock closer to the Mennonites doctrinal principles to adher to the teachings of the New Testament in regard to baptism, the Lord's Supper and feet washing, along with resistance to violence or force. Their Pietism exists because of the Reformation.

In the Brethren List discussion group's welcome message they state: "The term "Brethren" as used here alludes to all persons and places that now, or in the past, have any type of connection to the church groups that descend from the movement started by the Alexander Mack group during 1708 at Schwarzenau, Germany. Among others, names associated with this group include Tunker; Dunkard; German Baptist; Church of the Brethren; Dunkard Brethren; Grace Brethren; and Old German Baptist Brethren.

There have been a number of divisions within the church. Known as one of the "Peace" churches they are opposed to government oaths, allegiance, military duty and depending on which division may oppose modern living much as the Amish Mennonite's. Besides local county libraries and the Allen County Public Library I have found a lot of family obituaries in Brethren publications at Manchester College North Manchester, Wabash County, Indiana. Some church history can be found in Mennonite archives such as Goshen College in Goshen, Elkhart County, Indiana. The church started around 1708 in Germany where the members were persecuted and even killed such as a LANDIS relative for not following the state religion. The families emigrated to the United States sometimes by way of England or other countries. There are several deacons or ministers in some branches of my families from the founding of the church in 1708 to the present time.

Some of my family lines are still Brethren members today, all of these families were at one time

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