Mennonite Handbook of Information/Chapter 12
CHAPTER XII
LOSSES SUSTAINED BY THE PARENT CHURCH
The foregoing list of settlements and accompanying map, indicate the location of congregations of the class of Mennonite people who have sprung directly from the parent stem of the Church that was originally planted in the state of Pennsylvania, and retained membership in the same church after locating elsewhere. In the early days a number of colonies were established in different sections of that state, and in the adjoining states of Maryland and Virginia.
After a second generation had grown up, the number of Mennonites in America became greatly augmented by the Amish element that located in large numbers in Pennsylvania, as well as in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. In the meantime the seeds of disunion began to germinate and grow to the extent that certain leaders took the unwise course of separating themselves from the main body, when in such case the foment and disturbance that was created, became the cause for certain adherents to withdraw voluntarily, or suffer themselves to be expelled from the main body. Hence, none of the branches so separated, have been enumerated in the first of the foregoing tables, but have all been assembled in the second table.
Adherents to the main branch having always been a non-resistant and a non-proselyting body, it was never supposed to maintain membership from material coming from denominations other than from its own offspring. Along with this, the precaution was not taken in time for safeguarding the rising generation in the language and educational training of the forefathers.
Because of these and other failings of the Church to do her whole duty to her offspring, it may be truthfully asserted that no other denomination in America has suffered as fearful reverses as have the Mennonites. No other Christian body perhaps, has sustained a greater proportionate loss in number, both by dismemberment from the parent body, and from material rightfully to be claimed as her own, going from her borders as a contributing growth to other denominations. This tremendous drain upon her material as shown by the second table, to say nothing of what has gone elsewhere, has brought on a condition by which she can number her adherents only by thousands today, where there might have been millions!
A Church that has been able, in the face of such tremendous losses, with the insurmountable difficulties in the past that were to be overcome, and still hold fast to its integrity in spite of the great disadvantage of being scattered over twenty-six states and three Canadian provinces, must yet have a golden future before it. God surely has wonderful things in store for a people whose pathway in the past has been so strewn with misfortunes. A church that could survive through such a long trail of fiery trials and ordeals is yet destined to rise.
The past is irrecoverable, the dim future may yet show up its uncertainties; but the present is still ours, and may God give our leaders a sustaining grace to meet the oppositions and perplexities of each day and year as they come. May our vision of the future never be dimmed or obscured by opportunities lost, or the failure to realize the rewards of duties well done.