The Radical Reformation Tradition: Anabaptists, English Separatists ...

The Radical Reformation Tradition 93Present-day descriptions of various Amish communities give only minar variations.Thus the Amish County News 31 gives the customs of the Lancaster County Amish.Catechesis classes are usually nine in number. Baptism take place as part of the normalchurch service, usually two services prior to the autumn communion:After the hymns and sermons, the young people kneel. They are reminded thatthis is a promise to God, witnessed by those at the church service. Each is askedfour questions, signaling their commitment to join the church. Then the prayercoverings are removed from the head of each girl, and the bi shop raises eachapplicant's head. He is assisted by the deacon who holds a wooden bucket. Witha cup, the deacon pours some water from the bucket into the bishop's hands andonto each applicant's head three times, in the name of the Father, the Son, and theHoly Ghost.The hand of each applicant is taken and they are helped to their feet as the bishop,in the Pennsylvania German dialect, says these words, 'In the name of the Lordand the Church, we extend to you the hand of fellowship. Rise up, and be a faithfulmember of the church'. The boys are greeted as members with the Holy Kiss. Thegirls receive this blessing from the deacon's wife. 32The Old Mennonite Church, in its Church Polity statement published in 1944,describes the following ritual after instruction:Addressing the applicants, the minister says: 'And now if it is still your desire to be baptized and to be received into church fellowship, you will rise ... then asking them: Do you believe in one true, etemal, and almighty God? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, as the only begotten Son of God, that he is the Only saviour of Mankind, that he died upon the cross and gave hirnself a ransom for our sins that through hirn we might have etemallife? Do you believe in the Holy Ghost? Are you truly sorry for your past sins, and ... willing to renounce Satan, and the world? Do you promise by the Grace of God, and the aid of his Holy Spirit, to submit yourself to Christ?' Candidates kneel, while the congregation stands ... the minister prays ... The deacon or some other brother now brings avessei with water, and the minister laying his hands upon the head of the subject for baptism, says: 'Upon the confession of thy faith, which thou hast made before God and these witnesses (he now with both hands takes a quantity of water from the vessel, and pours it upon the head ... ) I baptize thee with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' When the baptism takes place in an outside body of water the subject kneels and the minister takes the water from the stream. After all the applicants are thus baptized ... the minister gives them his hand and says 'Arise! And as Christ was raised up by the glory of the father, even so thou 31 Amish Country News, Brad Igou (ed.), 2005 .32 lbid., pp. 3-4 of 8.