An Outline of Baptist History

-11- 4. Menno Simons and his followers. A stigma had been placed against the Anabaptist movement because of the disorders at Munster. Vedder points out that they pro- fessed to have daily revelations. They claimed to be the kingdom of David. John of Leyden who was King David had a harem. These and other disorders put the Anabaptist cause in ill repute. The stigma, however, only checked the movement. It could not be stopped. (1) Menno Simons. Simens was born in Freesland in 1492. He was educated for the priesthoed and ordained in 1515. He began to doubt the doctrine of transubstan- tiation but tried to lay the doubt to the temptation of the devil and thus put it aside. However, he soon began to study the scriptures. Upon his personal study of the scriptures, he began to preach with new evangelical power. Simons heard of the martyrdom of Sicke Snyder, a poor tailor who was condemmedon Mar. 30, 1531. The condemnation stated that he was to be "executed by the sword; his body shall be laid on the wheel, and his head set ona stake, because he has been rebaptized and persevers in that baptism.'' This martyrdom led Simens to action. Until 1536 he continued to be a priest, and then after this experience he resigned. As he began his independent ministry the Anabaptists were divided and greatly discouraged. Menno turned the scale in favor of purity and peace. He was responsible for founding churches across the whole of Northern Europe from France to Russia. His position enforced strict stan- dards of morals, repressed all tendencies toward fanaticism, gradually molded his followers into the mild, peaceful and moral people that the Mennonites have ever since been. Menno Simons was an illuminous writer, and established a printing press which secured wide circulations of his writings in the Dutch lan- guage. He died in 1559, (2) Menno Simons Followers: These people grasped the fundamental idea of the spiritual constitution of the church, though they did not reach the full truth as Baptists understand it. They baptized only those who gave evidence of regen- eration but they looked upon affusion as sufficient, and thus did not require immersion. Their growth was due to the change of the name from the Anabaptists to the term Mennonites. To say ''Anabaptist' then was almost the same thing as saying ''mad dog" The Netherlands favored a much greater measure of religious liberty. The Mennonites were ''mild, peaceable and law abiding'' and they gained toleration other Baptist bodies failed to enjoy. With the independence of the Netherlands came religious freedom. The Mennonites were formally recognized in 1672 and this is the reason why the Mennonites alone of all Anabaptist parties of the Reformation, survive to the present day. Though most Mennenites practiced affusion, there were some exceptions. The congregation of Rynsburg adopted immersion in 1619, a fact that had imper- tant relations to the Baptists of England. The "button controversy" is of interest here. The traditional method of fasten- ing the gowns of women and coats of men had been by hooks and eyes. When buttons were invented the use of them was considered to be the badge of the