America is at war-once again. This time President Bush has declared war on terrorism, an enemy more elusive than clearly bordered nations. Unlike the divisive Vietnam War, most Americans approve of the current military action, Mennonites among them. How can Christians, who want to maintain a legacy of nonviolence, respond to the new wave of patriotism?

A look at history can be instructive. We've been here before. In 1862, during the war America declared on itself, Mennonite bishop John M. Brenneman (1816-1895), Allen County Ohio, wrote a petition to President Abraham Lincoln. It is not clear that this classic statement on nonresistance ever reached Washington, but the petition was preserved, and later discovered by Wilmer D. Swope, Columbiana, Ohio.

Brenneman sent the petition with an accompanying letter to Jacob Nold (1765-1834, Columbiana County, Ohio). In the letter Brenneman wonders if too much confidence is being placed in the president. After all, he writes, even the president is "But a poor dying mortal like ourselves, and if we lean entirely upon him for help, I fear we would lean on a broken reed."-jes

(Allen County, Ohio)
August the 19th, 1862

A Petition to Mr. Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States:

We, the undersigned, heartily wish unto our most noble President grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and of the Lord Jesus Christ. May the good Lord abundantly bless the President with wisdom and knowledge from on high and enable him to rule this our great nation with prudence.

We would humbly pray the President not to consider us too burdensome by presenting to him this, our weak and humble petition, thereby humbly praying and beseeching him to take into consideration our sore distress.

We would herewith inform the President that there is a people, scattered and living mostly in the northern parts of the United States - Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana-and some few in Illinois and Iowa - called Mennonites, who are greatly distressed at the present time on account of the war. As it is against their Confession of Faith and also against their conscience to take up arms therewith to destroy human life, the President must not mistake us to be secessionists or rebels against the government, as we are entirely free from that guilt.

The Mennonites are generally, as far as we know, in favor of, and wellwishers to, the Union. We greatly abhor the present rebellion against the Government, and the Mennonites would certainly be among the last to rebel against so good a government as that of the United States. We would say, that if any of our brethren should be found guilty of this rebellion or [of] aiding any of those who are engaged therein, then let them be dealt with as rebels. We would be far from holding such as brethren in our church. Would to God that we were all as clear from all guilt as we are of the present rebellion, or of being secessionists.

We consider it a great duty earnestly and heartily to pray for the President and for all who are in authority under him, that the Lord God might bless them in their administration and help and aid them in restoring peace and harmony again in our once-favored land, and in upholding the government - as we believe and acknowledge that government is an ordinance and institution of God, a power ordained by Him, to promote and establish good policy, rules, and laws among nations, in lands and in cities, and to be a terror to the evil and a praise to the good, and that thereby civility, morality, peace and concord be supported in the world, and without which the world that lieth in wickedness could not subsist.
It is therefore the unbounded duty of all faithful Christians to be subject to higher powers, not only for fear of punishment, but rather for conscience's sake, and to submit to those who have the rule over them, with due respect and reverence as good subjects to obey them in all the ordinances and laws of men that do not militate against the Word of God, and render to all their dues - tax, custom, and toll - with a ready mind and without murmuring and repining; also with humility of heart to make supplication, prayer, and intercession for all that are in authority, and thus implore God for the prosperity, welfare, and happiness of the land, the community, and the place of their residence.
And should it be that such Christians were, for [the sake of] the Word of God, persecuted by the Government, so as to forfeit their property or to suffer death, they would not be allowed (in the Mennonite Church) to calumniate, slander or defame, or with weapons of war to oppose or resist; but by faith to look up to God, to whom vengeance belongeth, and seek comfort of Him, and eternal blessings beyond the grave.

And in case the government will, from [i.e., in line with] Christian principles, allow freedom of conscience in all points to believers, so that they may worship God in their religious ordinances according to their truth and the voice of conscience; then they should be the more gratefully submissive and obedient - which we feel in duty bound to do, in all points that go not against the voice of conscience and the doctrines of Christ.

We therefore beseech our good President to favor us in this respect and not allow us to be forced or compelled to take up arms against our consciences, as we would thereby have to renounce our faith and break our promise to God, who alone has power over our consciences.

We sincerely hope and trust that the President and the Government will bear us with patience; as we would by no means wish to censure, judge, or condemn other denominations or Christian professors who differ from us in their faith and practice, leaving that between them and God to decide, as everyone must give an account of himself to God. We wish simply and sincerely with all our heart to do the will of God, our heavenly Father, as well as we can and know how, and as much as lieth in us to live peaceably with all mankind, but by no means to aid or uphold any in rebellion or wickedness.

We feel truly grateful and thankful to God and the Government, for the Christian privileges which have hitherto been granted to us in the United States, and we humbly pray God and the Government that the same might still be granted to us in the future, that we might still be allowed to exercise ourselves unmolested in the liberty of conscience, to worship our God agreeably to our feelings. Of this liberty we would most thankfully accept.

But we do by no means expect or ask to be entirely screened from the burden of the war. But we pray and beg for God's sake that the liberty may be granted us to pay a fine when drafted, instead of taking up arms. This privilege has been granted to the Mennonites heretofore, in the United States in time of war. Our brethren in Canada have also been exempt from military duties by paying an extra tax. So likewise in Europe they are generally allowed the same privilege. Our Mennonite brethren in Eastern Virginia have been taken by force by the rebels, some of them tied and loaded on wagons, and hauled off to the Rebel Army. But as they would not fight for them upon any conditions they were kept awhile as prisoners, and finally sent home by laying a heavy fine upon them, besides [an additional] two percent [tax] on all their property, as we have been informed. Now we have the confidence in our President and his officers that they are fully as kind and merciful (and we trust much more so) as they of the South.

We would not prescribe to the President how to deal with us. But we humbly pray and beseech him that upon some terms or other we may be allowed our religious liberty. Should it be deemed proper to lay an extra tax upon all of us and our sons as are considered fit subjects for military duties or so much percentage on all their property, we will not murmur or complain at all. We feel that we are dependent creatures: depending upon the mercy of God and also upon the mercy of the President and the governors.

We would also herewith promise to be liberal and charitable to those poor women and children whose husbands and fathers are gone to the army, if they are in needy circumstances; as we deem it especially incumbent upon all Christian professors to be kind-hearted to all the needy and helpless.

We hope and pray that the President will be so kind as to issue immediate orders to the several governors of those states wherein the Mennonites reside, instructing the governors to be favorably inclined to us poor creatures of the dust - especially to the governor of Ohio, as the Mennonites in Ohio seem to be in the most danger. By so doing the President would do us a great favor, never to be forgotten, and we hope and pray that God the judge of all the earth will richly reward him for the same, with an unfading crown of glory.

We are your humble servants, most respectfully.

May God bless the President with all needful blessings is our sincere prayer. Amen.