David Möllinger (1709-1787)
David Möllinger, a Mennonite farmer, was known as "the father of agriculture in the Palatinate." He introduced new methods in crop rotation, new varieties of clover, and raised high yielding crops by the use of limestone. His family guest book contains many names of notable persons who visited and inspected his numerous farm enterprises.
munion service stressed equality and humility. In such an atmosphere
on Sunday men could not become powerful landlords during the week. There are records that even the contracting of debts had to undergo the scrutiny of the group.
Large holdings, large operations, and large gains have never been common among the descendant sectarian groups, including the Amish. Their commun
ities have always been characterized by a high level of economic well-beingby the absence of conspicuous wealth on the one hand and dire poverty on
the other.'
The Amish Division in Switzerland and Alsace
To understand the series of events that led to the Amish schism in the period 1693-97 it is necessary to enlarge on the doctrine of
a pure church as held by the Swiss Brethren and their Mennonite descendants. In the early days of the Swiss Brethren a conference
was held at which time the Seven Articles of Schleitheim were drawn up, it is believed by Michael Sattler, and adopted by the group. Sattler was the outstanding leader of the movement after the death of Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz. He too suffered martyrdom on May 21, 1527, only a few months after Felix Manz,
