Pioneer Mennonite Communities / 69

4th. In choosing ministers the attention of the church shall be drawn thereto and shall seek for men who are intelligent, well grounded in the faith, and who lead a godly and zealous life. Then in the fear of the Lord shall votes be taken, and those who are voted for be examined to see whether they are well grounded in the faith and doctrine, then shall the Lot be cast for the desired member.

5th. When a brother or sister of our church shall marry a person who is not a member, it shall be acknowledged as a transgression not only against the rules of the church, but also against the gospel; such shall they confess before they are received into membership again.

6th. In regard as to whether a brother or sister in case of adultery one or the other may be divorced, was unanimously considered that we have no permission in the gospel to take a writing of divorcement, neither have we (in such circumstances) permission to marry again.

7th. We must be a separate people. We dare not take part in the worldly buying and selling patent-rights.

8th. There shall no custom be made in holding night meetings; but when ministers are on a journey, where there are sick, old or infirm persons it shall be allowed.

9th. The rule given in Matthew 18:15-18 shall in all cases be strictly observed where dissatisfaction occurs between brothers or sisters.

10th. Every minister shall seek to labor faithfully in the duties of his own office and not interfere with another office.

11th. Every minister shall be diligent to observe the church rules according to as they have been practiced hitherto, and shall seek to maintain and uphold the same and not bring any new customs.

12th. We also acknowledge the 18 chief articles and as accepted at Dortricht [.Dordrecht] in 1632, as being in accordance, to keep the same faith and ordinance of our church.

13th. The next conference is to be held in Martin's Meetinghouse, the 3rd Friday in May, 1869.

The earliest records tell of the life and struggles of these young churches. The safeguarding of the ministry, the maintenance

of the nonresistant faith, opposition to marriage outside the faith, the integrity of the family, the sense of separation, the adjustment of differences between members, the observance of church standards, the affirmation of the historic Dordrecht articles of faith-all these

are themes that subsequent conferences of the Mennonite churches in Ohio would reiterate for decades and even generations. It is noteworthy to see them in the earliest conference records.

The Ohio Mennonite Conference came into being in large part, it appears, through the labors of Jacob Nold whose traveling