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Hist Mss 1-869
Christian Lehmann (? - circa 1915) Collection

(Sermons, Nineteenth Century)
One Box (Green)

Introduction

This collection comes from a Mrs. Lehmann (from Saarburg [Sarrebourg], Lorraine, France), whose husband, Christian, was minister (d. circa 1915) of the Mennonite congregation there. H. Volkmar-Colmar donated the material to Harold S. Bender on May 2, 1948. This is clearly Amish-Mennonite material (see Mennonitisches Lexikon, "Saarburg"), probably from the
nineteenth-century (with some materials possibly even earlier). Various handwritings also suggest such a history of the materials. (In 1831 a number of families emigrated to North America from Saarburg, giving these European manuscripts some relevance as well for North America.)

This corpus was originally contained in a small octavo book-carton (the size of the original sheets), 1 1/2 inches in diameter. John Umble, Goshen College, translated most of these materials, circa 1959-60. Amount of material: one Green Box (3 1/2 linear inches of material) which includes the translations.

These materials were in the Mennonite Historical Library till 1991, when Director John Roth transferred them to the Archives of the Mennonite Church. The sermons have been kept in the order they had when they were transferred to the Archives, under the assumption that Umble kept them in something of the original order (see his occasional comments, in this regard), and that Umble's ordering process
was kept, since his time. N.B.: Some of this material was prepared for publication in the Mennonite Quarterly Review; one item called "Anfang" ("Beginning"), was published therein in 1960 (as noted below).

Inventory


Box 1 (One Box Only)

1/1 Description of origins of material, by Harold S. Bender, 5/2/48, and published note in the Mennonite Quarterly Review, January 1960, by John Umble: "An Early Amish Formulary."

1/2 "Nach dem ersten Geb_t." Pp. 30. With John Umble translation, "After the First Prayer" [Sermon]. Pp. 21 typescript.
Note enclosed: "H. S. B. to write introduction. For M[ennonite] Q[uarterly] R[eview], Research News and Notes." (Apparently never published.)

1/3 "Nun bringen wir den Leib zur Ruh" (A funeral sermon). Pp. 10. With translation, "Now we bring the body to its rest . . . " Pp. 4 typescript.

1/4 "Die sind sprich woh an den begr_bnu_ nutzlich sein" (and other items). Pp. 25. John S. Umble notes: "This booklet contains a considerable variety of materials. Translation. Pp. 12 typescript:
1) Several graveside talks or parts of talks.
2) What seems to be an ordination charge.
3) Then follow twenty-four blank pages.
4) A number of formularies.
a) For the ordination of an elder (i.e., a bishop)
b) For the ordination of an elder [deacon] to the poor -- eldesten Diener zu den Armen.
c) For the ordination of a preacher (Diener zum Buch).
d) For the ordination of a deacon (armen Diener)
e) For baptism (fir die Kinder tauf [i.e., baptismof the youth).
f) For receiving punished (i.e., excommunicated) members.
g) For the breaking of Bread.
h) Four more blank pages
i) The last seven pages contain what might be an introduction to an examination meeting -- Artnings Gma (Ordnungs Gemeinde).
(Translator's note: "The spelling, grammar, and especially some of the verb forms indicate that this
last section may be very old . . . .")

1/5 "Ein Anfang bei einer Kupulazion vor verle_ung der Kapitlen." Pp. 6. Translation: "A Beginning [or, Opening Remarks] at a Wedding before the Reading of the Chapters." Includes "Caution about marriage," and "A Blessing." Pp. 3 typescript.

1/6 "Ihr vielgeliebe Freund und alle . . . " Pp. 5. Translation: "[Remarks at the Graveside at a Funeral).
Pp. 3 typescript.

1/7 Eine Leichenpredigt bei einer alten Person am Begr_bni_." Pp. 20. Translation. Pp. 13 typescript.
"This booklet contains three items:
1) a grave-side funeral sermon for an older person;
2) a funeral sermon at the grave of a child;
3) the contents, briefly stated, of the Eighteen Articles which are to be explained to children (that is, young people) who are receiving instruction prior to uniting with the church.

1/8 "Die Weihnachts Kapitlen . . . " Pp. 22. Translation. Pp. 10 typescript. Includes: "Chapter List, Number 1: The Chapters [which are] Read in Amish Church Services Throughout the Year, Beginning
at Christmas -- no headings given"; "To be answered in the presence of an excommunicated person (that is, a reply to his application for reinstatement)."

1/9 "Anfang." Pp. 28. Translation. Pp. 16 typescript. "Beginning." (Communion service). N.B. This item was published: John Umble, tr. & ed., "An Early Amish Formulary," (Mennonite Quarterly Review 34 [Jan. 1960], 57-60). Photocopy enclosed.

1/10 "He Jo, ich trachte . . . " Pp. 19. Translation. Pp. 12 typescript. The booklet includes a meditation "(No heading given -- apparently intended to be read or spoken before the first prayer.)" pp. 1-7; "Vor den abrath zu Halten" ("For Holding Counsel") (pp. 8-9) "A Talk for the Children (i.e., Young People) when they are Receiving Instruction Prior to Uniting with the Church," 9-10; "A Confession," p. 11;
"[The Scriptures Read in Amish Church Services throughout the Year -- Beginning after the Spring
Communion Service in April or May] -- No Heading Given," p. 12.

1/11 "Ich deng es wird . . . " Pp. 42. Translation. Pp. 30. Typescript. "(No Heading: But the contents
indicate that this may have been the forenoon portion of the communion service which, in my boyhood, was a day-long service with the forenoon devoted to a review of the Old Testament to show that from the time of Adam and Eve all Scripture pointed to the coming of the Savior whose birth, life and death were detailed in the afternoon.) -- J[ohn] U[mble]

1/12 "Fir jemant von der gemein zu thun." "(The following is from eight pages inserted in a twenty-four-page booklet -- in manuscript -- bound in a wall-paper cover bearing the inscription, "Der Anfang," in artistically-drawn lettering.)": Translation. Pp. 4 typescript. "For Putting Anyone out of Church."

1/13 "Gond ein durch die engen hort . . . " Pp. 16. Translation. Pp. 7 typescript. "Der Anfang (The
Opening, or Beginning)."

1/14 "Der David seit in seinem ersten Psalmen." Pp. 13. Translation. Pp. 7 typescript. "'Der Anfang' and 'How the chapters are read' during the year." [Last page, bottom half:] "(How the chapters are read; i.e., the order of reading the chapters for a calendar year. Meeting every two weeks.)"

1/15 "Ja ich denke es wird . . . " Pp. 17. (And inserted sheet: "Und an ander Tag hat Gott . . . " Pp. 1.)
Translation. Pp. 12 typescript. ("The material follows the general pattern of the forenoon sermon on
communion Sunday.")

1/16 So viel habs mich verursachet . . . " Pp. 20. Translation. Pp. 10 typescript. ("A discourse delivered by a Diener following the reading of the chapters. It begins, after the usual brief introduction, somewhat like a communion sermon, but the detailed discussion of the regulations or ordinances (Ordnungen) marks it as the sermon for the bi-weekly service two weeks before comunion, i.e., the
American Amish Artnings-Gma.")

1/17 "Dann lugent ihr liebe Freund . . . " Pp. 24. Translation. Pp. 9 typescript. "Christian Lehmann, 'On New Years's Day' and 'For Pentecost.'" (About half, on the theme of New Year, and half, on the theme
of Pentecost. N.B. At the end, half a page on the theme, "Harvest, Autumn," which "may be intended as part of 'On New Year's Day,' pp. 1-5.")

1/18 "Es verursachet mich dem allm_chtigen Gott . . . " Pp. 10. Translation. Pp. 4 typescript. ("The material in the booklet is evidently some minister's remarks following a sermon.").

1/19 "Ich trachte mir h_tte . . . " Pp. 16. Translation. Pp. 7 typescript. "Booklet of Three [Sermons]:
Sermon No. 1." ("In some respects this seems like the opening address in an Amish service before the first prayer. And the concluding paragraph would seem like an introduction to the sudden announcement: So komm, lass uns beten!" ["So come, let us pray!"] -- Completed [translation] January 2, 1960. John Umble".)

1/20 "Der heutige Tag . . . " Pp. 8. Translation. Pp. 4 typescript. "(Prophecies Concerning the Advent -- A Christmas Message.)"

1/21 "De_gleickhen vermachet uns . . . " Pp. 7. Translation. Pp. 4 typescript. (Booklet of Three Sermons: Sermon No. 2.)

1/22 "Der Priester Amaleck (sic!) . . . " Pp. 18 (last two pages, incomplete), plus folio sheet inserted into
booklet). Translation. Pp. 9 typescript. "Sermon for Communion Service." Re the missing material: "The
first few lines of the following are torn and are partly missing, but I think that the sense is as follows:" [with Umble's recreation of the text, at this point].  Re the loose sheet, inserted: "The following is written on a separate, loose sheet. Evidently it was intended to be spoken in connection with the reading of the Scripture portions mentioned in the sermon -- or possibly in connection with reading any portion of Scripture. It would seem to be fitting for any Scripture reading."

1/23 "So k_nen nur dan S_hen da_ dem Menschen gesetz . . . " Pp. 19. Translation. Pp. 6 typescript. "Translated below are 1) Part of a funeral Sermon, and 2) Graveside remarks at an interment. No. 1 seems to be here only in part; the first leaf has been cut out."


The following three items John Umble did not translate:

1/24 "O Herr alm_chtiger Gott . . . " ["O Lord, almighty God . . . "]. Pp. 2 (folio page). Prayer. No translation.

1/25 "Und Esdra sach auf dem berg zion ein gro_ volk, das ich nit hab m÷gen zohlen, . . . " ["And Esdra saw, on Mount Zion, a great multitude -- that I was not able to count. . . . "] Pp. 20. (Seems incomplete at beginning of ms. No translation.)

1/26 "Nach der Verheisung Christi so spricht man also -- so will ich jetz von dem alten ablasen und von dem ne_wen anfangen . . . " [" . . . This is to be interpreted in the light of the promise of Christ. And now I shall turn from the Old Testament to the New . . . "] Pp. 54. No translation. Probably part of a longer ms., with pages missing at the beginning that probably interpreted the Old Testament portion of Scripture. Pages missing at end as well. (Partial cover, possibly from this booklet, but not certain.)



April 29, 2004 / Reformatted on Web by Kathryn Yoder
July 24, 1992 /
Leonard Gross,
Mennonite Church USA Archives - Goshen, 1700 S. Main St., Goshen, IN 46526

 

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