your path straight.
The following is an Amish school verse
that school children learn:
I must be a Christian child
Gentle, patient, meek and mild
Must be honest, simple, true
In my words and actions too.
Must remember God can view
All I think and all I do.
Be kinder than necessary for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God.
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Amish language taken from the Pennsylvania Dutch dictionary
Bible verses from the New International Version
Acknowledgements
My heartfelt thanks to the Yoders at their restaurant in Sarasota, Florida.
I am grateful that they were so patient and kind to answer my many questions about the Bible verses they use and Amish daily living.
They were awarded first place of restaurants by People’s Choice Awards.
Local people eat there often and tourists have the address to find them and enjoy the food.
YODER’S AMISH VILLAGE
3434 Bahia Vista Street
Sarasota, Florida
34239
Chapter One
Charity Startz sat with bowed head with her heart beating so fast it felt as if it were trying to break out of her body. There had been three hours of sermons and songs starting at eight in the morning and going until eleven. There were no musical instruments; they would be considered worldly. A song leader would sing one line and teach it to the congregation.
Everyone memorized the songs and Bible verses.
Charity sat as they all did on a hard bench with no back. They were careful to keep good posture and straight backs. The women sat on one side and the men sat on the other side. Church services were held every other Sunndawk (Sunday) in the home of a member of the congregation. The benches belonged to the group and were taken by wagon to each haus (house) where the service would be held. Women furnished good tasty food to be shared after the long service. Usually people were served lunch and dinner.
Walls could be moved in the homes to make more room, however, in a few homes the members had to sit in various rooms. The preachers would go from room to room teaching and talking loudly enough to be heard by all.
Kinner (children) were taught to be still and quiet. Mothers brought snacks for the very young ones to keep them quiet. Sometimes small children would toddle from mother in one room to daddy in another room. Bad behavior (disturbing the service) was severely disciplined.
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Today Charity was sitting on a bench facing the center with her attendants called newehockers. This was not a Sunndawk (Sunday) service but a special Dunnahshdawk (Thursday) service in Novembar (November). Her newehockers were three girls whom she considered best friends; Nadine Lapp, Rosemary Raber and Bonnie Lehman.
Facing Charity on another bench sat Adam Kime with his newehockers Lawrence Startz, Kyle Snader and Gerry Raber. Charity glanced at him under her lowered lashes and thought he looked as if he had bitten into a very sour lemon. She understood why he was not happy but it didn’t help her feelings at all.
Charity’s father Jacob Startz and Adam’s father Joshua Kime had been friends since they were small children. They had promised each other their first born to be married and join the two families. Charity as the oldest daughter and Adam as the oldest son had always known they were promised. They liked each other but it was not a love match. Many Amish felt one should marry first and then learn to love each other.
Although the majority of the parents did not select a mate for their child they did expect to be consulted. Approval must be given and both of the intended couples must be baptized and members of the church. A deacon would announce plans for the wedding in a worship service. This is called being published which is the same as being engaged. The young man does not give a ring. He gives a set of china or a lovely battery clock. Everyone in the congregation prepares for the wedding.
The bride’s parents plant a big field of celery which is meant to be a blessing and is a spiritual wish for success. Celery is served to eat as well as placed in vases as flowers during the wedding and the dinner following.
The weddings are held between Ocktobar (October) and Dezembar (December) after the fall harvest and are on either a Deenshdawk (Tuesday) or Dennashdawk (Thursday). Communion is taken in the spring and fall.
The bride’s parents prepare for the wedding by making furniture, sewing clothes by hand to be given, baking favorite recipes of the bride and helping the bride to fill her hope chest that her father has made for her. In it she has hand made linens, kitchen items, scrapbooks and other favorites.
The service is usually held in the bride’s home as a worship service. Bible passages are read by the minister to emphasize the relationship that must be between husband and wife. (1 Corinthians 7:1-3 Now it is good for a man not to marry, but since there is so much immorality, each man should have one wife and each woman her own husband. A man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and the two shall become one flesh.)
Ephesians 5:31 There is no divorce in the Amish faith (Corinthians 7: 10-11 But a wife must not separate from her husband. If she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.) They literally mean “till death do us part”.
* * * * *
Bishop Eash called the couple to stand before him after a two and half hour service. Rev. Chupp stepped up and read scriptures; then admonished them as to their duties to each other. They had counseling previously.
The Bishop asked solemnly, “Can you both confess and believe that Gott (God) has ordained marriage to be a union between one man and one woman? Do you also have the confidence you are approaching marriage in accordance with the way you have been taught?”
“Ja,” both Charity and Adam responded.
Turning to Adam he continued, “Do you have confidence brother that Gott has provided this, our sister, as a marriage partner for you?”
“Ja,” Adam answered nervously.
He asked the same of Charity and she said “Ja” so low she was asked to repeat it.
“Charity, do you vow to be loyal and care for your husband during adversity, affliction, sickness and weakness and to remain together until death?”
