Christians tortured during WW1

[Guest]

Steve,

I'm listening to your lectures on Church History and you mentioned books about believers who were tortured in American prisons during WW1 for their belief in not participating in war. I would really love to get a couple of those books and I was wondering if you could give me some names of books and/or authors that I could read about this subject. Thanks!

-Rachel

[Guest]

Oops... that was me. I was on Ryan's computer.

[Guest]

Hi Rae,

Unfortunately, it has been over 20 years since I read the book I was referencing. It was published by Mennonites or Hutterites, and I don't remember either the title or the author. The following links will take you to publishers that may be able to assist you:

http://www.mph.org/mpn/aboutmpn.htm (Mennonite)
http://info.mennolink.org/publishing.html (Mennonite)
http://www.plough.com (Hutterite)

[Guest]

In 1962-1965, I taught school in a Hutterite Community in Manitoba.
They told me that a number of their people had been tortured in U.S. prisons for refusing to participate in the war.

I was told about one case in which one of their men not only refused to participate in war, but refused to don a military uniform.

At one point the man's wife was informed that her husband had died in prison. When she went to the prison to get the body, it was dressed in a military uniform. She was told by those in charge, "He refused to wear the uniform in life. Let him wear it in death!"

[Guest]

That is actually the story I read. It involved four men. At least two died from the abuse in prison, because they would not wear the uniform. They were dressed in the uniforms post mortum.

[Guest]

Two conservative Mennonite publishers sell various books on the
experiences of conscientious objectors:

Christian Light Publications
Box 1212
Harrisonburg, VA 22801-1212
540-434-0768

Rod & Staff Publishers
Route 172
Crockett, KY 41413-0003 USA
telephone (606)-522-4348
fax (800)-643-1244

The plain Mennonite bookstores found in the larger settlements like Lancaster County, PA and Holmes County, OH often have privately published family histories and books as well. We used books from these sources when we were doing civics for our homeschooling curriculum. I grew up in a very ra-ra unquestioningly patriotic family and it was quite an eyeopener.

Paula