SIGHTSEERS
Old Schoolers—The Nebraska Amish
by Randy Karr

Twelve different Amish-related groups live in picturesque Kishacoquillas Valley, located in Central Pennsylvania’s Mifflin County.

They comprise the most diverse of all Amish communities in North America. Each group defines themselves as being either a low church or a high church. A low church is one that has retained its old traditions, whereas a high church is one that has become more “worldly.”

In North America, there are broadly four branches of Amish. In order of increasing liberalness are the Old Order Amish, the most conservative, followed by the New Order Amish, the Beachy Amish and the Amish Mennonites.

The Old Order Amish is by far the largest of the branches. With about 1,500 congregations, they make up 90 percent of all the Amish living in the United States. Like the Old Order, the New Order Amish also use horse-drawn transportation and worship in their homes, while the Beachy Amish and Amish Mennonites use motor vehicles and have meeting houses for worship.

In Pennsylvania’s Mifflin County, the Nebraska, Byler and Renno Amish make up subgroups that have split from other Old Order Amish. Differing views on the Ordnung, the unwritten code upon which Amish life and practice is based, can lead to the formation of a new congregation. Differences occurred over such matters as the modes of baptism, dress codes, shunning, avoidance and buggy tops.

The Nebraska, Byler and Renno Amish congregations can be recognized by the color of their buggy tops. The Nebraska Amish are the most conservative and travel in two-seated buggies with white tops. The Byler Amish, who are also conservative, travel in two-seated buggies with yellow tops. The Renno Amish, the least conservative of the three, travel in two-seated buggies with black tops.

What these Amish share in common is farming. They use draft horses to cultivate the land. Steel-wheeled tractors and stationary engines are used to thrash grain and fill silos, while small gas engines power washing machines, lawn mowers, chain saws and hand tools.

The Nebraska, Byler and Renno combined number about 2,400 men, women and children. Each congregation is made up of about 130 people and all use the Martin Luther German Bible in their worship services. A Bishop, two Ministers and one Deacon lead the congregations. After church service, a meal of homemade bread with butter and cheese spreads, pies, pickles, red beets and pickled eggs is served.

Mifflin County’s “New Amish,” formed when 17 Amish families from the conservative Renno and Byler groups started talking about the meaning of salvation. Contrary to Old Order faith, they believed that a person could have the assurance of salvation in this life.

Some Old Order bishops and ministers rejected the idea of assured salvation, asserting that salvation cannot be known prior to death and, until then, the faithful can merely hope for salvation. To believe otherwise is to display a dangerous kind of pride.

What prompted these Amish to believe in assured salvation, and to then split from their traditional congregations, were the words of a young Amishman. Lying on his deathbed, he revealed to his father that Jesus had talked to him, assuring him that he was on the right path. He also revealed to his wife that when Satan had come to take him, Jesus took him away to a place where wonderfully beautiful things were revealed to him.

While it might not seem so to outsiders, the Amish do have rational reasons for accepting or rejecting modern ways. The rejection of high school education, telephones in homes, radios and television, electricity from power lines, self-propelled farm implements and motor vehicles serves to perpetuate their faith and further family welfare.

To give emphasis to their difference from general society, they speak Pennsylvania-German with their families and German in their church services. They also refer to non-Amish as "English."

Paradoxically, it is these differences that have made the Amish the most conservative Christian church in America fascinating to outsiders.

For more information about the Amish in Pennsylvania, go to the Pennsylvania Dutch Welcome Center at www.800padutch.com.

©2008 Randy Karr