Mennonites in Canada history series

The Mennonites in Canada includes three volumes:

Volume 1 covers the Mennonite experience in Canada from the time of the first documented immigrants in 1786 to the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario from Pennsylvania through the conclusion of World War I. This volume has gone through three printings, the last two by the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada. The table of contents for volume 1 is listed below.

Volume 2 covers theological difficulties within the Mennonite groups already settled in Canada, the emigration of some conservative groups to Latin America, the massive immigration of more Mennonites from Ukraine during the 1920s, and the Mennonite experience during the Depression, leading up to World War II. The table of contents for volume 2 is listed below.

Volume 3 brings the story up to 1970, including the World War II experience, continued immigration after the war, the massive economic changes within the community during the 1950s and 1960s, and the impact on Mennonite life as they further integrated into Canadian society. Publication was in 1996 by the University of Toronto Press.

See a lengthy bibliography on Mennonites in Canada after 1939 prepared by T.D. Regehr.

Mennonites in Canada, 1786-1920

The history of a separate people by Frank H. Epp (Toronto : Macmillan of Canada, 1974), 480 p.

ContentsHistory series, v.1-2

1. The Most Separated Brethren
   
• Reform in Sixteenth-Century Europe
• The Anabaptist movements
• Menno Simons as leader
• Bitter persecutions and dispersions
• Holland, England, and Switzerland
• Amish and other separations
  
2. On to Russia and Canada
   
• Problems in Prussia
• The American Revolution
• Advantages in British North America
• Early settlement in Upper Canada
• Indians and their reserves
• The German Land Company
  
3. Pioneers in a New Land
   
• Obstacles to be overcome
• Small and scattered settlements
• Nature and the natives
• Migrations from the U.S.A. and Europe
• Community spirit and neighbourliness
• Resourcefulness on the frontier
  
4. The Nonresistors and the Militia
   
• Religious particularism and pluralism
• Precedents in British law
• Upper Canada and the militia
• Petitioning for exemption
• The War of 1812
• A sustained lobby
5. The Congregations and their Leaders
   
• The role of the clergy
• Ministry at the Twenty
• Bishops and their districts
• Benjamin Eby and congregational nurture
• Schools and books
• The wider fellowship
  
6. Mid-Century Renewal Movements
   
• Early attempts at renewal
• Separations in Pennsylvania
• Ferment at the Twenty
• Formation of a General Conference
• Other New Mennonite movements
• The Mennonite Brethren in Christ
  
7. Revitalization and Separation in Russia
   
• The Commonwealth in Russia
• Emergence of the Kleine Gemeinde
• The Reforms of Johann Cornies
• Formation of the Mennonite Brethren
• Renewal and the Grosze Gemeinde
• The effects of Imperial rivalries
  
8. Mass Migration from Russia to Manitoba
   
• The work of Hespeler and Shantz
• Delegations to North America
• Canada or the United States
• Departure from Russia
• Reception in Canada
  
9. The East and West Reserves
   
• Problems and early disappointments
• Recreating the Commonwealth
• Commendations from Canadian officialdom
• Municipalities, railroads, and schools
• Prosperity and independence
• The end of the reserves
  
10.  An Awakening at the Centre
    
• The church losing out
• Growth of the General Conferences
• John F. Funk and the old church
• Sunday schools and revivalism
• Adjustment to change in Ontario
• Missions, education, and publications
  
11.  The Stand of the Old Order
    
• Reaction to newness and change
• Personalities and issues
• The Old Order asserts itself
• Differentiation and fragmentation
• New and Old among the Amish
• Amish separations in Ontario
12. . The Church Struggles in Manitoba
    
• The resistance to progress
• Influences from the south
• Break-up of the Kleine Gemeinde
• Progressivism in the West Reserve
• Break-up of the Bergthaler
• The Old Colony and the Brethren
  
13.  Settlement in Alberta and Saskatchewan
    
• The Opening of the West
• Settlements in Alberta
• Two reserves in Saskatchewan
• Other scattered settlements
• Congregational and continental formations
• The coming of Canadian conferences
  
14.  Education: Church v. State
    
• Mennonite school systems
• Progressives and conservatives
• H.H. Ewert and the Gretna school
• Politics and patriotism
• Saskatchewan school problems
• The War and educational compulsion
  
15.  The War and Military Exemption
    
• Preparedness and the lack of it
• Early war measures
• Assurances from Ottawa
• The conscription crisis
• Exceptions and exemptions
• Certification and registration
• Confusion to the end
  
16.  War's Aftermath and Mennonite Exclusion
    
• Censorship of things German
• Conscription problems in the United States
• Migrations to Canada
• The press and public opinion
• Mennonite entry barred
• Emigration and immigration

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Mennonites in Canada, 1920-1940

A people's struggle for survival by Frank H. Epp (Toronto : Macmillan of Canada, 1982), 640 p.

Contents

1. The Uncertain Future
• The need for land
• The importance of tolerance
• The lack of solidarity
• Diversity within a corporate personality
• The international connections
2. Reaffirmation of the Fundamentals
• Fundamentalism in America
• Fundamentalism among Old Mennonites
• Fundamentalism in Ontario
• Fundamentalism and divisiveness
• Fundamentalism and fundamentals elsewhere
3. Emigration to Latin America
• Private vs. public schools
• The crushing of Mennonite resistance
• The search for a new country
• Emigration to Mexico
• Emigration to Paraguay
4. Immigration from Russia
• Mennonites and Russia
• Working for survival
• A government and a railway
• Preparing the way in Canada
• The Immigration under way
5. Community-Building: Settlements
• Settlement organization and processes
• Homesteads and villages
• Big farms and Mennonite terms
• Brush land and dry land
• Peace River and Reesor
• Gardens, orchards, and dairies
6. CommunityBuilding: Congregations
• The different cultural groups
• Differences among the Russlaender
• Ontario and Manitoba
• Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Colombia
• Congregational life
7. The International Connection
• From civil war to collectivization
• Canada once again closed
• Popular images and public opinion
• New homelands for some
• International Mennonite concern
8. Overcoming the Depression
• Isolated fields: Alberta
• Greener fields and co-ops: B.C. and Ontario
• The co-op movement in Manitoba
• Individualism and secularization
• Resistance to secularized aid
• Medical and other institutions
9. Federation and fragmentation
• Denominationalism and provincialism
• Denominationalism: CMs, MBs
• Denominationalism: Conference Mennonites
• Co-operation attempted and failed
• Fragmentation in Southern Manitoba
• Fragmentation in Southern Ontario
10. Keeping the Young People
• Children and Sunday schools
• Youth activity and character education
• Music, choirs, and choristers
• Bible schools and evangelism
• Marriage and vocation
• Secondary and post-secondary educaton
11. Preserving the Culture
• Culture interpreted and explained
• Varieties of separate culture
• The nonconformed life style
• Language and values
• Ethnicity and racial identity
• The dialects and popular culture
12. Facing the World
• Separation and involvement
• For and against Germanism
• The Nations and the Kingdom
• Four conferences on peace and war
• Mennonites, militarism, and their majesties

Last updated 12-Sep-2005