'Twas Seeding Time

Whose side will you be on?

Will you fight for that side?

Those were the questions facing Pennsylvania Mennonites as the North American colonies fought for independence from King George III.

The colonial patriots wanted all able-bodied men to respond to the call to arms, or if conscience prevented that, to contribute liberally of their means to the patriots' cause.

But what about their promise of loyalty to the king, who had provided them a haven of religious liberty, the likes of which they had not known in Europe? Would the patriots destroy the right of military exemption promised to the nonresistant people by William Penn?

As the war dragged on, the Mennonites faced another difficult question. While trying to keep peace with their neighbors, would they be able to keep peace among themselves?

In this new edition of John L. Ruth's classic work, you will learn about the struggles, triumphs, and human foibles of a peaceful community caught in the crossfire of the Revolutionary War.