Authors: Donald B. Kraybill,Steven M. Nolt,David L. Weaver-Zercher
The Amish Way (16 page)
These practices, learned in the early years, lay the foundation for a patient faith in a perilous world. And when children grow up, they pass these same practices on to their own children, by example and word, as they gather around their kitchen tables day after day.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Family
The kitchen table is the most important piece of furniture in an Amish house.
—AMISH PARENT
W
e visit many Amish families in the course of our research, and some of them invite us to lodge in their homes. Without exception they ask us to join them in their morning and evening prayers.
e visit many Amish families in the course of our research, and some of them invite us to lodge in their homes. Without exception they ask us to join them in their morning and evening prayers.
On one occasion we stayed with Amos and Anna, parents of eight and owners of a manufacturing firm that distributes horse-drawn farm equipment worldwide. That evening, we gathered around the oak table in the center of their spacious kitchen to eat popcorn and ice cream. Their children peppered us with questions about our research and travels. At about 9:00 P.M. one of the older boys signaled to his father, and a few minutes later, Amos cleared his throat: “Two of our boys need to leave by 5:00 A.M. tomorrow to help a neighbor set up for an auction, so let’s have our evening prayer now so they can go to bed.”
Silence fell quickly as we knelt on the floor, resting our hands on chairs we had pushed back from the table. Anna handed Amos
Christenpflicht
. He turned some pages and then raised his voice as he read an evening prayer in German:
Christenpflicht
. He turned some pages and then raised his voice as he read an evening prayer in German:
O Lord God, kind and merciful Father, this day Thou . . . gaveth us another opportunity to serve Thee and to grow in godliness. . . . Forgive us, Lord, where we have sinned against Thee. . . . O holy and merciful Father, let the light of Thy loving kindness illuminate our pathway.... Protect us with Thy great power and watch over us, for we are Thy creation, the work of Thy hands. Prepare us for Thy eternal salvation. . . . Amen.”
1
Amos closed with the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father which art in heaven . . . ,” and we all joined in German. The tick-tock of a clock in the next room filled the silence as the prayer ended. The two boys headed upstairs, and we returned to our seats and resumed chatting for another hour.
Visiting in the home of Eli and Fannie in Ohio, we awoke one morning at 5:30 A.M. to the sound of dishes being set on the table. Eli, a minister, operates a business that cleans and repackages canned foods for resale in “bent-and-dent” stores. As dawn was breaking, we gathered around the kitchen table for breakfast and morning prayers. A gaslight hanging over the kitchen table sputtered softly as Eli read a chapter of scripture. Then, pushing back our chairs, we knelt as he read a morning prayer from
Christenpflicht
:
Christenpflicht
:
O God and Father of all light and comfort, Thy mercies are new every morning and great is Thy faithfulness. We praise and honor Thee for this new day. . . . Keep us free of all superstition, idolatry, pride and disobedience. . . . Teach us to act according to Thy will, for we are Thy children. . . . Guide us upon paths of righteousness. . . . Encompass us with Thy grace and keep Thy hand over us at all times. . . . Amen.
Amish family life is bracketed by prayers such as these, which are said around the kitchen table at the opening and closing of the day. There are, of course, many other occasions outside regular church services for prayers, songs, and devotional experiences. Many of these moments occur in the home, making it an important crucible for spiritual development.
Amish life beats to the rhythm of many three-hundred-year-old prayers. The words anchor people in their heritage, link them to their ancestors, and remind them of God’s eternal presence. The prayers open a window into Amish faith: the kneeling posture of humility, the surrender of
uffgevva
, the togetherness of family, the spiritual leadership of the father, the home as a spiritual hearth, and the abiding respect for voices from the past. The repetition of the prayers etches reverence into the children’s hearts and sustains the adults’ spiritual commitments.
uffgevva
, the togetherness of family, the spiritual leadership of the father, the home as a spiritual hearth, and the abiding respect for voices from the past. The repetition of the prayers etches reverence into the children’s hearts and sustains the adults’ spiritual commitments.
In addition to their morning prayer, older couples with more relaxed schedules may include scripture or devotional readings in their routines. Evening prayer patterns also vary somewhat by family. “Ruthie usually reads Bible stories to the smaller children before they go to bed,” explained Jesse. “The mother definitely carries the most responsibility to nurture and teach young children. . . . She just has that special connection with them.” Some parents pray together after the children are in bed, but other families include their children in evening prayers. In some families the father always reads a prayer; in others, family members take turns reading a prayer or offering one of their own.
Beyond the kneeling prayers, silent prayers open and close each meal as the family sits around the table. Some people pray the Lord’s Prayer silently as their mealtime prayer, reflected one man, “because it says, ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’” For others, the silent mealtime prayers provide opportunities to express gratitude for God’s faithfulness. Stretching over several minutes, silent prayers insert the habit of patience into each day.
The increase in nonfarm employment has disrupted morning prayers for some families. “In shop families,” explained one father, “too often everyone grabs a quick breakfast, a lunch pail, and then heads out the door.” Family members who operate stands at farmers’ markets—selling such items as produce, baked goods, flowers, and candy—may leave home by 4:00 A.M. to arrive at their stands by 7:00. Likewise, carpenters on construction crews often leave home at 5:00 A.M. Even as occupational changes have disturbed some morning prayer routines, the evening ones remain largely intact. Families may adjust these evening prayer times somewhat, but they hold tightly to the practice in some form.
The Amish place a lower priority on individual devotional practices than some religious traditions do, and they are more inclined to value communal and family spiritual practices. Still, they do encourage private devotional practices, including prayer, fasting, and reading the Bible as well as other resources.
The Lord’s Prayer is the cornerstone of prayer life because personal prayers are rarely composed or said aloud. “We don’t think we can improve on Jesus’ prayer,” one young carpenter told us, adding that the Lord’s Prayer is “a well-rounded prayer with all the key points in it.” Trying to improve on the words of Jesus, in Amish minds, would be prideful and arrogant. A key phrase in this oft-repeated prayer becomes a daily reminder of the need to yield to God’s divine providence: “Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
, in earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10, emphasis added).
Thy will be done
, in earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10, emphasis added).
Fasting, going without food for at least part of a day, is another spiritual practice for church members. Although the specific days vary by community, a fast may occur on the off-Sunday between Council Meeting and Communion Sunday. Other fast days may include Good Friday, January 6 (Old Christmas, or Epiphany), and October 11 (the traditional German holiday Michaelmas) in some communities. Fasts typically involve skipping breakfast, meditating quietly, and refraining from work. Regular activities resume with the noon meal.
Along with prayer and fasting, Amish people read devotional texts of various sorts. In addition to “Rules of a Godly Life,” some people read a short, daily devotional message from such publications as
Beside Still Waters
or
Our Daily Bread
. Another non-Amish favorite is Oswald Chambers’s
My Utmost for His Highest
, first published in 1927. Their use of these devotional guides, even “Rules of a Godly Life,” shows that the Amish are willing to borrow spiritual resources from other religious traditions.
Beside Still Waters
or
Our Daily Bread
. Another non-Amish favorite is Oswald Chambers’s
My Utmost for His Highest
, first published in 1927. Their use of these devotional guides, even “Rules of a Godly Life,” shows that the Amish are willing to borrow spiritual resources from other religious traditions.
Of course, the most important devotional text for the Amish—the Bible—is not exclusively their own either, although the type of Bible many families read is peculiar in twentieth-first-century America: a German-English version with parallel columns of King James English and Martin Luther’s German. Sometimes, while preaching, ministers will encourage members to “read a verse when you get home.You will probably understand it more that way.” One minister, however, cautions that “Bible reading and study is not good when you do it to find fault and criticize churches and people around you. There is a big difference between reading for your daily bread and inspiration, and studying the Bible just to be critical of others or to justify your own contentious and rebellious thoughts.”
Sunday marks the religious high point of an Amish family’s week. It is a day of worship, rest, and reverence. Apart from preparing meals and caring for animals, work ceases. Businesses prominently post signs saying “No Sunday Sales.” Anything that can just as easily be done on Saturday or Monday is strongly discouraged on Sunday. Buying or selling products is taboo. Going to a restaurant on Saturday is fine; on Sunday it is unthinkable. Traveling on Sunday by hired van is discouraged unless it’s necessary for hospital visits or long-distance trips for funerals or weddings. Even then the hired driver might not be paid until Monday to prevent the exchange of money on Sunday.
Each district holds church services every other week. On the off-Sundays, families may attend the worship service in another district or have a quiet, slow morning at home. “We have the Amish version of Sunday school
rum die Tisch
, ‘around the table,’” said Jesse. “The kitchen table is the most important piece of furniture in an Amish house. That’s where we gather for meals, to read in the evenings, for Sunday devotions, and just to talk.” In many non-Amish homes, the entertainment center claims that distinction.
rum die Tisch
, ‘around the table,’” said Jesse. “The kitchen table is the most important piece of furniture in an Amish house. That’s where we gather for meals, to read in the evenings, for Sunday devotions, and just to talk.” In many non-Amish homes, the entertainment center claims that distinction.
Before breakfast on off-Sundays, families kneel for prayer around the table. “Everybody kneels down, and I read a morning prayer from
Christenpflicht
or
Lust Gärtlein
,” explained Jesse. “After I read it, we give everybody a chance to say a little prayer, to say whatever’s on their mind. They don’t have to say anything except an ‘Amen’ at the end. Then we have breakfast about nine o’clock.”
Christenpflicht
or
Lust Gärtlein
,” explained Jesse. “After I read it, we give everybody a chance to say a little prayer, to say whatever’s on their mind. They don’t have to say anything except an ‘Amen’ at the end. Then we have breakfast about nine o’clock.”
“After that,” he continued, “we read the scriptures assigned for church the next Sunday.We go around the table and take turns with each one reading five verses. We read the chapter first in German and then go around again and read it in English. Then we talk about it and answer any questions the children have. And then sing some songs.” Families sing from the
Ausbund
or other religious hymnbooks. How many songs they sing often depends on that particular family’s musical ability. Poking fun at his own family’s modest abilities, Jesse laughed, “We sing our best in the shower!”
Ausbund
or other religious hymnbooks. How many songs they sing often depends on that particular family’s musical ability. Poking fun at his own family’s modest abilities, Jesse laughed, “We sing our best in the shower!”
In most Amish homes, a sense of quiet devotion fills morning routines on off-Sundays. It’s a time for individual Bible study, reading of devotional books, and more general reading. “For me it’s a time of recovery,” said Jesse. After the noon meal, young children often play in the yard while older ones play softball, toss a football, or go sledding or hiking in season. During inclement weather, table games and reading are popular activities. On Sunday afternoons and evenings, families often visit shut-ins, friends who have lost loved ones, or parents with new babies. In these ways, Sundays serve to strengthen the bonds of community.
Most of the songs in Amish life have religious themes, but not all of them are slow-paced
Ausbund
hymns. People sing in German and English while doing household chores and visiting in one another’s homes, and teenagers sing when they gather to socialize on Sunday evenings. “We sing everywhere,” Jesse noted enthusiastically, “doing chores, playing, in the bathtub, at school, at reunions, for shut-ins, and sometimes with our
Rumspringa
buddies. . . . When church meets around Christmas, people often come back in the evening to the place that had church that day just to sing together.”
Ausbund
hymns. People sing in German and English while doing household chores and visiting in one another’s homes, and teenagers sing when they gather to socialize on Sunday evenings. “We sing everywhere,” Jesse noted enthusiastically, “doing chores, playing, in the bathtub, at school, at reunions, for shut-ins, and sometimes with our
Rumspringa
buddies. . . . When church meets around Christmas, people often come back in the evening to the place that had church that day just to sing together.”
Singing begins with childhood lullabies and extends to the final graveside hymn. Children attending Amish schools sing during opening exercises each day, for Christmas programs, for family days, and for special visitors.Young people sing with gusto in German and English at Sunday-evening singings and many other gatherings.Wedding festivities feature abundant and vibrant singing. Amish people also sing at family gatherings and frolics, and during ordinary work.
n
n
Some Amish communities have become fond of
Heartland Hymns
, a collection of five hundred songs published by an Amish woman in 2005.
2
It is popular with families and used in almost any gatherings other than church services, where the
Ausbund
is used exclusively. Having a copy of
Heartland Hymns
is “one of the litmus tests for being Amish around here,” joked Jesse, as he showed us the book’s contents. The vast majority of the songs are in English, although some are in German. The repertoire includes gospel songs such as “In the Rifted Rock I’m Resting,” as well as more traditional hymns, such as Charles Wesley’s “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.” Others might be considered lighter, country gospel: “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life,” “How Far Is Heaven,” and “Daddy’s Hands.” Apart from a few
Ausbund
hymns,
Heartland
’s selections have musical scores with shaped notes for singing four-part harmony.
Heartland Hymns
, a collection of five hundred songs published by an Amish woman in 2005.
2
It is popular with families and used in almost any gatherings other than church services, where the
Ausbund
is used exclusively. Having a copy of
Heartland Hymns
is “one of the litmus tests for being Amish around here,” joked Jesse, as he showed us the book’s contents. The vast majority of the songs are in English, although some are in German. The repertoire includes gospel songs such as “In the Rifted Rock I’m Resting,” as well as more traditional hymns, such as Charles Wesley’s “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.” Others might be considered lighter, country gospel: “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life,” “How Far Is Heaven,” and “Daddy’s Hands.” Apart from a few
Ausbund
hymns,
Heartland
’s selections have musical scores with shaped notes for singing four-part harmony.
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