Hist Mss 1-869
Christian Lehmann (? - circa 1915) Collection
(Sermons, Nineteenth Century)
One Box (Green)

Introduction

This collection comes from a Mrs. Lehmann (from
Saarburg [Sarrebourg], Lorraine, France), whose husband,
Christian, was minister (d. circa 1915) of the Mennonite
congregation there. H. Volkmar-Colmar donated the material
to Harold S. Bender on May 2, 1948.
This is clearly Amish-Mennonite material (see
Mennonitisches Lexikon, "Saarburg"), probably from the
nineteenth-century (with some materials possibly even
earlier). Various handwritings also suggest such a history
of the materials. (In 1831 a number of families emigrated
to North America from Saarburg, giving these European
manuscripts some relevance as well for North America.)

This corpus was originally contained in a small octavo
book-carton (the size of the original sheets), 1 1/2 inches
in diameter. John Umble, Goshen College, translated most of
these materials, circa 1959-60. Amount of material: one
Green Box (3 1/2 linear inches of material) which includes
the translations.

These materials were in the Mennonite Historical
Library till 1991, when Director John Roth transferred them
to the Archives of the Mennonite Church. The sermons have
been kept in the order they had when they were transferred
to the Archives, under the assumption that Umble kept them
in something of the original order (see his occasional
comments, in this regard), and that Umble's ordering process
was kept, since his time. N.B.: Some of this material was
prepared for publication in the Mennonite Quarterly Review;
one item called "Anfang" ("Beginning"), was published
therein in 1960 (as noted below).

Inventory:

Box 1 (One Box Only)

1/1 Description of origins of material, by Harold S.
Bender, 5/2/48, and published note in the Mennonite
Quarterly Review, January 1960, by John Umble: "An
Early Amish Formulary."

1/2 "Nach dem ersten Geb_t." Pp. 30. With John Umble
translation, "After the First Prayer" [Sermon]. Pp. 21
typescript.
Note enclosed: "H. S. B. to write introduction. For
M[ennonite] Q[uarterly] R[eview], Research News and
Notes." (Apparently never published.)
1/3 "Nun bringen wir den Leib zur Ruh" (A funeral sermon).
Pp. 10. With translation, "Now we bring the body to
its rest . . . " Pp. 4 typescript.
1/4 "Die sind sprich woh an den begr_bnu_ nutzlich sein"
(and other items). Pp. 25. John S. Umble notes:
"This booklet contains a considerable variety of
materials. Translation. Pp. 12 typescript:
1) Several graveside talks or parts of talks.
2) What seems to be an ordination charge.
3) Then follow twenty-four blank pages.
4) A number of formularies.
a) For the ordination of an elder (i.e., a bishop)
b) For the ordination of an elder [deacon] to the
poor --
eldesten Diener zu den Armen.
c) For the ordination of a preacher (Diener zum
Buch).
d) For the ordination of a deacon (armen Diener)
e) For baptism (fir die Kinder tauf [i.e., baptism
of the
youth]).
f) For receiving punished (i.e., excommunicated)
members.
g) For the breaking of Bread.
h) Four more blank pages
i) The last seven pages contain what might be an
introduction to an examination meeting --
Artnings Gma
(Ordnungs Gemeinde).
(Translator's note: "The spelling, grammar, and
especially some of the verb forms indicate that this
last section may be very old . . . .")
1/5 "Ein Anfang bei einer Kupulazion vor verle_ung der
Kapitlen." Pp. 6. Translation: "A Beginning [or,
Opening Remarks] at a Wedding before the Reading of the
Chapters." Includes "Caution about marriage," and "A
Blessing." Pp. 3 typescript.
1/6 "Ihr vielgeliebe Freund und alle . . . " Pp. 5.
Translation: "[Remarks at the Graveside at a Funeral).
Pp. 3 typescript.
1/7 Eine Leichenpredigt bei einer alten Person am
Begr_bni_." Pp. 20. Translation. Pp. 13 typescript.
"This booklet contains three items:
1) a grave-side funeral sermon for an older person;
2) a funeral sermon at the grave of a child;
3) the contents, briefly stated, of the Eighteen
Articles which are to be explained to children (that
is, young people) who are receiving instruction prior
to uniting with the church.
1/8 "Die Weihnachts Kapitlen . . . " Pp. 22. Translation.
Pp. 10 typescript. Includes:
"Chapter List, Number 1: The Chapters [which are] Read
in Amish Church Services Throughout the Year, Beginning
at Christmas -- no headings given";
"To be answered in the presence of an excommunicated
person (that is, a reply to his application for
reinstatement)."
1/9 "Anfang." Pp. 28. Translation. Pp. 16 typescript.
"Beginning." (Communion service).
N.B. This item was published: John Umble, tr. & ed.,
"An Early Amish Formulary," (Mennonite Quarterly Review
34 [Jan. 1960], 57-60). Photocopy enclosed.
1/10 "He Jo, ich trachte . . . " Pp. 19. Translation. Pp.
12 typescript. The booklet includes a meditation "(No
heading given -- apparently intended to be read or
spoken before the first prayer.)" pp. 1-7;
"Vor den abrath zu Halten" ("For Holding Counsel") (pp.
8-9)
"A Talk for the Children (i.e., Young People) when they
are Receiving Instruction Prior to Uniting with the
Church," 9-10;
"A Confession," p. 11;
"[The Scriptures Read in Amish Church Services
throughout the Year -- Beginning after the Spring
Communion Service in April or May] -- No Heading
Given," p. 12.
1/11 "Ich deng es wird . . . " Pp. 42. Translation. Pp.
30. Typescript. "(No Heading: But the contents
indicate that this may have been the forenoon portion
of the communion service which, in my boyhood, was a
day-long service with the forenoon devoted to a review
of the Old Testament to show that from the time of Adam
and Eve all Scripture pointed to the coming of the
Savior whose birth, life and death were detailed in the
afternoon.) -- J[ohn] U[mble]
1/12 "Fir jemant von der gemein zu thun." "(The following
is from eight pages inserted in a twenty-four-page
booklet -- in manuscript -- bound in a wall-paper cover
bearing the inscription, "Der Anfang," in artistically-
drawn lettering.)": Translation. Pp. 4 typescript.
"For Putting Anyone out of Church."
1/13 "Gond ein durch die engen hort . . . " Pp. 16.
Translation. Pp. 7 typescript. "Der Anfang (The
Opening, or Beginning)."
1/14 "Der David seit in seinem ersten Psalmen." Pp. 13.
Translation. Pp. 7 typescript. "'Der Anfang' and 'How
the chapters are read' during the year." [Last page,
bottom half:] "(How the chapters are read; i.e., the
order of reading the chapters for a calendar year.
Meeting every two weeks.)"
1/15 "Ja ich denke es wird . . . " Pp. 17. (And inserted
sheet: "Und an ander Tag hat Gott . . . " Pp. 1.)
Translation. Pp. 12 typescript. ("The material
follows the general pattern of the forenoon sermon on
communion Sunday.")
1/16 So viel habs mich verursachet . . . " Pp. 20.
Translation. Pp. 10 typescript. ("A discourse
delivered by a Diener following the reading of the
chapters. It begins, after the usual brief
introduction, somemwhat like a communion sermon, but
the detailed discussion of the regulations or
ordinances (Ordnungen) marks it as the sermon for the
bi-weekly service two weeks before comunion, i.e., the
American Amish Artnings-Gma.")
1/17 "Dann lugent ihr liebe Freund . . . " Pp. 24.
Translation. Pp. 9 typescript. "Christian Lehmann,
'On New Years's Day' and 'For Pentecost.'" (About
half, on the theme of New Year, and half, on the theme
of Pentecost.
N.B. At the end, half a page on the theme, "Harvest,
Autumn," which "may be intended as part of 'On New
Year's Day,' pp. 1-5.")
1/18 "Es verursachet mich dem allm_chtigen Gott . . . " Pp.
10. Translation. Pp. 4 typescript. ("The material in
the booklet is evidently some minister's remarks
following a sermon.").
1/19 "Ich trachte mir h_tte . . . " Pp. 16. Translation.
Pp. 7 typescript. "Booklet of Three [Sermons]:
Sermon No. 1." ("In some respects this seems like the
opening address in an Amish service before the first
prayer. And the concluding paragraph would seem like
an introduction to the sudden announcement: So komm,
lass uns beten!" ["So come, let us pray!"] -- Completed
[translation] January 2, 1960. John Umble".)
1/20 "Der heutige Tag . . . " Pp. 8. Translation. Pp. 4
typescript. "(Prophecies Concerning the Advent -- A
Christmas Message.)"
1/21 "De_gleickhen vermachet uns . . . " Pp. 7.
Translation. Pp. 4 typescript. (Booklet of Three
Sermons: Sermon No. 2.)
1/22 "Der Priester Amaleck (sic!) . . . " Pp. 18 (last two
pages, incomplete), plus folio sheet inserted into
booklet). Translation. Pp. 9 typescript. "Sermon for
Communion Service." Re the missing material: "The
first few lines of the following are torn and are
partly missing, but I think that the sense is as
follows:" [with Umble's recreation of the text, at this
point].
Re the loose sheet, inserted: "The following is
written on a separate, loose sheet. Evidently it was
intended to be spoken in connection with the reading of
the Scripture portions mentioned in the sermon -- or
possibly in connection with reading any portion of
Scripture. It would seem to be fitting for any
Scripture reading."
1/23 "So k_nen nur dan S_hen da_ dem Menschen gesetz . . . "
Pp. 19. Translation. Pp. 6 typescript. "Translated
below are 1) Part of a funeral Sermon, and 2) Graveside
remarks at an interment. No. 1 seems to be here only
in part; the first leaf has been cut out."


The following three items John Umble did not translate:

1/24 "O Herr alm_chtiger Gott . . . " ["O Lord, almighty
God . . . "]. Pp. 2 (folio page). Prayer. No
translation.
1/25 "Und Esdra sach auf dem berg zion ein gro_ volk, das
ich nit hab m÷gen zohlen, . . . " ["And Esdra saw, on
Mount Zion, a great multitude -- that I was not able to
count. . . . "] Pp. 20. (Seems incomplete at
beginning of ms. No translation.)
1/26 "Nach der Verheisung Christi so spricht man also -- so
will ich jetz von dem alten ablasen und von dem ne_wen
anfangen . . . " [" . . . This is to be interpreted in
the light of the promise of Christ. And now I shall
turn from the Old Testament to the New . . . "] Pp.
54. No translation. Probably part of a longer ms.,
with pages missing at the beginning that probably
interpreted the Old Testament portion of Scripture.
Pages missing at end as well. (Partial cover, possibly
from this booklet, but not certain.)

---

By Leonard Gross, July 24, 1992
Archives of the Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana