The Nine - Hutterites: Our Story to Freedom

Hutterites

Copyright 2013

The Nine

All Rights Reserved:

No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any electronic system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, scanning, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the authors. Brief quotations may be used in literary reviews.

1 Excerpts reprinted from Peter Riedemanns Hutterite Confession of Faith, translated and edited by John J. Friesen. Copyright 1999 by Herald Press, Waterloo, Ont. Published simultaneously in the U.S. by Herald Press, Scottdale, PA. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Unless otherwise indicated all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-0-9895184-0-6

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013912186

Published by:

Risen Son Publishing

Please visit our website:

www.thenine9.com

Online ordering is available

Printed in the United States by Morris Publishing

3212 E. Hwy 30 Kearney, NE 68847

ISBN: 9780989518413

This complete work is dedicated to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ...

We, the nine, are presenting this work with the love of God in truth without any bitterness, unforgiveness or resentment towards the Hutterites or any other human being, race, color, or creed. We are witnesses with personal experiences founded upon factual truths and close observations.

Our hearts motive, without reservation, is to proclaim boldly the Word of God as it is written, that people may find salvation, healing, and freedom in the Lord, Jesus Christ.

It is a blessing to serve God by keeping his commands to love God, love others, and preach the Word as Jesus commanded.

Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. (Acts 28:31)

[1] The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

[2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

[3] To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. (Isa. 61:1-3)

As you read through these pages, the words being expressed may well challenge your perspective regarding Christianity.

It is our hope that your eyes will confirm the truth to your heart.

There is a time in the life of all created human beings when they come to a place of decision as to what they will determine as truth. This is an opportunity to question what you believe and why.

This is the story of nine courageous people who escaped the rigors of religiosity within a system in which they were born and raised. Choosing life outside of the colony cost them the future of family ties and the places they once called home. They were soon confronted with unimaginable obstacles as they were thrust into the English world. To heal and overcome the emotional hurts and scars that were visited upon them, the distorted mindsets, behaviors, and habits had to be renounced and abandoned. They began to learn a graceful balance in life, expressing love and joy rather than extremes of anger and rage.

The nine were mostly unaccustomed to practical, everyday activities and essential skills in the English world. Each of them had to be taught how to clearly and effectively communicate, to relate and express his or her heart socially. The very basics had to be taught, including clothing, proper hygiene, and etiquette. Having learned to be resourceful and personally responsible, they now operate and prevail in various successful businesses.

How these nine came to make their decision to leave all and find a new life is written in each of their own personal chapters.

Sincerely,

Those that received them

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To those Hutterites, ex-Hutterites, and those outside colony life, who have inspired us to write this book: Thank you for your prayers, support, and encouragement to fulfill this vision.

Throughout the process of writing this book we have received much welcome counsel and direction in editing, publishing, and printing to complete this work for Gods glory.

Again, thank you for helping to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and bring hope to those longing for The Truth.

Is this the time when God has said, Enough?

Yes! He has seen the affliction of His people.

And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; (Ex. 3:7)

The Egyptians were oppressing Gods people in Egypt. God promised to set them free from slavery. God used His miraculous power to lead them out of Egypt into a good land flowing with milk and honey.

God kept His promise and used a man by the name of Moses to lead His people out of Egypt. If Moses had not stood in the breach for them, Gods people would have been destroyed.

Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. (Psa. 106:23)

We are standing in the gap for those who find themselves in a similar situation; by showing the way out so they can persevere and overcome. We know and understand that God has a strategy to write our testimonies and the outcome is entirely in His hands.

We are humbled and recognize the privileged responsibility we have been given in writing this book.

If you, the reader, find yourself in an oppressive situation, seek the Lord Jesus Christ with a sincere heart for He is faithful to His Word. With Jesus Christ there is no limit to what He will do for you. He will move all of heaven and earth to move you to where He wants you to be. It is a place of freedom and liberty.

Our prayer is that you will experience the will of God for your life, in power and in truth.

To God be all the glory for who He is...

and for all His wonders!

There are about 45,000 Hutterites living in colonies with approximately 100 people per colony. The colonies are located in middle and western Canada, and upper Midwest and northwest United States. Hutterites originated during the Reformation in the 1500s when many people were breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church. Some who broke away found that infant baptism was not according to the Word of God and were rebaptized as adults, beginning the Anabaptist movement. The Amish, Mennonites, and Hutterites all came from the Anabaptist movement and consider themselves spiritual cousins. Hutterites are similar to the Amish and Mennonites in doctrine and dress but differ in their communal way of life. Hutterites are separated into three groups: the Lehrerleut, Dariusleut, and the Schmiedeleut. These differ slightly in customs and dress but agree in doctrine and day-to-day life. Hutterites all speak a German dialect unique only to themselves.

Hutterite colonies are rural and most of their income is agriculturally based with manufacturing becoming more common. Hutterites do most of their own labor: constructing buildings, maintenance and repair on equipment, making clothes, butchering and growing food, etc.