ON THE SCHISM,

having occurred

In the Flemish, Frisian, and High German Mennonite original: "Doopsgesinde" (Anabaptist/Mennonite) Congregation in

AMSTERDAM.

A large, decorative drop cap initial 'M' is framed by ornate floral and figurative patterns.My anxious soul, pour out your sorrowful complaints,
And let them no longer spend the night within you;
Unburden your spirit and your overfilled breast,
For even as the fabric of sorrow rises to its highest peak,
You see the Mennonite people,
Whose glorious reputation had risen to the clouds,
Now have their luster trampled underfoot,
To the heartfelt grief of the Pious in general.
They who formerly loved each other so much,
That the tyrant could find no means
Through craft, flattery, lies, or torment
To make their Brothers' name known to him.
These very same people (or their descendants)
Would now crowd out their own Brothers and Sisters,
(So it seems to us) because one does not follow precisely
Their established Law,
Which (so one says) has been drawn
From four confessions, as if this could not fail:
But whether it was the pure will of God,
On this one leans, as on a rod of steel,
Regardless of the fact that there is no infallible clarity.
Of this, there is none in the pure word of truth;
And although you say this truth satisfies you,
Let that be so, but do not burden nor weigh down the spirit
Of your neighbor, who interprets this matter somewhat differently,
And nevertheless demonstrates through their works,
A heartfelt desire for the Church of God.
But hateful schisms are an enemy
(As is now happening) for which many pious people mourn,
Which presses this burden upon their very souls,
Under which they go bent and bowed,
Since they see that Friends, Parents, Children,
Have their love diminished through this deed,
Even Husband and Wife (however closely bound to one another)
Are not of one mind in this matter,
From which much misery is then born
Instead of love, and sometimes anger arises
In the weak spirit (which surely works no good)
As one notices this more than too much.
Add to this, that so many pious people
(Who otherwise wish for the prosperity of Zion)
Are hindered, and wounded in their spirit,
When they see that one feeds the discord in this way,
When they see that such good acquaintances
Turn their faces as if from one another,
Which mostly happens through impulse, or misunderstanding,
Or because love is not planted in the heart:
For where this virtue underpins the work,
There one can adapt and endure much:

On the contrary, where it is missing,
There very quickly grows hateful discord:
Which drags with it a train of unpleasantness,
Of which we have long seen the harmful fruits,
Indeed, even tasted them ourselves,
Until the bond was finally loosened.
When Israel rebuilt the Temple,
It is testified that many of the Elders
Were saddened, clothed in heartfelt mourning,
Looking thus upon their new Temple construction.
On the contrary, the Young then sang
A song of joy with great jubilation,
So that one could not tell apart
The sound of joy and the miserable weeping.
It goes the same way now; many old friends lament
That this burden is far too heavy for them to bear:
But alas! What is it; one does not care about this here,
It must go on this way, let it go as it can;
The Temple work has now begun with desire,
And this thread shall be spun out to the end,
But how it will then arrange itself further,
Is best known to the great All-Highest.
Yet while we see their human impulses
(As one perceives in words and writings)
It is very likely their work will not stand,
But over time gradually perish again.
They lean firmly on Elders, Outsiders,
(Although they, so it seems, join their forces together
In order to reach, from step to step through their actions,
The status of full mastery)
But Doctor Likely referring to Galenus Abrahamsz, a prominent physician and leader has certainly spoiled his chances with them,
For this is as if it died in their mouths,
How he is a double-tongued man,
Whose heart's depth one can never truly fathom;
But that he has a harmful sentiment,
For which they stir themselves so overly diligently,
To force this into the people,
And meanwhile one envisions fine profit
To be made thereby; one keeps oneself busy with this
In order to, by that means, make the members completely absent
From GALENO Galenus, and those who
(Now at ease and peaceful among each other)
Are inclined to promote the good.
And also above all, the well-disposed order
In Christ's Church, founded on God's word,
Especially in the blessed New Covenant,
As we also intend to demonstrate,
In the hope that God will crown our work with favor:
So all you who love the well-being of souls,
Be henceforth peace-loving in your disposition.