View source for Schmutz, Christian (1799-1873)

Christian Schmutz: elder of the Mennonites in Baden, Germany; born 19 October 1799, at Rappenau, Baden, died 18 November 1873. An invalid from his youth, he visited a spa in Cannstatt in [[Württemberg (Germany)|Württemberg]] at the age of twenty-two, and was deeply impressed by some Christian believers at the place. Upon the death of his father he took over the home farm. In 1858 he gave up farming in order to devote all his time and strength to the service of the brotherhood. At the age of thirty he was chosen preacher, and five years later elder. His work extended far beyond the borders of his brotherhood. In the early volumes of the [[Mennonitische Blätter (Periodical)|<em>Mennonitische Blätter</em>]], 1855 and 1856, he wrote three excellent articles on "Die Mennonitengemeinden im Grossherzogtum Baden," and in 1858 on the Mennonites of Switzerland. In 1860 he sharply opposed the proposed [[Menno-Stiftung|<em>Menno-Stiftung</em>]] and any human honoring of [[Simons, Menno (1496-1561)|Menno]], and at the same time opposed a trained ministry. Special mention should be made of his six open letters to all the ministers, in which he expressed his religious views without reservation. When the <em>[[Gemeindeblatt der Mennoniten (Periodical)|Gemeindeblatt der Mennoniten]]</em> appeared in 1870, which was founded at his instigation, he was one of the most devoted collaborators. He wrote a series of valuable articles for it. In 1865 he published a catechism under the title <em>Christliches Lehrbüchlein</em>, which is used by Mennonites outside Baden and was adopted by the Swiss Mennonites. His manuscript became the basis for the Ministers' Manual of the Gemeindeverband, <em>Leitfaden zum Gebrauch bei gottesdienstlichen Handlungen</em> (1876).
= Bibliography =
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Mennonitisches Lexikon</em>, 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. IV, 81.

<em class="gameo_bibliography">Mennonitische Jugendwarte</em> (1920): 12 ff.
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