The Old Order River Brethren is a small Christian denomination with roots in the Mennonite church and German pietism.
This body began about 1778 in Pennsylvania. It shares an early history with the Brethren in Christ Church. A group of brethren near the Susquehanna River that had separated from the Mennonites became known as the River Brethren. In 1843, a group left the larger body of River Brethren and established a separate Old Order group. They were sometimes referred to as the York Brethren or Yorkers, because most of the members in 1843 were located in York County, Pennsylvania. This minority group believed the majority of the church was becoming lax in nonconformity to the world and non-resistance, and desired to keep the old doctrines and traditions.
The church is composed of five congregations—four in Pennsylvania and one in Iowa—with 331 members in 2000. They retain many conservative practices that are generally associated with the Amish. They do not erect meeting houses, choosing rather to meet in homes or barns.
Famous quotes containing the words order, river and/or brethren:
“The intellectual is a middle-class product; if he is not born into the class he must soon insert himself into it, in order to exist. He is the fine nervous flower of the bourgeoisie.”
—Louise Bogan (1897–1970)
““I’ll love you dear, I’ll love you
Till China and Africa meet,
And the river jumps over the mountain
And the salmon sing in the street.”
—W.H. (Wystan Hugh)
“The denial of our duty to act in this case is a denial of our right to act; and if we have no right to act, then may we well be termed “the white slaves of the North,” for like our brethren in bonds, we must seal our lips in silence and despair.”
—Angelina Grimké (1805–1879)