Merlanders
Merianders (or Meerlanders, i.e., Moravians) were said to have founded a small congregation near Aachen, Germany. They were "standing by themselves" and practiced communism, calling themselves the "Dutch congregation." Apparently this account concerned a congregation of Hutterites at Aachen, which was founded there by Hans Raiffer in 1557. A note concerning these "Merlanders" is found in Nicolai's insertions in the Dutch edition of Bullinger's Der Widertöufferen Ursprung. Nicolai calls them also "Apostolic Anabaptists." In 1612 Elder Jan Gerritsz of Danzig identified the Merlanders as Hutterites.
Bibliography
Cramer, Samuel and Fredrik Pijper. Bibliotheca Reformatoria Neerlandica. 10 v. The Hague: M. Nijhoff, 1903-1914: VII, 461, 467.
Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam. 2 v. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: II, No. 2926.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, pp. 655-656. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.
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MLA style: van der Zijpp, Nanne. "Merlanders." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 05 September 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/M4870.html>
APA style: van der Zijpp, Nanne. (1957). "Merlanders." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 05 September 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/M4870.html>
