Twas Seeding Time

Whose side will you be on?

Will you fight for that side?

Those were the questions facing Pennsylvania Mennonites as the North American colonies fought for independence from King George III.

The colonial patriots wanted all able-bodied men to respond to the call to arms, or if conscience prevented that, to contribute liberally of their means to the patriots' cause.

But what about their promise of loyalty to the king, who had provided them a haven of religious liberty, the likes of which they had...