Brethren Heritage Tour
By Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D. 

Other people have traveled the world much more that we have, but the trips which we have been privileged to take have given us a view of the world that we would not have had otherwise. The Brethren Heritage Tour is a good example. 

On July 11, 1983 Louise and others waded in the Eder River in Schwarzenau, Germany. We were part of a group of 48 Church of the Brethren members on a heritage tour. The Eder River is significant because that is where Alexander Mack and seven other people were baptized and started our church in 1708. 

The purpose of the tour was to visit places in Europe where our denomination’s founders lived. When I first saw the itinerary I wondered why we were visiting so many castles. Brethren didn’t live in castles. I learned that the history of the 1700’s was recorded and kept in castles. 

Our tour started in Amsterdam because near there is where the early Brethren set sail for America in1719. We rode in a huge tour bus that was comfortable and was driven by Richard Clasen, an experienced driver. The bus had a small refrigerator in the front end for cold drinks and a small toilet in the rear. 

We visited a Mennonite church in Surhuisterveen, Holland, where the early Brethren were welcomed. We saw a pond where some of the Brethren were baptized. 

On July 9th. we stopped at Julich, Germany, and visited the Zitadelle prison where some  Brethren were kept in 1717. Their only crime was adult baptism, which was against the law. 

We saw many cathedrals and the most beautiful I think was St. Elizabeth Cathedral in Marburg. It is Gothic in style. 

We visited the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, containing the famous Gutenberg Bible. We also visited Schreisheim near Heidelburg where Alexander Mack lived. His father was mayor. 

Our best meal, although it was hard to choose, was in Basel, Switzerland. It consisted of weinerschnitzel, fried potato squares, green beans seasoned with sausage, and chocolate mousse. 

Richard and I were the only ones brave (or crazy) enough to go swimming in Lake Lucerne. We didn’t stay long because the water was ice cold. 

One of the highlights of our tour was taking a train ride up into the Swiss Alps where we had a picnic. Our guides had purchased bread, cheese, fruit, and Swiss chocolate. The weather was perfect and we were able to photograph the Jungfrau and other mountains. 

We stopped in Geneva and visited the office of the World Council of Churches. I have mentioned only a few of the places where we visited. The tour guides were Kenneth Morse and Kenneth Kreider, both well known historians in the Church of the Brethren. The tour was a good balance of church history and tourist scenes. 

Delbert Blickenstaff, M. D.