In the nineteenth century, most American denominations felt pretty smug that theirs was the real faith. Some might have grudg­ingly admitted that not everyone would be cast into outer darkness for the sin of worshiping in the wrong building. But overall it was a time when theological differences as well as points of practice separated people.

Having said that, some denominations had a lot in common, whether they wanted to admit it or not. Take the Mennonites and the Dunkers, otherwise known as the German Baptist Brethren. The two groups were like peas in a pod. Both wore the plain garb of the plain people. The men wore long beards without any mus­tache, the women wore the prayer covering and bonnet. Their wor­ship and music styles were very similar. They spoke German in the home and in ch…