Samuel Coffman


Samuel Frederick Coffman was a Canadian minister, writer and pacifist.
In 1918 he helped organize the Non-Resistant Relief Organization, involving all Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren-in-Christ groups then in Ontario. Coffman represented these peace groups in lobbying the Canadian government for exemption from military service during World War I. "He received a sympathetic hearing from many public officials largely because of his own judicious attitude and the general trust he put in the government." Coffman assisted in obtaining releases for imprisoned Amish and Brethren in Christ members, and as a more permanent solution he later arranged that conscientious objectors be given indefinite leaves of absence from active duty.
In the 1930s, Coffman helped to create the Conference of Historic Peace Churches. Out of his peace conviction grew the belief that the peace churches should assist in the relief of wounds caused by war: