Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

these boys reached the camps, their moral prowess and religious convictions were brought to the test. There were times when it took much more courage to be a conscientious objector (C. O. as they were ordinarily called) than to march with the crowd, and even more than to go “over the top” with the large mass. Here was true what Low- ell so beautifully says in his immortal poem “The Present Crises,” “Then to side with truth is noble, When we share her wretched crust, Ere her cause bring fame and profit And ’tis prosperous to be just. Then it is the brave man chooses, While the coward stands aside, Doubting in his abject spirit Till his Lord is crucified.” ’ ORGANIZED AMERICAN MENNONOITE RELIEF 29 Many a young man there showed the true metal that was in him, and proved that pacifism is a real issue. Many were led to search the Scriptures to determine whether the doctrine that they had nominally held since chilchood, really had a foundation in God’s Word, only to learn that Christ unequivocally teaches against war, and all manner of coercion; and that real Christianity and war are forever incompatible and irreconcilable. It is not our province here to tell of the fine testimony given by word and deed by many of our splendid young men, else we could write chapters on the topic. We but men- tion this as a preface to some consideration of the ways and means that God employed in PREPARING THE AMERICAN MENNONITES FOR GIVING There was little satisfaction in just maintaining a negative position toward war. What was needed was an opportunity to disprove the charges of cowardice and selfishness made against the conscientious objectors, and to express in a positive, concrete way the principles of peace and good-will in which they believed. The call for young men to do relief and reconstruction work in various devas- tated sections of war-stricken Europe, proved to be just the opportunity sought, and a large number volunteered for that service. Some worked with the American Red Cross. A large number served under the American Friends Service Committee, and later many joined the forces of the Near East Relief in Turkey, Syria and Palestine. But it was felt that more effective work could be done, and more interest could be aroused among the Men- nonite constituency, if an independent task would be undertaken by them. At first there seemed to be no satisfactory opening, but the various fields were watched, and finally sentiment crystallized on the idea that Russia was the field for the American Mennonite Church. The need there was great, little was being done, and there was 30 FEEDING THE HUNGRY the added incentive of being able to help and to work with and through those of our own household of faith. Russia was shrouded in mystery. Little news of what was happening there reached the outside world. But by putting together the news that filtered through, one could form a picture of the