Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

o sit in counsel with, to associate and fellowship with such a considerate body of men representing the several groups of Menno- nites. I prize very highly the memory of the congenial conduct and the fine cooperative spirit manifested at every meeting. I treasure the memory of devotion paid by each member to the purpose for which the organization was affected. It is with sincere and deep gratitude that I think of the ready response of the Mennonite constituency to the appeal for funds and supplies that came from the destitute, the starving, and the dying ones beyond the sea. Through this experience my vision of service has been enlarged and my life has been enriched through the personal contact with individuals who so beautifully por- trayed the Christ Spirit in the time of dire need; and who were willing to nobly play “the Good Samaritan” when it meant sacrifice and risk of life and health, to go and ad- minister help to those in such great need. The story of the Russian Relief may go down in history as a great achievement of the Mennonite Church, but I would greatly prefer to have us and posterity view this work as a great privilege, which enabled the Church in her loyalty, devo- tion and love of God and mankind make religion practical by sacrificing for the needy in a way, such as Christ so highly commends in His discourse on the Judgment of the Nations, Matt. 25 :31-46. While the contacts with the relief work left many lasting impressions on me, there is but one that I shall take time to mention, because it comes to my mind again and again. After a trip to the actual scenes of suffering and starvation in Russia, our brother P. C. Hiebert vis- PERSONNEL OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE 393 ited our home church, as he did many others, and gave us word-pictures of existing conditions. In speaking of the spiritual life among the brethren he mentioned that through personal suffering, through hearing their little ones cry for a piece of bread in vain, and through seeing their loved ones starve, the faith of many was sorely tried and they were in danger of losing the vision that, “God is Love;” but others, amid all the grief and suffering, maintained and manifested a beautiful and commendable trust, and a living faith in God. Hungry and poorly dressed, nevertheless they gathered on Sundays to ‘‘Wor- ship the Lord in Truth and in Spirit.” The choirs were not ciad in luxurious apparel, to attract attention as is sometimes the case. Often ladies came dressed in gingham aprons and barefoot, while the men also barefoot or in wooden-soled slippers seemed quite happy, clad in clothes made of the burlap sacks in which the American brethren had sent the supplies of food to them. Thus they came to the House of the Lord to sing praise, and worship Him from whom all blessings flow. This picture made an indelible impression on my memory. I am pursuaded that a God who overshadowed a Stephen with His Holy Spirit