Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

all else had failed. One of the most impressive effects of the work to me, was the unstinted and sincere praise that was sent up to God for the wonderful help that He had sent, using the American Mennonites as His ministering servants. In an earlier chapter, we described the physical life among the brethren at a time when want had undermined their strength and self-control, and a gloomy future had blasted their hopes. It is but fair to remark here that it struck me time and again, how these brethren were mas- ters of themselves in controlling their emotions, words and actions. The former life of independence and initiative manifested itself in the darkest hours, but much more when the immediate want had been satisfied, or when im- proved conditions or promising reports gave a ray of hope for the future. The high degree of intelligence and the very general education which our brethren possessed as an inheritance from the better days, set them definitely in a class by themselves. ‘The sense of orderliness and the 414 FEEDING THE HUNGRY capacity for organization was such that neither war, nor revolution, nor persecution, nor famine had been able to destroy. Above all else that helped the brethren bear up in their adversity was their faith in a benevolent Provi- dence, their trust in God whom they knew not only from the Bible, but also through a life of communion and fel- lowship, during the dark, soul-trying years of tribulations through which they had passed. EFFECTS ON THE BENEFACTORS Among those who gave to the work of relief in Russia we may not have seen as evident effects as among those who received, but certainly they have not profited less by the experience. The feeling of sympathy found expression in sacrifice, which always makes men better and happier. In this case the consciousness of brother- hood with those that were in such dire need has doubt- lessly been fostered and strengthened. The American brethren have received a very good lesson in giving, for all have learned to think in larger terms when they give, and many have formed the very good practice of sys- tematic giving, which will be a decided advantage for the future, unto them as well as to all the causes which are dependent upon their charities. As a whole, the experience of the last ten years has taught us that one cannot depend on material wealth and possessions; which should have, and it seems to me, has helped us to see that our relation to all that we claim to hold as our own, is but that of steward. Things are en- trusted to us for use and service for a short span of years, after that we must give account, which attitude helps us to realize that it is indeed “more blessed to give than to receive. « And further, it has acquainted the different bodies of Mennonites here in America one with another, so that they discovered the many things that we do have in com- EFFECTS AND AFTER EFFECTS 415 mon, over an