A Pilgrimage Of Faith, J.B. Toews, 1993

Mennonite colonies spurred the 1874 migration to North America. Broader church -government statements, dealing specifically with the question of military non-participation, emerged only during the First World War, the Russian Revolu- tion and the Second World War Awaiting God's Judgment The issue of divorce and remarriage arose surprisingly early for the Mennonite Brethren. In 1883 the North Ameri- can conference passed the following resolution: In answer to the question relative to accepting into mem- bership a man or a woman which has been divorced, married again and now after conversion seeks member- ship in our church, the conference decided without dis- senting votes that even the seemingly innocent party be barred from membership unril God has revealed the inno- cency by the death of the guilty party.43 By barring both parties from membership, the Mennonite Brethren thought they were leaving judgment in the hands of God. The guilty partner was the one who died first. This harsh position led to some tragic situations around the turn of the century. Though undocumented in written form, there were several cases of congregations that prayed for God's in- tervention in a divorce case. When one of the parties died suddenly, it was accepted as a manifestation of guilt-and of answered prayer. CONCLUSION The early Mennonite Brethren took seriously the tension 79 A PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH of living in two worlds. Their response was not an effort to develop coherent theological formulations but rather a practi- cal concern to be a godly people in an evil world. The con- clusions they reached, while perhaps lacking specific biblical reference, were an attempt to forge a life of self-denial and obedience to Scripture as they understood it. Some of then- rules may appear narrow in our day. The early Mennonite Brethren provided a prophetic cri- tique to the culture of their day. They sought to live by an es- chatological ethic; they did not expect the powers of darkness to be overcome in their lifetime. Nor were they concerned whether their "narrow* social ethics would find favor with the world and attract large numbers of people into their fellow- ship. They carried the resolute conviction that the people of God-the true church-could not conform to the values and lifestyle of the world in which they lived. The hymns of their worship services expressed their self- understanding as pilgrims, strangers and aliens. Songs like uHier auf Erden bin ich ein Pilger" (Here on earth I am but a pilgrim)43 and "O mein Jesu Du bist's werf with the chorus,