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

Kroeker, fa- ther of the late Martin Kroeker who was prominent in U.S. Mennonite Brethren churches. The Christlicbes Jahrbuch (.Christian Almanac) for the years 1900-1905 was also the child of Abram Kroeker, In 1903 Abram and Jakob Kroeker, as editors and publishers, launched Friedensstimme^ They also published Das Emtefeld, launched by missionary A J. Friesen in 1900, This paper, edited by Friesen until 1914, told the story of the Russian Mennonite Brethren mission in India, The voluminous work of R M. Friesen, Alt-Evangelische Men- nonitische BrOderschaft in Mussland (1 789-1910), had its ori- gin Ln the Mennonite Brethren Church. Economics and Industry Many Mennonites had become wealthy by the turn of the century. Their agricultural achievements were particularly no- table. In pure-bred animal husbandry, for example, govern- ment officials, other non-Mennonite colonists and their Russ- ian neighbors recognized the Mennonites as a model for agri- cultural development. 118 MENNONITE BRETHREN AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY They were also known for their efficiency as tradesmen. Blacksmiths, joiners, wheelwrights, cobblers, saddlers, tailors, weavers, cloth workers and millers were an integral part of the communities. Early in their history the Russian Mennon- ites developed considerable self-sufficiency, and became an integrated economic unit with a strong system of exports and imports. They developed industries to complement agricultural production. Seven factories produced agricultural tools and implements. Eighteen brick and roof-tile manufacturers pro- vided building materials for the colonies' growing needs. Mennonites owned twenty-seven large motor and steam flour mills, many windmills and factories that produced wall clocks. Taxable property owned by the Mennonites in 1909 was val- ued at 246 million rubles-an enormous sum for that day and even for our day. Many Mennonite Brethren were among these prosperous owners of large estates, factories, flour mills and farms. Oth- ers were prominent in the field of education and held leading positions in the affairs of all the Mennonite communities. Public Charitable Institutions The material wealth of the Mennonite colonies financed the institutions needed for the care of their people. They had their own hospitals, a deaconess home, a school for the deaf and mute, senior citizen's homes, an orphanage and a psychi- atric hospital. The maintenance of these institutions was the responsibility of the communities. An All-Mennonite General Conference The Kirchliche Mennonites had over the years been open to Mennonite Brethren