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

one party was not Mennonite Brethren. In the early years, prospective members promised, as a condition of membership, not to marry a non-Mennonite Brethren. Those who violated this pledge were excommunicated. Such restric- tions in a socially integrated community created an extreme problem, and the resulting tensions were highly divisive. In 1895 the convention brought unity in this matter by agreeing to examine each case individually to distinguish between mar- riage with unbelievers or with believers who were members of the Mennonite Church.14 The Influence of Pietism While the birth of the Mennonite Brethren Church owed much to Pietism in the mid- 1800s, another set of Pietist influ- ences came at the turn of the century. This time the channel 122 MENNONTTE BRETHREN AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY was a group of wealthy Mennonite Brethren estate owners in Russia who independently supported certain itinerant minis- ters not under the sponsorship of the church conference. One of these ministers was Dr. Fredrich W, Baedekker from the Plymouth Brethren Alliance Conference in England. He travelled extensively in Mennonite Brethren circles, spreading the dogmatic dispensationalism of John Nelson Darby, founder of the Plymouth Brethren movement*15 These wealthy estate owners also organized and financed confer- ences for the benefit of ministers and church workers, with all expenses paid. The points of commonality between Pietists and Anabap- tists provided a favorable climate for this close relationship. Robert Friedmann described the similarities as follows: Both groups justified their policy on the basis of the lead- ership of the Holy Spirit, which taught them the correct understanding of the Scriptures. Both claimed to live strictly according to the Bible, that is, neither had confi- dence in a Christianity of the theologians and scholars. Both were seriously concerned with a Christian reality which lies beyond church and worship although they un- derstand the ultimate nature of this Christian reality differ- ently. After all how could it be determined who pos- sessed the "right" Holy Spirit except through the evi- dences of the same in life.1* Pietistic writings became part of Mennonite Brethren li- braries in Russia. The book Wahres Christentum by johann Arndt was especially prominent.17 Pietistic influence on the Mennonite Brethren remained strong up to the First World War. Jacob Kroekcr, one of the few theologically trained Mennonite Brethren at the time, affil- iated closely with the Blankenburg Alliance Conference and provided a Mennonite linkage with