A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

corporate ideals of Russian Mennonitism. Janz was capable of astute diplomacy. He frequently displayed a rare quality which allowed him to press his advantage in an encounter until he arrived just a shade short of the breaking point. 1 B. B. Janz was the man of the hour whom God gave to the Mennonite brotherhood for a crucial period in their history. Janz was ably assisted by the vice-chairman of VBHH, Philipp Cornies, also a man with outstanding leadership qualities. In the executive of the AMLV in Moscow a young man from the Mennonite Brethren Church in Neu-Samara, C. F. Klassen, was the right hand man of chairman Peter Froese. In October, 1922, the VBHH and the AMLV joined hands in order to speak with a united voice to the central government in Moscow. 41 With tireless energy and selfless dedication these men assisted the thousands of applicants to obtain passports and other credentials for emigration. 120 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH It is somewhat difficult to make an accurate analysis of the motivation behind this mass-movement. Not only was there a great complexity and diversity in motivation, it also changed considerably as time went on. Whereas in 1922 human suffering was perhaps a primary motive to seek relief and refuge in another country, this pressure gradually declined during the years of the New Economic Policy. By 1926, the year of heaviest emigration, "this consideration was minimal and had been supplanted by long-range ideological and social considerations."'"' An enlightened leadership, however, perceived the long-range effects of communism on the Christian faith and on organized church life as early as 1922. In a reply to the Studienkommission the representatives of the VBHH, Philipp Cornies and B. B. Janz, summarized the reasons for the decision to emigrate. After stating several economic factors, which had strongly influenced many settlers in their decision to emigrate, the document concluded with the following significant observation: In addition to the motives already cited here there are chiefly the ethical, moral and religious motives for consideration. There are persons with deeper and clearer vision from all classes and all places of our society, especially in the original colonies, who are unable to make any compromise, or begin any rebuilding because they have recognized that not only the economic, but also the social and moral foundations for such building are missing, which alone can be the determining factor for us. For the system of communistic influence, which is at present being carried out largely and with disregard for our principles of freedom and religion, goes contrary to our ideals and can therefore not be accepted by us. Therefore it is impossible for us to stay here. 45 As in the great migrations of earlier times, religious concerns were the overruling motives in the mass exodus in the twenties. To substantiate this claim one only need