A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

anitreligious club activities outside the home. The language spoken at home is usually Low German, and embroidered religious texts are a prominent feature in every Mennonite home. The Mennonites are noted for their industry and their conscientious attitude to the work entrusted to them at Soviet enterprises, collective and state farms. . . . For a long time, these qualities concealed from the Communist "activists" the fact that these people belonged to a religious community, for the Communists, true to the teachings of Marx, Lenin, and Krupskaya, considered that socialist labor was in itself a sufficient guarantee against religious "obscuratism."" Although the Mennonites attempt to reconcile their Christian convictions concerning work with the socialist view about the purpose of labor, Krestyaninov is unconvinced. He reports a conversation with a Mennonite Brethren minister, J. J. Klassen, from the village of Shumanovka, Rayon Slavgorod, in the district of Altay, whom he quotes as follows: "Our faith does not teach men to do evil, to drink, to behave disorderly, or to steal. The believers work well in the Kolchos (collective farm), and that is the important thing in the up-building of Communism."' 0 Klassen then proceeds to draw an analogy between Paul's admonition that "if any would not work, neither should he eat" (2 Thess. 3:10) and the socialist principle, "he who does not work, also does not eat." Krestyaninov maintains that the main emphasis in Men- nonite teaching is the concern for salvation, and their labor is related primarily to this concern. According to Krestyaninov, a study of Mennonite communities revealed, contrary to popular opinion, that most of their members are not representatives of the older generation, but of the middle and younger generation, the older people on the average amounting to no more than thirty percent. A similar situation was noticed among Mennonite communities in the city of Karaganda, where a good half of their members were no older than fifty." Although the Marxist historian is impressed with the ability of the Mennonites to retain the loyalty of their young people, it must be stated here, that this is only partly true. A relatively large number of young people have accepted the materialistic and atheistic ideology of Marxism to which they have been subjected in the elementary and secondary schools. Only a few have become members of the Communist party, but many have accepted the world-view of the larger society. It is encouraging to note that during the last few years, especially since 1965, a spiritual awakening has occurred among Mennonite young people in many areas. 12 One distinctive principle of Anabaptism and of the Mennonite Brethren confession of faith, namely nonresistance, appears to have been given up almost completely. Krestyaninov makes the somewhat startling claim, however, that Mennonite ministers are making special efforts to maintain and inst