A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

against marrying outside of the fellowship. 18 In 1899 the conference went on record that it was "unanimously opposed to performing of a wedding ceremony of a believer with an unbeliever." 19 The question of political involvement is one with which the brotherhood has wrestled from the beginning. In 1890 the delegates resolved "that members of the church refrain from participation and 200 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH involvement in the contentions of political parties, but are permitted to vote quietly at elections, and may also vote for prohibition." 20 The regulation concerning the number of holidays to be observed at Christian festivals, or the oppposition to any form of life insurance, must be interpreted against the cultural background of the late nineteenth century. All in all, the motivation to maintain a "pure church" is certainly praiseworthy. Although the Mennonite Brethren were congregational in their church polity, and endeavored to observe "democratic" parliamentary procedures at their annual conventions, it was perhaps inevitable that power would eventually concentrate in the hands of a few leading elders. They were often called upon to regulate matters in local congregations, they ordained all ministers and deacons in the brotherhood, and they were deeply involved in every activity of the conference. Elder Schellenberg, for instance, served as moderator of the conference eighteen times between 1880-1900. He also served as chairman of the Foreign Missions Board as well as of the Publications Committee for many years. At the turn of the century his strong personality seemed to overshadow that of his fellow-elders and occasionally serious tensions arose. 21 The decentralization of the conference effected in 1909 may thus have been a blessing in disguise. In commenting on this "decentralization" which led to the organization of district conferences, P. M. Friesen writes as follows: The centralization idea had become so strong, that one party desired a central bishop, "a Paul" (as some described him) whom they wanted to elect in the person of elder Abraham Schellenberg. It was hoped that through such complete unification and central leadership more spiritual life and greater uni- ty of spirit could be achieved. The Mennonite spirit of autonomy triumphed in the moderate, and in our opinion, apostolic spirit through the act of the "expan- sion of the conference" as a Bundeskonferenz under one constitution with three district conferences. II. Continued Expansion and Decentralization (1909-1924) Conference Reorganization The division of the conference into several districts in 1909 was the culmination of years of discussions and planning. As early as 1902 the "brethren from the North" expressed their concerns at the conference which convened in Washita County, Oklahoma, in November. The brethren felt that the time of the annual conference (in late fall) as well as t