A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

agreed to continue its support of the Minneapolis mission. "Aside from that," the resolution reads, "the Conference takes a sympathetic position toward the city mission efforts of the Northern Conference in Winnipeg and the Pacific Conference at Bakersfield, and wishes them God's blessings in their endeavor, and does not wish in any way to hinder these causes." 33 Relief and General Welfare From their earliest years Mennonite Brethren have emphasized not only the need for a ministry of evangelism, but also the need for a ministry of compassion. As early as 1884 the matter of relief was brought to the conference floor. It was a concern for impoverished immigrants in Russia who desired to migrate to America that prompted that discussion. The conference decided, however, to leave this matter to the individual churches for consideration and action. Beginning with 1900, regular relief offerings for "oppressed children of God" 3 * were gathered on Thanksgiving Day. Also in 1900, the conference approved the distribution of relief funds (from private gifts and special offerings) as follows: "for famine in India $3,150.50; Armenia, $127.78; miscellaneous needs, $16.00; for oppressed Christians, $392.44. From 1910 to 1920, the conference administered contributions for relief as part of the assignment of the Board of Missions. The Thanksgiving offerings were continued, but were directed more toward home missions in the cities, and toward distribution of Christian literature, especially among the Russian people. A new epoch for ministries of compassion began in the immediate post-war period. As reported in chapter eight, the Study Commission that arrived in America in 1920 informed the Mennonite constituency of the tragic plight of their brethren in Russia. Because those in need had many relatives and acquaintances in America, their desperate situation was of special concern to Mennonite and Mennonite Brethren churches. Already in 1920 "this resulted in a decision by the Southern District Conference to provide $2,000 per month for relief for the Russian brethren." 36 That same year also P. C. Hiebert, a Mennonite Brethren educator and leader became chairman of MCC, an international relief and service agency, through which Mennonite Brethren channeled most of their relief funds henceforth. 31 In 1924 the conference gave expression to its conviction that relief and social concern are an integral part of its mission by electing a seven-member relief committee. This was the birth of the Board of General Welfare and Public Relations which took its legitimate place ORGANIZATION FOR UNITED ACTION 205 alongside the Board of Foreign Missions and other boards of the Mennonite Brethren Conference. 11 " World War I was not only the occasion for a renewal of social concerns and relief efforts in the Mennonite Brethren Conference, it also challenged the brotherhood to rethink its position on peace and nonresi