A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

h, was the leader in the conflict with the "open brethren," especially with J. W. Reimer, conference evangelist. Moreover, certain aspects in Schellenberg's private life added to the mounting tensions between the Rueckenau M.B. Church and its elder." SERVINC WITH VARIOUS CIFTS 305 The matter came to a head at Pentecost in 1909, when Schellenberg was deposed from the office of elder and even temporarily forbidden to preach. This controversy in the Rueckenau church provided the occasion for the reexamination of the scriptural teaching concerning the elder. Many began to agree with the observation of Peter Unruh: "The system is sick, that is why our men get sick."" David Schellenberg was the last minister to be ordained elder in the Rueckenau M.B. Church. The view that eventually prevailed in all M.B. churches is summarized by A. H. Unruh as follows: From Rueckenau came the interpretation, that according to the Gospel all ministers of the congregation have the status of elders; the council of elders [Acltestenrat) was emphasized, based upon Paul's words in Philippians 1, where he greets the bishops and deacons. Preacher J. W. Reimer coined the expression: "The leader of the church is the man who has the gift of leadership; he is the first among equals." "' Generally speaking the multiple lay ministry in the M.B. Church in Russia proved adequate for the time and contributed significantly to the wholesome development of the congregations. In America, however, under the pressures of a changing culture, and exposure to influences from other denominations, a new pattern eventually emerged in Mennonite Brethren congregations. 2. Developments in the United States The pattern of an unsalaried multiple lay ministry was retained by the Mennonite Brethren when they established congregations in the United States. In the list of ministers and deacons of annual conference yearbooks up to World War II (and in some instances later) one finds that all larger congregations had a number of ordained ministers, as well as one or more assistant ministers (Mitarbeiter). The "elder system" was also retained until about 1920, although relatively few ministers were ordained to this office in M.B. churches in America. According to a survey made in the fall of 1971, no elder was ordained in Mennonite Brethren churches after 1919. In one of the former K.M.B. churches the last elder was ordained in 1932." No elder has ever been ordained in the churches of the Pacific District Conference, but John Berg is mentioned as having been elected to this office in the Reedley M.B. Church in 1910. Something similar to the "elder crisis" experienced by the Molotschna M.B. Church in 1909 seems to have occurred in American M.B. churches a few years later. The desire of congregations to eliminate "ranks" among their ministers, and an "apparent struggle for recognition among elders and ministers" are mentioned in the reports