A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

uh, B. B. Janz, J. B. Toews, H. H. Flaming, and J. W. Vogt — by acclamation. The pattern for the election and ordination of ministers contained in the above recommendation, was accepted as a guideline by provincial (Canada) and district (U.S.) conferences. However, not all congregations were willing to "walk according to the same rule." The spirit of individualism and the emphasis on local autonomy continued to threaten the scriptural relationship of interdependence and unity in the brotherhood. In their continued search for a solution to this problem the mem- bers of the board prepared a document of historic significance for the tri- ennial convention held in Winkler in 1951. This paper, entitled "A State- ment to the Conference," written and submitted in four parts, contains the following: Part I. A frank analysis of our spiritual status. Part II. An appeal for reaffirmation of the historic principle of the interrela- tionship of Mennonite Brethren Churches. Part III. Proposed ways and means to be considered as a possible way to meet the expressed needs. Part IV. Suggested efforts toward unification of our doctrinal position. Is The main purpose of the statement, it appears, was to provide the scriptural and practical rationale for the establishment of a Board of Elders (Aeltestenrat) . In the introduction to part three this intent is explicitly stated: In view of the rapid changes in our churches of the past two decades where the ministry becomes less the product of the church, the local congregations having in many instances passed through the transition from the "collective ministry" to the pastoral system, it is the judgment of your Committee of Reference and Counsel that it is urgent that we make provisions to safeguard the accepted Biblical principle of a collective leadership as also expressed in No. 35 of our Confession of Faith which in part reads: "All questions relating to doctrine and life in the congregation are decided according to the example of the Apostolic Church as we read in Acts 15: 1-28, etc." . . . After much prayer and study of the Scriptures the Committee proposes that the Conference consider the establishment of a Board of Elders to meet more fully the expressed need." The implications of this document gave rise to a spirited discussion on the conference floor. Although the delegates expressed their appreciation for the concerns presented by the committee, they passed a motion to refer the document to the churches, and district conferences for further study. The request for a larger committee, however, was granted. Only a brief reference to the above document was made at the 312 HISTORY OF THE MENNON1TE BRETHREN CHURCH 1954 General Conference by the Board of Reference and Counsel: "We recommend that in view of the reactions of all the District Confer- ences . . . the Conference order the revision of said document, transfer- ring the duties assigned to the