A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

d to go to Paraguay, some 1200 chose to settle in Brazil. A large German community in Santa Catarina, plus the encouragement from the Hanseatic Colonization Society in Brazil, were important factors in their decision. The MCC was not favorably disposed toward colonization in Brazil MENNONITE BRETHREN AROUND THE WORLD 417 because Brazil refused to grant exemption from military service. The Dutch Mennonites, who collectively did not hold to the principle of nonresistance anymore, gave financial assistance to the settlers in Santa Catarina. A German relief organization, Brueder in Not, also rendered substantial aid. According to J. W. Fretz, the Brazilian settlers were probably less concerned about preserving their nonresistant position than were their brethren in North America. 32 Since only those born in Brazil were subject to military service, the issue was not one of immediate concern to the newly arrived immigrants. In God's providence, colonization was to lead to evangelization and to the establishment of both German and Portuguese-speaking M.B. churches in Brazil. The small group of Mennonite Brethren was thrust into this vast land in order to raise up a gospel witness for the salvation of many. The Immigrant M.B. Church The first Mennonite Brethren churches were established in the two original settlements of Mennonites in Santa Catarina: Witmarsum, along the banks of the Alto Rio Krauel, and Auhagen on the crest of a nearby mountain, commonly referred to as Stoltz-Plateau. Early years were marked by incredible pioneer hardships, but with Dutch and German assistance, the settlers managed to survive. Among the spiritual leaders of the group were two Mennonite Brethren elders, Jakob Huebert and Heinrich Ekk, and several M.B. ministers. In addition Gerhard Wiens of the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren, and Heinrich Martens of the Mennonite Church, belonged to the spiritual leadership of the two colonies. Martens apparently attempted to organize a united Mennonite Church of Brazil, but the effort failed. 33 Later, other attempts at amalgamation of all Mennonite groups were made by the leader of the settlement, but they also failed, largely because of the opposition of the large M.B. Church. The M.B. church at Witmarsum was organized under the leadership of elder Jakob Huebert. Although the early years were marked by internal and external tensions, the M.B. church continued to grow as many new converts joined the church through baptism. In 1934, because of extremely adverse economic conditions, the settlers on the Stoltz-Plateau decided, by a majority vote, to abandon the Auhagen settlement. By 1937 more than half the families had left, and by 1951 the last settler pulled up stakes and moved elsewhere. Some Auhagen settlers joined their friends at Witmarsum, but a majority eventually moved to the Curitiba area in Parana state, where they established the Bouqueirao settlement. A number of