A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

tuation when he said to THROUCH STORM AND STRESS 49 Claassen: "For your deliverance you are indebted to Elder Harder." 3 ' A year later Elder Harder also sent a personal letter to Heinrich Huebert, the leader of the Mennonite Brethren Church, in which he confirmed the formal recognition given earlier. Much later, and with great reluctance, the other five elders submitted the proposal of the Colony Administrative Office {Gebietsamt) to their churches. It would appear that this was the first opportunity — three years after the secession of the Brethren — at which the members of the churches could express themselves on an issue of crucial importance to the entire Mennonite community. Although the churches could not agree on extending full recognition to the Mennonite Brethren Church, a majority of the members were also against exile from the colony. This decision prepared the way for an attitude of tolerance, if not acceptance, on the part of the larger Mennonite bodies. The Kleine Gemeinde, as always, maintained an attitude of benevolent neutrality. Recognition did not mean complete cessation of hostile acts by individuals and local authorities. As a result of Claassen's efforts in Petersburg, the Colony Administration could no longer deny passports or impose a civil ban. Sporadic attempts to discredit and destroy the young church, however, continued for some time. One such attempt was made by the administration of the colony later in 1863, by ordering village officials not to recognize marriages performed by the Brethren. The children of such marriages were to be recorded in the mother's maiden name as in the case of illegitimate births. The employment of such shameful tactics roused the Brethren to send a petition to the Russian government's Department of the Interior in which they explain that "marriages are performed in the Lord according to the Word of God and in keeping with the Confession of Faith of the Anabaptist-Menno- nite congregations." 38 The petition was answered on March 5, 1864, with the coveted government recognition that they were still considered Mennonites, and that all restrictions on their marriages were to be lifted. Moreover, they were also granted official permission to resettle in the Caucasus. The attack upon their marriages was related to this question, since the Brethren were required to register as families for the purpose of resettlement. Although formal litigation came to an end, the "marriage question" in the Molotschna was not satisfactorily solved until the retirement of David Friesen from the office of chief administrator of the colony in 1865. The controversies, misrepresentations and mistreatments engen- dered much bitterness which poisoned the relationship between the two groups for many years. Gradually some things were forgotten, others were rectified and leaders as well as members began to cooperate in 50 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHU