A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

religious and economic conditions in the Molotschna and Chortitza colonies, the Brethren through Johann Claassen petitioned the government in 1862 for an additional tract of land. This was granted and the villages of Wohldemfuerst and Alexanderfeld were established in 1863 and 1866, respectively. Although land had been reserved for one hundred families, only sixty-seven had settled by 1866. Several reasons may be given for the slow growth of the settlement in the first two decades. The economic difficulties were unusually severe during the pioneer period. Moreover the recognition of the Mennonite Brethren Church in the Molotschna removed one of the main incentives for resettlement. And finally, the emigration of a large contingent of Mennonites to America in the 1870's made more land available in the older colonies. In subsequent years the settlement began to prosper economically and culturally under the leadership of Johann Claassen, the "Johann 76 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH Cornies" of the Kuban. Claassen, who was elected chief administrator of the colony (Oberschulze) in 1869, received special recognition from the Tsar for his services. At a reception of Alexander II in 1872 he received the silver medal and two years later the gold medal. Besides these he received from the government a gold watch with an inscription recognizing his services as a colonizer and administrator. By 1904 the settlement reached its peak population of about 2,000, with the Mennonite Brethren constituting the largest group. 18 In their church life the Brethren here experienced some of the same difficulties that had plagued their fellow-believers in the older settlements. In addition to the unruly elements of the Froehliche Richtung that had found their way here, the Jerusalem Friends (or Templers) 19 exerted strong influence in the Kuban area for a time. Under the sane leadership of Christian Schmidt and Johann Claassen the church triumphed over these difficulties and achieved inner stability and healthy progress. In 1873, after waiting for ten years, Heinrich Huebert also moved to the Kuban, where he was immediately reconfirmed as elder. Because of failing health, however, he had to retire from public duties after three years. In May 1877 he ordained Daniel Fast as his successor. In 1895, at the age of 85, he died. Claassen (who died at 56 in 1876) and Huebert will always be remembered by Mennonite Brethren for their sincere faith and moral fortitude during the period of storm and stress in the early history of the Mennonite Brethren Church. 4. The First General Conference (Bundeskonferenz) From the very beginning the Mennonite Brethren have shown a remarkable propensity, if not genius, for conference organization and conference work. Already in 1872, twelve years after the founding of the church, and eleven years before the Mennonite Churches organized into a conference (1883), the Mennonite Bre