A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

The Mennonite Brethren formed an integral part of this whole movement. This would indicate that they were equally concerned about the preservation of their scriptural and historical heritage, especially the principle of nonresistance. According to elder Abraham Schellenberg, about one-third of the Mennonite Brethren Church emigrated to America between 1874 and 1880." For those remaining, the fact that a number of leading ministers were also leaving was probably even more disturbing than the sharp decrease in membership. Especially painful for the Molotschna Mennonite Brethren was the decision of their highly CONSOLIDATION AND EXPANSION (1865-1885) 81 respected elder, Abraham Schellenberg, to leave his congregation and emigrate to America. Schellenberg justified his action on the basis of a personal conviction that he had finished his task in the church in Russia, and that the Lord had a new assignment for him in the new world. Privately he also expressed the concern that freedom of religion for "alien groups" in Russia might soon come to an end. 32 Before Schellenberg left, he endeavored to provide for proper leadership after his departure. In a special brotherhood meeting on December 28, 1878, Johann Fast was appointed as "substitute elder" (Aeltesteiwertreter) and Jacob Dirksen as his assistant. Franz Nickel and David Schellenberg had been ordained to the ministry earlier that year. A formal farewell was arranged for May 6, 1879, in the church at Rueckenau. Representatives of both groups participated in this special service. Jacob Dirksen and Klaas Enns spoke on John 16:32,33 and Matthew 26:54 respectively, and addressed themselves primarily to the parting group; Elder Schellenberg and Johann Poettker based their messages on John 14:19 and Revelation 2:10, respectively, and addressed themselves mainly to the group that remained. This moving service reached its climax when representatives of the remaining body asked those who planned to leave whether they would make a public pledge of their continuing loyalty to Christ. The group responded by rising. Elder Schellenberg then addressed the same question to those who remained. This group also made a solemn pledge by responding in the same manner. 33 Thus the continuing witness of the Mennonite Brethren on two continents was reaffirmed in this historic moment by a mutual covenant before God. Several groups of Mennonites from the "Trakt" settlement on the Volga River chose to migrate east rather than west in order to find a place of refuge for the free exercise of their faith. Under the direction of Claass Epp these groups left in 1880 for Central Asia (Turkestan). These pilgrims were joined by a group of more than fifty families from the Molotschna under the leadership of elder Abraham Peters. Both groups were inspired by the chiliastic ideas of Jung Stilling. After suffering in- credible hardships for many years, the fanatical faction under