A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

Epp's leadership disintegrated. The more liberal element of Epp's following joined the party of Elder Peters and established a settlement at Aulie Ata, about one hundred and fifty miles northeast of the city of Tasch- kent. This settlement is of interest to Mennonite Brethren for at least two reasons: in the first place, approximately one half of its total Men- nonite population of one thousand before World War 1 belonged to the Mennonite Brethren Church; and secondly, this area has had the great- 82 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH est concentration of Mennonite Brethren in the Soviet Union after World War II. All the Mennonites, including the Mennonite Brethren, who remained in Russia proper accepted an alternative service in the forestry division in lieu of military training. This form of civilian public service will receive further consideration in the next chapter. 3. Expansion of Spiritual Horizons The decade of the seventies is not only known for changing political and social conditions in Russia which resulted in emigration and acceptance of alternative service on the part of the Mennonites, but also for significant spiritual trends within the larger Mennonite brotherhood. The desire for greater spiritual unity in different "camps" led to the convening of an inter-Mennonite Faith Conference in the fall of 1875. The initiative in this matter was taken by the Mennonite Brethren under the leadership of elder Abraham Schellenberg. 34 That there was a keen interest in such a "dialogue" can be seen by the fact that "brethren" from various churches of the Molotschna and even from Chortitza filled the Mennonite Brethren Church in Rueck- enau to capacity on that occasion. Discussion centered on such subjects as silent or audible prayer, the form of prayer, the prayer of sisters in public services, and baptism. On this latter issue, which had been so controversial and divisive in the past, the brethren from both sides endeavored to speak the truth in love. After a lengthy discussion, Bernhard Harder, teacher and evangelist of the Mennonite Church, arose and addressed his "churchly brethren" with these words: "What do you think, my brethren, if the Lord should desire of us that we should be baptized in running water (Fluss) should we then not be ready to do it? For my part, I am willing." 35 The representatives of the various churches found the fellowship so enlightening and profitable, that they agreed to have another conference in November of that same year. More important, perhaps, than the subjects discussed, was the spiritual atmosphere in which the deliberations were carried on. Abraham Unger (Einlage) who had also been a participant, commented later: "I do not see any danger in such fellowship for our church, since truth will conquer on the way of love, and God's Word is truth." 36 In 1876, the year following these Faith Conferences, eighty persons joined the Mennonite Brethre