THE MENNONITE BROTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA (1789 - 1910), P. M. Friesen, 1911

P. M. FRIESEN OTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA ( 1789 - 1910 ) P. M. Friesen THE MENNONITE BROTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA ( 1789 - 1910 ) How do you write the history of a movement when you are still a part of that movement? Whom do you believe when leading participants in those historical events disagree strongly not only on why things happened, but also on what happen- ed? What imparts the ring of truth to a denominational history? For P. M. Friesen the answer was a documentary history, letting the record speak for itself. Gathering historical docu- ments over a period of twenty -five years, :onstantly transferring the information to tiis growing history of the Mennonite Church tn Russia, he became the premier historian not only of the Mennonite Brethren but of the whole Mennonite community. Constant- ly revising, he finally let his magnum opus go to press— and even while it was on the press he was enlarging it and revising the data. What appeared in 1911 as the Alt- Evangelische Mennonitische Bruederschaft in Russland (1789-1910) is clearly the most important single historical document to emerge from the Mennonite community in Russia. That is why this translation is so significant not only to scholars but any Mennonite interested in this important chapter in Mennonite history. Historian Cornelius J. Dyck, director of the Institute of Mennonite Studies, Elkhart, Indiana, comments, “Thus it is that we have before us not only a history of the early years of the Mennonite Brethren Church in Russia, but a fascinating documentary and interpretive account of the entire Mennonite experience in Russia from the time of their first migration to the time of the publication of the volume in 1911.” P. M. Friesen was truly a remarkable man. He knew both German and Russian well and taught in both languages. He had also done extensive work in history, giving the Lord a unique “vessel unto honor”. His irenic spirit, combined with a painstaking attention to detail, has provided succeeding generations of Mennonites with an out- standing example of the professional his- torian at his best. The same painstaking attention to detail has characterized those who worked on this translation. Dr. J. B. Toews, Executive Director of the Historical Commission of the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, was assisted by a total of almost thirty people in the initial translation. A smaller group of very able Mennonite schol- ars was active in the final translation and editing process. They have produced a readable translation that retains the distinc- tive flavor of the original, a notable achieve- ment. PETER M. FRIESEN THE MENNONITE BROTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA ( 1789 - 1910 ) TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN TRANSLATION AND EDITORIAL COMMITTEE J. B. TOEWS ABRAHAM FRIESEN PETER J. KLASSEN HARRY LOEWEN (2. REVISED EDITION, 1980) BOARD OF CHRISTIAN LITERATURE GENERA