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

. . . are proving to be quite useful. They also supported the school’s singing in harmony at the welcoming ceremonies in honor of our heir to the throne on the banks of the Dnieper; that was praiseworthy. O that our Lord Jesus would no longer be greeted with such distorted singing in our churches, from which even the angels turn away in offence! ... It is true that our church community is progressing very slowly to its eternal salvation, for the children hardly become acquainted with Jesus, their divine friend, in the homes of their own parents. Nor is there as yet much sympathy for bringing the Gospel to the heathen. Nevertheless, I hope that when I depart this life, the Lord will keep them from the deception of the adversary, who is already personally on the scene, and will rouse them to a living ministry to the honor of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then the Spirit of God will guide them into all truth to their eternal salvation! Amen. d) “From the very beginning, our Molotschna brethren were much better off; they did not have to experience such depressing physical poverty. Lord Contenius, the noble social officer, supported them in word and deed, and they for their part had a child-like trust in him . They were enterprising, established themselves well, pursued farming with vigor, planted neat gardens and lived quite comfortably. [Cultural and historical information follows]. . . . Their attractive, green colonies, their practical arrangement won them the good will of the highest authorities: [in the form of royal visits] twice by the exalted Tsar Alexander I, and once by His Imperial Highness and heir to the throne, the present Lord 114 IN RUSSIA 1789-1860 and Tsar Alexander II. . . . That is worthy of praise and pleasing to every patriot. e) "Alongside such good characteristics as diligence and orderli- ness, destructive events also occurred, namely the unfortunate divisions within the church, of which there was no end. . . . f) “The Ohrloff congregation, even though considerably reduced in numbers [because of the new divisions around 1860: the ‘barley dispute,’ etc., #99] still has talented ministers in the church and supports an exemplary church school [the Association School]. ...” 2. Disorders and Conflicts in the Chortitza Community (Supplement to #32) a) The unfortunate conflicts in the Chortitza settlement are described for us in the lovely, simple little booklet entitled Erste Auswanderung der Mennoniten aus dem Danziger Gebiet nach Suedruss- land. Aus den nachgelassenen Papieren des verstorbenen Kirchenlehrers Peter Hildebrand (The First Emigration of the Danzig Mennonites to South Russia. Taken from the Literary Remains of the Deceased Minister 38 Peter Hildebrand). Printed and published in Halbstadt, by P. Neufeld, 1888. Hildebrand had been a member of the first group of immigrants and had been a part of everything that he writes about. His notes extend to 1836. The following ar