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

om your condescending letter it also becomes apparent that these four ministers, etc., are also supposed to have said that, in spite of the fact that the Bible Society has to be supported by a correspondence society and liberal contributions, we nevertheless wrote to St. Petersburg requesting confirmation for a Bible Society. Never before have they mentioned this; only now, that the Bible Society has long been in existence, do they declare this. In the meantime, only German Bibles are to be sent out and distributed. Had this been mentioned earlier, we should gladly have followed the advice, even though we have learned from experience that little or nothing would have been done for the Bible Society, for once, at the instigation of Lord Pinkerton, the St. Petersburg Bible Society sent us over 500 Bibles and 200 Testaments to sell, some of which are still in stock although it is five years later. Everyone knows only too well how indifferently such work 138 IN RUSSIA 1789-1860 would be carried on without a Bible Society, since no one then has responsibility. Nevertheless, we would have complied had someone insisted on a correspondence society. But we are convinced that the enemy, an adversary of quiet orderliness, would not have rested until he had come forth with another excuse to disturb the peace. Many now seemed to settle down somewhat. The Bible Society grew with time, sizeable contributions came in, and since August 27 of last year already . . . Bibles and Testaments to the value of . . . rubles . . . kopeks [gaps in the original] have been sold and distributed, indicating very clearly that God’s grace and blessing rest on this endeavor. It is natural that the enemy should exert all his energy to destroy this project. We have examined our motives for establishing the Bible Society amid prayer and entreaties, and will continue to do so: whether it was done out of a pure love for the dissemination of God’s Word to the salvation of mankind, or if the desire for titles and honor led us? But thanks be to God, who tests the hearts of men, and before whom nothing is concealed and whom no one can deceive, that we are convinced even if only in the weakness of our feelings that we have not set up a Bible Society because of a desire for fame or any other impure motive. Understand us aright, dear colleagues, we do not wish to boast. We know well how prone to failure the heart is even in doing good, and that this applies equally to us; at the same time we also know and are experiencing that God's spirit chastises every man who strives to serve the Lord and his fellow man, and confronts him with every offense and sin. And yet, with regard to the Bible Society, we are at rest and at peace insofar as we can judge the motives out of which it grew. What does fill us with deep distress, however, is that the enemy is using this holy work to create strife, a work which can certainly not have any influence upon chan