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

ter written from Ohrloff on September 3, of last year, together with the ten silver rubles widow’s mite for our mission, 58 which the giver of all good and perfect gifts may bless, as well as all who contributed to it, and allow it to become a fund which will continue to bring forth new gifts. Enclosed is a copy of the ‘Church News’ for 1825. We again greet Elders Fast and Goerz most warmly and heartily. Our missionary work progresses with God’s blessing; the new field in Friedrichtsthal on the southern tip of Greenland, the new field Kopenton in the heart of Jamaica, the new field Tabor in Barbados, and the revived mission there require a great deal of work as well as inevitable expenditures. Last year we saw messengers from the heathen of Greenland and Labrador here. Missionaries on furlough from the West Indies, Labrador and Greenland, whose stories grip the hearts and minds of the friends of mission, are to be found at Hermhut. The time in which we live, dear brother, is like a head with two faces: one bright as the sun and beaming lovingly without blinding, the other dark as the night yet attractive to its own enemies and the friends of lies. Consequently there exists a pro and con, a fighting and quarreling as seldom before! Nevertheless, He who 142 IN RUSSIA 1789-1860 determines all things and through His blood has already brought forth an immense amount of fruit, must retain the field at the end. We are celebrating two centennial celebrations here in the brotherhood: on August 13— the great co mmuni on service in Berthelsdorf of 1727, and in the same year the revival among the children. Oh, that fire would proceed from His mouth to purify His temple at this time! The brotherhood directorate [the highest ecclesiastical authority of the Moravian Brethren consisting of nine elders or bishops] greets all the loved ones in Ohrloff and the surrounding area, and blesses 59 them in the Lord. Pray for us as we pray for you! We remain bound through the blood of Jesus, especially to you. Your loving brother, Gottlob Martin Schneider.” c) Those named above also associated with other Christian ministers and missionaries. Thus we saw earlier (#59, c) that communion had been extended to the missionary Moritz. On July 27, 1825, a missionary named Saltet 60 from Tiflis (probably a member of the Basel group) writes to “Brother Bernhard Fast, elder of the Mennonites in Molotschna, resident in Halbstadt.” He mentions a letter from the previous year, exhorts the “honest brothers and sisters to hold fast to what they have in Christ,” encourages them to strive for unity, to admonish the “faithless”— Lichtenau had already broken with them— and to educate the children. Further, he commends Wolf, the missionary to the Jews and bearer of the letter to them. He exhorts the “beloved brothers and sisters in the Molotschna and Chortitza congregations” to pray for him [he had probably made contact with Jakob Dyk, Sr.,