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

d her herewith, as though I were saying this to her for the last time. And since I know that I leave you in anguish of mind and tears because of my departure, wherewith I burden all of you, and of which I would readily relieve you if only it were possible before God, who consoles us in all our affliction so that we may also console others who are afflicted. Assemble yourselves aright in the Spirit, be united correctly in love and be watchful through faith in Jesus, who is and will remain the final victory [it should probably read: ‘victor’] over the world and everything that is in it. And remember that I have not ceased to admonish everyone of you with tears day and night for twenty-one years, which I still do and will continue to do as long as I live. And I know that just as we share in the sufferings of Christ, He will not leave 146 IN RUSSIA 1789-1860 us without comfort. Compose yourself therefore with the words of Paul: If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are troubled, it is for your comfort which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. II Cor. 1:6. Therefore stand firm in the faith, united in love and hope. I plead with you once more from the depth of my heart that you will not grow weary but contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints according to Jude 1-3. And remember the words written by the holy apostles, saying that in the last days scoffers will come walking according to the lusts of their godless nature, who, because of these lusts, will not tolerate sound doctrine but load upon themselves teachers who tickle their fancy, turning their ears from the truth in the direction of fables. For Paul, in II Tim. 3, says that they will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, slanderers, unspiritual, implacable, traitors, outrageous, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Thus, through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared, they will depart from the true faith as given in the words of Christ cited above and will cling to deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons. These are they who cause rebellion, being carnal and without Spirit. But you, my beloved, build up one another in your most holy faith through the Holy Spirit, pray, keep yourselves in the love of God and wait on the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. For the time is at hand; the signs, given by our Savior of things that should first take place, are present. Therefore lift up your heads and be servants who wait upon their Lord. Do not sigh with one another over my departure, dear brothers and sisters! All things must be fulfilled. My heart is quite content, for I have never knowingly tried to hurt anyone; and why I must travel this road, God knows best. It appears I must do it because of hate and jealousy, in the same way that the hatred of Jacob’s sons against Joseph once brok