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

roughout the whole)— a small number of the truly “quiet in the land” still existed, as is true of all more or less dead church bodies. Here they, acting like salt, prevent complete decay from setting in; they want to have nothing to do with labels and partisan strife but alone seek life and love in God. b) “To my friend Hoffmann in Marienwerder [in Prussia]. Pastva, August 21, 1826, according to the old calendar, Molotschna, Russia. My dear Brother Hoffmann, who has also been redeemed by the precious blood of the Lord, I wish you and your entire family peace, salvation and blessing in body and soul. . . . My heart is so filled with love toward you that, although I am far removed from you, hardly a day passes where I do not think of you and the many brotherly kisses we gave each other in love. Documentary Supplement 157 Even though far removed from one another, the disciples of Christ love one another because each loves the image of Christ and because loving is, in any case, the nature of believers. The mark of a Christian brotherhood is that it is disinterested and selfless, for it does not seek its own gain. It loves, not in order to gain something thereby, but because of Him who loves His own with an everlasting love and has drawn us to Himself out of pure love. Christ speaks to His disciples: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. The true mark of discipleship is a true and sincere love toward all who love the Lord Jesus unreservedly; for just as no one can be numbered among this group who has not been born again— bom of the incorruptible seed, that is, the living, eternal Word of God— similarly no man in his natural state can possess such love, no matter how whitewashed or painted his outward appearance may be. The outward appearance does not impart God’s Spirit, nor can it stop or suppress it. This Spirit is free and unconstrained: therefore He blows where He will, and all those souls who have felt His influence in their lives, have waited upon Him, prepared a place for Him to indwell them, and have been called to the true freedom of the children of God are no longer bound to any form! To such as have been made free the Lord says: One is your master: Christ; but you are brethren! They are brothers because one Spirit of sonship in them calls Abba, dear Father! and because they share a common inheritance in heaven in which all, through grace, have an equal part. Nor will these souls tolerate any other head over them, any other name, or acquire any other thing under heaven except Jesus Christ alone! To be named after Him— to be members of His body— that is their true glory and their one happiness. In contrast, those who stress the outward forms carry all the possible marks of a carnal mind on themselves, which then also produces ill-will, envy, quarreling and discord! They live carnally. Nor will the name make any difference: the one may be called