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

— what he wills— by the name of Paul, Apollos or Peter. Christ is not divided! He alone was crucified for us and only after Him must we be called; otherwise we are carnal, and to be carnally minded is enmity against God! O may the Lord keep us and all his disciples from being thus minded. Brethren, love, brethren love one another! The Lord is deeply grieved with His kingdom if brethren do not bum with love. . . . Yes, love, let me bum and cling to you! Nothing shall separate me from you, you are the most precious. Oh let me die with you and thereafter inherit the kingdom of glory. With this I want to close, sending many greetings and wishing that our loving God would, through His grace, prepare all of us to stand in that day with those who will enter into the joy of the Lord. ... A. Dyck in Pastva.” c) Thus does this "quiet one in the land” exercise his quiet criticism on all the parties that surrounded him. He was certainly not the only one 158 IN RUSSIA 1789-1860 to do so. Those tending in this direction, though in a very one-sided manner, later centered around the Reimer family of Felsental, 74 Molotschna, among others. These are mistakenly called Quakers amongst us; a church historian, however, would sooner prefer to call them “Gichtelians” 75 or mystics. Contemplative people, they sought God through an inner, spiritual approach and lived quiet Christian lives in line with the ideals of Johannes Tauler (whose goal was “the practical activity of the God-filled consciousness”), who died in 1361; Thomas A Kempis, who died in 1471 {The Imitation of Christ); Jakob Boehme, a cobbler, called “Philosophus Teutonicus” because of his profundity, who died in 1624; Johann Gichtel [ a collection of letters entitled Theosophis practica ), who died in 1710; Gottfried Arnold who died in 1714 (Unparteiische Kirchen- und Ketzerhistorie [Impartial History of the Church and Heretics], and the songs: "O Breaker of all Bonds,” “Thus You Blissfully Lead Your Own, dear Lord,” among others); the precious Gerhard Tersteegen, who died in 1769 (songs: “O Power of Love,” “God Himself is with Us,” "Almighty God, We Bow Before Thee,” “Come, Children (Brethren), Let’s be Off,” “My Spirit, Be at Rest,” etc.) among others. Their method, i.e., that of the Felsentalers, alone may not be sufficient to carry on the church's work with regard to salvation, improvement, reconciliation, evangelization and missions; but we who attempt to do and speak so much could and should nevertheless learn much from them. If they have, on the one hand, like Mary of Bethany (our designation), developed themselves lovingly though in a manner too secluded from others, we have, on the other hand, partially fallen prey to “too much worry and trouble,” becoming impatient with and jealous of every other group and tendency. Why have these “quiet ones” allowed us to smell so little of their alabaster perfume, poured so little of their gentle oil on the c