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

Franztal, a branch of the Przechovka Church; see Alexanderwohl, 1835-1840.) 1. Elder Wilhelm Lange (in Russia since) 1835-1841 2. Friedrich Wilhelm Lange (ordained by Elder Peter Wedel; he withdrew from office) 1841-1849 3. August Lenzmann (ordained by Elder Bernhard Fast, Ohrloff) 1854-1877 (during Elder Lenzmann ’s illness and after his death the minis ters Gerhard Thomsen and Aron Rempel served as deputy elders. Baptism and Lord’s Supper however were administered by Elder Franz Goerz, Jr.) 4. Heinrich Dirks (former missionary in Sumatra for about twelve years; ordained as missionary and elder by Elder Lenzmann) since 1881 III. Waldheim (Immigrated in 1836 from Russian- Poland, as a church body, branch of the Przechovka Church.) 1 (?). Elder Christian (?) Schmidt (in Russia since?— ordained by Elder Benjamin Dirks, Ostrog; relocated in 1844— where to?) c. 1842 2 (?). Benjamin Wedel (teacher in Tiegerweide; ordained by Elder August Lenzmann, Gnadenfeld; withdrew from office— when?) c. 1866 3 (?). Cornelius Dirks (ordained by Elder Johann Schartner, Alexanderwohl since 1877 (Elder Dirks withdrew from office in Waldheim, moved to the Kuban 1902, where he is elder of the Mennonite church, W ohldemfuerst- Alexandrodar , having served them since 1882. Leading minister today in Waldheim— Johann Goerzen. Comment. The Chortitza and Molotschna mother congregations ordained the elders of all the branch settlements. All the parishes settled by Molotschna settlers (with the exception of the M.B. congregations) always (?) form joint parishes (such as Nikolaifeld, Sagradovka, Memrik, etc.), and their (first) elders are commissioned by an elder delegated by the Molotschna Mennonite Council of Elders. We believe that the Chortitza settlers of the Flemish and Frisian mother congregations form their parishes in a similar manner. Their elders were ordained by the elder from Chortitza; “New York” (Ignatievka) and "Nikolaievka” (Orenburg). 170 IN RUSSIA 1789-1860 As far as the question of ordination in the congregations within the Chortitza region or originating in Chortitza is concerned, it is of purely "general- Flemish” origin in that the "Flemish” Elder Cornelius Warkentin commissioned the elders of both the mother congregations (Chortitza and Kronsweide) in this area. Later the "Flemish” Chortitza and the "Frisian” Kronsweide elders repeatedly ordained each other’s officials, as the above makes clear. The “general-Flemish” ordination succession in the Molotschna has died out: in the congregations emanating from the “large congregation” all current commissioning is done by the Margenau Elder Heinrich Wiens, who was himself ordained in 1842 by the "old-Flemish-Ukowallian” Elder Christian Schmidt of Waldheim. These elders, then, have an "old-Flemish” (not "general-Flemish”) ordination. The same is true of the Ohrloff Elder Abram Goerz (he was ordained by Elder Toews and ordained