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

ng District of Prischib together with a few other persons on the right side. The imperial train consisted of nineteen carriages. The emperor sat in the sixth, an open coach drawn by six horses. Slowly the procession made its way through the village. Graciously, the emperor greeted the people to the right and left; the crowd in turn bowed respectfully. “My wife and I,” writes the Rev. Hiebert, “stood before the door of our house in order to welcome our noble guest. He gave the order to stop opposite our house, stepped out and with quick steps approached our door. When he stood before us my wife said: ‘If I have found grace in the eyes of Your Imperial Majesty, I would like to offer him a small gift.' And she handed him a beautiful bouquet of flowers on a platter. His Majesty willingly accepted it. When we urged him to enter the house, he said: ‘My host and hostess must enter with me.’ A large table, decorated with two lamps and many flowers, was spread out at the top of our large room. 84 In the lower comer near a cupboard stood a table decked with bread, butter, onions and pork. The emperor walked up and down the room with rapid strides several times. ‘O,’ he said, ‘there is something to eat here.’ ‘Yes,’ said my wife, ‘if I may serve Your Imperial Majesty with this simple fare, I invite you to eat.’ Thereupon the emperor answered: ‘Yes, dear children, I want to eat here.’ Hurriedly we adjusted the table and placed the chairs around it. The emperor would not take the seat of honor at the head of the table, however, preferring to take an ordinary chair and seating himself on the side of the table. Thereupon I requested that he seat himself on the better chair. But he answered: ‘No, my hostess shall have the place of honor.’ These words perplexed us, and my wife said: ‘I am far too humble a maid to sit next to the Lord's anointed!’ ‘No, dear child,’ said the emperor taking her by the hand and leading her to the place of honor: ‘Just be seated next to me for we are all mere humans, created equal by God.’ I had to be seated across the table from the emperor. The words of Psalm 144:3 came to my mind: Oh God, what is Documentary Supplement 175 man. . . . Thereupon the two generals Gortschakov as well as the aged Contenius were urged to come to the table. His Majesty ate with apparent appetite, drank beer and coffee, and, while eating enquired as to our circumstances in the most affable manner: how long we had been in his empire, how we liked it and whether or not we had any complaints about anyone. To this we answered: ‘No, but we would like to thank Your Imperial Majesty for his great mercy and gracious reception. We would also like to request grace and Your Majesty's protection for the future; not only for ourselves but also for our brothers-in-the-faith in Prussia, who because of the great and difficult war, have come into dire straits, so that they too might find acceptance and support here. Thereu