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

, it is a sign that they stand in very intimate union with Jesus, their Savior. I Cor. 10:16. Furthermore, it serves as a sign of the covenant and fellowship of believers (v.17), and not as a sign of the fellowship of believers and unbelievers with one another, as it is presently practiced. This is likewise stated in Menno Simons' Foundation of Christian Doctrine, Vol. I, pp. 115-121. Page 121 reads: ‘If someone errs in doctrine and faith, and walks in the flesh, he can in no case be permitted to fellowship with the godfearing and repentant. . . .’ In I Cor. 5:11 the Apostle Paul states: If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one we are not even to eat. How much less partake of holy communion with him? Unfortunately, there are many covetous, drunkards and blas- phemers with whom one shares the Lord’s Supper, for not only those are drunkards who are almost continually under the influence of liquor, but also those who occasionally gorge themselves with food and drink at markets and taverns. I Cor. 10:20-21 says ‘that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils.’ Likewise also, those who walk in the flesh cannot glorify God in the communion, because they do not know Him, but as usual they serve the devil herewith, for no man can serve two masters. Matthew 6:24. Now the apostle did not want the believers to have fellowship with the devil and the idolater who serves the devil, and thus become one body, I Cor. 10:17. In Revelation 18:4 the Savior says, ‘Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of 232 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.’ II Corinthians 6 states that believers shall have no fellowship with unbelievers, but shall come out from among them, and be separate. g) “Regarding footwashing, we confess that the Lord Jesus insti- tuted it, John 13, to be practiced among one another, for the blessing is in the deed, not in knowledge. h) “Ministers may be called in two Scriptural ways : Some are chosen by God alone, without h uman assistance, and sent out by His Spirit, as were the prophets and apostles, and also the house of Stephen was self-appointed to the ministry of the saints. I Cor. 26:15. Such are also mentioned by Paul in I Tim. 3. Others are called through the instrumentality of true believers, as recorded in Acts 1. Menno recognized this, as he proves in his Foundation, Vol. I, p. 148. i) “Regarding the ban, we confess that all carnal and reprobate sinners must be banned from the fellowship of believers, as Paul states in II. Thess. 3:14-15. In the event that someone falls into a carnal sin (God save us from it), and the Spirit of Christ, who alone can work true repentance, convicts him of his sin, so that he confesses and repents; in that case, the church has no authority to ban such a repentant sinner, 30 b