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

mention his name later at the appropriate place with reference to this question. In a letter dated March 27, 1910, this brother writes: “. . . the . . . congregation allows even infant baptism to stand as a form of baptism, not as the normal form of baptism, it is true, but nevertheless as a form of baptism which the Lord acknowledges by His Spirit [cf. #136.8 and footnotes for (b)3 of #137.2] and considers not merely Mennonites and Baptists as baptized Christians, but Lutherans, Reformed, Catholics and Orthodox as well. On occasion it will even celebrate communion with Lutherans, as of course also with Baptists and Mennonite Brethren, if they express a wish for it. It also allows mixed marriages with those who have been baptized as infants, as well as with Baptists and Mennonite Brethren. We believe that the body of Christ is to be found in all churches and communions of the Lord’s church. We believe in one universal Christian church, one fellowship of the saints— we are in fact true Alliance people .... We baptize ... in keeping with our Mennonite confession of faith, only upon the testimony of repentance for sin and faith in Christ, though we indeed require only the minimum [lowest level] of that which the Scriptures Baptism by Immersion 311 expect of candidates for baptism, when the maximum [highest level] is still lacking. If, aside from those who have already reached the maximum and who, like Cornelius of Caesarea, had already received the baptism of the Spirit when he was baptized with water, we also baptize those who manifest a repentant and believing attitude, that is, who only possess faith in the form of a longing for salvation and confess the truth of Acts 4:12 and that ‘Jesus, thy blood and righteousness, my beauty are, my glorious dress,’ when faith is present as a sure and confident hope and as a truth not to be doubted, according to Hebrews 11:1, and combined with a proper way of life [compare Hit 137 and 212 above, especially the end], hoping that they may eventually achieve the maximum, the assurance of faith and the reception of the baptism of the Spirit— then that too is a baptism upon the faith in accordance with the Mennonite confession .... Menno Simons certainly baptized such souls also. [Compare 5e and if lie.] Neither Menno Simons nor the apostles in their time withheld baptism from those who had only experienced the minimum of that which the Scriptures teach a candidate for baptism should possess. You might say [of the letter writer and his congregation] that they are simple Mennonites, attempting to follow the Mennonite confessions of faith [though far from a full understanding of Menno’s teaching and a strict interpretation of the old confessions, which is also true of this writer, though not of Elder Isaak Peters]. Against the fullest experience we are in no way opposed. That is also the reason why we are happy when these persons remain humble in spirit . . . .” f)