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

God, is right. He also asserted that he was at liberty to pronounce a judgment of damnation upon his own father, which he has then also proceeded to do without any timidity. Their arrogance and delusion has once again reached 112 the point where they have renounced our church fellowship, so that they may pursue their wicked ways with less interference. They no longer wish to be known as Mennonite [cf. further, May 7 note], which indeed they are not. The church is a whorehouse, they scold. Admonition and persuasion have no effect upon them, since they have become totally taken up with the idea that they are born again and consequently possess the Spirit of God, who makes no mistakes. Police authority must therefore be put to use to keep these dangerous people within bounds. The village Hardships at Einlage 313 mayors are advised that in the future adherents of this sect are forbidden in the strongest terms to conduct meetings amongst themselves or to visit people in their homes in order to convert them to their beliefs. For those who disobey these rules, village mayors are instructed to direct those from other colonies back to their homes; and if there are those who will not return willingly, they are to be taken into custody and dispatched under guard back to the place where they belong. No one is to be found roaming around on the streets after 10 p.m. In Chortitza and Einlage it will probably be necessary to maintain a night watch for this purpose. It is the opinion of the Area Administrative Office that it would be well to withdraw from these sectarians, foster no association with them and simply have nothing to do with them. It may be that the breaking off of all relations with them and, where necessary, the application of law enforcement by police may serve to bring these deluded people back to their senses. Should all of this prove fruitless and these people persist in their heresies, then they must, according to the law, be handed over to higher authorities as harmful sectarians so that they might be banned from the colonies and sent into exile. (Compare above, #108c.) The foreigners belonging to the sect are to be removed forever from the colonies at the first opportunity in the springtime. 113 Village offices are to make this statute known to their congregations so that they might take it to heart and act upon it. Chortitza Area Administrative Office, February 28, 1862. Colony A dminis trator. — Member of Commission,— Member of Commission.” [The names are missing in the copy obtained from the archives of the Einlage M.B. Church.] 2. The regulations of the authorities in their practical application. Brother J acob J anzen of Sergeievka relates : . Thus it happened that on a certain day in February, 1862, the mayor called the village church [of Kronsweidej together in order to decide the course of action. There my father [Wilhelm Janzen] was informed that the meetings must cease and that