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

tary would first need to be given something or else he could keep us in this place for months yet. . . . e) “July 19. Today we were again brought before the court .... The brethren [from the colonies] accompanied us .... In the meantime we sent Brother Loewen to the (jail) secretary . . . what a hungry man he is! ... . Eventually they will have to let us go. In the court they merely asked us 324 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH who the real author of this sect might be, which we had already answered previously, that besides Christ, it was Merino who had begun it. [Cf. #99: Doc. Dec. 27, 1860, Heinrich Huebert.] And then they let us go ... . We were sent back into our principality again, to learn the meaning of patience .... f) “July 20. We became acquainted with a Molokan .... He was pleased to discover that we were hereon account of our faith. We loaned him a Russian Testament, which he eagerly read. [They even preached the Gospel to an imprisoned German circus rider and sought to help him in his poverty. Br. G. Wieler had some sharp debates with well-educated unbelieving scoffers. Through a window they cringed to see the terrible sight of men forced to run the gauntlet. The imprisonment of many for years in investigative custody, without interrogation, makes Unger cry to God for justice.] We are encouraged to wait patiently and are grateful to God for all the mercies He has shown to us in prison .... g) “Sunday, July 22 ... . Today we considered together the 12th chapter of Hebrews and the Lord blessed us richly. . . . July 23. . . . God grant that we might finally get out of this place. Nevertheless, the Lord’s will be done! The prospect of a long stay in this place seems too much to take; yet I am convinced that even then He will give me strength. Amen. . . . [Teachers and the director are no longer quite so friendly. The secretary pulls the bailsmen in, he wants more money. Apparently the bail guarantors have become the brokers for both sides! Yet another time into the court with the soldiers and then back into the prison.] . . . July 26 .... Oh God, the burden was so great! Oh God, grant us the willingness to submit, we are well nigh crushed.” h) At this point the diary stops. In a letter dated January 4, 1863, Johann Claassen writes: "They were detained in the Ekaterinoslav prison for approximately 14 days.” Heinrich Epp, “reports” : “They were forced to stay in a common city jail for two weeks.” We have the impression that the persecutions of the M.B. Church were always merely a lighter version compared to the suffering of other “brethren” in our land. For our brethren the real burden and anguish of spirit arose out of the fact that the persecutions came from those nearest them, from the “brethren,” with whom they felt they shared equal rights and of whose common guarantees of legal protection they were keenly aware. XXII. THE EXCESSES OF THE MOLOTSCHNA “ENTHUSIASTS” ALSO FORCE TH