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

arch 4, 1864). Since the brethren in authority were unable to fellowship with the brethren of Unger’s group, however, the latter were unwilling to make the move with them to the Kuban. Compare #176f, "Kuban.” 5. In 1864 there came into existence in Alt- and Neu-Danzig (Prov- §149 ince of Kherson), a fellowship very closely related to the Mennonite Brethren within the Lutheran settlements. Persons from there seeking (the truth) had come to Einlage to buy wagons. (Abram Unger owned a large wagon-making enterprise.) These experienced an awakening here and entered into an intimate fellowship with the Einlage brethren, were baptized by them and, unfortunately, also picked up many of the errors of the Enthusiasts. Conversions also occurred in Alt- and Neu-Danzig as a result of visits by brethren from Einlage, who also baptized a number of them. Those so baptized formed a separate fellowship. Thereupon a very severe persecution occurred in the two colonies: seven brethren (Stulberg, Heringer, and others) were exiled from Russia, and the others were harshly threatened. The exiles went to Dobrud — then a Turkish, now a Rumanian— province. Through them there came into being the Katalui Baptist congregation, organized later by August Liebig. In Alt- and Neu-Danzig the first regular Baptist church in Southern Russia came into being in 1869 among new believers and those who had received only baptism by sprinkling through the work of J.G. Oncken. Their elders : Johann Pritzkau, Alt-Danzig, and Johann Kessler, Neu-Danzig. XXIII. CONTINUED ATTEMPTS BY LOCAL COUNCILS TO PORTRAY THE MEMBERS OF THE EINLAGE Mi. CHURCH AS POLITICAL AND CRIMINAL LAWBREAKERS 1. That a new attempt (during the dark days of August, 1864) to §150 portray the "brethren” as political and criminal lawbreakers was made, is established in the following documents: 1 . "Declarations concerning the articles of faith of the church of baptized Christians being brought into being in Southern Russia: a) from Inspector Tschemiavsky [of the Ekaterinoslav colonies], b) and from Jo hann Wieler on behalf of the believers. [Document extant in copy by Johann Wieler.] a) “Because of an absence of intellectual enlightenment and writings, the Anabaptists have, through a reading of the Bible, become fanatical 328 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH dreamers, thinking of themselves as the chosen vessels of a higher revelation. b) "We confess that through the reading of the Holy Scriptures— the only infallible guide for our lives— aside from which we need no other source of wisdom, I Cor. 1:21, 25; 2:1, 2; II Pet. 1:19; Matt. 11:25,— we have come to a knowledge of the eternal truth, that through the law against sin we have come to recognize our eternal death and through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ we have received redemption from all our sins, Rom. 8:3. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so