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

on I went to van Ark [organist of the Dutch church, in whose family he found the most congenial company]; towards evening Forchhammer also came to us. He had spent a night with Neander. We had a relaxing conversation .... Johann Claassen.” g) Brother Forchhammer was seriously ill for three weeks ; Claassen had nursed him; we experienced much brotherly love: visits, soups, wines, a good doctor, and other things, grapes, apples, linens. “St. Petersburg, January 31 ... . There was always something ready for dinner .... The old lady Nordbeck, a dear sister, would say: ‘He who tends the sick must also receive something.’ Soon provision was made that I could go out for two or three hours a day for fresh air ... . [When the brothers and sisters— that is already the name for ‘these church-minded Christian friends!’— noticed that Claassen was growing pale because he was constantly staying in the sick room, they relieved him periodically at nursing.] . . . Madame Nordbeck is a 74-year-old lady, very rich, but not ashamed to visit the sick in their nook. The physician [Dr. Mikvitz, son-in-law of Madame Nordbeck] visits Forchhammer almost daily. He is so friendly that one easily confides in him .... I was fortunate to see the Tsar at close range .... Johann Claassen.” h) Claassen to the brothers and sisters. “St. Petersburg, December 6, 1861 ... Today several Baptist brethren from the Courland were with me. They, too, had a petition to the Emperor. They were Latvians, whom I had promised to help as much as I knew how. . . . Johann Claassen.” 11. An interesting depiction of customs and manners at the Menno- nite Area Administrative Office in the Molotschna at this time is given to us by Br. Jakob Reimer, Gnadenfeld, in a letter to Claassen. “On October 4 (1861), ... I, Benjamin, and your wife [Reimer’s sister] . . . and Brother Peters, Ladekopp . . . drove to the Area Administrative Office to obtain the decision on your petition to the Empress [cf. above; the question regarding the land purchase remained unresolved as yet; as we know, a half year later the Minister of War again took up the matter of the settlement in the Caucasus. On the assumption that Claassen had gone home, the petition and the resolution of the Ministry of Crown Lands had been sent to the Area Administrative Office], for the Area Administrative Office had written to your [Liebenauer] village office, that if you were home, you were to pick up the decision immediately. However, if you were not at home, this response was to be reported at §166 372 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH once. The Area Administrator [David Friesen] would not give us the decision, but he allowed me to copy it. At the table where I sat and wrote, there was seated, after all, only the small [secretary] Voth with one arm, and Brother Peters stood at my side, and the other people seemed quite kind, outwardly . . . ; still I felt as though my hands and my fingers wer