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

summoned before three so-called ministers and three church members (theirs). They wanted to convert me now, after I had been converted, or rather after Jesus had converted me. After I had told them the truth in the plainest terms, I Anally asked them whether they had the Spirit of God. When they now failed to answer me, I told them that they were not children of God either and that they would go to hell if they were not converted. I told them that they were of the world and were persecuting those of us who had put on Christ. Thereupon I was given notice that my services were no longer needed. All this happened quickly .... (See Promemoria #143. h.) ... Your brother in Christ. Wieler.” §168 13. Condemnation of the Matter Concerning Johann Claassen and the Young M.B. Church by Elder Lenzmann (from Mennonitische Blaetter, 1863). I. Letter to Pastor Mannhardt, Danzig, publisher of the Mennonitische Blaetter. Before reading this letter of a man passionately agitated, frequently insulted, and under one-sided influence, we recommend that the reader review our conclusion of Chapter XVII concerning Gnadenfeld and Lenzmann. May the Mennonite elders stand corrected by the Russian statesman under #14 below, by the Lutheran pastor under #16, and by the Mennonite ministers of Ohrloff under #16! The letter reads as follows: a) 153 “Gnadenfeld, March 16, 1863. Beloved Brother in Christ! Convinced by your comment in Mennonitische Blaetter No. 6, that my report to you on July 21 of last year, concerning the separatists proceedings that have occurred in our Molotschna District, has been lost, I hasten to send you the report once more, without essentially changing the contents. The Word of Scriptime, ‘Love covers a multitude of sins,' I Peter 4:8, has up to this point kept me from informing you— without having any personal reason for not doing so— about a new fanatical sect that has developed in our Mennonite Church here. However, since you have asked for some brother from the Molotschna who is accurately acquainted with the situation to submit a response, that is, a clarification and rectification of an aritcle in the Friedensglocke [a periodical published by Philipp Paulus, concerned especially with the ‘last things’ (eschatology) based on the prophecies of Holy Scripture], which you reprinted in No. 2 of the Mennonitische Blaetter, I recognize my duty to you and the dear readers of this paper not to keep silent any longer about this matter, since the article sent by ‘a brother in St. Petersburg’ to the publisher of the Friedensglocke is very likely connected with the activities of a certain Johann Claassen, of the village of Liebenau, who, until he withdrew from the Mennonite brotherhood, was my church member and has been in St. Petersburg Documentary Supplements 377 since November, 1860. b) The Pastor Wuest named in the said article of the Friedensglocke . . . [see above, in paragraph #75 c, Lenzmann’s eva