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

ad no reply. Church ministers: Cornelius Penner, Franz Isaak; Deacon: Dietrich Huebert.” g) Third set of minutes. “On August 20, 1861, we attended the meeting of the Mennonites who have seceded from our churches, gathered at the house of Abraham Peters in Ladekopp. The first song was accompanied by harmonica and violin, but not in stormy fashion. Songs out of the Glaubensstimme, Hiller’s Liederkaestlein, and Gossner’s Schatzkaestlein were read out and sung according to the melodies indicated in the Glaubensstimme. The discussion of the Scripture texts, particularly I Peter 2, this time was conducted mainly in the form of dialogue led by their minister, Becker. Special emphasis was placed on the obligation of the Christian to put away evil and to strive after the good [compare this with Elder Lenzmann’s letter]; but this would be possible only if the heart is renewed by faith. With great earnestness they warned against secret shame, specifically mentioning the vice of onanism. Their songs, among others, included: ‘O, the Great Joy,’ ‘Once I Was Not a Child,’ ‘One Thing I Wish Above Everything Else,’ ‘Up, You Hearts United With Jesus!’ etc. There was much prayer, by many different persons. But disturbing shouts did not occur; on the contrary, seriousness prevailed among them and was maintained by the leading persons, so that we were convinced that earlier testimony concerning them was either groundless, or at least exaggerated, or else these people must be well on the way to regulatory and corrective behavior. In this regard the other churches could serve them better by continued visits and appropriate encouragement, than by forcible means, which in any case would take a direction that could have incalculable consequences for the whole church. We noticed no deviations outside the limits of tolerance assigned to us by the highest authority; much less any transgressions against public order. They also conducted communion in our presence, with Becker, after a short talk on Luke 22:14-32, simply distributing bread and wine, while speaking the words of institution. Only members in the narrowest sense participated, and everything transpired in a quiet, orderly manner. Church ministers: Abraham Isaak, Jakob Martens, Bernhard Harder, Franz Klassen. 398 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH §172 Deacon: Peter Friesen. Church members: Gerhard Loewen, Isbrand Harder, Jakob Harder. Note: When they made the promise in No. 5 [Feb. 10, 1860], they had believed that they would soon be recognized as their own church; but when the opposite developed more and more, they could not in good conscience, according to their own statement, keep the above promise any longer, but thereafter regarded themselves as an existing church and conducted election of ministers, baptism, and communion by themselves, and later also marriage ceremonies.” h) These three sets of minutes were printed in the Mennonitische Blaetter, February, 18