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

is not known that Claassen has been elected as teacher in keeping with the practices of the Mennonites? 4) Whether, since he has been in St. Petersburg, he can present any document from higher government authorities, authorizing him to give lectures according to existing civic and Mennonite regulations; if he does possess such a document, why has he not presented it long ago ; and if he does not, who has appointed him.” c) ‘‘Answers of the Mennonite Johann Claassen to the submitted questions: To the first question: On January 1, I calmly participated in the worship service and listened attentively to what was said. After the service had entirely concluded and our Mennonite brethren wanted to go, I got up and asked the congregation whether I could say something, received the permission, and spoke especially to the minister who had given the lecture, and commented on the sermon that we also ought to act accordingly, etc. On the 13th of January I again attended the service in the school, quietly and without the slightest disturbance, and after the complete conclusion of the service I asked that those wanting to discuss further with us the way to salvation should remain. With those who remained I read the 2nd chapter of the letter to the Hebrews, which calls upon us to work out our salvation with all seriousness. Thus I did no more create a disturbance than on January 1. The mayor’s office has no grounds to accuse me of causing a disturbance. The mayor’s office itself confirms in its report No. 8 of January 21, of this year, that I got up only after the worship service. How then could it be possible for me to have disturbed the service when it had already ended? To the second question: On account of this period of edification which we had after the completed worship service in the school building, I was called before the mayor and questioned whether I intended to continue disturbing the services? I said no, I had not disturbed them, and was not going to do so in the future; but edification in the Word of God together with our Mennonite brethren, this our ministers themselves were preaching, and we could not allow ourselves to be forbidden to do so. For the Word of God and Mennonite teaching, which firmly bases itself on the Word of God, demands that we build ourselves up on the most holy foundation of faith, e.g. I Tim. 2:8; I Thess. 5:11; Jude 20. Because, as is well known, we Mennonites call 400 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH ourselves a brotherhood, such edification, as mentioned above, is part of the me aning of brotherhood. Unfortunately, however, we behold that our Mennonite brethren have been corrupted to such an extent that the mayor’s office turns it into an indictment and seeks to undermine the only foundation on which a brotherhood can exist. To the 3rd question: If the ministers of the Mennonites carry out their official duties according to their doctrines of faith, then we are to consider