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

such minis ters who rule well, worthy of double honor, according to I Tim. 5:17. But when the opposite can be proved about them, and, much more, when they lord it over brethren, which they are forbidden to do according to I Peter 5:3, II Cor. 1:24, then we have the duty to admonish such minis ters, who also are our brethren. But if they refuse to accept such admonition, we are not forced to follow such ministers because they act contrary to the Christian teachin g and seek honor for themselves. In this case we have to act as we are commanded in God’s Word according to II Cor. 6:17-18; Rev. 18:4; Isaiah 52:11. Because we are seeing the ruin of our brethren we have the duty to warn and admonish in season or out of season, for they are our brethren according to the flesh; and if we do not do so, we lose our own soul, Ezekiel 3:17-21. According to basic Mennonite teaching a person has the right to teach even though he may not have been called by men, as I can prove from Menno’s Foundation, Book 1, page 148: ‘According to Scripture, the sending and calling of Christian ministers occurs in two ways: some are called by God alone without human co-operation, as happened with the prophets and apostles ; others are called through the assistance of those who fear God, as can be seen in Acts 1:4; I Tim. 3; Titus 1.’ To the 4th question: I have brought no document from St. Petersburg except a letter from the Minister of War to the Count Jevdokimov in Stavropol, which I delivered by my own hand. Since the main guideline for Mennonites is the Word of God, we find in it our rules of conduct: I Pet. 2:9; James 4:17; Eph. 4:11 and 6:14-15; Gal. 1:1; I Thess. 5:11; Amos 7:15; I Cor. 14:26-32. I appeal to point 1 of the imperial letter of privileges [cf. #55]. Finally, we say, ‘Because we believe, we speak.’ January 30, 1863. Johann Claassen.’’ d) Compare Elder Lenzmann’s letter above (x). Whether there was a reply from the higher governmental authorities to Mr. Keller’s presentation, is not known. On the same subject the diary of Jakob Reimer, Gnadenfeld, says: . . On Monday, January 21, a letter came from Mr. Keller from which was read to us [in Gnadenfeld at the mayor’s place] that no layman was permitted to conduct any spiritual action or to give any explanations or comments while reading the Holy Scripture, unless he had permission from the consistory. [Excerpt from the Lutheran Church Law in Russia, Volume XI, Part 1. Cf. above the footnote on Elder Lenzmann’s letter, X.] Oh, that made the dead Christians happy and almost everyone gladly signed that he had Documentary Supplements 401 heard it read. On January 30 Br. Claassen had to appear at the Area Administrative Office where he was to respond to Mr. Keller on 4 points by Saturday, which he did. This referred to the fact that Br. Claassen had, on two successive Sundays after the church service in Liebenau, said: ‘Brethren, whoever would like to talk more ab