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

ere excommunicated, solely because of differences of understanding?] For a long time now, we have not experienced such joy, for since that time the congregation has still lacked a unity of the spirit. Now, however, everyone who had defiled himself confessed his sins and all became united in the spirit, e) Brother Huebert 201 also has long ceased walking in faith. He was admonished before the whole congregation and was warned that, if he did not deeply repent from where he had fallen, he could not remain a minister. But the other day, during the meeting of the congregation, he deeply humbled himself, also toward Wieler, because he had not loved him. In his prayer before all of us, he tearfully confessed that he had stood on the edge of hell. But God, who is rich in mercy, had once more rescued him, and for this he was thankful to God. The entire congregation began to weep for joy, so that Brother Huebert was enlivened again to struggle for the faith of the Gospel once for all delivered to the saints, Jude 1. Now, dear brothers and sisters, receive the word of exhortation, which we have written to you, for your good, so that we may again rejoice because of you, and you with us, until we all arrive at one faith and understanding of the Son of God, and become a perfect man. f) I am also writing you that Bernhard Penner has been dedicated by the whole congregation for the ministry of the Word and for teaching. Jakob Franz [Liebenau] has been chosen as a minister, and Fast from Schoenau has been elected to the ministry also. . . . Amen. Your Brother Benjamin Becker.” 202 [More letters of this tone from Br. B. are available. This is sufficient for us.] 4. Growth of the Church in a Dismal Period (Supplement to #120). In this confused and sad time it pleased God nonetheless to send to the church new and entirely differently disposed elements from the circle of believers and seekers in the Ohrloff Church (from which Elder Huebert had come). These were the fruit of the activities of Tobias Voth and Bernhard Fast, their associates and followers of similar persuasion. One can only ascribe to the gracious and wise providence of God the fact that people now joined the M.B. Church, not looking on the spectacles and emotionalism as described in the above-mentioned places, nor on the chaos of that time, but rather on the basic principles and goals. In Documentary Supplements 425 summer, 1864, just before the wildest outbursts of emotionalism and arbitrariness, five who later became elders, joined (they were co-elders and stewards)— Daniel Fast, school teacher in Blumenort, who naturally immediately lost his position— now, after many years of service, since 1892 retired elder at the Kuban; his nephew (son of his sister), Johann J. Fast, later widely known as an itinerant minister, representative of elders and co-elder (a “mother” to the church in soul care); he passed away in Rueckenau in 1892; Jacob Jantz, elder