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

ny years as deacon of the M.B. Church] .... He hims elf complained about unfaithfulness and sloth. We were edified by reading Titus 3:4 and sought to impress the truth on him that we are justified apart from works. After we had returned to Siemens’, we talked until 12:00 o'clock about the various ways in which our Lord has revealed His love to us . . . and we came to love each other deeply . . . .” l) “When we arrived in Tiege, we took lodging at Br. Koop’s .... Towards evening we visited the teacher [of the Society School in Ohrloff], Hermann Janzen, 243 [member of the Ohrloff Church], and listened to the closing hymn and to his prayer. We were received in a friendly and affectionate manner. After being invited into his living room, we talked about our great fortune in being children of our great God and Father, on the basis of which, bound together through the blood of the Son of God, we have been united in a salvation which exceeds all else. After we had returned to Br. P. Koop’s, from Janzens, we found that a small company, which included seeking individuals, had gathered .... We spoke about the passage concerning Zachaeus, the tax collector, and about the salvation which he received from our Lord. We had a very blessed evening .... For dinner we had been invited to a certain Toews [Cornelius Toews, subsequently from Halbstadt. He was area administrator, and had joined the M.B. Church]. We commended to them the love of God, who had loved us and reconciled us through His blood while we were still his enemies, in order that through faith in Him we could be justified and receive peace with Him. They listened attentively to the Word. May the Lord grant that it will bring forth fruit unto eternal life.” m) “Saturday, the 11th, we arrived at Blumenort and took up lodging at Philipp Isaak’s [later a farmer in Tiege, 244 cf. above #4 and #8]. We were warmly received. From there we made the rounds and visited the other believers. Everywhere we were received in a fraternal manner. In the evening we gathered at Br. Epp’s [the father of Elder 452 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH Huebert’s second wife], and enjoyed a blessed evening.” n) “Sunday morning we drove to Blumstein for the church service. The text of the sermon was taken from II Cor. 4, which refers to the treasure we have in earthen vessels. Therefore the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us, and therefore also thanksgiving and honor and praise belong to Him alone. The Word richly blessed the hearts of all. ... In the evening [in Blumenort] we were edified by a passage from John, where our dear Lord asks Peter, ‘Do you love me?’ Again we were richly blessed— we rejoiced that our salvation depends entirely on the fact that Jesus loves us and that we love Him. Therefore, keep us, O Jesus, in your love.” o) “Gnadenheim, December 14. In the morning we visited Br. Funk— we were warmly received by him and his wife. We walked to the Pete