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

the Dutch-Anabap- Danzig. tist Confession of Faith of 1580-1610 (Con- fessio brevis) and the Anabaptist hymn book of 1582. Holland 31 c) At the same time, it should already be stated here that the later, very large, indeed nearly princely wealth of the Dutch Anabaptists, came to be a snare in accordance with the old proverb: “Piety produces wealth but wealth in turn devours piety!” (Cf. VI "Dutch Mennonites, Wealth.”) 2. Decline of the Dutch Anabaptists (Doopsgezinde). a) The happy, §9 rapid development of the Anabaptist congregations which took place under Menno’s guidance, and his energetic activity during the prime of his life in the midst and in spite of all the persecution, lasted only as long as his labor. The twilight of his life coincides with the decline of the first and only general “golden age” of the old evangelical-Anabaptist congregations bearing his name! It seems like a sad allegory when the grand old organizer and bishop of our fellowship now and then signs his letters: “Menno the cripple.” Although he suffered from a badly healed broken leg and spent the declining years of his life quite alone with his daughter, he kept busy writing in his Zoar at Fresenburg. But even more painful to him was the fact that quarrels and dissensions (the "Anabaptist illness”) could not be avoided. The question concerning the ban was a major bone of contention. As we noted above, Dirk Philips (the first elder in Danzig, Prussia) and Leonhard Bouwens, the strict interpreters of the ban, influenced even Menno in this direction. “Shunning” was required in all respects even from family members and marriage partners! Those who held different opinions on this issue were themselves banned, as were those who differed on dogmatic and moral issues. The splintering of the Anabaptist movement, begun during Menno’s lifetime, continued after his death. In the end five or more important factions 2 emerged: the Flemish, the Frisians, the High Germans (South Germans), the Waterlanders, the old-Flemish 3 (the strictest adherents to Menno’s teachings and originally immersionists), and the old-Frisians. Beards, buttons or hooks and eyes, pockets (visible) and collars— all of these became matters of faith, united or divided congregations and factions, all of which regarded themselves as belonging to the only "true” faith. The strictest, the “best” or “most precise,” were the Flemish; the most latitudinarian, the Waterlanders, who never adopted the name “Mennonite” but rather continued to call themselves “Doopsgezinde”— Anabaptists— as all the Dutch Mennonites today do and have done for some time past. These divisions were extended to the North German and Prussian congregations of our immediate forefathers. Thus was their power, which after Menno’s 4 time should have been devoted, “even at the cost of their own life, to rescuing the entire world for Christ from its evil and godless ways,” dissipated in dissension