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

medicine and important in their field. Dr. de Haan leaned toward Socinianism and Arminianism and was latitudinarian. Dr. Apostool was a Mennonite predestinarian or orthodox. 11 De Haan’s supporters were the more numerous. They met in a church (a private house) on whose gable the image of a lamb happened to be carved; the 34 DUTCH-PRUSSIAN ANABAPTISTS followers of Dr. Apostool met in a place that had a sun carved in its gable. Thus the latitudinarians in Amsterdam and its environs were called “Lambites” while the orthdox were called “Sunites.” One should not assume, however, that de Haan and his supporters were “un- believers": those who best represented the movement (as de Haan himself) could be called what Julius Koebner has termed “rationalist believers.” (They were s imil ar to the mystically-rationalistic Hans Denk, d. 1527, an outstanding leader of the South German Anabaptists). This schism, this latitudinarian attitude in matters religious among a substantia] segment of the Dutch Doopsgezinde, together with their great wealth and business interests, prepared the way for the real Rationalism— the predominance of reason in matters of faith; this was in turn followed by religious indifference and a massive decline in membership. e) The Prussian congregations of Dutch descent, although retaining an orthodox faith, never experienced a spring of renewed life nor a rich harvest; repeated schisms had left them weakened and incapacitated, (cf. Chap. V.) f) The Swiss and South German congregations also remained orthodox. These, however, were subjected to such endless and terrible persecutions that any kind of growth appeared impossible: toward the end of the 17th century (1688-cf. below) and extending beyond the first half of the 19th century such a massive emigration of their members to America took place that only a remnant remained behind in these countries (Switzerland, the Palatinate, etc.), but in whose midst a great revival has taken place in the last half century. The Dutch Anabaptists reacted to these persecutions with an amazing magnanimity and spirit of brotherly love, expressed through massive financial support, hospitality and the active diplomatic intervention of the Dutch government. (Compare #13, n; #22, e, u, f; #136, e], 3. The decline in membership of the Dutch Mennonites threatened to reach the proportions of a demise. According to C. H. A. van der Smissen and B. C. Roosen, their decline (while the population generally increased) was so catastrophic that whereas they had numbered some 140,000 in 1700, by 1800 they totalled only 40,000! But even under these circumstances God provided men who stepped into the breach: Jakob Denner (d. 1749, cf. #136, m), Johannes Deknatel (d. 1759, cf. above #4), Comelis Ris ("Glaubenslehre” 3 * * * * * * * * 12 of 1773) as well as others who were not only well-educated but also pious men, actively involved in the teaching ministry of t