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

s not a member of our church, we could regard her as a sister in Christ, and unite in prayer with her. I for my part felt compelled to thank our loving Lord after this visit for the many benefits wherein he has favored me and so many of us as compared to this poor widow, who lacked care of body and soul. We continued to travel to Pastva, where we remained with Brother and Sister Warkentin for the night and rejoiced in the precious promises of the Word and sought to encourage, cheer and comfort one another, for the Warkentins found themselves in a sad plight [in family matters]. . . . Happy are we that the Word exhorts us to cast all cares upon the Lord. Wednesday the 19th we visited a sick widow, who, however, could not yet lay hold of the Savior and with Him the best consolation for life and death. As assurance that God does not desire the death of the sinner, I read Ezekiel 33:11 to her. Her son, who was about to leave for America, had a faith characteristic of many Jews today, that is ‘one has to do penance and suffer punishments for one’s sins, and thereafter one will be saved.’ One becomes aware how essential it is to proclaim even among our own people the glad tidings that Jesus has saved us. We now journeyed to Pordenau, but stopped at several places along the way ‘to recruit heirs of heaven;’ but we found that most people with whom we wanted to speak were not at home. In Mariental, in the meantime, we were successful in praying together with a family, who ordinarily would not have favored this, but, because husband and wife were ill, permitted it. So we arrived at Brother and Sister Janzen in Pordenau where we had the opportunity of edifying a small gathering through God’s Word. Thursday, the 20th we continued to make several house-visitations, and then had to leave the beloved circle of fellowship to search elsewhere for souls to lead to Christ. On Friday the 21st a discussion was requested by our brethren and sisters in Alexandertal, especially also because several of them intended to go to America. After a passage had been read from the Word of God and all of us had prayed, the brethren and sisters in turn voiced the complaints they had about one another. 313 Where this occurs in love, it can be beneficial. From Alexandertal we went to Elizabethal to Brother and Sister Warkentin, where we sought to strengthen and encourage one another in the good. Because Pentecost was near and circumstances forced each of us to go to his family, we decided to separate here. Brother Regier went home the same evening, while I went to Alexanderkrone to Brother and Sister Loewen where we discussed the Word of God. My plea is to the Lord that he may cleanse through His 518 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH blood the little we have done and make it bear fruit through His spirit. Requesting your intercessory prayers, your lowly brother, Jakob Dirksen.” b) Here we have another report by the same person. The repo