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

y of the Interior through the Department of Religious Affairs of Foreign Confessions of Faith of March 6, 1880, [# 214 ( 2 )] was presented to the governor of Taurida. At the same time a request was made that he clarify to the police officer that the church in Rueckenau was a Mennonite and not a Baptist congregation according to #903 (now 1104). By the grace of God, the petition accomplished its purpose entirely. In the year 1887 Br. P. M. Friesen, residing temporarily in the Kuban at this time and authorized by the church, succeeded in securing the confirmation of the meeting houses in Rueckenau and Spat in the Crimea. "On the 11th of January of the same year (1887) he was empowered to seek this confirmation and already on January 27th our meeting house was approved by the authorities. 320 And so through God’s gracious help rest had been restored even in this matter for a long period of time” (Schellenberg). Nevertheless, as in Einlage, this question was also to be raised once again in the Molotschna M.B. Church. Just as it had been a Mennonite in the former, so it was also a Mennonite here, who, as a result of personal antipathies, tried to cast suspicion upon and harm the M.B. Church for a long period of time. “In the year 1896 more unrest arose from this quarter. Our annual convention in Rueckenau in the month of May was attended by the aforementioned H. Pristav and since he once again submitted a report to the provincial authorities according to his false conception of the matter (as though the convention were a Baptist one) the authorities ordered that he suspend the meetings. That led to investigations as to whether they were Mennonites or Baptists at nearly all places from which brethren had come to take part in the deliberations, because the police officer had recorded the passports. Then we investigated on our part how higher authorities The M.B. Church 1885-1910 527 regarded this matter” (Schellenberg). After our two authorized brethren (Elder D. Schellenberg of the Molotschna and Rev. Wilhelm Dyck of the Einlage Church) had introduced themselves to the Director of the Department of Religious Affairs of the Ministry of the Interior, the privy councillor Mossolov, and had submitted a written brief they received the answer the essence of which was ‘‘that really one harbored the suspicion against both Mennonites and Baptists that through them one were playing into the hands of the Stundists. One could not deny to the M.B. Church the rights of the Mennonites if they themselves did not renounce them. They were to have liberty in their deliberations in matters of faith and church affairs as long as they respected the law. Their large festive gatherings, however, such as this convention and the huge songfests 321 ought to be regarded as propagandizing.” The explanation of the ministry, Nov. 25 (Dec. 28), 1896, cited in 0214, is to be considered the answer to the request of the brethren Schell