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

thirty 544 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH §249 years were regarded as big boys who could perhaps later grow up to become useful workers in the church! At the same time, those who thought and acted in this way had themselves taken matters into their own hands when they were twenty -five or thirty years old.) 341 c) At present the active leadership consists of Elder Cornelius Abram Wiens, the Minister Johann J. Fast, the deacon Gerhard A. Wiens, and Johann Toews. (The Minister David Claassen, as we know, was appointed to the Halbstadt Secondary School in 1906.) During the period here under discussion the widely -known Br. Jakob Giesbrecht died as well (about 1908). He was for many years a member of the M.B. Church council in the Kuban Colony, and also area administrative officer. d) The M.B. Church of the Kuban has only one affiliate fellowship, namely at Grossfuerstental (Suvorovskaia) since 1899. It is situated near the Suvorovskaia Station on the Vladikovkas Railway. Postal Address: Suvorovskaia Vladikovkas. (Post office address: Suvorovskaia Vladi- kovkas District.) Here, a group of leasehold colonies was established by those of Sagradovka, Kuban, and other Mennonites— among them "Brethren”— on the land of the Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaievitsch. The leaders of the group (about 1904) were the ministers Johann Voth (formerly a public school teacher) and Johann Neufeld, and the deacon, Gerhard Thiessen. . . . IV. The Mennonite Brethren Church in Friedensfeld (Miropol) From 1886 to 1910 Province and District of Ekaterinoslav (Postal Address: Nikopol, Province of Ekaterinoslav, Miropol, Volost of Leschkarevo) 1. a) In the period here under discussion, this congregation, after a time of severe turbulence (see 0235 above), continued quietly and orderly, and in harmony with other chinches of the conference, among which this church was fourth in order of origin. The Friedensfeld Church is the link between those churches which trace their origin to the Molotschna and those originating in Chortitza. The central village of Friedensfeld was founded by people from the Molotschna Colony. Through the migration of brethren from the villages and outlying settlements of Chortitza, the large church contains a majority of members of Chortitza origin, especially if the affiliated branches mentioned below are included. In the central village of Friedensfeld itself there reside some Baptist families who participate fully in the spiritual fellowship. b) In the most recent period this church has lost through death The M.B. Church 1885-1910 545 many brothers and sisters of significance who were believed to be indispensable. Br. Martin Thielmann died in 1889. He was an outstanding member because of his intelligence, zeal, and energy. As a youth 342 in Friedensfeld he had for several years been a student of Br. Peter Fast (in Taschtschenak ; see #51, and sections on Ohrloff and Petrovka), and had es