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

pecially exploited the latter’s knowledge of the Russian language and put it to practical use. After his training in the Halbstadt Secondary School, he served for several years in Ekaterinoslav as superintendent of an aristocratic boarding school, especially in the training of students in the colloquial Russian language, which, together with a thorough theoretical knowledge, he had mastered to a degree which for that time was virtually unequalled among us. Following Br. Fast, M. Thielmann was himself teacher in Friedensfeld for a few years. Later he served for many years as village mayor in Friedensfeld, as controller of accounts and as presiding judge and area administrator of the Russian Volost of Leschkarevo to which the village of Friedensfeld (Miropol) belongs. In the local church, as well as in the conference, he was interested in all that went on and was always willing to serve. For a long time he was in the vanguard of the struggles mentioned above. In God’s crucible of grace he was sanctified for heaven and the Lord took him away early. The itinerant minister, Dietrich Klassen of Jasykovo (see If 216, 3), who for several years was a beloved neighbor in the village here and a co-worker in the ministry of the Word, also died here during the nineties. Br. Bernhard Dyck of Schoenau died during this period as well. He had been co-founder of the colony and deacon of the M.B. Church of Friedensfeld, most hospitable, always joyfully and expertly active, locally and in conference projects. He was, as was also his junior relative, Br. M. Thielmann, a “child” descendant of the “Kleine Gemeinde” ( H235 ). His successor as deacon is Br. Peter F unk . In 1889, Br. Franz Peters passed away also. He was one of the group of young men of Tiege-Ohrloff that had experienced the revival in 1864-1866 with Abraham Schellenberg, Heinrich Friesen, and others. For many years he was a leading personality in the Friedensfeld Church as a missions enthusiast, contributor, and preacher with modest oratorical gifts but great warmth of heart. His daughter is the missionary-wife, Sister Anna Unruh, of India. From the ranks of the older settlers and residents several other brothers and sisters died during this period. Among these were the wife of Elder Jantz and her sister, the widow of Jakob Wiebe, nee Toews, of Fuerstenau; the widow of Peter Penner; the widow of Bernhard Dyck, nee Thielmann; the wife of preacher Heinrich Friesen, nee Helene Friesen. 343 Thus the complexion of the village and the Church of Friedensfeld changed quite drastically. c) Elder Jakob Jantz, now a widower in his upper seventies, was, despite his age, until recently actively engaged as elder in his own 546 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH district and in the conference. He has been frequently mentioned in this work (see especially # 195-198, 235, and 238, annual report and travel report). Until very recently he still spent a couple of months of the