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

kob Wiens (now elder in Siberia) and Deacon Jakob Rogalsky of Memrik. After these two moved away, the brethren Franz Goossen and Kornelius Isaak were confirmed as ministers and Br. Jakob Isaak as deacon. Since the number of members increased sharply (in 1892 there were eighty), a meeting-place was erected in 1893 which could seat 400 persons. This building was also closed by the police in 1901, but was re-opened in the same year. Leadership (about 1905): ministers Franz Goossen, Kornelius Isaak; deacon: Jakob Isaak. 2) Nikolaipol, since 1903. Donskaia District. Postal Address: Matveev-Kurgan, District of Donskaia. Leadership (about 1908): minister: Jakob Wiebe; deacon: (?). 3) Masaievka, since 1900. A colony on rented land. Donskaia District. Postal Address: Bolsche-Kreperskoe, District of Donskaia. Leadership (about 1908: minister: Abraham Petkau; deacon: (?). 4) Kameschlak, since (?). Where (?). Postal Address: (?). The M.B. Church 1885-1910 561 Leadership: (?). 5) Steintal-Voronzovka, since 1904. Province of Ekaterinoslav. Postal Address: Sherevetz, Province of Ekaterinoslav. Leadership (about 1908): minister: Jakob Rogalsky; deacon: (?). VIII. The Kamenka Mennonite Brethren Church in the Chortitza 348 Settlement from 1894 to 1910 Province and District of Orenburg (Postal Address: Pokrovskoie, Province of Orenburg) l.This is the first independent church which has branched off from the Einlage Church, apart from the churches in the Kuban and in Friedensfeld, in which members of the Einlage Church were more or less well represented. Our report concerning the origin of this church and its way of ordering its affairs is based on an account prepared by the brethren Jakob Heide, Jakob Toews, Hermann Neufeld and Abram Teichrew, at the request of the church, on January 28, 1902. In 1894, the Chortitza Volost bought 25,000 dessiatines of land in the Orenburg District for its landless people. During the years 1894-1901, 14 villages were gradually established on this land— brethren who wished to resettle also attended the consultative meetings called by the Chortitza Volost administration regarding this matter. In these meetings, in addition to addressing themselves to the “miscellaneous” items on the agenda, some persons suggested that the brethren settle in a village by themselves. However, the late area administrator, Froese, declared: “Here there are no ‘brethren’ but only settlers.” On March 17, 1894, eighty families, the first group of settlers gathered at the station in Alexandrovsk. (Eight days later a second train left with about fifty families.) Before the train left, the brethren, together with those who had come to see them off, knelt to thank God for all His goodness and to pray for His protection on the way. “The last signal was given, the last good-bye’s spoken, and soon we had disappeared from their view but not out of their hearts.” On the journey not all went accordin