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

treasury for the “landless.” “Finally, after several discussions and consultations had been held, the Lord answered the prayers of His children and helped them. Those who would not accept admonition were excommunicated. The inner oneness and peace that came as a result of this convinced the church that the Lord was gracious to them. Every year the church was able to welcome to the fellowship of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, those who had been newly saved.” To begin with, the church held its services in the school in Nikolaievka, which, in anticipation of such use had been built somewhat larger by the brethren. However, because a number of members of the Mennonite Church also moved to this village, the practice of alternating services was established. On the Sunday that the Mennonite Church used the school, the brethren met in the somewhat smaller school in Ignatievo; “this also 566 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH the church considered a blessing.” In 1901, the aging brother, Aron Lepp, withdrew from his office as elder. At this point the affiliated church, Nikolaievka-Ignatievo suggested that together with the affiliated sister church, Petrovka-Naumenko, they form an independent church. However, because the latter congregation did not concur, they mutually agreed to be “affiliates” or “stations” of the Einlage Church. But each congregation would have its own seal and its own church records (church membership book, register of civil classification). In the later years, until 1904, there was a great decrease in the membership of the church. Many families moved away; some left for America. Even Br. Hermann Neufeld felt that he should emigrate and had already arranged to take over a farm in Canada. We rejoice that the Lord led him in a different way. Today he is still at his assignment as leading minister in Nikolaievka and (already more than 20 years) itinerant minister of the M.B. Church in Russia. After several ministers and deacons left in 1904, the church had as ordained leaders: ministers, Hermann Neufeld, Peter Wiebe, David Block and Wilhelm Klassen and deacon Komelius Krause and the following ministers-elect: Peter Siemens (former public school teacher), Komelius Neustaedter, Johann Siemens (former public school teacher), Johann Lettkemann, Peter Janzen (called 1902), and Peter Janzen (called 1904) and deacons-elect: David Neufeld and Peter Sawatzky. Three members served as public school teachers and four members were former teachers. The church has its meeting place in Nikolaievka. The Ignatievo-Nikolaievka Church became an independent church in January 1905 and Br. Hermann Neufeld was ordained to serve as elder by Br. Gerhard Regehr, elder of the Einlage M.B. Church. §255 X. The Tschunaievka M.B. Church {-“Siberia") See above #242, 7-11. §255(2) XI. The Talma M.B. Church {-“Terek") See above #242, 12. §255(3) XII. The Lugovsk M.B. Church (-“ Neu-Samara ”) See above #242, 4. §2