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

amilies and a greater number from the Volga (Koeppental parish) actually moved to Turkestan. In addition to the Elder Abraham Peters, another prominent leader was Brother Johann Regehr, Hamberg, from the Halbstadt Volost (presently an elder of the Mennonite Church in Turkestan). Claas Epp disillusioned the majority of the "exodus brethren” with his fantastic foolishness (he set hims elf as second “son,” alongside Christ) and left with a small group of followers to settle in the domain of the Khan of China. The others decided to settle in the neighborhood of the river Syr-Daria, District Aulie Ata, about 200 versts from Tashkent. There they founded five villages under the special favor and with the assistance and counsel of the then incumbent Governor-general of Turkestan, von Kaufmann. He was able to secure for them the concession that their young men could render their alternative service (replacing military service) right on the settlement, in the midst of their families. The service consisted of planting a specified number of trees. Br. Jakob Janzen (earlier a minister in the Mennonite Church, subsequently a founder of a special “Brethren" Church which practiced baptism by immersion, which he finally led to merge with the Mennonite Brethren Church) proved to be a skilled and useful liaison person between the settlers and the authorities. In 1910 the settlement included about 200 families, consisting of about 1000 persons. By now they had been cured of their exaggerated “exodus-refuge idea.” After weathering the f amiliar controversies, hurt feelings, demonstrations of godly and ungodly zeal in different issues, revival and various church organizations and dissolutions, they were finally organized as the Romanovka Mennonite Church and the Nikolaipol Mennonite Brethren Church (the respective names were derived from the villages in which the church buildings were located). The M.B. Church membership is slightly smaller in number than the Mennonite Church. The relationship between these two sister churches is really cordial. Seldom has the furor Mennoniticus, the Mennonite passion for sectarianism, permitted such a relationship. In 1905, the leadership of the Nikolaipol M.B. Church in Turkestan consisted of the following persons: Elder Heinrich Kroeker (minister since 1885), ordained as elder by Elder Jakob Jantz, Friedensfeld. The ministers: Jakob Janzen, since 1875, Jakob Mandtler, since 1875, Johann Klassen, since 1899, Aron Dyck, since 1904, Franz Braun, since 1904. The deacons were: Jakob Wedel, since 1904. By the end of 1908, church membership stood at 249 and the total including adherents stood at over 501. In certain ecclesiastical, administrative matters, the 572 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH Nikolaipol M.B. Church is distinctive, but it enjoys full spiritual fellowship with the total M.B. Brotherhood. In response to frequent requests, the brotherhood has sent visiting ministers as well a