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

he Mennonites began to consider the question of emigration. Nonetheless, another attempt to contact His Imperial Majesty personally was made. In the fall of 1873 a third deputation went to St. Petersburg: Elder Gerhard Dyck, Minister Heinrich Epp and Heinrich Heese, all from the Chortitza congregations; and Elder Bernhard Peters and Minister Peter Goertz from the Molotschna. All attempts to reach the Tsar were in vain. With the approval of Pastor Hans, the following petition to the monarch was delivered to the Ministry of Crown Lands: “Your Imperial Majesty! Most gracious Tsar and Lord! “With distressed hearts, yet full of confidence in a benevolent and gracious reception of our most submissive plea, we respectfully approach the steps of the throne of your Imperial Majesty. “Our forefathers, called into the empire by the highest government, 1 2 furnished with an imperial charter, 13 which promised us complete freedom of religion and conscience, and exemption from military and civil service in perpetuity, found a haven here for themselves and their descendants. Thanks to the protection of your Majesty and especially of your predecessors, this has continued to the present. “However, because of the intended introduction of universal military service, which, as we understand, is to be enacted into law in the immediate future, our hearts are deeply troubled that we should lose a significant part of our confession of faith, the article concerning non-resistance. We have presented our concerns not only to the imperial commission appointed to implement the proposed law, but have also had the honor at the beginning of this year to present them in the form of a petition to His Imperial Highness Konstantin Nicholaievitsch, the President of the Imperial Council. “The issue is so serious and important for us— it constitutes a 590 THE STATE §268 question of life and death for the continuation of our brotherhood— that we feel compelled in our hearts to turn to the beloved father of our land, our Tsar and lord. In complete submission and deepest respect, but in childlike faith in the fatherly heart of your Majesty, who has an open ear for the cry of pain of the lowliest children in the land, we lay before your Imperial Majesty yourself our urgent plea for preservation of the freedom of conscience which we have enjoyed until the present. “In the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who through our fathers has given us the gospel of peace, who through His holy word commands us to follow in His footsteps in love, in the way of suffering and endurance, but not of war and that which is associated with it, we implore your Majesty most graciously to free us from military obligation, and we shall not cease to pray to our God and Lord to pour out the fullness of His blessing on the dear head of His anointed, and on the illustrious imperial household, and to protect our beloved fatherland from all war and misfort