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

ber of those who either during or as a result of studies in Russian state institutions have left the Mennonite fold (through mixed marriages with Greek-Orthodox women, in consequence of which their children 21 may not become Mennonite) is very small. This has occurred in greater number among those who did not go on to study; and this has been the case for several decades here and there. Actually this is a relatively small percentage when compared to the total number of Mennonites in Russia. The “Mennonitism” of our men who have been educated in Russian secondary schools and universities is just as genuine as that of the average among our people in general. The same can confidently be said of their piety: the educated ones compare most favorably with the average of the Mennonites who experienced nothing but a Mennonite village school training along their educational path. For those good brothers Sudermann, Jansen, Peters and company, the concept of Mennonite and German was at that time, strange to say, synonymous. In Christ, however, there is to be neither Jew nor Greek nor Scythian! Of the Russian language they understood only a very tiny little piece and that only of the profane market dialect. Of the Russian literature or indeed its ethical value or theological treasures they knew about as much as we do about the literature of the Armenians or 594 THE STATE §273 Georgians. Concerning the history of Russia they knew pitifully little from German history books. Until that time, these books contained little except the history of Russian wars and court life, and stated that Cossacks, priests and Siberia were to be found in Russia, as well as some dreadful things called “Panslavism” and “Nihilism.” When these otherwise honorable men came into contact with real Russian society, apart from the market crowds (to the extent that they could make themselves understood with their meager Russian) they encountered, aside from the low class of people, the pretentious element of that era’s merchant or the partially-educated element of that era’s minor official. (Both of these types were at that time largely tainted with the once noble liberalism and reform spirit of the 40s and the 60s which had in the case of many adherents begun to deteriorate into a vulgar and immoral nihilism.) “Nihilism” and “Panslavism” (in the form of the coercive national and religious Russianization) garnished with Cossack, priest and Siberia in the background— that was all there was to the Russia of those dear brothers and bishops. If Peters, Gaeddert, Sudermann and company, according to their understanding of things, were to be honest men, they would have to leave [the country] in order to preserve their spiritual heritage for their offspring. They were honest men, and they left. Thank God that they left! It was good for them, for their children and for America. Their conscience was eased, and their children came in contact with a