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

unfortunately, still seriously agitating many of our people. Secondly, we would thereby be granted an opportunity to demonstrate our zeal to be of use to the state in our own way. In the case that we should be allowed to set up such a program in which, according to our views, we could best establish new forest plantations, we would most humbly make use of this gracious opportunity and present such a program to the most high government for its consideration and whatever application it would deem appropriate. "2. Since the abilities and inclinations of our youth with regard to such service may differ, we most humbly request that our youths be granted the opportunity at the lottery to choose the form of service in accordance with their abilities and inclinations. It is to be assumed that although most will prefer to serve in the forestry camps, many will also choose to serve in the workshops. Having freedom of choice in this matter would contribute significantly to alleviating the fears of the congregations and cause many, who are already harboring emigration plans, to remain in Russia. “3. We are convinced that there is a suitable means through which one might, with the greatest hope of success, now prevent the continuation of emigration. However, we hardly dare to make pre- sentations to the exalted government in this regard. But since it may be in the government’s interest to learn to know more fully the attitude of our church members and the motives behind the desire of many to emigrate, and since we stand in the firm hope that the exalted government will not regard that which is expressed here to be a demand but rather a most humble request and presentation, we nevertheless dare to do so, especially since both parties to the petition— both the restless group, which believes that it must make its remaining in the fatherland conditional upon the success of the petition, as well as the peaceful group dedicated to Russia alone, which feels itself forced to do everything in its power to restrain the stream of emigrants and to save the existing 604 THE STATE settlements— trust in the paternal goodwill of the exalted government which has never withdrawn this goodwill from her children because of their most humble petitions. This means is the constantly available free right to emigrate. The following are the reasons cited in favor of such a policy: every Mennonite is more or less aware of the sacrifices, difficulties, indeed even persecution under which our forefathers defended their confession of faith and passed it on to us, and nearly everyone knows what he must do in order to be able to pass this confession of faith on to his children and their descendants. For our fathers, too, left home, hearth and fatherland for the sake of then- confession of faith, and only in Prussia, and then in Russia, our current fatherland, did they find a haven. Even if the form of service we are forced to accept is n