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

s destined for greatness. Lightning is flashing everywhere already, many a circumstance will bring hardship for us too, but we are moving toward the Kingdom of God and this shall be our comfort during the perilous times of our life. Our prayer in these last days must resound more and more fervently and loudly before heaven: ‘May your Kingdom come!’ and, it will come. Brothers, it shall come soon— despite the devil, the world or hell! And then, if God wills, we will no longer be limited to a certain place but will see one another face to face. O brothers, what a hope! What consequences will all of this have for our brotherhood in the future? Who can presume to answer that now! I know one thing alone: if we have the real essence and strength and spirit of non-resistance in us— then Russia is least likely to force us into arms. And if we lose this real essence there is not a state in existence, be the laws what they may, which will be able to keep us non-resistant. Not even America with its scum of humanity. “Russia has spoken and done her part. Now it is up to us to do our part, among other things, especially to provide good Christian schools. I am not particularly thinking of higher schools, but rather, better ones, schools where the child is trained to become a real, Christian, humble, rational, practical and unpredjudiced person; not like certain know-it- alls, to put it mildly, who have learned everything, but do not know how to practice it in daily life and consequently also have nothing for eternity. This was also entirely the viewpoint of his eminent excellency. “The emigration, unfortunately, continues. Up to 100 families, it is said, are preparing themselves for spring, including my gray -haired parents-in-law. In the beginning some religious considerations may have contributed towards this cause but that is no longer the case. At this time there is only the attraction of friendship, the (hopefully) golden mountains, curiosity and, most of all, the fear of sending their sons into service. Mostly the people leaving are those who have no understanding 608 THE STATE §281 of non-resistance or Christianity. Then pride also plays a part, and that particularly with the more prominent ones: ‘Now the Russians are serving us; later, however, we are to serve them!’ they say— and, that they cannot accept. These are all ignoble and unjustified motives which consequently allow nothing good to be hoped for. In a word, the migration was poisoned right at its roots and continues to poison itself even further. This becomes increasingly clear now and is evidence that it was started at the wrong time and without God. Still others begged the police for written permission, which was obviously denied, to shoot down bad people who might show up in the village at night. They wanted to do this through the eight-fold guard which prior to their departure they had furnished with loaded rifles. This was detected b