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

ng meetings of the civic (not congregational) assemblies from volosts, individual villages or groups of villages which did not belong to a Mennonite volost, e.g., Schoenwiese, Memrik, etc.; or, from “Assessed Regions.” (See #8, 16 and article 23 of the minutes of May 5 and 6, 1910.) The authorized representative is the administrative deputy of the “assembly of delegates of all Mennonite churches” and the representative of the total body of Russian Mennonites in matters concerning forestry service. He receives authorization from each electoral group (“volost,” etc.) and all these authorizations are then sent to the central authorities concerning this matter. (In this case the authorities are the Department of Forestry of the Ministry 35 of Agriculture and Crown Lands.) The decisions of the “assembly of delegates” are final and binding for every Mennonite concerning tax obligations for this matter. (Compare further, below: “Introduction”— #288.) The Mennonite communities in total, together with the assembly of delegates are autonomous in this matter under authority of the central government and the general jurisdiction of the empire. The assembly of delegates for forestry affairs is totally authoritative in this matter for individuals or special “regions.” The ecclesiastical (spiritual) "General Conference of Mennonite Churches in Russia” 36 has been given the responsibility of the spiritual oversight and the right to bring petitions or grievances before the federal authorities. It also has the responsibility of evaluating the candidates for chaplaincy at the forestry camps as well as the responsibility for spiritual care at these camps through visits from itinerant preachers. Besides this, it was given the right to express a general grievance vote or vote of commendation but had no right to “interfere” with §282 610 THE STATE administrative or economic affairs. Business regulations and economics (being “civic” matters), as far as they concern the [Mennonite] community, have prudently been left to “civic” (denominationally, however, exclusively Mennonite) representatives. This already became evident in the fact that State Councilor Bark (see H276 above) sought the approval of the church elders and colony administration (as General Totleben did earlier) concerning the formal treaty between the Mennonites and the government. On the other hand, he concluded business and legal settlements with the volost administrative bodies (Halbstadt, Gnadenfeld, Chortitza, Nikolaipol and Schoenfeld). In the event that the “General Conference” which was the spiritual authority 37 for all the Mennonites in Russia should find that— in matters relating to forestry, i.e., in the question of compulsory service— the Assembly of Representatives (authoritative for the total Mennonite community) or its agent (the “authorized representative” for the Mennonite co mmuni ties in Russia) were acting contrary to Mennonite relig