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

ifornia State University, Fresno, Harry Loewen, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, and Abraham Friesen, University of California, Santa Barbara, met in Fresno in February of 1976 to review the various manuscripts. There it was decided that Abraham Friesen should work through the translations first and then send them on to Harry Loewen and Peter Klassen. As it turned out, however, so much of the translation had virtually to be redone, or extensively revised by Friesen, that both Peter Klassen and Harry Loewen were assigned sections to review as well. It was Friesen, however, who either retranslated or revised approximately half of the manuscript. By September of 1976, the work of revision had progressed to such an extent that the first meeting of the Translation and Editorial Committee could be held in Fresno to begin a detailed comparison of the translation with the original. This was done by having one person read the translation while the rest followed the German original. At this meeting all four members of the committee were present. But the work could not be completed at this session and, since it was decided that some of the remaining sections still needed extensive work, another meeting was held between Christmas and New Years’ of 1976-77. Harry Loewen could not be present at this meeting. Upon completion of this phase of the work, the entire manuscript was read for style by all four members of the Committee, as well as by John B. Toews of the University of Calgary, and by Victor G. Doerksen of the University of Manitoba. The latter proved a particularly valuable critic, so much so that he was brought into the work at that point. The Committee— with the exception of Harry Loewen— then met to evaluate and collate these stylistic corrections. Once this was completed, the manuscript was turned over to the printers. Abraham Friesen, Peter J. Klassen and Victor G. Doerksen then read the proofs. Because of the many people who have worked on the translation, the reading of the proofs has of necessity involved an attempt to systematize such things as the use of capitalization, brackets. XI punctuation, etc., perhaps not with complete success. The name index was prepared by Peter J. Klassen and the subject index by Harry Loewen. Gerry (Mrs. Abraham) Friesen typed all of the work retranslated or revised by her husband, and Laurene (Mrs. Burton) Peters typed and retyped the entire translated manuscript, preparing it for the printers. Victor Schmidt, manager of the Christian Press, spent many hours interpreting the wishes of the Committee in the production of the book. J. B. Toews deserves a special word of recognition. Without his initiative and guidance, this project might never have gotten off the ground. It was he who solicited the funds, guided it through its initial stages and was present at every meeting of the Committee, supplying a fund of invaluable first-hand information about the Ru