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

ue in every way, as it holds promise for the present life, and also for the life to come.’ The true followers of the gospel act in their life according to the words of the Apostle Peter, first epistle, chapter 2:17: ‘Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.’ “Alexanderwohl, February 7, 1908. The original in Russian has been signed by: ‘Abraham Goerz [elder of the Ohrloff Church], Jakob Toews [elder of the Lichtenau Church], David Schellenberg [elder of the Rueckenau M.B. Church], Gerhard Regehr [elder of the Pordenau Church], Heinrich Guenther [elder of the Molotschna Evangelical Preservation of Independence 631 Mennonite Brotherhood, Lichtfelde Church parish], Jakob Reimer [minister of the M.B. Church, Rueckenau], Jakob Esau [minister of the Alexanderkrone Church], W. Neufeld [minister of the Gnadenfeld Church, teacher of religion at the Halbstadt Pedagogical Secondary School], Johann Penner [minister of the Lichtenau Church], Isaak Ediger [associate elder of the Evangelical M.B. Church, Lichtfelde], Daniel Janzen [minister of the Pordenau Church], Peter Janzen, Heinrich Unruh [elder of the Halbstadt Church], Johann Schartner [elder of the Alexanderwohl Church], David Claassen [minister of the M.B. Church, teacher of the Halbstadt Pedagogical Secondary School], Gerhard Epp [minister of the Neukirch-Ohrloff Church], Johann Peters [minister of the Margenau Church (?)], Gerhard Plett [at that time newly-elected elder of Margenau Church], Johann Goerzen [leading minister of the Waldheim Church], J. Duerksen [minister of the Margenau Church], Heinrich Peters [elder of the Schoensee Church], P. M. Friesen [minister in Sevastopol]. 8 “The declaration in hand has been agreed upon by the ecclesiastical representatives of the Molotschna Mennonite Churches at the consultation held in the church in Alexanderwohl on February 7th. It is desirable that every elder or leader present this (document) to his congregation. Because time is of the essence, the result should be sent in to Elder Abraham Goerz, Ohrloff, by February 18, if possible, so that it may be submitted to the Mennonite member of the Duma, Mr. Bergmann. Chairman of the Consultation, Elder Heinrich Unruh.” B. " Explanatory Supplement to Document: The Position of the Mennonites in the Question of Freedom of Religion and Propaganda . ” 9 A. Concerning the Ecclesiastical Legal Status of the Mennonites. “In the statutes of the Russian Empire, only the articles 1104 and 1105 (Volume XI, Division 3, edition of 1896) deal with the legal status of the Mennonites. In the articles referred to, the following designations are applied: ‘denomination,’ ‘Ecclesiastical Rules and Regulations,’ ‘spiritual teachers,’ and to the latter is ascribed a ‘priestly dignity,’ whereas in the projected legislation of the Minister of the Interior, Sub No. 1471, we are called a ‘sect.’ In the fundamental laws of the Empire, this ascription is not gi