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

st important and essential aspect. The external forms which are practiced by various Christian denominations are, in our view, less significant. “The Mennonites see the 'only holy, universal Christian church, the 636 MATTERS OF FAITH §295 communion of saints’ 13 in the Christian people of all groups, churches, denominations and communions of Christendom— who, as stated above, preserve the faith in Christ, the Redeemer. The fullness of truth is in the common possession of all— with differing degrees of their 14 personal perfection or imperfection. Every true and sincere believer, however, will cling to the confession and to those practices which are most fully in keeping with his own religious convictions and feelings. He will in no aspect, for nothing and for nobody, deviate from his understanding of the truth, but assert with the Apostle Paul: ‘But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you .... It is the Lord who judges me’ (I Cor. 4:3, 4). Knowing that ‘we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ’ (II Cor. 5:10). “In this way we Mennonites 15 look upon our communion or church, and upon others. We know that ‘we all make many mistakes’ (James 3:2) and that our knowledged is imperfect. . . . ‘But the greatest of these is love’ (I Cor. 13:9-13). And in Christ Jesus nothing is of any avail ‘but faith working through love’ (Gal. 5:6). We are waiting for the time when, after the example of the Apostolic Church (Acts 15:6, 23, 31), the apostles, i.e. (now) their representatives, and the brethren from all sections of the Church of Christ will gather and unite for such a resolution which will not impose on any believer an unnecessary ‘burden,’ and of which it will be possible to say in truth: ‘For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.’ Then will be fulfilled the sacred legacy of our glorified Head: ‘that they may all be one’ (John 17:21). “Therefore, any propaganda among Christians of other denominations (in the sense of the projected legislation of the Minister of the Interior) is far from our 16 min ds. Only, when someone of another faith, out of his own mature conviction, desires to join our fellowship, we can for consience’s sake not deny his admission. Our responsibility in a more comprehensive fulfillment of Christ’s command: ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation’ (Mark 16:15) we see primarily in the dissemination of the Holy Scriptures among all peoples through donating voluntary contributions to the Bible societies: to the Evangelical, as well as to the Russian. In general, in giving any possible support to evangelical work there, where we are invited. Missionary activity as propaganda, in the strict sense of the word, we carry on only among non-Christian peoples.” C. Translation from the Russian: “Subjects for Deliberation of the Mennonite (Business) General Conference 17 which is to convene on October 26, 27, 28,