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

f the 18th century. Wiebe’s memoirs span the years 1778 to 1796, during which time he was the elder of the congregation. According to our source, he was the author of a widely read confession of faith consisting of some 20 articles, probably the “Flemish” confession. He presents the following data, drawn from the original documents, concerning the existence of his congregation. In 1685 Hans von Koeln and Jost von Kampen are named as Mennonite inhabitants of Elbing. In 1641 a von Kampen received permission from the city to operate a small retail silk goods shop ; many Mennonites became citizens. In 1660 the Mennonites were granted permission to build a church and organize a regular congregation. The church was small, however, since it did not have its own elder and had to be served by one from the lowlands (Danzig?) until 1726, when it received one from its own midst. The honorable Wiebe was ordained in 1778 by the honorable C. Regier of Heubuden [probably the one who died in Chortitza, cf. X, Appendix: Cornelius Warkentin], The rural and urban brothers made up the congregations. In 1783 the congregation built a second church in the country: in the “Ellerwalde” [Erlenwald]. The congregation became large: in 1788 there were 468 rural and 156 urban co mmun icants. Under Elder Wiebe the baptismal instruction consisted in a short study of the catechism. The young people are “presented” for acceptance in the congregation by two witnesses [ as happens in most of the congregations of our Russian Mennonite brotherhood, and because a "testimonial” is required from brothers and sisters of every person requesting admission to the Mennonite Church. The old post-apostolic church proceeded in a similar manner in the case of catechumen— bap- tismal candidates]. The confession of faith is read aloud before holy baptism [in the Mennonite Church here in Russia one speaks of "reading the articles aloud”]; the baptismal act itself is carried out on the day of Pentecost. When the weather is good guests come to witness the baptismal ceremony from the nearby sister-congregation of Rosenort. Elder Wiebe notes the name of every person baptized and appends a good wish for the baptizands at the end of each year’s group in the church register. What a beautiful custom! At one point he notes that a baptismal candidate was kept back from baptism because of ignorance concerning religious matters and a worldly life, and admonished to mend his ways. Of interest in regard to church matters is the following incident: A Mrs. Hamm, nee Boldt, a Lutheran, married a member of a Mennonite congregation. Her husband, H amm , was immediately ex- communicated, but very soon desired with all his heart to be readmitted, along with his wife. His wife, however, had to be granted permission from the government to do so. This document states: “After I informed the honorable royal West Prussian government of the desire of Anna 60 DUTCH-PRUSSIAN ANABA