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

Danzig, preached in Ellerwalde. His sermon is declared to have been very edifying ‘and was therefore listened to with great pleasure.’ He also spoke in Heubuden,— the first time, Wiebe declares, that a minister of the Frisian persuasion had preached to them [!]. Another interesting note is related regarding the old Flemish or Groningen 45 congregation to the south of Kulm near Przechovka [Prussian Psbechovka] [also known as ‘Ukowallians’ after Prussia 63 Uko Wall, their most important elder in the early years],— whose elder Benjamin Wedel together with his co-worker Jacob Wedel [cf. IX. Gnadenfeld, confession of faith] came to their northern brethren in 1784 with the request that they help them become free of two recruiting officers putting them under pressure. A gathering took place in Rosenort and they were given the advice to go directly to the king with their complaint [still the tolerant Frederick II]. Wiebe thereupon petitioned the king. Three years later he paid a visit to Elder Cornelius Regehr [Regier!] of Heubuden and the congregation of that region. An elder of the Neumark congregation, named Janzen [Peter ‘Jaiuz’ of the ‘Brenkenhofswalde- Franztal’ congregation, an outgrowth of the Przechovka congregation; cf. IX. 9], met him there and they experienced a blessed time together. In 1794 the diary notes the Elder Jacob Wedel of Przechovka had also died. This congregation formed the basis [of the Gnadenfeld and Alexanderwohl congregation— Molotschna, Russia, and] of the current Alexanderwohl congregation of Kansas [USA] residing just north of Newton. Wiebe also maintained strong connections with the Hutterites [cf. above III. Jakob Hutter] of Vyschinka in Western Russia. In 1780 a certain Matthias Hoffer came to West Prussia from that region. Hoffer had been imprisoned because of his faith, spending sixteen years in a Carinthia [southern Austria] jail, from which he had then escaped to Russia where he had been a member of a communal farm for eight years. After a while, however, he became dissatisfied with his lot and so moved to Prussia. Three years later Joseph Mueller, a minister, and a member of his congregation came to visit the Prussian congregation; the former even preached, and that very edifyingly, in their churches. ‘In other respects, however, he insisted energetically on their community of goods.’ He told them that many of their members in Hungary had gone over to the Roman Catholic Church, because of which some of them still had qualms of conscience. The Prussian brethren gave them a small wagon, some spending money and let them move on. Later others followed who wanted to go to Hungary in order to help their fellow-believers in hiding to escape. Meanwhile, Wiebe remained in letter contact with the Hutterites, who complained when they failed to receive a letter from him for some time. They informed him about the death of their Elder Joseph Mueller who died at the ripe old age