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

this was an old evangelical-Anabaptist custom. This information comes to us in the form of an article in the Mennonitische Rundschau 72 DUTCH-PRUSSIAN ANABAPTISTS from the pen of the aged Elder Isaak Peters, formerly school teacher in Fuerstenau and Sparrau, 51 Molotschna, South Russia, then elder of the Pordenau Church, and now, since 1874, in Henderson, Nebraska, one of our most knowledgeable, if not the most knowledgeable student of Anabaptist literature. The article in the Mennonitische Rundschau vol. 37, 1906, for which we are deeply thankful to our aged honorable teacher, since it, at the same time, sheds light on the preparation of our ministers “in the bosom of the congregation,” contains the following: a) “An abstract from Mennonite writings for the Mennonitische Rundschau and Herold der Wahrheit. When, during the age of the Reformation, the various religious movements had taken on distinct forms and the Lutherans and other reformed groups had united in state churches, these strove to have all their ministers acquire academic degrees ... at the universities. The so-called Anabaptists, the later Mennonites, however, who had maintained a living faith through mutual edification . . . even in ancient times during the period of the martyrs as a small flock, were unaware of such a necessity since they had for hundreds of years [as Waldensians, etc.] flourished without such institutions during periods of persecution, as a rose among thorns, through the preaching of the Gospel by laymen. Since they were united in congregations, which consisted solely of converted members, all of whom studied the Bible themselves, . . . they were content with the appointment of teachers and servants of the Word in line with the evangelical and apostolic example [without a university education]. . . . Instead of such institutions they fostered, aside from the sermons in the church service, Bible studies and mutual edification in their circles ; for it is apparent from their remaining writings that such meetings existed in the 16th century during Menno Simons’ and his co-worker’s time and for some time thereafter, where every individual member of the congregation was given the opportunity to ask questions regarding difficult passages of Scripture. Even during the periods of persecution they met secretly to study God’s Word and strengthen one another in accordance with the Apostolic teachings, I Thess. 5:11. . . . Here a passage of God’s Word was read . . . and explained, the latter task performed by those more advanced in the faith or the ministers of the Word, in accordance with I Cor. 14:26-33, after which the church service was closed with prayer according to Acts 20:36; 21:5. b) “Merely preaching at the services in the Mennonite congrega- tions began where the Bible and mutual edification hours were discontinued, where laymen 52 ceased to study God’s Word themselves, in accordance with John 5:39, and gave up