The Great Trek of the Russian Mennonites to Central Asia, 1880-1884, Fred Richard Belk, 1976

of his arguments would deter a few from making the trip, but they knew he would not tell them they could not go but only that he believed they should not go." 82 The Great Trek of the Russian Mennonites Agreeing that he was limited in his power to forbid the migra- tion, the governor then broached the subject of Kaufmann’s com- mitment to them. He suggested that Kaufmann would be dis- appointed in them because he was expecting a thousand families, not the mere 200 which were gathering for the trip. He warned that not only would Kaufmann’s goal of a fruitful Turkestan never materialize, but that the Mennonite communities left behind would be severely weakened as well. A settlement of 200 families, more- over, could not remain in Turkestan because the provincial govern- ment would not protect them as they would thousands of colonists. In answering these arguments of the governor of Samara, Epp and the Volga representation at the meeting declared that if need be, they would settle in the independent Islamic countries bordering Turk- estan.'* Besides, the Mennonite millennialists still had faith in Kaufmann’s assurances, expressed in a telegram of December 31, 1879, that 200 families would gladly be accepted in Turkestan. Epp and his brethren claimed that the hand of God had favored their plans and that not even the governor of Samara or the czar could dissuade them.” Their theology was more important to them than human knowledge or reason. In fact, confidence abounded in their “new revelation” which rejected so defiantly the ways of the world. Belief was strong that the Lord would bless them only if they did His will. Turkestan, moreover, seemed the only outlet for their plight. They could no longer follow a czar who would soon serve the Antichrist nor in- habit a modern state which was hostile to Christ, a product of the human mind, and devoid of spiritual insight. They would withdraw from this “worldly majority.” Not only did the Russian government oppose their plans, but fellow Mennonites were equally critical of their proposed trek. Many refused to accept millennialism as a valid biblical teaching and spoke out against the idiosyncracies of Epp. A vigorous opponent, Isaac Peters, asserted that even the founder of the Mennonites rejected the chiliasm now being taught: “Menno Simons never believed in the mil- lennium and whoever does is no Mennonite,’ he charged.” Forming of the Bride Community To answer these critics, the Epp faction wrote an elaborate vindi- cation of its enterprise and had it published.” They justified their Plans and Hopes 83 undertaking, first of all, as one which followed biblical revelation rather than the ‘‘worldly majority.” They believed that both the Old and New Testaments revealed God's will that they must follow a higher calling as good disciples of Jesus Christ. Thus, the evil modern state had no right to control God’s people. Secondly, they were un- willi