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

ger brother, was hired to sell books and Bibles to the natives and discuss the meaning of Scripture with them. Be- coming quite involved in teaching the natives, he gained for himself a profound understanding of many aspects of theology.” The Question of Army Service During this time of religious change, innovation, and missionary activity by men like the Bartsch brothers, one principle of their faith remained unaltered: a strong belief in nonresistance. Even though the settlers knew that the young men of Aulie Ata would be subject to forestry service when they came to the settlement, they prayed that they would not have to engage in an activity which so com- promised their faith. As it turned out, their prayers were answered. A new and more liberal governor-general showed himself to be most accommodating to their convictions, and even sent representatives New Hope at Aulie Ata 147 from Tashkent to insure that the Mennonites were happy at Aulie Ata.‘' By May 1884, only one young man, Tobias Daridow Schmidt, had been formally drafted, and even he was not required to serve because of lung trouble. Four others had been called to Tashkent over the two-year period, but none were required to serve; either their service number was too high or their family situation required them to remain at home.‘* Though on occasion impatient officials warned the Mennonites to meet their obligations in this regard or face deportation to Siberia, these threats never came to pass.** None of the original settlers of the Aulie Ata settlement ever served the state in any way, though new emigrants were occasionally drafted into the forestry service and a few even into the army.“ To be sure, the settlers planted trees in the state forests to replace those they cut down, but this could hardly be construed as “serving the state.” Though the laws provided for compulsory forest service by the Mennonites, they were never enforced at Aulie Ata. The promise of 15 years free from obligation incorporated in their original contract was kept and even extended.** Whether other Men- nonites recognized the movement to Aulie Ata as a work of God or not, these nonresistant settlers praised it as a blessing of God.** In spite of the hardships of their early days, the settlement struck deep roots and remained. Over the years there were groups who returned to Tashkent, the Trakt, Molotschna, and the Kuban, or immigrated to America, but there was never a total exodus. De- scendants of these original settlers can be found in Aulie Alta today. 13 THE KHIVAN REFUGE Plans to Leave Serabulak Because of their dedication to a theology of millennialism, the Mennonites in Serabulak would experience more trying circumstances than their brethren at Aulie Ata. Wandering from one hopeless situa- tion into another, these courageous pioneers would endure ever- increasing hardships, and their quest for unity in Christ would end in a permanent and