Perilous Journey: The Mennonite Brethren in Russia 1860-1910, John B. Toews, 1988

his teaching post in the Molotschna in order to take up an itinerant ministry among the Russians. His reports in the Friedensstimme find him preaching in cities like St. Petersburg and Kharkov, in factories, on the estates of the Russian nobility, in Russian villages, among convicts or to young, struggling Russian congregations. 21 He remained active during the civil war preaching to both Red and White army troops, finally succumbing to typhus after an extended ministry in the Kiev area. Riediger concludes his account with the words: "I knew all these people." 22 A few pages earlier he observed: "Aside from these jottings only eternity will reveal how many of our Mennonites carried on missions among the Russians. I believe [my memoir] reflects only a small part of what was actually done." 2 3 The Riediger document reveals some surprising facts about the pattern of Russian evangelism. It was extremely individualistic. Concerned men and women simply took action. Riediger invited Russian workers into his home and requested Adolf Reimer to preach. H.P. Sukkau moved to a Russian town in order to learn Russian and worked as a carpenter to support his family. Johann Peters and his friends journeyed into the high arctic, adopted the Yakut life style and earned their livelihood by fishing with them. Jacob Wiens lived in the city of Samara as a Bible salesman. On a visit to the Brethren church at Lugovsk he induced the congregation to hold evangelistic services in a large 61 neighboring Russian village. Their activities were as varied as the individuals involved. Some simply testified to their workers or the Russians they encountered, others held house meetings, and those who were capable, travelled and preached. Evangelism among the Russians also reflected a sense of the spontaneous. A Russian couple invited a trembling, unsure Peter Riediger to their village. He hardly spoke a word before a widespread revival erupted. 24 Adolf Reimer preached wherever and whenever the opportunity presented itself. Riediger reports that H.P. Sukkau "preached God's Word in all the nearby Russian villages. Everywhere lost sinners accepted the Word and gave themselves to the Lord." 25 Citing Jacob Wiens of the city of Samara, Riediger writes: Look at brother H.P. Sukkau's influence! There is hardly a village where he has not been where there is not a smaller or a larger church. Yet for the educated [people! he is not the right man. 26 Riediger also referred to the clothes worn by men like Sukkau and Peters — "boots and plain [loose] clothing" 27 — the garb of the Russian peasant. The larger constituency was not involved in Russian evangelism. Riediger is explicit. Both conferences the Mennonite and the Mennonite Brethren, remained silent. A minority even protested against those who carried on mission [work] among the Russians. Some feared the police, others wanted to live in peace and quiet. 28 The support f