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

Studies, Winnipeg, Manitoba), File 52h. ••> Neufeld Journals, I (1904), 525-528. lr ' Jacob Epp Diary (Mennonite Heritage Center, Winnipeg, Manitoba), March 20, 1866; April 7, 1868; April 21, 1868; April 24, 1868; April 28, 1868; February 9, 1869; December 31, 1869; February 8, 1870. 16 Hans Kasdorf, "Pietist Roots of Early Mennonite Brethren Spirituality," Direction, XIII (1984), no. 3, 50. i" Ibid. 18 P.M. Friesen, Die Alt-Evangelische Mennonitische Bruederschaft in Russland 1789-1910 (Halbstadt, Taurien), 169. 75 76 CHAPTER VIII LOVING THE BROTHER Mennonites in Russia quarrelled before 1860. They argued with their leaders during settlement and with each other afterwards. There were the Flemish and the Frisians and those in between. Elders offended congregations and were deposed. Mennonite religious leaders were confronted by Mennonite civil authorities anxious for greater control of the community. There were those with land and those without— and the shouts of the quarrel reached the highest levels of Russian government. In one sense the Brethren secession of 1860 reaffirmed continuity in the history of a rather contentious people. In another it resurrected forgotten religious values and so challenged existing ideas and practices. Somehow the very fabric of the Russian Mennonite soul was more deeply involved. Other disputes were forgotten in time. This one was not. Then too the geographic setting of the quarrel was a restrictive one. The narrow confines of the mid-century village mindset easily retained the memories of angry words spoken or harsh actions taken. Some of these were factually correct, some error prone, others false. In later decades it proved difficult to re-examine these early images. Basic to the Old Church image of the Brethren was the extreme nature of their early religious style. In the wake of the Neu-Kronsweide revival in 1853-1854 radical leaders encouraged loud hallelujahs, lively rhythms with percussion accompaniment, the sister kiss and the rejection of everything associated with the old piety. Initially they were deemed worthy of the name Frommen (the pious ones) but soon derisive terms like Froehliche (the joyous ones), Huepfer (jumpers) and Springer (springers) seemed more appropriate. Thanks to the early antics of the nonconformists the Chortitza version of a Brethren "sin 77 catalogue" was probably compiled by 1858. The excesses of the few spoiled it for the moderate many since the prevailing rumors and exaggerations stemmed from their activities. Generally images of Brethren piety related to the sensational and unbecoming and the quietistic, contemplative elements in the movement were soon forgotten. Such a "sin catalogue," orally transmitted and enhanced by spectacular stories prevented any meaningful dialogue over the decades. Even if it wanted to do so the old structure could hardly have exercised moderation, for the Brethren too ha