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

a part of the divine order and sexual activity was confined to the married state. Intercourse before marriage or adultery during marriage were considered serious offenses by the family, the clergy and the community as a whole. When a transgression was discovered or confession made, the matter received a preliminary airing in the Ohmsstuebchen, then it was brought before the Bruderschaft. At this level the community reaffirmed its norms by recommending immediate expulsion from the church. Later, if repentance and contrition were in evidence, the supplicant was usually readmitted. Epp was deeply shocked in 1837. The instances of promiscuity and adultery which occurred in Rosengart were "unheard of until now." 23 The following years seemed even worse. The Lehrdienst was confronted by a number of distasteful situations: squelching false rumors accusing the schoolteacher Klippenstein of having an affair; 24 the seduction of an older bachelor with the object of forcing him to marry; 25 the Mennonite Friesen, separated from his wife, was ordered not to spend so much time with the widow Dyck. 26 Johann Brand broke off his engagement to the widow Wiebe after two public announcements. The Lehrdienst, viewing this as breach of promise, fined him 30 rubles. 27 Excommunications for known cases of adultery 28 and premarital sex 29 steadily increased. Never before had the community dealt with so many cases of illegitimacy: a Mennonite youth impregnated a Russian lass; 30 a Mennonite girl bore a son to a Russian lad and had the baby baptized in the Orthodox Church; 31 a new-born child exposed by its young mother became the first Mennonite infant murdered since the migration to Russia. 32 There were even worse cases of deviation: a father impregnated his step-daughter; 33 the Lehrdienst heard a case of sexual assault; 34 several cases of sodomy proved even more unpleasant. 35 Community norms were gravely violated by such incidents. David Epp's position as a Lehrer made him the guardian of public morality in the broadest sense of the word. Unofficially he was a judge hearing civil or even criminal cases. He and other 6 members of the Lehrdienst played that role when dealing with the violence associated with alcoholism or questions of sexual impropriety. Beyond these areas they were expected to perform a broad range of duties relating to child welfare, juvenile delinquency, public mischief, contract disputes, property rights, theft, school questions or the enforcement of village by-laws. During July, 1837, a certain Goerz from Rosenthal had beaten another colonist. The Lehrdienst met in the Ohmsstueb- chen following the Sunday service on July 31 . Goerz promised to live more peaceably. 36 Johann Siemens, who had violated village tree-planting ordinances, had to apologize to the district council and its head. 37 Only two weeks earlier the same body met to approve the construction of two new churches and fixe