Early Mennonite Brethren history

Christian ethics and theology with an Anabaptist perspective
Neto
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Early Mennonite Brethren history

Post by Neto »

I don't expect a great deal of interest in this topic, since most participants here are Swiss Brethren, but I found a website which has a good number of informative books about the Mennonite Brethren. Of particular interest is a book called "The Story of the Early Mennonite Brethren. (1860 - 1869) - Reflections of a Lutheran Churchman".

One quote, in regards to the illegal witnessing the members of this new group took upon themselves as a part of their Christian faith:
In October 1863 Wieler baptized an Orthodox boy, Matthew Serbulenko, from the Volosskoe settlement, Yekaterinoslav Uezd, in the Dnieper River. Brune personally interviewed this boy. This incident provides an insight into the
Hiipfer influence on the peasants through personal relationships. They are gradually drawn into the sect. The boy said, " I
was taught the Gospel during the four years I worked in the house of the Mennonite Willms. Before that I knew nothing and did not believe in anything. Now I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, my Savior. I know he has saved my soul and
that I have to fulfill all that is written in the Gospels for my salvation. He was asked if he was aware of the consequences of leaving Orthodoxy. Serbulenko replied, "I did not do anything evil and cannot be punished for reading the Gospels."
Here is the website from which I have downloaded a PDF version of this book:
http://www.mbhistory.org/pub.en.html

A bit of explanation:
It was strictly illegal for the Mennonites to try to convert anyone not already a part of their group, especially from the Russian Orthodox.
"Hufper" means something like 'Jumper'. The early MBs were called this because of the exuberant worship & singing. (Yeah, kind of hard to imagine now...)
Brune is the Lutheran author of an official report conducted on request of the Russian government. His full report is included in this book.

I continue to read with interest..... (You have to excuse me, I guess, because it is my background, and these people refused to be 'the silent in the land".)
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Josh
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Re: Early Mennonite Brethren history

Post by Josh »

Thanks, Neto. The history of the MBs is particularly relevant since their origins are exactly the same as the modern day General Conference, Old Colonists, Kleine Gemeinde and Holdemans, and it’s worth considering the different paths each group went down - and cultural differences are not the chief differences here.
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Neto
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Re: Early Mennonite Brethren history

Post by Neto »

In answer to a question that has come up in the past, as to whether the Russian Orthodox church participated in persecution of Christian believers, I quote the following letter from a Mennonite man, in which he appeals to the Czar for freedom from imprisonment. It is true that the actions to which he is responding were conducted by the civil government, but these actions were based on protection of the Orthodox church from conversions of their members, and I think it should be clear that this was done with their approval. One might compare these actions with the persecution of the Dutch Mennonites in Holland, inspired by the Spanish Catholic church, but carried out by the secular authorities.
To: His Excellency, the Privy Councillor Baron von Brune
From: the Mennonite, Heinrich Huebert
Taurida Gubernia, Berdyansk Region
Molotschna Mennonite District
(Translated (from the German): In my dire circumstances I
turn to your Excellency for help, convinced of your empathy
for the suffering of God's children. I am confident you will do
what you can to free me from prison.
The reason for my arrest is as follows: On 1 April, I refused
to disclose the name of the baptizer of a Russian girl Priska, the
daughter of Ivan Morosov, to an investigating commission.
This girl served in our household from 1855 to 1862. During
this interval she learned sufficient German to understand the
Word of God when it was read. When it was subsequently read
to her in Russian by Russians living on the other side of the
Tokmak River opposite Liebenau, God's Word, as expressed in
Romans 1:16, "for the salvation of everyone who believes,"
found fulfilment in her. Unfortunately, "everyone who wants
to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim.
3:12).
In the spring of 1862, a police commission came to the
estate opposite Liebenau to interrogate several Russian believers.
Priska was commanded to confess to a Russian priest, to
admit the error of her faith, and to renounce it. When she
refused to do so, like-minded Russian believers were ordered to
beat her. When they refused, Priska's father requested permission
to beat her, which he did in the most brutal fashion. She
was then transferred to another workplace. These employers
were also Mennonites. Her new place of service proved a new
blessing for God's kingdom. The entire household, with one
exception, turned to God. Then on 2 July, while still serving
the household, she ceased to resist the voice of God's Spirit and
requested that we baptize her. We anticipated persecution and
commended ourselves to the One to whom all power in heaven
and earth is given, "Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
158 The Story of the Early Mennonite Brethren (1860-1869)
Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28: 19). We obeyed this
command and baptized her.
Since 9 April, I have been in prison in Tokmak where no one
is allowed to speak to me, not even my wife who brings me food.
I have not been questioned throughout this entire period. My
wife's petition to the magistrate Malorov requesting my temporary
release for reasons of declining health has been ignored.
I am convinced that your Excellency will have compassion
on my suffering and will accept my case and explore the possibility
of my release. For my part I will not neglect to remember
your Excellency in my prayers. At the feast of the Lamb,
when people from the east and west, and from the north and
south will take their place (Luke 13:29), my joy would be
unspeakable if we were to greet one another.
In the sure hope that you will be able to fulfill my humble
petition, I sign myself as the most obedient servant of your
Excellency.
Heinrich Huebert
Tokmak, 13 August 1865.
Note especially the persecution of the Russian or Ukrainian woman who refused to renounce her faith in our Savior, Jesus the Christ of God - a severe beating by her own father (because her fellow believers refused the government order to carry out the punishment). [This excerpt is taken from pages 157 & 158 of the book I mention in the first post.]
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Neto
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Re: Early Mennonite Brethren history

Post by Neto »

Last night I finished reading the book "Trailblazer for the Brethren", a sort of historical novel about the life of Johann Klassen (AKA Classen or Claassen).

Having just recently come through a failed attempt to start an outreach congregation, I think this might be a good read for anyone involved in starting a new congregation, because the MB group could have easily faded away because of both external persecution (from the established Mennonite church in the colonies), and from internal strife & back-biting. In our case, no one was jailed at the initiation of the 'old' congregation, but we didn't receive any support from them, and some actual opposition from the leadership (after they found out that we intended to change the congregational guidelines & constitution). But more serious than this was the conflict that arose within the interested group, even within the guiding committee. Our attempt failed. The MB church survived in spite of some very serious conflicts. This book gives an honest & open view of the sometimes worldly or selfish motives that could have easily brought the revival that resulted in the formation of the MB church to an early and quick demise.

I'll just quote here from a review I found this morning:

*SPOILER ALERT*
Two things stuck with me about this story:

1) The extremes to which Mennonites were willing to go to punish each other for their theological differences: Compliance and pride seem to have been a serious idol for some of the leaders. As a result, a few of the Mennonite Brethren were nearly impoverished.

Here's an example of the type of persecution the Mennonite Brethren endured: On the pretext of "not associating with unbelievers," Mennonites who owed the Mennonite Brethren money immediately stopped repayment on their debts. At the same time, the Mennonite Brethren were ordered to repay their debts to the Mennonites instantly. Some families lost nearly everything they owned, and were desperate to leave Molotschna for a new settlement, which Johann spent years trying to arrange with Russian authorities.

2) How quickly the persecuted Mennonite Brethren group began to fight, hold grudges, part ways, and even ban one another from fellowship: In the beginning, their unity kept them strong and focused. But it wasn't long before they began to splinter over the topic of emotionalism during services. The "joy of the Lord" group became notorious for dancing, yelling, sweating (as a result of the dancing), and noisy disturbance that drew their surrounding Mennonite neighbours to their property in anger. The 'calm' group was deeply uncomfortable with this disorder in their services. After a while, leaders started to ban church members and each other for holding different convictions on this one topic.
[source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/376 ... e-brethren]
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Neto
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Re: Early Mennonite Brethren history

Post by Neto »

This isn't necessarily about Mennonite Brethren specifically, and maybe very few will read this, but it is about my people- those who either chose to stay in Russia, or were for one reason or another unable to leave during the years when all of my ancestors left the Russian Empire, and came to the USA.

These stories are about those who suffered under Communist rule in the USSR.

https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longfor ... g-archives
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MaxPC
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Re: Early Mennonite Brethren history

Post by MaxPC »

Neto wrote:This isn't necessarily about Mennonite Brethren specifically, and maybe very few will read this, but it is about my people- those who either chose to stay in Russia, or were for one reason or another unable to leave during the years when all of my ancestors left the Russian Empire, and came to the USA.

These stories are about those who suffered under Communist rule in the USSR.

https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longfor ... g-archives
Thank you, Neto. I think this is quite informative.
:up:
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Max (Plain Catholic)
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Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
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Neto
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Re: Early Mennonite Brethren history

Post by Neto »

MaxPC wrote:
Neto wrote:This isn't necessarily about Mennonite Brethren specifically, and maybe very few will read this, but it is about my people- those who either chose to stay in Russia, or were for one reason or another unable to leave during the years when all of my ancestors left the Russian Empire, and came to the USA.

These stories are about those who suffered under Communist rule in the USSR.

https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longfor ... g-archives
Thank you, Neto. I think this is quite informative.
:up:
All of my ancestors got out before this era, so I can hardly believe how affected I still am by reading this. I knew that this kind of thing happened, and have heard stories of mass graves of those killed by the Soviets, but somehow putting a name & a face to it really gets me.
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MaxPC
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Re: Early Mennonite Brethren history

Post by MaxPC »

Neto wrote:
MaxPC wrote:
Neto wrote:This isn't necessarily about Mennonite Brethren specifically, and maybe very few will read this, but it is about my people- those who either chose to stay in Russia, or were for one reason or another unable to leave during the years when all of my ancestors left the Russian Empire, and came to the USA.

These stories are about those who suffered under Communist rule in the USSR.

https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longfor ... g-archives
Thank you, Neto. I think this is quite informative.
:up:
All of my ancestors got out before this era, so I can hardly believe how affected I still am by reading this. I knew that this kind of thing happened, and have heard stories of mass graves of those killed by the Soviets, but somehow putting a name & a face to it really gets me.
They aren't my ancestors (as far as I know) but it affects me as well. These are our brothers and sisters in Christ and so they are my family in Christ.
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Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35
Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
Karstan78
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Re: Early Mennonite Brethren history

Post by Karstan78 »

Neto wrote:This isn't necessarily about Mennonite Brethren specifically, and maybe very few will read this, but it is about my people- those who either chose to stay in Russia, or were for one reason or another unable to leave during the years when all of my ancestors left the Russian Empire, and came to the USA.

These stories are about those who suffered under Communist rule in the USSR.

https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longfor ... g-archives
This was hard to read. Even though we’re not from a MB, we are still Anabaptist and these stories rang very close to home. Thank you for sharing.
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Neto
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Re: Early Mennonite Brethren history

Post by Neto »

This is not specifically about the Mennonite Brethren in Russia, but more generally about the Mennonites in Russia as a larger group, in the era of the Revolution, and the fall of the Czarist government. Some of the Mennonites of that time, and perhaps especially the MBs, were very loyal to the Czar, and embarrass me with the level of their patriotism. The book I recently read was finished in 1910, and published (in Russia) the following year. The next 8 to 10 years brought sweeping changes to the Mennonites who had remained in Russia; their whole world was literally turned up side down.

I haven't finished watching all of these episodes, but I recently became aware of a Ukrainian TV series that has now been sub-titled in English, all about the life & views of Nestor Makhno, a murderer & criminal, or a political prisoner (anarchist), perhaps depending on one's political views.

Here is the link to these episodes:
https://archive.org/details/01.dvdripsv ... iNo=-].mkv

Here is a short article by Arnold Neufeldt-Fast, posted earlier today on the Mennonite History & Genealogy FB group. It is relevant to today, because he recounts events of Good Friday, 1919 - 101 years ago.
Good Friday 1919: Mennonites lay down their arms. Pray for forgiveness
First some context.
In the Mennonite tradition, no communion without first making peace with your brother/sister. The diary of Jacob P. Janzen of Rudnerweide, Molotschna—a single adult, brother to a lay minister--gives regular examples:
“Easter Sunday, April 10, 1911: We were also admonished to take part in communion; not many had attended [it] on Good Friday. With some it is because of small quarrels within the family or with neighbours, but others have felt deep hate for a long time and have stayed away for more than 20 years!” (Note 1)
Frequently Janzen also wrote down brief evaluations of the worship service, like on Good Friday 1911:
“Today we had communion in the morning and also church services in the afternoon. Rev. [S.] preached the sermon. He had written everything down and looked now and then at his papers, but in between he often got stuck and then he would keep coughing until he found his place in his papers. It was very disturbing and I became quite annoyed.”
These Good Friday/ Easter entries are from the so-called “Golden Years” of Mennonite life in Russia. Only eight years later--after World War I, Revolution, the Anarchist raids of Makhno--that world had come to an end.
One month before Good Friday and Easter 1919, the “First Mennonite Infantry Regiment” and self-defense units (Selbstschutz)—startling developments in themselves--ceased fighting.
This sets the stage for Good Friday and Easter 101 years ago.
On March 11, 1919, when Mennonite Selbstschutz leadership discovered that the Bolsheviks and the followers of Nestor Makhno [anarchists] had joined forces, they laid down their arms after three months of fighting.
“Selfless leaders among our people—Benjamin H. Unruh, A. P. Willms, Dr. Tavonius, and perhaps a few others [Kornelius Wiens]—walked directly into the lion’s den, that is, the headquarters of the Reds in Gross Tokmak, and pleaded for mercy. They solemnly declared that we had founded the Selbstschutz [for protection] against the bandits only and that we did not know that in the end we were fighting against government troops. This explanation lessened the punishment.” (Note 2)
Under the Bolsheviks, Makhno and his followers were given absolute authority in the province. In their anger they had sworn to kill all the inhabitants of the Gnadenfeld District and burn their villages to the ground. And then “something extraordinary happened”—recalls a Selbstschutz member and son of an elder--at a meeting hastily organized for the twenty-six villages at the Gnadenfeld district offices. Amidst “utter confusion” about what to do next, Pordenau Elder Peter Epp spoke up:
“Appearing suddenly in the large hall of the district office amidst the great crowd of people was my father, Peter Epp. With fiery eyes he scanned the room and then he called out loudly: ‘Brothers, we have sinned, we have abandoned the aid of God and trusted instead in the strength of our own arms of flesh. There is only one way for us—to repent, to confess our sin and to return to God.’ Afterward Father shouted into the gathered crowd: ‘Let us pray.’ He kneeled where he stood, and brought all others to their knees as well, Mennonites and Russians, just as they were. After a prayer of confession and repentance, father stood up, looked at me for a long time and said, ‘Son, the war is over; let’s go.’” (Note 3)
My (ANF) grandfather was about the age of the writer and a member of the same congregation.
From this meeting in Gnadenfeld—“in the very room where formally the Selbstschutz was courageously organized and where the nonresistant brothers were ordered to keep quiet”—prayer occurred, and an order was sent by the district office to all villages: “Do not flee, it is hopeless. We are encircled. Come together, preach repentance sermons in all villages. Cry mightily to God, perhaps He will be merciful” (note 4).
That directive for community prayer was taken up; the following two examples from Rudnerweide and Schardau were replicated in each village. Here again, the diary of Jacob P. Janzen:
“March 11, 1919: A sad day. … It is said that the bandit groups of Makhnovs, Ivanoutzi and Subkovtse have joined together with the Bolsheviki. Our Selbstschutz has given up … . It is said that they [Bolsheviks and Makhnovs] will not murder but high contributions will be assessed and all the grain will be taken. … We had a general prayer meeting at 4 since matters are so serious. … There had been serious arguments and [Rudnerweide Elder David Nikkel] wondered whether we should not forgive one another. All who were willing to forgive were asked to stand—that was good. We are in a situation where we don’t know whether we’ll live till tomorrow… . Hamberg, Klippenfeld and some other villages have been evacuated.” (Note 5)
Another person recalled:
“Those were real prayer meetings! In ... Schardau they met in the afternoon [and stayed] until six in the evening. Someone observed that it was time to feed the cattle. The response: What did the king of Nineveh say: ‘The cattle shall neither have water or feed. Cry out fervently to God!’ The prayer meeting lasted until nine in the evening. That was a village where previously they were against public prayer. Calamity teaches [us] to cry to God!” (Note 6)
Schardau—where my then 15-year-old grandmother lived--was the neighbouring village to Pordenau, and they were all members of the Pordenau church.
The terms of peace included the surrender of all weapons. “What a shock to see wagonloads of weapons driven to Halbstadt through our formally peaceable village. We had no idea that so many of the weapons were still hidden,” noted Mennonite Brethren leader B. B. Janz (note 7).
Non-Mennonite Communist Party instructors from Waldheim, Molotschna with Red Army personnel helped to carry out new elections locally in the Molotschna, with some Mennonites siding quickly with the new regime. Again Jacob P. Janzen’s diary gives a local glimpse:
"March 28, 1919 [Rudnerweide]. We had to come to the village mayor immediately in order to elect a new Assistant. Three men from Waldheim have come and are leading it (Hellblau, Koehn and I don’t know the other’s name). Johann Thiessen is Assistant, Friesen is Chairman and also Secretary, Jakob Ewert, Abram Penner, Johann Nikkel and H. Thiessen, Peter Ediger, H. Goerz, Bernhard Klassen are in the soviet. He held a speech and used verses from the Bible but he continued to swear fluently.” (Note 8)
Those elected in 1919 were likely not yet Bolshevik Party members; however a soviet office role and Bolshevik Party membership was an “entry ticket” for those seeking to advance in the new order.
This is the longer context for Jacob P. Janzen’s diary reflections on Good Friday and Easter 1919, and for some of the days that followed:
“April 15, 1919. Today many [Red Army] soldiers were driven to Seljonowka and some wagons went to Marienthal [beside Pordenau]. At places they took sheets and also money for tobacco.”
“April 19, 1919 [Good Friday] During the 2nd [guard] shift it had been quite restless. The guards out of these villages all fled, trading horses, took our blankets along and then took other horses and harnesses. The flag had been taken away and they were so angry when they came back.
... Not many attended the Communion service in church this morning. Elder Nikkel [Rudnerweide] pointed out it was the wrong time to stay home in these days even if one wished to. Many possibly stayed home because of what he said [??] but we need to forget that for a bit and deepen our thoughts on the Lord’s Supper. Last year more than 300 communicants attended and now there were hardly half that number, he said. ... A train arrived in Berdjansk this morning and it made the Reds very nervous [rumour that the British were coming] and there was much running around, but they don’t know who the people were. Many buggies, as well as horses, are being sent out of Berdjansk by rail. I had to go on guard duty during the 2nd shift.”
"April 23, 1919. Rained almost all day with a west wind. Cannon fire is clearly heard from the direction of Marienthal ...”
“April 25, 1919. Today the guards made house searches … . They took whatever they wanted and took much. They beat several because they didn’t smile. They also took money. … I took one of them to the fields to look at the grain. He also recorded how much cattle and pasture we have. Then we had to take him to Marienthal.”
“May 17, 1919: Had to make the trip to Marienhof [?] in the morning with 3 Reds—one had worked in our village … He seemed to know which were the good and the bad farmers here and in Marienthal.”
“May 21, 1919:. We attended the funeral in the afternoon which could be held in peace. … Rev. Flemming spoke using 1 Peter 5: 6, 7, emphasizing that we are not to take revenge on our enemies or grab for a gun.”
“May 29, 1919 Sunday. Heinrich Abrahams of Franzthal preached in church today. He was very much in favour of the Selbstschutz [Mennonite self-defense units].”
In early June 1919 the White Army began a northward offensive and moved through the Molotschna settlement. ...
---Notes---
(Pic 2: “Red army resting, 1919,” is a stock picture from different region)
Note 1: Jacob P. Janzen, “Diary 1911–1919. English monthly summaries.” Edited and translated by Katharina Wall Janzen; “Diary 1916–1925.” Translated by Edward Enns. Jacob P. Janzen fonds, 1911–1946, vol. 2341. From Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, MB.
Note 2: Bernhard J. Dick, “Something about the Selbstschutz of the Mennonites in South Russia (July 1918–March 1919),” translated and edited by Harry Loewen and Al Reimer. Journal of Mennonite Studies 4 (1986) 135–142; 141. https://jms.uwinnipeg.ca/index.php/jms/article/view/238. On the flight from Halbstadt through the Molotschna towards Crimea, cf. Gerhard A. Peters, Menschenlos in schwerer Zeit: Aus dem Leben der Mennoniten Süd-Rußlands (Scottdale, PA: Mennonite Publishing House, 1923) 38–41. https://mla.bethelks.edu/gmsources/book ... ssland.pdf.
Note 3: Cited in John B. Toews, “The Origins and Activities of the Mennonite Selbstschutz (1918–1919),” Mennonite Quarterly Review 46, no. 1 (January 1972) 5–40; 30 n.77 [translation altered]; John B. Toews,Mennonites in Ukraine amid Civil War and Anarchy(1917–1920): A Documentary Collection, translated by John B. Toews (Fresno, CA: Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies, 2013) 182.
Note 4: G. Derksen, in J. Toews, Mennonites in Ukraine amid Civil War and Anarchy, 91; 182.
Note 5: Jacob P. Janzen, “Diary 1916–1925.” See also an account of an all-night prayer vigil in Rudnerweide, Saturday to Sunday during threshing period (July or August) 1919 or 1920. They had received information that a Makhno slaughter of the entire village was imminent, but the elder urged the entire village not to call the Selbstschutz, but to pray. The Makhno attack was called off in confusion, fearing troops in the village. Cf. Franz Wölk, “Prayer in Rudnerweide” (Lemgo, Germany). In author’s possession.
Note 6: G. Derksen, in J. Toews, Mennonites in Ukraine amid Civil War and Anarchy, 91.
Note 7: B. B. Janz, in J. Toews, Mennonites in Ukraine amid Civil War and Anarchy, 183. Cf. also “Biography of Jacob Cornelius Toews, 1882–1968,” translated by Frieda Toews Baergen (Leamington: Essex-Kent Mennonite Historical Association) 34f. https://www.ekmha.ca/collections/items/show/42.
Note 8: J. Janzen, “Diary 1916–1925.”
If you are of Swiss Brethren background, imagine for the moment that during the American Revolution there were several other factions involved in the fighting. Perhaps a Pro-German militia, and an armed & marauding anarchist group as well. Suppose the Mennonites / Amish of that time, in the midst of all of the raids, killings, rapes, and robberies of their food and animals, and facing starvation, decided to defend themselves against the anarchists. This is what happened in Russia, after the fall of the Czarist government. I am not excusing what my people did there during that era. (My actual ancestors had all left Russia between 30 to nearly 50 years before, but these were still my people.) It is a cautionary tail for us, that we do not fall into the "entitlement" attitude that I see around me now, especially in reaction to the government's response to C virus.
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Congregation: Gospel Haven Mennonite Fellowship, Benton, Ohio (Holmes Co.) a split from Beachy-Amish Mennonite.
Personal heritage & general theological viewpoint: conservative Mennonite Brethren.
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