CHURCH: History and Today May 26

Jason Friesen

CHURCH: History and Today • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

Mennonites

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Intro

Good Morning! Welcome back after almost three weeks away, I hope you had a good break and a May long last weekend. Today we want to look at the final stage of the Mennonite era in Russia, and then move into the Mennonite migration to North and South America.

Central European Mennonite Migrations

I should start by stating that Russian Mennonites were not the first or only ones to migrate to North America. When it comes to migrations, the Mennonites are referred to in two general parties: The Dutch/Prussian/Russian Mennonites and the South German Mennonites and Amish. The first Dutch Mennonite record we have in North America was in 1657 in New York. After this earliest move across the ocean, most of the Mennonites coming until the mid 1800’s were the South-German/Amish Mennonites, who settled in Pennsylvania from 1683-1815.

In 1776 the U.S. won the war for independence. After this war a number of Mennonites and Amish moved up to Ontario. Kitchener, Ontario was founded by a man named Benjamin Eby in 1807. The reasons given were that they needed more land and also wanted to remain loyal to British rule. Later on more Amish and Mennonites came from Southern Germany and the surrounding area, as well as more immigrants from Pennsylvania. "The total number of South-German, Swiss, and Alsatian Mennonites and Amish immigrants to the United States and Canada probably did not exceed 8,000, including a small group which came after 1865." (Dyck, 196). Now there is a LOT more information about these Mennonites and the story of their settlement in America and Ontario is not going to be covered today. However, it is important to note that the support of these first Mennonite immigrants plays a definite role in the migration and success of the Russian Mennonites who came later. Also important is the organization of the Mennonite General Conference in America with strong ties to the Ontario Mennonites. Many of these Mennonites moved west as well with the western frontier of America, and settled in the prairie states.

Mennonites in Russia

Before we jump into the migration of Russian Mennonites to America, we need to recap on their situation in Russia.

“The high point of community development among the Mennonites of Russia was reached during this period from mid 19th century to the Bolshevik revolution. The most comprehensive statistics of Mennonite life in Russia were taken for the decade of the 1920s and constitute an invaluable study of the socioeconomic conditions at that time. From there it appears that there were 120,000 Mennonites in Russia after World War I, of whom 75,000 lived in Ukraine and 45,000 in Siberia and other parts of Russia. This does not include the 18,000 immigrated to North America in the 1870s.

The agricultural development promoted by Johann Cornies also made possible and necessary a limited industrial program. Mennonites concentrated on the production of agricultural machinery in the processing of their own agricultural products. Thus by early 20th century they had 70 large steam powered flour mills, factories whose combined output included 15,000 mowers and 10,000 plows annually, creameries and other industrial projects. Six percent of the industrial production in Russia was carried on by the Mennonites. But the vast majority of them were farmers...This flourishing economy made possible civic and educational programs unmatched anywhere in the Mennonite world at that time. Mutual aid, homes for the aged, orphanages, hospitals, including a psychiatric hospital, a school for deaf-mutes, a girls' school, and a school for business for young men were only a part of the vast provisions the communities made for their people. By 1914 they had 400 elementary and thirteen secondary or high schools, two teachers' colleges, four trade schools, one Bible school, and negotiations were carried on with the government for permission to establish a seminary...It is clear that all of these institutions could not have been supported adequately except by congregations who were experiencing a recovery of their spiritual life and were willing to sacrifice for these causes. This willingness was verified further by their support of some 12,000 Mennonite young men in the forestry and medical corps service during World War I which, in 1917 alone, cost the congregations three million rubles." (Dyck, 182-183).

With spiritual vitality and physical success in Russia, what factors do you think contributed to the migration to North America?

The Decline and Relocation

There were several major factors that led to large waves of Mennonites coming to North America. One of these reasons was that in 1874 Russian government passed a new military law that seemed to threaten their military exemption. There was actually alternative service provided in the law, but “they were not accustomed to alternative service and were afraid this was simply the beginning of an end to their coveted religious freedom.” (Dyck, 207).

Is there a difference between desiring religious freedom and desiring Christ? If so, what is it?

Other reasons were that Russia was starting to pressure the minority groups to assimilate into the Russian population. The threat of Russian integration was a concern. Many Mennonites had by this time associated their faith with their heritage, background, and especially, their German language. They also needed more land, and they had “an inability to deal creatively with the problems of a changing society.” (Dyck, 207).

Have we gotten any better at this?

In any case, in 1873 the first delegation from Russia came to scout the land in the USA and Canada. Twelve “spies” made the journey and reported (mostly) favorably about Manitoba and the Midwestern States. After their return in September of that year the first wave of Russian Mennonite migration began. Approximately 18,000 moved from Russia into Manitoba, Kansas, Minnesota, Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa. Over time they thrived. Reports from non-Mennonites visiting these settlements spoke glowingly about the agricultural success that the Mennonites had, their soon-to-be famous winter wheat (which they had brought from Russia) and their ability to turn swampy land into usable farmland.

The Mennonites in Ontario and Eastern States played a large role in the settlement of the new arrivals. They raised over $100,000 to cover transportation and settlement costs.

Does this mutual support and aid still exist today? What are some examples that come to mind? Should this be large scale or small scale as well?

While many Mennonites moved to America in this first period, the majority stayed in Russia. It was not until after the first World War that the vast majority of the Russian Mennonites would move to the Americas. During World War I and immediately after, there was a civil war in Russia that ended with a Communist government in power. The Mennonites that remained started becoming alarmed at what was happening and the changes that were taking place. From 1922 to 1930 some 21,000 more moved to Canada and approximately 4,000 moved to South America. Many settled on prairie farms, but because of the Great Depression many moved from there to Ontario and British Columbia.

After World War II about 35,000 Mennonites in Russia were evacuated to Poland and Western Europe in 1943 by the German army. Well over half were forcibly relocated back to Russia after the war was over. Of the remaining 12,000 in Western Europe, five thousand located to South America and 7,000 moved to Canada.

What Remains in Russia

In Communist Russia, Mennonite identity slowly declined. Non-Mennonite people soon settled among what remained of the Mennonites because their villages had emptied out. Many Mennonites were forcibly relocated to Siberia to prison camps. Instead of being returned to Ukraine where they had come from, they were allowed to establish new homes. At this point, I couldn’t find an exact number of Mennonites in Russia today, but it seems to be between 8-10,000. While there was a strong history in Russia, much has been left behind. However, their spiritual journey has not ended. There is a strong Baptist presence in Russia, and the Mennonites have close contact with them, often worshipping together. MCC has also done much to create communication between American Mennonites and the Russian Baptists and Mennonites.

Even though there are only a few Mennonites in Russia today, they are still there.

Mennonites in North America

There are several major Mennonite groups or conferences in North and South America. While there are many different groups, we will focus on the biggest groups and the ones that play the largest role in our area and family.

Old Mennonite Church

Not to be confused with Old Colony Mennonites, Old Order Mennonites are those of South-German descent, and were some of the first Mennonites to come to North America. There are large populations of Old Order Mennonites in Pennsylvania and Ontario. Historically, many of them held to a more conservative interpretation of Scripture and in practice, although many things have changed over the years. The Old Mennonite Church is the largest Mennonite Conference in North America, with over 100,000 members.

General Conference

The General Conference is one of the largest Mennonite Conferences in existence today, and it also starts with the South-German Mennonites in the eastern States. Three churches were started by Mennonite immigrants; one in West Point, Iowa in 1851, another in Franklin Township in 1852, with the third one in Summerfield in 1858. These churches became convinced that in order to be effective in home and foreign mission work, so in 1859 they joined to work together as congregations. Through the addition of other Mennonite groups, including a similar movement in Ohio and Ontario, by 1869 there were twenty congregations and about 1500 members. A major theme for the General Conference was the desire for unity among Mennonites. The largest group of Mennonites to join the General Conference was the group of Russian Mennonites who came in the 1870’s. A large number joined the General Conference.

Mennonite Brethren

We talked about the beginning of the MB conference several lessons ago back in Russia already. We won’t go over that again, but rather take a quick look at MB movement in North America. When the first Mennonites came to North America in the 1870’s, MB Mennonites were in that number. They settled in Kansas, Nebraska and Minnesota. The MB church in Canada started through missionaries from these areas. The first converts in this effort were baptized near Winkler, MB (there were no MB Mennonites in Canada from the 1870 migration). In 1900 there were about 2,000 members in North America MB Conference. When the next migrants came from Russia in the 1920’s, many more MB members came to the prairie provinces. However, because of the depression, many moved to BC and Ontario. There are also MB Churches in Paraguay and Brazil. In 1989 in North America there were over 43,000 members, with satellite churches in Austria, Germany, Spain, India, Japan, across all of Latin America for over 126,000 members outside of North America, Russia and Germany.

What is the benefit of having separate conferences even if generally speaking they have come to believe very similarly?

Evangelical Mennonite Conference

We also touched on the EMC origins in Russia. In 1874 most of the group moved to North America, 60 families in Manitoba and 36 in Nebraska. At first they were known as the Kleine Gemeinde, in 1952 they were the Evangelical Mennonite Church, and in 1960 to Evangelical Mennonite Conference. The group in Nebraska dissolved, and some of the Manitoba group joined the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, and about 400 members left for Mexico. In 1990 there were almost 6,000 members.

Old Colony Mennonites

Many of the Mennonites coming to NA in 1870 were from the Chortitza settlement (the oldest settlement in Russia) also known as the Old Colony. Members from Chortitza, as well as from its two daughter colonies (Bergthal and Furstenland) settled in Manitoba. “The Bergthal group settled on the East Reserve, about sixty kilometers south of Winnipeg, and came to be known as the Bergthal Mennonite Church. The Chortitza and Furstenland groups settled on the West Reserve, west of the Red River, and came to be known as the Reinland Mennonite Church after the municipality of Reinland, in which many of them lived. The Bergthals were generally more progressive than the other groups. Two concerns for the other groups were that the Bergthals were willing to live on individual homesteads rather than farming communities, and a desire for better education. By 1890 there were some regroupings. On the west side of the river (dit sied), Bergthal members who opposed some of these progressive ideas became known as the Sommerfeld Church, and those concerned on the east side (jant sied) became known as the Chortitza Mennonite Church, while the largest group who opposed these new ideas were known as the Old Colony. Many Old Colony Mennonites moved to Saskatchewan, in Rosthern and Swift Current. When education laws changed in Canada in 1914, they started looking for a new home. From 1922-1926, some 4,500 people moved to Mexico, and in 1926 another group left for Paraguay. Including the Old Colony, Sommerfelder, Chortitzer, Reinlander and some other small groups, the total of Old Colony Mennonites in Canada were almost 20,000 members in 1989. Since then some of these other groups are not called Old Colony anymore, and this number does not include the approx. 40,000 who went to Mexico or those who went to Belize, Bolivia and Paraguay.

Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference

Here we are! In 1936-37, an evangelist named I.P. Friesen of Rosthern, Saskatchewan created a split in the Sommerfeld Church. “Under the impact of his three-year ministry people were changed and became willing to break with the traditionalism of the past. Their church, however, remained intransigent (unwilling to agree or change one’s mind about something). Eventually the new believers formed a separate group called the Rudnerweide Mennonite Church…In 1961 the name was changed to the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference (EMMC).” (Dyck, 310).

What defines the EMMC?

“In contrast to the mother church, the new group immediately carried a strong missionary concern, as also interest in education discipleship. It appeared a genuine recovery of the vision of the sixteenth-century Anabaptists at many points. The EMMC became particularly active in working with the brethren they had left in the old church and eventually also established churches among them in Saskatchewan. In 1989 the EMMC included approximately 3,470 members with missionaries in Belize, Bolivia, Mexico, Texas, and Ontario, ministering both to Old Colony Mennonites and nationals. A strong concern for members of the old church continued, evidenced in Low German radio programs and other mission activities.” (Dyck, 311).

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