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Mennonite Life to Cease Publication
A report in Gleanings from the Threshing Floor recently indicated that Mennonite Life will cease publication in December, 1999, after over fifty years of existence.
Mennonite Life began in 1946 at Bethel College with a number of purposes and goals in mind, such as replacing the Bethel College Monthly speaking to issues of Mennonite identity in a situation of considerable social change after the end of World War II. It provided a forum for General Conference interests, including Russian-background Mennonites and those living in the plains states (thereby competing with the Mennonite Quarterly Review which was seen as not offering room for those interests).
In 1996 a new editorial committee was appointed and the magazine was redesigned. According to the report, there has been more praise for Mennonite Life since that time than at any other time in the recent past. Ironically, subscriber numbers have continued to drop so that they are now below 500. Mennonite Life, the report comments, “is succumbing to a trend that seems to be more widespread in church-related and even secular publishing: general audience magazines which address issues of a more intellectual nature than popular culture and current news have trouble surviving.”
Adapted from Gleanings from the Threshing Floor, November, 1998.
B. H. Unruh papers acquired by the Mennonite Library and Archives
The MLA at Bethel College recently acquired photocopies of a B. H. Unruh collection held at the Hoover Institution in Stanford, California. The process of acquiring these materials began in 1990 but because of limits on the amount of photocopying that could be done in any one year it has taken until now to acquire the complete collection. It is expected that it can contribute significant new evidence for the story of Russian Mennonites in the early twentieth century and Unruh’s prominent role in that story.
Excerpted from Gleanings from the Threshing Floor, November, 1998.
Canadian Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
by Bert Friesen, Editorial committee chair
The Canadian Mennonite Encyclopedia is a project of the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada (MHSC). It makes available information about Mennonites in Canada on the World Wide Web.
The web site took a major step forward in 1998 through a $25,000 grant from the SchoolNet Digital Collections program funded by Industry Canada. It can be seen at the SchoolNet Digital Collections site or at the Historical Society’s own site at: http://www.mhsc.ca/
Until this year, the main content was basic data about congregations in Canada gathered during the MHSC’s Mennonites in Canada project. Now two new elements have been added to the site’s information: an introductory survey of Mennonites entitled “Who are the Mennonites”; and Canadian-related material from the print version of the Mennonite Encyclopedia, volumes 1-5.
The first element gives an overview of Mennonite history and theology including baptism and peace. Other elements include culture, language, music, and genealogy. One section deals with the church today, including a discussion of service and non-conformity, and another about the world Mennonite church, which includes a discussion about missions and the Mennonite World Conference. Each of these overviews is necessarily brief. However, in due time, each of these areas will have detailed articles on the site.
The second element is the transfer of information from the printed Mennonite Encyclopedia. This includes detailed information about family histories, individual biographies, histories of Mennonite institutions, some specific topics such as painting and printmaking, alternative service work camps, and inter-Mennonite cooperation. Most of this material is from Volume 5. The first volumes were published over 40 years ago. The material from these volumes needs more work in updating and reflecting current Canadian perspectives and understanding.
The potential of this medium to make information available is very broad. Information can easily be updated or changed in many ways. Also, it lends itself to more than text; it can also include photos, videos, and audio. All of these elements will eventually be part of this medium.
The MHSC welcomes your comments and suggestions. Please visit our web site.
Khorezm: The 8th Miracle of the World: Celebrating the 2500 Anniversary of Khiva
by Kamil Nurdjanov translated from Uzbekian into Russian by Rufia Redaminova, 1994
Greek and Arab travelers made reference in 1882 to a settlement of tall and brave people. They raised wheat and bred cattle and were engaged in fishing and hunting.
It was located near the Amu Darya River (the legendary Oxus). They lived some 12 km. from Khiva. The people were Mennonites who had leased land from the khan. Previously, they had lived in Russia, in the Saratov region on the Volga. Pacifist by religious persuasion, they left their homeland due to the threat of army enlistment. Their new home was located in Turkestan(which included Uzbekastan) in Khiva khanate. The khan was an absolute ruler.
The new arrivals soon followed the mode of farming they had left behind in Russia. However in 1883 they were granted the khan’s permission to seek another settlement as Turkoman bands had on several occasions attacked them and stolen cattle. Again as pacifists they refused to defend themselves. One of their number was killed in these raids, hence the khan’s consent to them to move on.
Approaching the new community, not far from Khiva, a visitor was struck by the new white-painted church which the local folk called “The “White Mosque”. Here at harvest-time no fields of wheat were seen; the reason was a lack of water and sufficiently large croplands. Hence the Mennonites resorted to making handicrafts and, in a short period of time, they managed to become the best craftsmen in the region.
According to historical documents the new settlers established amicable relations with their neighbors. They learned their language, customs and general culture. It was due to the Mennonites that the families in Khorezm learned to grow tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, cabbage, parsley, cucumbers, etc. By 1890 the Mennonites were successful cotton-growers. They also helped to build oil factories. The minister of their congregation was Otto Schmidt.
In the 1890s the Mennonites contributed valuable experience in improving the pedigree of cattle. To the great surprise of the Uzbeks the German Mennonites could demonstrate the amazing milking-machine. They were also builders; even today we can view historical architectural monuments and dwellings, among them the Palace Nurullabai, in the construction of which the Mennonites participated. By 1929 the population had increased to 280.
During Stalin’s persecutions many Mennonites disappeared. Local people believe they were taken away at night, nobody knows where to. It was a very sad fate indeed that befell the Mennonites who had promoted culture, wheat farming, cattle breeding and technical progress in Khorezm.
Centro Menno
Centro Menno is a drop in centre located in the city of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The Centre is staffed by MCC volunteers and serves as a resource to the 33,000 Old Colony Mennonites living in rural Bolivia.
Centro Menno houses a book store as well as a lending library of both German and English books. Good used and new books are always in demand and serve to promote literacy and education.
Especially valued are biographies, Mennonite and other history, fiction, encyclopedia, picture books for children, family life, and a limited number of faith and life books.
If you have books which you could donate, please bring them to the Mennonite Heritage Centre or contact us for further details. The collection process is spearheaded by Edna and John R. Peters, currently of Winnipeg, who spent the past four years as volunteers with MCC in Bolivia. They thank you for any books you can give for this centre.
K.R.
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Last modified October 31, 2000.
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