During the time, this new places had been high deserted steppes. To accept and you may cultivate him or her, the government out of Catherine II desired best dating apps for poly foreign colonists. They were primarily Germans. A sizeable part of her or him had been the newest Mennonites out-of Prussia and you can Danzig.
When you look at the 1786, Prince Potemkin sent to Germany his authorized representative R. Trappe in order to “recruit colonists toward brand new Russian area.” The first Mennonite parents paid on isle regarding Khortytsya in the new system of one’s Dnipro, about Tauride province to your Molochna Lake (newest Melitopol and Berdyansk areas), Yekaterinoslav state (now Dnipropetrovsk).
Deacons aided at baptism additionally the Lord’s Lunch
That it spiritual direction are created in XVI millennium throughout the Netherlands by the a former Catholic priest Menno Simons. Even after high differences to your specific factors of philosophy, really Mennonites comply with the latest pre-Dordrecht confession, which had been fundamentally created on a meeting held inside the 1632 within the the brand new Dutch city of Dordrecht (Dort). Millennialism – a conviction about imminent establishment out-of millennial Empire away from God in the world is typical towards Mennonites.
The brand new Mennonite baptism is completed when you look at the a conscious age when good body is able to make his or her own decision. And, the newest baptism is not experienced an effective sacrament, but the rite to be did (for the majority teams by the raining) getting persons within many years of twelve to help you 18 ages. New Mennonites routine the new Lord’s Food (communion because they’re titled). At the same time, this new Mennonites don’t rely on the genuine exposure out of Jesus Christ regarding the Eucharist. Several other Mennonite rite is actually shared laundry from feet. Discussing fraternal kisses is also noticed a compulsory ceremony.
Very Mennonites decline to register so you can military and you may municipal provider, do not promote oaths on account of religion. Into the traditional Mennonite church organizations, this new excommunication to own sin are applied. Believers is don effortless clothing, and you can female defense its heads in the worship. All of the Mennonites manage strict church discipline, disapprove off marriage ceremonies which have members of most other faiths.
To prompt immigrants to carry around cultivation uninhabited steppes of your Southern area, Catherine II supplied them enough masters: continuous freedom about hiring obligations, tax exclusion to have 10 years, 65 acres away from property to every household members, five-hundred rubles for take a trip plus the acquisition of product to your structure and for the acquisition of farming stock. In turn, the new Mennonites must promote leases and you may carts getting soldiers passage thanks to the town, kept in an effective repair paths and you can bridges.
Brand new Mennonites settlers centered twenty-seven territories. The most significant of those is actually Halbshtadt (now Molochansk). In the first place there had been on 250 parents. From inside the 1809, they were registered by almost every other 600 Protestant family.
An excellent Mennonite area try provided by the religious commander (pastor). Their requirements were: preaching, pastoral proper care of souls, admiration away from community players, church discipline, religious training, the fresh new Lord’s Meal solution and you may ordination of the decided so you can serve the community elders and you may deacons.
Zero ceremonial ordination occured getting preachers: from the solemn conditions a presbyter represented them to the community and you may told you an effective prayer. Preachers was engaged in the fresh church situations of the elderly: they given marriages, funerals, however, did not baptize and suffice the new Lord’s Dinner. These were accountable for chapel property, offered assistance to poor people and you will planned brand new charity provider.
Trait off Mennonites was privacy and you will a want to avoid contact to the outer community
Although the pastor, deacons and you will preachers addressed the community, the high expert was still the fresh new fraternal council one to incorporated most of the male community members. It set the problems out-of excommunication and you will acquired the fresh penitent, selected parents, preachers and you may deacons of the wonders ballot, responsible for the exercises and practice from chapel existence of the majority choose. Each people try completely separate.