Notes
…from the general secretary

September, 2002

Dan Nigh- swander

Helmut Harder's biography of David Toews (David Toews Was Here 1870-1947; CMBC Publications, 2002) was launched at this summer's Assembly. When I asked him to sign my copy, Helmut wrote, "Blessings as you carry on the tradition." The tradition established by Toews' life includes, among many other responsibilities and achievements:

• pastor (45 years) and "Ältester" (33 years) of the Rosenorter church, which included as many as ten meeting places in the Rosthern area;
• founder of the German-English Academy (now Rosthern Junior College), and sometimes teacher, chair of the board and primary fund-raiser;
• one of the founders of Conference of Mennonites in Canada which he then served as secretary for 6 years and moderator for 25 years;
• director of the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization, in which capacity he was the prime mover in making possible the "exodus" of over 20,000 Mennonites from the Ukraine in the 1920's, and subsequently the primary fund-raiser to repay the huge travel loan from Canadian Pacific Railway for the immigrants;
• husband for 41 years and father of 8 children.

Toews' successor in many of his responsibilities (including moderator of Conference of Mennonites in Canada for 17 years) was J. J. Thiessen, whose biography was written by Esther Epp Tiessen and published last year (JJ Thiessen: a leader for his time; CMBC Publications, 2001). Thiessen was also instrumental in the founding of Canadian Mennonite Bible College and the biography reports on many of the issues that were faced in the early years of that institution.

Many of you and many members of your congregations knew Toews and Thiessen personally and have grown up on their stories. My tradition is reflected more in the biography of Harold S. Bender (Harold S. Bender, 1897-1962, by Albert N. Keim, Herald Press, 1998) and in the biographical collection by Urie Bender of earlier church leaders in Ontario, Four Earthen Vessels: biographical profiles of Oscar Burkholder, Samuel F. Coffman, Clayton F. Derstine, and Jesse B. Martin (Herald Press, 1982). I trust that we will not have to wait too many more years to read the stories of other men and women, including those who were/are leaders in our churches that are neither "Swiss" nor "Russian."

Long before I finished reading the account of Toews' life I abandoned any pretence of "carrying on the tradition" in its fullness. Any modest dreams of accomplishing good for the Kingdom of God pale in light of his energy, courage, and dedication to serving God and the church. The same could be said of many other previous leaders.

But we who are charged with leading congregations, conferences, and denominations can find, in all these accounts of those who preceded us and are now part of the "cloud of witnesses", models to inform and encourage us in our work. I commend these books to you and pass on Helmut's benediction: "Blessings as you continue the tradition."

Sincerely,

-Dan Nighswander, general secretary