Yazykovo Mennonite Brethren (MB) Church at Nikolaipol, Yazykovo Colony, province of Ekaterinoslav, South Russia, was organized in 1875-80 at Nikolaipol, perhaps the largest of the villages in the Mennonite settlement. Peter Peters, Cornelius Fehr, and Martin Koslowsky were the first ministers of the church. It was at first affiliated with the Einlage Mennonite Brethren Church about 15 miles to the south, but later became an independent congregation. The later ministers were Gerhard Regehr, Peter Toews, Johann Peters, and Johann Schellenberg. The MB Church at Nikolaipol after a period of struggle became well established spiritually. The Allianz movement made itself felt quite strongly, strengthening rather than impeding the spiritual life of the church. During the Russian Revolution of 1917-20 some of the villages were utterly destroyed by Makhno bandits and the church probably ceased to exist. Elder Gerhard Regehr, who lived at Reinfeld near Nikolaipol, managed to escape and immigrated to the USA. Johann Schellenberg was executed by the Makhno bandits during the Dubovka massacre.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 12. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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