David Duerksen, 1850-1910

David Gerhard Dürksen was an elder of the Mennonite Brethren Church in the Crimea. Not much is known of his childhood and early youth, except that he grew up in a Mennonite (not Mennonite Brethren) home. He did not have the opportunity for educational advancement in his youth; but since he was not interested in becoming a farmer, he studied independently to prepare himself for the teaching profession. He taught first in the village school of Margenau. By his use of modern methods of instruction, his excellent discipline, and his friendly relations with the pupils and their parents he set an example to his younger colleagues, who looked up to him as their leader.

Before long the Margenau Mennonite Church chose him as minister. About this time he underwent a deep spiritual experience, as a result of which his preaching differed from the customary sermon in content and manner. Instead of reading aloud to his congregation for an hour or more from the yellowed pages of the sermons used by the previous generations, he spoke freely and directly to his audience, reviving the religious life of the congregation and leading many to conversion. Though his innovations also evoked some hostility, he was one of the most sought-after speakers for special services and conferences among all the Mennonites of South Russia.

His type of piety brought him in close contact with the Rückenau Mennonite Brethren congregation; he felt at home in this circle. His desire to live only in accord with the word of God, to build the church on the apostolic pattern, and the warm fraternal love he found in Rückenau must have influenced his decision to leave the Margenau congregation and unite with the Rückenau Mennonite Brethren Church. At first there was some tension between the Mennonite Brethren and the Mennonites in consequence of this step, but his conciliatory manner and his obvious devotion and spiritual depth soon overcame this tension, and he was again invited to preach in Mennonite pulpits.

For a time Dürksen tried to do justice to both his teaching and preaching offices, but soon gave up his beloved school to devote himself entirely to preaching. He was appointed as traveling evangelist by the Mennonite Brethren Church, serving in this capacity with outstanding success. He preached in nearly all of the Mennonite churches in both European and Asiatic Russia, in many Mennonite Brethren churches of North America, and also in West Prussia. He also took part on one occasion in the Blankenburg Alliance Conference at Blankenburg, Germany.

Dürksen was also an able writer. Unfortunately most of his powerful addresses were never put in writing, but whenever he found time he wrote for the Zionsbote and the Abreisskalender, as well as other periodicals.

Dürksen's most successful field of service lay perhaps in his work on the Crimean Mennonite school board, of which he became a member soon after his ordination as elder. His wide experience and understanding of human nature did much to raise the standards of Mennonite education. The Zentralschule in Spat and Karassan and the Crimea Mennonite girls' school were the result of his influence.

Dürksen was ordained elder of the Spat Mennonite Brethren Church in 1899. His duties as elder in the Crimea restricted his evangelistic tours more and more. The rise of Alliance groups, who sought to introduce open communion in the Mennonite Brethren congregations, led to bitter struggles in that conference, which were at times waged by carnal methods. Dürksen was at first pacific, but gradually espoused the side of the proponents of closed communion, adopting also the violent methods used by both sides. In addition, he made a very unfortunate second marriage, which blighted the rest of his life, so that his rugged physical frame broke under the strain. After an illness of nine months he died, mourned by Mennonites of all branches, including those who had been his severest critics.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 110-111. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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To cite this page:

MLA style: Kroeker, Jakob. "Dürksen, David Gerhard (1850-1910)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1956. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 07 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/durksen_david_gerhard_1850_1910>

APA style: Kroeker, Jakob. (1956). "Dürksen, David Gerhard (1850-1910)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 07 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/durksen_david_gerhard_1850_1910>