Bernhard Peters: elder of the Margenau-Schönsee Mennonite congregation in the Molotschna Mennonite settlement, South Russia; was born at Vierzehnhuben, West Prussia on 28 November 1816, son of Dietrich Peters (b. 1776) and Margaretha (Wiens) Peters (1783-1836). He married Aga­tha Wiens (1824-1910) in 1846, and had a family of 8 sons and 4 daughters. He died at the age of 96 at Liebenau, Molotschna.

Peters became minister of the Margenau-Schönsee congregation in 1850 and elder in 1861. He was a member of the “Molotschnaer Kirchenkonvent" and as such was sent twice during the 1870s to St. Petersburg in matters relating to military serv­ice for Mennonites. In contrast to most preachers of his day, Peters prepared his sermons himself instead of reading them from a book. His son Abram B. Peters (1860-1959), was a teacher in Russia and Manitoba and a minister of the Mennonite Brethren Church.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, pp. 152-153. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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