AUTUMN'S BOUNTY !i ! When Autumn's harvest arrives. the treats are fascinating! Crunchy, juicy apples, luscious, plump grapes, crisp meaty nuts, and flavorperfect cheese ... to name just a few! We're featuring many <strong>of</strong> your favorites right now. Come on in and get them at Safeway. Enjoy Autumn's bounty at remarkable savings! I"~"''''~ AUTUMN'S BOUNTY 'aut,I"VI; .• :: lilt f;1I1dIBtst- '([.111 • .I1.J$'1 _1 1IWUfi.'Wli .ltJlii'PI • 8/ mennonite mirror / october 1974
Rev. J. 'H. Enns, 1889 1974: The f un eral service for Rev, j,H, Enns on September 4, wh ich filled t he large First <strong>Mennonite</strong> Church <strong>of</strong> Winnipeg to overflowing, WdS a fitti ng tribute to an unusual and widely respected individua l. I n my own mind I was carried back to the late 1940's when Rev. Enns visited our home in Steinbach to conduct Sunday worship services. He was the leading minister <strong>of</strong> both the First Menno nite Church <strong>of</strong> Winnipeg and <strong>of</strong> a mu ch larger congregation called the Sclloenwiese r (Beautiful Meadow) Church, which in cluded First <strong>Mennonite</strong> in addition to about a do zen other congregations in Manitoba. The Steinbach branch <strong>of</strong> this church usually met in our home for worhsip about once a month. Rev. Enns took his ',turn" several times a year, In this rather intimate setting, followed by a meal, I formed my first impress ions <strong>of</strong> him. There was something forceful, and at the same time gentle , about hi s personality. Though he sp ~ ke quietly and always very positively abou't the cl aims <strong>of</strong> the Christian faith he was by no means a weak or timid person. There were those who equated his gentle manners with s<strong>of</strong>tness, but they were (The editorial committee <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Mennonite</strong> Mirror decided last sprin,q to publish occasional "appreciations" <strong>of</strong> persons recently deceased who, in the opinion <strong>of</strong> the editors, made a si,qnificant contribution to the <strong>Mennonite</strong> community. Our first appreciation is <strong>of</strong> Rev. ;.H. Enns who died on September 1, 7974, at the a,qe <strong>of</strong> 85. He was the ,quiding spirit <strong>of</strong> the First <strong>Mennonite</strong> Church <strong>of</strong> Winnipe,q for more than three decades, during which time the membership <strong>of</strong> this con,qre,qation increased from le ss than 700 to 7,300, makin,q it one <strong>of</strong> the larges t con,qre,qations in the world <strong>Mennonite</strong> brotherhood, Unlike obituaries, which are adequately covered in the daily press and radio, our apprecia tions will toeus not so much on the even ts in a person's life as on the meanin,q <strong>of</strong> that life for the <strong>Mennonite</strong> community. While positive in tone, they are not meant to be eulo,qies. What we hope to achieve is an honest and r espectful evaluation <strong>of</strong> a person's life. We encourage readers to send us similar appreciations from time to time for our consideration). mistaken in this impression. He had very strong convictions and in private discussions particularly he could become quite emotional in expressing them. I was not surprised in later years, when I had the opportunity <strong>of</strong> working closely with him, to discover that he led church council and brotherhood meetings with a very firm sense <strong>of</strong> direction. I once asked him how he would define the role <strong>of</strong> a chairman at a meeting and he replied in characteristicFashion: "A chairman must take the time before a meeting to think carefully about the decisions that should come out <strong>of</strong> the meeting and then at the meeting, within limits <strong>of</strong> fairness and tolerance, he should try his utmost to obtain those decisions." I n this regard Rev. Enns was most fortunate in his choice <strong>of</strong> a life's partner. His wife always supported him, without losing her own individuality and the freedom to assert her own view poi nt. I always found it refreshing to observe the way in which they supported and corrected each other. Quite recently Rev. Enns, in keeping with his strong sense <strong>of</strong> family loyalty, took me aside and upbraided me for having worked for a political candidate in opposition to one <strong>of</strong> his sons. His wife overheard the conversation and immediately took her husband to task, stating very forcefully that this is after all a democratic country and the son in question respected my right to have my own convictions. Rev. Enns smiled, not fully convinced but willing to live with the fact that freedom was not possible Without some conflict. I n the late 1940's Rev. Enns stood at the beginning <strong>of</strong> the most fruitful period <strong>of</strong> his ministry. The years following saw a tremendous influx <strong>of</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong> refugees from Europe. A large number <strong>of</strong> those who came to Winnipeg were greeted personally at the station by Rev. Enns and subsequently found in his congregation the spiritual home for which they were looking. I have been told by many <strong>of</strong> these refugees that no minister in their experience made them feel so welcome. The late 1940's were also a period <strong>of</strong> storm and controversy in Rev. Enns' life. In 1945 at a meeting <strong>of</strong> ministers and deacons in the Springstein <strong>Mennonite</strong> Church Rev. Enns delivered a paper on the thought <strong>of</strong> Hans Denk, an early Anabaptist. He expressed sympathy with Hans Denk, inby R.H. Vogt an appreciation eluding Denk's conviction that God would ultimately reconcile all people to himself. In this regard Rev. Enns quoted the passage from Philippians 2: 10-11, " ... at the name <strong>of</strong> Jesus eve ry knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord . .. " S ubseq uen tly a t the ann ual session <strong>of</strong> the Conferen ce <strong>of</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong>s in Canada held at Eigenheim Saskatchewan Rev. Enns was ,accused <strong>of</strong> falsely interpreting scripture. This accusation was repeated in the Mennon ite press and was debated at a number <strong>of</strong> special meetings called for that purpose, including a bitter one in Winnipeg at the old Bethel Church which led to the separation <strong>of</strong> the First <strong>Mennonite</strong> Church from the <strong>Canadian</strong> <strong>Conference</strong>. The church remained a member <strong>of</strong> the General <strong>Conference</strong>, however, and the latter sent a reconciliation committee to Canada to reunite the church with the <strong>Canadian</strong> <strong>Conference</strong>. This was formally accomplished at the annui\1 session <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Conference</strong> in Sardis B.C. in 1949. However, the mistrust and personal antagonisms generated by this controversy could not be healed overnight and in the eyes <strong>of</strong> some they cast a shadow over Rev. Enns and his congregation for many years. In later years Rev. Enns was reluctant to discuss this controversy, not because he lacked courage but because he felt that there was no purpose in reviving old wounds, He said several times that he was willing to rest mennonite mirror / october 1974/9
Change language