Preservings $20 Issue No. 26, 2006 - Home at Plett Foundation

Biographies
Aeltester Johann Loeppky
Journal On A Trip To Mexico - 1921
This journal was written by Johann Loeppky, Aeltester of the Old Colony Mennonite Church in Saskatchewan, north of Saskatoon,
on his trip to Mexico, in which he investigated settlement possibilities for his church. (editor)
January 19, 1921
Administrator Benjamin Goertzen and
I went on a trip to Mexico. Yes, while times
are changing so also has come the time of not
having freedom in our own schools. So we
have agreed, three congregations, one from
Manitoba, one from Swift Current (southern
Saskatchewan), and we from the old west,
to search for land where we can again have
our freedom of schools and such. The three
congregations pushed for a single congregation
immigration because of the lack of school
freedom. All we have seen and heard makes
us fear for our beloved young people, who
are now very wild, unruly, unrestrained and
unbridled in their way of life, who also don’t
honour their parents or the church. They don’t
want to listen, but live free and are impudent
in this world.
Therefore, the above three congregations
have often had brotherhood meetings
to discuss what can or could be done. Many
trips have been made to the Government to ask
them to give us, through grace, the freedoms
which were offered to our forefathers in 1873
before they immigrated from Russia and which
were offered them in Canada again. Could we
again have these freedoms in our churches and
schools? Their answer was, “You can have your
freedom of the church, but the schools were the
responsibility of each provincial government
itself, and the provinces have rules of their own
against which the Dominion Government does
not interfere.” When we spoke to the provincial
government they told us because of all the
nationalities, they had to put English into the
schools.
So up until now we three congregations
have not been able to teach our way, because
the school rules are compulsory. All children
from 7 to 15 are to attend public school for ten
months of the year. However, they offered us
if we would teach some English in our German
school, even if only one hour a day, they
would let us have our old ways. Yet, we feared
this compromise. We gathered many times,
had meetings and decided to immigrate to a
different country, as we could no longer have
our way of teaching with God’s word. (Read
Mark 10:23)
As mentioned before, many travels and trips
were made, to search for freedom of schools,
etc. They travelled to South America and the
west side of Mexico, but always returned with
unsatisfactory results. Mexico, however, did
not leave us hopeless and so we didn’t give up
on this possibility. Again and again meetings
Ältester Johann Loeppky and his wife. Johann Loeppky
was instrumental in reorganizing the Old Colony
Church in Canada after the migrations to Mexico in
the 19320s. Preservings, June 2000.
were held, with considerations, prayers and
begging for guidance, and then again we started
on our huge project. The administrator Mr. B.
Goertzen and I from the old west, David Rempel
from Swift Current, and Minister Julius
Loewen, Uncle Klaas Heide, and Cornelius
Rempel from Manitoba, finally all agreed to go
to Mexico, in hopes of getting our freedoms.
However, it was not a simple task or trip we
were undertaking, such as going sight seeing
from one place to another. I, especially, feel
inexperienced and humbled to go and appear
before the government and ask for freedom for
our way of life. We hoped and prayed that God
would be with us on our trip on this serious
task to help us conquer all our fears and trials.
On January 19, 1921 we left Osler, in hopes
of returning, and praying that God would be
with us on our journey. My wife and I prayed
together and asked our daughters to pray also
on the morning of our departure. I also prayed
in weakness to ask forgiveness of all my sins
through his grace, also praying for a safe return
to my family and congregation.
When all our tears that we shed for thee,
but by thee are written in heaven, that I through
grace can reach where all yours are, who have
come through great troubles.
Who have washed their clothes and have
made their clothes bright in the blood of the
Lamb, O Lord, may I now and forever pray,
erase through Jesus’ blood, and through grace
fare good with me.
In this world I can earn nothing, even if I
have made a trip. I am still only dust and ashes,
yes, a sinful person. Through the promise of
thy dear Son, namely, that nobody shall be lost
but rather gathered by him, I dare to pray: Lord
through grace, go not with me in judgement
and cast me not from thee, then my emotions
of fear will break.
As has been mentioned before, we left
January 19 th from Osler for Saskatoon. As
our tickets had been bought from here to go
to Winnipeg, we left at 12:12 pm, via C.P.R.
with good weather and health for both families.
The long train started slowly and we sat
quietly, sad, among all these strange people.
In our passenger car all was quiet and peaceful,
in hopes that we would again return to the
town of our departure. The train gained speed
as we went past one town after another. The
next morning on January 20 th at 7:00 a.m. we
arrived in Winnipeg.
We found accommodations to stay until
our groups from Manitoba and Swift Current
would arrive. There were no arrivals from Swift
Current on the next train although telegram arrangements
had been made prior to leaving. We
went back to our hotel to wait for the Gretna,
Manitoba train. In the meantime, our deacon
became ill with pains in his leg, an injury from
back home. Mr. Goertzen’s condition grew
worse. He was unable to walk around town,
spending most of his time in bed. In this position,
I thought to myself, I can’t stay in this
town any longer.
When the train from Manitoba was supposed
to arrive, I went alone to meet my group.
At home I had sent word with Minister Peter
Harms (who was then visiting out west), to
my brother Minister Isaac Dyck, that I would
very much like to see him before we left for
Mexico. Yes, when the train came, my brother
Isaac Dyck and deacon Isbrand Friesen (from
the Manitoba colony) were there to see if we
had really come. How glad I was to see these
two men, amongst all these strange people. We
embraced dearly, and shook hands.
I thanked them heartily for coming, and
asked whether their delegates had not received
the earlier mentioned telegraph of our arrival
Preservings No. 26, 2006 - 37