Preservings $20 No. 25, December, 2005 - Plett Foundation

Introduction
Martin C. Friesen (1881-1968) was the
son of Cornelius T. and Katharina Friesen.1
He grew up on his father’s farm at Osterwick
on the East Reserve. On July 18, 1911, Martin
married his step-sister, Elizabeth D. Wiebe.
Martin and Elizabeth had been brought together
in one home when his widowed father
married her widowed mother.
Both Martin and Elizabeth grew up in
the shadow of prominent community leaders.
Martin’s father served the Chortitzer Church
as Waisenman or administrator of the Orphan
Care Society. Elizabeth Wiebe Friesen was a
daughter of Heinrich D. Wiebe and the granddaughter
of Ältester Gerhard Wiebe (1827-
1900, who led the Gemeinde in the emigration
from Russia to Manitoba.
Martin C. Friesen was elected to the ministry
in the Chortitzer Mennoniten Gemeinde
in Manitoba on 16 July 1924 and as Ältester
on 9 October 1925. He served the church
during the emigration to Paraguay in 1926 to
1927 and continued to serve there until 1966
when, at the age of 85, he resigned his leadership
position.
The following lines written by Martin
C. Friesen in January of 1928 tell something
about his faith, his personality and his leadership
qualities. His words seem to echo Joshua’s
call to Israel to be strong and courageous as
they settled in a new land: “When we look
back, we have to say with the patriarch Jacob
`I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness
you have shown your servant.’ Genesis
32:10. We are frequently too concerned, too
afraid. We have the promise in Mark 10:29-30,
`....who has left [all]...for me and the gospel
will receive a hundredfold...’ To this day,
nobody has served the Lord in vain when he
has served in faith. There is much work to be
done here. Our greatest difficulty stems from
the delay in getting the land survey completed.
But what does it help to complain or even to
blame; we need only see how we can move
forward each day with new hope and fresh
courage. Our solution is: Forward! for the
world belongs to the courageous. We know
that the reports emanating from here are often
contradictory. In comparison with Canada we
have disadvantages, but also advantages.”
In keeping with his humble disposition,
Martin C. Friesen has remained largely
unknown. His son Martin W. Friesen, in his
book Kanadische Mennoniten bezwungen eine
Wildnis (Altona, 1986), rarely mentions his
name, even though he describes the emigration
to Paraguay and the Mennonite settlement
Biographies
Ältester Martin C. Friesen 1881-1968
Recollections by members of his family
compiled and edited by John Dyck, 1928-1999
there, in which Martin C. Friesen played such
an important role.
Martin C. Friesen was the patriarch of a
large family. The legacy of a man’s character
is best described by those who knew him best
- his children and grandchildren. Here, in their
own words, members of his family describe
some of the fond memories which they have
of him as a parent and their reaction to the
controversies that befall a long time church
leader. Their devotion to this kind and loving
father and grandfather is unmistakable. By
John Dyck (1928-1999).
Granddaughter Maria Friesen.
Our grandfather Martin C. Friesen was born
to Katharina and Cornelius T. Friesen, who
immigrated from Russia to Canada as young
people in the 1870s. Opa Martin C. Friesen was
born 6 October 1881 in the village of Osterwick
in Manitoba where he was also raised.
Little is known of his childhood. He spent
his early years on the farm in Osterwick, Manitoba.
He frequently went to distant neighbours to
pick up mail that his older cousins brought from
Winnipeg. Once he set out on this chore at night
in a dream and woke up at the neighbours. He
quickly returned home before anybody would
notice him. Here in Osterwick he attended the
local school and grew to adulthood.
As a young man he was tall of stature, strong
and enjoyed good health. His mother died when
he was 18 years-old and sometime later his father
married a widow with seven children. Opa
Martin C. Friesen, the fifth of 10 siblings, lived
for a short while in the parental home with his
Wiebe step-siblings, among whom was also his
friend Elisabeth Wiebe. After several months
these two were married and continued to live
on the same C. T. Friesen farm during the early
years of their marriage.
Already as a young man he was called to
serve the church. On 8 October 1925 the Chortitzer
Church installed him as their leader. With
his blue-grey eyes he observed his family, his
congregation, and the entire community with
love and with considerate care (liebevoll und mit
grosse Fuersorge). Even today he is still referred
to as “the good shepherd” who conscientiously
led his sheep.
In 1927 he, alone from his siblings, moved
to Paraguay where he undertook the leadership
of a new settlement. His father, C. T. Friesen,
apparently had much contact with him by correspondence.
Twenty years later one brother
followed him (he is still living today). However,
he settled 650 kilometers from where Opa
lived. Other siblings emigrated to Mexico and
Saskatchewan.
In Paraguay, Opa Martin C. Friesen lived
as a simple farmer together with his family of
seven children, again in the village of Osterwick.
Here he settled down giving counsel and active
assistance to the congregation and the colony.
His travels were accomplished with a horse
and a small buggy which he had brought along
from Canada. Oma Friesen accompanied him
a great deal as he travelled to serve the community.
Often he took grandchildren along. I
remember that he frequently dropped in at our
place in the village of Ebenfeld when he was
on his way to preach in distant villages. We
gladly went along with him. After those worship
services he frequently visited parishioners
in the community.
He fed his horses well. Before he left home,
early in the morning, he gave them a hearty
breakfast. Later, when the cars came and Opa
got older and his strength diminished, members
of the church often drove him to distant villages
where he was called to preach.
He loved to drive comfortably rather than
speeding. On one occasion, when they were
stopping on the way to a ministers’ conference
in South Menno, he is to have said very seriously
to the driver, “Do you think the guardian angel
could keep up with us?”
David Fehr, one of his grandsons, likes to
tell about the time, when vehicles were still rare,
and Opa Friesen had been invited by the youth
to speak at the weekend youth meeting in Osterwick.
After the presentation one of the youth
showed him his new motorcycle and offered to
drive him home. Since this was the only vehicle
there, many youth were naturally curious to see
this new driver and to admire his motorcycle.
David stood aside and waited anxiously to see
whether Opa would accept his offer. Finally Opa
settled into the seat behind the inexperienced
driver. The motorcycle promptly, but unintentionally,
raised its front end into the air and Opa
landed on the ground behind it. The curious
youth were scared and could not believe what
they had just seen. While they were waiting for
Opa M. C. Friesen to admonish them, he quietly
stepped into the uncommon two-wheeled vehicle
and this time everything went in an orderly fashion.
The audience even dared to laugh.
Grandfather was a frugal but well-to-do and
never stingy person - as was Oma also. His twostorey
home served as a shelter for many a visitor
from the community, from other countries and
even, for several years, refugees. Oma, who
was hospitable, never let anyone leave hungry.
She knew how to serve appetizing meals to
many people.
When I think of Opa’s Vesper (snack time),
Preservings No. 25, December 2005 - 61