Gerhard G. Derksen was born in Russia in the village of Rudnerweide in the colony of Molotschna to poor parents. His parents were Gerhard P. Derksen (March 1, 1836 to 1920) and Anna Andreas Pankratz (May 14, 1842 - 1920). Until his parents were able to obtain their own land, they made their living renting land from others with the intent of someday owning their own land but lost everything they saved due to failed crops. His father also worked as a saleman saving 500 Rubels which was pretty good back then.

His parents were married December 3, 1859. The family consisted of an older brother, Henry and an older sister Elizabeth. He had four other brothers whose names we do not know. Eleven landless farmers won a piece of land in a method by which lots were cast in Sagradoffka, a village of the Motolshna colony. Through this means, Gerhard P. Derksen was one of the fortunate men to be granted land.

During the time that this move took place, six year old Gerhard decided that he could do just about anything that his brother Henry could do - this included herding the cattle on the 10-day journey. With great reluctance his mother agreed and let him go. But he did not count on how difficult the work of herding cattle was, or how quickly he would get tired. With no one to pay any attention to his pitiful crying, he had no choice but to continue on until the wagons caught up with them. This experience taught him just how much his mother cared for him.

After the family built a large Mennonite house, they started a school for the children - right in the front room of the Derksen's home until such time as a school house was built. Initially, their teachers were mostly neighbors who did not have much education themselves. Mostly they had planned to teach the children readin' and writin' - the basic essentials of that day. Teachers were hard to keep - they had little learning themselves or they didn't agree with the philosophy of the parents, and thus were fired.

Books were scarce. Consequently, he did not learn much in the first three years of his education. He read mostly out of the book used for catechism - a book used to prepare an individual for church membership.

As he got older, he and Henry went to a private school held in the home of a Mr. Koehn. Behind as he was, his teacher tried to teach Gerhard mostly by pounding the information into his head with a book or with his hand two or three times a day. Afraid to report this behavior to his parents, this abuse continued for three months, until brother Henry came to the rescue and told his parents. From that time on, he attended the village school until the end of that particular school year. This was a relief for him as he did not enjoy going to school.

His youth could be best described as 'wild' and shameful with an unwillingness to listen to the urging of the Holy Spirit. His image of a Christian was a person who wore a 'long face'. He wanted to be happy and live as he pleased.

On the other hand, his parents wanted him to "grow" up, be baptized, and join the church at the age of 18. They wanted him to become a Christian and live a decent life. The companionship of worldly young men he chose to keep company with made it difficult for him to comply with his parents wishes. But his parents were his parents and one needed to obey his parents. He had also begun to indulge himself in smoking tobacco.

Not wanting to make his parent unhappy, he agreed to join the church and began the catechism classes necessary to prepare himself for this big important step that would make him a Christian. While a bit of knowledge is good for the soul, there was no repentance or confession in this group of 80 boys.

By now he was under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and for the first time, he listened to the Holy Spirit by not going through with the baptism. He thought that Christians had to be 'perfect', and he was not able to be perfect - even though he kept his promise to stop smoking tobacco and leave his worldly friends. His life if anything got worse not better.

In order to understand something of why he felt about the church as he did, an understanding of the church history is necessary.

In 1536, Menno Simons, a Roman Catholic priest, gave up his priesthood and embraced the views of the Anabaptists in the Netherlands. They became known as the 'brethren' to avoid the stigma of the Anabaptists. After his death, they gained the name of Mennonites and were granted the freedom of religion in 1676.

While they shared some common beliefs with the Anabaptists, such as the authority of the Bible as the final and infallible rule for faith and practice, they choose to be a group of believers who believed in the personal conversion of believers with baptism being done by immersion. As time went on, the Mennonites also refused to support the government taxes that went partially to support the military and state church taxes. To punish the Mennonites, the government put restrictions on them keeping them from buying more land. This resulted in many young couples of being landless when they matured unless they agreed to support the government.

This is what attracted the Mennonites to take up the offer of Catherine II to come to Russia. Come they did - with many more to follow. They were granted special concessions in 1788 to control their own religious, educational and civic concerns pretty much as they had in Prussia along with freedom of religion and exemption from the military service for as long as they were there.

When one colony was filled, a daughter colony was formed. The Mennonite Brethren Church, (hereafter referred to as M.B.) was born on January 6, 1860 - six years before the birth of Gerhard G. Derksen. A pietist named Eduard Wust of Lutheran background conducted meetings among the Mennonites in the Molotshna colony stressing repentance and conversion leading many Mennonites to a conversion experience. Bible studies and prayer cells were formed. The revivial that started here soon spread to other colonies.

Pietism was a movement in Lutheran circles stressing personal internal religious experiences rather than conformity to church belief and practices. Pietists believed in the rebirth of man in Christ and regarded the church sacraments (communion) as symbols rather than the means of grace. Lastly, they chose to interpret the scriptures for themselves rather than sole dependence on the ruling clergy.

While the Mennonites in general and the saved Mennonites were in agreement on many things, conversion was not a popular concept. The Mennonites in general were not prone to accept this concept of salvation having become apathetic and content with things as they were in spiritual matters. The saved Mennonites, unable to convince their fellow Mennonite brothers, separated themselves from this group forming the Mennonite Brethren Church (M.B). This was the culture of the church during this time.

At the age of 21, in lieu of joining the military, all Mennonite boys had to serve 4 years in the forestry service. Still under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, Gerhard started his term of service in 1888. Life in the camp at Ratzina was rough but the food and clothing were better than what his family could afford at home. He describes his life at this time as still very wild. His life had not improved any - it in fact had gotten worse. Realizing that he could never attain perfection in his life on earth, he was once again tempted to conform with the church and become baptized without repentance. Baptism and church membership had not changed any of his friend's lives. Again he resisted the temptation to follow through with this important act.

During Gerhard's first year of service, his father had come to believe in Christ as his Savior. During his furlough (leave) at home, his father spoke to him of spiritual matters with much earnestness, and the Holy Spirit started to work again in his heart. During Gerhard's second year in the forest service, his mother also became saved and both of his parents were baptized. During his last two years, 4 other brothers had joined. By now, Gerhard began to go to a place of solitude and pray for peace but he never found it.

On his second leave, he found a completely different atmosphere in his parents home. They had devotions and were happier people all around. Though he wanted to be saved, he thought he wasn't good enough but nevertheless, he attended Bible studies and prayer meetings. He was under much conviction and finally one night he broke down, asked the Lord for forgiveness of his sins but he had a lot of difficulty accepting the forgiveness that was offered. He didn't see or have any hope for his salvation.

Oh how he struggled with all of this turmoil - a struggle that lasted for a whole week! During this time, they sang a song "Suser Heiland, deine Gnade ist viel grosser als man denkt" translated in English means "Precious Savior, your grace is much greater than we think". These words broke through the thick veil that kept him from accepting this forgiveness. He finally believed and accepted the Christ who died on the cross for his sins.

Despite the cold weather, he followed the Lord in baptism on Christmas Day in December of 1889. His recording of this event states that he, like the eunuch of old in Acts, went on his way rejoicing. He never regreted the decision that he made that winter. Throughout his 66 years of life, he consistently told people of the Christ who died for him. After his death in 1933, some of his grandchildren remember the spiritual life that he lived.

During his third leave on a visit to his brother, Henry in Sagradoffka he met his beloved Anna Pankratz. This time it was very difficult to say his farewells. During that time period, parents had the right to censor letters between a daughter and her beau, so they were unable to to express in writing how they felt about each other. On top of that he had an accident which he cut his right hand (his writing hand) half off which prevented him from communicating with Anna. During this time of difficulty, she went through much suffering based on the rumors she had been told regarding the accident.

They celebrated their engagement on November 20, 1891 and were married 2 weeks later on December 10 in her home. After their marriage, they moved to Domishen Kosaken where his parents had moved a year or so earlier. They lived with his parents for a year until they got some land of their own. During their stay with his parents, the oldest son George was born.

They struggled much during the 13 years they lived in Russia - first from poor crops, then from severe asthma for 6 years during which time they prayed for healing. After promising the Lord that he would give 100 Rubels to a mission if he was healed, the Lord healed him. A man of great intrigrity, he kept his promise before they immigrated to Canada.

His last farm in Russia was in Hamburg in the Molotshna Colony. He farmed this property for 2 years. Barely able to support their family after more poor crops, he and Anna sold their property. Together with 8 children ranging from 2 months up to 13 years, they said their final earthly farewells to their families and left for North America on May 23, 1905. After their train ride to the seaport, they departed Russia forever on June 17, sailing on the Bremen.

By July, 1905 they arrived in Borden, Sask., where they stayed with his sister and her husband - Elizabeth & Daniel Thiessen until they found land of their own. He farmed this land until his death in August of 1933 at 66 years of age. He and Anna raised 13 children - 10 daughters and 3 sons - on this farm.

He was very active in the church serving as a deacon as well as a treasurer. In the beginning, church meeting were held in various homes - often in the Derksen home. When the two room Hoffnungsfeld school was built, services were moved to the school until the church was built. He and Anna were described as godly, devoted Christians who took their children to church and Sunday school.

The Derksen home in Borden, Sask.

Gerhard was also very community minded. Pioneering days were hard to say the least and to be successful in such raw country, neighbors helped each other. His son-in-law Peter P. Bergman had a tractor that did not sit idle for long periods of time. Gerhard brought a threshing machine and together with his son-in-law, Peter Bergman, they started up a threshing bee.

One of the areas where Gerhard had great influence on his family was in the area of missions. He served on the M.B. Foreign Mission Board from the beginning of his early years in Canada often housing the missionaries and travelling preachers that came through the area. He also managed the finances for the City Missions for a long period of time. Through all of this activity he had the support of his wife.

Gerhard and Anna loved to sing. They took their faith seriously. They would lead their family in devotions both morning and night. They were a blessing to their children as the youngest daughter Susie recalls.

There was also a very ordered way of life in the Derksen household. Sundays were special. The aunts made it very special by cooking and preparing the food that might be needed the day before. The children who lived close by might come over for dinner. First Gerhard, his sons and sons-in-law was sit down to eat, followed by the women and last of all by the children - a total of three different sittings. No one went hungry.

It seems he was one who lived by tradition especially when it came to higher education beyond the 8th grade for girls. He did not think it was necessary for girls to go on for more education. Daughters were completely dependent on their parents. He frowned on his girls having to go out and work to earn their own money. That was for poor people and was disgraceful.

In the winter of 1923, daughter Agnes wanted to go to Bible School. Two years in a row, she asked and each time he said 'no.' But Agnes was not one to give up her dream. The third year she asked him, he never gave her an answer but had quietly written to a school and informed them that she would be coming in the fall of 1925. This opened the door for his other daughters to be able to attend Bible school.

If Gerhard was a traditionalist, his daughter, Agnes was one to start new traditions. Up until the time that Agnes got married, women did not wear veils on their wedding day. When he asked what the others would say to that, she simply replied that she would buy it with her own money and the others wouldn't mind. Again Agnes paved the way for her remaining sisters still at home. Each one of them that wanted to wore a veil.

Gerhard was healthy for most of his life - a fact for which he was thankful. In his later years he began to have trouble with his bladder. On August 9, 1933, he had an operation. This operation was not a success despite the best methods of the doctor. On August the 14th, he knew that he was dying and had approximately five hours of life left.

He was conscious to the very end singing songs that he loved. His beloved Anna noted in her writings of two songs in particular that he sang - "When will the hour strike, Oh when will I be permitted to go?" and "In the hand of Jesus: life will be wonderful". He prayed one more time and quietly fell asleep.

When grandfather recorded his thoughts for his family and grandchildren, I do not think that he ever thought that the family would have made a book of the lives of his family. In his thoughts, he started out with a prayer that goes like this:

"My wish and prayer is that I may do this to honor and glorify my God and that the family may be admonished to walk worthy of the ways of the Lord, always resisting the devil no matter how rough the road may become. May the Lord give Grace.

Thank you grandfather for showing the way to our parents, so that we, in turn, may show the way to our children and their children. You have done well. Thank you for not giving in to temptation when it might have been the easiest way out.

God says "O Israel, listen: Jehovah is our God, Jehovah alone. You must love him with all your heart, soul and might. And you must think constantly about these commandments (the way to live) I am giving you today. You must teach them to your children and talk about them when you are at home or out for a walk; at bedtime and the first thing in the morning. Tie them on your finger, wear them on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house!" Deuteronomy 6:4-9 TLB

Index Page

Previous section

Section 2

Next section