Across the Tartar Border Into Siberia by Mrs. J. T. Boettcher

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 3, 1910

Across the Tartar Border Into Siberia

By Mrs. J. T. Boettcher

AFTER a long journey from across the border in Asia, we reached this beautiful spot, many miles from any village, in the edge of the woods beside a small lake, where a company of believers had gathered. Here we are holding our first tent-meeting in Siberia. We expected to build a booth of the branches and leaves from the trees in which to hold our meetings, but were surprised to find a tent pitched, capable of seating one hundred persons.

A KIRGHIZEN TENT ON THE GREAT SAND DESERT OF CENTRAL ASIA

Near the lake on the land of our brethren stands a Kirghizen tent, just like those seen in Central Asia. It is the home of a Kirghizen family, who herd the cattle of the settlement. Last Friday, while looking about, we passed this tent, and went inside to visit the family. The tent is round, and contains an astonishing number of things. In the center was a fire from little sticks laid on the bare ground, the smoke escaping from an opening in the top of the tent. There were no chairs.

Our brethren tell us that these Mohammedan people are very trustworthy as herders. This afternoon, while we were singing our hymns by the side of the little lake where a young man had followed his Lord in baptism, two of the Kirghizen women came out of their tent to join us and listen to the singing. We shook hands with them to make them feel welcome, and later three of them attended one of our meetings.

After the meeting was closed, and the tent taken down, and we were packing our things to leave, the Spirit of the Lord still worked in a wonderful manner upon the people. The wife of one of our brethren said, with tears in her eyes, that she desired baptism. The brethren and sisters met together to pray, and to examine this young woman, who had resisted the Spirit of God for many years. When it was decided to have baptism at once, the son of Brother H. K. Loebsack, a promising youth of sixteen, and his sister, a bright little girl of fourteen, confessed that they had been under conviction during the meeting, and that they knew they ought to take this step. Men and women wept for joy as we left our packing, and proceeded once more to the lake, singing as we went. It was about nine o'clock in the evening, and the baptism was a most beautiful scene. All decided that the close of the meeting was the best part of all.

MRS. J. T. BOETTCHER.