The East Russian Meeting by Guy Dail

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 3, 1908

The East Russian Meeting

By Guy Dail

GUY DAIL

October 4 Elder J. T. Boettcher and the writer bade adieu to the eighty-five representatives who were assembled in Kamischin, September 30 to October 4, for the second annual meeting of the workers and members of the East Russian Mission—one of the most interesting and the largest of our world fields. Seventeen of the twenty-one churches and companies of this mission field were represented at this meeting. We were pleased to greet one young brother and Elder K. A. Reifschneider, of Siberia. We have believers in four cities in Siberia,—Omsk, Semipalatinsk, Akmolinsk, and Kouratof,—about eighty in all. One brother, accompanied by his wife, had come from our company of believers in Chaltowar, located among the mountains about three hundred sixty miles south-east of Tashkend, and four or five days’ drive from the border of India. They had been en route to the meeting twelve days, six of which had been spent in the wagon, four and one-half days by rail, and a day and a half by boat. I could but wonder how many of our people in other parts of the world, and more favorably situated, would care to undertake such a long, tedious, and expensive journey to attend one of our annual conferences. This brother and sister gave an excellent testimony, showing how fully they felt God had rewarded them for the sacrifice incurred in coming to the meeting—the first of its kind they ever enjoyed. Elder D. Isaak, of the South Russian Conference, was also able to co-operate with the visiting and local workers.

The outside interest was good. In Kamischin (which is located on the Volga, about twelve hours’ ride on the fast steamer below Saratof) there are about eighteen thousand persons, nearly one third of whom are of German parentage. From two hundred to three hundred twenty-five persons not of our faith attended each evening, when the lecture was delivered in German and translated into Russian. The city authorities kindly rented us the hall in the People’s Building—a building owned by the city, and occupied by a public library and by a commodious tea-room in front, with the lecture-hall, accommodating from five hundred to six hundred persons, in the rear. The governor of the department,

and the chief official and the police of Kamischin, were very kind to us, and our meetings were undisturbed.

It was a cause of great joy to see the manner in which the Spirit of God impressed the hearts of our brethren with the determination to serve him actively in spreading abroad a knowledge of the message, as contained in the printed page; for plain, unlearned, hard-working farmers and artisans came forward, ordered, and paid for in advance, a number of books and publications that during the less busy winter season they might have a part in the distribution of our precious, truth-filled literature.

A hearty response was made to the resolutions brought forward, and all felt thankful for the blessing of God which had given eighty-four new members as a result of the efforts put forth here the past year; nor were they unforgetful of the fair harvests this season. They were glad to see steps taken to give us a new mission field, beginning with Jan. 1, 1909, when Siberia will be organized as a mission, under the direct charge of the Russian Union Conference.

One of the most important subjects considered in the business sessions was that of providing funds for the proposed Russian union school, which we hope to locate not later than the autumn of 1909. Three hundred ten rubles (a ruble is about fifty cents) was given in cash and pledges toward this enterprise. Considering the financial condition of the majority of those who gave, this is a liberal contribution, and required a sacrifice on their part. A vote of thanks was also passed for the help rendered by the German Union Conference in complying with the request of the General Conference Committee that Elder K. A. Reifschneider, of the Hungarian Mission, engage in work in Siberia.

The East Russian Mission further requested the Russian Union Conference to supply a permanent worker for central Asia, where there is a large and inviting territory, containing a population of eleven million, but no laborers. In this district we have two other companies, besides the one at Chaltowar, mentioned above. One of these is at Aschabad, only four miles from the Persian border. We have about thirty members in this field—a good nucleus for future work, but not very many, after all, among the millions of various nationalities in central Asia.

The Sabbath meetings were especially blessed of God. Elder Boettcher spoke in the forenoon, and all responded to his appeal by reconsecrating themselves to the Master. After the good social meeting in the afternoon, a thank-offering of about seventeen rubles was made, to assist in paying the expenses of the meeting.

A profitable five-days’ workers’ institute was conducted by Mrs. Boettcher and the writer, in Saratof, just preceding the conference. Such subjects as church organization, methods of work, the spirit of prophecy, reporting, etc., received careful attention.

All left this conference of good courage, and determined heartily to assist their superintendent, Elder H. K. Loebsack, and his coworkers in their efforts to carry the message to the twenty-two million people in the territory now occupied by the four hundred sixty members of the East Russian Mission. We know they will have the prayers of all our readers in their work.

* En route to Caucasian Conference.