Extracts From Reports by STEEN RASMUSSEN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 17, 1914

Extracts From Reports

By STEEN RASMUSSEN

The third angel’s message is making some progress among the many foreign nationalities in our country. We rejoice to report that another foreign church has been added to the few we already had. We give a few brief extracts from reports received by the North American Foreign Department:—

Elder W. D. MacLay, president of the South Missouri Conference, writes: “About a year ago a Servian accepted the truth in St. Louis. Under the fostering care of the German workers, others began to keep the Sabbath, until at the time of the Central Union Conference meeting there was a call for a Servian minister to labor in St. Louis. The matter was presented to Elder O. A. Olsen, secretary of the North American Foreign Department, and he recommended Elder Milan Ostoics to come to St. Louis for three months. Elder Ostoics came, and as a result of his labor several took their stand for the truth, and those who had embraced the message before his arrival were greatly strengthened. June 17, we met in the Servian hall and perfected the organization of a Servian church. In order to do this, I had to use two interpreters, Elder Roth translating from the English into German, and Elder Ostoics translating from the German into Servian. I questioned the candidates closely on all points of our faith, and they seemed to be well established in the truth. One thing that was a little unusual was the fact that there were more men than women who joined the church, there being eight men and three women, making eleven in all. They are nice, clean-looking people and a credit to any conference. The brother who was elected librarian is a storekeeper. All are faithful tithe payers.”

Sister Christina Valenta, who has been working in Bridgeport, Conn., doing colporteur and Bible work for several months, writes very encouragingly about the work among the Bohemians and Slavs in that city. She says: “The work is going forward, though amid many difficulties. Many are convinced of the truth, and seem to love it. At present we have two Sabbath keepers who come to our church regularly. They are young men. There is also a woman who is keeping the Sabbath. We hold no public meetings, but work from house to house. What is being done is nothing in comparison with what

ought to be done, but we are of good courage, and know that the Lord will take care of the work.”

Brother T. T. Bobienco, who is working in the interest of the Russians in Canada, says: “The work among the Russians is going slowly, but soon we shall have a goodly number of them accepting the message. However, during the last quarter (April to June) seven have begun keeping the Sabbath, and four have been baptized. Besides, we have been able to organize one Russian Sabbath school consisting of thirteen members.”

Brother Paul Matula, who works among the Slovaks and Bohemians, sends from Newark, N. J., a very encouraging report about new openings: “July 25 we held our first meeting in Passaic, N. J. The English Reformed Church allowed us to hold a meeting in their chapel, which is near their church building. We are glad that we can enter a new field to proclaim this last message. We are determined to go from place to place heralding the truth.”

Equally encouraging reports come to us from the Hungarian workers in New York, our Roumanian worker in Youngstown, Ohio, and our Italian worker in Chicago. They are all determined to press the battle to the gates in faithfully delivering the message for this time to their own nationalities. STEEN RASMUSSEN.