Word From Russia

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jun 10, 1915

Another communication from Brother J. T. Boettcher was received at the Mission Board office last Thursday morning. A portion of the letter reads:—

“I was up in Finland to attend to some affairs in connection with our publishing house in Helsingfors. I stopped in Petrograd to counsel with the brethren about the work of God there. As soon as I arrived, I learned that the police had called a few days before, while the meeting was going on, and searched the hall from top to bottom. Their Bibles, songbooks, and books which they had in the tract society cupboard were all taken from them. At the same time the hall was being searched, other policemen searched the bookstore in another part of the town, and three other sets of policemen were sent to the elder and two deacons. The elder was taken along, after six men had been in his house for five hours, from nine in the evening until two o’clock after midnight. No reason was given. He was simply told to take a blanket and a pillow with him and come with them to the police station.

“The newspapers reported that our meeting halls in Petrograd and here in Riga were closed, but this is not true. We hope and pray that God will spare us this trouble. Many meetinghouses, however, have been closed, and we may expect the same unless the Lord of heaven interposes.

“There never was such a time of distress among our workers and churches as there is at the present time. What will become of us all we do not know. I hope our people will remember us in their prayers. I do not want to leave the field, but would rather stand the storm. We are doing the best in every way we know how. It takes a great deal of grace to stand all the strain of the present hour; but the dear workers are not discouraged even amidst trials. Pray for us.”

We should remember daily at the throne of grace our brethren in the disturbed regions of earth. Pray that God may cause the wrath of man to work for his glory and the advancement of his truth.

The last word we have from Elder W. C. White reports that his mother’s condition is about the same as it has been for several weeks. Some days she feels a little stronger than at other times, and then again very weak, but at all times quite free from pain and of good courage in the Lord. Let us remember before the Lord his aged servant, that God may give to her grace and strength in her weakness the same as he has through her long and eventful life.