The Baltic Conference by J. Sprohge

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 26, 1911

The Baltic Conference

By J. Sprohge

J. SPROHGE

In spite of the great wrath of the enemy, we have been able to win 445 souls for the kingdom of God. Our field comprises six governments, with 8,500,000 inhabitants, among whom five languages are spoken—Lettonian, Esthonian, Swedish, Russian, and German. We also have Poles and Lithuanians among our people, but their numbers are not yet very great, and we can make ourselves understood with German or Russian, whereas there are many speaking the first-named five languages who understand only their mother tongue.

There are now twelve workers in our conference. These are distributed as follows: one minister, one licentiate, three Bible workers, and some canvassers among the 1,482,000 Lettonians; four Bible workers and one licentiate among the 1,200,000 Esthonians; one licentiate and one Bible worker among the 3,500,000 Russians; and no workers at all for the 1,300,000 Germans. We were glad to have Brother H. Hintz, of Germany, with us for two years, through whose efforts something could be done for the Germans.

It is difficult for us to do any organized canvassing work, since we can not get permission from the government. At the end of 1910, however, we had fourteen canvassers.

At the end of 1910 we had seventeen churches and companies, with 864 members. Of these, 239 were baptized and received in 1909, 206 in 1910. The net growth was 319, 126 having either emigrated, died, or apostatized in the two years. At present we have eighteen churches and companies, with 671 members. The loss in membership is accounted for by the fact that the two churches in Riga, with about 300 members, were separated as a union district. We thank the Lord that we have the joy of seeing our conference growing, and we hope by the end of this year to have the loss in membership fully replaced.

When the district of Riga was separated from the conference in 1911, thus taking from us at least half of the tithe of the conference, we were rather sad, and feared we should not be able to pay our twelve workers this year. But we are of good courage, and hope to be able to close the year well, if it is the Lord's will. Although many earnest prayers have been offered, many bitter tears shed, and many difficulties surmounted, yet on the whole we can not complain of difficulties. Never before have we seen such progress in our field as in the last two years.

For instance, when Brother J. Schneider began work in Libau in 1909, we had fifteen members there. They had been gathering in a small dwelling-room, which was later forbidden them. The Lord helped in a special manner. A hall was found and sanctioned, situated next to the local Baptist chapel (this we did not know at first), which, of course, vexed the Baptists very much. Within four months the first admission into the church took place, twenty-three souls being baptized and nine being received by vote, making thirty-two altogether. Now we have a church of ninety-three members, and they are building a place of worship.

We had similar experiences in Mitau, Riga, and other places. We have a church of 100 members in Mitau now, the result of three years' work. In Riga, the number of members has increased from 150, in 1908, to 300.

We also realize that the Lord helps us in localities where we have no workers. For instance, in Kalnemoise a brother from Walk who went out with books, found several families in the country who were seeking for truth. After the brother had told them a little of the present truth, they requested that a man be sent who would give them further instruction, offering to pay his transportation. We sent a young Bible worker, and after three weeks we were able to baptize three farmers and their wives, and organize a company of seven members.

Circulars are frequently published by the government forbidding public lectures, only divine services and prayer-meetings being allowed. As we call our lectures “divine services,” we can still proceed with our work. We have difficulty only in newly entered places, where there are no members. But still the Lord provides ways for the work to proceed, and we shall soon make a beginning in the governments of Witjebskische and Pleskausche.