Schlesien and Posen, Germany
By J. H. Schilling
THE work of the Lord for this generation is going forward in this field also. We can say that God is leading, and is giving us ample evidence of his constant presence with us. Since the first of January of this year these two provinces form a conference of four hundred and sixty members. This conference has an area about equal to that of Pennsylvania, and a population of about seven million five hundred thousand. Our working force consists of two ordained ministers, the writer included, two licentiates, and six Bible workers. Two of these workers are located in Posen, the others in Schlesien. About one third of the population of this field consists of Polish Catholics. These people are very hard to reach, first, because we have no workers who can give the truth in their language, and second, because they are fanatically attached to their church. Hence it is a hard field, and demands much earnest and patient labor. By God's grace, however, the work goes nevertheless. Since this conference has been organized, we have been gladdened by the addition of sixty-four souls to our number. Ten of these were gained in Ober Schlesien, the very heart, one might say, of Polish Catholicism, where every step is watched with an eagle eye, and where every service, to a certain extent, is under the watchfulness of the city authority, the authorities being constantly stirred up against the services by the priests. Baptism has to be administered as far as possible in secret. Hence, notwithstanding the fact that this part of Schlesien is a part of so-called free Prussia, the police authorities being chiefly composed of Catholics, who are under the constant pressure of the fanatical priests, religious liberty is more of a dream than a fact. Our brother who is working there, was lately compelled to change his place of residence, because the priest commanded the landlord to cast out the heretic. This gives our brethren in the States an idea of the difficulty which must be encountered here, where, in religious matters, man is not his own master, where blind obedience to priestly authority is expected. But one must not think that such conditions exist only where the population is chiefly Catholic. Strange as it may seem, we find that Protestants are in many places, and in this respect especially, nearly of the same demeanor. Lately one of our workers in a Protestant community was forced to discontinue a very flourishing children's Sabbath-school, or pay a fine of several hundred marks, together with a three weeks' imprisonment. With a broken heart on the part of this brother and his daughter, who was especially interested in the school, and many tearful eyes on the part of the little ones, the school had to be disbanded. This is bad news from “free Prussia,” but it is a fact nevertheless. May God help us to be firm in the fight for the right, that many souls may yet be gathered into his fold from this part of the great harvest-field. In Breslau the work goes with special rapidity. In a year the membership has been raised from sixty-eight to one hundred and seventeen. The Lord has also given us a beautiful chapel (with a nice pipe-organ) in which we can preach the truth to a better class, in a presentable way. It is really remarkable how the Lord brought this blessing to us. The first week of July we shall have our dedication. Perhaps some of our American brethren can be with us at this time. It would give us great joy if such could be the case. Brethren, remember this field when you pray, that God's blessing may go with us. We remember you in our prayers.