Missionary Items From the European General Conference
By L. R. Conradi
L. R. CONRADI
The work in the territory of the European General Conference is steadily assuming greater proportions. We receive good tidings from Iceland on the north, to the valley of the Nile on the south, and from the Atlantic on the west, to the Siberian boundary on the east. We give herewith an extract from a letter received from Brother David Ostlund, of Seydisfjord, Iceland, and it is certainly encouraging that among eighty thousand people our small Icelandic paper has a circulation of nearly fifteen hundred.
A VILLAGE IN RUSSIA
If each paper we publish were circulated in like ratio, millions of them would be distributed at the present time. Let us remember this worker in Iceland, in our prayers. His letter says:—
“The past winter has been a very unpleasant one, as we had the ice to contend with for such a long time—until June. The Seydisfjord was filled with ice, so we have had very little communication with the outside world the past year. The latter part of September, 1901, I sent money to a firm in Germany for some type for our printing office; but the type, which I had expected would arrive before New Year's, did not reach us until the last of May, 1902, because of the ice; the ships had to return without coming near the eastern coast of Iceland. One can doubtless imagine that such experiences make times hard, and it seems remarkable to me how we got along.”
“This is not the most encouraging field. The country is large and sparsely settled, and the people are very slow in religious matters. But yet the work has not been, and I believe it will not be, fruitless. One here and another there become interested in the truth, and for this I praise God.”
“The paper work is encouraging. We have a continually increasing subscription list. By the beginning of 1903, I hope that we shall have fifteen hundred regular subscribers. Although this sounds small, yet it is quite good for an island with seventy-nine thousand people. Our small printing press is getting along well. We have the type and other things necessary.”
“I am anxiously waiting for the promised laborer. The brethren here are beginning to fear that he will not come. Do not let another year pass before you send him.”
“I am now starting out on a circuit of the island. What I have seen and heard is of an encouraging nature. I will write again soon.”
We receive good reports from Russia. While the workers there meet as many obstacles as in any other place, perhaps, yet it is there that God is manifesting his power in a wonderful manner, as the following letter from our native minister, who was ordained last fall to work among the Russians, shows:—
“As to the work among the Russians, I can only say that the Lord has been with me, and blessed this work. While difficulties have not been wanting, yet I can exclaim with Paul: ‘For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.’”
“Since our meeting last October, I have baptized forty-five persons, and sixty-five have been received into church membership by vote. From various places calls for labor are coming in, and souls are awaiting baptism. Among those who have recently united with us is a minister who has been a missionary for nine years.”
“I am very sorry that I could not attend the Friedensau meeting, but it was not possible for me to secure a passport; however, I hope sometime to have the privilege of attending such a gathering.”
“At present two of our brethren are in prison for their faith, each of them for a term of eight months. One has a family, but the other has not. Another has just received a sentence for eight months. Remember these brethren in bonds, before the throne of grace.”
We need more workers and more means to push this work among the Russian people.
A good letter has been received from Finland, in which Elder Hoffman, who has been working with Elder Fred Anderson in Wasa since the middle of June, writes:—
“I baptized seven persons after I returned from the general conference in London, and Brother Anderson has baptized one. Since the middle of June I have been here in Wasa most of the time with a tent. Brother Anderson, my wife, and I are here, and the interest is good. Several have begun to obey God's Word. The weather has been cold and rainy. The ground in the tent looks like a swamp most of the time. After the 10th of August we shall be unable to use the tent any longer, and will secure a hall, where Brother Anderson can follow up the interest.”
“Among some of those who are converted in this country we must find native workers. An intelligent young man united with us at Borga; he has been out selling books with Brother Hammar, and is doing real well. At first he was able to read and write but poorly, but since his conversion he has wonderfully improved. I told him to practice writing whenever he found opportunity to do so; at first his associates made fun of his attempts, but he is making rapid progress. Others are just as sorely in need of schooling, so we must have something of that kind. Please remember the work here.”
From Turkey we hear glad tidings of progress. Brother Baharian writes:—
“Yesterday I received a letter from Marash, stating that five brethren have accepted the message, and that about as many others are deeply interested in study with them.”
“From Hayraboly, in the province of Adrianople, an intelligent young man, who is a master in the Armenian language, and thoroughly understands French, has decided to obey. For several years this brother has been convinced of the truth, but has been kept back by his father's persecuting spirit, but now the victory is gained.”
“From Antioch we learn that one of our brethren has been laboring among the neighboring villages, and several have decided to render obedience to God's Word. It seems that the province of Aleppo will be open wide to the truth. This place ought to be visited by an ordained minister at once.”
“There is no lack of persecution. One brother accepted the truth under the most trying circumstances. He was persecuted and tried severely, but has remained faithful. Once he was obliged to flee from the country. We have another brother of the old school of pharmacists, that is, a physician and pharmacist combined. He had a shop without a legal certificate. About three years ago he accepted the truth, and has continued his work without molestation. But after a while the people became troubled at his preaching, and his enemies have had his shop closed by the government, but still he desires to preach the message.”
“In Adana five brethren have been14tried in the courts, and one has been fined twenty-five piasters. They were arrested last year while assembled for worship on the Sabbath. The brother in whose house the meeting was held was fined.”
From letters just received from Cairo, we learn that the cholera is working some hardship to our gospel interest there, and that Satan is still on hand with a bitter, persecuting spirit. We quote:—
“The interest here among the native classes is better than ever before. The room in which we are accustomed to hold the meetings is too small, so we meet upon the terrace of the house in the evening. This gives us an elevated position, and plenty of fresh air. Every day I am having experiences of interest, and I am quite busy.”
A later letter says:—
A RUSSIAN PEASANT
“I have just received a letter from our minister in Upper Egypt. He expects to be here day after to-morrow to labor with me. The past week I have had meetings every night, and they have been well attended. Last night we had a meeting attended by Greeks and Copts, from seven to nine o'clock, and then ten Mohammedans came to hear the prophecies explained, and remained for more than two hours, being much interested. As I told them of the coming of our minister, and meetings in Arabic, they promised to return, and bring others with them.”
The last letter from there says:—
“One of our workers had a sunstroke yesterday, and we feared that he would not live. He is in a dangerous condition. The weather is very hot, hotter than it has ever been before since I have been living here. The city of Cairo has been declared contaminated by cholera, and the government is exercising a strict quarantine. As soon as any one shows signs of sickness, he is carried away, and those around him are isolated. We have been having the best of meetings, but as this epidemic has appeared, our meetings must stop; for the government will not allow any gatherings of the people. There is a great panic, and all the Europeans who have sufficient money are leaving the city. The trains and the steamers are full. Yesterday over eight hundred people fled from Cairo. But I hope that the epidemic may not last long.”
The brother who writes this letter has suffered a great deal from the excessive heat, losing much in flesh, and becoming emaciated. The workers in Egypt need our constant prayers. They have to labor in trying circumstances of which we know nothing. But God is with them, and they know what it is to trust in him.
Throughout the whole field, there are many reasons for rejoicing, but we see enough of the workings of the evil one to assure us that he is fulfilling the prophecy concerning himself—going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. May God create in us all a more devout spirit of sacrifice and service, that the work may be speedily cut short in righteousness.
