GENERAL MEETING IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA.
By L. R. Conrad
FROM Helsingfors I went to St. Petersburg, the rapidly growing capital of the Russian empire, and spent Sabbath, October 5, with our church in that city. Our private rooms, where the meetings have to be held, were well filled during the three services we had, and five offered themselves for church membership. From this place some young people will go to our school at Friedensau. Four nights on crowded cars brought me to Fürstenort, at the foot of the Caucasus, where our meeting for the South had been appointed, October 7-13. Elders J. T. Boettcher and D. P. Gaede, who had preceded me, had been having good meetings previous to my arrival. Although twelve had been baptized the two previous Sabbaths, yet over twenty others gave their hearts to the Lord before the close of the meeting. When I visited Fürstenort three years ago, this German settlement was but just begun, and now it numbers forty families, the most of whom are Sabbath-keepers. They have erected a nice meeting-house. There were about eighty of our people from abroad, and an average attendance of three hundred taxed the capacity of the house to the utmost. Elder H. J. Loebsack could be with us, but his state of health would not permit him to take a very active part. As the South is the oldest field in Russia, and contains over seven hundred members, it was thought best to organize it into a Conference. Since Northern Russia had been formed into a mission field, and the work among the native Russians had been organized into a third division, the brethren in the South felt willing to sustain the work in their field in the future, especially as the German Union Conference had freed them from one thousand dollars’ indebtedness left after settling with the workers. Elder H. J. Loebsack was chosen president of this young Conference, and there will be associated with him on the Conference Committee, Brethren Tetz, Schuerer, Fischer, and Lehmann. The educational work received considerable attention, and about twenty-five dollars was donated toward a publishing fund for “Christ’s Object Lessons,” and all promised their co-operation in its circulation. Six young people will attend our school at Friedensau. Church-school teachers could do a good work in some places, but, as a rule, they would have to pass government examinations. The last Sabbath was the best day. At noon Elders Boettcher and Gaede baptized twenty-two, and one followed in baptism that evening. In the afternoon Brethren H. K. Loebsack and J. Ebel were set apart to the ministry. The Lord came very near His people during this occasion. Sunday forenoon fifteen who had backslidden from God were again received into church membership, so that the church at Fürstenort had an increase of nearly fifty, and the meeting brought them new life and hope. There are at present three ordained ministers and two licentiates, and four faithful canvassers, in the South Russian Conference. The prospects for the whole field were never so promising as now, and we all separated full of praise to the Lord, who had been our shield and buckler. Elder Boettcher’s visit was much appreciated. On his way back to Switzerland, he spent a Sabbath in Western Russia. Personally, I reached Constantinople October 20, and am now departing for a general meeting in Asia Minor. L. R. CONRAD.