J. T. BOETTCHER by J. T. Boettcher

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 13, 1909

J. T. BOETTCHER

By J. T. Boettcher

Russia

At our union conference council held in Moscow, March 18-29, changes were made affecting all of our work in this field. The government sent a high officer from St. Petersburg to attend our meetings and to watch all of our proceedings; so we held our committee meetings at night in our own private rooms. The Russian Union Conference was again divided, and the Central Asian and the Little Russian mission fields formed. Most of the leading workers in the union conference exchanged conferences. Some had been for years at work in the same field, and it was thought that a change would advance the work. Elder Carl Reifschneider, from Siberia, will take the presidency of the Caucasian Conference; Elder H. K. Loebsack will go to Siberia; Elder H. J. Loebsack takes the West Russian Mission; and Elder D. P. Gaede the East Russian Mission; Elder J. Perk, the Little Russian Mission; and Elder J. Ebel, the Central Asian Mission.

Thus we have at present three conferences, three organized mission fields, and three unorganized fields. The unorganized fields are under the direction of the union conference. In this way the responsibility is divided, and the brethren are enabled to reach their work without traveling such long distances.

Word has come to us from Siberia that a man traveled two thousand miles in order to find one of our ministers. [See picture in next column.] He came from the city of Tobolsk, and is a Siberian by birth. After having found the one he sought, he was instructed in the truths of the third angel's message, ordered our Russian paper, and went on his way rejoicing. At his home he has given the truth to his family and friends, who have also accepted it. Thus the Lord has opened the way for work in that far northern country. (Please look it up on the map.) We are indeed a people of prophecy, and are seeing it fulfilled in the very midst of us.

On April 8 we baptized twenty-six new converts in Riga. It was a blessed occasion. A Polish lady, who had screamed with displeasure at the previous baptism while her brother was being immersed, was herself among the candidates this time. Also a Greek Catholic and his wife were baptized. It is truly wonderful what this truth does for every kindred and people. Our church in Riga now numbers two hundred twenty-two.

One of our young men, who came from our school in Germany, went into a little country town to teach the truth. The people became interested, which made Satan angry. The authorities were informed that a strange kind of man had come to their town, with a new doctrine. They took our brother and put him in prison. He was then sent on foot a distance of sixty miles to the place where he was to have his trial. Before he reached the end of the journey, however, our brother had so won the heart of his escorting officer that he permitted him to ride with him in his wagon. After the hearing he was declared free; but, as he had not been prepared for the journey, and did not have sufficiently warm clothing, he took cold; at the same time he came down with smallpox. However, the Lord did not permit his servant to succumb to that dread disease. He was sick for a number of weeks, but is now at work again, desiring to be more faithful than ever to his Lord and Master, who has done so much for him.