New Developments in Eastern Europe by L. R. Conradi

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 4, 1912

New Developments in Eastern Europe

By L. R. Conradi

L. R. CONRADI

I LEFT home April 8, for a general meeting of the Russian Union Committee, at Riga. This gave me a day before the opening of the meeting to talk over the general situation with Elder J. T. Boettcher, and that evening I had the privilege of talking to an overcrowded house. The doors had to be closed some time before the beginning of the service, because there was no more room.

The president of the East German Union arrived the next morning. All the committee members, even those from Trans-Caucasia, were present, and the week was well spent in Bible studies, instruction meetings, audits, councils, and public services. It was so arranged that at noon and evening we took our meals with our brethren in the city, and they as well as we enjoyed the privilege of becoming better acquainted with one another.

The report for the past year was very encouraging. The Russian Union showed a gross gain of 794 members. The net gain was 526, making an average of about eight members for each worker employed. The gain in tithes and offerings was $7,000; and we were very happy when we found that this great field, with a population of 115,000,000, and about the size of the United States minus the Pacific Coast, had been able to do all this work with a tithe of $25,000, without any appropriation whatever.

I proposed to the committee some divisions of the field, and I was glad to see with what enthusiasm the brethren received the suggestion, though it meant quite a number of changes for them personally. In the redivision of Russia, two new conferences were created. The Baltic Conference, which only a short time ago gave up the Union District,

was again divided, forming the Baltic and Neva Conferences. By taking some adjoining territory from the large Middle Russian field, the Baltic and Neva Conferences each still retains 6,000,000 people within its territory. The Neva Conference includes St. Petersburg and the country round about.

The South Russian Conference was divided, and its name changed, as before long we shall have a South Russian Union. The Asof Conference, about the Sea of Asof, has about 10,000,000 people; and the other part will be called the Black Sea Mission. The Little Russian Mission field was changed into a conference. It has a population of 14,000,000. The West Russian Mission was divided into two almost equal parts,—the Polish Mission, with 11,600,000 people, and the West Russian Mission, with 10,500,000. From the Middle Russian field, which hitherto had some 60,000,000, the Arctic Mission was separated, being nearly as large as Alaska, but having a population of 9,000,000; while the Middle Russian is still nearly as large as Texas, with a population of over 28,000,000. This now makes six conferences and six mission fields in the Russian Union.

In order to supply new fields, and to change the workers somewhat, Elder Daniel Isaak was appointed to the Neva Conference, Elder K. A. Reifschneider to the Asof, Elder J. Sprohge to the Caucasian, Elder H. Schmitz to the Polish Mission, Elder K. Schamkow to the Arctic, and Elder D. P. Gaede to the Black Sea Mission, while Elder J. T. Boettcher looks after the Union District and the Black Sea Conference for the present. Matters were so arranged that in due time we can easily divide this large union into a North and South Russian Union, the North retaining about 71,000,000 people, and the South about 44,000,000.

As we are not able to hold any regular conference meeting at the present time, a great deal of the business for the whole union had to be done during the eight days. We were pleased with the unity among the workers, and that the business was transacted with perfect harmony.

In Riga itself we have three good churches, with three hundred members. Our brethren and sisters and many friends appreciated the word spoken to them nearly every night.

The publishing work is onward; and the canvassing work, in spite of many difficulties, is still advancing. What we need is more good, consecrated native workers, who, knowing the language and customs of the people, would be able to present the gospel to their own countrymen.

The prospects for future growth were never brighter than they are at present. Though the obstacles are great and many, and thus far we as a people have not been able to have any institutional work in this great country, yet the very fact that to-day there are nearly 5,000 believers in this mighty empire shows what may be done by the power of God through the simple preaching of the gospel, and that under the greatest restraint.

As some of our brethren are getting into difficulty again for the simple preaching and teaching of God's truth, let us remember them especially in our prayers, that God may give them wisdom, and that he may bring to naught all devices to hinder their work.