Our last conference was held in October, 1908, in Alexandrowsk, a city of about thirty thousand. After securing the permission of the governor, which was not an easy task, we opened the meetings in the largest hall of the city. About 400 attended the first meeting, and about 800 the last. Four Russian priests and one Greek Catholic missionary also attended. They came to find something which would be out of place, and which they then could use to break up our meetings. When the third night came, they could no longer keep their seats. They got up and wanted to speak. As this was not granted them, because we were not allowed by the regulations of the officials to vary from our program, they jumped upon the seats and shouted, and so did the crowd which was on their side. Our people left the hall as fast as they could, and, as the priests did not come to any conclusion, they also left the place, promising to tell the people what they had to say in the church on Sunday morning. This action of the priests set the hearts of a good many people against them, and turned them toward us and the truth; also the authorities are favorable to us. We can say that this conference, even from its beginning as a mission field, has been self-supporting. We have at present 16 churches and three companies, with a membership of 572.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.4

“Our desire is to live fully in harmony with the message, and we ask our brethren and sisters to pray for South Russia.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.5

The West Russian MissionGCB May 18, 1909, page 52.6

This mission field was next presented by D. P. Gaede, the director, who said:—GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.7

Over a century ago my forefathers, known as the German Mennonites, emigrated to Russia from the plains of eastern Prussia, near Danzig, by special invitation of the Russian government, which wished them to settle in the vast territory just taken from the Turks by conquest. Because of their refusal to bear arms, these Mennonites suffered persecution in their home country, and, looking for relief, were glad to go as exiles to a new country with the prospect of having “religious liberty forever.” While others in Russia might be imprisoned for their faith, the Mennonites enjoyed full liberty in this respect.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.8

This caused the native Russians and other foreigners to be jealous till Alexander III, who, like Pharaoh of old, knew nothing of Joseph, interpreted the word “forever” to mean just one hundred years. Since this time had passed, the grant of liberty ended. This caused many to come to America, the home of liberty. Among these, my parents emigrated to the United States, in 1879, I at that time being twelve years old. In 1883, under the labors of Elder S. S. Shrock, I embraced present truth in Kansas. At once I felt a great desire to let the light of this present truth that filled my heart shine in my native country.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.9

For years I prayed that the truth might go to the native Russians. These prayers are heard, and the Lord has greatly blessed. It was in 1898 that I, with my father, went back to Russia, father paying my passage. After a stay of six months, I was convinced that Russia was to be my field of labor. So, after returning to America, and at the request of the General Conference, I left again for Russia in March, 1900. These nine years are so full of rich experiences, and the ingathering of precious souls for the Master.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.10

It was in the providence of God that the Germans settled in all parts of Russia, so as to leaven the whole lump, as it were, when the time came to give the message in Russia. Twenty years before liberty was granted in Russia, the message had gained a good footing in spite of persecution.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.11

When I entered the field, all Russia was a mission field, with 700 members and 5 workers. I am thankful to be permitted to see the work grown to its present status. I have seen the increase of members from 700 to 3,000, and the workers from 5 to 50.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.12

In 1901 the Russian Mission Field was divided into the Southern and the Northern Russia Mission Fields. In the northern portion, which I was to superintend, we had a membership of 180 at the time of the division. In the year 1907, it was again divided into the Baltic and Western Russia Missions. The membership has grown from 180 to about 600. When I took charge of the West Russian Mission Field, it had a membership of 260. Fifty were added last year, so our present membership is 310. The people of this field are mostly Poles and Jews. Thus far we have confined the work largely to the German-speaking population. We have four and “one half” laborers for the Germans, and “half a laborer” for the Poles. The Poles, who number about fifteen millions, are in the majority, so you can readily see that we need more laborers for this people, who sit in the darkness of Catholicism. Recently it was my privilege to baptize a Polish family. The father was a colporteur of the British Bible Society, who speaks Polish, German, and Bohemian, and we hope that he will make a faithful worker.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.13

The Lord has gone before us, and opened the way in a marvelous manner. An “away-from-Rome” movement is organized in all Poland, known as the Maria Witten. The special aim of its adherents is to ignore the pope’s authority, give the Bible to the people, and allow the priests to marry. They are recognized by the government, have built a number of churches of their own, and agitate their cause by open-air meetings, under police protection, so the mob can not harm them. It is a powerful movement. While others may not know what to make of it, we know that it is an open door for this message. We need men and means to enter this field.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.14

A similar stir is being made among the Jews, of whom we have over three millions. Several missionary organizations are at work among them. Halls are filled with attentive listeners to the word as it is being preached. Last year I spent a part of my time among these people, and had the privilege of baptizing three persons.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.15

In after remarks, Elder Gaede told something of the troublous times of a few years ago in western Russia, during the days of the revolution and turmoil.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.16

A Recital of Russian ExperiencesGCB May 18, 1909, page 52.17

The Chairman: At the morning meeting it was announced that Elder Perk, formerly of Russia, would tell us of the way in which he received the truth, and of his experiences in prison at the time of Elder Conradi’s first visit to Russia, in 1886. We shall now listen to Elder G. Perk, who was among the first to accept the Sabbath truth in Russia.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.18

G. Perk [speaking through interpreter]: I am very happy in the privilege of being one of the first to become a Seventh-day Adventist in Russia. I do not know whether I was the very first believer in that country or not; I have never learned of any one accepting the truth there before I accepted it.GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.19

By birth, I was a Mennonite of South Russia. Upon conversion I became a member of the Brethren Church. In 1882 a tract entitled “The Third Angel’s Message,” came into my hand, and by this means I became acquainted with this message. This tract had been sent from America to one of our village neighbors, who kept it very secretly. A long while afterward, he came to me, and said, “For three years I have had some very dangerous publications in my house. I have never given them to any one to read. Indeed, these publications are so dangerous that even an earnest member of the Brethren Church might be led astray by them.”GCB May 18, 1909, page 52.20

This made me curious, I thought perhaps these publications might have some connection with the great temptation, or falling away, when Antichrist was to be revealed. I asked my neighbor to let me have this literature, that I might read it in secret. For a long time he refused, but finally he consented, and let me have it, after I had promised not to allow any one else to read it.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.1

I took the publication, and went into the haymow, and read it through three times; then I copied the address given on the tract. I was at once convinced that the tract I had read was the truth; but I dared not say anything about it to my neighbors.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.2

The same year, I became a worker for the British and Foreign Bible Society. I also ordered some publications from America on the third angel’s message, and Brother A. Kunz sent these, and began correspondence with me. I was soon afterward sent from Moscow to Siberia to scatter Bibles in that region. It was while in Siberia that I began keeping the Sabbath. It was very hard for me to begin alone, contrary to the wishes of my father and mother, and against the tide of public opinion. But while trying to sell Bibles in Siberia, the Lord gave me a wonderful experience, which gave me courage to keep the Sabbath.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.3

I was in a Siberian city by the name of Irbit. In this place is held an annual fair, lasting four weeks, where many Europeans come to trade. On my journey to this place, I had lost all my Bibles, worth about a thousand dollars. For four weeks and more, I tried in vain to find these. The time during which the fair was held passed by, and my stock of Bibles had not been found. I became fearful of losing my position as a colporteur of the British and Foreign Bible Society.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.4

Finally, I resorted to fasting and prayer. For three days I neither ate nor drank. On the third day the Lord heard my prayer, and helped me find my books. It was said that the one who had been transporting them was slain, and that the books had been hidden in the woods. Wonderful to relate, after receiving these books, I was only one day in disposing of them all. At the close of the day’s sale, I had left only a few damaged copies wrapped in a pocket handkerchief.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.5

Near the place where I was stopping was a large railway shop, where more than ten thousand hands were employed. I asked the director if I might sell my books in this factory. At first, he did not wish to allow it. Then I wrote him a letter, in which I called attention to the fact that the book I was selling has in it the power to make a man better, so that he will not give himself up to drinking. The director replied that if the book I was offering for sale could make his employees better, he was willing that they should try it.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.6

Upon arrival at the factory, I was given a man to assist me. With notebook and pencil he went with me through his factory. At first I attempted to explain the nature of the Bible I was offering for sale, and point out the importance of securing a copy; but the gentleman accompanying me said, “Do not take so much time. They will have to pay for the book, anyway.” And then, turning to the employee, he would say, “You must take the book.” In this way, we wrote down name after name, until we had nearly all their names. In this remarkable manner I was able to dispose of all the Bibles that had been sent me by the society.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.7

This experience gave me courage to begin keeping the Sabbath, and from that time on I have observed the seventh day. The Lord gave me power to persevere in this, when standing alone.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.8

Later, in 1886, I received a letter from Elder L. R. Conradi, suggesting that I might sell publications treating on subjects relating to the third angel’s message. At that time I was receiving good wages from the Bible Society; but this message was of such importance to me that I was willing to sacrifice in order to bring others to a knowledge of Bible truths. In view of this, I agreed to meet Brother Conradi in Odessa.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.9

I shall never forget this meeting with Brother Conradi. My inmost longing at that time was that I might meet a living messenger of the third angel’s message. Together we traveled through the Crimea, visiting, among others, some who were expecting Brother Conradi, and were longing to hear more of the truth for our time. He held a number of public meetings, and I did what I could to invite the people to attend.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.10

For a number of weeks, officers of the Russian government had been searching over quite a large district in Crimea, in the hope of finding us. After we had held about nine meetings, we were arrested. Four persons,—one from the Brethren Church, with a Baptist, a Lutheran, and a Roman Catholic—who ordinarily were very unfriendly toward one another, agreed to bring an accusation against us before the authorities, and so they all went together in a wagon to the county-seat, Sempferopol, and told the officials where we were. They brought a policeman with them. He took our passes, and took notes, in which it was written that we had made Jews out of Christians, and that we had rebaptized two persons. The next morning we were taken to Perekop with a team, and brought before the chief of police. He placed us in prison at once. As we entered, there was a man who was being smitten in the face. He was struck on the right side and then on the left in his face, but he did not reply. Without a word, he took off his shoe and spat the blood into it so as not to get it on the floor. That was the first scene we witnessed in that prison, and we thought perhaps they treated them all like that.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.11

We had to change our clothes, and they were searched very carefully. They took our money. At our earnest request, they finally allowed us to keep on our waistcoat and pantaloons, but we had to take the Russian mantle and put it over them.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.12

We stayed there forty days. The first night we could not sleep at all. The boards were too hard, and there were too many vermin. We had to use our boots as pillows.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.13

They had a dark hole there [dungeon], and one day I almost got into it. I found a small lead pencil in the corner of my waistcoat. I took this, and in very small writing I wrote upon the wall the beginning of the commandments. But when the mayor came in, he saw it, and said, “It is not allowed to write upon the wall.” And I was immediately led out; but after I had besought him and made promises, he led me back again.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.14

We had the same thing to eat every day,—black bread and sour soup, made of scraps of bread that had become stale. At one time a butcher brought a number of sheep-heads and intestines to the prison, because he wanted to do something good for the prisoners. It was a great privilege for the prisoners to have a little flesh to eat. In ours there was nothing but the entrails. But to-day we can even rejoice over that experience. The time would not have seemed so tedious to us if it had not been said, “You are going to Siberia.” Finally we could not eat the food any longer, and they allowed us to have something else; but of course we had to pay well for it. We were thankful to the Lord that we were not sick during this time. The hardest punishment we had was to try to sleep on those hard boards; we could not sleep more than five or ten minutes without changing our position.GCB May 18, 1909, page 53.15

We finally received our liberty from the religious censor in Sempferopol, which had been given by order of the czar through the minister of the interior.GCB May 18, 1909, page 54.1

After Brother Conradi had returned again to Basel, I again began to circulate all our publications. I was in the southwestern part of the Russian empire, in Molotschna and Berdjansk and Odessa, and I almost got into prison for the second time in Odessa. I was only allowed to go free because I promised I would go over the boundary; and I had to arise in the midst of the night and flee. I have never returned to that place since.GCB May 18, 1909, page 54.2

In 1897 I was in St. Petersburg and Reval for a time, where I organized a few small churches. Since that time I have been in Germany. It is my earnest prayer that in the great Russian empire God will bless his work, that many may be converted there.GCB May 18, 1909, page 54.3

At the close of Brother Perk’s remarks, the congregation were interested in an exhibition of the Cossack costume, specimens of which were worn by Brethren Loebsack and Isaak. This costume consisted of a tall fur cap and expansive cloak. It was stated by Brother Boettcher that these heavy garments are worn in summer as well as in winter. Underneath the cloak the Cossacks carry their weapons. In the city of Kief is a Seventh-day Adventist brother who is a Cossack officer.GCB May 18, 1909, page 54.4

Conference adjourned.GCB May 18, 1909, page 54.5

H. W. COTTRELL, Chairman,
W. A. SPICER, Secretary.

EIGHTH MEETING

IN THE HEART OF AFRICA - OUTLINE OF STEREOPTICON LECTURE