everlasting-gospels.gif

Adventism On The Move1: Russia
letter-text.gif
line.gif
guide_img.gif

Nov. 5 - Adventism On The Move1: Russia

 guide_img.gif

 

line.gif

And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? Rom. 10:14, RSV.

God at times uses strange ways to help people hear His Word. Such was the case of the arrival of Adventism in Russia. As in so many areas of the world, converts to Adventism in America among immigrant populations first stimulated the beginning of Adventism in Russia. In wanting to share their faith they often sent doctrinal tracts back home to family and friends.

Thus it was in 1882 when a Crimean neighbor of Gerhardt Perk notified him that he had some interesting but dangerous literature that had come from America in 1879. After much pleading the neighbor loaned Perk J. N. Andrews' The Third Angel's Message.

Reading it in secret, Perk wrote to the American publishers for more information. Soon he had read himself into conviction on Adventist doctrine, but he hesitated to start observing the Sabbath.

About that time he became an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society. While traveling from place to place selling books, Perk escaped disaster several times through what he believed was divine protection. At that point he was convicted that if he expected God's care, he should live up to all the Bible truth that he had. As a result, he added Adventist literature to the Bibles he was selling.

But Perk was not the only person spreading Adventist doctrine in south Russia. Another was a German-Russian convert to Adventism from South Dakota. Even though he was more than 80 years old, had a speech impediment, and had no money, he returned to Russia to share his faith, selling his boots to pay for part of his fare.

To say the least, he was creative. Pleading poor eyesight, he would enter a village marketplace and request people to read to him. If the reader became interested in the topic, he gave the tract to him or her.

Passing out such material, however, was against the law in Russia. But when the local priest wanted to have the old man arrested, the people stoned the cleric for thinking that a nearly blind old man could be dangerous. The "harmless old man" evangelized for more than a year in this manner.

Such was the beginning of Adventism in Russia. It appears that God can use almost anyone in almost any condition by almost any method to spread biblical truth. He can probably even use us.


         line.gif
guide_img_bottom.gif guide_img_bottom.gif

When perplexities arise, and difficulties confront you, look not for help to humanity. Trust all with God. The practice of telling our difficulties to others only makes us weak, and brings no strength to them. It lays upon them the burden of our spiritual infirmities, which they cannot relieve. We seek the strength of erring, finite man, when we might have the strength of the unerring, infinite God(COL 146).
line.gif
이 게시물을...