The farmer and mechanic., 1915-08-03

William fel1ef, the RUSSIAN BdptlSt
rreacher who has had such remark
able popular acceptance as a preacher
iu Tctrograd, and who has heretofore
arpeared to enjoy surprising liberties
under the Russian government, has
arrived in New York City confessing
thst he has at length fallen under an
oH.cM ban which will probably pre-
vent mis- ever returning to Russia to
resume his work
Mr. Fetler, though he has himself
enjoyed such consideration as no other
uon-conforming minister of the gospel
ever received in Russia, is far from
enthusiastic over the prospects Of real
and general religious liberty being
soon established in that country
Many signs since the outbreak of the
war such as a new spirit toward the
jew and the Poles, have encouraged
English observers to predict an era Of
liberalization, but Mr.. Fetler is in
clined to quite the opposite forecast.
AZ least, the Protestants of Russia
have experienced more trouble since
war began than for long time before
it, Immediately after Russia plunged
into the great European struggle,
uffCOus government agents recalled
that the Stundsts-the original Rus
sian PrOteStantS-were mostly nom
resistants and on principle opposed
to war.
Also, il was remembered that the
Stundsts arose originally in a Ger
man colony within Russian bounds.
Their name u.s. in fact drawn from
the German word for hours" signify
ing the devotional periods which they
were accustomed to observe.
ON these grounds it was assumed
that Russian Protestants were likely
to be sympathetic with the enemies
of the nation, or at least Indifferent
10 the progress of the war. Fetler
himself, having German name, was
regarded with peculiar suspicion.
lie was very soon arrested, and
thrown into prison, where he was in
formed that he would be forwarded
10 Siberia. BY invoking some of hi:
influential acquaintances, however the
pastor was able to get a petition tC
the minister of the interior begging
that on account of the poor health
of his wife and the delicacy Of hi
three e-months-old baby, he might b.
permitted to substitute exile from tn
country for the proposed exile to ST
IBERIA.
This being granted, he departed t
Stockholm, and afterward came t
America. 1mmediatly after his leav
ing eleven other Protestant preacher
were banished, ten of them being sen
to Siberia.
Work of Korean Christians
The simple and exemplary faith @
the Korean Christians is becomin
the religious wonder Of the twentiet
century. The Koreans have been de
preciated and even deSpised by tn
militant forces of the world. But tn
beatitude which fell from the lips {
our Saviour is still the axiom Of tn
higher life. The question which no
confronts the nations is this one sin
pie alterna i've, Shall the earth /
ruled by ambition, with it's weapon
of war; or by Christian meeknes
with it's weapons of peace?"
The Missionary Review Of the WOrl
reports a missionary's description
one Of the methods Of personal wor
used by the Christians Of Kore
soon after my arrival l was assigne
10 do visiting in certain homes, ar
a little book was given me contai1
ing the names of each believer.
each page was a second name; an
when / asked what that meant, l w;
informed that that was the name
the unbelieving woman for whom tn
believing woman had promised
work and pray until she became
Christian. I was also requested
soon as one had become a Christie
TO put her name in another place al
l'Ne llle llTSt sister ueClQe Oh dHOtIl
Tor whom she would work and pra
Many Of them have been marked {
ana others put in their places. Pret
definite personal work, is it not?"
A Striking Illustration.
The following story is well authe
iCated:
In 1885 the Miami Baptist Associ
uon of Ohio divided on mission al
ahu-mission lines. Nineteen church,
WIN 125 members, excluded {
churches, with AL members, for ha
ing the missionary spirit. In 1Ss
hfty-two years later the ninete
&humission churches had decreas
hVe zone has since died), the z
members had decreased to 151, a.
not one Of these churches had
many members as in 1896. But t
SIX missionary churches had increas
20 SlXty-tiYe, and the AL membt