The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1922-11-08
Playing the Good
Samaritan in Russia
Rv Rev John Sheridan Te1ie-

summer as special representa-
tive of the Federal Council of the
Churches in administering relief,
especially to the Russian clergy
and their dependents. 1t is a fas-
cinating story, which he here tells,
of what the help of the American
churches has meant to Russia.)
In stately room in great resi-
dence in Moscow the American relie1
administration has established wha
is known as the Representatives
ROOM" The representatives are those
who act under the A. R. A. las the
American relief administration is ev.
erywhere called) for the religious ane
philanthropic organizations who under
its auspices carry on a work of mercy
for special constituencies in Russia
The National Lutheran Welfare coun.
Gil holds one desk, the Jewish relief
another, the Mennonites, the Y. M. C
A., the Y. W. C.. A., the Baptist relief
and the National Catholic Welfare
council the others. On July another
table was moved in and the Federal
Council of the Churches took the seat
to which it had been entitled from the
start, though hitherto carrying on its
operations through the general staff
of the A. R. A.
There is something telepathic about
Russia. Within about a day every
body knows who you are and what
you came for. My own mission, as
representative of the churches acting
unitedly through the Federal council
in addition to general participation in
relief in all kinds of cases, was to
carry relief to the major body OF
Christians in Russia who were in dis
tress and for whom little had hitherto
been done. There was certainly no
FAX to grind in this errand, no politi-
cal purpose to be served, no ecclesias-
teal plan for union between these
evangelical churches of America and
this ancient and fascinating Christian
ity of the East, now so disrupted and
distressed. There was no design OF
any kind except to feed the hungry
and when the work was done | came
away without having even talked po-
litics" or having interfered in any way
with their affairs. The churches
which l represented were not even in
communion with this great body which
embraces most of the believers of
Russia, and did not expect or ask to
be. But they were indestitution, we
were in prosperity, and it seemed the
Christian thing to send out of our full
ness token of good will toward them
in their need. AS one of the most ex-
perienced and sagacious philanthropic
workers in Russia said to me, "The
people you want to help are the worst
off and most neglected of all classes
in Russia"
All day long in the representatives
room one sees a ceaseless stream Of
famine victims with their appeals. 1t
is nothing less than mysterious how,
if you have any help to give, people
get wind of it and come. In one city
of Russia, and l could never tell how
it happened, within six hours every
body seemed to know that this added
relief was available. What was more,
they could scarcely believe their ears.
AS one woman said: Il thought we
were forgotten of the whole world and
that nobody would ever take thought
of us. Since you came on this errand
l have felt all the time as if | were
walking in dream, just to think that
way over the other side of the world
Christian people want to help us"
It was such an exhilaration to be
giving this help that one did not think
much about being thanked for it and
I was quite overwhelmed when on re-
turning from an errand, | was told
that the two poor women outside, with
shawls over their heads, had been
waiting an hour for me. "What for ?"
l asked. 'AThey are sisters of one Of
the great converts who for years have
given every kind of aid and service and
they have come to offer you the Orien-
tai tribute of bread and salt as an ex-
preston of their gratitude for helping
out their old and sick and infrm.
Nothing in Russia ever touched me
more deeply-and there was plenty to
touch one. In they came, bringing the
bread and salt and with it an address
which said:
eve are full of profound thanks for
the love and compassion expressed to
us in our exclusive, surely never ex-
listing before, grave situation. And
now taking advantage of your visits
we feel our duty to express by this
letter our sincere feelings of our
hearts and to ask you to give our kind
est greetings to the far American
land. In glory of God, and in holy re-
membrane of your visits we request
you. kindly to accept these saint pic
lures of the first men and leaders of
piety in Russia. At the same time
following the old Russian habit, as
sign Of answer of our hearts, we re-
quest you, our most highly esteemed
representative of the American church,
to accept this bread and keep this
towel made by hands of nuns to serve
unI1 nc remembrance of orr COM