Norwich bulletin., 1922-11-11
FOUND CHECKS EAGER
 TO HEAR GOSPEL NJ


 When Dr. Frederick E. Taylor of In- dianapobs and I were chosen by the for eign mission board to go and preach to the Czechoslavkians, we soon realized we were not going there to preach to them. but simply repay them what we owe them for the religion that people handed on down through the ages until it reached the English nation,' said Dr. Carter Helm Jones of the First Baptist church of Philadelphia sky-pilot of the PhiladeI- phia Rotary club. Friday night at the Central Baptist church. speaking to Rap lists from many churches of eastern Con- necticut.
 We can trace back what we owe them by going back to the church of the Thes- salonians, then coming down centuries afterward to John Illus, that wonderful Christian who inspired men to go out and preach the gospel, and translated the Bible into his native language. This re- ligious fire spread in spite of persecution until it reached men like William Carey and John Wesley. and the Bible became translated into English. Thus, you see, Czechosiovakia is holy gro&N in Chris tian religion.
 The people that make uD CAA Soslova- kia, the Bohemians, Moravians and Slo- vaNians, were crushed under the heel of the Hap6burgs and Christian religion plotted out, many Of the ProteStants be- ing murdered, among them the greatest apostle since John. namely. John Illus
 When the war came these Slovakians were forced to fight for flag they hated rightfully, for to them it meant civic and religious repression. At first it seemed to them that all hope was lost. but now since the signing of the new declaration of independence by President T. G. Masa- ryk of the Czechos,uvakians God has shown that he often uses men for his | own purpose, and these people have come | into their own. It was Masaryk who or ganized the deserting Czecks and Slovaks and held over a million Germans from | taking part in the drive on Paris. and | who held over 400 miles of railways their work being so great that the allies ! recognized these countries in their inde. 1 pendence.
 l When Dr. Taylor and I landed al Prague, the capital of Bohemia, ou] great work started, and we took Ions trips through this new country preachin. i the gospel of Christ to thousands of peo pie hungry for the gospel. Speakin, | through interpreters sometimes needin, | two interpreters before our messa g could be delivered to the people. we coult see that the people waited and longed fo the gospel brought from American Ban tists and hundreds accepted Christ a their Lord. In one little town far out ii the country in a little schoolhouse " found over Se0 people waiting for us t preach. After teaching them We extend ed the invitation and over SO arose an wished to- be baptized. This was a won derful stand for them, because it mean l md. rpli people to renounce their faith and becom Protestants. In one town the people be coming Christians. were refused anima! to blow their fields, by order of the re listons body in control, and they had t pull the blows by hand. Now there is
 Baptist church there, built by the faith ful people, and many are joining tn faith.
 "On several occasions our lives were i danger when angry mobs formed outsid the hall in which we spoke, but each tim violence was avoided and hundreds be came members of our faith. In one tow , we found man who had been a Baptis
 for over 10 years, who said his life ha
 been 'heG' among the people. Now ther
 are over 60 Baptists there, and by thi time 200 more have been baptized an
 joined the church. tine people seeking religion of Christ hungering for the vor
 of God as never before
 fThese same audiences filled every ha or theatre and school in which we spo4
 and during our sermon there was tt . stiffness of night. every one strainin forward to catch every word of our il
 terpreter. After our services they can , forward and with tears in their ey,
 thanked us for the word of hope we ha , brought. These people are religious | ' nature, and it is my prayer that Baptis 1, can send money to Czecnoslovakia to ca ' " on this great work.
 Tn one town where there were b1t
 Baptists hall was engaged seating .0C and on the night we were to talk a hurr cane broke over the town, tearing |
 trees and carrying. away housetops, b-
 within the han were crammed 200 De pie eager to hear the men from Aneri, :. who were to talk of God and his kin h dom.
 Tt was a great work and one I she
 never forget. and it is our duty to brir to these people the message of God ' bring them back to the religion taught 1 such men as John Illus and others ov
 500 years ago, and carry forward u 5 5 aims of MasaTyk, who says in his gre book: Jesus. not Caesar is the slogan ' the new Europe"