Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-11-21

their sons. describing the unbearable
prison life of Russian believers:
my dear son:
Yesterday brought a great sur
prise when l received your letter.
From the depth of my heart l am
thankful for this comfort.
Papa has overcome the abuse and
hardships because he is now in Heav-
en-. He has gone from exile to the
Heavenly freedom. With tears in my
eyes and a bleeding heart, l comfort
you. 1t has pleased the Lord to take
Papa from this world.
when we have twenty-five and
thirty degrees below zero as 1t is to-
day, then l thank God that Papa
bread. l feel the same way about it
for myself too.
Yes, Papa had to die such a hor-
rible death! But we read in Isaiah
55:S For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, said the Lord
''R. and K. gave me details of ia
theirs death. F. who is very sick
himself. took care and comforted
Papa. Few hours before he passed
away he prayed, but his voice was
already too weak. In all his pain and
suffering he never complained. I'm
til the last, he worked for his Lord
and Master. Let it be a comfort to
you, he died martyrs death. No
body could be present to bury him
it was prohibited.
"One week before Papa died, l gave
the only dress l had to barter for
food. A peasant was kind and gave
Papa a little amount of flour Now
Papa doesn't need anything. But l
have only sorrow for your young sis
tiers and brothers. l know you don't
have much yourself. The Lord be
with you.
Lovingly, Mother"
The above letter from this broken
hearted mother, got through the Sow
let censorship and reached her son,
who is now out of Russia.
While it is true that Communist
authorities exercise rigid censorship
over all mail coming in and going out
of Russia, yet it is humanity impOs-
sible for them to open every letter.
But if an envelope looks the least bit
suspicious, it is Immediately exam
ined. This one from mother Schwarz
escaped their attention.
AID. Vorsky, another Christian from
Soviet Russia, who has been in the
United States less than three months.
tells me:
when a Christian like myself sue
ceeds in getting out he usually finds
it to his. advantage to remain silent
concerning the suffering of his fell
low believers. Before leaving, he is
invariably warned that If he dares
reveal the truth about the plight Of
Russian Christians, or criticize the
Soviet regime in any way, his rela-
tives will be made to suffer. Mem
bers of families, thus held for tor
ture after their relatives have left.
are called hostages"
In explaining the miserable lives
that preachers live in Russia, Mr..
Vorsky explains: ministers of re-
ligiOn in Russia are called 'slutzite-
Iva culta' They are deprived of all
civic rights. They are not allowed
to vote, but of course voting means
nothing in Russia any way. The peO-
pie always know in advance that the
candidates appointed by the party
will be elected. The workers are.
therefore, not interested in who may
be elected because things can not be
changed as long as the same leaders
remain in power at the top.
preachers and their families are
not allowed to live on property owned
by the state. This means they can
not occupy places in cities because Of