CHRISTIANS IN RUSSIA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 76, 10 July 1942, Page 3

CHRISTIANS IN RUSSIA

A LETTER FROM MOSCOW

According to a recent issue of 'The Baptist Times," a letter has been received from Moscow by Dr. Rushbrooke, President of the Baptist World Alliance, from the "All Union Council of Evangelical Christians," The letter had been three months on the way but (comments the British Ministry of Information paper, "The Spiritual Issues of the War" which reproduced the paper, the fact that it had been sent at all is significant of the. changed conditions which are not only bringing Governments and Trade Unions in to intimate contact, but arc also opening up the way to communication between members of Christian communions. The letter includes the following passages:— ''The historic agreement between the Governments of the U.S.S.U. and Great Britain on common action in the war against Germany has inspired us, esteemed Mr President, to approach you with this letter. Above all we wish to express our great joy on. the occasion of the drawing together of our brave nations in the face of Lhe common enemy. This drawing together, which is so ardently welcomed by the nations of the whole civilised world, we Hie Evangelical Christians of the Soviet Union, welcome as well. Particularly we Russian believers consider Great Britain as the citadel of living Christianity. We believe that the alliance concluded by our Governments will also serve to further closer co-operation between the disciples of Christ in our two countries. In your person we wisli to greet all God's children in Great Britain. Together with them Ave pray for help and strength from Heaven for victory over the trials which have fallen upon our peoples, and also for victory ever the enemy of all humanity—Hitler and Hitlerism, Maj r Christ be near us in the great trials which have fallen upon our countries. .May he bless our Governments and our peoples."