“An example of suffering affliction and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure.” James 5:10-11.
Time went on and there seemed no hope of any mitigation in the sufferings of the Stundists. In December, 1894, the Minister of the Interior issued a manifesto to the effect that they were the most dangerous sect both for the Church and the State, and that, therefore, all their meetings were forbidden. From one who visited them at Gerushi, on the Persian frontier, we learn that even in their exile they had to come together very early in the morning, before the police were about. They are much touched at hearing that Christians in England were praying for them, so let us be encouraged to continue remembering them before the Lord. In 2 Thess. 3:1,2, we read of Paul asking the brethren to pray for him and Silvanus and Timotheus, “that the Word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you; and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.” We, too, might pray in this way for the Stundists.
Perhaps, before we close this little account, some of my readers would like to read a description of one of their meetings. It was published as follows in the “Leisure Hour,” years ago.
“Their services are as simple as could be, the largest room in a hut is usually chosen for the occasion. The furniture does not consist of anything beyond a few stools and a table. In the right corner there is also a small table covered with a white cloth, on which lie a Bible and a hymn book. The latter contains Russian translations of many Lutheran, and even of some English hymns. The service opens with a hymn, or more generally a Psalm. Then some one reads a portion of the Bible, which is followed up by exposition. Psalms and hymns are again sung, and afterwards all kneel down and a prayer is offered up.
“The sacrament of holy communion is almost as simple. ‘We believe,’ they say, ‘that in this sacred symbol, Christ gives to the believer to taste of His body and blood in a spiritual manner.’ An elder generally opens the meeting with the words, ‘Let us begin this meeting in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,’ whereupon he opens the Bible at the twelfth of Exodus and reads verses 1-15, explaining the paschal feast of the Old Testament. ‘This solemn feast,’ he says, ‘was ordained in memory of the liberation of the Jews from servitude or bodily death. Now, however, the blood of the Lamb has freed man from eternal death.’ When he has expounded this chapter, the elder reads 1 Cor. 11:23-34, or Matthew 2:6. While he is reading, a deacon places a plate of bread and a cup of wine on the table, and as the elder is repeating the verses `Take, eat,’ etc., the plate is handed round. The same occurs with the wine. All those present, before participating, sing one verse of the communion hymn, which, literally translated, reads:
`When Thou, Lord, madest known
Thy death to the disciples,
Then, at even taking bread,
Thou didst bless it;
And breaking, gavest it to all,
Saying unto them,
Take, eat, all of you,
This is my body―’
“A similar verse, which is also a paraphrase of the verses in the Bible, is also sung before partaking of the wine. After this the elder reads Matt. 26:26-28, and with a prayer and the benediction, the service concludes.”
This, of course, depicts what their meetings were like in earlier days, for later on, it had to be done with the greatest precaution.
An eye-witness has described about forty people assembled in a cleared space in a forest, who had all come from different directions, stealthily, by twos and threes, lest they should be noticed, each one carrying a Bible wrapped up in paper to disguise it if possible. But such a meeting generally ends now by one or more being caught by the police and sent to jail.
I am afraid some of us would have left our Bibles at home rather than run the risk of being taken up by bringing them. To these poor Stundists the Word of God was a living reality, a revelation from heaven, a compass to direct their course through this world. They were willing to lose everything rather than give it up.
How solemn it is that in countries where there is full liberty to read it, no man making us afraid, it is fast losing its authority and becoming as a fable to be discussed. God grant that any of the young who read this, may take example by the Stundists and search its precious pages, for in them they will find exhaustless treasures of wisdom.
ILLUSTRATION
Cossacks clearing a street