DEPENDING on permission being given by the Presbytery for my absence from my congregation, it is planned that Mr Edward Ross, Lochcarron, and I will visit the Ukraine in Spring. God willing, we intend to cross over from Hull on 24th March and return on 11th April.
Our intention is to visit the usual places in the Ukraine in order to distribute Bibles, reformed literature and material aid. However, particular attention will be given to the two small gatherings of people, in Borispol and Odessa, with whom we meet to conduct public worship on the Sabbath Day.
The Odessa friends are very interested in the Reformed Faith and appear to have genuinely embraced Presbyterianism. They are diligently going through the Westminster Confession of Faith and are using it as a help in studying the Bible. They are seriously looking to us as a Church, I believe, to do all we can to assist them, not only to establish the Reformed Faith among themselves as a congregation, but also by spreading it in places there where it is not known.
It has been a great advantage for us to obtain a Russian translation of the Westminster Confession of Faith. We understand that it is a good translation, and we purchase copies from Reformation Christian Ministries, USA.
The postage of Bibles and literature is on the increase. The main requests we receive are for Bibles, and then for literature that explains the Bible. A letter from Belorussia says: “Dear Friends, this is some students writing to you. We would like to read the Bible and Christian literature. Many people now have that same desire, but there is no such literature around. We are persuaded that the Christian idea, Christian values, draw together the whole world. If it is possible send us a Bible and other Christian literature.”
Once again I bring before our readers the need for funds for the support of this mission work in Eastern Europe. The purchase of many copies of the Confession of Faith in Russian would be very costly. It would be much more economical to print them ourselves, a project we are seriously contemplating. The printing of our own literature in Russian is an ongoing business. Stocks of The Shorter Catechism and The Mother’s Catechism are low at present, but we hope to have a reprint of these and other titles soon, if funds are available.
Another item of expenditure we anticipate is the purchase of a replacement truck. The present vehicle, while it has served us exceptionally well, is now old. It is also necessary that the replacement vehicle would be larger.
There is no doubt that this kind of work is worthy of the support of every Christian. While many different causes demand our financial support there is no cause to compare to that of Christ’s Kingdom in the world. One fundamental activity of His Kingdom is sending His Word to the ends of earth. May we continually do so, and be “striving together for the faith of the gospel.” D. A. R.