Last June, I went to Odessa accompanied by Mr Edward Ross. We were able, in the kind providence of the Lord, to visit our Mission there for two Sabbaths. Having received the usual hearty welcome from our friends in the congregation, we soon got down to work. We had some Field Committee meetings in which – we trust with the guidance of the Lord – decisions were made for furthering the Mission’s work.
Considerable time was taken up in discussing our publishing programme – Russian books in print, others to be printed and new translations in progress. We have finished the translation of Memoir and Remains of the Rev Donald Macdonald, Shieldaig, and printing is under way. Among the advantages of now having our own place of worship is that we have excellent storage space for books in the basement – Mr Igor Zadorozhnyi kindly stored them at his home previously.
The children’s book, Line Upon Line, which we published in Russian a few years ago, is frequently requested by pastors of other churches for their young people. A reprint will be required shortly. It has been decided to translate the Catechism of the History and Principles of the Free Presbyterian Church. We have thought for some years past that this Catechism was suitable for translation and distribution, and we were glad when the Religion and Morals Committee edited and published it in English. This makes it easier for the Field Committee to proceed, and the new edition is now in the hands of the translator, Mrs Natasha Hopkins, to be translated into Russian.
Progress continues to be made with producing a metrical version of the Psalms. Mrs Inna Levitskyy, who is carrying out this work, with input from other members of the congregation, is at present in Lewis with her family and hopes to find time to proceed more rapidly with the work. More than 80 Psalms, or parts of Psalms, are already in use; they are bound in folders for use in public worship. Several able helpers have given advice and assistance, but all too often the result is a paraphrasing of the psalms; so their contributions have had to be abandoned. The principal translator of most of the books we have published has described Mrs Levitskyy’s work as excellent. Our intention is eventually to publish a Psalmody, containing both Psalms and tunes, which will then be available for other churches also, though most of them only use an occasional Psalm with their hymns.
Mr Igor Zadorozhnyi has discovered that he can purchase large-print Russian Bibles locally, for free distribution, at no more than half the price of the same edition elsewhere; so we purchased 500 copies. There is quite a demand for this Bible from older people who need and like the large print.
We had a first-hand report from Mr Zadorozhnyi about the Mission’s new five-door Lada car, which is used to bring some of our people to church. He is very pleased with it, not least because it enables him to carry out his literature distribution more easily.
Because Mr Levitskyy and his family are presently in Scotland, the Mission residential flat is unoccupied. It has therefore become necessary to put the whole building under high security to prevent burglaries.
The main reason for our visit was, of course, to preach the gospel, and we are thankful we were able to do that, but the numbers at the services were not as many as on our last visit. On this occasion 15 attended on the communion Sabbath. It was interesting to meet again one lady who used to worship with us regularly in the early days, but who, along with her family and others, stopped doing so when the Mission was under threat from the local City Council (which regarded us as foreigners who had no right to preach in the Ukraine). Since then her husband and one of her sons have died. It seemed that she was as happy to see us as we were to see her. We trust that such renewed contacts will bear fruit for eternity. Her husband, when we knew him, was an alcoholic, but she told us that he had given up his habit and had died a believer. She mourned that her son who died was not a believer.
The usual number of communion services were held – two each day, with one on Saturday and one on Monday. There were no new members. Mr Kusmich, one of the members and of Jewish birth, had to leave his home in the city to live in Moldova under the care of his son, because of old age. Mr Zadorozhnyi tried to make arrangements for him to come and stay in Odessa during the communion season but it proved too difficult for him to come. He is deeply missed by the few who gather on Sabbath and weekday.
May the Lord graciously bless these efforts to spread abroad the Word! We trust that, in the not too distant future, Mr Dmytro Levitskyy will be in a position to undertake the work of preaching Christ to the people there, and that he will be a great help in the work which Mr Zadoroshnyi is presently engaged in. We need no other authority than that which Christ gives: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15).
A little grace at first conversion may reform an ill life, but it must be a great deal of grace that must reform an ill heart. A little grace may make a man victorious over outward gross sins, but it must be a great deal of grace that must make a man victorious over inward sins, secret sins, spiritual sins, heart sins.
He who refrains from sin, and whose heart rises more against sin, because of the purity of the law which forbids sin than because of the severity of the law which condemns sin, is certainly under the power of renewing grace. Thomas Brooks