Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - What Has Been Done for These People and Their Neighbors Now in America? (Symposium) The Rev. Jesse W. Brooks, Ph. D. (presiding) - The Russian Poles: Mr. Constantine Antoszewski - First Missionary Journey - Chruchianity not Christianity
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A Symposium 109
First Missionary Journey
Thirty-five years ago, immediately after my conversion, I went on
my first missionary journey to a neighboring town in Poland, with a
man employed by the British and Foreign Bible Society. I asked him
to take me along and promised to help him the best I could, without
any pay whatever. We went, and after a few days I met a woman on
the street, who told me that the Testament I had sold her, was false.
I suggested that I would go with her to the priest and she consented.
When we came to the priest, I asked if it was true that he forbade the
reading of the Testament. He said: "Yes, because it is a false book."
We compared our Testaments and he found that there was no differ-
ence between them. Then he exclaimed: "The Bible is not the only
authority, but rather the chiircli, and you ought to obey the church."
I informed him that I would obey the church, provided the church
would obey Jesus Christ; but otherwise I would never obey the church.
We parted.
On the following morning I went to church to find out whether
they would warn the people against my work. It was a different
priest that conducted the service, and this is what he said in conclu-
sion. "Oh yes, a young antichrist has appeared in our city and pre-
tends to bring you the New Testament, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
But it is not the New Testament, or the Gospel, although it looks very
much like it. He is sent here by the British and Foreign Bible Society
to turn you away from our holy faith."
But some one will say: "This was thirty-five years ago and far
away in Poland." Last summer when I was preaching on the streets
of Chicago in the company of the students from the Moody Institute,
a man shook his fist at me, and said: "Who gave you the authority
to preach on the street? We have our churches for this purpose. You
are the antichrist."
Churchianity not Christianity
Our people are very religious and build many large churches. They
think that to belong to a church and to have a form of godliness con-
stitutes a Christian. I called one day on a family; the house was
very dirty; the children were barefooted and in rags. The man said
to me: "You see we are very poor and neglected." I asked if he was
out of employment, or perhaps they had sickness in the house. But
he explained to me that his wife was a drunkard and that was the
reason for their poverty. I felt very sorry for the family and began
to comfort them the best I knew how. In the meantime the man said
to his wife: "Mother, mother, take the pail and a bottle and bring us
some beer and whiskey." She obeyed, without saying a word. While
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