Eastern European Baptist History: New Perspectives, 2007

period because of its eager character. After World War II, Polish Baptists enthusi- astically started missions and offered mutual help. Enthusiasm was evident in services and meetings.” This fervency was shared by the ecumenical movement, in which young people sought partnership among all Protes- tant churches. In 1945, the small remnant of evangelical churches decided to work together as the “Polish Evangelical and Baptist Christian Church’, uniting the Free Evangelical and Christian churches with Baptist churches. This union only lasted till 1947. Because many church buildings had been destroyed during the Second World War, while the Communist government or the Catholic Church occupied others, not all Baptist churches had a place to meet. Many Baptist believers had to change their place of worship many times. They often met in private houses, each Sunday at the home of a different family.°' When a church grew in membership, it became necessary to build a separate place of worship. In some cases, private people donated land for a new building.” The same thing happened with other Protestant denominations. In some cities, two different denominations met in the same building. * For example, a youth conference in Gdansk and youth meetings in Radosc-Warszawa. “Zaduma nad ¢éwier¢wieczem’, Stowo Prawdy, no. 7-8 (July-August 1969), p. 2. »* Stowo Prawdy, no. 7-8 (June-August 1984), p. 2. *! Michal Huryn, “Historia zboru w Jamnie-Koszalinie (1947-1977)”, Stowo Prawdy, no. 11 (November 1978), p. 26. *? Jan Mackiewicz, “50 lat zboru w Hajnéwce’, Stowo Prawdy, no. 3 (March 1978), p. 28. 177 The initial enthusiasm faded in 1947 when problems arose and the unity of the churches cracked. When the Evangelical and Free Christians sepa- rated from the Baptists, the Baptists became known as the “Polish Chris- tian Baptist Church,’ which was accepted by the state Minister of Public Administration in August of 1948.°? Even when Baptists tried to regain unity with other evangelical churches, results were poor, and the separa- tion made the entire radical protestant church much weaker in the years ahead. The second period (1950-1956) can be called a period of lethargy in the Baptist Church. Baptist churches were not growing. Sfowo Prawdy produced almost no publications. The Communist government turned against churches. Meetings in many churches were forbidden, and secret police visited services to check what was being taught and instil fear in the congregation. After the 1950s, the government forbade youth meetings. The youth met only in homes, celebrating birthdays at each meeting, since that was not prohibited. Children’s meetings, however, remained legal. The third period began in 1956 and ended in approximately 1968. The lethargy of the previous period was followed by a time of new enthusiasm and achievements in the church. Beginning in 1957, Stowo Prawdy was again published regularly, and the publishing hous