Baptists in the U.S.S.R. Some Facts and Hopes, J. H. Rushbrook, 1943

by the banishment of teachers. The printing of Russian Bibles in the land was brought to an end, and their importation forbidden. Articles H.M. Stationery Office, Cmd. 3511. ® It is worth while to quote the relevant paragraph of the “ Stalin Constitution ” (Art. 1 24), which reads : “ In order to ensure to citizens freedom of conscience, the Church in the U.S.S.R. is separate from the State, and the schools from the Church. Freedom of religious worship and freedom of anti-religious propaganda is recognised for all citizens.” 13 in defence of religion could not be published; the frequent attacks on religion had perforce to be left unanswered. As stated at the opening of this pamphlet, the Russian Baptists have been practically isolated from the end of 1928 until after the Nazi invasion of the U.S.S.R. There is still but little light on their conditions and activity. The Soviet Information Bureau is responsible for the statement that there are “ about 1,000 societies and groups affiliated to the All- Union Council of Evangelical Christians.” This cannot represent the whole of the Baptists, if we take seriously the claim to number 4,000,000 made by the “ Baptist ” and “ Evangelical Christian ” signatories of the joint appeal pub¬ lished a few months ago in the Soviet War News. An average strength of approximately 4,000 for each society and group appears unthinkable. Whether a separate organisation of Baptists is still functioning, with which the majority of the four millions is connected, but which is accidentally unmen¬ tioned, we do not know. We may probably assume that the ^4-1, increase achieved some fifteen years Government has been maintained in spite of the now cordial. serious handicap of the constitutional and legal position. It is also certain that under the present conditions of Nazi invasion the loyal support given by Baptists to the Soviet State is unhampered by any trace of doctrinaire pacifism. Stalin himself could scarcely speak more strongly than these “ sectarians.” Again, the cabled statement that the Government is doing everything possible to help believers must be accepted as evidence of a new cordiality, due perhaps to the unmistakable demonstration of Baptist loyalty and solidarity with fellow-citizens in defence of the motherland. That cordiality, we all hope, may find Legal position lasting expression in the restoration caUs for of the freedom of propaganda for religion revision. which was included in the original Soviet Constitution; in the granting of liberty to carry on Sunday schools, which would in