Journal of European Baptist Studies, 2007

Morozov’s house on a pallet. She received reassurance from God and made a decision to stay in Mustvee, which she reported to the SMA, 58 who, in turn, guaranteed financial support of 150 Estonian kroons per month. She also had permission to employ one evangelist, 59 and she stayed in Mustvee until the end of her life in 1965. The Mustvee Evangelical Baptist Church was young; it had been officially established in 1921, though Baptist missions had reached the area much earlier. The church had a small music group. 60 The first leader of the church, Johannes Roodeman, had come from the church in Laius-Tahkvere, together with sixteen members of the congregation. Whilst in the Laius- Tahkvere church, Roodeman had been involved in some kind of spiritual controversy, and chose to leave the church. 61 However, paradoxically, this helped at last to establish a church in Mustvee. The first baptism in Mustvee took place in 1922. Roodeman had poor health, and struggled economically, and new energy and leadership was soon needed. In 1925, the same year that Bertelson arrived in Mustvee, Eduard Annert, who had 56 Hildegard Tuulik to Daily Valk, (14.05.1999). Private letter. 57 Lagergren, Framgangstid med dubbla fortecken: Svenska baptistsamfundet dren 1914-1932 , p. 137. 58 Emilie Bertelson, Dagbok 20.05.1957-10.12.1962, entry 09.09.1958. 59 Lagergren, Framgangstid med dubbla fortecken: Svenska baptists amfundet dren 1914-1932 , p. 137. 60 Adeele Kreen, Peatiikk Mustvee noorte too-pdllult. [Chapter from mission field of Mustvee youth], in Elukevade [The Spring of Life], 8/9, (1920), p. 253. 61 K. Kaups, ‘Kojuhiiiitud ustavaid sulaseid’, p. 129. 16 Journal of European Baptist Studies just finished at the Baptist Preachers’ Seminary, took the pastor’s role in ft") the Mustvee Church. “ The Baptist church and Baptist mission united their zro efforts in the area. ~ Bertelson also supported the congregation financially through her Swedish contacts. 64 Soon the congregation started to grow. Anton Kukin, a former member of the Old Believers Church, 65 after his conversion, worked for many years as a paid Baptist evangelist in this Lutheran, Orthodox and Old Believers setting. Many brothers received help from Sweden and it was possible to rent more prayer houses. 66 Though Bertelson could be a firm character, she was able to cooperate with the local church and its official leaders and the mission in Mustvee region benefited from this. For many years, a prayer house in Rajaktila village, and later in a Russian-speaking village Kukita (Kikita), was the centre for evangelism and mission in the area. The Baptist congregation had a rented prayer house in the little town of Mustvee. But Bertelson’s mission and the work of the local congregation were intertwined. In 1926 Baptist services were held in two places - Mustvee and Rajaktila. In addition, there were rented worship rooms in three other places, usually la