Journal of European Baptist Studies, 2007

ionary Association (CFMSMA) gave its approval for her to go to Russia immediately. - She wrote about it in her diary 44 years later. She left from Stockholm on 14 th September, met her mother in Estonia on 17 th September and arrived in St Petersburg the next day. 29 But in the political turmoil, all contacts between Emilie Bertelson and CFMSMA were cut off. It wasn’t until July 1920 that the Swedes received their first note from Bertelson, whose earlier letters had probably been confiscated. Throughout this time Bertelson had worked in St Petersburg, evangelising and organising Christian work. She even had the opportunity to visit the Baptist conference in Moscow in 1920/ Even if life and working conditions were poor and difficult Bertelson was able to manage all these things and continue with her mission. Emilie Bertelson worked in conjunction with the ‘House of Gospel’ (Dom Evangelija) which was established by William Fetler. Fetler (1883- 1957), originally from Latvia and son of a Baptist preacher, started his ministry in St Petersburg with help from Britain. Between 1903-1907 he studied at Spurgeon’s College, London. Fetler had a wider vision than, for example, Signeul, who was restricted mostly to the Swedish and German Lagergren, Framgangstid med dubbla fortecken: Svenska baptistsamfundet dren 1914-1932 , pp. 134- 135. 27 Heather J Coleman, Russian Baptists and Spiritual Revolution, 1905-1929 (Indiana: University Press 2005), p. 143. Lagergren, Framgangstid med dubbla fortecken: Svenska baptistsamfundet dren 1914-1932, p. 135. 29 Emilie Bertelson, Dagbok, 20.05.1957-10.12.1962, entry 14-18.09.1962. 30 Lagergren, Framgangstid med dubbla fortecken: Svenska baptistsamfundet dren 1914-1932 , p. 135. ‘She Worked Like a Man’ 11 speaking population. Fetler worked among Russians, building relations with aristocracy and was also known among the ordinary people. He established a Baptist Church in St Petersburg and one in Moscow. 31 In 1911, the House of Gospel was opened. At the beginning of the First World War Fetler was expelled from Russia, and after the revolution his large church was used by Baptists. 32 This House of Gospel was the main working place for Bertelson between 1918-1924. Emilie Bertelson soon realised that mission work was not only preaching. She was, indeed, involved in evangelism as well as teaching in a Sunday School. Bertelson said that at ‘every service people came to pray for forgiveness: sometimes 10, 15, 20, 30 and once even 50 people’. 33 Nevertheless, there were other tasks. She often made home visits. There was also administrative and organisational work that needed to be done. Later she wrote articles in the Swedish journal Lanken (Link), and described services in stadiums which she organised with local churches. 34 The former ‘Fetler’s Church’ went through difficult times. In 1914 there were 500 people in the congregation. By 1918 there were only 60 people ther