Baptistic Theologies, 2009

lec’s help one of these buildings was converted into an orphanage. 27 In addition, Strzelec, working through sponsorship from the Northern Convention, made it possible to start a Baptist publication, ‘Nowe Drogi’ (New Way). Strzelec was himself much involved with this newspaper." All of these ventures were significant in extending Polish Baptist missional activity. Another of those who returned to Poland was W. Peretiatko, who graduated in the United States and in 1925 came back to Poland, to Rawa Ruska, a small town in Galicja. He worked among Jewish, Ukrainian and Polish people, and as a result of his work many new churches were established in the eastern region - in Zolkiew, Lwow, Tarnopol and Sniatyn. In some of the villages and small towns notable changes occurred in social life: ‘Vodka, stealing and blood sports disappeared and redundant Police offices were closed’. Peretiatko was a person of great gentleness and patience, qualities necessary to be able to work with and among the Polish people. His mission was based on encouraging people and showing that each person in the congregation had their individual place in the service of God. He visited church members in their homes, and so came to know all their joys and sorrows. Based on that, he could give advice, teach, and comfort others. His whole life was seen in the wider community as an 23 Karol W. Strzelec, The Burning Bush-Trials and Hope of the Polish People (Chicago: self-published, 1917), p. 34. 24 Bendarczyk, Historia Zborow Baptystow w Polsce do 1939 roku, p. 148. 25 Gutsche, The Beginning of my work in Poland, p. 28. 26 About nine students applied for that course (4 Poles, 2 Ukrainians and 3 Russians), Bendarczyk, Historia Zborow Baptystow w Polsce do 1939 roku, p. 153. “ 7 Gutsche, The Beginning of my work in Poland, p. 20. 28 Von Robert L. Klutting, Geschichte Der Deutschen Baptisten in Poland von 1858 - 1945, Im Selbstverlag des Verfassers, translated by Siegmund Karczewski, pp. 1-21. 29 Bednarczyk, Prezbiter W. Peretianko", p. 15. 92 Baptistic Theologies example to follow, and when he died several thousand people came to his funeral - from different religious groups and from all levels of society, including municipal officials. It was through such people that the Baptist churches had an impact. Americans working in Poland sought to assist various denominational and ethnic groups. Waldemar Gutsche wrote of help given through the Northern Baptist Convention to both Polish Baptists and Evangelical Christian farmers whose business had been damaged during o 1 the war. In Lwow the Baptist mission started to bear fruit when A. Czaplik came from the United States to serve there. Previously Czaplik had been imprisoned, accused of cooperation with the Bolsheviks, and then had been set free following the intervention of an American delegate in Warsaw. After a time of opposition to his work in Lwow from the Roman Catholic Chu