Soviet Evangelicals Since World War II, Walter Sawatsky, 1981

h ae The presbyter was capable and his church grew. His zealous young people decided to share their successful Christmas program with the church ina nearby city. The next morning the state official for religious affairs a plained to the senior presbyter about this legal violation. A few shee ater, the presbyter permitted a visitor to preach without lala Ne sa again the senior presbyter had to listen to abuse from the state of icial. ee men understood each other, and both were trying to obtain as muc freedom as possible for the church, but after a while the senior presbyter realized that he had become irritable toward his dear friend because, inadvertently, that man’s church had become a burden to the senior Poe a job filled with responsibility, little praise, and lots of criticism. In fact, the senior presbyter knew he was doing his job correctly if there was moderate criticism from the churches, from Moscow, and from the state of- ficials. Woe to him if one of those three should increase its criticisms. And then there was the potential criticism from his own family. Travel condi- tions in the Soviet Union are strenuous at best, and he was forced to be on the road constantly. That was not the life for a family man, but also not for idower. - ly the beneficial results of the reorganized senior aaa system became apparent. Conferences of presbyters for each oblast soon be- came annual events. In the pre-congress sessions, the senior presbyter now presented his report before persons who knew how to evaluate it. Usually his work was affirmed, but if there were problems, his superiors from Moscow often attended to help sort things out. Gradually it became possi- ble to force unacceptable persons into early retirement or to dismiss them. Younger and more acceptable men were now elected rather . ap- pointed. State officials and the Moscow leadership often exerted eavy pressure for their candidate, however, so that the successful election a a man of integrity was never automatic. That need not mean that the candi- date supported by Moscow lacked integrity. There were also denomina- tional considerations and educational qualifications that might seem less important to local presbyters. AUCECB Defense Succeeds After the 1969 congress it finally became clear that the AUCECB had defended its union successfully. But it was also clear that an attempt to return to the status quo ante would encounter still more opposition from The Union Defended, 1963-1969 223 congress delegates who were gradually becoming accustomed to meeting in congress regularly. Some of the Moscow leadership had repented and been forgiven; at least, an increasing number of delegates felt that issue had been dealt with and belonged to the past. Other Moscow leaders had died while the new leadership after 1969 had attained its authority after the split. State interference remained a problem, survival remained the major concern; but there we