Soviet Evangelicals Since World War II, Walter Sawatsky, 1981

partially, is why no Reform Baptist movement split the Estonian and Latvian churches. In both countries before the war there had been compet- ing unions of Evangelical Christians and Baptists, as well as Pentecostals, but these conflicts were eventually settled through union, although in Latvia this took place only after the war. Because both republics were small and their membership was relatively small, the leaders in both republics set- tled their differences internally, invariably presenting a united voice in Moscow. Without question, the internal squabbling was also reduced be- cause a greater percentage of the presbyters had formal theological training. In 1955, for example, one third of the Latvian presbyters were trained persons, and they had also been able to conduct a short-course Bible school in 1947. In Estonia, a legally permitted correspondence course with 40 students opened in 1956. It was able to continue for four years, 56 This rather similar history for Latvia and Estonia: also serves. to illustrate that the senior presbyter was not the most important factor in its history. Johannes Lipstok. became; the first Estonian senior presbyter, remaining in office until his death in 1961.%” After a short interval, during which Baltic Senior Presbyter Levindanto handled affairs himself, A. Sil’dos held this office from 1963 to 1970. Following his retirement, church his- torian Robert Vyzu became senior presbyter.38 But in Latvia there were nu- merous senior presbyter shifts during the first decade, until finally in 1953, with the ouster of A..M. Redlikh, a period of stability set. in.9®.The new senior presbyter, Friedrich E, Khuns, was already sixty-nine years old, but he remained in office till 1959, when he retired with -pension and Levin- danto took over personal control, but Khuns remained a respected leader till his death in 1971.4 P, G. Egle, Latvian senior presbyter since 1966, was suc- Life inthe Provinces — 265 ceeded by Ia. E. Tervits in 1977. From the beginning, the Latvian leaders have always carried the title of bishop. Latvian and Estonian Baptists might be insignificant in number, but their contribution to the evangelical movement in the Soviet Union has been considerable. They provided the few theologians who were in a posi- tion to present doctrinal speeches at national congresses. Oswald Tiark and Arpad Arder were highly appreciated for their contribution to the unity commission, especially through their visits to Central Asia and Siberia.*! Arpad Arder was one of the delegates’ choice for AUCECB council membership, but his local activity in helping the Reform Baptist churches that moved to his area for refuge, as well as the Mennonite groups that began moving to Estonia and Latvia, evoked official displeasure: In at least nine Latvian churches, German-speaking fellowships were able to develop their own structure under the protection of the officially registered Latvia