Licht im Osten
Licht im Osten, a missionary association for the spread of the Gospel among the people of the East, was founded 6 February 1920, with its seat in Wernigerode am Harz (Germany). Its leaders for many years were Jakob Kroeker (died 1948) and Walter Jack (died 1939). As a matter of principle, the association has established no new congregations, nor sent out or ordained missionaries and preachers. It has always promoted and supported spiritual life in existing churches, congregations, and fellowship centers through the education of ministers, distribution of Bibles, and relief work in times of need. The association is based on the principle of the unity of all of God's children (John 17:21). Wherever its service is desired it serves the people and brotherhoods of East Europe, in all churches and races. It was initially principally connected with "Evangeliums-Christen" of the revival in Russia, but it has also aided Baptists, Mennonites, Reformed, Lutherans, and Greek Orthodox in many different ways. The work of the association has had to adapt itself to the changing religious policies of Soviet Russia. In 1927 it closed its Bible school, and only until the end of 1928 was it possible to send Bibles and concordances to Russia. Since 1930 its services have been largely caritative.
Of the literature published by the association in the Russian language, the new Bible concordance (1,277 pp., 10,000 terms) must be mentioned, of which 10,000 copies were printed in 1925. Of these, 1,500 were sent to Russia, and the rest to various countries of Europe, America, and Asia. More and more the association turned its attention to the countries on the fringes of Russia and to Russian emigrants (promotion of the Ukrainian translation of the Bible by Ohienko, support of preachers, orphanages, etc., in Europe, Asia, and America). After World War II the work was reorganized as the Missionsbund zur Ausbreitung des Evangeliums (Missionary Association for the Spread of the Gospel) in Stuttgart-Mühlhausen, with extensive distribution of Bibles and Christian literature in the language of displaced persons and German refugees from the East, as well as the sending of relief parcels to sufferers in East and West Germany. This distribution of relief was made possible by friendly organizations in America (including Mennonites) and in Europe (Sweden, Switzerland, and Holland; in Sweden the organization is called "Slaviska Missionen"). The work of the association is supported by voluntary contributions from friends in many lands. The organ of the association, Dein Reich komme, appears bimonthly and is sent free of charge to friends as a means of giving information.
Additional Information
Licht in Osten website
| Author(s) | Jacob A Duerksen |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1957 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Duerksen, Jacob A. "Licht im Osten." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 19 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Licht_im_Osten&oldid=83175.
APA style
Duerksen, Jacob A. (1957). Licht im Osten. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Licht_im_Osten&oldid=83175.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 334. All rights reserved.
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