Christ Is Risen Indeed

Dr. Basil Mathews, famous missionary, world traveler, lecturer and author, told his students in their classroom at Andover Newton Theological School of an experience which came to his knowledge on his last trip to Russia. Dr. Mathews was one of the last to come out of Russia from a visit there before the term “Iron Curtain” indicated that travelers were less welcome.

It was after the Red Russian Revolution had become a raging reality and while the Atheistic Society of the Militant Godless was in active operation. This Atheistic Society sent lecturers all over Russia under government auspices, trying to destroy the faith of the Russian peasants in Christianity. One of the most brilliant lecturers came to a town and assembled, in a big hall, a thousand of the peasants. For over an hour he harangued the stolid peasants against Christianity, declaring it the “dope of the capitalists,” an “opiate” used to deny the peasant his rights.

He ridiculed the Christian faith and insulted Christ, and in their presence tore up pages of the Bible. The peasants sat there listening motionless and reserved. Finally the lecturer, convinced that by his brilliant arguments he had destroyed the faith that had long been in Russia, said, “Now, do any of you have questions you would like to ask?”

Not a person raised a hand to ask a question. But as he looked down the hall, there coming up the side aisle was an old man with long white hair and white beard, with the typical long Russian coat and the high boots.

The Russian farmer planked one foot down after the other slowly as he walked with a stolid, determined gait up the aisle toward the platform. Finally he reached the platform and his eyes pierced to the very soul of the lecturer.

“Do you have a question?” asked the lecturer. The old man scorned him with silence, but turning his face toward his fellow peasants, very slowly the old man raised both arms toward the heavens and turned his face upward.

Then he shouted the greeting which the Russian peasants have given each other after long custom on Easter morning, “Christos Vrookress!” (Christ is Risen.) As the old man shouted this wondrous greeting that had re-echoed in the hearts of the peasants of Russia for centuries, suddenly the thousand peasants jumped to their feet as one man and shouted back, until the hall shook with the thunder of their exclamation, “Christos Voskinin!” (Christ is Risen, Indeed.) The lecturer, seeing that this bold witness of this brave peasant had kindled into a flame the faith that was deep in the hearts of the peasants, and realizing that he had met utter defeat, went slinking off the platform and got away as fast as he could.

Something remains unshatterable, invincible, and triumphant in our faith in the Risen Lord. Wherever men attempt to crush out this faith, it rises again from defeat and bears witness in victory and power.