RUMANIAN PASTOR

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32019, 20 June 1969, Page 21

RUMANIAN PASTOR

Christchurch Visit In July A Rumanian church leader who was tortured during 14 years in Communist prison camps will visit Christchurch early next month. He is Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, author of “God’s Underground,” ‘The Soviet Saints,” “Tortured For Christ,” and more recently, “Sermons In Solitary.” Pastor Wurmbrand, a Lutheran, will arrive in Christchurch from Dunedin on July 4. He will be accompanied by his wife. He will address a public meeting in the Civic Theatre on July 6 and may preach in Christchurch Cathedral at evensong that day. Pastor Wurmbrand is one of Rumania’s most widely known Christian leaders, authors and educators. In 1966 he testified before the Senate Internal Security subcommittee in Washington, and in 1967 before the House Committee on UnAmerican Activities. In 1945 when the Communists seized Rumania Pastor Wurmbrand began a vigorous underground ministry to his countrymen and to the Russian invaders until 1947 when he was imprisoned. Released in 1956 he again took up his evangelistic work, and in 1959 was rearrested. He was released in a general amnesty in 1964.

His experiences in prison camps have been described in his books, most of which have been widely praised by Christian leaders in the West. Pastor Wurmbrand will be in New Zealand for three or four weeks raising funds for the underground ministry behind the Iron Curtain.