Page:Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic (Greco-Russian) Church 1916.djvu/3

 ENGLISH VERSION OF PATRIARCH'S ENDORSEMENT

THE PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW

AND OF ALL RUSSIA

TIKHON

Trinity Patriarchal House, Moscow

November 3, 1921

No. 793

To the AMERICAN YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, Berlin.

to you and Peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are profoundly touched by your noble and truly Christian desire and decision to re-publish that worthy work, "The Orthodox Service Book," the fruit of many years of labour on the part of Miss Isabel F. Hapgood.

With prayerful and whole-souled sincerity We invoke God's all-effectual blessing upon this pious undertaking, which has for its object the spreading abroad upon earth of the faith of Christ, and aiding the living communion of believers in Christ with our Lord and Saviour, who is marvellous in His Saints; and We wish abundant success and joy in the Holy Spirit to all who shall labour in this great work.

We express the joyful conviction that in the execution of the work thus undertaken, Dr. John R. Mott, whom I highly esteem, and his associates, will accord their favourable consideration to Miss Hapgood, and will invite her valuable and helpful assistance in the task of correcting the inaccuracies, omissions and typographical errors that occurred in the first edition, of which, as We well know, she has already prepared a special record, for use in case a second edition should be issued.

Glory be unto God for all things!

Committing unto His provident will the completion of the work which has been undertaken to His Glory, We shall account Ourselves happy if the Lord shall grant Us the spiritual solace of hearing, while We are still among the living, that this book, so indispensable for understanding the teachings of the Holy Orthodox Apostolic Church, is published as an evidence of the zeal of the Young Men's Christian Association for the proclaiming abroad of the truth of Christ.

Our Patriarchal Blessing be upon Our American flock, always so near to Our heart; and upon Our never-to-be-forgotten American friends, and unto you all. Our Patriarchal Blessing and prayerful greeting!

(I F H)

TIKHON