Mischa Markow (1854-1934) was baptized in Constantinople in 1887, and spent long years as a missionary – usually without a companion or any Church infrastructure, and often as the first missionary to visit – in places like Turkey, Hungary, Germany, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Latvia, Belgium, and Croatia, and perhaps other places that I’m not recalling at the moment. He baptized occasionally, was arrested frequently, was banished often, and from time to time sneaked back across borders in defiance of official orders. We hold him up today as an example of persistence in the face of persecution, and as evidence that the Church has been serious about taking the gospel to all nations, kindreds, tongues and people.

I have a somewhat different view of Mischa’s missionary record. Without in any way intending to detract from his conviction, faithfulness, bravery, and many other fine qualities, I find his missionary history somewhat less than ideal, and sometimes even less than praiseworthy: He – not alone among Latter-day Saints – gloried in persecution as evidence that he was favored of the Lord, and he actively courted opposition by defying court or police orders. He quarreled with officials and ran unnecessary risks. Especially in Germany, his antics caused hardship for later missionaries when Prussian police naturally assumed that those later missionaries would break laws as freely and as openly as Mischa had done.

While he did baptize, Mischa was constantly on the move, in part because he so enjoyed running from the law, so the converts he made were left without leadership or fellowship, left to wither away or to cause difficulties for other Saints – the Swedish Mission, for instance, went to great effort to stay in touch with and help the Lindlof family, Mischa’s converts in St. Petersburg, Russia, over the generation of their faithfulness and isolation. ((I recognize that the benefit of the gospel to the Lindlof family was incalculable, which fully justifies Mischa’s efforts on one level; but from the perspective of a sustainable Church and the full range of gospel blessings available in even so small a group as an organized branch, the baptism of isolated families like the Lindlofs is and was problematic. Understanding of these problem has led to the Church’s current practice of building “centers of strength” in Africa, rather than proselytizing and baptizing willy nilly without a plan in place to sustain converts over the long term.)) But Mischa left no lasting contribution in the usual sense – if his mission had any real effect in Church history, it is in the present day when overtures to Eastern European governments have been made on the strength of Mischa’s early presence in their nations.

Thomas E. McKay (1875-1958 – David O. McKay’s brother) had been a missionary in Switzerland and Germany during the same years that Mischa was plying his idiosyncratic mission across Eastern Europe. Thomas went back to Europe as president of the Swiss-German Mission from 1909 through 1912, and again as president of the Swiss-Austrian Mission from 1927 until the inevitability of war in 1938. He pursued quite a different policy, establishing and maintaining branches so that members would not have to sustain their faith in isolation; he was especially frank and open with officials about the movements and actions of the missionaries. That did not always work: Elders were still sometimes prohibited from preaching, or arrested, or deported, especially in the years immediately before World Wars I and II. But overall, his more cooperative, law-abiding approach produced far better and more lasting results than anything Mischa was able to do.

What follows is a 1909 record of Thomas’s tour of the lands under his stewardship. It is, as he concludes “rather a long report,” but an interesting one even if you dip into it only in places. Some of the anecdotes directly affirm the benefits of honesty and openness and cooperation with a missionary’s host country:

We have again held meetings in all the Branches in Switzerland, and have also visited Lyons, France, the Austrian and Hungarian Conferences, and made a quick trip through Germany; we held forty-five public meetings, five Sunday Schools, and twenty-two Priesthood meetings; in all seventy-two. The meetings throughout were well attended and enjoyed by all. The Elders, as you see by the reports, are working hard and as a result are feeling well. The work in the German part continues to progress, and we are also feeling very much encouraged with the prospects in the French, Austrian and Hungarian Conferences.

In Lyons, France, we held our first meeting on July 4th. Besides the three Elders who have been working there since the first of the year, there were present Brother and Sister Lang who had just arrived from home, Brother James L. Barker who is studying in Neuchatel, but who has willingly left his studies and attended all our French meetings; Brother Toronto, President of the French Conference, myself and twenty-five friends, twenty-four of whom were friends whom the Elders had found while tracting. The people seemed especially well pleased with what they heard. The Lord certainly blessed us, and at our Priesthood meeting, held immediately after the public meeting, the brethren were so happy and thankful that they could not control their feelings.

The American Consul was away from the city on a vacation, but the Vice Consul, Mr. Thomas Nicoll Browne, gave us such a warm welcome that we could hardly get away. He is an old Westerner himself; he knew President Brigham Young, whom he characterized as “The greatest organizer that has ever lived”; he was also acquainted with President Geo. Q. Cannon, Heber C. Kimball and others. I think he stated that he was at one time a Senator from Nevada.

The French authorities also received us kindly, in fact seemed pleased to have us there. They have given us permission to tract, sell books, and hold meetings as often as we desire without even registering them.

We made arrangements before leaving for a permanent hall and the Elders are now holding regular meetings. Brother Lang is in charge.

We are glad to get Brother Lang, and would appreciate it very much if we could get two more French speaking Elders. We are very anxious to begin work in Nimes and Toulouse. We believe the prospects are even brighter in these two cities than in Lyons; – the inhabitants are mostly of the Huguenot stock, and are the most likely of the French Nation to accept of the Gospel.

From the French part we went to the Austrian Conference. Held meetings in Wels and Linz and then went down the Danube to Vienna. The day we arrived, three papers had articles about the Mormons. In some way they had found out that we were going to have a baptism. A reporter called at the Elders’ room and requested an interview. The next morning a long article appeared on “The Mormons in Vienna”. It was very fair, as were also the other articles.

We didn’t know just what the result of so much advertising would be. The two Elders working here had been before the Police once or twice regarding their meetings, which they had been holding in their rooms, and had received permission to continue them so long as they were not public but restricted to “friends” only. We decided to move cautiously; instead of baptizing in the Danube at night, as was first planned, we decided that it would be safer and cause less suspicion if we hired a bath house. The proprietor was told who we are and the purpose for which we wanted his swimming pool. He agreed to let us have the use of it from 7:30 until 8:30 or longer if we needed it, for ten krones (about 2.00 dollars) The bath-house closed to the public each night at 7:00 o’clock. The proprietor was told that he and one or two of his friends could be present to see that everything was all right, if they so desired. That day we also called at the office of our Ambassador and our Consul. The Ambassador was away on a long vacation, and the Consul was dangerously ill, but the Secretary of the Embassy, Mr. George Barclay Rives, and the Vice Consul, Mr. Heingartner, received us very courteously. Mr. Rives especially is a big fine man and was very much interested in us and our work. We told them that we wanted to get acquainted with them and wanted them to know us and something of the work we are doing and of the work we want to do; so that if they are asked about us by the Austrian authorities or anybody else, the required information could be given first hand. They asked a number of questions, and seemed to appreciate our frankness. After these visits, we felt very much more at ease.

That night at the appointed time the Elders, the three applicants for baptism, father, mother, and eighteen-year-old daughter, and a number of friends met at the bath-house. We were very much surprised to find between fifteen and twenty others waiting for us. The proprietor by way of explanation to us told us they were his personal friends. We took his word for it, but we knew that three innocent (?) looking chaps, not apparently interested in anything that was going on, were reporters. We decided that the wisest thing now was to go ahead and make the most of it. The three applicants and Brother Gowans who was to do the baptising retired into their separate dressing rooms and when the mother and daughter appeared dressed in white, with the father and Brother Gowans also neatly dressed, they presented a very pleasing appearance. After a few remarks and prayer, the ordinance was very effectively performed. The friends were especially impressed, and the visitors pleased; the proprietor so much so that when we went to pay him he said, “No sir, not a cent; my bath-house is at your service free of charge as often as you want to use it.”

The next morning three accurate descriptions of the baptism appeared in the three different papers; one of the articles contained the exact words used by the Elder in baptising. At our meeting at night, which was strictly invitational, special cards having been printed, there were besides the Elders, our three members and thirty good friends. A policeman came in just as we were finishing the first song and asked if they were all our friends. By way of answer little Brother Rees looked up at the big fellow, and with a smile started on the last row and gave the names and address of each person without even looking at his book. The big policeman was rather amused and just as Brother Rees came to the front row he good-naturedly said, “That will do thank you. Good night.” The spirit of the Lord was present and we all felt it, so much so that before the close of the services many were in tears. The meeting was held in a little hall connected with a Vegetarian Restaurant, and permanent arrangements were made to have all the meetings there instead of at the Elders’ room. The next morning just as we were taking a boat for Budapest, one of the Elders purchased a paper and we were all very much interested in a cartoon on the first page of one of them. We enclose a copy. ((I have not seen the cartoon nor any description of it. Too bad, eh?))

At Budapest on the 24th of July we held a Conference Priesthood meeting for the Elders working in Austria and Hungary. It was just a year since some of them had attended a Priesthood meeting and they certainly appreciated this opportunity. On Sunday we held a public meeting. There were not many out. The Elders find it very hard work here because of the hatred which exists on the part of the Hungarians towards the Austrians. Until we get some of our tracts translated into that language we cannot do very much among that people. Brother John E. Hill is working very hard and is making good progress with the language and with the help of a good sister, ((I have as yet been unable to identify this “good sister” – Thomas doesn’t use her name even when he refers to her in other reports.)) who devotes as much time as she can to the work, will soon have the Articles of Faith and the tracts ready to be printed. President Gardner of the Hungarian Conference asked for an educated Hungarian or an educated person who understands Hungarian, to assist Brother Hill in getting a good translation. I told him to find one and get Brother Hill to convert him. If there is such a man in the Church (a young man that you could spare), we could use him to good advantage right now. If there isn’t, we will get along any how. Brother Hill is a noble young man and is determined to succeed. When he gets tired of studying, he goes out and distributes German tracts, although he doesn’t understand a word that is in them. He gave his first sermon in the Hungarian language two weeks ago yesterday, Sunday August 16th.

From Budapest we went to Temesvar and then to Brasso; our meetings here were well attended, as a larger percentage of the people are Germans, especially is this the case in Brasso, where we held one of the largest and best meetings of the trip.

From here we hurried across the country toward Germany; arrived in Berlin Saturday, July 31st, and completed arrangements for our meeting with President Lund and Penrose. When we learned that President Lund would not be able to make a trip through Germany and visit Switzerland, we decided to have the Elders from six Conferences and all the Conference Presidents meet in Berlin, but afterwards it was decided best not to have so many together at once, so the only Elders that had the privilege of meeting President Lund, his wife and daughter, were those of the Koenigsberg, Breslau, and Berlin Conferences. President Penrose and wife also visited the Hamburg Conference, but President Lund had to go from Berlin direct to Rotterdam. We were very thankful to have them with us in Berlin and were all greatly encouraged and blessed by their visit. Priesthood meetings were held August 4th in the morning and afternoon and a public meeting at night. We had a glorious time; the instructions given us, both at our Priesthood gatherings and our public meeting are going to benefit us in our mission and throughout our lives. Our boys were all feeling well, in fact they were so happy that they couldn’t express themselves.

In Hamburg we also had a good time with the Elders of that Conference. President and Sister Penrose were with us in our Priesthood meeting and at the public meeting at night. Brother Burton, President of the Hamburg Conference, Brother Taylor who had translated for the Presidents, and I left after the meeting for Chemnitz. President Penrose and wife left on the following morning for Rotterdam.

At Chemnitz we met the Elders of the Leipzig and Dresden Conferences, five new missionaries, and all the Conference Presidents, except the French, the Austrian, and the Hungarian. We held sessions with all the Elders on Saturday, August 7th, and on Sunday morning and Monday morning with the Conference Presidents; on Sunday afternoon and evening we held two public meetings. We have freedom here and we had between two and three hundred people at both meetings. These meetings, especially those with the Conference Presidents, are the most practical and beneficial meetings we have ever had, and much good is resulting and will continue to result from them.

We also held meetings in Dresden and Plauen. In the latter place, the Elders had some trouble about three weeks ago with a man whose family on account of drunkenness and ill treatment on his part, left him. The mother and the grown children afterwards heard the gospel and began attending our meetings. The man then blamed the Mormons for breaking up his family. He and a number of his factory companions came one Wednesday night and tried to break up the meeting. They didn’t succeed, but said they would be on hand again Sunday. Brother Taylor, President of the Dresden Conference, was notified and was also on hand Sunday. The Elders refused to admit the man and he then began yelling that the Mormons had broken up his family, and calling us names, etc. A very large crowd of people gathered of course, and it looked for a while as if there would be trouble. After the Elders had finished the meeting they remained for a while in the hall, until things quieted down and then passed out at another entrance. A very mean article had come out in one of the papers about us that day also.

The next morning Brothers Taylor and Rich called and reported conditions to our American Consul, Mr. Carl Bailey Hurst. When they told him that some of the rougher element had threatened to mob them, Mr. Hurst said, “Damn ’em they won’t mob you, I’ll talk Dutch to them”. In less than five minutes he was talking over the telephone to the Mayor of the city about the affair; and arranged a meeting between him and the Elders. At this meeting the Mayor received the boys with every consideration, and after listening to them, promised to have officers there to see that they were not disturbed. The next Wednesday night the crowd was there again, and when this man was refused admittance, he began yelling again. A detective stepped up and told him to keep quiet and move on; he didn’t do it quickly enough so the officer placed him under arrest. He was fined ten marks. The next Sunday was our Conference in Chemnitz, so the Elders very thoughtfully wrote the Mayor and Chief of Police thanking them for their protection and informing them that there would be no meeting on Sunday, giving the reason, but telling them that on Wednesday night we would hold a public meeting. This is the meeting I attended. A few people had gathered outside to see if there would be any excitement but there was none. The two officers were again on duty.

In talking to our Consul the next morning about the fifty young men who were at our Conference in Chemnitz, I rather enthusiastically said that I thought they were the finest young men in the world; he replied, just as enthusiastically, “Well judging from the ones I have met, you are right.” Through his influence and the advice of a good lawyer, I think the editor that wrote the mean article will be made to take it all back.

From Plauen, we went to Frankfurt, where we held Priesthood meeting for the Elders of that Conference and two well attended public meetings in their fine new hall; over two hundred people were present at both meetings. We next held meeting in Karlsruhe, then Heilbrenn, and Conference in Zurich on Saturday and Sunday August 21st and 22nd. Last Wednesday night we were in Bern; had Priesthood meeting Thursday morning; and last Saturday and Sunday, August 28th and 29th, we held Conference in Basel.

This is rather a long report but I [hope I] haven’t tired you.