Count Vladimir Michael Gelesnoff’s mother was from aristocratic British and Italian ancestry. His father, who served in the Imperial Council during the reign of Czar Alexander III, was of Russian nobility.

Upon graduating from the University of St. Petersburg he could speak eight languages and read twenty-one. Though his education prepared him to enter diplomatic service, studying languages, history, philosophy, religions of the world and political science, Vladimir’s deeper and greater interest was in the science of chemistry, particularly metallurgical chemistry. He also showed considerable facility in the arts of poetry, music and painting.

As a young man Vladimir found a great interest in the study of Scripture, which led him, after graduating from the university, to refuse to subscribe to the tenets of the Greek Orthodox Church, ultimately resulting in his exile from Russia. After continuing his education at the University of Rome, he moved to New York City to pursue his life-long career in the scientific research of electro-chemistry and practical engineering. He also continued his aggressive investigations in the Greek and Hebrew Scriptures, and for years his lectures were in demand in New York and other cities.

During these early years he was associated with the Plymouth Brethren, later becoming acquainted with the ministry of Dr. E.W. Bullinger of London, through his magazine Things to Come. It was during this time that he became a dear friend and close associate of Bible teacher Alan Burns, editor of Grace and Glory, a magazine for which he would write.

After moving to Minneapolis he was an instructor at Northwestern Bible School. During this time he began, along with A.E. Knoch of California, the periodical Unsearchable Riches. The two would continue their ministry of the Scriptures together until his early death in 1921. The remaining years of his life, scientific career and labors in studying and teaching the Scriptures would be spent in California (San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco). He would spend these last few years patiently battling a series of critical illnesses that would ultimately claim his life at 43.