Northern Europe by John Gottlieb Matteson

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 30, 1882

Northern Europe.

By John Gottlieb Matteson

We are busy at the printing office trying to get copy ahead for the paper and to replenish tracts that are sold out. I intended to return to Moss first, as some people there are favorably affected by the truth, but circumstances seem to demand some labor in Sweden, and I have decided to go there first. Next week, the Lord willing, I shall start in company with Bro. Rosqvist.

Bro. R. has had a taste of the severity which a church clothed with the power of the State can exercise. He has been punished as a heretic by those would-be orthodox churches that pretend to explain the meaning of the Bible, and wield the sword of the law against offenders. And the end is not yet. Bro. R. has again been summoned to appear before the court in Grythyttehed on the second day of March, this year. The law on this point is now arranged so that he can be accused and punished every time he preaches where he has once been forbidden to do so. *

Another priest stated that he would rather have a diocese full of habitual drunkards than to have to deal with those miserable temperance folks. He feared the people would be self-righteous when they abstained, and it is a sad fact that this idea is quite common. What a blessed work to snatch souls like burning brands out of such a fire!

In Denmark, Bro. Brorson is laboring patiently from place to place. He is still in Sjelland. There are many open doors, and a few souls have been gained. Bro. K. Kristensen has also labored with some success in the northern part of Julland this winter. Bro. Berg is doing a good work in the vicinity of Drammen and Holmestrand, Norway, scattering our publications, and Bro. Ström is laboring acceptably in this place. Dear brethren, pray for the work in Northern Europe.

Christiana, February 4. J. G. MATTESON.