The Work Among the Swedes in the United States
By S. MORTENSON
It is interesting to learn from the cheering reports in the REVIEW, how the message is going forward among all nations. It may also interest REVIEW readers to learn what is being done among the people who come to this grand country from Sweden. There are at present about two million Swedes in this country, and from twenty-five thousand to thirty thousand more are coming each year. We have twenty-six Swedish ministers and Bible workers, including two teachers at Union College. I have received reports from twenty-two of these, who were engaged in the work during 1907. From these reports we learn that one hundred twenty-five precious souls were led into the truth during the year, eighty being Swedes, while the remaining forty-five were Danes, Norwegians, and Americans. The same workers also secured five hundred eighteen subscriptions for our pioneer paper, Sions Väktare; one hundred ten subscriptions for our church paper, Signalen; thirty-three for the Danish-Norwegian paper, and sixty-four for American papers. Besides this they also distributed thousands of tracts and pamphlets and also sold a goodly number of books. About one thousand new subscriptions were added to the list of Sion’s Väktare in 1907, but on account of the lack of corresponding help at the office, we have since lost several hundred. We are now trying hard to secure the help so much needed for the circulation of our paper; for certainly this is one of the best methods to teach the people. According to the latest statistics from Sweden, with the exception of only one precinct, the people can all read and write. As a rule Swedish people are fond of reading, and can best be reached through our literature. The number of students in the Swedish department at Union College was doubled in 1907, the enrolment being forty-one. We thank the Lord for the measure of success we have had, and we pray for still more in the future. We also feel very grateful to our American brethren for the favors which they have shown us. Although there is room for improvement in the matter of paying tithes by our Swedish brethren, yet I am glad to report that in 1906 I visited about 488 of our Swedish brethren, and found that they paid $17.86 tithe per capita. We are now issuing a new Swedish tract on the subject of tithing, which we hope will prove of great inspiration to our people on this subject. I am also glad to say that all our Swedish ministers stand as a unit for the whole truth, as understood by our people throughout the world, including the spirit of prophecy and the denominational system of organization. We try to work in harmony with not only the American brethren, but also the brethren of all nationalities; and we long for the time to come when, saved in the kingdom of God, we shall all speak one language. We need the help of our American brethren. There are several ways in which our American brethren can help us: (1) You can direct some young Swedish brother or sister to the Swedish department at Union College, to receive a training for the work; (2) you can keep your conference doors open for the reception and support of Swedish workers, so that the Swedish colonies in your conference may also receive the message; (3) you can solicit a subscription from your Swedish neighbor for our pioneer paper, Sion’s Väktare. It will bring to them present truth regularly every week in the year for $1.25, or sixty-five cents for six months. It is an up-to-date paper, and hundreds have accepted present truth by reading it. Even though your Swedish neighbor is able to converse pretty well in English about ordinary things, yet he will understand religious terms best in his mother tongue, especially if he was born in Sweden; and for this reason he should have the Swedish paper. If he will not subscribe for it himself, it will be a very practical way, and a splendid opportunity, of showing love to your neighbor to spend sixty-five cents for a six-months’ subscription for him. In that way you also bring him in connection with our office, where, by correspondence, we will try to get him to renew the subscription. This is a splendid way of co-operation. I humbly pray that our American brethren will take advantage of this opportunity to assist in our work. Just think of it, only sixty-five cents, and it may be the means of saving a soul in the kingdom of God. Our German brethren and others also have the same opportunity to help in this good work. Our Swedish brethren follow this plan for other nationalities, and why should we not expect the same favor from them? We have just effected a plan for a new series of articles for the Sion’s Väktare. These will be intensely interesting. Send all subscriptions and money-orders to your local tract society or to the International Publishing Association, College View, Neb. If some should not be able to afford the subscription price of the paper, and thus help in that wise in the good work, then send in the address of your Swedish neighbor to our office, and we will find some other way of supplying him with the paper. And lastly, remember that if you need tracts, pamphlets, or books in the Swedish language for your neighbor or friends, you can secure them from your local tract society or our publishing house. I trust that the Lord will move many hearts to respond, and kindly assist us in the ways herein pointed out, and that as a result we may see many saved in the kingdom of God. Do not forget that for only $1.25 the last warning message will be sent to your Swedish neighbor for one year, or for six months for sixty-five cents.