Our Tour by Ole Andres Olsen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jul 2, 1908

Our Tour

By Ole Andres Olsen

After much prayer and counsel with the leading brethren, Mrs. Olsen and I decided that it would be best for her to return to England for a time, where our two sons are located, and connected with the Caterham Sanitarium. The reason for this move was that Mrs. Olsen's health, which has been much broken for many years, was in need of more care than it was possible for me to give her, as the work in Australia called me away from home for long periods at a time. To leave her alone in her condition of suffering was very trying to her, and also a source of much concern on my part, while with our sons she could be made so much more comfortable.

We left Sydney on February 13, stopping at Melbourne, Victoria, to attend the camp-meeting held at Balaklava, February 14-23. At the close of this meeting we took the train to Adelaide, and on February 27 joined the steamer “Orontes” of the Royal Mail service direct for London. We were greatly favored with a comfortable passage, for which we were thankful. Indeed, the Lord seemed to favor all our arrangements in a marked manner.

We arrived in London, March 29, and the same day at Caterham. We were pleased to meet our children, and find them all well, and very grateful for the good hand of the Lord that had been over us so graciously.

I remained a week in England. During this time I made a short visit to Watford, and was much pleased with this fine country location to which our institutions have been moved. It was also cheering to meet again a number of the brethren and sisters and fellow laborers and associations of former days. We would gladly have spent more time here, but in order to reach the Council of the General Conference Committee at Washington, I left England on April 8, arriving in New York on the sixteenth, after a rather stormy passage. The next day I came on to Washington, D. C.

I felt it a great privilege to attend this council, and meet so many of the brethren after a considerable absence. The meetings had already been in progress some four days on my arrival, so I did not get the beginning.

I remained in Washington till April 29; and it was an exceedingly interesting time to me. I never before was so profoundly impressed with the magnitude of this work. As day by day the needs of the work in the different fields were canvassed, the opening providences of God studied, and the urgent calls from every part considered, one could not help feeling almost overwhelmed with the immensity of the task in hand. And if it was left to human power and ingenuity, utter failure and disaster would be the result. But the work is in the hands of the One whose resources and power are unlimited.

The presence of the Lord in our meetings was very marked. As we met day by day, we could but feel our utter helplessness as we were confronted with the great questions at issue, but the presence of a higher power was very manifest. This great work is not left to the limitations of human power. God himself is directing the whole. What a privilege for us to be accepted as laborers together with God.

The presence of the Lord was also manifest in the union, harmony, and good will that prevailed through the entire council. The question causing the greatest perplexity was the lack of laborers to meet the many urgent calls for help that came from all parts of the world.

One would naturally think that at this stage of our work, laborers would have developed so that every need could be promptly met, but not so. Really, the scarcity of efficient, devoted laborers was never more felt than now. The fact is that the providence of God has all the way, and now seemingly more than ever, been so far in advance of our ability to meet it, that it is a source of real perplexity. But in this as well as all else, the help must come from God.

But after all is the present situation what God would have it to be? If the body of our people would rise as one man, and consecrate every God-given power to his service, putting away every hindering cause to the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit in full measure, would there not be a change? Would not men be forthcoming, and also funds, to meet every need of the work, and hasten it to its final accomplishment? I certainly believe there would be a marvelous change. Then why shall our lack of consecration, our lack of coming up to the help of the Lord against the mighty, stand in the way of finishing the work any longer? Rather let us rise in the strength of God to our high calling in Christ Jesus.

Leaving Washington, I stopped over one day at Mount Vernon, Ohio, to arrange for two workers for the Eastern Polynesian Mission. Brother and Sister Sterling will sail from San Francisco July 1, for Tahiti. I made a two-days' call at Green Bay, Wis., to visit my aged father, now ninety-two years old. I found him well and of good courage, waiting for our glorious redemption. I also made a call at Chicago, and went to Wichita, Kan., where I remained May 12-14. I had several meetings with the church, and a pleasant visit at the sanitarium with Dr. Braucht. From here I hastened on to the Pacific Coast.

Sabbath and First-day I was at St. Helena, and spoke to the church at the sanitarium on the Sabbath. I enjoyed a profitable time in council with Sister White and Brother W. C. White. I was pleased to find Sister White so well, and of such excellent courage, and her soul all aglow with the love of God and her deep interest for every branch of this glorious message. How wonderfully the Lord is working for his people in these last days so full of peril. I wonder if we fully appreciate the blessings of God's faithfulness in the many warnings, faithful admonitions, and cheering encouragements that God is so freely bestowing on his people at this time. May the Lord help us to do so.

May 20 I boarded the steamer “Mariposa” for Tahiti and had a good passage. On the morning of June 1, we arrived safely at our destination. Brethren B. J. Cady and W. H. Pascoe were on hand to meet us. We are to have a general meeting on the island of Raiatea during my stay here. O. A. OLSEN. Papette, Tahiti.