THE WORK IN SWEDEN AND NORWAY.
It is now about four years since a mission in Norway was opened, since which time the work has been steadily progressing. Eld. J. G. Matteson, who has had charge of the work there, gives a very cheering report of a recent visit to several of the churches in Sweden. He says that at Grythytted “forty-seven have united in fellowship to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This is the first S. D. Adventist church organized in Sweden; among this number of Sabbath-keepers are several persons of public influence. There are four more believers who keep the Sabbath, and several others who have fully decided to commence in October,—that is, at moving time, when they can be released from their present obligations. “Sabbath afternoon we celebrated the ordinances of the Lord’s house, and felt that it was good to be there on account of the presence of the Comforter. When the sun was going down, three dear souls were buried with Christ by baptism in the clear waters of a beautiful lake. Thus closed this memorable day, in which, probably for the first time, the four great memorials of the Father and the Son were celebrated in Sweden at one place on the same day. “Sunday we held two meetings in a grove; these were attended by two hundred attentive hearers. We organized also systematic benevolence, amounting to $20.10 per quarter.” He also reports three evening meetings held at Amot, where he baptized one candidate, making eight who are there keeping the Sabbath and meet for worship on that day. After returning home to Christiana, he baptized seven more willing souls. “Up to this time,” he says, “we have baptized and received into the church in Christiana one hundred and eleven persons. Of those, four have died, four have gone to America, and four have been excluded. The present membership is ninety-nine.” At the time of writing the above, Elder Matteson intended to start at once for America, to attend the General Conference which has just closed in Battle Creek, Mich.