The Work in Iceland by David Ostlund

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 16, 1907

The Work in Iceland

By David Ostlund

DAVID OSTLUND

Here in the far north the work is prospering, in spite of all difficulties.

Last year we had the privilege of organizing a church in the capital of Iceland. The members of this first church of Seventh-day Adventists in this country numbered twenty. Since the organization seven others have united with us, three of them on the nineteenth of January, this year. The little Icelandic church is an active, living one, so I believe that we shall be able to report good news in the future.

The work here is, as a whole, established upon the conversion of the people. We find them mostly unconverted, not knowing what the life of God is. But it is a precious thing, indeed, to do this first work by the grace of God.

Now and then a brother or sister comes in with us, or, rather, is born anew, and becomes our brother or sister. Our number of Sabbath-keepers is thirty or thirty-five. Some are now preparing for baptism.

Our meeting hall contains seats for about two hundred. The public meetings are very well attended. Our paper, Frækorn, has a weekly edition of four thousand copies. Brother Nils Anderson works with our literature, and especially with this paper. He is of good courage, and is always prosperous.

We have a Sunday-school with about forty members. The day-school, begun last year, has an enrolment of fifty, mostly children of outsiders. The people are not afraid to send their children to our school, for they know us to be in harmony with the Bible. One father said to me some time ago, when speaking about sending two of his children to our school: “I am not afraid of your making Seventh-day Adventists out of my children. Even though I am not one of your church, I know that you follow the Bible better than we do, and I will not hinder them from following the religion they choose.”

GROUP OF SABBATH-KEEPERS AT REYKJAVIK, ICELAND

One of our sisters is working in the school as a teacher. She is a well-educated and intelligent woman, and a whole-hearted Adventist, and uses every opportunity to spread the truth. She has now for a long time been giving Bible readings as well.

We enjoy freedom to teach the word of truth for our time, and we are glad in the hope of seeing many received into the little church here. One Icelandic sister went to the Skodsborg Sanitarium last summer to take a course in nursing, and now another is planning for the same work.

We are well, and happy in the Lord’s work. Iceland is a good land for a happy mission worker. This winter has been a harder one than the preceding two or three. But Reykjavik has the mildest climate of Iceland.