North and South Dakota by O. A. OLSEN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 14, 1915

North and South Dakota

By O. A. OLSEN

Nov. 17, 1914, I left Chicago to meet appointments in North and South Dakota. On my way to Kief, N. Dak., to attend a general meeting among the Russians, I stopped one day at Harvey, and visited the Sheyenne River Academy. This was my first visit to this place. I was glad to find the school doing well, with a full attendance. All seemed to be of good courage. In the Russian department, conducted by Elder S. G. Burley, there were seventeen Russians in attendance, and more were expected.

November 20, in company with Elder Burley, I started for my first appointment, at Kief. On the train we met Elder S. E. Jackson, the president of the North Dakota Conference, who was on his way to the meeting. Altogether we spent ten days among the Russians. Along the railroad line between Drake and Max, a distance of about forty miles, we have six Russian churches. We remained at Kief four days, and had meetings in the forenoon, afternoon, and evening. We had a large attendance, including our own brethren, Baptists, and others. We dwelt upon the fundamental principles of the message, and what constitutes the truth of God for this time. There was a very hearty response to the truths presented. Of course my preaching had to be done through an interpreter, and as such Elder Burley proved very efficient. Elder Jackson was with us the four days at Kief.

From Kief we went to Dogden, where we spent two days. Here the meetings were held in the Presbyterian church. We then went to Max, farther west. The meetings were held in the Congregational church, which was packed to its utmost capacity. Some of the brethren from Kief met with us at Dogden and also at Max. It was a favorable time of year for them to attend, and the weather, too, was very pleasant, which also aided in making the occasion a profitable one.

I was deeply impressed with the needs of our Russian believers. The large majority of these brethren understand neither the English nor the German, and on this account they have very limited privileges. We are greatly in need of some means of communication by which they can be instructed more definitely in the principles of the message. They urgently requested that our Foreign Department publish a small paper in the Russian language. This is a question that really needs immediate consideration. It can readily be seen that with a very limited number of publications in their language, and with no means of communication, they are left very largely in ignorance of the progress of the work and of their relation to it.

In this part of the country, we have two ministers who speak the Russian language,—Elder Burley, whose time is taken up with the Russian department in the school a large part of the year; and Elder Litwinenco, an elderly brother, who does what he can to instruct and encourage the members. The Russian field in this country is a large one. We find communities, large ones, too, not only in North and South Dakota, but in many other States and in our large cities. Here is a great field for work, and we are in need of earnest, consecrated laborers to occupy it. It is a fruitful field, the efforts that have been put forth having brought excellent results; and we are glad to know that some young men among them are beginning to prepare themselves to enter the work.

I enjoyed this opportunity of becoming better acquainted with the situation and its needs. We left Brother Litwinenco at Max to follow up the interest. In different places a number of persons expressed their desire to join the church, and the indications are that several will take their stand for the truth.

Some of our brethren, not being firmly grounded in the principles of the truth for lack of instruction, have been more or less a prey to teachers that misrepresented the truth. They are now beginning to discern the difference, and are obtaining a better understanding of the message. In consequence they will be more firm, and will take a more direct interest in advancing the work. Many have been negligent in paying tithes and offerings, and even in keeping the Sabbath. Humble confessions were made; and if these resolutions are carried into effect, we shall see a growth and advancement in both spiritual experience and numbers.

I enjoyed very much my association with Elders Burley and Litwinenco. Brother Burley went back to the school, but Brother Litwinenco will continue to visit and labor among the various churches.

On my return tour I stopped two days at our Danish-Norwegian Seminary, in Hutchinson, Minn. I found the school doing well, and all in good health and of good courage. The attendance is the largest this year that it has ever been. At the time I was there 115 were enrolled, and 112 were in actual attendance. There was an excellent spirit among teachers and students.

I next visited Swan Lake, S. Dak. In former years I visited that church quite often, but eighteen years had passed since my last visit there. We had some excellent meetings. Great changes have taken place. Nearly all the older members of the church are gone, a number having fallen asleep in the faith, and some having moved to other places; but the church is still a strong one, largely made up of the descendants of the early believers. Elder J. W. Lair was also visiting this church when I was there.

From Swan Lake I went to Ruthven, Iowa, where I spent Sabbath and Sunday, the beginning of the week of prayer. Here, too, we had good meetings. Then I spent one day with my brother, Elder E. G. Olsen, at Forest City, Iowa, returning to Chicago in the middle of the week of prayer. Here I united with the others in the work. The Lord came very near in all our meetings. At the South Side church, on the last Sabbath, we had a meeting that will long be remembered. The whole congregation consecrated themselves to the finishing of the work, and quite a number took their stand for the first time.

I also met with the church at Hinsdale, Ill., where we had an excellent meeting Friday evening. Nearly all present bore testimony, and it was an earnest consecration service. Good reports have come from the other churches in the city. We trust that this week of prayer will give a new impetus to the work throughout the land, and hasten the finishing of the message preparatory to the coming of our Lord and Saviour.

O. A. OLSEN.