A Forward Move in the Foreign Work in Chicago by O. A. OLSEN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 11, 1915

A Forward Move in the Foreign Work in Chicago

By O. A. OLSEN

CHICAGO is the second largest city of our nation, and has become a great center of traffic and business. It is also important from the standpoint of the immigration idea. According to late statistics, it has just as large a foreign population in proportion as New York City. This makes it a great foreign mission field. We have here in Chicago more than 800,000 Germans, 300,000 Scandinavians, 600,000 Poles, 300,000 Bohemians, 120,000 Italians, and thousands and thousands of Hungarians, Russians, Servians, Croatians, Lithuanians, French, and many others. Thus we have right here in the very center of our nation a great and unique foreign mission field.

A good work has been begun and is progressing favorably among the Germans and the Scandinavians. It was in 1870 that Elder Matteson began labor among the Scandinavians of Chicago, and in 1871 they put up the first church building, located at 1244 West Erie St. As the years passed, the Scandinavian population moved farther to the north and west, and our brethren found it necessary to move their center of work to 1653 North Rockwell St. Last year that meeting place was sold, and they have now built a commodious house of worship at 2914 North Ave., opposite Humboldt Park. We rejoice in this growth and advancement. This church includes the Danes and Norwegians.

The Swedes are located on 213 West Oak St., where they have not only a neat meetinghouse, but connected with it a health restaurant and treatment rooms, and the Lord is blessing the work. During the past year a number of persons have been added to their membership.

The Germans entered the work here later, but they now have a commodious church building on Roscoe Street, near Western Avenue. There is also a small German church on the South Side, and we rejoice in the progress of the work among the Germans.

In 1912 Brother Rosario Calderone came to Chicago to begin work among the Italians. He began all alone, the only Italian believer in the city, but the Lord has been with him. Sept. 20, 1913, a church of ten Italians was organized. The Italian church was accepted as a member of the conference at the Northern Illinois camp meeting last year. At that time it numbered fifteen. Three were added during the latter part of the year, and four others have recently been baptized. Thus the work has made a good beginning among the Italians.

When the Scandinavians decided to sell the Erie Street church, as the locality where the church is located had been filled up with Italians, Slovaks, Poles, and others, the conference bought it for use among the foreign nationalities, and so this church is now being occupied and used by the Italians. In the basement an Italian church school is conducted. At the present time the attendance is twenty-three, and there is an excellent interest. The first full year of its existence the church has given its quota of twenty cents a week per member to the mission funds. It also has a good record in the payment of tithe.

While we are glad for these beginnings among the Scandinavians, Germans, and Italians, here are all these other hundreds of thousands of foreigners, and thus far we can hardly speak of a beginning among them. Some canvassing has been done among the Hungarians, and we are also just making a start among the Bohemians. The great need is for workers. We have long been anxious to see a training mission started for the development of workers among these foreign nationalities, and are glad to report that arrangements are now being made to open such a mission about the first of February.

Brother and Sister E. W. Webster, of the North Michigan Conference, have accepted the call to this work. The North Michigan Conference has kindly given its consent to release them that they may fill this important call in this needy foreign field at-home. We regard this as a very important forward movement in the work among the foreigners in this country. We do sincerely ask the prayers of our people for God's blessing upon this undertaking.

To begin with, there will be Italians, Hungarians, Bohemians, Roumanians, and Poles in our mission. Our plan will be to study the underlying principles of the message in regular class work, and also give instruction in Bible work, holding Bible readings and cottage meetings. Then a part of every day will be spent in actual work in the circulation of literature, visiting families, and interesting the people. We are glad that we are able to secure such experienced helpers as Brother and Sister Webster. They both have had a large experience not only in work in this country, but also in foreign fields. We shall begin in a small way, but it is a work that is destined to grow in importance and extent. We shall want to rent suitable rooms for the mission work and the family.

Above all, we desire your sympathy and your prayers that the special blessing of the Lord may attend this important movement, and that it shall be the means of gathering many souls from among these many foreign nationalities for the kingdom of God.

O. A. OLSEN.