NORTHERN EUROPE by John Gottlieb Matteson

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Mar 4, 1880

NORTHERN EUROPE.

By John Gottlieb Matteson

CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY.

The church in this place met for a business quarterly meeting Jan. 13. It is now about one year since the congregation was formed according to the request of the authorities, and seven months since the church was organized in harmony with the Bible and the usage of S. D. Adventists. In the congregation 130 persons have been received, and five have left; present number 125. Of these, 90 have been baptized into the death of Christ, and have covenanted to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Four of these are now in Sweden, one in Denmark, and two in other parts of Norway.

The report from the Sabbath-school was read, showing that the average membership during the quarter has been 101; average attendance, 87. Donations Kr. 18.77. Last Sabbath 115 members were present. Besides this we now have a Sunday-school with about 90 members. There is a lively interest in both.

The report of the tract society showed the work of the past quarter to be as follows: Tidernes Tegn distributed, 217 copies; pages of tracts distributed, 8,592; letters written, 49; families visited, 85. Sold, 118 pamphlets, 1,927 copies of Tidernes Tegn, and 65,840 pages of tracts; for which had been received Kr. 284.35 ($75.82).

The labor bestowed by our brethren and sisters in the Sabbath-school and tract-society work, has been a blessing to the church, and a great help in spreading a knowledge of the truth. The public sentiment toward us in this city has greatly changed, and many, even among those who do not attend our meetings, are convinced of the truth. Several have requested baptism. On the Sabbath we have an average attendance of 130 persons.

At this meeting a unanimous vote was passed to send an invitation to Brn. White and Haskell to visit our town if consistent with other duties.

On the first Sabbath of this month we celebrated the ordinances of the Lord's house, and felt that the Lord was near to us. We are now in the midst of a course of lectures on the prophecies, which are delivered before a full house. Two things have been effected in this city by our work, which are noticed and acknowledged even by our opposers, viz., the Scriptures are generally searched far more diligently than before, and religious meetings are better attended. The times are very hard here this winter; but the Lord has helped us hitherto. We are thankful to God for all his goodness to us.

Now and then our brethren are called before the magistrate. One was accused for selling tracts in too public a manner on Sunday. He defended himself in a quiet but firm way, and was finally dismissed without fine, and told that he might sell all the tracts he wished before ten in the forenoon and after four in the afternoon; but that during the remainder of the time it would be better to sell them in the house privately, and not in public places. Another brother had been reproved by the public-school superintendent because he did not send his children to school on Saturday. He was fined and called before the magistrate. He insisted that himself and his children had been instructed in school of the perpetuity of God's ten commandments, and that the Lord would severely punish all who transgress his holy law. He asked the magistrate how this should be understood. The magistrate replied that he could not tell, and made some inquiries in regard to the peculiarities of our faith; whereupon the brother was dismissed without even paying the fine. It is a difficulty in these countries that the law requires the children to attend school every Saturday. But those who can afford it send their children to private schools.

SWEDEN AND DENMARK.

Bro. Olsen is holding meetings now in the Northern part of Sweden, in Soderhaun. He received an interesting letter from a preacher in Hagfors who had commenced to proclaim the truth. Bro. Bjork writes from Amot that three more have received the truth, and that there are now eight Sabbath-keepers who meet to worship together. The truth is also spreading in the neighboring towns.

Bro. Madsen from Hellum, Denmark, sends reports for last quarter from the tract societies that have commenced to work there. They have obtained 68 subscribers; distributed 367 papers, and 7,056 pages of tracts; sold 25 papers, 62 pamphlets and 3,552 pages of tracts; visited 163 families, written 36 letters, and recieved Kr. 82.90. He says the brethren are united in faith and love.

Bro. Brorsen is now in Slesvig. He finds many open doors in the southern part of Julland. Five sisters in Jested covenanted together to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Jan. 27. J. G. MATTESON.