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Cheering Tokens and Providences

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 30, 1910

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 87, No. 26.

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Cheering Tokens and Providences

By William A. Spicer

Go where you will, and wherever believers in this third angel's message are devoting themselves to the work, you will hear testimonies that show that the Lord makes bare his holy arm in behalf of those who trust him, and go forth in his service.
The good Swedish conference session is just closing, as I write. From first to last the manifest influence of the Holy Spirit has been with these Swedish brethren and sisters, about two hundred assembled. It is blessed to find this everywhere, and to know that God is preparing the hearts of his people as one, for the finishing of the work.
There is a great work to be done in this northern land. Eight hundred believers in a country with six million people have a great responsibility. Three tents are to be put into the field this season, and our general workers in Europe are cheered to see the tokens of a revival of yet more aggressive work in Sweden.
It is my first visit; and this I see, that our brethren and sisters here love the Lord and the message. I hear testimonies of confidence and joy and penitence, and of courage and determination. Here are believers grown gray in this faith, thanking God for the hope of soon seeing the triumph; young people, and students from the school, giving voice to their devotion as they go out into the field, and, in fact, just the same coming into line for the finishing of the work that we hear of in all lands.
The book work has gone with special strength in Sweden. This morning the committee on credentials and licenses read the names of forty-six colporteurs, mostly sisters. And as I hear of the experiences of these pioneer workers, I thank God that everywhere he is sending his angels before the faithful laborers.

Some Providences on the Swedish Frontier

Why should we not place on record some of these special providences? Some might call them fortunate experiences; but the workers who go out for the love of Christ to meet experiences that no other motive could constrain them to encounter, believe that the Lord Jesus does fulfil his promise, “Lo, I am with you alway.”
The Bible, tells of deliverances and overshadowings of divine care, and says: “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.” Ps. 107: 43. The same divine watch-care and the same angels of God's providence are with the workers to-day.
During the conference, Brother E. Lind, of the Swedish publishing department, has told me several incidents of the book work in Sweden.
Our sisters have done loyal service even on the wild frontiers in this land. They have taken orders away beyond the railway lines, carrying books on their backs and placing the truth before those who have few religious privileges.
In the northern part of Sweden, a sister had a delivery of “Great Controversy” to make, fourteen miles from the railway, far back in the mountains. She carried about fifteen books on her back. The Swedish “Great Controversy” is a large book, and fifteen of these volumes is a heavy burden for a long mountain journey. But she said she seemed to make that fourteen miles, with her burden of message-filled books, scarcely feeling weary under the load. So marked was the strength she received, that she said she felt sure that an angel must have helped her to carry the books up into the mountains; and in the simplicity of her faith, she praised God for sending her special help.
Why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should send an angel to strengthen a struggling child of his to carry a burden? “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
When this sister reached the mountain district with her books, the people joyfully received them, and declared that the Lord had surely sent her up there with the truth that their souls needed. Weary paths these are over the mountains; but, as it is written, How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet that bring good tidings!
At another time, in this same wild region, the sister had run out of money, and for two days had had nothing to eat in her travels by foot. She turned aside into a wood, and in her need prayed the Lord to help her to get something to eat. Then as she came down into the road, immediately a man met her with a loaf of bread. Holding it out, he said, “Do you want this?” With thanks she took the bread; and turning aside again into the wood, she sat down to eat by a mountain stream, and gave thanks to God for his answer to her cry, sending her bread and water in her sore need. As for the man who brought the help, she had never seen him before, and never saw him after. Whether man or angel, she could not tell; and it mattered not. The answer and the deliverance had come from God.
Another sister was canvassing close to the Norwegian border, in the north central part of the Scandinavian peninsula. She lost her way in the forest. Farther and farther she wandered, wading rivers above her waist. Night came on, and she was in distress, and cried to God for help. Just as she felt it impossible to go farther, she saw a light, and came upon a hunters' camp. They treated her with kind hospitality. She received food, dried her clothing by the fire, and with blankets loaned her, slept at one side of the camp in peace and thankfulness. Next morning a hunter led her to the road leading to a settlement, gave her the name of a family to inquire for, and said, “Stay there until we come home.” Next day the hunters returned, and told the story of the sister's wandering and deliverance. The story passed from lip to lip through the whole region, and awakened so great an interest in our sister that, as she went about, the people would ask, “Are you the woman who was lost in the forest?” And nearly every family was eager to order one of her books.
“So getting lost,” said Brother Lind, “really was the means of leading her to the right place in which to sell books.”
But this must suffice. During the last year, $25,482 worth of our books have been placed in the homes of Sweden. Pray for the work in this prosperous-looking land of the Baltic and the Bothnia, and for Elder S. F. Svensson, the president, and all his fellow workers and believers as they face a new year of service. Sweden is interested in the regions beyond, and is already represented in the Abyssinian Mission by two workers. For this mission an offering of over one hundred dollars was taken up on Sabbath afternoon, and several strong young people volunteered for the mission fields.
W. A. S.
Linköping, Sweden,