THE WORK IN NORWAY by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 13, 1879

THE WORK IN NORWAY.

By James White

ELDER MATTESON writes from Christiania, Norway, Jan. 9, 1879, as follows:—

“About twelve hundred people attended the meeting last Sunday evening, and crowds went away for lack of room. Between forty and fifty people are keeping the Sabbath. The most prominent public papers have spoken of the meetings in the highest terms. Priests and professors attend, and study how they may oppose the truth of God. Hundreds of souls are really tired of the old theories, and are hungering to hear and search the truth.

“Under these circumstances, I have deemed it duty to commence the printing of a small weekly paper about two-thirds of the size of one-fourth of the REVIEW.

“This is simply a temporary paper, like a tent paper. I take no subscriptions, but sell them at 5 Ore, or 2 cents, a piece. I ask for no pecuniary help on this undertaking. I trust, by the blessing of God, this paper will pay its own way. I ask simply for permission to print it, and subject the contents to your counsel and supervision. I print two thousand copies this week. The people are hungry for reading. We will soon see how it goes.

“Now the spring will soon come on, and then we shall need a tent and men to work with it. If the interest is followed up here, Sweden will also soon be affected. There is ten times as much religious stir in Norway and Sweden as in Denmark.

“I trust and pray that Bro. Jasperson and Martin Olsen may come right here in the spring, and be furnished with means for a tent that will accommodate at least one thousand people. I would like to sell my home in America, and get our children over here when Bro. Jasperson comes. He can take them along. I submit this respectfully to you and the Conference Committee. If we shall continue to labor here, it would serve the cause best to have our children with us.

“If you favor this move, you might say a word in the REVIEW about buying my place. It has cost me $2,000. I will sell it no lower than $1,500. There is a large, comfortable house, garden with fruit trees, and 20 acres of land. It is situated in Oakland, Jefferson Co. Wis., opposite to the meeting-house. There is a prosperous church in that place. I will write to Bro. Smith to put a notice in the REVIEW, provided the Conference Committee think best.

“Now may the Lord direct and abundantly bless his precious truth and cause, both in America and other countries.”

The Spirit of God is moving the people mightily in old Norway. The word of God, set home to the hearts of the people by the Holy Spirit, is doing a great work in the Old World. Let God be praised. We think that the suggestions of Bro. Matteson will meet the minds of his brethren.

1. We see no reasons why he should return to this country, therefore his entire family should be with him.

2. We see no reasons why Brn. Jasperson and Olsen should not go to his help. And we appeal to the Scandinavian people in America to raise the means to help them to Norway with a tent, ready to work in early spring. And

3. We see no reasons why Bro. M. has not done well in starting a temporary weekly paper.

JAMES WHITE.