THE CHRISTIANIA PUBLISHING HOUSE AND THE DECISION MADE REGARDING IT BY THE GENERAL CONFERENCE
By L. JOHNSON
Since October, 1899, when the sad news reached us that our publishing house at Christiania had suspended payments, and that a large amount of money was required to settle with its creditors, it has been a trying time for all the Scandinavian brethren who had the cause of God at heart. Not only was it painful for our brethren in the old country, but we in this country suffered as well. When Elder O. A. Olsen asked for fifty thousand dollars, our hearts sank within us, and, like Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, we “feared,” and set our hearts to seek God. 2 Chronicles 20. The king also expressed our sentiments when he said: “Neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon thee.” Our creditors themselves were almost the only ones who spoke encouraging words to us. These business men (nearly all presidents of banks) treated us very kindly. As Elder Olsen expressed it, “They talked to us as fathers to their children.” While the sad reports kept coming, and the darkness kept on increasing, we still hoped in the Lord. The language of our hearts was, “Lord, thou art mighty to save! Nothing is impossible with thee. Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach.” While we waited on the Lord, His word was precious to us: “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Ps. 27: 14. “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.” Ps. 40: 1. While during the financial depression hundreds of business houses and banks went into bankruptcy, and while religious institutions were spoken of in the daily papers in a way that brought reproach to their owners, yet not a line appeared concerning our house. The time came when the Lord spoke, and His words were good. They melted our hearts, and brought tears of gratitude from our eyes. “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” Ps. 119: 103. “Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?” Micah 2: 7. When, according to the message sent us from God, our propositions of payment in full were presented to our lawyer, he said, “This is unheard of in history.” And others said, “That is just what we expected the Adventists would do, because they are Christians;” and when one of our creditors who had a mortgage on the property, and therefore felt sure of getting what was coming to him anyway, refused to wait the length of time that the propositions called for, our advocate himself had such faith in our offer that he personally secured forty thousand kroner, or about eleven thousand dollars. The offer which has been accepted was to pay the whole amount in seven semiannual payments of eleven thousand dollars each. The first of these payments has been made, and the next becomes due the first of July, this year. In order to meet this, the following recommendation was passed by the General Conference recently held at Battle Creek, Mich.:— We recommend that June 1 [since changed to July 6] be a day of prayer for our work in Scandinavia, and that a special donation be taken on that day for our Christiania publishing house.—General Conference Bulletin, page 414. Now if all our brethren and sisters in this country, about sixty-five thousand in number, would take hold of this matter as the Lord would be pleased to have them, they could raise not only the eleven thousand dollars which must be sent by the fifteenth of June, but the whole sum, as it would only average about one dollar for each; and while many could not give that much, others might give much more. It has been stated by many that the last General Conference was a missionary conference, and every one present can doubtless testify to the truthfulness thereof; and now let us all show by our works that the Spirit of Christ has come into our hearts, and that His love rules us. We have disappointed our Heavenly Father many times, but let us do so no more. “Our publishing house in Norway is in peril, and in the name of the Lord I appeal to our people in its behalf. All to whose hearts the cause of present truth is dear are called upon to help at this crisis. “Those who love and serve God should feel the deepest interest in all that concerns the glory of His name. Who could see an institution where the truth has been magnified, where the Lord has so often revealed His presence, where instruction has been given by the messengers of God, where the truth has been sent forth in publications that have accomplished great good,—who could bear to see such an institution pass into the hands of worldlings, to be used for common, worldly purposes? God would certainly be dishonored if this institution were allowed to fall into decay for want of the money He has intrusted to His stewards. Should this take place, men would say that it was because the Lord was not able to prevent it. “These things mean much to our brethren and sisters in Scandinavia. They will be sorely tried if their facilities are cut off. Let us make an effort to prevent them from falling into depression and discouragement. Let there be a consecrated, united effort to lift the publishing house out of the difficulty into which it has fallen.” “All heaven takes an interest, not only in the lands that are nigh and that need our help, but in the lands that are afar off. The heavenly beings are watching and waiting for human agencies to be deeply moved by the needs of their fellow workmen who are in perplexity and trial, in sorrow and distress. . . . “Every facility we have in Europe for the advancement of the work is needed; every institution should stand in a healthy, flourishing condition before an ungodly world. Let not the angels of God who are ministering to those that bear responsibilities see God’s workers disheartened. Already the difficulties have increased by our delay, so that the work of restoration will now require greater labor and expense. In the name of the Lord we ask His people who have means to prove themselves faithful stewards. Repair the machinery so essential to carry forward the work of God that His people shall not become discouraged, and His work be left to languish. . . . “The cause of God in Europe is not to become a stone of stumbling or a rock of offense to unbelievers. The institutions there are not to be closed, or given into the hands of worldlings. Let the Lord’s servants in Europe make every effort in their power to recover what has been lost, and the Lord will work with them. And I call upon our people in America to co-operate with their brethren in Europe. If all will act their part in His great plan, God’s purpose will be accomplished. The difficulty will soon be in the past, no more to harass the cause of God.”—Testimony for the Church, Vol. VI, pages 454, 455, 459-461. Amen! Let all the people say Amen! When the sum mentioned is paid, the property will be owned, free of debt, by the people of God, and by His blessing it may bring more money than it has cost, if it is thought best to sell it, as it is in the heart of the city—the capital of Norway. Remember the day, Sabbath, July 6. L. JOHNSON.