THE BEGINNING OF OUR WORK IN SKODSBORG.
By Dr. Ottosen
[DR. OTTOSEN gives the following sketch of experiences in the starting of sanitarium work in Skodsborg, Denmark. It is in behalf of this interesting work that the special offering is to be taken Sabbath, September 14.—MISSION BOARD.] When the missionary council had decided to open up the medical missionary work in Copenhagen or vicinity, Elder M. M. Olsen and I went to Copenhagen, and in company with some other brethren, we searched the city from one end to the other for a suitable place. Several days' searching was in vain. We then visited the outskirts of the city, but with no satisfactory results. We called together the brethren present, and had a season of prayer, asking God most earnestly that He would show us where to go. We started out again, and our minds were led in the direction of the beautiful Strandvej, a road running along the coast of “Oresund.” This road runs through a number of small villages where the people spend their time, especially in the summer season. Here, at last, we found a large villa standing unoccupied, learned that it formerly belonged to King Frederick VII, was built by him, and that this villa, together with another close by, was for sale for the sum of seventy thousand kroner (about $17,500). We had no money with which to buy, and for a beginning we had intended only to rent. We visited the owner, a widow; she could not sell, however, without the consent of her lawyer. We presented to them the object of the society; and in view of this, they reduced the price to sixty thousand. We again sought God, and once more we went to see the owner with reference to our object. She burst into tears when we spoke to her about what we intended to do, and promised to sell for fifty thousand; but the lawyer was not to be moved. After several seasons of prayer, we received a letter from him to the effect that in view of the object of the society and the wish of the owner, he would be willing to sell on the conditions stated above. For this we thanked and praised God. In the meantime I had written to several friends who I knew were interested in this work, and had personal conversations with some of them, and they brought in their smaller or greater sums, partly as donations and partly as loans. We now began to fit up the institution, chiefly relying upon a promise of a considerable sum of money from a certain sister. We made arrangements with contractors, and everything was well started when we were informed that no money could come at the time it had been promised. This left us in a perplexing situation. It looked as if all would go to pieces. But we united in earnest prayer to God, asking Him to help us out of our embarrassment. We went to the contractors and asked if they would prolong the time set for payment. It should be remembered that we had already obtained far more favorable terms than they were used to giving, as they had given us the privilege of paying for the work in the course of three years; and now to come and ask for still better terms, for further prolongation, seemed unreasonable. But there was no other way out of it, for we had no money. We asked God, as already stated, that He would put it into their hearts to show us favor, and went to them in faith. And they all—there were three of them—agreed to put off the time for payment. So again we had great reason to thank the Lord. The first installment they put off six months. We then tried to get money till that time. We went to the Lord in prayer, presenting before Him how He had told us in the Testimonies that such institutions should be established in all parts of the world, that He had helped us to obtain houses, and that we did not believe He would leave us alone now if we with all our hearts worked to promote His cause. Once more we obtained the promise that money would come. But two weeks before we were to pay out several thousand dollars, we again were informed that we could not get the money. About ten days passed. In the meantime we sought the Lord most earnestly in prayer. Everything looked as dark as it could possibly be. It seemed as if we had come up to the Red Sea, and that the only help possible was a special deliverance by the hand of God. And the deliverance did come, praise be to His name! Three or four days before the money was to be paid out, the entire amount came as a gift. The brethren can hardly form any just idea of what a cause of joy this was to us. In order for any one properly to appreciate an experience of this kind, it is necessary for him to have been in such a strain of mind that he could not sleep, but had to be in prayer during the entire night, waiting for the deliverance of God. Then he will be prepared to understand what joy it brings when the Lord reveals His power to save. The work is the Lord’s, and He will carry it forward. We succeeded in getting our little institution ready for operation, May 1, 1898, and in a short time it was filled to its utmost capacity; and that with little or no advertising. The helpers had to crowd together till three or even four lived together in small rooms, and five or six rooms that were intended for the helpers have been occupied by patients. Also in this respect the Lord has blessed us greatly, and we have had experiences that we would not be without for anything in the world. I will relate one or two instances. Skodsborg is located about eight miles north of Copenhagen, or about half an hour’s ride on the train. I visited Copenhagen at least twice a week to see to the patients that come to take treatment at the sanatorium branch there. One day, just a few minutes before the train was to leave, I was impressed that I ought to go to Copenhagen. I could not understand why, but a voice seemed to say to me, “You must take this train for Copenhagen.” I hurried off, and in the last moment I entered a coupe where four gentlemen were seated. When traveling, I always carry some reading-matter along, to improve the time on the train; and while I was reading, the four gentlemen began to discuss the condition of the health of one of their number. The three insisted that nothing was the matter with him, and he looked healthy and strong. But the man himself claimed that he was weak and of poor health. Shortly an opportunity for me to enter into the discussion presented itself, and the conversation became very interesting. In a few minutes he understood that I was a physician; and was greatly surprised to find that I was that strange physician that had come to Skodsborg. The result was the first patient at our sanatorium. Another time I had a similar experience. I had laid entirely different plans for the day, but the impression that I ought to go to Copenhagen became so strong that I went to the train. Here I met a gentleman who had visited the sanatorium one day while I was absent. He wanted to come to the sanatorium, and had asked for permission to take his claret along, as he believed that to be good for his stomach. But when he was told that I would allow no such thing, he gave up the thought of coming to the sanatorium. He said that we did wrong in not permitting claret and similar innocent things at our institution. This was the reason that we had lost two good patients. I explained the matter to him, and after he had heard my reasons, he said that he would come later, and that he would send one of his friends to us, a certain counselor at law, who also has since been here as a patient.