NORWAY by O. A. Johnson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 5, 1901

NORWAY

By O. A. Johnson

I HAVE delayed sending a report from this country, wishing first to visit our churches, and become better acquainted with the work here.

My wife, son Harry, and I arrived in Christiania, July 7, 1900. It was a cold, rainy day; but the kind welcome accorded us made us feel at home with our brethren here. Immediately after our arrival, a council was held with the workers, and plans were carefully considered. Soon after this, I went to Hamar to look after some property in which the Conference had an interest, and finally decided to relieve the Conference of this burden, and make this place my home, while in Norway. Hamar is an old historic place quite centrally situated, having a high altitude, pure air, yet cold.

I have now visited all our churches but one; and while I find some who are discouraged, yet I am glad to find so many who are faithfully holding on to the truth under many discouraging circumstances. There has been a crop failure in northern Norway, and much of the cattle had to be killed off in order to keep them from starving to death. On my return from northern Norway, I found a company of believers on a few small islands, who came into the truth over three years ago, by reading the Bible, and had sustained Sabbath meetings about two years before any of our workers visited them. I found these in harmony with us on all vital questions, and they were ready for organization, which was effected, with a full corps of officers.

Some of our churches in Norway were organized under the dissenter law, which requires the elder to subscribe to the religious laws of the State, or kingdom, especially the observance of Sunday, church holy days, etc. This union has been dissolved, or is in the process of dissolution, by all our churches, a step cheerfully taken by them. In Christiania, this was followed by a rich blessing. I might add that the law leaves it optional with dissenters whether or not they will organize under the prescribed rules of the dissenter law. However, when so organized, it virtually becomes a union of Church and State, a State Church.

At the Conference held last June, the Norway Conference decided that it was best to continue to publish our papers and books, and that has been done; and so far all our bills have been met, and we hope to be able to pay all bills as they become due.

The Week of Prayer was a real blessing to many of our brethren in Norway, and we hope it will result in a lasting revival of God’s work in many hearts. Although there is a real scarcity of money here, yet the Christmas offerings already received exceed the amount given last year, and several churches have not yet been heard from. Tithes come in rather slowly, yet we have so far been able to keep our workers in the field; but we dare not at present increase our corps of workers much.

Our laborers are of good courage, and are being blessed in their work. Elder H. Hansen has been working in Bergen for more than a year. The interest is still good, and souls are continually being added to the church. Two sisters in Bergen, long confined to their beds, and given up as incurable by Norway’s best physicians, were recently healed in answer to prayer. Elder N. P. Nelson is having a good interest in Larvik, where some have already decided to obey the truth. Elder S. Sevaldsen is laboring in Fredrickshald, with an increasing interest.

Some have already come into the truth in Christiania. I expect to begin public meetings next Sunday in our large hall. Several here are interested in the truth. Seven are awaiting baptism, which will be administered next Friday evening. We find persons in many places of Norway who are interested in the truth.

The canvassing work is progressing. During the last year over twenty-six thousand kroner worth of books were sold. Brother Sherrig has just closed a successful canvassers’ institute in Bergen, and all the canvassers enter upon their work with new courage. For some time they have had only old books to sell, but now “Coming King” is under preparation, which, it is hoped, will be ready this spring.

We have a few nurses, who are doing good work. Here in Christiania we have two nurses, and other workers, under the direction of Brother O. J. Olsen, who are kept quite busy in giving various treatments to the sick, with good results. Two sisters have rented rooms in Bergen, and are having all they can do. Some of the leading physicians are sending them patients for treatment. Brother Angel is now doing the same kind of work in Hamar. All these are working on the self-supporting plan, which seems to work well, and the blessing of God is attending their labors.

Of course there is much anxiety connected with the work here, resulting from the unsettled condition of our publishing house. Our Scandinavian brethren feel grateful to our brethren in America for the deep interest they have taken in the work, and the efforts put forth to help the cause here under its trying circumstances. While we, a member of the body, are suffering here, evidently the American brethren, which constitute the main body, are suffering with us, and are doing all they can to heal the wound. May God reward them abundantly for all they have done for us in our time of need.

O. A. JOHNSON.