THE WORK AMONG THE SCANDINAVIANS
By L. Johnson
Since my last report, I have labored among the Scandinavians in eleven different States. During the summer I attended ten camp-meetings in seven different States. The work is onward, yet many of our brethren and sisters are not so devoted to the work of God as they ought to be, and some of the young enter the English work. In all our churches there are faithful souls who love their Saviour and His blessed truth more than their lives, and they study continually how they can advance His cause and meet His approval. I believe they are precious in His sight. The canvassing work goes slow. Most of the young persons who engage in the work are better educated in the English language than they are in their own, and find it easier to sell our literature among the Americans. The result is that even the Scandinavian canvassers sell more books to Americans than to Scandinavians. If our books in the Scandinavian languages were published at the same time that the corresponding English editions are, we should sell more; but when a book comes out in the Scandinavian languages, many of our Scandinavian brethren have already bought a copy of the English edition, and it is hard to find persons who will go and sell the book to the few who desire it in the Scandinavian languages, and yet it is very necessary that these should be supplied. Our Scandinavian papers are doing a good work, and are read with great interest by many; but while we are thankful that this is so, we find it difficult to secure and retain a list of subscribers sufficiently large to pay for all the expenses of publishing; yet some who can not read English think they could not do without them. Many Scandinavians take our American papers also, and it is right that they should do so; for they are greatly benefited thereby. But they often think that all they can do for their own paper is to subscribe for it, and yet there are not a sufficient number of Scandinavian Sabbath-keeping families to secure a sufficient number of subscribers for both the Danish and the Swedish paper. If the Scandinavians all had one language, it would be comparatively easy. Some, however, have nobly subscribed for others besides themselves. I have now been in Minnesota about one month. We have held four general meetings, and the Lord has greatly blessed us. In this State we have more Scandinavian Sabbath-keepers than in any other. Will the readers of the REVIEW please remember the work among the Scandinavians in their prayers.