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Another Motor Boat for Ship Mission Work

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 20, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 51.

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Another Motor Boat for Ship Mission Work

By J. CHRISTIANSEN

J. CHRISTIANSEN
In the summer of 1897 I left the boat “Sentinel,” in New York, in the hands of Brother Johnson, and started for Norway. The next summer I was called to Hamburg, as the German Conference had decided to build a boat for that great shipping port. After occupying “Herold” there for six years, I gave it over to Brother Finbel, and began to work in Stetten with a smaller boat.
It having been decided that ship mission work should be started in the greater shipping port of Rotterdam, Holland, I arrived there in December of last year. It was clearly seen that here nothing could be done without a ship. Nothing could be decided until the beginning of February, and I could do little till then except pray and wait.
Space is too limited here to tell all that has been gone through, but I am confident that the beautiful and well-equipped “Maranatha,” now visiting the ships of the different nationalities in this port, is nothing more nor less than a gift of God.
OUR NEW SHIP MISSION LAUNCH, “MARANATHA,” AT ROTTERDAM
OUR NEW SHIP MISSION LAUNCH, “MARANATHA,” AT ROTTERDAM
I secured a small steamer, nine and one-half meters long, for two hundred and forty dollars. It is built of steel, and is now about one and one-half years old. As I found that the engine was not practical for such work, and asked the Lord for a motor, I received an answer from 1 Sam. 1:17: “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.” The boat, furnished and ready, cost seven hundred and fifty dollars. During the first six weeks of operation, we received for books and smaller works five hundred and thirty gulden, or two hundred and twelve dollars. The same work goes on day by day. Captain Werge, who in former years was on the “Pitcairn,” assists me.
This port has in later years taken on great activity, so that it is impossible for one boat to visit all the vessels that come and go.
It is too bad that we have no boat at Copenhagen, the best place to be found on earth for such effort. I had hoped that long before this such an enterprise would be started there. How much longer shall we wait? Do not forget at the throne of grace the work among the vessels.
Rotterdam, Holland.