The British Field by Ole Andres Olsen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Mar 3, 1904

The British Field

By Ole Andres Olsen

We are pleased to be able to speak encouragingly of the work in this field. The blessing of the Lord is manifest in many ways. The laborers are encouraged by seeing souls accept the truth, and rejoice in the love and hope of the soon coming of the Redeemer.

Recently I made a brief tour in the north. I attended a workers' meeting held at Glasgow, Scotland, January 12-17. This was an interesting occasion. Nearly all the workers connected with that field were present, the larger number of them being canvassers. The time of the meeting was fully occupied with earnest work, and a careful study of the fields and of methods of labor was taken up. A part of each day was spent by most of those present in actual work in the city.

At this time a special series of meetings was also being opened by Elder Ritchie, in Glasgow, which will continue during the latter part of the winter and the spring. The Lord has greatly blessed the work in Scotland during the past year. The number of believers has been nearly doubled. The tent effort at Kirkcaldy resulted in the raising up of a goodly company of earnest people, and the prospect for the organization of a strong church there in the near future is very encouraging.

The number of believers at Edinburgh has also been increased. During the meeting at Glasgow, we had the joy of seeing eight souls follow the Lord in baptism, and fifteen united with the church.

We were greatly pleased to see the spirit of unity and harmony and of strong courage manifested by all who were present. This speaks well for the future progress of the work in Scotland. Aggressive measures are being planned for the summer's campaign. They hope to have at least two tents in operation. Scotland is an excellent field. In many ways it seems to be the most favorable one in the United Kingdom at the present ent time. The Spirit of the Lord is moving on the hearts of the people, and the way is opening most encouragingly for the work.

The brethren there have called earnestly for aid in obtaining another tent, and we can only encourage those who feel especially interested, by saying that now is the time to help. The old adage, “Strike while the iron is hot,” is especially applicable to the situation in Scotland at the present time, and certainly the time has come when whatever is to be done, needs to be done quickly. But while the field is favorable, we are lacking in means to meet the great needs of the work, and shall therefore be exceedingly grateful to all who will render us assistance in carrying forward the work of the Lord to its final consummation.

Leaving Scotland, I went to Ireland. This is in many ways a much more difficult field than Scotland. There are bitter prejudices to meet. The Catholic element is very strong; but the work of the Lord is also onward. Brother Hutchinson, with his assisting fellow laborers, opened up the work at Ballyclare, a small place near Belfast. From the very beginning, there was bitter prejudice to contend with, but by earnest prayer and persevering effort, the difficulties were mastered, and the people began to attend the meetings.

Then the opposition took another form. One of the strong religious men in northern Ireland came to Ballyclare to oppose the truth publicly. This created quite a sensation, and the town hall was crowded to its utmost capacity to hear his exposition and opposition of the truth, which they expected would utterly annihilate the truth that had been preached. But this effort, instead of hurting the cause of God, only helped it. This man spoke very strongly against the Sabbath, but in his closing remarks he admitted that there is no Scriptural ground for the observance of the first day of the week as the Sabbath. This statement set many good people to thinking, and some of the most faithful members of his own church decided to obey the Word of God, and the result is that a goodly number of substantial, earnest people have taken their stand for the truth; for this we thank the Lord.

Our meetings with the church at Belfast were very interesting and encouraging. Work is also being begun at Dublin, by means of the circulation of health literature. We pray that this effort may be successful.

The work in the North England Conference is making steady progress. During the last month, three new churches have been organized in that field,—one at Birkenhead, of twelve members; one at Leicester, with sixteen; and one at Manchester, with thirty-six. These advance movements are a source of much encouragement. There is prospect of one or two more churches being organized in that field before the time of the annual conference.

The Lord is also blessing the work in the South England Conference. Many who were troubled and perplexed in view of the apostasies that have taken place during the last year have settled down stronger and more firmly grounded in the truth and the work than ever before.

On Sabbath, January 6, we had the pleasure of reorganizing the church at Balham. The organization which had existed there for some time, had been so broken up by removals and other changes that the friends thought the best thing to do was to proceed with a definite organization, as that would establish the work more firmly.

We are also receiving encouraging reports from Wales. During the next few weeks a new church will be organized at Newport. This is the result of the tent effort there last summer.

While we rejoice in view of the advance steps that are being made by the work, still in the midst of all this there are many perplexities to deal with. Satan is making it just as hard as he can for people to obey the truth, but thanks be to God, who causeth us always to triumph in Christ Jesus.

We are also experiencing the blessing of the Lord in our institutional work. Our school, our publishing work, and our health work are all progressing encouragingly. The sanitarium at Caterham is full, and a number are waiting for admission as soon as there is a vacancy. February 8 the new sanitarium at Leicester was formally opened. The mayor of the city and his wife were present, and spoke words of encouragement and welcome, wishing the institution the best of success.

We are especially thankful for the blessings that we are enjoying in our school, and we know that the Lord will continue to bless this important branch of our work.

I wish also in this connection to express our sincere gratitude to the General Conference, and the brethren and sisters in America who have assisted the work in Britain during the past year. The General Conference, supplemented by several of the State conferences, has given us a liberal appropriation in money. Without this, it would have been impossible for us to have done what we have, and the encouraging report that we have been able to render is largely the result of the help we have received from our brethren and sisters across the water.

While the United Kingdom presents but a comparatively small amount of territory, still, with its teeming millions of people, it is an immense field. The Lord has wrought in this country in the past. Missionaries have gone from it to all parts of the world. Thousands and thousands of pounds of money have been consecrated to the sending forth of the gospel to the dark places of the earth, and the time has now come that this last message should also be given with power among this very people who have been so helpful in sending the gospel of salvation to others.

The number of believers in present truth is comparatively small in this country. They are devoted, earnest, and faithful in contributing of their means to help the work, but their abilities are not equal to the great needs. There are earnest, devoted people here, who ought to be encouraged, and would be successful in the work of giving the message, if we had funds with which to support them, but we have not at present. In view of all these things, we must

still appeal to our General Conference, and to others who have helped us in the past, to continue to remember the needs of the millions of this important field.

God has blessed the work here, and he will continue to bless, and we are having much to encourage us in the remarkable way in which the providence of God is going out before us. These things give us reason to look for more rapid advancement in the work in the United Kingdom during the present year than at any time in the past. For this we are earnestly praying and laboring, fully believing that God will verify our expectations. O. A. OLSEN.