It may be remembered that last year one of our Scandinavian brethren went to assist Elder D. Ostlund, in Iceland, expecting to give special attention to the work of scattering literature there. The following selection from his letter written in Reykjavik, October 19, will, perhaps, be of interest to our people. After expressing his joy over the progress the work is making in Europe, he says:—
A VILLAGE IN ICELAND
“With reference to the language, I would state that while I can understand the people, and they can understand me, yet Icelandic is such a perfect tongue that it needs not a little study to learn it. I can read Icelandic books; but as we have our literature to circulate, I prefer to be out among the people, taking subscriptions for our paper, and selling our books; and my time being taken up largely in this manner, I have not given much attention to mastering the niceties of the language. It is very fortunate that Brother Ostlund has so thoroughly learned Icelandic, as it is necessary for us to have publications in this field, and he can now easily prepare these.”
“From January to August I did much house-to-house work, in taking our paper and books from place to place. During that time I took seven hundred and thirty-eight subscriptions for our paper. In some parts of the island, I found the work very difficult. The houses are often from six to eight English miles apart, and I had to climb high mountains, and descend into deep valleys, and cross many swift-running streams that are unprovided with bridges. As a general thing, the people cross these rivers on horseback, but I have not had a horse, and seldom have borrowed one. The water is very cold, but I have often had to wade these mountain torrents. However, I am glad that thus far my health has been preserved, notwithstanding all this exposure. In some places the people were at first much afraid, as they16seldom see a stranger; but after they learned that there was no reason to be frightened, they treated me kindly and hospitably, asking me to eat and drink with them.”
“I am glad a beginning has been made here. The work is not easy. The people of the city are less willing to buy than those in the country, as they do not like to take time to examine the books. The Lord has blessed me very much. Brother Ostlund is working very hard. The people read the literature they buy, so we hope the seed sown is on good ground, and will spring up in due time. Pray for us.”
A letter from Brother Ostlund, written November 1, is also at hand. He says:—
“Our work in Iceland is not yet completed, and I shall rejoice to stay here as long as there is any need of my services in this field. Brother Andersson is a great help to me. He is a very diligent worker. I saw him in Reykjavik recently, and we had a few days’ council with reference to the work in Iceland. We now plan to get out a new book—that part of the ‘Prophecies of Jesus’ which treats of the Revelation. We hope this may be ready by spring. Our paper, Frækorn, will probably reach an edition of twenty-five hundred monthly, next year.”
“Since I left Reykjavik two years ago, two thousand men have moved into that city, and its population is constantly increasing, while the inhabitants of this place [Seydisfjord] are moving away; so it is now our plan to move back to Reykjavik in March.”
Thus goes the work in that far-off land; surely we should often remember the work and the workers before God in prayer.
