The annual meetings in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were held June 9-28. In the last-named country the leading brethren of Scandinavia, as well as of Finland, were present, so that we were able to hold a profitable Scandinavian union council. In all these meetings we were pleased to see increased harmony of action and unity of sentiment. The financial difficulties of the past not only wrought disaster in temporal affairs, but brought in a spirit of distrust and fear among the brethren; and it has been our constant endeavor to inspire in them a feeling of common fellowship and brotherhood; for it is only in union that we can have strength and prosperity. Two years ago when a union was first suggested, some would consider it as nothing more than a union council; the next year things were ready for a common treasury; and this year each of the three conferences unanimously decided to have a regular union meeting the coming season.
THE SKODSBORG SANITARIUM
The Scandinavian countries, including Iceland and Finland, have only twelve and one-half million inhabitants, and over two thousand two hundred Sabbath-keepers. If these fields could closely affiliate and solidify their common interests, such as the educational, the medical, and the publishing work, the first two branches could be sustained, and the Christiania house might become a source of financial strength to the evangelical department of the cause. While the German, British, and French-Latin Union Conferences have their educational interests centered in one school, respectively, even to this day the Scandinavian countries lack that strength which would come from a union educational institution.
Denmark, considered as a conference, has more than freed itself of an indebtedness amounting to three thousand dollars, and yet it still needs to be very carefully managed financially. This is a small field, with only two and one-half million people, and seven hundred Sabbath-keepers, and it certainly has its share of institutions. First, may be mentioned the church and depository, known as “Ebenezer,” located in Copenhagen, and owned by the conference, with an investment of nearly sixteen thousand dollars, and a paid capital of only one fourth that amount. It is difficult to rent such a building (where the largest room is occupied by the church) for enough to meet the heavy interest and running expenses. If Ebenezer could be freed from a second mortgage of four thousand dollars, it would be placed on a good basis, as the first mortgage pays off itself in the course of years, at the rate of half a per cent annually. Help in this direction from some of our Scandinavian brethren in America would surely be in place.
A second property is the Skodsborg Sanitarium, near Copenhagen, with an investment of seventy thousand dollars. At the present time this institution enjoys an excellent reputation throughout the entire Scandinavian field, and is doing a good work; but its financial strength is very inadequate; for in the past its efforts have been somewhat scattered, as it has come to the rescue of other enterprises, and thus used up the gains that it has had. Deducting the loss on the clinic in the city, its capital is barely fourteen thousand dollars, and the worst of it is that the money is more largely invested in furniture and equipment than in suitable buildings. The buildings are insufficient, so that dwellings must be rented; and as these rented quarters are scattered throughout the village, there is naturally a greater outlay for help. Skodsborg ought to have a suitable building on its own ground, not only to save high rents, but also to reduce its working force; but the great question is, How shall the necessary funds be secured? This question is indeed to the point, as it requires the most careful management to bring up the income above the expenses, even with the good patronage the place now enjoys.
A third property is the building erected as Frederikshavn High School, near the northern extremity of the Danish peninsula. The building is about all one could desire for the purpose had in view in its construction, although its location would by no means answer our present ideas with reference to an industrial school. To begin with, there was a capital of ten thousand dollars on an investment of nineteen thousand. At that time the field was hardly ready for so large a building, and the operation of the school soon ate up the capital; and as there was not the proper co-operation among the three countries in the enterprise, it was a financial failure. Skodsborg felt somewhat duty-bound to try it as a sanitarium, and invested quite a sum of money there, and it is operated as a health institution at the present time. Dr. Nelson is doing his utmost, and the income is increasing, but still there is quite a loss, and worst of all, the property itself is not in a location where it would be salable, and it would have to be sacrificed for the mortgage, with no balance credit to us. Of the financial problems in Europe at the present time, this seems to be the most perplexing. The health food factory in Copenhagen, which is a well-conducted business, is more than paying its way.
These various enterprises will afford plenty of work for the Danish Conference for some time to come. We might also mention the Danish Tract Society, which shows a deficit of five hundred dollars for the last year. This condition is the result of insufficient attention to the canvassing work. The only remedy is for the general agents to spend part of their time in the field, instead of simply trying to direct twelve or more canvassers. We hope this part of the arrangement will be remedied. The depository started out with no capital to cover its book stock; and when the financial crash came, Basel advanced them about two thousand dollars, half of which they are now ready to return.
Elder P. A. Hansen has done all he could to help them out of their financial troubles, and if in the future he is left free to give his entire time to the development of the conference, undoubtedly he will be able to bring them out of these difficulties.
Elder L. A. Christian has been blessed in his efforts to assist the work in Denmark, and his help in the educational department will be greatly appreciated. After his arrival from America, he began a course of lectures in the city of Copenhagen. These were well attended; and it has been arranged that a number of young people be associated with him in continuing these meetings this winter. They will thus have the benefit of his instruction, and obtain a15practical experience in presenting the message. Our people throughout the field see the need of such an educational campaign.
Crossing over to Norway, we find the publishing house in Christiania, of which we have heard so much in recent years. We are glad to tell our brethren that the receiver has returned this property to us, and while the financial outlook of Norway is not much better, and the house has lost its best customer (as the Swedish field now prints its own literature), yet matters have been so arranged that the interest and expenses can be kept up without involving further loss. The mortgages on the house amount to about sixteen thousand seven hundred and forty dollars; their deposits are about three thousand dollars (this is money deposited with them); and about four thousand five hundred dollars was advanced them for necessary improvements, by the Hamburg house. The property is taxed at thirty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars. They have two good presses, one of which is new, and was received in exchange for two old presses. All the property is occupied, and brings in a rental. The main building is rented to the book mission, the church, and to Brother Lorentz for a bindery, and the old building is used as a health home; these bring a rental of fourteen hundred and fifty dollars per annum. If the times improve in the least, there is no question but this property can cover all its expenses, and sell for more than its indebtedness. We are glad that, after the situation was fully explained to our brethren in Scandinavia, they were willing to assume the responsibilities involved, and do their utmost to keep the house from further indebtedness.
The financial statement of the book mission, which has thus far been kept separate from the publishing house, was really encouraging, as it showed a gain of over five hundred dollars for the year 1902, and their capital invested—their book stock, etc.—is nearly three thousand dollars. As the Christiania publishing house is now well equipped to do a good business, the best way our American brethren could assist it, would be by allowing it the privilege of printing our Scandinavian books. This would not simply make their own printing cheaper by enabling them to print larger editions, but would also furnish books suited to the needs on both sides of the Atlantic. We often find that books translated and printed in America are defective in language, and were they printed here, this could be avoided, and the books could be used all over the world. After our brethren on the other side have lifted so heavily and nobly for this publishing house, I hope they will feel it their privilege to help place it on vantage-ground by co-operating in the plan here suggested; for this would put the publishing work in Christiania on a good financial basis.
I am also pleased to say that the Norway Conference is paying off its own indebtedness. By careful management, they have been able to reduce their debt from six hundred dollars to two hundred and twenty-five dollars. Another good year will nearly, if not quite, clear them. Elder O. A. Johnson will hold an educational institute in this field the coming winter. We are glad to find the brethren of Norway cheerful and hopeful.
Sweden enjoys the greatest financial prosperity of any of the Scandinavian countries. They have the school-farm property at Nyhyttan. Last year from their own timber they were able to erect a dwelling for their teachers, paying several thousand dollars for improvements; yet they have kept the estimated value of their farm down to about what they would be able to realize should the property be sold: they have not estimated it according to their investment. Thus far there is ten thousand dollars invested here; six thousand dollars is paid-up capital. By the time they receive the money from the sale of Swedish “Christ’s Object Lessons” in America, and dispose of their quota of books in Sweden, the school will be practically free from debt. We also have chapels at Grythyttehed, Vestra Boda, and Orebro, valued at two thousand eight hundred dollars, all paid for. There is also a health home conducted in rented quarters at Orebro, representing an investment of thirteen hundred dollars. The book inventory of the Stockholm depository is valued at four thousand dollars. Last year they gained thirteen hundred dollars on their book sales, but lost more than that on the three papers published in Sweden. We have now dropped the children’s paper, and made such changes in the other papers as will avoid this sort of an experience in the future. The paid-up value of the property held by the legal association in Sweden, Sanningens Harolds, is about twelve thousand dollars. Last year the school had some loss on its running expenses, but this has been made up by gifts, and changes have been suggested here that will place the school on a better footing. However, I believe it our duty seriously to consider the advisability of having a union school for the entire Scandinavian field, as it would surely give more efficiency, cut down expenses, and bring about better results.
As books and papers printed outside of Finland can not be circulated there by our canvassers, we have been compelled to have our own depository in this field, also. This depository has been operating in Helsingfors for some years. It has not only been relieved of its heavy debts, but now has a working capital of three thousand five hundred dollars, which covers its book stock, and enables it to carry on a strictly cash business.
We were pleased to see the unanimous feeling existing both in our Swedish conference and in the Scandinavian union council held in connection therewith, and we are sure that if the same spirit continues to be cherished, times of prosperity await the cause of God in these lands. While the growth of our membership in these countries has been comparatively small for the last few years, because of the financial depression, yet we have reason to believe that, as the work has been placed on a more solid basis, and the spirit of unity comes in, we shall see a better growth in the immediate future.
Personally, we much enjoyed the help of Elder Irwin and Dr. Paulson. Elder P. A. Hansen attended the three meetings, while Elder O. A. Johnson, of Norway, accompanied us to Sweden.
The annual report for the year 1902 shows twenty-one hundred and eighty-four Sabbath-keepers in the Scandinavian Union Conference; a tithe of thirteen thousand two hundred and sixty-two dollars; offerings and gifts of two thousand dollars; and book sales amounting to thirty thousand dollars. Including Iceland, where the work is also making encouraging progress, there are thirty-six workers, besides seventy-five canvassers. May we all remember our Scandinavian field in prayer, and may our Scandinavian brethren in America (many of whom received the blessed truth in Europe) remember their native land in their devotions and offerings.
