MICHIGAN by S. F. Svensson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 27, 1900

MICHIGAN

By S. F. Svensson

IRON RIVER.—The work among the Swedish people in this place is steadily moving forward. The church has now a membership of about thirty-five. Several who have not yet united with the church are keeping the Sabbath.

Last fall we began to erect a church building in Bates, six miles from Iron River. On account of the severe winter the work was discontinued. It was taken up again this summer, and finished. The building is twenty-five by forty-five feet, and will seat two hundred persons. It has cost over one thousand dollars. Our friends not of the faith have taken considerable interest in the enterprise, having given two hundred and thirty-five dollars to the work. There is a debt of about forty-five dollars on the church. This is good when we consider that our people here are poor.

Sunday, October 7, the church was dedicated. At 11 o'clock A. M. we had service in the Swedish language, and at 3 P. M. in the English. Elder Watkins, of Menominee, spoke in English. The church was filled with attentive listeners. The interest continues good.

This is the second Seventh-day Adventist church building in the Northern Peninsula. There ought to be twenty by this time. This is a neglected field. Just think of it, from Menominee to Sault Ste. Marie, a distance of between three hundred and four hundred miles, there are only about three laborers. The country is dotted with towns, some of them said to have fifty thousand inhabitants. How soon will some of our brethren come over and help us? There is no danger in coming here. The people are just as good here as anywhere else; and it is a considerable distance from here to Kamchatka and the north pole. The times are good just now. In the mine regions the work is going on at full speed, and the laborers are well paid. It is the best opportunity that can be had for selling our publications; but this opportunity may not last long. God will hold us responsible if we are not doing our duty. Will not some of our brethren engage in the canvassing work here this year? S. F. SVENSSON.