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Among the Swedes

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 2, 1874

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 43, No. 25.

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Among the Swedes.

By Charles Lee

With a feeling of joy have I for the last few weeks, again witnessed the doings of the Lord in bringing souls upon the platform, where God's waiting people, who expect the speedy return of their Lord, are standing. Even in the State of Iowa has the third angel's message found its way to our Swedish people. Praise be to God!
Near Lansing, Allamakee County, where I came to labor the 21st of April last, I found a settlement of Swedes, mostly Baptists, whose attention had been recently called to the observance of the Lord's Sabbath. Two of the most influential men of the church had, by reading the REVIEW, received light upon this truth, and also brought it before the church for consideration. At first, it is said, many acknowledged the seventh day to be the Lord's holy Sabbath and seemed willing to keep it; but in looking upon the cross connected with the weekly practice of keeping a day separated from the customs of the country, certain men in the church rose up against it, and with the help of a minister used to the work, hushed up all voices in favor of the Lord's Sabbath, and expelled those men from the church who had brought the light to the people.
To give the reader an understanding of the influence those men had over the church who were expelled on account of the Lord's Sabbath, I need only state that one of them had been a missionary for the Baptist denomination in Sweden for about seventeen years and the pastor of this church for three years. The other man had lived a Christian life for thirty years, and been the elder of this same church over ten years.
Now compare the testimony of our Lord, found in John 16:2, and thus you will understand the meaning of that and similar passages of the Scriptures.
To clear away from the inquiring minds all thoughts and feelings for the sacred day of God, no-lawism was pressed upon them and carried out under the name of “a new light of the gospel.” Horrible gospel! Daring teachers! Pitiable people!
Never have I found any people more prejudiced than here. They had strongly agreed not to go to our meetings. The minister did all he could to misrepresent us to the people. I am glad that he had to acknowledge, before his own church members, that he had wrongly dealt with us, and also that he promised to make known from the pulpit his wrong-doing in misrepresenting us. This was more than many would do.
I continued my meetings for some over two weeks, and although our number was few who assembled in God's holy name, we realized the truthfulness of our Lord's promise: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
On the Sabbath and Sunday of the 9th and 10th of May, we enjoyed a good visit from the brethren and sisters at Waukon. We were very happy in meeting with those dear friends as they brought with them a good influence, and, their general manners, expressed a godly fear that solemnly rested upon us all.
On Sunday P. M. we organized a church of thirteen members, known as the Village Creek church. Three willing souls were baptized, among whom was Bro. Show of Waukon. Afterward we were all blessed in carrying out the humiliating example set by our dear Saviour; and, could truly say that we all learned more of the fact that “the servant is not greater than his master;” and in that knowledge, we were all happy. See John 13:16, 17.
After this blessed expression of humiliation, the emblems of our dear Lord, as a sacrifice for us upon the cruel cross, were enjoyed by the little company, and, truly, we had a refreshing season.
On Monday following, we had our business meeting and selected officers, among whom Bro. C. Hamren (formerly pastor of the Baptist church) was chosen as the leader, and Bro. A. Swedberg, treasurer. The Systematic Benevolence pledges for this year amounted to $32.00. The church desire to be taken under the watchcare of the Iowa Conference.
Although the Village Creek church is not very large at present, we have a strong hope that the honest souls about here, in whose heart a ray of the light of present truth has penetrated, will soon yield to its influence, and that the young friends who so often meet with us around the family altar, as well as at our general assemblies, cannot long wander astray from the fold of Jesus.
How blessed it is to behold the work of God's Holy Spirit in carrying out the design of our dear Saviour, and to find how that fervent prayer that he prayed to his Father in Heaven, while standing upon this sinful earth, is answered! Earnestly he prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth. . . . that they all may be one; as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” John 17:17-22. How true that the blessed truth which we as a people preach and practice, unites the hearts together; and, how could it be otherwise, as long as we “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus”?
CHARLES LEE.