CHRISTIANA, NORWAY by John G. Matteson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 6, 1879

CHRISTIANA, NORWAY.

By John G. Matteson

The preaching of the truth is still calling forth opposition sermons from all sides. Wednesday evening we secured a large hall in the theater in order to get a reply before many. About eighteen hundred crowded in, and many went away for want of room.

I have since paid no more attention to the attacks (which are still falling on us like hailstorms), but have preached for the edification of souls. Sunday evening the gymnasium was filled with attentive hearers. I spoke about Christ stilling the tempest. The Lord blessed our feeble efforts, and it was good to be there.

Next Sunday is the last time we can have this hall. It is a continual strife to get rooms for meetings, because our opposers are trying to drive us out everywhere. For this reason our friends have formed a society to purchase property for the use of the S. D. A. church. Each member pays 50 Ore per week (13½ cents). Then we solicit donations besides. The members have to earn their living by hard work, and the times are exceedingly hard. The English Puritan Sunday reigns here, and Sabbath-keepers meet a great deal of opposition. Yet all feel willing to make an effort to secure a place for meeting.

A rare chance has been offered to us, and all thought best to accept it before others should take it from us, so we have bought a house and lot situated in a central place, high and healthy, opposite to the Catholic church, and near a large Lutheran church, fronting a business street. It can be divided into two lots—one a corner lot 70x70 feet, suitable for a printing office, and another 70x150 feet, for a chapel. At present a two-story building with basement occupies a part of both lots. The upper story of this we intend to turn into a hall for meetings. That will make room for eight hundred to one thousand people. The rest of the house we rent to families. We shall occupy the house by the 15th of April. We are to pay 54,000 Kroner (about $15,000) for the property, with 5 per cent interest, and thirty-three years in which to pay the whole. The use of the building will pay the interest and taxes. The first five years we are to pay 1000 Kroner ($266) annually on the capital, and after this time twice that amount.

Our paper, Tidernes Tegn, pays its own way; but it is printed by those who do not love the truth. I desire to give this paper into the hands of the General Conference as soon as they can undertake it. Our earnest prayer is that the truth may be published, and blessed from above.

JOHN G. MATTESON.

Osterhausgaden 12, Christiana, Norway, Feb. 5.