p. 125 | CHRISTIANA, NORWAY by John Gottlieb Matteson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 9, 1879

CHRISTIANA, NORWAY.

By John Gottlieb Matteson

Many countries of Europe seem to be almost forsaken by the Lord, and to have become the stronghold of evil spirits: yet the Lord has a people among the different nations, who must be called out by the message, and who will prepare to meet him. The Spirit of God is still working on hearts here as well as in America. For this we praise God and take courage.

We are deeply interested in Bro. Loughborough’s mission in England, and rejoice in the success which so far has attended the truth there. And our prayers ascend for our dear Bro. Andrews, as he has once more reached Switzerland. May the Lord comfort him in all his sorrows, and give new strength after so much sickness and affliction. It is wonderful to hear from the southern countries, of Italians and Greeks and Arabians who are stretching out their hands to the Lord, and studying the truth for our times. Soon the Lord will unite them and us (Scandinavians of the northern countries) with our dear American brethren, from whom the Lord has been pleased to cause the light to shine forth, and who are so faithfully planting the seeds of truth in the east and west, in the south and north.

Bro. Jasperson has returned from Denmark. He with another young brother, will enter a new field next week, the Lord willing. The mission here is onward, and the light goes out from here to many other places. Some more have been added to our numbers since last report.

The tract society is at work so successfully that we have reason to hope for like societies in other places as the truth shall spread. It is started on a cash basis. Tracts are bought at a low rate with all the means that are obtained by membership, donations and sales. The last three weeks they have sold tracts and papers for about 20 Kroner ($5.33) each week. Last Sabbath we rejoiced in greeting four new Sabbath-keepers gained directly by the tracts. One of them joined the society next evening, and is at work among his Christian friends. A number of tracts are sold to people on the steamers and ships in the harbor.

Last Sabbath our Sabbath-school numbered more than 120 members, 113 being present. The interest is increasing as well as the membership. This blessed interest is due, with the help of God, to the American Sabbath-school system. We have never before had suitable lessons in our language. In fact, we have never had any lesson books at all. For this reason the Sabbath-school work has moved languidly among the Scandinavians. The work of publishing such lessons in good shape has seemed too much for me. I did not venture to begin nor to propose it. Somehow circumstances have compelled me to undertake it now, and I see no other way than to work diligently and trust the Lord for strength.

We are now situated so that we can print our own tracts and papers; and although we have but an old, cheap hand press, and it takes more time, yet we can do the work ourselves without asking help from those outside.

After having tried for about eight months to get the truth published by unbelievers and handled by unsanctified hands and prayerless hearts, I consider it a very great favor of the Lord, that we now are able to send out tracts and papers from this office, and do all the work ourselves. We printed 3,000 small tracts (2 pp. with notice of our tracts and papers as well as meetings) three weeks ago. They are all sold. The next week we printed 2,000 four-page tracts. Of these we have 800 left. We send out and sell more than 800 copies of Tidernes Tegn every two weeks when it is published.

Now I desire to say that all these branches of the work are young and tender plants, and they must be carefully nourished. If left now, they will soon wither. The Lord has given us a wide missionary field in this city and vicinity. New souls are becoming interested every week. He has mercifully suffered our printing work to be located here. And he has taught our fingers to do even such work as we did not understand before, and has filled our hearts with love for the work. Pray for us, that his name may be glorified and many souls saved.

Sept. 9. J. G. MATTESON.