p. 149 | CHRISTIANA, NORWAY by J. G. Matteson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 30, 1879

CHRISTIANA, NORWAY.

By J. G. Matteson

We are all well here, and laboring to advance the good cause. I have never had so much work before me as now. I preach four times a week, and have the charge of the Sabbath-school and one prayer-meeting besides. Then I have to furnish copy for the paper and for the Sabbath-school lessons.

Our work among the Scandinavians has up to the present time lacked one essential element,—a well-organized Sabbath-school. In America this want was in some degree made up by the American Sabbath-school, because most of the children would learn to speak English, and could thus be instructed out of our English Sabbath-school books. But this is not the case here. The children of Sabbath-keepers in this country must be instructed in their native tongue, or not at all.

When we started a Sabbath-school here on the American plan, it awakened an interest far beyond our expectations. Old and young vie with one another in learning their Bible lessons. The average number of members in our Sabbath-school in this city during the past quarter has been 117; average attendance, 101. Here old and young have an opportunity to become established in all points of our faith. Under these circumstances we agreed that it was a necessity to print Sabbath-school lessons, and they are now forming themselves into three small books adapted to the three divisions of the school.

Our brethren in Denmark are very much in need of these books, and they will soon be wanted by others in Norway. We are so situated here that we can print small editions and make it pay. An edition of five hundred pays the work and material, and leaves a margin besides wide enough for the trade. We print tracts in editions of five hundred, and sell them to the tract societies at the rate of twenty pages for one cent, and make it pay. The Lord has blessed our efforts, and with but little means and short experience we succeed in printing. The last issue of our paper is as neat and well printed as any reader will ask, and it looks better than any other religious paper in this country.

We mail and sell about eight hundred copies at present. And we are very glad of one feature about this paper,—that it has paid its own way and some over, since it was started, Jan. 1, 1879. We do not need to ask our brethren to help pay our debt on the paper. But we have asked them to help us to type and the necessary material for a small printing office. To this appeal our brethren in America have cheerfully responded, and we are very thankful for this help.

Our tract society in this city sells about six dollars’ worth of tracts each week. Bro. Jasperson and Roseqvist are in Skien. They will soon get a hall for meetings. Meanwhile, they have visited people and sold tracts. They had sold about eight dollars’ worth of tracts when they last wrote. Our brethren in Denmark have formed a tract society, and are at work. The consequence is that our tracts from America are all gone except two kinds and some pamphlets. Our brethren in Sweden need books and tracts. In Sweden very little can be done without tracts. Preachers who are not of the State church are not permitted to preach there, except in their own meeting-houses. But books can be sold freely, and the people like to read. Bro. Olsen, who has been with us about five months, will soon leave this place and try to labor in Sweden. It seems that the time may not be far distant when there will be a demand for Swedish tracts large enough to get them printed here.

I have furnished manuscript for about three hundred book pages during the last eight weeks, besides writing for the paper, reading proof, holding six meetings each week, and attending to several other things. The attendance and interest is increasing in our meetings since the tract society commenced to work. The house was crowded Sunday evening. The people listen with marked attention. The truth is gaining ground. Immediately after the close of the service, two of us hand out tracts for the members of the tract society, and receive the money which each one has received for tracts during the week. This takes about an hour. There is always a surplus of money in the treasury of the tract society. Then the tracts go out to different parts of the country as well as in the city.

Our quarterly meeting was well attended. Seven persons were baptized on the previous evening. Sabbath morning we felt a good degree of the presence of God. In the afternoon seventy-two brethren and sisters took part in the ordinances. This was the first time the washing of feet was introduced among them. All except two took part in this solemn ordinance. We have now in all seventy-five members in good standing.

Bro. Brorson has labored some time in the southern part of Jütland, and some souls have there embraced the truth. The fields are white for the harvest in Northern Europe. The time is short, and it is a great work to be prepared to meet our God. But this is the great aim of our lives, and we desire to win as many souls with us as possible, before the Lord shall come.

Oct. 7. J. G. MATTESON.