Christiana, Norway by John G. Matteson

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Apr 17, 1879

Christiana, Norway.

By John G. Matteson

I DESIRE to acknowledge with thankfulness that we have received great encouragement from our brethren in America, and also substantial help. May the Lord bless you abundantly.

The cause is onward here. The number of Sabbath-keepers is increasing, as well as the number of interested hearers and readers. Twelve hundred copies of our little paper, The Signs, are sent out and read every week, besides those that are sent to America and Denmark, and besides all the tracts and books that have been circulated. We have sold tracts the last two weeks for Kr. 30 ($8).

This city is a central point for commerce on the sea in Northern Europe. The greatest source of income to Norway is the sea. Vessels go from here to almost all parts of the globe, and it is astonishing to see the mass of ships that now fill the harbors. Here is, consequently, an excellent place, with good opportunities to send the truth unto the ends of the earth.

We are connected with Sweden by railroads as well as by steamers; and she is calling for help. Near Soderhamn six brethren and sisters have commenced keeping the Sabbath, and meet for worship. They want instruction and baptism. Our prayers ascend to the Lord for old Sweden, that the commandments of God and the soon coming of our divine Lord may soon be proclaimed in power.

Sunday forenoon we hired the theater on Tivoli to answer Pastor Brun's lecture against the Sabbath. We had to pay Kr. 50 ($13.32) for this hall. This expense was nearly covered by the audience. Between eight hundred and nine hundred were present. Hundreds more would have attended if it had been in the evening, but then we could not have the hall. This man is one of the most respected priests in town. His admissions are therefore of no small importance. We quote here seven remarkable admissions:--

1. The rest-day, Saturday, which God has instituted in the third (fourth) commandment, is really the Sabbath.

2. In the law, God has expressly commanded to keep holy the seventh day, or Saturday.

3. The holy word of God shall be our rule and guide in faith and practice.

4. The Sabbath-commandment is expressly instituted by the law given on Sinai, and the third commandment is written with the other nine on the two tables of stone. By this we understand the great importance of the commandment, and that it stands on the same ground as all the rest of the commandments.

5. Our Lord Jesus did himself keep holy the Saturday; . . and he has honored the Sabbath by the very works which he performed on that day.

6. We do not find in all the New Testament any commandment which says that the Sunday must be kept holy, and the Saturday set aside as a day of rest.

7. The Lord has not ordained that the seventh day should be changed, and Sunday take its place.

His proof for Sunday was purely Catholic,--the authority of the church.

JOHN G. MATTESON.