Kept His Job
Arriving in Copenhagen, we found Bro. Brorsen waiting for us. Eld. Matteson’s family, with whom we stayed last fall, had moved to Stockholm, and we now took rooms at the hotel. We were very pleasantly situated. Just across the street were the city botanical gardens, of which we had a fine view from our windows. The grounds were very attractive, and being open to the public afforded us a pleasant place to walk, apart from the noise and confusion of the crowded streets. My health improved much after coming to Copenhagen, so that I was in a better condition to labor than when I left home.
Our meetings here were appreciated, and seemed to be a blessing to the church. Last fall there were only about a dozen in Copenhagen keeping the Sabbath. Since that time there have been several valuable additions to their number. Those who have received the truth, have moved very cautiously. Some have been six months searching the Bible, like the noble Bereans, to see if these things are so. Among this number was a retired sea captain, who was a member of the Methodist Church, and a teacher in their Bible class. The members of his class were very much attached to him, and he had hoped, by moving with wisdom and caution, to bring some of them to accept the truth. But the minister, learning of his change of views, became alarmed, and deprived him of his class. This brother’s testimony in our meetings revealed a warm interest in this work. He said that in past ages the gospel had gone from the east to the west, and now he thanked God that the precious light of truth was returning with increased power from the west to the east.
In one of our meetings a stranger arose to speak, saying that he had not been in Copenhagen before for years; he could not see anything good there; but he was thankful he had come now. He had never listened to such things as he had heard in that meeting. He believed that the time had come for the outpouring of the Spirit of God, spoken of by the prophet Joel. He seemed deeply moved, and expressed a desire to go with this people. He also attended the Sabbath-school, which was conducted by Bro. Oyen with life and spirit, presenting a marked contrast to the ordinary Sunday-school. The stranger seemed greatly interested in the exercises, and at the close he spoke again, saying that he had never before seen anything like it; that he must go home and tell his Baptist brethren all that he had seen and heard.
This man’s wife, who was present at the meeting, had been a Sabbath-keeper for several years, and had been bitterly opposed by her husband. The change in him was to her an unexpected blessing, and she was filled with joy. With Sr. Matteson as interpreter, she afterward came to speak to me, and with deep emotion expressed her gratitude for what she had heard.
One brother who with his wife has recently accepted the truth, is a first-class carpenter. He stated his faith to his employer, saying that he could not work on the seventh day; but instead of being discharged, as he had feared, he was retained and allowed to keep the Sabbath. Whatever one’s business or calling, it always pays to be thorough, to do our very best, and to be continually learning and improving. Those who do this, will be retained by their employers when others, who are less capable and efficient, are discharged. And, as a rule, those who are faithful and thorough in their business will bring the same characteristics into their religious life. God grant that this may be the case with this dear brother.
There are some who have had to take less pleasant and profitable positions because they keep the Sabbath; yet they are not discouraged, but are fully decided to obey God’s commandments. There are others who are convinced of the truth, and are endeavoring to arrange their business so they can keep the Sabbath. One encouraging feature which we noticed in the little company here is that they are all anxious to have special efforts made to spread the truth in this large city, well knowing that such labor will involve efforts and responsibility on their part.
If those who have received the truth will let their light shine out to others in meekness, holiness, and love, they will be a power for good in the world. Every truly converted soul will, like Daniel, Ezra, and other faithful servants of God, stand as a witness for him amid the almost universal apostasy. They will catch the divine rays of light shining from God’s word, and will reflect it to the world. If his servants under the former dispensation were to shine brightly, as lights amid the darkness, how much more should we in this age, when in addition to the light which they had, we have all the increased light which has since been shining from God’s word and from his dealings with his people. When the Christian church was established, the light of heaven was in the midst of it, and its bright beams penetrated everywhere. So it should be now.
RH October 26, 1886,