IN 1850, Bro. A. Olsen moved to America, from the vicinity of Christianssand, Norway. Before leaving Norway he with others had had his attention called to the Sabbath question by a preacher from Sweden, and their minds were much exercised on the subject. At the same time they ceased to feel satisfied with the State Church and its dead formalities. Their souls were longing for truth, for spiritual food. This with other reasons led them to remove from Norway. It seemed to be impressed on their minds that there was light awaiting them in America. On coming to this country, they settled in Oakland, Wisconsin. Here they joined the Methodist church. This was an advance step, and in taking it they experienced the blessing of God; yet they were not satisfied; the subject of the Sabbath continued to trouble them. When the minister at church spoke of Sunday morning as the holy Sabbath morning, it did not seem right to them. Thus the subject worked on their minds until they decided to give it a careful examination; and the result was that they became fully convinced that the seventh day is the only Sabbath ordained of God.HSFM 57.1

Opposition was already strong against them, and they had nothing to rely upon but their God and their Bible; but they decided that they must obey God rather than men. The first Sabbath meeting was attended by four adult persons,-Bro. and Sister Olsen, and Sister Olsen’s brother and his wife. After awhile, however, the two latter gave up the Sabbath. But the number of Sabbath-keepers soon increased, so that in about two years eight families had begun its observance.HSFM 57.2

At this time the subject of baptism by immersion began to be agitated among this little company, and to many it was as difficult to accept this truth as the Sabbath. Indeed, some who had begun to keep the Sabbath went back at this point. But in other cases this was the opening wedge which made a way for the present truth to enter. About the year 1855 or 1856, Eld. Waterman Phelps, who was then laboring in Wisconsin, held a series of meetings among the Scandinavian Sabbath-keepers. The work moved very slowly; for none of the older Scandinavians, and only a few of the young people, could understand any English, and there was no regular interpreter. Those who could understand a little would whisper it to others. Of course this caused some confusion in the meeting, but it was the only way in which the truth could be made intelligible to that people, and the blessing of God attended the effort. From this time the work advanced more rapidly, a number of American Sabbath-keepers joined in the Sabbath meetings, and the services were conducted in both English and Norwegian.HSFM 57.3

When the question of organization was introduced, there was a great struggle, and many of the American members of this company, who had held age-to-come views, withdrew, while the Norwegian brethren all embraced the whole message, and united with the Seventh-day Adventists. The church in Oakland, Wis., has never been a very large one, but its members have been faithful, and have been liberal in sustaining the cause. Four of Bro. Olsen’s sons have entered the ministry, and are proclaiming the third angel’s message. We have found no history of Scandinavian Sabbath-keepers at an earlier period.HSFM 58.1

NEED OF TRAINED LABORERS

ELDER MATTESON’S CONVERSION AND EARLY LABORS