I now felt free to locate in Norway; and in October, 1878, we moved to Christiania. We had a suite of four rooms which we could use for meetings. The largest room and one adjoining it were seated, and when the large folding doors between the rooms were opened, and I stood in the middle one, the preaching could be distinctly heard in all. On the second Sunday the meetings began. I had advertised in three papers, and put up handbills announcing the subject to be presented,-the second coming of Christ. The people began to come an hour before the time, and continued to come until they filled all the rooms and the stairs, while many who could not find entrance had to go away. They crowded together, leaving barely room for me to stand, and listened with marked attention, without seeming to become weary from standing. Thus they continued to fill the rooms, evening after evening.HSFM 63.2

The interest being so great and steady, I anticipated a long battle, and went slowly, explaining the prophecies and mingling in practical discourses; taking care to have a new and distinct subject every time, yet to connect one subject with another, also to point out the next, and thus keep up the interest. We continued to occupy our rented rooms during the week, but found it necessary to hire halls for our meetings on Sunday.HSFM 64.1

January 1, 1879, I hired a gymnasium to use every Sunday evening for three months. Here was room for six hundred people, but they crowded in and filled up every available space, so that there were often more than one thousand present.HSFM 64.2

Our expenses for halls and house rent, advertisements, seats, etc., were all met by donations. Now and then I spoke to the people in regard to the matter, encouraging them to help us. Two contribution boxes were placed at the entrance, and at the larger meetings we had two, and sometimes five men with plates stationed in different parts of the room, where all could see them, ready to gather up the donations at the close of the service; and I called attention to them before dismissing the congregation. Before each meeting, our tracts and papers were offered for sale, one brother being stationed at the door for this purpose, while others went around with them among the people; and again after meeting, we all sold what we could.HSFM 64.3

On the holidays, such as first and second day of Christmas, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and first and second day of Easter, I gave the people an opportunity to donate especially for the preacher, this being an ancient custom here; and on such occasions they would give silver and bills. These donations have sometimes amounted to from $25 to $35 at one meeting. I still follow this plan, and do the same also at the close of a series of meetings, whenever I have preached in a place a week or more, taking care to state, a day or two beforehand, that there will be an opportunity, at our last meeting, to help defray the expenses of the minister. In order to get any help in the old countries in sustaining our work, it is necessary to gather up all the little rivulets.HSFM 64.4

NORWAY

OPPOSITION