It pains me to think that greater facilities are not provided for the work throughout Europe. I have sore heartache as I think of the work in Switzerland, Germany, Norway, and Sweden. Where there are one or two men struggling to carry forward the different branches of the cause, there should be hundreds at work.—Testimonies for the Church 6:24-26 (1900). {Ev 408.1}
The time has come for much to be accomplished in Europe. A large work, such as has been done in America, can be done in Europe. Let sanitariums be established, let hygienic restaurants be started. Let the light of present truth shine forth from the press. Let the work of translating our books go forward. I have been shown that in the European countries lights will be kindled in many places. {Ev 409.1}
There is a work to be done in Scandinavia. God is just as willing to work through Scandinavian believers as through American believers. {Ev 409.3}
The Silent Messenger— … Even if they shut the door in your face, do not hasten away in indignation, and make no further effort to save them. Ask God in faith to give you access to those very souls. Cease not your efforts, but study and plan until you find some other means of reaching them. If you do not succeed by personal visits, try sending them the silent messenger of truth. There is so much pride of opinion in the human heart that our publications often gain admittance where the living messenger cannot. {Ev 411.1}
I have been shown how reading matter on present truth is sometimes treated by many people in Europe and in other countries. A person receives a tract or paper. He reads a little in it, finds something that does not agree with his former views, and throws it aside. But the few words he did read are not forgotten. Unwelcome though they are, they remain in the mind until an interest is awakened to read further on the subject. Again the paper is taken up; again the reader finds something in it that is opposed to his long-cherished opinions and customs, and he angrily flings it aside. But the rejected messenger says nothing to increase his opposition or arouse his combativeness; and when the force of his anger dies away, and the paper is again brought out, it tells the same simple, straightforward story, and he finds in it precious gems. Angels of God are near to impress the unspoken word upon his heart; and, although loath to do so, he at last yields, and light takes possession of his soul. Those who are thus unwillingly converted, often prove to be among the most substantial believers; and their experience teaches them to labor perseveringly for others.—Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 150 (1886). {Ev 411.2}
God Will Work Mightily—There is a great work to be done in Europe. It may seem to move slowly and hard at first; but God will work mightily through you if you will only make an entire surrender to Him. Much of the time you will have to walk by faith, not by feeling.—Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 128, 129 (1886). {Ev 412.3}
Northern Europe’s Harvest Evident—I was shown that many in Northern Europe had embraced the truth through reading. Their souls were hungering for light and knowledge when some tracts or papers came into their hands, and they were represented to me as reading. The wants of their souls were met; the Spirit of God softened and impressed their hearts; tears were in their eyes, and sobs came from burdened hearts. They knelt with the leaflets in their hands, and with earnest prayer besought the Lord to lead them and help them to receive the light as it was from Him. Some surrendered themselves to God. Uncertainty was gone; and as they accepted the truth upon the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, they felt that they were indeed standing upon the Rock of Ages. Many persons scattered all through Northern Europe were presented to me as being ready to accept the light of truth.—The Advent Review Supplement, February 6, 1879. {Ev 422.2} .
The same quote in Norwegian: – Jeg ble vist at mange i Nord Europa hadde tatt imot sannheten gjennom å lese. Deres sjeler sultet for lys og kunnskap når noen blader eller papirer kom i hendene deres. Jeg kunne se dem lese. Behovene til deres sjeler ble møtt; Guds Ånd gjorde hjertene deres myke og mottagelige; tårer var i deres øyne, de hulket og gråt. De hadde båret på tunge byrder. De knelte med brosjyrene i hendene sine, og med alvorlig bønn ba de Herren om å lede dem og hjelpe dem til å motta lyset som kom fra Ham. Noen overga seg til Gud. Usikkerheten var nå borte; og da de tok imot sannheten om Sabbaten i det fjerde budet, følte de at de faktisk sto på det evige berget. Mange personer rundt om hele Nord-Europa ble presentert for meg som de som var klare til å akseptere sannhetslyset. – Advent Review Supplement, 6. februar 1879. {Ev 422.2}
Come Up to the Help of the Lord—In my last vision I was shown the importance of the work in Northern Europe. The people are awakening to the truth. The Lord has given Elder Matteson a testimony to reach hearts. But the work is just entered upon. With judicious, self-sacrificing labor, many souls will be brought to the knowledge of the truth. There should be several unselfish, God-fearing workers in this missionary field, who will labor for souls as they that must give account in the day of judgment. {Ev 419.1}
I have been shown that not all is being done by our Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish brethren that they might and should do for their own countrymen. As soon as they embrace the truth, they ought to feel the fire of missionary zeal kindled in their hearts for their brethren in the darkness of error. Many are looking for help from their American brethren while they do not do their duty and feel the burden God requires them to feel for those of their own nation. They may do very much more than they are now doing if they will {Ev 419.2}
Young men should be educated to become missionaries to their own nation, to teach the truth to those in darkness. Publications should be printed in Europe. But at the present time there is altogether too much ease and too little zeal among the Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians who believe the truth in this country to sustain such a continual drain upon their funds. And for this reason I urge upon them the necessity of coming up into working order, feeling even a greater interest for their own people than their American brethren have shown. God requires that these brethren should come up to the help of the Lord without delay.—The Advent Review Supplement, February 6, 1879. {Ev 419.3}
Habits and Customs Vary, but Human Nature Is the Same—You must go to work here just as we did in America; have your tract societies and other facilities, and although it may seem at times that the publications in some places do not accomplish much, you must go right on. We had just such experiences in America. But we kept to the point in sending out these publications to different classes, and it was some time before we could make any advancement. {Ev 420.1}
Here is another quote, a little in another context, but, useful to have at hand:
Sweden’s Hall Problem—In Orebro, as well as in Copenhagen, I am convinced that we might have had a good hearing if our brethren had secured a suitable hall to accommodate the people. But they did not expect much, and therefore did not receive much. We cannot expect people to come out to hear unpopular truth when the meetings are advertised to be held in a basement, or in a small hall that will seat only a hundred persons. The character and importance of our work are judged by the efforts made to bring it before the public. When these efforts are so limited, the impression is given that the message we present is not worthy of notice. Thus by their lack of faith our laborers sometimes make the work very hard for themselves.—Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 200 (1886). {Ev 422.1}
Northern Europe’s Harvest Evident—I was shown that many in Northern Europe had embraced the truth through reading. Their souls were hungering for light and knowledge when some tracts or papers came into their hands, and they were represented to me as reading. The wants of their souls were met; the Spirit of God softened and impressed their hearts; tears were in their eyes, and sobs came from burdened hearts. They knelt with the leaflets in their hands, and with earnest prayer besought the Lord to lead them and help them to receive the light as it was from Him. Some surrendered themselves to God. Uncertainty was gone; and as they accepted the truth upon the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, they felt that they were indeed standing upon the Rock of Ages. Many persons scattered all through Northern Europe were presented to me as being ready to accept the light of truth.—The Advent Review Supplement, February 6, 1879. {Ev 422.2}
Influenced by the Press—God will soon do great things for us, if we lie humble and believing at His feet….More than one thousand will soon be converted in one day, most of whom will trace their first convictions to the reading of our publications.—The Review and Herald, November 10, 1885. {Ev 693.3}
And in a large degree through our publishing houses is to be accomplished the work of that other angel who comes down from heaven with great power and who lightens the earth with his glory. {7T 140.3}
I have been shown that there must be a different mold put upon the work here in these kingdoms, and there must be a power from the God of heaven to inspire you to work in a different way; and while Brethren Matteson and Olsen will help you in the work here, I wish to throw this out to you now so that you can begin to think in a different strain. Why, you can do tenfold more than you think you can; but unbelief stands right here to say you cannot do anything in this line, or that, but you can, brethren. {Ev 420.2}
Habits and customs are different here from what they are in America, but human nature is the same here as there, and the brethren who have taken hold of the truth in the heart are willing to work if they are only educated up to the point to know how to work. Why, brethren, I have not slept night after night more than three hours, thinking of the work in Europe, and it seems to me that I can hardly contain myself in the body when I realize these things. {Ev 420.3}
“The Great Controversy” book circulation
The Greatest Results Future—The results of the circulation of this book [The Great Controversy] are not to be judged by what now appears. By reading it, some souls will be aroused, and will have courage to unite themselves at once with those who keep the commandments of God. But a much larger number who read it will not take their position until they see the very events taking place that are foretold in it. The fulfillment of some of the predictions will inspire faith that others also will come to pass, and when the earth is lightened with the glory of the Lord, in the closing work, many souls will take their position on the commandments of God as the result of this agency.—Manuscript 31, 1890. {CM 128.4}
Ellen White in Letter 281, 1905 (more commonly found in CM 127.1). “The Great Controversy should be very widely circulated. It contains the story of the past, the present, and the future. In its outline of the closing scenes of this earth’s history, it bears a powerful testimony in behalf of the truth. I am more anxious to see a wide circulation for this book than for any others I have written; for in The Great Controversy, the last message of warning to the world is given more distinctly than in any of my other books.”
Norsk: ”Boken The Great Controversy burde bli spredt vidt omkring. Boken beskriver fortiden, nåtiden og fremtiden. I beskrivelsen av de siste hendelser i verdenshistorien, bærer den et mektig vitnesbyrd for sannheten. Jeg er mer opptatt av at denne boken blir mer utbredt enn noen annen av dem jeg har skrevet. For i The Great Controversy blir det siste advarselsbudskapet til denne verden gitt mer tydelig enn i de andre bøkene.” Letter 281, 1905. [CM 127.1]
“The book, The Great Controversy, I appreciate above silver and gold, and I greatly desire that it shall come before the people. While writing the manuscript of The Great Controversy, I was often conscious of the presence of the angels of God. And many times the scenes about which I was writing were presented to me anew in visions of the night so that they were fresh and vivid in my mind.” — Letter 56, 1911 (quoted in Colporteur Ministry, p. 128).
Ledelsens planer om å spre Great Controversy
Connect evangelical meetings with established healthy food restaurants
The Lord has a message for our cities, and this message we are to proclaim in our camp meetings and by other public efforts and also through our publications. In addition to this, hygienic restaurants are to be established in the cities, and by them the message of temperance is to be proclaimed. Arrangements should be made to hold meetings in connection with our restaurants. Whenever possible, let a room be provided where the patrons can be invited to lectures on the science of health and Christian temperance, where they can receive instruction on the preparation of wholesome food and on other important subjects. In these meetings there should be prayer and singing and talks, not only on health and temperance topics, but also on other appropriate Bible subjects. As the people are taught how to preserve physical health, many opportunities will be found to sow the seeds of the gospel of the kingdom. {7T 115.2}
Conclusion
