One year in Scandinavia : $b results of the gospel in Denmark and Sweden; sketches and observations on the country and people; remarkable events; late persecutions and present aspect of affairsSnow, Erastus Fairbanks
Religion
One year in Scandinavia : $b results of the gospel in Denmark and Sweden; sketches and observations on the country and people; remarkable events; late persecutions and present aspect of affairs
Snow, Erastus Fairbanks
Denmark -- Description and travel; Latter Day Saint churches -- Missions -- Denmark; Latter Day Saint churches -- Missions -- Sweden; Snow, Erastus Fairbanks, 1818-1888 -- Correspondence; Sweden -- Description and travel
Some private houses where we had small gatherings next became the
object of vengeance. Near the same time also evil spirits attacked some
persons in the Church, and manifested their power in many strange ways,
and it took sometime to entirely subdue them, all of which afforded
lessons of wisdom and experience to the young Saints. They also made
an angry demonstration upon brother Forssgren and myself, in our room
at night, somewhat similar to that upon elders Hyde and Kimball, in
Preston. My eyes were open to behold them, and through humble prayer
we obtained power to withstand them and rebuke them from our presence
and room. It seemed, indeed, as though the powers of earth and hell
were combined to crush the work of the Lord in that land, but through
much prayer and fasting we received strength, and the clouds began to
disperse. We sent a deputation to the king with a memorial, a Book of
Mormon, and my pamphlet. I shortly after heard of the Book of Mormon
in the possession of the queen dowager (who is reputedly pious, and a
lover of the Bible), who, as her "maids" reported, was so wrought upon
by the presentation, and tale of the book, that excitement and alarm
spread through her palace, and she was unable to leave her room for
several days.
We were afterwards informed through the "Cultus-minister," who has
the superintendence of all school and church affairs, that the
government was disposed to allow us our regular course, and interpose
no obstacles. After this, the police officer in Aalborg, by order of
the "Cultus-minister," restored to the Saints their privileges, and we
began also to enjoy peace and quietness in our meetings at Copenhagen.
Branches were organized in Hals and Hersholm, and the Saints generally
increased in number, faith, and joy, in the Holy Ghost.
Before the adjournment of the legislature, a law passed in a
modified form, sustaining religious freedom, and abrogating the old
law which denied the rights of matrimony, and all other civil and
social privileges to native subjects, unless sprinkled, educated,
and confirmed in the Lutheran church. Yet there is nothing in the
constitution or laws that guarantees us that _protection_ in our
worship, and in the exercise of our religious rights, which is afforded
by the laws of England and America.
I now feel that "the shell is broken" in old Scandinavia, and the work
of the Lord will advance. Probably an earlier mission to that country
would have proved a failure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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