My next trip was to Paris, France. Spent a week there. I left home April 1. Went to Southampton, stopping off between trains at Oxford, where I saw the old College where John and Charles Wesley and others studied in their time. We had a smooth sea from Southampton to Le Havre, France. I took the train from there to Rouen, where I stopped two hours between trains to look around the old city. It was very interesting. Went on to Paris in the evening.
I stopped in a hotel at Paris, as I had lost the address of the Pentecostal leader, Bro. Michael Mast, but finally found him, and we went out to Rosny-sous-Bois, where they had a little Pentecostal Mission. I had visited this Mission in 1910. It was about ten miles from Paris. Here I received a warm welcome. I preached nearly every night while in Paris. Bro. Mast interpreted for me. At this time there was only one Pentecostal Mission in the whole of France. They had a worker in Le Havre, I believe.
I had one meeting in Bro. Mast’s tailoring establishment, in the heart of Paris. There were about thirty people present. It was very hard to get the people to a Gospel meeting in Paris. One precious soul was saved in the meeting. We held some cottage meetings also, in another part of the city. There were at that time perhaps ten baptized souls in the whole of France. It seemed to me Paris was, if anything, more wicked than when I was there in 1910. I found the climate much warmer in France and enjoyed the sunshine hugely. I returned home by the same route, reaching Hereford again safely. Stayed at Hereford for some time, working and preaching in the mission with much blessing. I then received a call from Bro. Polhill to attend the London Conference. Went and had a time of victory. I preached twice at the Convention. They gave me $24.00 and my expenses paid.
A Sister sent me the fare to go to Sunderland, and urged me to attend the Pentecostal Conference there. So I again went north. Preached once in the Convention, and once in a little meeting of workers where the Lord blessed us wonderfully. The Convention as a whole seemed rather cold. God used me to break up some of the stiffness among the people. I was given about $30.00 at Sunderland, by private individuals.
I spent a few days more, after reaching home, preaching in the little mission at Hereford, and then took another trip to Wales. Visited the Cwmtwrch Assembly at Ystelafera Sta. We had a wonderful time. I preached Saturday night and three times Sunday. God witnessed powerfully. Sunday night I preached for two hours. Came home by way of Rhonnda Valley. I stopped at Treorchy, near Tony Pandy, for a short time. The Welsh people are very humble and spiritual. Reached home safely again.
I preached again at the little mission in Hereford. Had felt for some time that God wanted me to spend a month in Norway and Sweden in the work. So I wrote to Bro. Polhill, London, for Bro. Barratt’s address in Christiania, but I did not mention my intention of going there. I received the desired address from him promptly, with a check for $24.00 enclosed, for my fare. So I knew God wanted me to go.
Left home June 3, going first to London. From there I crossed the Channel to Amsterdam, Holland. I had felt pressed to start north for Norway on short notice, so I simply wrote Bro. Barratt that I was starting, not giving him time to reply. I was afraid he might write me not to come, and I knew God wanted me there. I had learned enough of European ways not to trust to other people’s leadings too far in matters of this kind. And I found later the wisdom of this course. When I reached Christiania Bro. Barratt was just ready to start for Finland. He left the next day.
He said he would naturally have written me not to come under the circumstances, if I had given him time to reply, until he should return from Finland. So again it payed to obey God rather than man. In Europe as a rule they are not in the habit of doing things exactly that way. They generally expect you to wait for an invitation before you come.
I preached at Amsterdam one night, and the next morning went on north, as far as Bunde, Ostfriesland, Germany, just across from the Holland border. Had run through Holland all day. I spent one night at Bunde, with Pastor Voget whom I had visited there in 1910. Next morning I took the train for Hamburg. God wonderfully wrought for me on this trip north. We had desired to leave England and move to the Continent, but did not know where or how to get a foothold there. But the Lord had it all arranged beforehand. Through my stop in Bunde in 1910 I had gotten acquainted with Pastor Voget. His father lived in the next town (Weener), just a few miles farther on. I had not met him in 1910.
Pastor Voget knew we wanted to come to the Continent. His father had a large house where he lived, with plenty of room, in Weener. The youngest daughter, Talleta, was at Bunde and heard me say we wanted to move to Germany. So she ran over to Weener and spoke to her father about the matter. The father wanted to meet me, having been in America himself, and so the next morning when my train passed through Weener he was at the station. In the few minutes the train stopped he found me and introduced himself to me. Before the train pulled out he had invited me to bring my family to his home and stay as long as we wanted to, free of expense. It was all done in a very few minutes. God did it. Praise Him! He had it all arranged and it was bound to go through. I went on my way north; rejoicing in His goodness. Thus far the Lord was with me. Our coming to the Continent was settled. We were to move there the first part of July, as soon as I should return from Norway.
I looked around Hamburg a few hours, and then took the night train for Copenhagen, Denmark. Rode all night, up through Schleswig-Holstein, crossing the Kiel Canal at midnight. I reached Copenhagen in the morning and spent the day looking around that old, interesting city. Could not get another train north until evening. I saw many odd buildings in this Danish Capital. Took the night train for Christiania. Saw some beautiful country on the way. The train reached Christiania about noon the next day, Sunday. I found Bro. Barratt’s home, and received a hearty welcome. He had announced me to preach that morning, but I was too late. I preached at night. He interpreted for me.
The Norwegian people welcomed me warmly. The next morning Bro. Barratt left home for Finland. I stopped with his family, and preached in the large Mission for two weeks. Sister Barratt interpreted for me. We had a crowded hall and blessed times. The people were very receptive. They gave me $25.00.
I felt pressed to go on to Stockholm, and wrote the leader there. Received a hearty welcome to come, from Pastor Lewi Petrus. So I went and stopped four days there, preaching four times, through interpreter. We had a crowded hall. Major Sjodin, a Staff Officer in the Salvation Army, was my interpreter, and she was fine. She had been in the habit of interpreting for General Booth, and all visiting English Salvation Army officers. We engaged her from Salvation Army Headquarters. The hall was crowded.
Sunday afternoon we had an open air meeting in the woods. They gave me $20.00. I looked around Stockholm a little, finding it a beautiful city. Returned to Christiania on Monday. This was the season of the longest days in the year. The pink tinge from the sun was in the sky all night. It did not get dark. I could not see the sun at midnight, not being quite far enough north for that, but I read a newspaper at midnight on the train, by the light from the sun alone. I liked the country and people very much. Felt I would like to return to Sweden later and to Finland also if possible. They wanted me to stay longer in Sweden.
I returned home from Christiania on the Wilson line steamer “Esqulmaux”, June 25, reaching Hull, England, June 27. We sailed down the Skager Rack, and across the English Channel diagonally. Had a rough passage, as I think they generally do in that Sea. I should not care to repeat the voyage. Was very happy at the results of my trip. I was also very glad that I had not conferred with flesh and blood before taking it. If I had I would never have gotten it.
Just Before the World War 1912 -14
Posts
