Ellen White: Woman of Vision

Norway—Christiania

Before leaving America, Ellen White had been shown the low standard of piety in the Christiania church, and since she had been there only eight months before, she was constrained to bear pointed testimonies. The response was positive. WV 240.8

When she and Sara arrived in Christiania a little after 10:00 on Friday morning, July 2, they were met at the depot and driven to the old publishing house building, where two rooms were comfortably fitted up for them with a kitchen. She was pleased that Brother Hansen, the prominent Adventist building contractor, called on her soon after her arrival. WV 241.1

She was invited to take the Sabbath morning church service held in the commodious chapel of the newly constructed publishing house. The room was 41 feet (13 meters) by 55 feet (17 meters), with a 22-foot (7-meter) ceiling. Most of the 175 Seventh-day Adventists in Norway were members of this church, the balance being divided between two much smaller congregations (SDA Yearbook [1887], p. 94). WV 241.2

At some point in the several days Ellen White was there she had opportunity to look over the publishing house, now comfortably located in the new building. When she was shown through the several departments, she expressed great joy over the thought that, with these excellent facilities, periodicals and books suitable for the field could be printed quickly and sent on their mission. When she reached the pressroom, she took special interest and declared that she had seen that room and the presses years before—yes, nearly 12 years before, in the vision of January 3, 1875, in Battle Creek, Michigan (Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 299). WV 241.3

This was a crisis time for the church in Norway. Ellen continued her work to the close of the session on Tuesday evening, but spoke again to the church on Thursday evening before leaving the next day for Denmark: WV 241.4

I presented before the church the necessity of a thorough change in their characters before God could acknowledge them as His children. I urged upon them the necessity of order in the church. They must have the mind which dwelt in Jesus in order to conduct themselves aright in the church of God. I urged upon them the importance of a correct observing of the Sabbath.... If it continues to go forward, then there will be a hearty repentance.... With this meeting my labors closed in Christiania (Manuscript 66, 1886). WV 241.5

She commented, “The work was but just begun in the church.” WV 241.6