Chapter 60 (1910)

CHAPTER 60 (1910) Illustrated Lectures Delivered—President Rudger Clawson in Scandinavia—President Joseph F. Smith and Bishop Charles W. Nibley and Party Visit Scandinavia—Participation in the Peace Congress in Sweden—Attend the Passion Play at Oberammergau—Attend Conferences and Meet Opposition in Nyborg and Other Places—More Illustrated Lectures. On Saturday, Jan. 22nd, Pres. John H. Berg and a few emigrating saints sailed from Christiania, and immediately after their departure I installed Søren Andersen as president of the Christiania Conference with Anthon J. T. Sørensen as traveling Elder. After that I returned to Copenhagen, where I spent most of the time until Feb. 10th, when I started out on a lecturing tour, together with Elder Lars Frederiksen, who was to manipulate a projecting machine. On this tour I gave lectures in the cities of Næstved, Slagelse, Korsør, Odense (where about 450 people attended the two lectures given), Esbjerg, Silkeborg, Aarhus (two lectures), Hobro, Randers and Skanderborg. After a hasty visit to Copenhagen I resumed my lectures and proceeded to the city of Skive, where the brethren, who should have brought the machine, failed to put in an appearance when over 500 people had assembled to hear the lecture. I mounted the plat- form and said that I expected the apparatus to arrive by the next train. This kept them in good humor until the last train had arrived; then all lost patience, but I attempted to be equal to the occasion by alluding to the stormy night and by telling them, without pic- tures, as interestingly as I could about conditions in Utah and the policy of the Latter-day Saints. The day being stormy, the Elders who should have brought the lantern concluded that nobody would face the storm to come to meeting; but they reckoned without their host. The storm should not have prevented them from coming as the trains were running regularly. After that I lectured to large and appreciative audiences in Hobro, Aalborg, Hjørring and Frederikshavn. After a short visit in Malmö, Sweden, I attended spring conference in Copenhagen on Saturday and Sunday, March 26th and 27th, where 23 Elders from Zion were present. Elder Hans Mikkelsen was appointed to succeed James J. Larsen as president of the conference. From Copenhagen I went to Aarhus, where a conference was held May 2nd and 3rd with 25 Elders from Zion in attendance. On April 6th, in honor of the 80th anniversary of the organization of the Church, I gave a lecture on Church history in Aarhus. On our way to Aalborg we held a splendid meeting in Randers. On Saturday and Sunday, April 9th and 10th, we held conference in Aalborg. From Aalborg I proceeded by rail and steamer to Christiania, Norway, where CHAPTER 60 463 we held conference April 16th and 17th with an attendance of 25 Elders from Zion; thence I traveled to Trondhjem, where we held conference on April 23rd and 24th. From Trond hjem I traveled down the Norwegian coast to Bergen, where, with 14 Elders from Zion in attendance, we held our spring conference. From Bergen I traveled to Christi- ania by rail and returned to Copenhagen. On Tuesday, June 14th, a special meeting was held in Copenhagen in honor of the arrival in that city of Apostle Erastus Snow and his fellow-missionaries 60 years before. A number of the brethren from Sweden came over the sound to celebrate with us. I also sent the following cypher telegram, the full meaning of which I had previously explained to Pres. Anthon H. Lund: “Lund, President’s Office, Salt Lake City. ‘Hilsen, Jensen, Andersen.’” I sent this cablegram from the central telegraph station in Kjøbmagergade at 10:00 o’clock a. m., which was the exact hour of the arrival of Elders Erastus Snow, John E. Forsgren and Geo. P. Dykes in Copenhagen, June 14, 1850. At 4:00 o’clock p. m. the Elders from Zion (24 in number) left Copenhagen and traveled nine miles to Klampenborg, whence we walked about two miles into the woods and climbed to the top of a timber-covered hill back of “Ulvedalene” where we held a short memorial service. First we sang “High on the Mountain Top,” Elder Oluf J. Andersen offered prayer, after which I gave a short address on the introduction of the gospel into Scandinavia. Pres. Carl A. Carlquist, Albert Capson and Hans Mikkelsen followed with a few remarks in the order named; then we sang the doxology and Elder Bengt Johnson, jun., offered the benediction. A fine spirit prevailed and all seemed to be filled with the spirit of the occasion. Our meeting lasted about an hour. After our return to Copenhagen, we held a fine spirited and well-attended meeting in our large hall, at which the following program was carried out: Singing by the choir “O, min Fader, du som troner”; prayer by Elder Carl Kjær; singing “Nu lyder atter Jesu Bud”; speech by Andrew Jenson; song by a male quartette; recitation by Sunday School children (the articles of faith); piano solo by Martha Nielsen; speech on the Word of Wis- dom by Jens P. Dam (representing the Y. M. M. I. A. of the Copenhagen Branch); a bass solo by Elder Carl Kjær; speech by Oluf J. Andersen on the introduction of the gospel into Norway; speech by Sister Esther Henricksen in behalf of the Y. L. M. I. A.; speech by Sister Kirsten Knudsen in behalf of the Relief Society; singing by the choir “Gjør hvad er ret”; speech by Albert Capson on the introduction of the gospel into Sweden; remarks by Pres. Hans Mikkelsen; singing “Skal Zion’s Sønner svigte”; benediction by Elder Bengt Johnson, jun. The meeting lasted about two hours, and, notwithstanding the sultry and oppressive air in the crowded hall, the people enjoyed the occasion. On June 16th I called on the American consul for the purpose of ascertaining his opinion in regard to Elders paying taxes in Denmark, when they had no income. He drew attention to a certain paragraph in the law bearing upon the subject and said that the Minister of the Interior (Indenrigsministeren) had the final word in regard to foreigners. On June 17th, on a visit to Aalborg, I installed Elder Richard C. Miller as president of the Aalborg Conference. I also called at the little city of Sæby (the former home of the Jen- sen family). Next I visited Aarhus, Silkeborg, “Himmelbjerget,” the most elevated point in Denmark (550 feet above the level of the sea), Skanderborg and other places of interest. On June 28th I met President Rudger Clawson at Esbjerg, who had just arrived by steamer from England, and we held a meeting with the Elders and local saints the same day. The following day Pres. Clawson accompanied me to Copenhagen. Here meetings were held, at which I acted as translator for Pres. Clawson. On July 1st, after a pleasant voyage, Pres. Clawson and I arrived in Christiania, Norway, where we attended a special conference, at which 31 Elders from Zion were present. Pres. Clawson and I then 464 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ANDREW JENSON journeyed to Bergen, where we held a successful meeting on July 6th. Thence we returned to Christiania, and then journeyed by rail to Stockholm, Sweden, where we held a special conference on Sunday and Monday, July 10th and 11th. From Stockholm we took the canal route to Göteborg, which proved very interesting as we passed through the several locks, canals and lakes through the heart of Sweden. I had taken this trip before, but thoroughly enjoyed it again with Pres. Clawson as a companion. From Göteborg Pres. Clawson and I crossed the Cattegat by steamer to Frederikshavn, Denmark, and then traveled by rail to Aalborg, where a special conference was held on Friday, July 15th, attended by 25 Elders from Zion. From Aalborg we proceeded to Aar- hus, where we held a Priesthood meeting on Saturday July 16th, and then journeyed to Copenhagen, where 37 Elders from Zion met with us on Sunday, July 17th. Two days later (July 19th) Pres. Clawson left Copenhagen for Hamburg, Germany. On July 27th the Scandinavian Mission was honored by the arrival in Copenhagen of the following brethren and sisters: President Joseph F. Smith and wife (Mary T. Smith), Franklin R. Smith, Charles W. Nibley (Presiding Bishop of the Church) with his wife Julia B. Nibley and two daughters. We took the visitors to the mission office in two automobiles and the president and his whole party soon found themselves at home with us. We con- versed with our visitors until noon and then took the whole party out sightseeing. In the evening we held a meeting in our hall, which had been beautifully decorated for the occasion by our local sisters with flowers and a “Velkommen” streamer hung between the two pillars in the lower end of the hall. Pres. Smith delivered the first speech in the meeting. He was followed by Bishop Nibley. Here I may say that it became my duty and pleasure in all instances during our travels in Denmark and Norway to translate for our distinguished Utah visitors. We had a splendid meeting in Copenhagen, although the parties were some- what tired after their long journey from England. As the meeting had not been advertised, on account of lack of time, the attendance was not as large as it should have been, but other well attended meetings were held in Copenhagen before the party left. On Thursday, July 28th, the President’s party and I left Copenhagen by steamer for Christiania, Norway, where an enthusiastic reception was given us by the Elders and local saints.

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