Previous Forewords

The following forewords were written by Johan Oscar Smith’s son Aksel Johan and by his close and trusted co-worker Elias Aslaken. They were written for the edited version of the Letters of Johan O. Smith, which was published in 1949, just six years after his death.

Foreword by Aksel J. Smith

My father, Johan Oscar Smith, was born in Fredrikstad, Norway, on October 11, 1871. His parents were believers. At the age of 15 he went to sea, and in 1889 he joined the Norwegian Navy, where he served for about 40 years.

In 1898 he was converted, and in 1900 he was baptized with the Holy Spirit. From that time on, the Scriptures became living for him; and since he had a heart and an ear for the truth, he soon partook of God’s wisdom.

These are personal letters, written to his friends, in confidence, and they should be read in that light. The care with which he worked with people individually can now bless many through the publication of these letters.

Most of the letters are to his brother, Aksel Smith the dentist, who was nine years younger than he was and who was converted in 1905. Aksel died in 1919 at his home in Drøbak. There the fruit of his blessed work is still growing and developing.

Since my father sought his entire life to honor Christ and make himself as inconspicuous as possible, he left no autobiography with stories of his travels, photographs, and accounts of all the things he did. But these letters, written to individuals out of zeal for the cause of Christ, are a valuable treasure for all like-minded souls, both now and in the future. There is real food and guidance here for those who are seeking God with all their heart. Therefore we are extremely thankful that these letters have been preserved by God’s good leading.

Father died at home on May 1, 1943. He was 71 1/2 years old. The last words which were heard from his mouth while he was praising God were: “Thanks and praise!” He had the great grace to see all his children saved before he died.

In order to derive the greatest possible benefit from this incredibly valuable book—which is so full of content—it is advisable not to hurry through it, but rather to dwell and meditate on each letter.

Foreword by Elias Aslaksen

After 35 years of intimate fellowship with Johan Oscar Smith, and as his co-worker, it is my pleasure and duty to express myself briefly, clearly, and truthfully about him, so that everyone who reads these letters can have a true understanding of the man who wrote them—who he was and is.

His one living interest was Christ and the church; to be filled with all God’s fullness, which is in Christ; to render as great a contribution as possible to the task of eradicating all the sin and imperfection that clings to each member of the body of Christ—to find and do the right and the most perfect thing in every area, both in his personal life and in his ministry, and to crush everything that was of Satan and of man in order to make room for all the fullness of God.

For this he offered absolutely everything, and for this he watched and prayed. Thus, he was always ready to present himself as a good soldier of Jesus Christ: true, righteous, unselfish, not a respecter of persons, faithful, and possessing great contempt for gain and for the honor of man, even though this caused him to be at odds with practically everyone and everything.

Wherever he went and regardless of the issue, he found disobedience, disloyalty, unbelief, and the work of man among believers. His faithful heart would not permit him to condone any of this whatsoever.

As a result, he inevitably ended up outside of all the usual hustle and bustle.

It was precisely this exceptional faithfulness and devotion to the Bridegroom of his soul that filled him with the joy and power of the Spirit. And so he chose once and for all this intimate fellowship with Christ instead of the favor and honor of the world, even if that meant being alone in this world—which, to begin with, it actually appeared that he would be. But he certainly did not end up alone! Glory to God!

I have never known another man like him! Never in my whole life have I heard or seen a person who could tell of such a man, whether in this country or any other! God’s great grace, coupled with Br. Smith’s exceptionally great faithfulness, has brought forth true followers.

These letters of his, in book form, will certainly become one of the richest and most unique books of all time. Every person under the sun could benefit, to a greater or lesser degree, from reading these letters. But how much each one benefits will depend on their attitude and how much grace they receive to respond to what they read.

Never, not even as a rare exception, did I ever notice anything evil from him, not in his life or in his ministry. Honored be his precious memory! All those who did not have the joy of knowing him personally can find some substitute for that loss in this book.

I could wish that every man on earth had such a leader! May God bless each and every one who receives the grace to read these letters, that they may profit greatly from them.

Elias Aslaksen

Introduction by Kåre J. Smith

The introduction written by Kåre J. Smith for the publication of the Letters of Johan O. Smith in 2008.

Anyone who reads the Bible with a longing to live as a disciple of Jesus will be amazed at how relevant and timeless the Bible is, even though it was written approximately 2,000 years ago. The first letter in this book that you are holding in your hand was written in 1898—over 100 years ago. Even though the book contains personal letters that were never intended for publication, you will marvel at the light, truth, and wisdom contained in them. This book hasn’t become outdated or less relevant with the passage of time. Not only does it have historical value, it is first and foremost a source of powerful inspiration to live a life of faithfulness to our Lord and Master. This book offers us a unique opportunity to remember a leader who has spoken the word of God! We can consider the outcome of his life and follow his faith, as we are exhorted to do in Heb. 13:7.

Johan O. Smith (1871-1943) was an upright man who loved the truth. He lived most of his life in Horten and served approximately 40 years in the Norwegian Navy. His care and love brought him into contact with like-minded people, who eventually began to gather for meetings and conferences. This was the beginning of the movement that is often referred to as “Smith’s Friends,” which has now spread to every continent, in more than 65 countries. This book has been translated into English, German, Dutch, French, and Finnish, and many of the letters have been translated into even more languages.

Elias Aslaksen, who was Johan O. Smith’s close and trusted co-worker for approximately 35 years, wrote the following in the foreword to this book: “These letters of his, in book form, will certainly become one of the richest and most unique books of all time. Every person under the sun could benefit, to a greater or lesser degree, from reading these letters. But how much each one benefits will depend on their attitude and how much grace they receive to respond to what they read.”

May you, the reader, be one of those who benefits greatly from this book and becomes even more awakened to what God wants to do in your life!