It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you. He is allowing things to succeed here on the West Coast; praise and honor to God. Br. Johan Lohne came on board this afternoon. Then we went ashore together. He had good things to report from many places and not least from Haugesund, where Br. Theodor Ellefsen is also staying and helping out. The friends in Haugesund have made more contacts and have told about their great joy. So now there are several who want to hear the word. However, “Smith” and “Skjulte Skatter” are names people find difficult to swallow because the preachers in the free assemblies have opposed us on every front.

On Tuesday evening, Br. Hågensen and I went to a meeting at Tyskebryggen. Some of those who left the group at 17 Skostrædet Street are meeting there now. I wore civilian clothes in order to remain anonymous and asked Hågensen to wait a while before he went in. We sat in different places in the hall, but it didn’t help; they recognized us immediately. Br. Ellefsen has worked quietly with the leader (Heglund) and his wife. Br. Berg and Br. Birkeland have worked with him as well. One consequence of all this is that they now preach the cross in their congregation; however, they were still very wary and fearful of us. Heglund was sick that day.

Today, Lohne told me about a strange dream he’d had: “I came into an unfamiliar meeting hall at Tyskebryggen; the leader lay dressed in white on a (sick) bed in one corner of the hall.” “The dream is still vivid for me,” he said. He took it to mean that the leader was pure, but dead (Br. Lohne’s words). They said that Rogde from Voss had spoken in their meeting the previous Sunday.

After he visited Voss, Br. Lohne went to Bergen and attended 17 Skostrædet Street, where there is always a full house. He stood up and spoke to them from Ephesians 1 and said that there was more to salvation than receiving the Spirit and the gifts. The congregation shouted “Hallelujah,” he said; but Br. Kleppe just said “Amen” every now and then, from his seat behind him. He was overjoyed at this glorious message. Even though they wanted to oppose it, they were overpowered.

The connection between Rogde (Voss) and Bergen is still there. There was an elderly woman who praised God for the wonderful evening—during the meeting we attended at Tyskebryggen on Tuesday. She was in complete agreement after that meeting. Br. Hågensen’s message was outstanding, and everything continued in the same direction, but they were a little apprehensive about the name “Smith” and “the doctrine.”

Br. Madsen (who is on the Finmarken) is doing a good work. He writes to people and speaks to them personally. He has met a lot of people both in the north and south. Like Lohne, he’s an energetic young man. He was very perceptive and said that Br. Ellefsen was the only brother who had really been able to help him. Sr. Danell had introduced them, so they got to know each other.

February 4: On the day watch.

Br. Lohne said that Ellefsen really wants to go to Finnmark again, even though it is the middle of winter and it is dark almost the entire day. The friends in Vardø are really on his heart.

I am hoping that soon we will have another brother who is equipped for the work. I am thinking of Hågensen. His attitude is so whole-hearted and undivided that it is truly a great joy for me to be able to be with him. His written Norwegian is grammatically correct; he had one of the highest scores on his public school exam. A couple of days ago, I spoke with his stepfather, Chief Engineer Hansen. He did not understand what Tidemann Hågensen was thinking when he turned down the office job he was offered by the Navy medical service. Hågensen wrote to me before Christmas and asked if he should go out on deployment again. I replied to him that he must allow God to decide the matter. I mentioned this in passing to our medical petty officer who was ambivalent. But then the petty officer got a fever. He wanted to attend the Technical School in Horten. He then telegraphed Hågensen, and everything fell into place right away.

Another man has been converted here—he’s from Ålesund. However, we haven’t spoken much with him yet. He came and introduced himself. He is from the Indremisjon group (led by Didrik Andersen).

The work in these remote places is beginning to come closer together. Lohne has become a real firebrand. Br. Hågensen spoke so clearly and insightfully in the meeting at Tyskebryggen that it was sheer joy for me to listen to him. I see that God is truly with us; otherwise we would have been overwhelmed long ago—because of all these difficult battles both from without and from within. But now, to God’s honor, everything is advancing toward victory. Fortress after fortress is being taken, place by place.

Br. Lohne told me about a man with two daughters in Haugesund who has been against Skjulte Skatter. These two daughters attended Br. Lohne’s meetings, and they wrote to their father saying how happy they are now. Their father was so moved when he heard that, that all his opposition to us fell away. From what I can remember, he wanted to subscribe to the paper. At Easter, Lohne will take a trip to the rural districts around Bergen.

As you can see, things are brewing and stirring everywhere now. We can lay down to sleep, get up again, and the seed sprouts and grows. Our investment is paying off. God be honored through us, and we through Him.

I hope things are going well in Drøbak. It could be best to split up my article on Romans 7 so that there can be room for other articles as well. It’s been a long time since I heard anything from Br. Thorleif Hansen in Kristiania. He would like to know how things are going here on the West Coast, so please send him this letter with warm greetings.

The friends in Ålesund, Molde, and Moldøen are doing well as usual. Br. Theodor Ellefsen will be on leave around February 20 for 10 days. His address is: Viking, Haugesund. I recently received a postcard from Br. Elias Aslaksen who is now moving with his family to Fredrikstad, where he has rented a small apartment. I have heard nothing from Br. Karl Pedersen since I left.

Greet your family and the friends.

Warm greetings from your brother,

Br. Lohne said that Ellefsen is planning to travel via Kristiania on his return trip, around the beginning of March. Perhaps Br. Hansen will get a chance to talk with him then.