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(1892) God's Prophet in Fredrikshald, Norway

The church in Fredrikshald was not a large one, but large enough for a young pastor. The Lord blessed the work. In his own words Johan said that the Lord was with them. In the Spring of 1892 more than fifty were baptized and admitted into the church. Adding fifty people at one time for any size church is a major accomplishment.

The year 1892 was a milestone in Johan's life as he writes.1 On Saturday, October 8, 1892, 2 Johan Alfred married the ex-school teacher Hedvig Jansson in Fredrikshald. She was only four days away from her twenty-fifth birthday. Johan was almost twenty-six. As the wife of a minister she became busy visiting homes of the members of the congregation, often entertaining guests, attending meetings, and visiting the sick. Johan Alfred and Hedvig made friends and began to feel a part of the church family. Fredrikshald was beginning to feel like home.

Though Johan now had a church and they had a home they both still felt a longing to go to the mission field. But nothing was happening. Hedvig began to wonder if being sent out as missionaries was really God's will for them. They sensed the Lord saying to be patient and be ready when he called.

If the Lord was with them during their first year, he certainly did not leave during their second year. Many 'sinners' came to the Lord and were admitted into the church.3

In December of 1892 just two months after their wedding a committee 4 met in Stockholm to decide who were to become missionaries . One December 9th Johan and Hedvig got word from the committee5 asking if they would consider becoming Swedish baptist missionaries in China.6 At first they were surprised. As youngsters both Johan and Hedvig wanted to be missionaries and tell people about the true God. Johan had talked about it with Rector K. O. Brody and Pastor Lindblom before leaving school, but nothing came of it. And now, they had not expected it. They were settled now in Norway, and they had such a cute little home. They questioned if they were to uproot themselves from their home and community now. Everyone in the church loved them. What is more they felt that the future of their church was in their hands. Besides what would their dear old parents say? They would be traveling to the other side of the world and would not see their parents for years, if ever again. Would not they be sending them with gray hair to an early grave? And what in the end would be their fate also in this distant and strange land? These and many other questions weighed on them.

They thought, talked, prayed and struggled with the decision, and in the end reminded themselves that they were now both able to follow their own childhood wishes to work for God among the heathen in a far off land, bringing them knowledge of the one true God. They still had their concerns and fears, but praying they handed these to their God to take care of. Echoing the prophet Isaiah they both felt "Here I am Lord. Send me."7

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