Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-08-23
THE SCANDINAVIAN MISSION

A question, rather curious than i'm
portant, seems to have been sprung
among some Church members Of swed-
lsh extraction, as TO whether Apostle
Erastus Snow. when he and co-laborers
were sent TO proclaim the Gospel IN
| the scandinavian countries, was set
apart TO preside over the mission In
Sweden, as well as in Denmark and
Norway. No well-informed Church
member can really entertain any doubt
on that subject, for IL is expressly stat
cd in the Doctrine and Covenants, Sec.
lO7. 3S. that Il IL the special duty OF
the Twelve ito ofiiciate In the name OF
the Lord. under the direction Of the
Presidency of the Church. agreeable TO
the institution of heaven; to build up
the Church, and regulate all the affairs
of the same In all nations; first unto the
Gentiles, and secondly unto the Jews.
And IN the following verse we read that
"the Seventy are to act In the name of
the Lord, under the direction of the
Twelve That is sufficiently explicit.
But in order TO obtain official expires"
sion on matter that seems TO have
troubled some Of the Saints, the ques-
ton as TO the presidency OF the mis-
sion opened up by Apostle Snow and CO.
laborers, has been submitted TO Presi-
dent Anthem II. Lund. as the Historian
of the Church. and he replies as fol-
lows to the questions submitted:
Elder John Forsgren was set apart
as a missionary TO labor under the d.
rectlon Of Apostle Erastus Snow. ane
as he was Swedish by birth he was
called TO go to Sweden; p. o. Hansen
being Danish, was called to go to Den.
mark When Brother Snow reached
England he concluded to take with him
Elder Geo. r. Dykes, and he gives as
his reason for so doing: He &c. p.
Dykes having preached much among
the Norweglans in Illinois, and having
q little knowledge Of their language as
we'll as manners and customs, |
thought. II the Lord opened the way, to
send him into that country Norway"
Brother Shows mission was not to
Denmark alone, It was to Scandinavia,
and from his first appointment the OBJ
ject Of all his study and meditation was
how to establish the work in all the
countries pertaining to Scandinavia. In
his report 10 President Brigham Young
under date OF August II, 1850, from Cop
enhagen, he says; The Spirit Of the
Lord has seemed to lead me to this city
to commence our labor From my first |
appointment my mind rested upon
Copenhagen as the best place In all |
Scandinavia to commence the work.
and everything has since strengthened
my convictions In, the minutes OF the
general conference in Salt Lake city
1852, h the following Eric NJ. Hogan
and Canute Peterson to Norway This
did not mean that they were called to
go there and act independently, The
knew they We're TO act under the direc-
ton OF the president OF the Scandlna-
Wan mission, and did so.
John u. Forsgren was absent from |
The time President Snow blessed and |
sent him ON his way Just three months.
After this he continued his labor I'M |
der the direction of President Snow |
while the latter remained In Copenha-
gen. John Forsgren, while in Sweden,
the right order Of the |
Priesthood. lie reported to President |
Snow and received his instructions and |
followed them. President Snow re-
ported Brother Forsgren's labor as well |
as the labors OF the other brethren who
came with him. to President Brigham
Young.
There Is no record in this office Of a
Danish mission or n Swedish mis-
sion. They have never been consid-
cred separate missions. The mission |
that was established by Apostle Eras
tus Snow included Swedes, Danes and
with the kindred peoples OF
Iceland and Finland, and no more APP
name could have been given
IT, than the name by which II has ever
been known, the Scandinavian mission.
"Your brother In the Gospel
"ANTHON II. LUND
Church Historian"