NORWEGIAN MISSIONS

[s. 564] : The mi ionary Norwegian people began with Hans Egede. But as Norway at that time was united to Denmark, and as Egede was supported and controlled by the royal government in Copenhagen, he has been identified with Danish activity of the _ Entirely national both in origin and operation are the three Norwegian Mi ion societies now at work the Norwegian Mi ion to the Finns, the Norwegian Mi ion Society, and the Mi ion of the Norwegian Church by Schreuder. The Norwegian Mi ion to the Finns: He adMi ions. — 647 quarters, Stavanger, Norway. On February 28, 1888, Bishop Skaar of Tromso, to whose diocese the Finns who occupy the northern part of Norway mostly belong, sent out an appeal to the Norwegian people that mi ionaries or itinerant preachers who could speak the Finnish language should be sent out among them. This appeal was promptly taken up, and by means of a yearly subscription of about 4,000 crowns it has already been po ible to set two Finnish speaking Norwegian preachers to work among them. The Norwegian Mi ion Society {Det Norske Headquarters, Stavanger, Mi ions Selskab): Norway. In the third decade of the 19th century, after Norway had become an independent state by the separation from Denmark in 1814, there were formed all over the country, but more especially among the followers of the great revivalist, Hans Nilsen Hauge, a number of minor mi ion a ociations, the first and the largest among which was that of Stavanger, 1826. These a ociations sent their money and their mi ionaries, if any they had, to Basel. The Stavanger A ociation, however, placed its first mi ionary, Hans Christian Knudsen, in the In 1827 service of the Rhenish Mi ion Society. the “Norsk Mi ions blad” was founded, and in 1845 followed “Norsk Mi ionstidende,” which still is the organ of the mi ion to the heathen. Then, in 1841, Jon Hougvaldstad, a small tradesman from Stavanger, but a personal friend of Hauge, and seventy-one years of age, went to Germany to investigate mi ion societies and mi ionary schools; and the result of his journey was, that August 8, 1842, all the minor a ociations in Western Norway consolidated into one society. In 1843 they were joined by all the minor a ociations of Eastern Norway, and thus was formed the Norwegian Mi ion Society. This movement was carried on almost exclusively by. laymen, while the Norwegian Church, in its official position as a state institution, a umed a very cool and reserved attitude toward it a circumstance which later proved of importance for the formation of the Mi ion of the Norwegian Church by Schreuder. The Norwegian Mi ion Society is thoroughly democratic in its organization. The minor a ociations, numbering 900, besides 2,300 women’s societies, still exist, and have retained a considerable proportion of autonomy. They form eight circles each circle holding a conference two years in succe ion, in June and July, and the third year the General A embly meets. The central administration, consisting of the director of the Mi ion School, a secretary and eight members elected by the Conferences, has its seat in Stavanger. The society receives some annual support from the Norwegian churches in the United States, and owns a fund of 200,000 kroners, a donation from Mr. P. von M611er, at Helingsborg, Sweden, from which it pensions old and worn, out mi ionaries, or mi ionaries’ widows and children; but its mi ionaries are not allowed to marry without the permi ion of the Central Board. It maintains a mi ion-school at Stavanger, founded in 1843, closed in 1847, but reopened in 1858, and also owns a mi ion steamer, presented to it by special subscription, and usually stationed at Madagascar. is The denominational character of the Society strictly Luther an. According to its laws its IV. American Indians Nor^vegrlan MlSHions mi ionaries must receive ordination from a bishop of the Luther an State Church, and a license from the king, which is valid only for a certain field. The Society is engaged in two different fields; (1) Zululand and (2) Madagascar. (1) The Zulu Mi ion was begun in 1844 by Sciireuder. To the Norwegians, as to other mi ionaries, Zululand proved a very hard, but after the first hindrances were overcome, a very promising field. The first station was founded at Umpumulo, in 1850, and in 1858 the first convert, a Zulu girl, was baptized at Umpumulo. When Bishop Schreuder in 1876 transferred his services to the Mi ion of the Norwegian Church, he carried with him a part of the field already under cultivation; but the Society continued its labor with great energy and considerable succe . In 1900 there were reported 27 mi ionaries (including wives), 41 native workers, 15 stations and 73 outstations, 1,016 communicants and 2,060 adherents, 32 day schools with 714 scholars, and 1 of higher grade with 182 pupils. (2) The Madagascar Mi ion was begun in 1866, and soon a umed large proportions, including not only the Hovas in the inland, with a station in the capital, An tan an a rivo, but also, since 1874, the Sakalavas, on the western coast, and since 1888 some points on the southern In coast never before visited by Europe ans. 1900 there were reported 88 mi ionaries (including wives), 1,795 native workers, 23 stations and 839 outstations, 34,649 communicants and 51,371 adherents, 95() day schools and 4 of higher grade, with 57,475 scholars, 3 physicians, and 2 hospitals. The Norwegian Church Mi ion by Schreuder (Den Norske Kirkes Mi ion ved Schreuder) Norway. Hans Christiania, Headquarters, Palludan Smith Schreuder, born at Sogndal, Norway, June 18, 1817; died at Untumjambili, Natal, Africa, January 27, 1882, consecrated bishop of the Cathedral of Bergen 1866, was the His “A father of the Norwegian Mi ion. Few Words to the Church of Norway,” 1842, had He a great effect throughout the whole country. started the Zulu Mi ion under tremendous difficulties, and it is indebted for its succe to powerful personality. During the war his between the English and the Zulus most of the English and German mi ion stations were disturbed or fully destroyed. But Entumeni was not touched, owing to the deep respect of King Cetewayo for Schreuder. The Madagascar Mi ion he also directed and superintended at its Neverthele , altho he served the beginning. Norwegian Mi ion Society for thirty years, it was always his wish to be the mi ionary of the Church of Norway, of the official state institution, and not the mi ionary of any private a ociation. Accordingly, in 1873 he separated from the Society and a committee was formed, with Bishop Tandberg at its head, and representing the Church of Norway. Bishop Schreuder took Entumeni with him, and shortly a new station was founded at Untunjambili in Natal, where a church was built and consecrated in 1881. After his death the mi ion was continued by his pupils, among whom are several natives, under the direction of the above mentioned committee, which has its seat in Christiania. In 1900 there were reported 13 mi ionaries, 8 native workers, 3 stations, 323 communicants, 665 adherents, 3 schools with 180 scholars. Noft, Henry Kusairiyeh. In addition to these there are several minor The Norwegian Committees, in aid of the Indian Home Mi ion to the Santals; the Bethany China Mi ion in Trondhjem, a isting the China Inland Mi ion, and the Norwegian Luther an China Mi ion A ociation. These are closely allied to the State Church, but there are several that have sprung from the spirit manifest in the China Inland Mi ion and Christian and Mi ionary Alliance, such as the Norwegian Board of Mi ions, organized in 1889 as the Free East Africa Mi ion, which carries on work in China societies: as well as Africa; the Norwegian China Mi ion, in alliance with the CIM, and the Mi ionary also in alliance Union of the Norwegian with the CIM. There is also a Committee for the Norwegian Medical Mi ion in Madagascar, YWCA, and the student movement has had great influence and accomplished much for the general (1901) 3 women mi ionaries, 4 native workers, outstation, 3 Sunday schools, 2 day schools. 1 NOW RANGA PUR. See Naoeangpur. NSABA A settlement in the Gold Coast Colony,: West Africa, situated 45 miles N. E. of Cape Coast Castle. Station of the Basel Mi ionary Society (1891), with (1903) 3 mi ionaries, 2 of them with their wives; 28 native workers, 51 outstations, 17 day schools, and 1,582 profe ed Christians, of whom 724 are communicants. 566