Transcript

DANISH MISSION (The) embraces the kingdom of Denmark, one of the smaller governments of Europe. Denmark, after a part of Schlesvig had been returned from Germany, comprises 16,604 square miles, with a population of 3,518,000. Nearly all the inhabitants are Danish by birth, only about three per cent being listed as foreign born. Denmark consists of the peninsula of Jutland and many islands. The country is low and generally flat, consisting of undulating plains diversified by heaths, marshes and lakes. The highest altitude is 560 feet. The country experiences a rather mild climate due to the fact that the greater part of the country is exposed to the temperature of the sea. The mean temperature of the whole country is about 45 degrees Fahrenheit, the mean for the winter being 32.8 degrees and that for the summer 59 degrees. The rainfall varies considerably in different localities in different years.

The government of Denmark is that of a limited monarchy, based on a constitution. The executive authority is vested in a king, assisted by responsible ministers. The parliament (rigsdag) consists of two houses, to-wit, Landstinget (Senate) and Folketinget (House of Representatives).

Eighty per cent of the total area of Denmark is productive. The greatest area is devoted to oats and rye. Mixed grains are given the second greatest acreage and barley third. Other important crops are wheat and potatoes. Stock-raising for export dairy purposes is of great importance in Denmark. Cattle, swine and horses are most numerous of the livestock. Butter is the most important of the dairy products, 40 per cent of which is annually exported to England. Butter, eggs and bacon constitute about seven-eighths of the total exports which are principally to England. The forests consist mostly of beech trees and are strictly under government control. The fisheries and coast waters provide an extensive supply to the population of Denmark. The minerals found in the country are insignificant as compared with other European countries. Among the most important industries of Denmark are iron works, manufacturing machinery, engines and ships. Other large industries are the distilleries and breweries, sugar refineries, woolen and cotton mills, paper mills and glove factories. A notable industry is the manufacture of porcelain. Dairying is the great national industry.

When the restored gospel was introduced into the Scandinavian countries in 1850, Copenhagen (Denmark) was chosen as mission headquarters, from which missionaries were sent out to preach the gospel in all parts of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Apostle Erastus Snow, who had been called by the authorities of the Church in October, 1849, to open up a mission in the Scandinavian countries, arrived in Copenhagen June 14, 1850, accompanied by John E. Forsgren and George Parker Dykes. Elder Peter O. Hansen, who had also been called on a mission to Scandinavia, arrived in Copenhagen about a month before.

As religious liberty had been established in Denmark by the so-called "Grundlov" of 1849, it was but natural that the Elders should meet with better success in Denmark that in Sweden and Norway, where there was no religious liberty at that time. Consequently, missionary labors proved successful in Denmark from the beginning, the first fifteen converts being baptized in Copenhagen Aug. 12, 1850, and the first branch of the Church organized there Sept. 15, 1850. Nearly all the first converts to the restored Gospel in Denmark had been Baptists, some of whom had suffered much persecution before religious liberty was established in the country. Notwithstanding that liberty, the Elders were subjected to mobbings and considerable persecution in the beginning, but gradually these persecutions became less severe, and the Elders extended their labors to nearly every nook and corner in Denmark and organized branches of the Church in many different localities. The first of these branches were grouped into three conferences in November, 1851, namely, Copenhagen, Aalborg and Fredericia, and as the work progressed still further other branches were raised up grouped at different times into the following conferences: Bornholm, Vendsyssel, Fyen, Aarhus, Skive, Ãernes, Ãdense, and Esbjerg.

The first Latter-day Saints to emigrate from the Scandinavian countries to Utah consisted of two small companies numbering together 28 souls, who left Copenhagen Jan. 31, 1852, and March 4, 1852, respectively, but crossed the Atlantic as one company in the ship "Italy" which sailed from Liverpool, England, March 11, and arrived in New Orleans May 10, 1852. From New Orleans the company proceeded up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to Kanesville (now Council Bluffs), Iowa, whence they crossed the plains and mountains to Utah, arriving in Great Salt Lake City Oct. 16, 1852. In December, 1852, the first large company of saints left Denmark for Utah, the so-called Forsgren company.

From the beginning until 1905 the saints in Denmark constituted a part of the Scandinavian Mission, and from 1905 to 1920 a part of the Danish-Scandinavian Mission," pp. 487-500.) been a mission of its own, known as the Danish Mission. From the beginning in 1850 to the close of 1930, 26,656 converts to the restored Gospel were baptized in Denmark, of whom 13,984 emigrated to Zion. (For further particulars see "History of the Scandinavian Mission," pp. 487-500).

Following is a list of the branches of the Church organized in Denmark from the beginning until the close of 1930: Aaby, Aaker, Aalborg, Aarhus, Alkestrup, Albæk, Amager, Arnager, Astrup, Benstrup, Blands, Bogense, Bornholm, Branderslev, Bradstrup, Bronstrup, Brönderslev, Brorstrup, Bruserup, Byrum, Carlsminde, Christiansbavn, Copenhagen, Copenhagen East, Copenhagen-Nörrebro, Copenhagen West, Dronninglund, Elling, Esbjerg, Eskebjerg, Falster, Fjends-Herred, Fjellerup, Fausing, Frankerup, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Frederiksund, Frejlev, Frobjerg, Getland, Gjerum, Gjötterup, Granslev, Grejs, Grenaa, Grundför, Haarbölle, Hadsund, Hals, Haubro, Hanherred, Hasle, Harritslev, Havgerup, Hellevad, Hellinge, Helsingor, Herslov, Hesselho, Hirschholm (Horsholm), Hjerm, Hjörring, Hobro, Hörmested, Horsens (in Hjörring amt), Horsens (in Veile amt), Hösterkjöb, Hune, Hvedby, Hveissel, Hyllested, Idskov, Ishöj, Jaegerspris, Jerslev, Jersöre, Jetsmark, Kallundborg, Kolding, Kiel, Kjeldgaard, Kjölby, Kvistgaard, Laasby, Ledöje (Ledöv), Læborg, Løgstør, Lolland-Falster, Longelse, Löve, Mariager, Middlefart, Mols, Mors and Jegindö, Mosberg, Mygdal, Næstved, Napstjert, Nielstrup, Nordöst (Northeast) Sjælland, Nord (North) Sjælland, Nordvest (Northwest) Sjælland, Nörrebro (see Copenhagen Nörrebro), Nörresundby, Nörre Uttrup, Nyborg, Nyby, Odense, Ãland, Ordrup, Ãster (East) Sundby, Ãst (East) Sjælland, Ourupgaard, Quistgaard, Randers, Ravnholt, Ribe, Ringkjöbing, Rödby, Roholte, Rold, Rönne, Rörbæk, Salling, Sarup, Sæby, Serridslev, Skjoldenæsholm, Silkeborg, Sindal, Skanderborg, Skjælskjör, Skjæve, Skottemark, Slesvig (or Schlesvig), Smedie, Söndersted, Söndre (South) Oredrev, Spejlsby, Stenderup, Stevns, Stohl, Store Lihme, Svanike, Svendborg, Svendstrup, Syd (South) Sjælland, Sydvest (Southwest) Sjælland, Taars, Thisted, Thoreby, Thorslunde, Thy (see Thisted), Thyland (see Thisted), Torslev, Tranekjær, Tröstrup-Korup, Trudsholm, Tved (see Mols), Ugilt, Vaalse, Veddum, Veiby, Vedby, Veile, Vendsyssel, Venne, Vestermarie, Vester (West) Ulslev, Vest (West) Sjælland, Vig, Vinding, Vinge, Voer, Volse, Vordingborg, and Zörkild.

Following are the names of the presidents of the Danish Mission since its separation from the Norwegian Mission in 1920: Carl E. Peterson, 1920-1923; John S. Hansen, 1923-1926; Joseph L. Petersen, 1926-1929, and Holger M. Larsen, 1929-1930.