Kingdom Expansion in Denmark

IN 1891 the Watch Tower Society’s president, C. T. Russell, visited Denmark and found the circumstances ideal for spreading the Bible’s message about God’s Kingdom. Thus, in 1894, a Bible Student, a Danish-American, was sent to Denmark. From 1897 onward, articles from The Watchtower were printed in a little periodical, and since 1900 the Watchtower magazine has been published in Danish. During the nearly 93 years that have passed since C. T. Russell visited Denmark, the work of preaching the good news has expanded so that there are now some 14,000 proclaimers of God’s Kingdom in that land.

In 1957 the Society constructed a branch office facility in Virum, north of Copenhagen. It had housing for 40 persons and also contained a factory. So at that time the branch started printing their own magazines. By 1978 the facilities had become far too small. Plans were then made for building new and larger facilities on a piece of ground located in Holbæk, a small town about 40 milesa west of Copenhagen. The new facilities would occupy 148,500 square feetb of floor space. And how would it be built? It was to be constructed entirely by Jehovah’s Witnesses. When a well-meaning official at the surveyor’s office heard about this, he asked worriedly if the Witnesses should not give up the idea. He learned that the work would go ahead.

When the time came to begin, it was clear that the Witnesses had all the needed know-how within their own ranks. Architects, engineers, surveyors, technicians, draftsmen, supervisors, master builders, foremen, workmen, laborers, drivers, machine operators, office clerks, purchasers, accountants, cooks, or just men and women with willing hands​—they all rallied. A variegated crowd they were, but they had one thing in common: love for their God and his work.

On an average day there were 200 of these willing workers on the job. They kept building for a hundred weeks, including Sundays and holidays. The construction progressed throughout the worst winter of this century, with weeks of below-freezing temperatures of 14 to −2 degrees Fahrenheit (−10 to −19° C.) and even −22 degrees Fahrenheit (−30° C.) one night. Assisted by weekend volunteers, these workers produced what would correspond to a 1,485 square-foot Kingdom Hall or a one-family home a week. The buildings were finished on May 20, 1983.

Open House

May 19, 1983, was set for a reception on the premises for town officials, neighbors and business people. The mayor headed a delegation of town officials, and a total of 125 persons responded to the invitation. It afforded a fine opportunity to explain to them the purpose of the buildings and that the Witnesses had financed the project by voluntary contributions and loans from fellow believers in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands.

While touring the buildings, the experts from the town’s building department commented on the excellent choice of materials and the fine workmanship​—something that they rarely see nowadays. As for the kind, well-meaning official from the surveyor’s office who had initial misgivings, he smilingly said: “You see, at that time I didn’t know the kind of organization you people have.” After refreshments, every guest received a gift parcel containing some of the Society’s latest publications.

On the same day there was also open house to the general public. Seventy-five people accepted the invitation and got a guided tour of the premises. Thus a fine witness was given to the honor of Jehovah.

Dedication Highlights

May 21, 1983, was the day of dedication. Besides the construction crew and the staff of Bethel workers, the local congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses were invited to attend. So were 90 old-timers among the Witnesses, representing the 240 congregations in Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Thus a total of nearly 700 happy people were invited to the dedication. Brother Daniel Sydlik of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses had come from Brooklyn, New York, to give the dedication discourse.

Several times in his dedication talk, Brother Sydlik referred to 2 Samuel 24:21-24, where one reads about King David’s answering a man who was going to give him, free of charge, a plot of ground, wood and animals for a sacrifice. “No, but without fail I shall buy it from you for a price,” declared David, “and I shall not offer up to Jehovah my God burnt sacrifices without cost.” ‘No sacrifice without a sacrifice’ was the gist of the talk. The audience felt very elated at this thought. This building program had cost every one of them something in the form of money or hard work, or both. It had meant sacrificing time from home and secular work, even giving up jobs and selling a business (as several brothers did), and putting up with inconveniences during the many months of construction.

Now the brothers wanted to offer the buildings as a gift to Jehovah. So from the moment of dedication the buildings would belong to Jehovah God and be reserved for the purpose of rendering sacred service to him. Then, joined in a dedication prayer, all in attendance did indeed gladly give from their hearts this fruit of their labor to the grand God, Jehovah.

That same evening, the delegates shared a meal together and listened to speeches and music. Then they, like the Israelites following the dedication of Solomon’s temple, went home “rejoicing and feeling merry of heart over all the goodness that Jehovah had performed.”​—1 Kings 8:66.

The new branch facilities will, indeed, be a blessing to the brothers and will aid in the continued expansion of the Kingdom work in Denmark.

[Footnotes]

[Pictures on page 28]

Bethel library

The printery

[Picture on page 29]

The dedication talk encouraged a self-sacrificing spirit