Brothers Feldt and Gundersen had particularly good response to their preaching in Bergen in 1904 and 1905. Zion’s Watch Tower of March 1, 1905, reported: “A prominent preacher of the Free Mission church of [Bergen] has become thoroughly grasped by the clear light, and he is now setting forth the full and true Gospel to his always large and attentive audiences.”

That preacher was Theodor Simonsen, who was later expelled from the Free Mission Church for teaching the wonderful new truths he had learned from our publications. The church’s loss, however, was the Bible Students’ gain. Among Jehovah’s people, Theodor was much appreciated as a brother and a speaker. Later, he settled in Kristiania, where there was a growing congregation of Bible Students.

When she heard Theodor Simonsen speak in the Free Mission church about what he had learned by reading one of the Bible Students’ books, her interest was aroused and she started to read the same literature.

[Box/​Pictures on pages 95, 96]

He Poured Himself Out for Jehovah

THEODOR SIMONSEN

BORN 1864

BIBLE STUDENT FROM 1905

PROFILE A former Free Mission preacher who became a traveling overseer.

◼ WHEN Theodor learned from our publications that the hellfire doctrine is contrary to the Bible, he started to refute the false teaching in his sermons in the Free Mission church​—much to the delight of many in his audience. But one day, after he gave a sermon, he was handed a slip of paper that said, “This was your last talk with us!”

Theodor gave this last talk at the Free Mission church in 1905, and he became a Bible Student that same year. Afterward, he gave countless talks to hundreds of appreciative Bible Students. Theodor supported his family financially by painting houses, while he devoted his weekends to preaching and teaching. With his excellent Bible knowledge and calm and logical way of speaking, Theodor proved to be an effective teacher. He also had a fine singing voice and usually introduced and concluded his talks by singing a song to the accompaniment of his zither.

In 1919, when his family situation made it possible, he began serving as a traveling overseer. He did so until 1935, visiting congregations in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. It was exhausting work, which included not only encouraging congregations and isolated groups but also giving talks in towns where there were no Bible Students. To illustrate: On one 12-month trip, he had 190 places to visit between Kristiansand in the south and Tromsø in the north. In those days, traveling overseers stayed in most places no longer than a day or two before traveling to the next stop on whatever transport was available.

Even though few of the places he visited had Bible Students, many interested people showed up when he gave a public lecture. For example, when he visited Bodø in 1922, he and Anna Andersen, a pioneer who was visiting there at the same time, preached and invited people to a public talk. Two of those who attended his talk, Johan and Olea Berntsen, showed particular interest. After the talk they invited Theodor and Anna to their home to answer their Bible questions. As a result, the Berntsens became the first Bible Students in Bodø.

Theodor was used to record most of the phonograph record talks that were produced in Norwegian in the 1930’s. He served faithfully until he finished his earthly course in 1955.

[Picture on page 94]

Hallgerd Holm (1), Theodor Simonsen (2), and Lotte Holm (3)