A New Era of Branch Management

Brother Eneroth had learned of the truth when serving as a first lieutenant in the Royal Swedish Army during World War I. While he was on duty in northern Sweden, his mother sent him Volume IV of Studies in the Scriptures, called “The Battle of Armageddon.” “That book made me realize that there was a much more important war facing mankind than the one in which the worldly nations were engaged,” he said. One day he took courage and called at the home of some Bible Students. “Imagine the expressions on the faces of the man and his wife when they found a uniformed army officer standing at their door asking for a Bible study,” he said and added: “When their initial astonishment had settled, they welcomed me with open arms.”

Eneroth left the army and soon entered full-time service. In 1920 he was invited to work at the branch in Örebro. Later that year, he was dismissed by Lundborg and then served in Denmark until he was put in charge of the branch in Örebro in 1925. So, after a former Salvation Army captain had taken care of the branch for many years, Jehovah now let a former Royal Swedish Army lieutenant take over.

Brother Eneroth was only 32 years old when he became branch overseer in Sweden. He loyally stuck to his assignment for 50 years and finished his earthly course faithfully on February 7, 1982.

Unifying the Brothers Again

After assuming his duties, Brother Eneroth, with the assistance of Brother Dey, began helping the brothers take up the preaching work in unity again. Together, they spent about a year visiting some 70 congregations throughout the country. Brother Eneroth translated for Brother Dey. “In many places, we had to line up the brothers literally on two sides, for and against the Society,” said Brother Eneroth.

Overseers from northern European countries. From left to right: Taylor (Latvia), Eneroth (Sweden), Harteva (Finland), Dey (general overseer), Lüttichau (Denmark), Öman (Norway), West (Estonia)

[Picture on page 137]

Johan H. Eneroth became branch overseer in 1925