One evening in 1898, a 25-year-old, energetic, stockily built Salvation Army captain, August Lundborg, visited Petter Larsson and his family on Sturkö. When he was left alone briefly in their cottage, his eyes fell on two books​—the first two volumes of Millennial Dawn, by C. T. Russell. As he leafed through them, he found an explanation of Christ’s ransom sacrifice that struck him with amazement and joy. He borrowed the books, devoured them, and immediately began to teach from them at his meetings.

Lundborg, a man of action, wrote a letter to Brother Russell, dated December 21, 1898: “Dear Mr. Russell: The undersigned, ex-captain of the Salvation Army, has recently, on account of the light God has sent him through your work, M. DAWN, left said organization.” After expressing appreciation for the truth he had found, Lundborg concluded: “If you so desire, I shall be very glad to go into the colporteur work here in Sweden.” Without hesitation, Brother Russell mailed 55 sets of the first three volumes of Millennial Dawn to Lundborg, urging him to send copies to his former “Army” colleagues.

How disappointed Lundborg was when the shipment arrived! There were not enough books! In a short time, he had placed all of them with his colleagues and others. Quickly he wrote Russell for more. He waited and waited. It seemed that they would never come. Undaunted by the lack of literature, he began his colporteur activity, preaching full-time from house to house, in Stockholm in May 1899. Eagerly he obtained orders for books that he would deliver later. Thus the sowing of Kingdom seed continued.

First Congregation Takes Form

Brother Russell also sent Lundborg the address of a certain S. Winter in Denmark, who had begun to spread seeds of truth there, as well as in southernmost Sweden. Immediately Lundborg invited him to Stockholm and arranged for a Bible meeting​—the very first one in Sweden. A few interested persons squeezed tightly into the cramped kitchen of a family who had obtained some literature from Lundborg. The room was just buzzing with excitement as these spiritually hungry people devoured the words of truth.

By the end of 1899, this energetic small group began to meet regularly on Sundays. A small woodworking shop was rented on Apelbergsgatan for two kronor (33 cents) per evening. On Thursday, April 12, 1900, eight persons gathered in a rented room on Grev Magnigatan to celebrate the first Memorial in Sweden. They prayed for God’s spirit to speed up the growth.

A few months later, they rented a bigger place, an apartment at Trångsund 8. Their first “homemade” convention was held there on June 20-27, 1901. Some Bible Students from Denmark attended also. Wanting to test for interest outside Stockholm, the Swedes arranged for a meeting in the university town of Uppsala, north of Stockholm. They were overwhelmed when 150 interested ones attended.

Now the truth began to expand further. A small rented room at Kungsgatan 20 in Stockholm served as an office and literature depot. Lundborg strenuously kept on “sowing” in all directions by foot, carriage, train, and ship. (Matt. 13:3-23) In 1902 he reported that he had worked almost all the cities and towns in central and southern Sweden.

The “Watch Tower” Early in Swedish

Pushing on with the work during 1902, Brother Lundborg pleaded with Brother Russell for a magazine to be printed in Swedish. Brother Russell answered: “I still hold to the belief that colporteuring, together with the spreading of tracts, is far more important than the release of any magazine in any language, and I recommend you to spend your time accordingly.”

Nevertheless, strong-willed Lundborg went ahead with his plans. By the end of that year, he had printed and distributed the first issue of a monthly magazine, I Morgonväkten (In the Morning Watch). It contained excerpts from Zion’s Watch Tower, Pastor Russell’s sermons, poetry, and letters from readers.

Lundborg reported to Brother Russell:

“I always try to be as practical as possible by following the same method as I see from your letter that you apply in America, that is, to visit all the houses in every place. I go from door to door, block by block (from early in the morning to late in the evening), until I am ready for the next town. But if a place is not bigger than the one that I am visiting now (Mariefred, with about 1,100 inhabitants), not many hours are needed.”

When it was too far to walk, colporteurs used other transportation, often of low price and slow. But time was spent wisely. The same report also says: “I travel cheaply. I have a strong body that can endure being treated a little roughly now and then. Wherever possible, I travel by water, sometimes on freighters. Sometimes I buy the cheapest accommodation on a passenger steamer (where the only berth​—night and day—​is the open deck). The time spent on this I also carefully devote to talking with people and studying the Bible.”

In its earliest years, the small Swedish branch office​—mainly furnished with literature cartons and Brother Lundborg’s bed—​was moved from one location in the center of Stockholm to another. In 1905 it was transferred from a cramped back room at Kungsgatan 20 to part of an apartment at Adolf Fredriks Kyrkogata 7. Three rooms were rented, one for meetings, one for the office, and one for the cartons and Lundborg’s bed. Before the year ended, however, the apartment’s owner wanted his rooms back, and the branch was moved to Rådmansgatan 39 B.

As the work expanded, especially in the two largest cities​—Stockholm on the east coast and Göteborg on the west coast—​Lundborg found it better to operate from a place halfway between them. Therefore, in 1907, the branch was moved to Örebro, some 120 miles [200 km] west of Stockholm, where it remained for almost 20 years.

Russell Interested in Sweden

Brother Russell’s many letters to Brother Lundborg reflected keen interest in the Kingdom work in Sweden. Always warm and encouraging, they contained clear and firm instructions. Once, he wrote: “Please, receive and be always assured of my love and sympathy, even when at times I see it necessary to criticize.”