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(1920) Oscar Meets Hellen

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Johan Alfred and Hedvig took a furlough back to Sweden in 1920 and their ship was to be docking in Göteborg. Oscar was in Sweden already and living in Mölby with a family named Olsson. He traveled to the docks of Göteborg to meet his parents where he was joined, among others, by John Ahlbom, and David Börjesson who were businessmen, who were cousins, and both interested in missions. Oscar's parents had stayed at David Börjesson's home over twenty years earlier in 1893 when they were leaving Sweden for England and then China. The Colldén family, cousins of Ahlbom and Börjesson, were at the docks too.

Johan Alfred and Hedvig were probably met at the docks by others besides their son Oscar, Ahblom, Börjesson and the Colldéns. Missionaries coming in on furlough from a distant land was a big occasion.

Vita Bandets Restaurant, Göteborg

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Vita Bandets Restaurant
Göteborg, Sweden
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After the ship docked, the passengers disembarked and the passengers warmly greeted, David Börjesson and John Ahlbom invited the Rinells and the Colldéns and other friends for dinner at noon at the Vita Bandets Restaurant in Slottskogen Park in Göteborg. There Oscar met a young and pretty young lady wearing a red hat, a member of the Colldén family. Her name was Hellen.

Oscar later returned to Mölby where he wrote a letter of thanks to Börjesson and Ahlbom. Oscar didn't now Hellen's name, so he wrote to Börjesson, "You can greet the lady with the red hat."2

Johan Alfred and Hedvig stayed in Mölby while in Sweden.

Hellen in the mean time was accepted into Bethel Seminary in Stockholm and started her classes. It just so happened that this was the same seminary where Oscar had completed his studies. Oscar found himself returning to Bethel Seminary for occasional visits where he would of course say hello to Hellen.

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Hellen and David
Colldén
Stockholm
1920

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That first year she returned to Göteborg on the holidays. That was the first time that her twin brother David mentioned to her and their mother that he would not go to Russia, but would go to the Congo as a missionary. That was an extraordinarily emotional moment because he had a good salary at SKF which meant a great deal toward his family's support. With tears running down her face, Ida said, "God bless you my son." David then soon began classes in Bethel Seminary.

In China

The mission had always been interested in making Christian work independent of foreign influence in China, to make it self-governing. In 1920 Wang Gi-shan became the first Chinese pastor for the Kiaohsien church.3

On December 10 the Swedish-Chinese Baptist Conference took place in Kiaohsien's baptist church [was this the first such conference? Len].

An evangelist school was begin in Kaomi for the entire mission. The course was two months long.

From Hedvig Rinell's Diary

Thursday, 1/1. In Mjölby Hedvig (and JA?) attended a 'midnight watch' church service to welcome in the new year. The town celebrated elegantly with candles, music, speeches, clock in the bell tower ringing and a salute in song. Maria Boklund and her brother and sister-in-law greeted hello [Could be that a greeting was to go to Maria Boklund from her brother and sister-in-law who were in Honolulu]. "God bless this new year," she writes.

Friday, 1/2. The next day Hedvig visited the seamstress and then went to a large youth gathering at the Olssons (who owned a bakery and furniture store).

Saturday, 1/3. They got underway about one [AM?]. They were home in the morning and went to visit Mrs. Ahlvén in the afternoon. Hedvig wrote for the Vecko Posten in the evening. A letter came from Reploegs. "They suffer poor people."

Sunday, 1/4. In the morning was another meeting where Per August spoke about sin, righteousness and preparedness. In the evening it was off to Vovo [or Voro?] at Högmans for coffee and another sermon entitled 'See God's Lamb'. The day was good, but not many people attended.

Monday, 1/5. Hedvig was tired and Monday was a lazy day. She longed for letters from China. PA [Per August?] came to visit. In the evening was another service which was not lively.

Tuesday, 1/6. Hedvig took the morning train to Jordsfälla [Jordsfälla was the name of the farm that they would visit. Possibly it was also the name of the town. They would have been visiting Johan Alfred Rinell's cousin whose name may have been Ego Johansson. DHH.] where she met Alfred. Another meeting took place at 3:00 in the afternoon. It was a full house and a good a good collection was taken. Later there was plenty to eat. Prayer was given for Reploag's [sp?] children. "God will give them a good home." [Apparently, something had happened and these children needed a home].

Wednesday, 1/7. [Dollan forgot to translate].

Thursday, 1/8. Up early and travel to Mjölby where several letters were waiting though nothing for Alfred in China [does this mean it was not JA Hedvig was talking about on 1/6? Or does she mean that no letter came from China for Alfred?]. In the afternoon was another meeting where Hedvig had to speak. She wasn't prepared. "Afraid that God was not praised. Sorry!"

Friday, 1/9. On Friday Hedvig felt depressed. She was tired having not slept the previous night. No letters came from China. She didn't go to the service, but rather washed, wrote letters and sewed. She felt distanced from God, "God, I want to meet with you here in 'self-try-out' [salesperson]. She felt 'cold' and guilty. "Lord, help your child," she wrote.

Saturday, 1/10. During the day Hedvig did some housework and in the evening went to church. Little Jessie came over [after the service apparently] and sang her a Chinese song. She knew it well.

Sunday, 1/11. Mjölby. Hedvig reads a letter from St. Paul from the New Testament. She had coffee with the Karlssons in the morning. She got letters from the boys. Egron was home again. Eric without [fever?].

Monday, 1/12. Another meeting [in the morning apparently] in the chapel and it was a good one. God felt near. She prepared Oscar's lunch. Oscar was waiting for his passport to Germany.

Tuesday, 1/13. Skänninge. 3.20. Hedvig (and JA? ) was met by Mrs. Fransson and Pastor Larsson. A good meeting took place and there was a good collection for the missions. The day was also one of sadness. Hedvig said good-bye to her son Oscar. The next day he would be traveling to Germany. "God be with us on different places and help us to serve you as long as we are down here [on earth]."

Wednesday, 1/14. Fivelstad. 3:55 PM. Again Hedvig [I don't know if Hedvig is traveling with anyone. LJH.] is on the road and in Fivelstad is greeted "with friendship" by Fransson. In the evening she traveled far to the service. Pastor Petersson led the meeting. Kids wanted to cough but didn't dare. Oscar was off to Germany.

Thursday, 1/15. Motala. 3:55 PM. Hedvig says she 'got her home', whatever that means, at Captain Andersson's. Perhaps she was staying there and felt at home. In any case she rested and prayed and God gave her grace. Sounds like she is tired and a bit stressed out. She found time to take it easy and 'collect' herself. Yet another meeting that day and thankfully it was a quiet and nice meeting. "Let your work continue in their hearts," she writes. She got to bed at 1:00 am.

Friday, 1/16. Yet another meeting scheduled for 5:25 PM at Skyllberg. She [they?] were met by Pastor Johansson and had a comfortable time at his house. Mrs. Johansson was particularly nice.

The church was filled at the service. Everyone was quiet. Most people were outsiders, which perhaps means they were not members of that church. If so, word would have gotten out about this missionary from China, and many wanted to hear. "Dear God save many among them," she writes. Hedvig saw these meetings not only as a time to raise money for themselves and their mission, but as an evangelistic meeting. She assumed that many of these people were not actually true Christians and needed to be 'saved' just as much as the heathen in China. That these meetings had two goals was good. The collection was small, so perhaps some people at least entered the kingdom during this meeting.

Saturday, 1/17. Åsbro. Lerbäck. Another day, another town. Now Hedvig (and JA?) was staying at the Karlssons. Hedvig was back from a full church service. She talked about the kids in China [her kids or Chinese kids?]. The Lord was with her she felt, so the talk must have gone well. But she was tired. Her room and the bed at the Karlssons was so inviting.

Sunday, 1/18. Åsbro and Hallsberg.

Another meeting. This time in the morning meeting in Åsbro in a retirement home. She left at 6:00 PM for Hallsberg. Again a full house and she stayed with the Olssons. She got many letters, some from China and America. Everything was well in both places [who was in America?]. She went to be and slept well, thankfully.

Monday, 1/19. Hedvig traveled to Kristinehamn where she was greeted warmly by her 'brothers and sisters' [Hedvig's brother Johan Erik Sjöbergs first wife, Jenny, came from Kristinehamn. Both Johan and the second wife, Maria, died (1939 and 1924) here in Kristinehamn so perhaps they had settled down here - noted by Bo Svartholm.] Everyone was very nice. No meeting apparently. Instead she went shopping. She was able to buy some old and new things which perhaps means she bought some used items to bring back to China as well as new things. "It was so much fun," she writes concerning the shopping. In the street she was addressed by 'Holy Saint' by someone. That evening she slept great.

Tuesday, 1/20. Degerfors. R. Hedvig sat and knitted and talked all day. It was just what she needed. "Terribly nice," she says. Elin M. [whoever she was] died a long time ago.

Wednesday, 1/21. Karlskoga R. A few wives came over for coffee. They reminisced. Old memories. The years seem to go by so fast.

Thursday, 1/22. John came to the morning meeting [was this Johan Alfred?] which was filled to capacity. The church was filled for the evening meeting too. The pastor was very observant [whatever that means]. 109 Kronor was collected. "Thank God that even this is over with," she writes. Hedvig has had enough of meeting despite the collection.

Friday, 1/23. Kristinehamn. The day was one of rest and talk. Went over to the pastor's house for coffee with his nice family including six sons. Four were believers and were baptized [probably Baptists - because all the sons would have been baptized as infants if in the Lutheran church. Mentioning they had been baptized probably means they had been re-baptized, or if the family were Baptists for a long time, where baptized for the first time, after they had a made a confession faith.] "God protect them," she writes, "The Lord bless my dearest home here with salvation."

Saturday, 1/24. Kristinehamn. Another quiet day. Hedvig wrote a letter to the kids. Eric Jr. [pastor's son?] came in the afternoon; he was very loving. "Oh, if he was saved." Traveled in ?????? [check diary] to? evening worship. Eric Jr. was so cute.

[Other days go in here?]

Sunday, 2/1 Meeting in the morning in Tabernacle where she spoke a bit and met many old friends. Afterwards she had coffee at Törnros [with friends supposedly] which was fun as usual. A second meeting of the day was at Tisterdalen during which time God seemed to be with her. Many friends were still there.

Monday, 2/2. She was at Dahls [a person?] Alfred traveled to F:stad [possibly Filipstad]. Hedvig was with at the ladies meeting where she was given a gift of 13 crowns plus 16.40 to Dodaniang [whatever that is]. Afterwards Hedvig came home. She also received a gift of 50 crowns for the girls school from 'K.W.'

Tuesday, 2/3. The Karlssons drove Hedvig to the train station. Ebba was there too and stayed until the train left. "Perhaps we'll never get back there," writes Hedvig. [Back to Göteborg?] Arrived in Kristiania [later name Oslo) with no problems where she was met by young Öhrn. Hedvig [one doesn't know if Hedvig is traveling along or with Johan Alfred] stayed with Öhrn's mother [don't know if it was at this time or previously]. The meeting in Kristiania was wonderful and a lot of fun. She was able to meet Pettersson.

Wednesday, 2/4. Hedvig slept well the night before. Found out that Karla Pettersson was getting married in Denmark. Another meeting. This time at S. Larsson's church where she was not introduced and so did not speak. Apparently this was a mistake because the pastor apologized afterward.

Thursday, 2/5. Up early in the morning. Solstad escorted Hedvig to the station. Mrs. Öhrn was sick. Arrived Arvika at 12:08 PM where she was a guest of E. Gustavsson. "So nice." Britta and Ingrid [Gustavsson?} were so sweet. Had a good meeting in the evening though pastor Axin was sick. Mostly interesting for Nancy Aronsson [whatever that means].

Friday, 2/6. Hedvig made a visit to Sandberg before leaving town. Sandberg was [what?]

Roy Jewett

On February 12, a young electrical engineer by the name of LeRoy Jewett registered as an American citizen at the Consulate General in Tientsin. Roy will eventually become a member of the family.

Arrival in America

Johan Alfred and Hedvig Lovisa left Göteborg, Sweden on August 24 and arrived in America on September 4, 1920 on the SS Stockholm. The 'List or Manifest of Alien Passengers' states the Johan Alfred is 53 and Hedvig is 52, and that Johan Alfred's occupation or calling is missionary. Hedvig is listed as wife. Each needed to provide the name of a relative in the country from whence they came. Johan Alfred gave the name of his brother-in-law, Carl Jansson who lived at Almanac 4, Göteborg. Hedvig listed her brother, Carl Jansson, too. [Hedvig did not have a brother named Carl but she did have a brother named Claës Jansson.] They listed their destination as St. Paul, Minnesota. [Add general information about the other passengers from the Manifest. Their son Egron, also had sailed on the SS Stockholm, arriving in New York, in 1916].

  1. There is another event that Oscar relates, but I don't know where to fit it chronologically. One day Oscar was leaving Trädgårdsföreningen, a park in Göteborg by the wrong exit. Just then two ladies were entering the park at the entrance gate where the public bought tickets to enter the park. Oscar recognized one of them, Hellen. Don't know whether Oscar met Hellen for the first time at the Vite Bandet or saw her for the first time there - probably the latter.

  2. He served as pastor until 1933.

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Footnotes

CHAPTER

Foreign Devils: A Swedish Family in China 1894 to 1951
© 2012-14 Lennart Holmquist
Lorum • Ipsum• Dolor • Sic Amet • Consectetur

Updated: 10-Feb-2017

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