Norway
From Sawiki
Commissioners Hanna Ouchterlony and George Scott Railton with Staff Captain and Mrs. Albert Orsborne opened fire for the Salvation Army in Oslo on January the 22nd 1888, but it was not until 1895 that the Norwegian Parliament granted the Army the freedom to hold open air meetings.
On February 19th a cherished dream of these early pioneers came into being. The Salvation Army Lifeboat, "Catherine Booth" was launched. Built to withstand the worst the Norwegian weather could offer, she was to shadow the fishing fleet, often providing the only lifeline for the fishermen. Under the leadership of Captain Emil Ovesen, the "Catherine Booth" carried the gospel to some 7,000 fisher folk each year. When disaster struck, the lifeboats crew was there to help them. By 1913, 1,772 boats had been brought safely to shore and the sea had been cheated of some 50,000 lives.
1909 saw the opening of the Salvation Army's first Eventide Home for retired Salvationists. This Norwegian initiative was to prove the forerunner of many such homes now opened throughout the world.
The Norwegian Centenary Congress in 1988 was led by Commissioner Anna Hannevik with the International Staff Songsters providing a memorable musical contribution.
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