For the most part, Andreas' journal is quite factual and unemotional. He carefully records his travels and distance covered each day, as well as what happened that day. But there are a few times that he expresses his feelings. One was when he got news that two of his children had died at home while he was gone. Another was when he told about being imprisoned in Drammen. Following are translated excerpts from his journal:
November ,1875
Saturday morning, the twenty-seventh, one of the city's policemen came and took me down to the courthouse office for questioning. A complaint was read against me for having baptized several individuals and for having administered the sacrament to some in Hurum. I was then asked to whether or not I admitted to having done the things named in the complaint, to which I responded by asking if they meant baptism and the administration of the sacrament with the State Church, to which they said yes, whereupon I assured them I was innocent. This was then followed by another question, "Did you not baptize some according to the Mormon method?" In response to this question I said, "The baptism, of which one reads about in the New Testament, which was preached of by Christ and his apostles to the people, and according to which men and women were baptized, namely baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, that this was the way I believed to be correct and had baptized as many as had asked to be baptized in this manner and had also administered the sacrament according to the words of Christ and His own institution thereof." My confession was taken down, that I had both baptized people and administered the sacrament in Hurum. The officiating judge said that the information from my case would be sent in to the state's court and that their judgment would be known a few days later. That afternoon I traveled by steamboat to Svelvigen . . .
February 14, 1876
I returned to Drammen.
The twentieth, Sunday evening, a policeman came and informed me that I was to report at City Hall immediately, a result of their having questioned me the previous autumn, on the twenty-seventh of November. The judgment had been passed, which demanded that I would either pay a forty crown fine or serve five days on bread and water. I refused to pay the fine and therefore was sentenced to suffer the consequence. I followed the policeman to the city hall and there pleaded with the overseer on my knees to allow me to remain free until 8 o'clock that evening, at which time I would surrender myself. He granted me my humble request. In the afternoon we had a good service at our chapel, at the usual time. At the previously appointed time, 8 o'clock that evening, I went to the city hall and was there placed by the overseer in the prison, a small room with a small window situated up near the ceiling, which had iron bars across it. The door was secured with thick iron plates, which was locked every evening with a strong lock, which made it impossible for any captive to break free from such a room. In the room stood a small table and a round stool, both of which were securely nailed to the floor, and an iron stove which was fastened to the stone wall. As soon as I came into this dismal room I was searched by the guard who confiscated my watch and books I had with me. I now sat down and looked around at my new surroundings, and for a time I wept tears of sadness because it had been my fate to be thrown in a dismal prison. I reflected back upon my entire life, from my birth and infancy up until the great peace and joy I felt at having a clear and unspotted conscience before God and all people, and that the reason for my present condition was that I had borne my humble, but loyal testimony of the Son of God's restored Gospel to the children of men, and had baptized some of the faithful souls for the remission of their sins. Thinking upon all of this gave me comfort and encouragement in my loneliness, inasmuch as the Spirit from on high had whispered peace to my soul and that it was for Christ's sake that I was here.
Each evening the overseer brought in a hammock which I would have to hang on the wall myself, which was just comfortable enough to sleep in, and then he would take away my boots and pants, not to return them to me until the following morning. The first morning, the overseer brought me bread and water as he did for the other prisoners, which he left for me, but I tasted not a bit of the bread or drank any of the water, but simply used a small portion of it to wash my hands and face.
I told the guard and the overseer that if they wanted to take the bread that was given me out into the streets to those who cried from hunger for food that it would be a blessing.
I told these gentlemen further that in the day when one is not allowed to buy or sell unless he has the mark of the beast on his hand or in his countenance (see Revelation 13:11-18); and that (in the day) the rivers would be transformed into blood and that the people would have blood to drink, then it would be well for those who were the cause of my sitting here locked up with the confines of these dismal walls, to have this bread and water to satisfy their hunger and thirst.
I also spoke with them concerning the restoration of the Gospel through the words of Joseph Smith and of the need to accept the Gospel while the doors of mercy stood open, and of the destruction of the wicked.
I was allowed once or twice a day to go outside in the garden for fresh air.
Friday, the twenty-fifth, the overseer came, and released me from the prison, returning my watch and my books. I felt myself still strong enough to go five more days without food or drink.
The twenty-sixth, the day after I was released from prison, I walked three Norwegian miles on foot (19 English miles) across the Drammen fjord to Hurum. That night I received lodigng with Brother Jorgen Michalsen in Halmsbod.
The twenty-eighth, went to Dalen, slept there.
The twenty-ninth, went up over the Drammen fjord to Brother Jensen from Kjendestangen's, where I arrived after it was dark, lodged here.
The first of March, went to Drammen.
Sunday, the fifth of March, President Soren Petersen came here to Drammen and we had two good services at our chapel, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. On Monday, President Peterson returned to Chistiania.
The fourteenth, I walked to Hurum, was allowed to spend the night at Christian from Odegarden's.
Wednesday, the fifteenth, went to Thorkel's in Dallen, and held a service there in the afternoon. In the evening I baptized Hans Gabrielsen.
I find it very significant that the first person he baptizes after his incarceration was our paternal great-grandfather, Hans Martin Gabrielsen. A few days later he mentions baptizing Han's wife, Pauline. As I understand it, a missionary was not called for a specific length of time back then. When he was incarcerated, he had been serving for over two years as a missionary. He would have been perfectly justified to conclude his mission and go to his home. But because he did not do that, Hans and Pauline received the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so very grateful to Andreas. I am grateful for the opportunity to join with my beloved siblings to walk where he walked and to feel his presence with us. I look forward to meeting him and thanking him in person.
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