Rikssvenska metodistpredikanters betydelse för ... - Doria

in accordance with American guidelines in all places in Finland, but at the
turn of the 19 th century there were approximately ten active Epworth League
groups in Finland.
An important goal for the Swedish Methodist preachers in Finland during this
period was the expansion of scriptural holiness, i.e. sanctified life, lived by
the people and populations that they worked with and this, at times, was more
important to the preachers than the establishment of Methodist congregations
or total number of new members. Examples of such can be seen in the
preachers’ work with temperance organizations and seamen’s mission.
Furthermore, Methodist preachers founded a nursing home in Åbo (Turku)
and several orphanages throughout the country. A number of publications
were also started, including the Swedish-language Nya Budbäraren and
Finnish-language Rauhan Sanomia. Through such social work and
publications the Methodist preachers reached far beyond the confines of their
church walls.
The Swedish Methodist preachers actively worked towards the establishment
of a Methodist theological school in Finland. These preachers understood the
inherent advantage of native preachers, especially Finns who could speak
Finnish. However, when the first generation of native Finnish Methodist
preachers started working at the turn of the 19 th century, conflicts soon arose
between them and the older Swedish preachers. Historical domestic issues
regarding Finland’s official language(s) were part of the problem, as well as
issues of control and power (domestic versus foreign). Additionally, the
distribution of funds collected in American and Britain intended for church
construction in Finland caused conflict and, at the 1903 Finnish Annual
Conference, a decision was made to separate the Finnish Methodist Church
from the Swedish Methodist Church, whereby the Finnish Methodist Church
Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC). In 1892 the General Conference of the MEC
decided that all churches should organize an Epworth League, thus bringing
Epworth to Finland.
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