Growing Up in the Industrial City of Sarpsborg
Marie Johansen was born in 1892. In her early years, she lived in Kristiansand, but her family eventually moved to Sarpsborg, where she lived for the rest of her life. Her father, Per Johan Johansson, was a foreman at the Borregaard factories in Sarpsborg. The factory produced cellulose and paper, and at the beginning of the 1900s it was the largest industrial workplace in Norway, with almost 2,000 employees.
Large industrial enterprises such as Borregaard and Hafslund left their mark on Sarpsborg, and the city was one of Norway’s rapidly growing cities at the beginning of the 1900s. The population almost tripled from 1890 to 1910. The working class was naturally dominant, so the labor movement held a prominent position. But as in most growing industrial cities, there was also a significant presence of Christian free churches in the city.
Contact with Johan Oscar Smith, Aksel Smith, and Elias Aslaksen
In 1912, Aksel Smith, brother of Johan Oscar Smith and co-publisher of the paper “Skjulte Skatter” (Hidden Treasures), came to Sarpsborg. He was an active evangelist and had been invited to speak at the “Mission House.” This was most likely where “the Free Evangelical Assemblies” (also called “the Free Friends”) held their meetings in the city.
Both Johan Oscar Smith and Aksel Smith were in contact with “the Free Friends” in Sarpsborg during this period. This is evident, for example, from Johan Oscar Smith’s correspondence with Emanuel Pettersen, who was a central leader among “the Free Friends” in Sarpsborg.
Marie, her sister, and her father attended this meeting, and Aksel Smith’s message immediately spoke to Marie. Her father was also enthusiastic about what he heard, and they made contact. In time, Elias Aslaksen and Johan Oscar Smith also traveled to Sarpsborg to preach.
But there were a number of people who were less than enthusiastic about the work of the Smith brothers and Aslaksen. From the very beginning, Aksel Smith experienced strong opposition from leaders in the free church community in the city, where some referred to him as an “angel of Satan in silk slippers.”
Despite all the opposition and slander, the brothers Aksel and Johan Oscar Smith, together with Elias Aslaksen, continued to evangelize. In time, a division arose, because many took offense at the radical preaching of the Smith brothers and Elias Aslaksen. Marie’s father was among those who eventually left Smith’s congregation. But Marie and her sister remained part of the circle of friends who gathered around the preaching of the Smith brothers and Elias Aslaksen.
A number of private letters from Johan Oscar Smith to his brother Aksel, which were later published, show that during this period in Sarpsborg there was both considerable turnover and much unrest in the small church. But Marie, her sister, and a few other women formed a faithful core. The radical preaching about sanctification and a true Christian life appealed strongly to them. It was a vibrant Christianity that gave them a solid foundation for life.
A Talented Writer
It quickly became clear that Marie also had a talent for writing songs. As early as the 1916 edition of the songbook “Herrens Veier” (Ways of the Lord), three of Marie’s songs were included. These are three songs very rich in content: “Hidden in God is our life with Christ”, “Lay hold of life everlasting,” and “Let us never be failing, but in battle stand our ground”. It is said that Marie often based her songs on themes from messages she had heard. In this way, she passed on the truths of the gospel to the generations that followed, in simple and precise language.
In the 1929 edition, six more songs written by Marie Johansen were published. Among these was the song “Give your whole life to Jesus.”
In total, ten songs by Marie Johansen have been published in “Herrens Veier”.
A Life That Matched the Songs
Marie Johansen lived the rest of her life in Sarpsborg. She worked as a seamstress, was good with her hands, and had considerable artistic talent. She participated zealously in meetings in the small congregation in her hometown, and had especially good fellowship with a few women her own age, several of whom also wrote songs that were published in “Herrens Veier.”
Marie lived her whole life with a cleft lip and palate, a disability that at times could make it difficult for her to speak. She was single and lived in a small apartment by herself. Toward the end of her life, her health was also poor. Despite living conditions that outwardly could seem rather bleak, those who were close to her at various times in her life could testify of a cheerful, thankful, and energetic woman.
Marie Johansen died in 1986. Right up to the end, she lived a rich life that truly matched the rich spiritual content of the songs she wrote.
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References
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Frequently Asked Questions About Marie Johansen
Who was Marie Johansen?
Marie Johansen was a Norwegian songwriter from Sarpsborg. Among her songs is “Give your whole life to Jesus.”
How many of Marie Johansen’s songs are published in “Herrens Veier”?
A total of ten songs by Marie Johansen are published in the songbook “Herrens Veier.”
When was the song “Give your whole life to Jesus” published in “Herrens Veier”?
The song “Give your whole life to Jesus” was published in “Herrens Veier” in 1929.
When did Marie Johansen die?
Marie Johansen died in 1986.
Did Marie Johansen live in Sarpsborg her whole life?
According to what we know, Marie Johansen lived in Kristiansand during her early years but moved to Sarpsborg while still a child, and lived there for the rest of her life.
