WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR

HOW IT ALL STARTED

WE WERE sitting under our guava tree in Lima, Peru, having just closed the covers of His Initials Were F.D.N., a biography of Francis D. Nichol, a former editor of the Review, when Bruno, my husband, remarked, "I wish we could do something like that for Elder Andreasen."

Geographically, remote Peru was a most inauspicious place for tackling such a subject. In addition, our personal contacts with M. L. Andreasen were limited to spending two nine-week terms in his classes at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., reading most of the books he had written, and receiving a half-dozen brief letters from him shortly before his death. Nevertheless, an aspiration was born that day.

About two weeks after the inspiration came, I was in the United States visiting a relative of Elder Andreasen's. From that source I got the names and addresses of former students and associates of his. With these addresses in hand I crisscrossed the continent via Greyhound bus. Upon hearing the purpose of my visit the friends usually found a typewriter with which I could take down their reminiscences.

But then for nine years the notes lay unused. Meanwhile, I had obtained Elder Andreasen's partial autobiography, which was of great value because it let him speak for himself. This, with the interviews we had previously had, and the recollections and

reflections of Elder Andreasen's relative, has been our source of information. From these we finally stitched together this book.

From the first, the final six years of Elder Andreasen's life posed a problem. It seemed that the story could not be included, but neither could it be omitted, so it is told in this book. My husband took it upon himself to research this period. General Conference leaders visiting Lima read the result with interest. One commented, "That's for posterity."

To each one who has so willingly contributed to this book goes our profound gratitude. Included are quotations or information obtained from personal interview with Gladys Andreasen (M. L.'s second wife), Ida Axelson, Ruth Baldwin, Dr. and Mrs. Oliver Beltz, R. R. Bietz, P. 0. Campbell, Andrew Christensen, O. J. Dahl, Charles Dammen, Esther Yost Dick, Dr. and Mrs. Everett Dick, D. C. Duffield, Anna Edwardson, Alice Fahrbach, R. R. Figuhr, Ida Gjording, James Hansen, P. G. Herwick, Lenore Hill, Glen Hilts, Peter James, Duane Johnson, H. M. Johnson, F. M. Larsen, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Little, Dr. and Mrs. Carl Martinsen, W. G. C. Murdoch, Edward Nachreiner, N. C. Nelsen, J. N. Petersen, Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Rowe, D. K. Shilling, Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Sorensen, Myrtle Thompson, Merwin Thurber, H. M. Tippett, L. W. Welch, Thelma Wellman, and A. Werline. Letters from Roger AItman, Iva Mae Lee, Donald Madison, and L. H. Olson have also added to the picture.

Were we asked what we consider M. L. Andreasen's greatest contribution, we would answer. The challenge of the last generation, first presented in The Sanctuary Service. May this life story inspire each reader to become part of the final demonstration to the world of what the gospel can do in and for humanity.

At Issue Index   Table of Contents   Next