Gisle Johnson's Signature

Significant to the study of historical figures is the discovery of their signature. Although it might seem a trivial things, signatures are a personal touch: seeing the signature of someone long-gone is a glimpse into their personality, a sort of written fingerprint. It was exciting, then, to find Gisle Johnson's signature, here adorning a letter of recommendation for one Ole Christiansen Bjornstad. A rough translation with magnified signature is as follows:

Testimony of the Bible Mission of the Norwegian Lutheran Foundation

The Norwegian Lutheran Foundation has accepted Ole Christiansen Bjornstad, who is of the Board of Directors, who has presented a weekly mission of pure doctrine and Christian life, as required by the Foundation's laws, as a Bible Missionary in its service, and it is entrusted to him to work in this capacity within the limits of the presbytery. He is hereby recommended to all those who have a heart for the spread of the Kingdom of God in our country. The priests of the church are especially urged to give him help and guidance in his work. This mission is valid until 15th December of this year.

Christiana, the 12th October 1868.

Chairman of the Board of Directors.

This document is helpfully preserved in the Indremisjonsselskapes Historie, volume 1, page 271. Gisle was the chairman of the society during what became known as the Johnsonian Revivals, and this shows his deep and personal investment in the missional activity of the organization. The surrounding text explains such endorsement as part of the ongoing controversy over lay-preaching, where Gisle was in support of the principle that exigency required non-ordained, non-clergy to preach in certain contexts.