Mission to Prussia

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Apr 8, 1875

Mission to Prussia.

The Advent Review and Herald of the Sabbath, brings news of still deeper interest of the work in Prussia now in progress under the labors of Elders Andrews and Ertzenberger, Bro. Andrews says:—

Since my last report our labors have been constant, and we have experienced much of the blessing of God. We have had meetings in different villages as the way has opened, and in every place have seen some tokens for good.

On Thursday last, Bro. Ertzenberger and myself returned to Gladbach, and spent the Sabbath and first-day in that city. On Thursday evening we spoke to the brethren on the best methods of carrying forward the work. On Sabbath evening as our first-day Baptist friends were present, I spoke from Rom. 6, concerning the relation between baptism and the law of God. Sabbath forenoon I spoke upon the Sabbath of the Lord. In the afternoon Bro. Ertzenberger spoke upon the choice which Moses made. In the evening I spoke to the brethren on the subject of advertising to find the scattered Sabbath-keepers of Europe.

Out meetings on first-day were held in a public hall, and were advertised in the principal paper of the city. Gladbach is a Roman Catholic city, but it has many candid citizens. In the forenoon we had two hundred hearers, and they were persons of intelligence. We were told that the school teachers of the city were generally present. At noon a gentlemen who was an entire stranger invited us to speak at the church of which he was a member, in a city about twelve miles distant. It seems that here is a church of several hundred persons who have no pastor, but who maintain worship themselves, and who seek to walk in the truth as Bible Christians. He invited us to come at any time, and promised us a large congregation. Hereafter, if God will, we will know something further of this people.

In the afternoon our congregation was much larger than in the forenoon. We had the school teachers again, several clergymen, some of the wealthiest people of the city, and very many Catholics. There were no base-looking people present. We had great freedom in speaking, both in the forenoon and in the afternoon. But the meeting in the afternoon was one of deep solemnity. The subject was Acts 17:30, 31. I spoke first of the great day of final account, and the people listened as though the subject was wholly new to them. Then, for the special benefit of the Catholics present, I set forth from the word of God the nature of that repentance which God here commands. I showed that it did not consist in punishing one's self for sins, and then returning again to the same sins, and again squaring the account with self-inflicted punishment; that men who acted thus retained the love of sin all the time in their hearts, and never stood in a position where God could accept them, and never laid the foundation of a virtuous character, such as God proposes to receive into heaven. I showed them that true repentance begins in godly sorrow for sin, and that it produces an entire change of heart and life, and that this class of persons alone would be able to stand in the Judgment.

When the meeting closed a business man, who was present in the meeting of the previous evening the son of Sabbath-keeping parents, but not a Sabbath-keeper, came and asked the privilege of meeting the entire expense of advertising the son of Sabbath-keeping parents, in Holland. He wished it to be done in three different papers. He expressed his interest in what he had heard, and I hope this act signifies that he means to have a part in the work as a commandment-keeper. After we returned to our lodgings a first-day Baptist gentleman and his wife called upon us to say that they had that day decided to keep the Sabbath of the Lord. Also that evening a lady who has never observed the Sabbath only in conformity to her mother's request, came and desired to be baptized saying that she was fully decided to keep the commandments.

Next morning we called on several families. At the first place we met a Catholic lady who attended our meetings the previous day, and who is anxiously inquiring the way of truth. She had never read the Bible except such parts as she found in her books of instruction. She said that the people were not allowed to have the Bible. We confirmed this fact by inquiring in vain at the book-stores for Catholic Bibles. This lady has begun to learn that repentance and faith precede baptism, and she is very anxious to walk in the truth. But her priest and her family are violently opposing her. We advised her to call often in the family where we then were, and read the word of God for herself. At the next place where we called we found a lady who belongs to the Protestant National Church and who believed herself to be a Christian simply because she was sprinkled when a babe! But she listened attentively while Bro. E. explained to her the way of salvation through faith and repentance, how Satan has cursed the world with institutions which make void those of the Almighty, and which lead men astray from God!

From Gladbach we returned on Monday as far as the village of Hilden, where we found the brethren had secured a hall for a course of lectures. It is quite well adapted to our purpose, and will accommodate three hundred persons. It will cost about seven dollars a month. This seems to be a providential opening, and as such we accept it. I have been in Prussia about one month. Our labor has been constant and has been scattered over quite an extensive territory. This has been caused partly by the fact that our friends are scattered, and partly because we could get no hall for steady meetings except at ruinous prices. If God will, I shall set out for Switzerland the first of next week, and leave Bro. Ertzenberger to give the course of lectures at Hilden. The time that remains to me in this region I purpose to spend in giving special instruction to the brethren here in practical matters of vital importance. We have already done much of this kind of work.