Conditions in Alsace-Lorraine by W. Ising

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Dec 5, 1907

Conditions in Alsace-Lorraine

By W. Ising

THE imperial provinces of Alsace and Lorraine are well known through the battles that were fought there in the German and French war of 1870-71, when they again fell back to the German empire. At the head of these stand a governor and a chamber of deputies who are responsible for the administration, which is supervised by the German Confederation. These provinces are connected with the South German Conference of the German Union. Their area equals exactly the State of Connecticut in North America, having just double the population, or 1,814,564. The last statistics, of 1905, state that there are 1,386,400 Catholics, over seventy-five per cent, against only about 290,200 Protestants.

Our readers will remember that recently the prince regent of the kingdom of Bavaria has graciously granted the liberty of free performance of their religious services to Seventh-day Adventists. While on the other hand, the kingdom of Wurtemberg and the grand duchy of Baden are tolerant, the situation in Alsace-Lorraine is entirely different. Religious liberty has not yet been proclaimed. Knowing the intolerant character of the Catholic Church and its preponderating influence here, with over three fourths of the entire population as followers, we can readily understand the reason. From these facts it can be plainly seen that the promulgation of the Bible truths, as they are preached in the third angel's message, with the law of God as the standard, can progress only very slowly under such conditions, especially as the situation is intensified by the governmental laws, which evidently reflect the Catholic tendencies.

Public meetings are allowed to be held only under the condition that a legal society is organized; and unless this has been done, our brethren have no permission to gather for worship, under a penalty of from fifty to one hundred fifty marks each. A society can be formed of seven persons. Minor persons can not be received as members, and are not allowed to attend the meetings at all. The same is the case with strangers who dare not attend the meetings unless they can prove their invitation by some written statement. The following precept in the law dealing with this subject is of interest: “Every public meeting must have a presiding committee, consisting of the chairman and at least two assistants. The chairman must preside and conduct the meeting with respect to keeping order; in case of a committee not yet being formed, the caller of the meeting takes charge of it. These three members of the committee must be subjects of the empire. Foreigners are not allowed to hold public meetings unless they are called upon by the committee, which in this case is responsible to the police for the lecture. The committee is compelled to report every meeting to the police authorities, stating the subject of the lecture, with the texts that will be referred to. The meeting must be held under the superintendency of a police officer, whose duty it is to take care that the speaker does not deviate from the particulars given in the statement, in which case the officer shall be duly authorized to immediately stop the meeting.”

These particulars are sufficient to show how difficult it is to preach the message in these provinces. Notwithstanding these obstacles we know that it must progress. The light of the third angel's message must shine forth and illuminate the dense darkness in which these people are confined. Their attention must be called to the Bible, thus giving them an opportunity to grasp the plain truths of its teachings.

Our brethren in the south have felt this responsibility in the past, and it has become a heavy burden on them to go forward in spite of the difficulties with which they have to contend. Certainly, while these rigid laws are in force, some issue must be found in compliance with these regulations, as it was necessary under the former conditions in Bavaria. They have meanwhile made a beginning in this way, which is the best in this emergency, and have formed a legal society, the officers of which at the same time constitute the committee for the public meetings. They feel confident that after a start has been made, and the authorities have become more acquainted with them, they will be able to secure more liberty. The experience in Bavaria under similar conditions encourages us to believe that these efforts will not be in vain.

There are quite a number of larger cities in the two provinces: Strassburg, with a population of 168,000, Mülhausen, with 94,000; Metz, with 60,000; Colmar, with 42,000; and Hagenau, with 19,000 inhabitants. In Strassburg (Alsace) there is a little company of eight Sabbath-keepers, while a few isolated members are scattered in this large territory. This city is the only place where a very modest beginning has been made, and the brethren have chosen it for their new efforts. Workers have been located here, and public meetings will doubtless be held soon.

Considering the various other countries in the European field where considerable difficulties must be overcome, there are good hopes and prospects that the exertions in this part of the large field will succeed in the building up of God's work and the making of his name known to the nations. We confidently believe that with the help of God the message will conquer also in the fortress of Strassburg, which will become a stronghold of the present truth, from which it will spread out into the other parts of Alsace-Lorraine, the utmost southwest of our German Union.

W. ISING.