p. 17 | German Switzerland by J. T. Boettcher

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 19, 1903

German Switzerland

By J. T. Boettcher

In the month of March, meetings were begun in Basel, and were continued until the middle of June. As a result eighteen persons accepted the truth. Some of them are already working for the Master,—one is a Bible worker, another a baker in our food department, one is a bookkeeper, and another is matron in the sanitarium. These meetings were helpful to the church-members; as they saw the new converts so full of zeal for the truth, their courage to work for the Master was revived.

During the month of June tent-meetings were conducted in a little country hamlet. It was hard to procure ground on which to pitch the tent. The pastor had warned the people against us, and they were all afraid of having their ground desecrated by our tents. The brethren went from house to house; and when they thought the bargain was closed, through the influence of some of the neighbors those controlling the land went back on their word. At last the sexton of the churchyard consented to let us have a spot of ground. We had the tent ready, and in a few hours it was up, but had we waited until the next day, he also would have backed out. We had handbills prepared, which were carried into the homes of the people.

The first night of the meeting about one hundred and fifty factory boys and girls came, and, judging from outward appearances, intended to make disturbance. They used indecent language, and sat down with their caps on their heads, and pipes in their mouths. We saw at once there was no use to try to preach to such a crowd, and lifted our hearts in silent prayer to God to give us the victory. We had no singing nor open prayer, but instead went right down among them, and told them why we had come to the town; it was simply to be a help both spiritually and physically to all of them,—the gospel included it all. We could see that the Lord worked upon their hearts. Many who were standing on the outside of the tent, came rushing in to hear what was being said, until at last the tent was full, and the best of order prevailed. We knew this was a victory for the truth of God, and from this time forward all our workers were treated with marked respect. The meetings were in the time of haying, but the tent was full every evening and on Sunday afternoons. The donations were more than the expenses during the time of the meetings. We were very thankful to see fifteen blood-bought souls take their stand for the truth of God. One of our workers still continues work there with a good interest.

We conducted two other tent-meetings in the same canton, where some success also followed. Most of the pastors are freethinkers, which means that the people are almost worse than infidels, and have no desire for the true religion.

This field is a great one, and has only two ordained ministers to do public work, with one young licentiate and two Bible workers. Soon after Brother David Voth was ordained, a call came for him to go to Germany. It was hard for us to let him go, but when the Lord calls men to go, no one must stand in the way. We pray that some other young man may feel a burden to come and take his place. Soon the laws in these countries will be such as to make it very hard for the truth to be proclaimed. Already it is hard to sell our books; for every canvasser has to pay one hundred and fifty francs a year for the privilege of taking orders. We are indeed glad that Jesus is soon coming to take his faithful children home.

J. T. BOETTCHER.