SWITZERLAND by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 25, 1900

SWITZERLAND

By John Norton Loughborough

The Central European Conference and camp-meeting was held August 3-13, at Lausanne, Switzerland. Our camp was situated on the northeast side of Lake Geneva, several hundred feet above the lake. From this place we had a fair view of its beautiful blue waters, and of the Alps, rising in majesty from the immediate edge of the southwest shore. A fountain, fed by pure spring-water from the mountains, constantly flowed by the side of our camp.

Fifty camping tents and two meeting tents constituted our cotton city. About two hundred of our people, mostly French, were gathered in the camp. Services in French and German were held each evening in the respective tents, but during the day the congregations were amalgamated; and when English was spoken, two interpreters translated at the same time, one to the French, and the other, in a lower tone, to the Germans.

The business of the Conference was transacted harmoniously. The reports were as follows: Number of churches in the Conference, 23; members, 708; churches added during the year, 2; new members added, 33. Tithe paid during the year, $5 349.10. Sabbath-school contributions, $561.22. Of this there was given to mission work $504.85. Number of canvassers, 12. Their book sales amounted to $4,776.70. Loss at the publishing house, $102.

The report of the Institute Sanitaire at Basel, showed a small financial loss. This was owing to the fact that the institution, the last year, has carried the expense of a nurses' class of fourteen. Of these, six graduated from the two-years' course, July 26. They were of five nationalities,—German, French, Hollandish, Swiss, and Armenian. The patronage of the institution was better than that of the previous year. About one in ten of all the patients since the institution opened, five years ago, has accepted the truth. Their health paper has a large circulation, and is more than paying its way. The food factory furnished a net profit for the year of over one thousand dollars.

At the Conference, plans were laid for pushing the work of the message more vigorously, especially in France. The attending laborers from without the Conference were Brother O. A. Olsen, president of the European Union Conference; Brother Andross, of England; and the writer. The preaching services were well attended by the citizens of Lausanne, several of whom acknowledge the truth. One of them was of the seven who were baptized the last Sabbath of the meeting. May the message make still greater progress in the Central European Conference.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.