France by D. T. Bourdeau

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 9, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 47.

France.

By D. T. Bourdeau

It was my privilege to attend the late European Council at Grimsby, England. Never was I more deeply impressed with the great importance of such yearly gatherings in securing the advantages of different gifts and different experiences, in inspiring faith, hope, and courage in the laborers, and in giving a general mould of unity to the work in its various branches.

On my way to the Council I visited the church of Branges. I had not been at Branges since organizing this church, two years ago last September. It was a refreshing season both to the writer and to the church. This company are manifesting a missionary spirit, not only in laboring in their vicinity, but also in sending out two of their ablest men as colporters.

Upon my return to Nimes, Brother Ertzenberger, who had faithfully stood by the effort both in my presence and in my absence, left to join Brother Conradi in the work in German Switzerland. Sister White and Brother and Sister Ings soon joined us at Nimes, and remained over two weeks, during which time I interpreted twelve times for Sister White and eight times for Brother Ings, whose instructions in the tract and missionary work were appreciated. A tract society of eighteen members was organized, each paying five francs for membership.

The society is now being set at work with a club of twenty Signes des Temps, and small packages of tracts with bands on which are printed instructions that will help the workers, as well as those who receive the tracts.

One encouraging feature of Sister White's labors, with the blessing of God, has been the restoration of a young man for whom we had felt deeply, who is now preparing to labor in the gospel field for the French and the German people. We had done all we could to help the young man, but the faithful and merciful testimony, which has so often proved successful in such cases, proved to be effectual in this case, greatly relieving us, and leaving us another clear evidence in favor of the timeliness and importance of the gift of prophecy.

I accompanied Sister White and Brother and Sister Ings on their way to Italy as far as Valence, France, where is still a small company of believers, and where the same good work of building up and restoring was carried on. We hope that as one result of this brief effort another young man will be saved to the cause.

If we take into account the magnitude of the work to be accomplished in France and its colonies, we can truly say that but comparatively little labor and a small amount of means have been bestowed in this field until the present season. If God gave so encouraging a measure of success at different points during the fifteen weeks that we labored in France all alone and in great feebleness, what will he not now do for France if we bring into service faithful and devoted young men who have the cause at heart and are willing to labor at a sacrifice and with a commendable missionary spirit?

Brethren Comte and Badaut, who have labored faithfully at Nimes, are now working in adjacent villages, and report success in ripening other fields for more public efforts. Yesterday a woman of property and respectability came to our hall, a distance of fifteen miles, and urged us to pitch our tent in her village, offering us the use of ground on which to place the tent.

Dear brethren in America, with grateful hearts in view of past blessings, we still solicit your prayers and financial support, that France may stand on her own feet and walk alone at the earliest possible date.

I find myself quite feeble of late, especially since my return from England. We have had more rain this fall than has been witnessed in any one season for thirty years. The unexpected extremes in the climate are unfavorable to my lungs. But I trust in God, casting my burdens upon him, and asking to be remembered in your prayers. D. T. Bourdeau. 5 Rue Frères Mineurs 5, Nimes, France, Nov. 11.