Temperance Items From Europe by L. A. H.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 15, 1914

Temperance Items From Europe

By L. A. H.

IN a recent number of the European Division Conference Review, we note several items of interest in connection with the place our temperance work fills in helping onward the wonderful progress of the cause in that field. They are so good we quote the following, Elder J. F. Huenergardt giving the first two experiences:—

The Blessings of Our Temperance Work

“Perhaps no one can more fully appreciate the blessings of the principles of temperance than those who are working among the peoples of southeastern Europe.

“One poor but honest slave to alcohol seemed to wake up to the realization of his wretched condition. This man had so completely lost all strength of self-control that he made himself and family very unhappy. He heard of a people, however, who assemble for Bible study, and teach others the better way.

“Before concluding to visit them, he decided not to drink another drop of intoxicants. He was so earnest about it that he really held fast to his resolution for nearly one year. He then came in contact with these people, attended their meetings, and gradually accepted their views. He at last asked to be admitted to their church. They examined him before receiving him. Among the questions asked was this: ‘Do you use intoxicants?’ He answered, ‘No, sir, I have not used a drop of intoxicating liquor for a whole year.’ ‘But why do you take such an extreme stand against alcohol?’ was the query. ‘Because I was a slave to drink for many years, and if I taste another drop, I shall surely be conquered again.’ ‘Well,’ the reply was, ‘we take the position that one may use wine moderately. The Christian must be able to control himself. In fact, we do not feel free to accept you, as a member, if you do not accept our position on this matter.’ At length the man saw no other way than to comply with their wishes, notwithstanding the fact that his own convictions about the matter must be overcome.

“Quite a time after this, they found their brother in a drunken condition. He was at once summoned before the church, and made to give an account of himself. He answered that he had fallen because they had obliged him to take a liberal view as to the use of alcoholic drinks. He was excommunicated. He asked them, however, to be merciful, because they in reality were at fault for his having fallen.

“When this man heard of the present truth, and became acquainted with our temperance principles, he manifested great joy. He at once accepted the whole truth, and now rejoices in the third angel's message. Many of the people know of us as the church which does not use intoxicants, and we are proud of this name.”

Among the Slovaks and Croatians

Brother Huenergardt tells of an experience in founding the first Slovakian company in Hungary after repeated visits during a period extending over three years, these people having for a time rejected the truth because of the tithing system and our health principles. He maintained his position that these were a part of the whole truth. He says:—

“Finally, at the end of three years' hard and prayerful labor, they asked for pardon, with tears in their eyes, for having caused me so much trouble, and requested that they might be received into church fellowship. Thus was founded the first Slovakian company in Hungary, which has since fully developed into a very intelligent, industrious, and hard-working missionary church. Every one of these brethren is really in earnest, faithfully paying tithe, and a number have even gone out as workers.

“I first visited Agram, Croatia, in 1906. A young friend of the truth invited me to a wedding in a small village near the city of Agram. This young man's fiancée was the daughter of a Servian priest. I heartily accepted the invitation, hoping that the Lord would give me opportunity to testify to our message.

“A very fine company of lawyers, doctors, and even priests assembled. I had accepted the invitation on the condition that worldly entertainment, such as dancing, would be discarded. Naturally, as might be expected, I thus made myself the center of attraction; and at the table every one wondered why I did not partake of the wines and the pork. This gave me a splendid opportunity to explain the evil effects of liquor and other unhealthful practices.

“It was not long until they had a practical illustration of their ‘good’ Hungarian wine. Even the priests joined in the loose conversation that had been caused by the freely flowing wine. One Protestant minister, who believed in the moderate use of wine, was at last obliged to acknowledge the great blessing of total abstinence. While the company was perfectly satisfied with my declaration that I was an antialcoholist, and so allowed me my glass of water, the poor Protestant minister, after he had drunk several glasses of wine and found that he had enough, was obliged to decline all further hospitality in this direction. This, however, was looked upon as an insult to the host, and so he got into a very critical situation. He was at last compelled to acknowledge to me that the only reasonable way to deal with the alcohol question is total abstinence in theory and in practice. On this occasion I secured a number of very good addresses from the city of Agram, and a year or two later, when one of our workers was sent there, he began his work among the people whose addresses I was able to furnish. Thus it was that we found our first entrance among the Croatians. Companies of believers have been organized, especially in the eastern part of this country, as at least an indirect result of this first visit among this nationality.”

A Soldier Nurse

One of our brethren tells his experience in the recent Balkan war. After giving a vivid description of some of its horrors, he says of his own work:—

“Never did the thought of the war strike me so heavily as when I considered the matter of keeping the commandments. From the standpoint of a human being, there was hardly a way out of the difficulty other than to let this part of the truth go and obey man, or, on the other hand, to keep true to God and be ready to die for the truth. He who has never faced such a decision as this cannot imagine the terrible struggle it means, nor the greatness of the blessing which comes to the one who conquers. The question troubled me greatly until the Lord showed me the way I should go. I inquired of the military doctor in the hospital whether I could not serve as a doctor or a nurse, since I once obtained a certificate as a student of medicine, and believed that I could thus render much more effective service at the front. As a position happened to be open, my request was granted. Thus, I was able to go through the whole campaign without carrying arms. During the week I helped nurse the wounded and sick, and on Sabbath I retired to the mountains or into my tent in order to be with the Lord a short time alone.

“My mode of living and missionary work made a good impression on those with whom I came in contact. During our long march, my officers had watched me. They noticed that I not only kept up my strength, but was able to help in the evening with the medical work. I

can only thank God for thus being able to hold out, and no doubt I was greatly helped by living on simple food, eating mostly almonds, figs, nuts, etc., but not touching the fatty foods of the officers. While most of the other men lost greatly in weight during the campaign, I gained four pounds. Often we arrived in villages where the Bulgarians would neither sell nor give us anything to eat, and so we had to go without. But the Lord helped me then also. Once, for instance, I went into a house and asked for some eggs, milk, or cheese, but the people refused. As I was about to go away, the woman asked me if I was a doctor, as I wore the red cross; and on receiving an answer in the affirmative, she led me to her sick child, and I was able to show her by signs how she should treat him. In the same house I bandaged the leg of a wounded man, thus being able to help my enemies, and I was also loaded with food on leaving.

“It soon spread abroad in the army that I was an Adventist; and officers, underofficers, and men came to me and asked me questions about the truth. I could even speak with the captain of our battalion about it. Before I left for home, I obtained a number of subscriptions for our Roumanian paper.

“The results of intemperance and lawlessness in the Roumanian army made themselves especially noticeable by the outbreak of the cholera. Although only a dozen men were killed by bullets, over two thousand men never saw their homes again, being wiped out by this terrible plague. I was able to nurse some of these sick. The illness appears quite suddenly. The day before a man is taken down he seems quite healthy, but all at once terrible pains seize him, causing great distortion. Some die in a few hours; others, with strong constitutions, overcome the epidemic. It requires much self-sacrifice to nurse such cases. Many bring the diseases upon themselves.

“The long-expected return home came at last. The sixty days were very monotonous, because we received no intelligence from home whatever. The moment when we could cast off the military uniform was, therefore, all the more joyful. The privilege of being at liberty and able to breathe freely is one that I shall esteem more highly in the future.

“Not one of our brethren was hurt in this campaign, either by illness or by bullets, each one being able to return home well. Those who remained true to the Sabbath had to suffer blows and prison confinement. Many were cruelly treated. One brother came from the school in Friedensau, and is now ready to return.

“During the war little could be done for the truth; but when everything is in order again, we shall push on, for the prospects are better than ever. Food, rent, and fuel are all more expensive. Living in the Orient is in every way more costly than before, and prices rise every day; but we are trusting in God. From him comes all help, and he will care for his children.”