The polyglot printer,
the magazine Signe des temps and
John N. Andrews
On September 15, 1874, John Nevin Andrews left New York (USA) for Neuchâtel (Switzerland). He thus became the first official missionary to cross the ocean for the 7th Day Adventist Church. Accompanying him were his son Charles (16) and daughter Mary (12), and Ademar Vuilleumier, a Swiss Sabbat watcher.
But he soon moved to Basel, where he founded the Polyglotte printing house.
From Basel, missionary work spread to the four cardinal points: Germany and Norway, France, Italy and Romania. Indeed, the Polyglotte printing house published not only the magazine Signes des Temps from July 1876, but also, from 1882, the German-language Herold der Wahrheit, the Italian-language L’Ultimo Messaggio and the Romanian-language Adeverulu Present.
John Andrews faced a number of challenges – a different language and culture, new relationships, misunderstanding on the part of the officials who had sent him – which prevented him from quickly becoming financially independent.
The fact that in Battle Creek, the General Conference didn’t understand the huge cultural gap and the need to adapt to the local reality clearly complicated John’s work. He suffered from poverty, deep anguish and anxiety, which greatly threatened his health.
In 1878, John’s daughter Mary died of tuberculosis. He himself declined, and by 1879 was bedridden most of the time. He then dictated his letters and articles, which were published in English, French, German and Italian. He died in 1883. He is 54 years old.
He persevered for nine years and succeeded in establishing a lasting missionary publication and community, a solid church.
A nursing school,
a food and beverage factory
Perry A. De Forest
Canadian-born Perry Alfred De Forest joined the Adventists in 1887, under the influence of his uncle, evangelist George Albert King. After training as a nurse in Battle Creek, Michigan, he studied medicine at the University of Cincinnati. He worked with John Harvey Kellog until 1895.
That year, with his wife and two young daughters, he moved to Basel, headquarters of the Adventists in Europe. With his help, the Institut Sanitaire opened in early 1896.
Linked to this institute was a healthy food factory and a nursing school for men and women.
Find out more about Perry Alfred De Forest on the La Lignière page.
The Swiss army: a source of spiritual inspiration for Ellen G. White
The windows of the Polyglotte printing works overlooked a Swiss army training ground.
Over the seasons, Ellen G. White has observed a variety of exercises: tent erection and dismantling, cannon positioning, ambulances and first aid. How many gestures are repeated over and over again, until they become effective reflexes.
She will use it as a chapter in her book Gospel Workers which ends as follows:
” [Les soldats] are trained to charge against the enemy and perform all kinds of maneuvers. And so the drill goes on, preparing men for any emergency situation. And should those leading the battle for Prince Emmanuel be any less serious and meticulous in their preparation for spiritual combat? Those who commit themselves to this great work must take part in the necessary exercise. They must learn to obey before they are fit to command.”
Practical info
Adventist Church:
Rümelinbachweg 60, 4054 Basel.
https://basel.adventisten.ch/
Tomb of J.N. Andrews:
Wollf-Gottesacker cemetery, sector 50, plot 105.
Address: Wolfgottesacker, Münchensteinerstrasse 99, 4052 Basel.
Tourist office :
https://www.basel.com/
To find out more :
Seventh-Day Adventist Encyclopedia
Adventist Archives
