From Canada to Lake Geneva
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. In 1895, with his wife and two young daughters, he went to Basel, headquarters of the Adventists in Europe. With his help, the Institut Sanitaire was first established in Basel and opened in early 1896. Linked to this institute, there was also a healthy food factory and a nursing school for men and women.
“In 1904, a 35-hectare property was acquired on the shores of Lake Geneva in La Lignière, Vaud, halfway between Lausanne and Geneva. Some of the buildings on the property were quickly fitted out to meet immediate needs, and it was possible to move the medical institute and nursing school from Basel to Gland in June 1905. Dr. De Forest retained his responsibilities, but as he was a foreigner without a Swiss diploma, another doctor was legally in charge. The Gland institution took the name “Sanatorium du Léman”.
(according to an article in the Seventh-Day Adventist Encyclopedia.
Together with the PHAG factory, it belonged to the Société Philanthropique de La Lignière.
De Forest is considered the pioneer of Adventist sanitary reform in Europe.
The PHAG plant
When it moved from Basel to Gland in 1905, the healthy food factory was named PHAG. It originally stood for Produits Hygiéniques Alimentaires Gland. The term “hygienic” was quickly replaced by “dietetic”. It was Europe’s first health food factory.
Tranche PHAG, Sojanelle and PHAG Arôme delighted the taste buds of many of us.
Initially, production was limited to oat flour and oat cookies. She later became a distributor of Kellogg’s specialties, Granose cookies and cereal flakes.
This institution worked under the direct supervision of the Eurafrican Division. In the meantime, PHAG ceased operations and was sold in 1994.
Birth of Adventist Youth
When the General Conference met in Gland in 1907, it decided to create a department specifically for young people. The aim of this department was to train young people in the good news of the gospel and encourage them to give their lives to Jesus Christ in service.
Practical info
Adventist Church:
La Lignière 12, 1196 Gland
https://adventistegland.ch/
Clinique de La Lignière :
La Lignière 5, 1196 Gland
https://www.la-ligniere.ch/
Center d’hébergement La Plage (de La Lignière) :
La Dullive 2, 1196 Gland
http://www.laplagegland.ch/
Tourist office :
myswitzerland.com
To find out more :
Seventh-Day Adventist Encyclopedia
24Heures newspaper
Adventist Archives
