In 1874, J. N. Andrews was sent to Switzerland by the General Conference as the first missionary outside the United States of America. It is well to remember those days — the beginning of the work in Switzerland — also marking activity in other countries of Europe. It is good also to be reminded of the life history of that prominent pioneer.
J. N. Andrews was born in Poland, Maine, on July 22, 1829, and already at the age of thirteen he claimed to have found the Saviour. He was a lad of fifteen in 1844 at the time of the great disappointment when the return of Christ was expected, and in 1845, just past sixteen, John began to keep Saturday instead of Sunday as his weekly Sabbath.
After the disappointment of 1844, many of the Adventists became dis- couraged and gave up their faith. A few remained faithful, and formed the nucleus of a new movement. On September 14, 1849, in a public meeting in Paris, Maine, John N. Andrews took his stand with Mr. and Mrs.
James White and Joseph Bates in moving forward in the blessed hope. He entered the work in 185o, at the age of twenty-one, and was ordained three years later on October 29, 1853. He was very active in spite of a frail physical condition, and, although some prophesied that he would die young, he was able to give fully thirty years of active and efficient service to the cause of God. After his ordination in 1853, J. N. Andrews was busier than ever in his public ministry and as a writer. As a result of such an intensive program, his health broke down, and he had to spend some time recuperating on his parents' farm. In 1856 he married Miss Angeline S. Stevens, with whom he lived sixteen years until her death in 1872. Two children, Charles and Mary, survived their mother.
J. N. Andrews took up his ministerial work again in 1859 conducting public meetings in several states of North America. In 1864 he became a member of the New York conference committee, and in 1865 of the General Conference executive committee. He was president of the General Conference from May 14, 1867 to May 8, 1869.
All through his life he loved to study, not only the Bible, but also history, languages, etc. He did not do this for any selfish reason or gratification, but he did it for the benefit of the church. From the beginning he not only applied himself to study but also to writing. He contributed articles regularly for the Review and Herald, and for a short time, from May 1869 to March 1870, he was the editor of this official church paper.
He was especially interested in the study of the Sabbath, and wrote a book on this important subject. Four editions have been printed. The last one was considerably enlarged, and with L. R. Conradi as co-author was published in 1912. It has 864 pages.
After the disappointment of 1844, a new beginning had to be made. It was necessary to define doctrine and establish church policies. Perhaps this is the realm in which J. N. Andrews made his greatest contribution. He studied and proved the time of the beginning and close of the Sabbath.
He gave study to the teaching of the Scriptures on the support of the ministry, and as a result the plan of Systematic Benevolence was adopted. In 1878 he served on the committee that recommended the tithing system.
The question of church organization was a delicate problem in those early days as some Seventh-day Adventists were opposed to all forms of church organization. Without an organization a church could not legally hold property, so J. N. Andrews overcame that difficulty by recommending, not a legal church organization, but a legal business organization.
Anyhow, the Advent Movement did become a church organization, and J. N. Andrews was chairman of a three-man committee to suggest a name for the denomination (1860), also chairman of a committee to draft a constitution and bylaws for the central organization of the church (1863). During the Civil War in the United States he represented the church in Washington, explaining to the government why Adventists believe that participation in war is contrary to Christian principles.
This opened the way for Seventh-day Adventists to apply for noncombatant service. He was a capable theologian, and was interested in all the doctrines of the denomination, writing articles and tracts to propagate these precious truths according to the teachings of the Bible.
But we come now to the turning point in the life of J. N. Andrews. The time had come for present truth to go beyond the borders of North America. The first effort in this direction was made by a Polish ex- Catholic priest, M. B. Czechowski, who had joined the Seventh-day Adventist church in 1857 in North America. He longed to proclaim the blessed hope to the inhabitants of Europe. That became possible in 1864 through the help of the First-day Adventists.
He first went to Italy, spending some time in the Waldensian valleys, explaining the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation wherever he had opportunity to do so. In September 1865 he proceeded to Switzerland, stopping first in Grandson in the French-speaking part of the country. As a result of his activities in that section and further north people accepted the Adventist doctrines. Baptismal services took place, and the first Seventh-day Adventist church in Europe was organized in Tramelan in 1867. Czechowski's work in Switzerland closed in 1868.
Some of the converts found the Review and Herald of July 16, 1867, in Czechowski's room in Tramelan, and through the reading of this paper they learned of the denomination in North America. The church elder, Albert Vuilleumier, sent a letter to Uriah Smith and established contact with the General Conference. The leaders in Battle Creek invited the Swiss brethren to send a representative to the General Conference session of May 1869, and James Erzberger was sent.
Though he arrived too late for the session, he remained there from June 1869 till September 1870. A little later Adhemar Vuilleumier was also sent to America. Through these contacts the General Conference was asked to send a missionary to Europe. J. N. Andrews was chosen, and he arrived in Neuchatel on October 16, 1874. We note that this took place five years after James Erzberger went to Battle Creek in 1869.
No doubt the General Conference considered this question most thoroughly before taking action. Albert Vuilleumier attended the General Conference session in the spring of 1873, and he must have emphasized the need to send help to Europe without delay as the time had come for action. In the Review and Herald of August 26, 1873, James White stated in an article:
"We must send men to Europe to establish the work there. The brethren in Switzerland have been calling and are still waiting for help. And we suggest that Elder J. N. Andrews should be spared to accompany Brother Vuilleumier to Europe this fall."
In August 1874 the General Conference session voted to send Elder Andrews to Europe, and he sailed from Boston on September 15 with his son Charles and daughter Mary. Adhemar Vuilleumier returned to Europe on the same boat.
It was quite a venture to send this rather frail 45-year old minister to Europe. He was a widower, but his two children accompanied him. In a letter written August 29, 1878, to the "Dear Brethren in Switzerland", Mrs. E. G. White said, referring to J. N. Andrews: "We sent you the ablest man in all our ranks."
This pioneer missionary went to work immediately after his arrival. A general meeting of the believers was held on November 1, 1874, at Neuchatel. Another meeting was held two weeks later at Le Lode, where the urgent need for publications was considered. Funds were raised for that purpose, and a committee appointed to take the oversight of the work for the ensuing year. A more important meeting was held in La Chaux-de-Fonds in January 1875.
J. N. Andrews was very active from the start, and led out in a strong way. He had found that the work in Switzerland had made a good start, and under his leadership it grew considerably.
He lived first in La Coudre, near Neuchatel, and on the arrival of D. T. Bordeau and family from Amer- ica in January 1876, both families moved to Le Lode. In April 1876 J. N. Andrews moved to Basle, and that became the headquarters of the work in Europe for many years. His paramount purpose was writing and publishing, and here from Basle he launched the monthly periodical Les Signes des Temps, the first number bearing the date of July 1876. This paper was to be the means of taking the message to all the French-speaking parts of Europe, and it was circulated with encouraging results in France and Switzerland.
Besides keeping very busy writing for the paper and supervising its publication, J. N. Andrews also did considerable field work, visiting the churches and companies in Switzerland, and the early believers in Germany, France and Italy. He attended meetings in England and went to the General Conference session in America in 1878. While there he had the great sorrow of the death of his daughter Mary, just 17 years of age.
He returned to Switzerland about a year later, and continued his work in spite of impaired health. He had been warned several times by Dr. Kellogg that he was in danger of getting tuberculosis, and he gradually grew weaker. He died in Basle, on October 23, 1883, and is buried in this town. He had truly been a man of God, serving the Lord with much devotion.
Both J. N. Andrews and his children were diligent in their study of both French and German, and it has been estimated that he wrote no fewer than 48o articles for Les Signes des Temps while he was publishing it.
Considering all circumstances, it is marvelous what J. N. Andrews achieved in Europe from the time of his arrival in 1874 up to 1883 when he died. Only nine short years, realizing at the same time that he was in poor health and had no proper home life, as he lived alone with his two children. When he was in the States in 1878/79 he was counseled to find a good wife before returning to Switzerland, but he felt that he could not forget his deceased companion.
His son, Charles, married a Swiss girl, Marie Dietschy, while they lived in Switzerland. He continued to serve the cause after returning to North America, and died in 1927. He had a son, Dr. J. N. Andrews, who many years ago served as a medical missionary on the borders of Tibet. He is still practicing medicine in America.
Thus the good work of this pioneer missionary has been carried on in the family. His story has never ceased to stimulate the imagination of Seventh-day Adventists, and his name has become the imperishable symbol of sacrificial devotion to the cause of Foreign Missions. May his example stir our hearts and minds to greater endeavor and zeal for the quick finishing of the work.
(*Photo Credits: Adventist Archives)
(Quaterly Review was the organ of the Southern European Division of the General Conference od S.D.A. - December 1964)
