Ellen G. White in Europe 1885-1887

Tour of the Swiss Churches

On Monday morning, May 3, Ellen White returned to her home in the publishing house in Basel, but not for long. In less than three weeks she was off again on a tour of the Swiss churches. EGWE 187.2

If Ellen White had once believed that her work in Europe would be finished in a few months, all thoughts of a short stay were banished by now. She knew that there was work enough to keep her busy for a long time. She wrote to her eldest son, Edson,^* and his wife, Emma, saying, “I can tell you, children, that there is not much chance for idleness here. Everyone has all that he can possibly do. I can see no way to leave here until one year from now”—Manuscript 54, 1886. EGWE 187.3

While their objective was Tramelan, there were other Swiss churches to visit on this trip. And so it was on Thursday. May 20, Ellen White took her new carriage and her horse, Dolly, and with Willie, Sara McEnterfer, and John Vuilleumier set off to visit Tramelan, where the first SDA meetinghouse in all of Europe was soon to be built. EGWE 187.4

She had traveled through this area by train and decided the scenery was equal to that of Colorado, but when seen from an open carriage the view was even more breathtaking, perhaps because more time was allowed to take in the scene. She declared that the view far exceeded anything she had ever seen. “No one can tell what Switzerland is unless they have traveled over the road by horse and carriage,” she added (Letter 78, 1886). EGWE 188.1