Loading…

Ellen G. White in Europe 1885-1887

164/212

Church Dedication at Tramelan

And another milestone had been reached in the work in Europe; the first Seventh-day Adventist church building was ready for dedication in Tramelan, Switzerland.* The structure built by the Roth family for 3,300 francs (US$660) stood in the lot just behind their home. It was tiny, but it was a beginning, and Ellen White was pleased with it. She was invited to be the dedicatory speaker. EGWE 250.1

Early in the morning, the day before Christmas, she took the train out of Basel, accompanied by William and Jennie Ings. The weather was appropriate to the season: EGWE 250.2

“We passed slowly along and the trees looked very beautiful laden down with pure, fresh snow.... I was back in my girlhood in my native state [of Maine] passing through the pine forests and exclaiming with delight at the lovely picture presented, but I had seen nothing to remind me of this scene so thoroughly as this morning. Thirty years ago such scenes were familiar in the state of Maine.”—Manuscript 72, 1886. EGWE 250.3

One of the Roth boys was waiting at the station with another European “first” for Mrs. White—a sleigh ride in the snow to the Roth home. She was delighted with it. Believers had gathered from several Swiss churches for this important occasion, and that night Elder Erzberger addressed the Germans among them. EGWE 250.4

On Sabbath, Christmas Day, Ellen White spoke for the official dedication of the little chapel. Appropriately she took her text from 1 Kings 8, where the dedication of Solomon's Temple is described. EGWE 250.5

“It is true that the company at Tramelan is small ... but the Lord's presence is not confined to numbers.... We are thankful that God has put it into the heart of the Brethren Roth to build this comfortable, neat house for the worship of God.... The first tabernacle, built according to God's directions, was indeed blessed of Him. The people thus were preparing themselves to worship in the temple not made with hands—a temple in the heavens. The stones of the temple built by Solomon were all prepared at the quarry and then brought to the temple site.... Even so, the mighty cleaver of truth has taken out a people from the quarry of the world and is fitting this people, who profess to be the children of God, for a place in His heavenly temple.”—Manuscript 49, 1886. EGWE 251.1

Then she recalled early churches in Battle Creek history: EGWE 251.2

“The first house* built in Battle Creek was only about one third larger than this, and when we entered that building we felt happy. The meetings heretofore had been held in a private house. We all felt poor, but we felt that we must have a place to dedicate to the Lord.... In two years it had to be given up for a larger one.† It was not long before the third had to be built, and then the present one which will seat three thousand persons.... We hope that the Lord will so bless your work that this house will prove too small for you. We expect to see other houses erected by our people and in this our faith will be revealed, for faith without works is dead. This house, so small as it is, is recorded in heaven. I can come to visit you with more courage now than heretofore because the people will see that you mean business.”—Ibid. EGWE 251.3

She went on to talk about reverence in the house of God, and the solemn importance of worship together. She concluded: EGWE 252.1

“Above everything else, be at peace among yourselves ... and from this place may light and truth go out, and work upon the hearts of the people, and then your testimony will be felt. We must weave the principles of truth into our character and thus we can be prepared for the temple of God and be privileged to join in the anthem, Worthy is the Lamb.”—Ibid. EGWE 252.2