Ellen G. White: The Lonely Years: 1876-1891 (vol. 3)

Return Trip to Switzerland

They took the southbound train, en route to Gothenburg, Sweden. When it became light, at about nine o'clock, she enjoyed what she termed “the romantic scenery.” The trip on the ferry was tempestuous—six hours to Frederickshaven, Denmark (Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 221); then by train south to Germany and across Germany to Basel. They had to change trains and stayed overnight at Cologne (Koln), with little time for sightseeing. She noted in her diary: 3BIO 328.6

Rode all day until seven o'clock, then the cars went no further and we stopped at Cologne. (Give description from guidebook.) We had the privilege of seeing the cathedral which had been many, many years in building. It had been finished only in recent years [1880].—Manuscript 27, 1885. 3BIO 328.7

The incidental reference to the “guidebook” gives a clue as to why at times in her letters and diaries written in Europe there are found quite full descriptions of the historic points, countryside, and cities visited. In making her record complete, she drew from these sources of information. 3BIO 329.1

Back home in Basel she summed up some facts about the tour: 3BIO 329.2

We reached Basel [Thursday] November 19, our homeward journey having occupied four days. We were absent six weeks on this Scandinavian tour, and traveled more than twenty-five hundred miles.... Wherever we went, our people warmly expressed their gratitude for the help which had been sent them and the interest manifested in their behalf by the brethren in America.—Ibid., 225.

Ellen White was weary and worn and would have welcomed a few weeks’ rest, but she found herself immediately involved in plans for another trip, this time to Italy. 3BIO 329.3