J. N. Andrews usually stands for one thing to Seventh-day Adventists. He was the first Seventh-day Adventist missionary, traveling to Western Europe in 1874, there to establish the work in Switzerland. But we must not forget that he was also the author of the historic book, History of the Sabbath. And few of us know J. N. Andrews as the third president of the General Conference, from May 14, 1867, to May 18, 1869. But such he was, preceded only by John Byington and James White. The literary giant and deep scholar was also at one time the editor of our venerable church paper, the Review and Herald. Though he lived only 54 years, he distinguished himself as one of the best writers we have ever had. He was closely associated with Elder and Mrs. James White in the pioneer leadership and evangelistic work of the infant church.APBP 4.2

Andrews built strongly in his pioneering service in Western Europe. In many ways he was qualified for mission work. In other ways he would have done better in the homeland. Nevertheless God used him to gather together scattered Sabbath-keeping companies in England and on the Continent, and to organize the work with headquarters in Basle, Switzerland. He died in the harness, a sacrificing missionary pioneer.APBP 4.3

See: Footprints of the Pioneers, pp. 91-98; Pioneer Stories Retold, pp. 101-114.APBP 4.4

A Story About John N. Andrews

When he was a youth, J. N. Andrews wanted to be a congressman in Washington, D. C. He dreamed about his future, and judging from his budding intellectual strength and his literary qualities, he might have been successful. His Uncle Charles was a congressman and a man of political importance in Maine, but God had larger plans for John.APBP 4.5

In the spring of 1844 a tract came into the hands of a family in Paris, Maine, named Stowell. This tract was a reprint of an article that appeared in a Portland Adventist paper known as The Hope of Israel. The burden of this tract was to convince people that the seventh day was the Christian Sabbath and should be observed instead of Sunday. Stowell took the tract and laid it aside, but his fifteen-year-old daughter Marian picked it up and read it. She was convinced. So was her brother Oswald after he read it. Then Marian shared the tract with John Andrews, then only fifteen years of age. He read it, brought it back to her, and asked, “Have your father and mother read this?”APBP 4.6

“No,” said Marian, “but I have, and found that we are not keeping the right Sabbath. What do you think, John?”APBP 4.7

“I think the seventh day is the Sabbath. And if you and I think that, Marian, we must keep it.”APBP 4.8

“Of course. Brother Oswald and I kept last Sabbath. We’ll be glad to have you join us. But you take Elder Preble’s tract to your father and mother to read.”APBP 4.9

“All right.” The senior Andrews read it, then brought it back to the Stowells. And both families kept the next Sabbath, meeting for the service in one of their rooms.APBP 4.10

Well, if that tract hadn’t intervened, John Nevins Andrews might have never become a great author, religious leader, and missionary.APBP 4.11

Soon after he accepted the truth advocated by the Sabbath-keeping Adventists, young John had a strange experience. In Paris, where he lived, were a group of fanatics who sowed the seeds of discord among the Sabbath-keeping Christians. The presence of these fanatics was so troublesome that no meetings were held for a year and a half. But after a while a meeting was announced and the leaders of the church attended. At this meeting the fanatics were routed. The power of God descended, somewhat as it did on the day of Pentecost. Parents confessed to their children, children to their parents and to one another. Brother J. N. Andrews, with deep feeling, exclaimed, “I would exchange a thousand errors for one truth.”APBP 5.1

At this service this young man reached a point of decision that cast the die for his whole future life. He threw himself into the work of giving the message that he had learned to love. All the rest of his life he lived to foster the interests of God’s kingdom. What an example for us!APBP 5.2

JOSEPH BATES

GOODLOE HARPER BELL