OBSTACLES TO BE ENCOUNTERED

But there are other considerations of even deeper interest and importance as relating to the character of the work which must be done in order to a successful presentation of the truth in these countries. It may not be out of place here, or lacking in interest to the reader, to refer to the moral and religious condition of the people in these countries; and we will speak of these points with respect to the obstacles which they present.HSFM 14.4

One of the characteristics the most generally remarked among all these nations of continental Europe, is that of aversion to change or innovation in the habits and customs of the common people. The sudden political changes and spasmodic revolutions which have characterized in particular the history of France and Spain constitute no real exception to this remark, as these relate rather to the political character of the nation than to the habits of the people. In general, the people follow the customs of their ancestors, and are content to do this without desire of change. Without doubt it is true that many of the more progressive minds, those who have been more willing to change and to adopt new and improved ideas, witnessing the tendency to maintain the conservative customs of other years, have left their native land in search of more congenial society in which to gratify their desire for change and improvement. The result of this has been to leave more to the quiet of its undisturbed routine the general tenor of the common thought, so that the people have been slow to imbibe the spirit of change and of progress so marked in the New World during the present century.HSFM 14.5

If the common habits and customs of the people, so far as relates to their every-day life, have remained fixed and unchanged, much more has this tendency been prevalent in regard to their religious faith. The people pride themselves on the fact that their faith is of ancient date; the more ancient the more honorable. They are content to believe as their fathers believed, and are satisfied with the religious customs which their fathers practiced. Indeed, with the masses, religion consists more in formality, the practice of exterior observances, than in the real change of heart, and the living operation of the Spirit of God. In addition to this, the people are in general very ignorant of the Scriptures. This among certain classes arises not so much from the fact that they do not have the Scriptures, and do not read them, as from the fact that this is done mechanically, as is all their religious service in a great measure, so that while they read the Bible they receive no new ideas from its sacred teachings. Thousands of people are destitute of the word of God, and in order to receive its truths, have to be taught its very first principles, even as one would teach those who have not had the privileges of the gospel.HSFM 15.1

It will be seen that all these circumstances conspire to make the work in general among these nations slow and difficult. The people have to be educated from the beginning; and when it comes to the question of introducing religious duties, and obedience to the word of God which demands sacrifice, self-denial, and the breaking away from long-established customs, it requires no small effort to lead them to do this. When men have been educated for long years to believe that all that is necessary to constitute them Christians is to follow the form of the church, and to profess faith in Christ without any special or any real exercise in Christian experience, it is indeed no small task to lead them to accept and live out the practical truths of the third angel’s message.HSFM 15.2

Assuredly we would not be understood as representing that there are no exceptions to the prevailing conditions which we have mentioned above; for that there are such exceptions the history of the work even to the present time has abundantly demonstrated. There are honest souls who know what a true Christian experience is, and who, walking according to the best light they have received, are anxiously desirous of a better knowledge of the will of God, and knowing it, they are willing to obey it at any sacrifice. It is such that the message will search out. They will be found here and there among the nations, and, receiving and obeying the light, they will be prepared to meet our Lord when he shall return to gather his chosen ones; but under the conditions we have described, it will naturally be much more difficult to accomplish the work among these nations than in those localities where the general conditions of the people are more favorable.HSFM 15.3

Such, in general, was the field which presented itself before Bro. Andrews on his arrival in Switzerland to under-take the work to which he had been assigned. Unacquainted with the languages of the people for whom he came to labor, it was indeed a task requiring no small degree of courage and faith in God to undertake. Already advanced in years, the acquisition of the languages to such an extent as to be able to do public and literary work in preaching and editing was of itself a serious undertaking; but Eld. Andrews applied himself to this work with that diligence and perseverance for which his former studious habits had given him an eminent qualification.HSFM 15.4

During the early months of his stay in Switzerland he devoted himself principally to the study of the French language, in the meantime visiting the various companies of Sabbath-keepers, and speaking to them by interpretation. With a view to giving greater publicity to his work, and at the same time to ascertain, if possible, if there were others, of whom he had as yet no knowledge, who were already observing the Sabbath of the Lord, he began to advertise in some of the most widely circulated papers of Central Europe. In these advertisements he invited correspondence on the part of those who were either observing the Bible Sabbath or desirous to investigate its obligations. He hoped by this means, while laboring to organize the work among the limited number with whom he was directly associated, and enlisting them in more active efforts to carry the truth to others, to extend his acquaintance, and thus prepare the way for a broader work to be accomplished.HSFM 16.1