Across Germany's countryside
As Ellen White's party left Norway they witnessed one of nature's grandest spectacles--a northern sunset. Mrs. White loved the beauty of the natural world. To her, nature was God's second book. She was awed by the grandeur:
"We were favored with a sight of the most glorious sunset it was ever my privilege to behold. Language is inadequate to picture its beauty. The last beams of the setting sun, silver and gold, purple, amber, and crimson, shed their glories athwart the sky, growing brighter and brighter, rising higher and higher in the heavens, until it seemed that the gates of the city of God had been left ajar, and gleams of the inner glory were flashing through. For two hours the wondrous splendor continued to light up the cold northern sky,--a picture painted by the great Master-Artist upon the shifting canvas of the heavens. Like the smile of God it seemed, above all earthly homes, above the rock-bound plains, the rugged mountains, the lonely forests, through which our journey lay.
"Angels of mercy seemed whispering, 'Look up. This glory is but a gleam of the light which flows from the throne of God. Live not for earth alone. Look up, and behold by faith the mansions of the heavenly home.' This scene was to me as the bow of promise to Noah, enabling me to grasp the assurance of God's unfailing care, and to look forward to
the haven of rest awaiting the faithful worker. Ever since that time I have felt that God granted us this token of His love for our encouragement. Never while memory lingers can I forget that vision of beauty, and the comfort and peace it brought."--Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 220, 221.
But she and Miss McEnterfer were not long to enjoy such tranquil scenes as the glorious sunset in Scandinavia. Boarding a small passenger boat at Goteborg, Sweden, they began a six-hour crossing of the channel to Denmark.
A Dangerous Crossing
At first the weather was pleasant, the sea calm. Mrs. White enjoyed two quiet and restful hours in the ladies' lounge relaxing.
"But soon the captain, passing through the cabin, advised us to go below and lie down at once, for we were coming into rough water. We complied, though rather unwillingly. In a short time the boat began to rock violently; we could hardly keep our position upon the sofas.... The waters seemed lashed into fury by the merciless winds. The boat was wrenching and creaking as if going to pieces.... As I lay helpless and exhausted, with closed eyes and ashen face, Sister McEnterfer feared that I was dead. She was herself unable to leave her sofa, but from time to time she called my name to assure herself that I was still living.
"Death seemed very near; but I felt that I could cling, with the firm grasp of faith, to the hand of Jesus. He who holds the waters in the hollow of His hand could keep us in the tempest.... The lesson of trust I learned during those few hours was very precious. I have found that every trial of life is given to teach me a new lesson of my own dependence, and of trust in my heavenly Father. We may believe that God is with us in every place, and in every trying hour we may hold fast that hand which has all power.
"At 3 p.m. we arrived in Frederickshaven, and were glad to step off the boat, and to feel solid ground again beneath our feet."--Ibid., 221.
At Frederickshaven they exchanged the violent tossing and pitching of the channel boat for "the gentle, gliding motion of the train." Settled in their compartment, they were soon fast asleep.
At the German Border
The next incident in a series of travel experiences aroused Mrs. White's inborn sense of humor and must have made her smile whenever she thought about it in later years:
"We were sleeping soundly when at three in the morning the cars stopped, and the guard informed us that we had reached the borders of Germany, and must all pass through the custom-house. It was bitterly cold, and Bro. Kellogg went to the officers and asked permission for the ladies to remain in the car, stating that one of them was ill, and must not be disturbed. But no, nothing would avail; sick or well, we must all appear for inspection. Two officials came to the car door, and the other ladies of the party at once started to leave the car, but they had only stepped on the platform when the officers said. 'That is enough; you can go back.'
"But they were not fully satisfied about the reputed sick woman. As I lay covered with shawls and blankets, they evidently suspected that I might be a bundle of dry goods which our party were trying to smuggle into Germany. As the officers again came to the door, flashing the bright light of their lanterns into the compartment, I quickly sat up and said, 'Here I am, gentlemen, please look, and see that I am a living woman.' I do not know whether they understood my words, but they burst into a hearty laugh, said in German, 'All right,' and left us to compose ourselves to sleep again if we could after this untimely interruption."--Ibid., 222.
The journey across Germany's countryside and through her historical cities intensified Ellen White's interest in European Reformation history. As she traveled south to Switzerland through the Rhineland she was quick to observe important historical places such as Cologne and Worms. She was also alert to "learn something of the habits and customs of the people," which intrigued her.
Impressions at Cologne
Finally Mrs. White's train brought her to Cologne, arriving at 8:00 P.M. Her hotel was only a short distance from the cathedral.
"We had a good view of it by moonlight. This is said to be* the most magnificent Gothic edifice in the world. It is built ... in the form of a cross, is 444 feet long, and has two towers each 512 feet high, the loftiest in Europe."--Ibid.
But the city itself held far greater interest for the Lord's servant than the grand cathedral. She wrote:
"Hither came Tyndale from Hamburg, to complete the printing of the New Testament, hoping to find here better opportunities for sending the work, when finished, to England. He had not, however, proceeded far in his labors, when his secret was betrayed, and he escaped from the city only in time to save his printed sheets from falling into the hands of the papists. A little boat conveyed him and his precious wares up the Rhine--along the very route which we are to take--to Worms. There he completed his great work, and England for the first time received the Bible printed in the language of the people."--Ibid., 222, 223. See also The Great Controversy, 245-248.
Tyndale had received the gospel from Erasmus' Greek New Testament. He then began to preach his convictions.
To the papist claim that the church had given the Bible, and the church alone could explain it, Tyndale responded:
"Do you know who taught the eagles to find their prey? Well, that same God teaches His hungry children to find their Father in His word. Far from having given us the Scriptures, it is you who have hidden them from us; it is you who burn those who teach them, and if you could, you would burn the Scriptures themselves."--D'Aubigne, History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, b. 18, ch. 4.
The trip by train along the banks of the picturesque Rhine River took the party through the towns of Bingen and Meyence, as well as the cities of Cologne and Worms, and left the wide-eyed visitors all aglow with admiration.
"About noon we passed through Worms, the quaint old town which Luther has inseparably linked with the history of the Reformation,* and from which went forth Tyndale's Bible, the most powerful agent in the Reformation of England."--Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 225. See also The Great Controversy, 145-170.
Finally, on November 19, after four days along the return route, Mrs. White and her traveling companions reached Basel. She had been gone six weeks and traveled more than 2,500 miles.
Two Meaningful Observations
As Ellen White reviewed her first major thrust into the continental fields of the European missions, she made two meaningful observations.
First, though she spoke in English and through many translators, her messages were welcomed and received with enthusiasm by her many audiences.
"In all the meetings in Scandinavia as in Switzerland, my sermons were spoken in English, and translated sentence by sentence into the language of the people. Although this was hard work for the speaker, yet the interest of the hearers was sufficient encouragement, it being equal to that of any congregations we have seen in America. On some occasions some who could not find seats would stand for one hour without any sign of weariness."--Ibid.
If any real prejudice existed against the woman messenger and prophet from America, it did not appear among those who actually heard her speak. They accepted her as an honest woman who believed that she was led by the Lord in her unique ministry. And the Adventists shared this view.
Second, not only were her messages received by Seventh-day Adventists as instruction from the Lord but gratitude and appreciation were often expressed for her efforts:
"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. In the social meetings nearly all spoke with deep feeling of their sorrow that we could not understand each other's speech. They knew that this barrier was the result of sin, and they looked forward with earnest expectation to the time when there would be nothing to prevent our communion with one another."--Ibid.