Diary

December 24, 1886—In early morning we took the cars for Tramelan—Elder Ings and wife and I. Waited one hour at Tavannes, then we were taken in dummy to Tramelan. We had just five seats in the cars, and a small stove. We had just had a heavy snowstorm at Basel, but there had been a greater fall of snow as we neared the mountains. We passed slowly along, and the trees looked very beautiful laden down with pure, fresh snow. Some trees had blown over, one uprooted. I think I never saw anything equal to this for beauty—the tall evergreen trees, their boughs loaded with snow. It is a picture of added loveliness. We have not seen a sight like this in magnitude for very many years. I was back in my girlhood in my native State, 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. We waited at depot some time for conveyance. At length Brother Roth's son came with sleigh for us, and we had the first sleigh ride we have had for years. It was quite mild. We were welcomed by Brother Roth's family, and all was done for us to make us comfortable. In the evening Brother Erzberger spoke to the Germans. Several came in from Chaux-de-Fonds and Lausanne. Friday night we had a heavy fall of snow. At Tavannes wrote to Professor Brownsberger.5MR 25.1

Tramelan, Switzerland, December 25, 1886—There have been meetings this forenoon. Brother Erzberger spoke in the forenoon. The dedicatory discourse fell upon me. I spoke with much freedom in regard to the Temple of Solomon and the sacredness that should be observed by all in a home dedicated to God. They should remember it as a place where God meets with His people, and no angry feelings toward earth should exist in the hearts of the worshipers, for this would shut away the Spirit of God from them. This was a very solemn meeting. In the evening some little attention was given to the children of the Sabbath school. They had exercises and were entertained with recitations of scriptures. In the evening Elder Ings spoke to the people. Wrote several pages to Elder Corliss.5MR 26.1

Tramelan, December 26, 1886—There were meetings in the morning on business. We saw men collecting around some object some little distance from the house on one of the country roads. We were told it was the body of a man who was frozen to death. He started Saturday evening from Tramelan intoxicated and was unable to proceed through the deep snow because of being intoxicated, and lay down and died. He had a mother living. He had been a great grief to that mother, and now there will be mourning for this poor son who died in consequence of strong drink. Sunday afternoon I spoke in a large, commodious hall to about three hundred people. Brother John Vuilleumier interpreted. The audience was attentive and intelligent, and may the Lord bless the word spoken to their good. Tramelan was the place where the truth first found entrance. This was the first church raised up in Switzerland.—Manuscript 72, 1886, 1, 2. (Labors in Switzerland—No. 7. Diary, December 24-31, 1886.)5MR 26.2

Tramelan, Sabbath, May 22, 1886—The church in this place has an interesting Sabbath school. I then [after Sabbath school] spoke to the congregation from Revelation 15:2-4. The Lord gave me freedom in speaking and the Lord did bless the hearers. The room for the meeting was crowded full, and many present were affected to tears.5MR 27.1

In the afternoon there was a social meeting, and many good testimonies were borne. Nearly all present took part in the meeting. I slept but little that night.5MR 27.2

Tramelan, May 23, 1886—We rode out about five miles. The scenery was beautiful. Tramelan abounds in rich pine forest groves. It is mountainous. There is fine pasturage for cattle. Cows seem to be in great abundance here, and in this respect the milk, butter, and cheese must be far superior to that in Basel, where the cattle are mostly tied up in stables, or used as oxen to work the land....5MR 27.3

The master of the house unharnessed our horse and put him in the stall and fed him with grain. He was well acquainted with Oscar Roth, and he told him that he did not want anything more to do with him since he published such things as he did about the Catholics in the French Signs. He said he was greatly offended, and Oscar told him that neither he nor his sister Mary, who was with us, was responsible for these pieces being put in the Signs. He smoothed down after a time and said, “Well, we will talk no more about it. We will talk of something else.” We look upon this as being an interesting little bit of experience.—Manuscript 64, 1886, 5, 6. (“Labors in Switzerland,” No. 5, diary, April 30-May 23, 1886.)5MR 27.4

Released May 11, 1971.