Early Labors of Czechowski

The little city of Torre Pellice was the first place M. B. Czechowski entered when he arrived in Europe in 1864 as an unofficial missionary. There he led Jean David Geymet and Catherine Revel to a knowledge of the third angel's message. They were the first SDA converts in Europe.EGWE 138.1

Brother Geymet describes his experience with the zealous Czechowski in the Revue Adventiste of May 1, 1922:EGWE 138.2

“In 1863 on leaving my work one evening in a silk factory in Torre Pellice, in the Piedmont Valley in Italy, I saw a small group of people on the main road in front of a store.... In the middle of the group was a man with a long beard and a little stick explaining the prophecy of Daniel 2 with the help of a prophetic chart. It was Mr. M. B. Czechowski.”EGWE 138.3

“As far as I was concerned I didn't belong to any church, and I had had no religious instruction. I was won to this truth as soon as I heard it, and thus became the first Seventh-day Adventist (with Sister C. Revel) as far as date is concerned.”—The Review and Herald, December 27, 1973, p. 20.EGWE 138.4

Geymet and Czechowski and later heralds of the Advent in those Waldensian valleys, like the Bourdeau brothers, must have hoped that they could lead some of these Bible-loving people to the full light of the “present truth.” Doubtless they succeeded to some extent, but the harvest from those valleys was not yet ripe. Mrs. White wrote prophetically:EGWE 138.5

“There will be many, even in these valleys, where the work seems to start with such difficulty, who will recognize the voice of God speaking to them through His word, and, coming out from under the influence of the clergy, will take their stand for God and the truth.EGWE 138.6

“This field is not an easy one in which to labor, nor is it one which will show immediate results; but there is an honest people here who will obey in time. The persecutions which their fathers endured have made them apathetic and close-mouthed, and they look upon strangers and strange doctrines with suspicion. “But the miracle of God's mercy, working with man's human effort, will yet cause the truth to triumph upon the very soil where so many have died to defend it. Knowledge will be increased, faith and courage will revive, and the truth will shine as the light of the morning all through these valleys. The old battle field will yet be the scene of victories now unseen, and the adoption of Bible truth will vindicate the past fidelity of their fathers.”—Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 249.EGWE 138.7

Geymet was like Zacchaeus, small of stature but honest in heart, a man with unbounded energy, and destined to be a leader in the publishing ministry of the church. E. Naenny, prominent in the publishing work in the Euro-Africa Division, recently wrote about this pioneer and Czechowski, his mentor:EGWE 139.1

“Brother Geymet devoted himself to the spreading of the gospel. He accompanied Brother Czechowski in Switzerland in 1866, where he helped him in his evangelistic labors, in publicity, and in building, earning his livelihood in between times.EGWE 139.2

“In 1867 Czechowski built a house in St. Blaise, Switzerland, and set up a print shop and founded the journal The Everlasting Gospel with J. D. Geymet and Ludomir Czechowski as the printers, and Anna de Prato as the editor. Unfortunately, lack of funds forced the journal to be discontinued after only two years. During his stay in Tramelan, Switzerland, he translated Daniel and the Revelation by Uriah Smith into French (it was never published). After 1870 he spent a number of years in the Piedmont, where he married Theresa Trombotto.EGWE 139.3

“In 1877 J. N. Andrews visited the Waldensian valleys ‘and made such an impression on my wife that she cried when she heard of his death,’ Geymet wrote.EGWE 139.4

“During the winter of 1884-1885 D. T. Bourdeau, an American minister, and Albert Vuilleumier, a Swiss, gave public lectures. Among those who were baptized was the wife of J. D. Geymet. Shortly afterward a church ... was established in Torre Pellice.EGWE 139.5

“In 1885 Ellen G. White ... visited the Waldensian Valley, a visit that had a decisive influence upon Brother Geymet and his choice of a future vocation. He became a book evangelist^{*After he was 75 years of age he would walk ten or twelve miles a day to place his precious books in the homes of interested readers. When he was 80 years old he wrote a message in the Revue Adventiste, including this challenging paragraph which has meaning today: “I cannot conceive of how a true Adventist can remain inactive and silent about the second coming of Jesus Christ, and not impart this happy hope to the hearts of his fellow men.” (See The Review and Herald, December 27, 1973.)} about 1886.”—Ibid., December 27, 1973.EGWE 139.6