Organization of the Work in Europe

It was in Switzerland that J. N. Andrews began his work when sent to Europe in late 1874, and here he started to publish as he was learning the French language. He died in Basel in 1883, and was buried there. In the late 1870s literature from America reached the northern countries. In various places the minds of individuals, in one way or another, were called to the Sabbath truth, and workers were sent to augment Andrews’ work. The interests of the church stretched out to France, Germany, Italy, and Romania, and companies of believers emerged. With minimal steps in organization, what came to be known as the Central European Mission developed. Work begun in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden culminated rather quickly in what were designated as the Norway and Denmark conferences; in England the work was known as the British Mission.3BIO 296.1

At a meeting attended by S. N. Haskell in Switzerland in 1882, the several emerging units were bound together in a parent organization known as the European Missionary Council. Each of the local organizations was managed by committees; the chairman of each was an ex-officio member of the European Missionary Council, which met annually.3BIO 296.2

In 1884 George I. Butler attended the second annual meeting of the European Missionary Council, held in Basel. At that time the loosely organized Central European Mission, the largest and strongest of the four local organizations in Europe, became the Swiss Conference. Organizational plans were perfected, and the decision was made to erect a publishing house in Basel. It was at this meeting that the invitation was extended for Ellen G. White to visit Europe and for W. C. White to aid in establishing the publishing business. Now the building was built, and Ellen White and her son were there for the first general meetings to be held in the publishing house chapel—first the Swiss Conference, scheduled to meet in session from September 10 to 14, and then the European Missionary Council, to open September 14.3BIO 296.3