Participants:
Series Code: LIN
Program Code: LIN000015A
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00:17 Michal Czechowski is an interesting character
00:19 who tends to divide opinion. 00:22 He was educated for the priesthood 00:23 in his native Poland. 00:25 Perhaps to flee the country 00:26 on the back of a hate covered wagon 00:29 because the monastery that he was a part of 00:31 had gotten involved in national politics. 00:33 He was later imprisoned in Rome, 00:36 then was in exile in France for three years 00:38 before he came here to Switzerland, 00:40 where he renounced the priesthood, got married 00:42 and then headed across 00:44 to the United States of America. 00:46 There he converted first to Protestantism 00:48 and then later on in Findlay, Ohio, to Adventism. 00:57 Having a ex Catholic priest amongst the church 01:00 attracted a lot of attention 01:01 and frequent mentions in the Review and Herald. 01:04 He worked near the Canadian border 01:06 with the French settlers before moving to New York City, 01:10 where he worked with the French, 01:11 Hungarians, Italians, Poles and Swedes 01:14 and raised a congregation in Brooklyn. 01:17 James White found him 01:19 a difficult person to work with, 01:20 a stubborn character 01:22 who liked to march to the beat of his own drum. 01:30 He longed to go back to Europe, though, 01:32 and pleaded unsuccessfully with the brethren to send him. 01:35 He was seen as being too rash, 01:37 sometimes difficult to work with 01:39 and not good at handling money. 01:42 He received several letters from Ellen White 01:44 that both commended him and counseled him. 01:46 She urged him not to mark out his own course, 01:49 but to wait for the council of the brethren. 01:56 Soon after this, he went to a camp meeting 01:59 organized by the Advent Christian Church 02:01 and told them of his desire to go back to Europe, 02:04 and they agreed to sponsor him. 02:06 In 1864, he came over and went to northern Italy, 02:10 where he worked near Torre Pellice for 14 months. 02:14 He then came here to Switzerland, 02:15 where he worked for about three years 02:17 and baptized around 40 believers. 02:20 He raised up several churches, 02:22 the main one being here in Tramelan. 02:25 It was organized in 1867 02:28 and is the first Sabbath keeping Adventist Church 02:31 that was organized outside of North America. 02:38 However, Czechowski had not told the new believers 02:41 that they were part of a larger church 02:43 in North America. 02:45 But one of the believers here in Tramelan found a copy 02:47 of the Review and Herald in Czechowski belongings 02:51 and began correspondence with the church in America. 02:54 The first letter that he sent 02:56 was simply addressed Adventists, Battle Creek. 02:59 And as they began correspondence, 03:01 it caused much joy to the church in America 03:04 to hear of the Sabbath keeping Adventists 03:06 in far away Switzerland. 03:13 He would later run into financial difficulties, 03:16 both with the press that he had mortgaged 03:18 and with the Advent Christian Church, 03:20 who eventually found out that 03:22 while they were sponsoring him, 03:24 he was evangelizing with a different message 03:26 to the one that they held to 03:27 and the sponsorship was dropped. 03:29 He would go on to work in France, Germany, Hungary, 03:33 and then in Romania, 03:34 where he raised up another group of converts. 03:37 He died of exhaustion at the age of 57 in 1876. 03:48 His legacy is a mixed one. 03:50 Many of his converts were of the highest quality 03:53 who will go on to make a significant impact 03:56 in the church in Europe. 03:58 He was a hard worker 03:59 who preached the gospel in new places, 04:02 but he had some administrative flaws 04:04 and character flaws 04:06 that left their mark on the work 04:08 and those he came in contact with. 04:11 God did bless his preaching, 04:13 but the story of his life poses the question, what if? 04:18 May we listen to the counsel of our colleagues, 04:21 may we adhere to the inspired counsel, 04:23 and may we work in harmony with the brethren 04:26 as we forward God's work. 04:48 The work that began here in Tramelan, 04:51 though small would spread much further 04:53 than this small country church. 04:55 The believers here desired to follow God's Word, 04:58 and they kept the seventh day Sabbath 05:00 as the Bible taught. 05:02 Their paths would eventually cross with Jakob Erzberger, 05:05 who was a young man studying for the ministry. 05:08 Often overlooked, his work was nonetheless vital 05:12 in the early establishing of the church here 05:15 on this continent. 05:22 Born in 1843 in Seltisberg in Switzerland, 05:26 he grew up in poverty. 05:28 His father died while he was young 05:30 and his mother did her best 05:31 to raise the four sons that she had. 05:34 In 1864, he decided to go 05:36 and study and train to be a minister 05:38 at one of the seminaries in Basel. 05:41 While he was studying there, 05:42 he also worked in a nearby prison 05:45 to support himself, 05:46 and one of the prisoners there 05:47 told him about a strange group of people in Tramelan 05:51 who kept the Sabbath. 05:53 Deciding to go there to teach them 05:55 the correct day of worship, 05:56 he himself, after he arrived 05:58 was convicted to keep the seventh day Sabbath. 06:01 He stayed on for a few weeks, 06:03 studied a little bit more, 06:05 and then was baptized in a nearby lake. 06:12 In 1868, he decided to pastor a small group here in Tramelan. 06:17 This was not an easy task. 06:19 The group here was under the impression 06:21 that they were the only ones in the world 06:23 holding on to these beliefs 06:25 as Czechowski had not told them about 06:27 the large established church in North America. 06:30 When they realized 06:31 that they were part of a bigger church, 06:33 they sent Erzberger over 06:34 to Battle Creek to establish contact. 06:37 Despite speaking no English, 06:39 he bravely journeyed over 06:41 and was received warmly 06:43 into the home of James and Ellen White. 06:51 After instruction by James White and others, 06:54 he was ordained in 1870 at a camp meeting 06:57 in South Lancaster, Massachusetts, 07:00 and commissioned to do missionary work in Europe 07:03 and became the first European Seventh-day Adventist pastor. 07:07 When J.N. Andrews arrived in Europe in 1874 07:11 as the first official missionary 07:13 that the church sent out, 07:15 he already had a dependable co-worker 07:17 and guide in place. 07:19 Erzberger also produced 07:21 the first German Seventh-day Adventist tracks 07:24 that the young church distributed 07:26 and also founded the first German Adventist Church 07:30 in 1875 in Vohwinkel. 07:36 Erzberger also assisted Conradi 07:39 after he was sent here to Europe in 1886, 07:42 but he also became a successful preacher 07:45 in his own right. 07:46 He held fruitful prophecy seminars 07:48 in the various big cities 07:50 such as Zurich, Basel, Bern, and Lausanne. 07:54 For many years, 07:55 he was the only Adventist preacher 07:57 taking care of the German speaking 07:59 churches in Switzerland. 08:00 And after his wife died 08:02 at a relatively young age of 53 in 1903, 08:06 he spent most of his time working in Germany. 08:12 Finally, worn out by illness and the sacrificial lifestyle 08:16 of being a pioneer missionary, he died in 1920. 08:21 His colleague Conradi wrote about him after his death, 08:25 "Without seeking his own honor, 08:27 he gave his utmost in seeking souls 08:30 in the typical Swiss way, direct and to the point. 08:34 Even as a senior worker, 08:36 he was always willing to work under a younger man. 08:39 He did not seek his own. 08:41 He was no position seeker. 08:43 Leading people to Jesus was for him 08:45 the most important holy work." 08:53 Often forgotten, 08:54 the work of Europe's first ordained missionary 08:57 was vital to the new church in its early days. 09:00 Here was a man 09:02 who was already committed to ministry. 09:04 But when he unexpectedly came in contact with new truths, 09:07 he honestly followed God's Word 09:09 and committed himself to a new and often difficult mission. 09:13 Today, God is looking for honest people, 09:15 people who will see what God's Word says 09:18 and will adjust and change their lives accordingly. 09:21 May we have such an attitude and spirit in our lives. 10:05 In the early days of our church, 10:07 young people had been 10:08 at the very forefront of the work 10:10 and the average age of our pioneers 10:13 was well below 35. 10:15 Conference and even General Conference presidents 10:18 were in their 20s or 30s. 10:20 It was a young church moving forward. 10:23 Ellen White received her first vision 10:25 at the age of 17. 10:26 J.N. Andrews wrote his masterpiece, 10:29 "The History of the Sabbath" at the age of 29. 10:32 John Harvey Kellogg was appointed director 10:35 of the church's sanatarium at the age of 24. 10:38 Vibrant, energetic, and open to change, 10:41 the church was moving forward. 10:44 But as the church expanded and grew, 10:46 and as the average age increased, 10:49 the need arose for a particular emphasis 10:51 in ministry to young people. 10:59 In 1879, in Hazleton, Michigan, 11:02 two teenagers, Luther Warren and Henry Fenner 11:05 were walking down a dusty road 11:07 and they were talking about the need 11:09 for missionary work to be done 11:11 by young people here in the middle of nowhere, 11:14 in the countryside, away from the cities. 11:17 They knelt down on the dusty road and prayed 11:20 that God would bless their plans. 11:21 A prayer that would be answered over and over. 11:25 The first missionary society started at Luther Warren's home 11:29 and had three aims. 11:30 Firstly, to plan missionary work. 11:32 Secondly, to raise money for literature. 11:35 And thirdly, 11:36 to promote the cause of temperance. 11:43 Twelve years later in Antigo, Wisconsin, 11:46 another significant event took place. 11:49 Meade Macguire made a proposal to the church 11:51 that the youth society be allowed 11:53 to use the building for its activities. 11:55 This was discussed at the church board 11:58 and there was some opposition. 11:59 But one of the older members, Brother Connor, 12:02 stood up and voiced his support. 12:04 Sometimes the young people need the support of those older 12:07 in order for their plans and activities to come to pass. 12:11 If God has placed you in such a role, 12:13 then may you be a support rather than a hindrance. 12:21 In 1905, the Manual for Youth Work was published 12:25 and in 1907 in Gland, Switzerland, 12:29 at the first General Conference session 12:31 outside of North America, 12:33 the church voted to form a new department 12:36 that was called the Seventh-day Adventist 12:38 Young People Society of Missionary Volunteers. 12:42 M.E. Kern was asked to serve as the first director, 12:46 and one of the new initiatives 12:47 that was launched the next year was The Morning Watch, 12:51 a daily devotional study guide. 13:00 The society was mission focused 13:02 and the youth Sabbath schools raised the money 13:05 for the SS Pitkin, 13:06 a missionary boat that sailed to the South Pacific. 13:10 Although it only sails for 10 years, 13:12 it captured the imagination 13:14 of young people around the world. 13:16 Over the next few years and decades, 13:18 societies will be formed in Korea, 13:21 the Philippines, South America, 13:23 Central America, Hungary and China. 13:32 The Youth Missionary Society would also be launched, 13:35 which would be the precursor 13:36 to the pathfinder department that we know today. 13:39 The name of the department would change in 1972 13:43 to the Youth Department of Missionary Volunteers 13:45 and then changed again in 1979 13:48 to the Adventist Youth Department 13:50 and changed again in 2005 to Adventist Youth Ministries. 14:00 The journey from that dirt road over a 125 years ago 14:04 has been a story of innovation and inspiration. 14:08 But we now have over 10 million young people 14:10 in almost every country around the world. 14:13 As a church we must remember 14:15 that our early identity was embedded in young people 14:19 and putting young people at the center of the church 14:21 will be key to fulfilling the gospel commission 14:24 and finishing the work. 14:26 Ellen White wrote many years ago, 14:28 "With such an army of workers as our youth rightly trained, 14:32 might furnish how soon the message 14:34 of a crucified, risen and soon to come savior 14:38 will be taken to the whole world." 14:40 If you are older, 14:41 then support the young people in your church. 14:43 If you are a younger member, 14:45 then don't let anyone despise your youth 14:48 and rise to the challenge, 14:49 serving God wherever you might be. 14:53 When I was growing up, 14:54 if you wanted to study history 14:56 or do research on a particular topic, 14:58 there was really only one option that we had 15:00 and that was to read a book. 15:02 And I never really used to like reading that much. 15:04 So we decided to create a resource 15:06 that would translate this written information 15:08 into the language of today. 15:12 My name's Adam Ramdin. 15:14 And my name is Clive Coutet. 15:15 And we are the cofounders of Lineage Journey. 15:18 Back in 2016, 15:19 I was reading The Great Controversy, 15:20 and I was really struggling 15:22 to find any relevant video resources 15:24 that I could use to aid me in my study. 15:25 So I decided to approach Adam 15:27 about the possibility of making some videos 15:29 on the Reformation. 15:30 So we started filming in the end of 2016 15:33 and in 2017 we released 48 videos 15:37 that covered the period of the early church 15:39 all the way through to the end of the Reformation. 15:42 Then in 2018 and 19, 15:44 we released another 52 episodes on church history. 15:48 These have now been viewed all over the world 15:51 in over 100 countries, 15:52 covering about 50 different languages 15:55 and we have over 3 million views online. 15:58 These videos have been used as a resource 16:00 in both secular and Christian schools 16:02 as well as several church denominations 16:05 across the globe. 16:06 Used in Bible studies, study groups, 16:08 as well as play to the general congregation. 16:11 They also make a great online evangelistic tool 16:13 where people are able to share them. 16:15 And we've seen them go into countries 16:16 that we are ourselves can't go. 16:18 Countries that are Muslim, 16:19 countries where the Christian message cannot go. 16:22 One of the challenges we have though, 16:24 is that amongst our team of almost ten people, 16:26 we are all volunteers on this project, 16:28 sacrificing our time, our effort, and our energy 16:30 in order to make these resources together. 16:33 Just to put things into perspective, 16:35 each Lineage episode as well as the filming 16:37 takes an additional two to three days 16:39 in post production. 16:41 That is a lot of time and sacrifice 16:42 that this team has made 16:44 in putting 100 episodes together. 16:46 So we need to raise the funds 16:47 to cover the cost of the filming 16:49 as well as the continued production costs 16:52 that come after that. 16:53 So for as little as one dollar a month, 16:55 you can help us to expand this ministry 16:57 to create new resources 16:59 to reach more people across the world. 17:01 Thank you for visiting this page 17:03 and taking the time to watch this video. 17:05 We really appreciate that. 17:07 Thank you for your support of the ministry so far 17:09 and we ask that you would prayerfully consider 17:11 being a partner with us on this Patreon page. 17:15 May God bless you 17:16 and we ask that you continue to keep this ministry 17:19 and our future plans in prayer. 17:38 When Ellen White was 18 years old, 17:40 one of the biggest problems that she faced 17:42 was the matter of transportation. 17:44 She was young and in poor health 17:46 and when she traveled 17:48 she needed one or two attendants. 17:50 James White was fully convinced 17:52 that her work and experience was of God 17:55 and felt it his duty to travel with her. 17:58 In 1845, they traveled together a lot 18:02 but apparently neither of them 18:03 had ever thought of getting married. 18:05 But as they took the matter to the Lord, 18:07 they were both convinced that God had a great work 18:10 for them to do together, 18:11 and that they could each assist one another. 18:18 Thus, on Sunday, August the 30th, 1846, 18:22 James Springer White and Ellen Gould Harmon 18:26 stood before Charles Harding, 18:28 Justice of the Peace in Portland, Maine, 18:30 and were married. 18:32 They were aged 26 and 19, respectively. 18:35 They entered their marriage penniless 18:37 with few friends, broken in health, 18:40 but with the deep conviction that God had a work 18:43 for them to do together. 18:45 And their belief in the message was unshakeable. 18:48 Their first place of abode would be the Harmon home 18:51 in Gorham, Maine, just outside Portland. 18:58 Through the course of their marriage, 19:00 they lived in Maine, New York. 19:02 Here in this house in Michigan, Colorado, California, 19:06 Connecticut and Iowa. 19:07 They traveled thousands of miles together 19:10 by horse drawn carriages and sleds 19:12 and later on by trains. 19:14 Their whole marriage evolved around ministry, 19:17 sacrificing time, means, and money for the cause. 19:21 Through the many trials and obstacles 19:23 that they encountered, 19:24 they still managed in their marriage 19:26 to survive and thrive. 19:33 The chances of divorce increase greatly 19:36 when one or a combination 19:38 of the following factors are present. 19:41 Financial issues, poverty, losing a child, 19:44 when one of the partners suffers a serious illness, 19:47 when one gets a promotion 19:49 especially the woman, and adultery. 19:52 Apart from adultery, 19:53 the Whites would experience all of these. 19:56 They started out with abject poverty 19:59 with James doing hard labor and working long hours. 20:03 The printing press was sometimes in debt, 20:06 but they would continue on. 20:08 They lost John Herbert, their child, 20:10 in his infancy at a very young age 20:13 and Henry died at the age of 16. 20:16 James suffered a few strokes 20:18 that brought about a personality change. 20:21 But through all of this, 20:23 they maintained their love for each other. 20:30 Despite having all these factors 20:33 that would have raised the likelihood of divorce, 20:35 they pull through. 20:37 Sometimes Ellen doesn't know what is going on, 20:40 and yet the letters between the two of them 20:42 reveal a side to their marriage that is often not seen. 20:46 They are filled with lots of tender love phrases 20:49 and show that they were convicted 20:51 that they should be together. 20:52 James was extremely driven and prone to overwork, 20:56 and Ellen herself persevered through some very hard times. 21:01 And yet the union of these two 21:03 will go on to have an impact 21:04 that will be seen only in eternity. 21:11 They had some marriage challenges as well, 21:14 but they did not just exist unhappily together. 21:17 Their love for each other ran deep 21:19 and kept them together until James died 21:22 at a relatively young age of 61. 21:25 He died early due to overwork, 21:27 literally working himself to an early grave. 21:31 After his death, 21:33 some church officials visited Ellen White 21:35 and suggested they put a broken shaft over his grave, 21:38 signifying that his work was cut short 21:41 and that no one else could complete his work. 21:43 Ellen White responded, "Never, Never. 21:46 He has single handedly done the work of three men. 21:50 Never shall a broken monument be put over his grave." 21:53 Her affection for him ran deep, 21:55 and she ensured that even in his death, 21:58 his legacy would be remembered well. 22:03 The marriage of the Whites stands as an example 22:06 of the power of God to overcome all the obstacles 22:10 that are thrown in the way when two become one. 22:14 If you are facing challenges 22:15 in your relationships or marriage, 22:17 then know that God is powerful 22:20 and able to rescue the most helpless of cases 22:23 and bring joy amidst sorrow. 22:43 In 1852, James White wrote an article 22:46 in the Review and Herald 22:47 suggesting that some of the believers in New England 22:50 consider moving out west to Iowa. 22:53 This was before the tithing system 22:55 and systematic benevolence, 22:56 so they would have to do self-supporting work 22:59 and witness to their neighbors. 23:01 Ellen White also said that, 23:02 "Where there had been 1 convert in the east, 23:05 there will be 20 in the west." 23:07 J.N. Andrews and his family spoke it over 23:10 and along with Cyprian Stevens and his family. 23:13 And J.N. Loughborough and his wife, 23:15 they decided to relocate out west. 23:18 In total, around 30 believers from New England 23:21 moved out west to the small town 23:24 of Waukon, Iowa. 23:31 However, it wasn't long before the new believers found 23:33 that day to day living was so hard 23:36 and took so much of their energy 23:37 that they didn't have much left to share their faith 23:40 with their neighbors. 23:41 Ellen White was shown that the believers 23:43 in Waukon, Iowa 23:44 needed her encouragement and counsel 23:47 as they were faltering in their original task. 23:50 The area was sparsely populated and on top of that 23:53 it was a particularly harsh winter 23:55 which made traveling around difficult. 23:57 When the weather moderated, 23:59 John Loughborough went and bought some carpentry tools 24:02 and went to work. 24:07 James and Ellen made the journey west to Iowa 24:10 in the winter time by horse drawn sled 24:13 and standing in their path on the journey 24:15 was the Mississippi River. 24:17 However, by the time they reached, 24:18 the ice had melted some 24:20 and the falling snow had turned to falling rain. 24:23 And it was 12 inches of water on top of the mushy ice. 24:27 As they approached the river, their driver Josiah Hart asked, 24:31 "Is it forward to Iowa or back to Illinois?" 24:34 The answer was given, 24:36 "Go forward, trusting in Israel's God." 24:44 As they made their way across, 24:46 sinking into the slushy, mushy ice, 24:48 a small crowd had gathered on the other side 24:51 and cheered as they reached Iowa. 24:54 They continue their journey on to Waukon. 24:57 Ellen White would find J N Loughborough 24:59 and Josiah Meade working on a store. 25:02 They found out that she was there 25:03 and they came to see her. 25:05 Her first words were, "What doest thou here Elijah"? 25:09 Receiving no response, she asked again, 25:11 and then a third time 25:13 Loughborough understandably was embarrassed, 25:15 not knowing what to say. 25:22 That night meetings commenced 25:24 and the believers were greatly encouraged 25:26 by the ministry of the Whites. 25:28 Both J.N. Loughborough and J.N. Andrews 25:31 renewed their commitment to service and to God. 25:35 J.N. Loughborough said, 25:36 "I have laid up my hammer and driven my last nail." 25:40 J.N. Loughborough would return with the Whites to Michigan, 25:44 while J.N. Andrews would stay there 25:45 for two years longer. 25:48 Loughborough himself was a convert of Andrews 25:51 and would go on to be a powerful missionary 25:54 for the church. 25:55 Unfortunately, soon after this, 25:57 his wife died in childbirth, giving birth to twins, 26:01 herself and one of the twins did not make it. 26:04 They had been married for over 16 years, 26:06 and she was a tremendous support 26:08 to her husband, 26:09 never holding him back in his ministry at all. 26:11 She had supported him faithfully 26:13 along all his travels 26:15 and his relentlessly busy schedule. 26:21 J.N. Loughborough was also a pioneer in missionary 26:24 here in California 26:25 and would also spend time in the United Kingdom 26:28 helping to establish the church there 26:30 in the city of Southampton. 26:32 I wonder what would have happened 26:33 if James and Ellen White 26:35 didn't make that treacherous journey 26:37 in winter out to Waukon, Iowa? 26:39 Sometimes in life we start out on a project, 26:42 but then we get discouraged and we stop. 26:44 Maybe like J.N. Loughborough and J.N. Andrews, 26:47 you have been successful in ministry, 26:49 but then you've stepped away for a while 26:51 and you need to get your life back on track. 26:53 I want to encourage you to get your life in harmony 26:56 with God's plan for it. 26:57 And if that involves making some tough 26:59 and awkward decisions 27:00 that you would have the courage and the boldness to do so. |
Revised 2020-03-21