• Switzerland and Liechtenstein
    1987 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    • For this reason he suggested to Adolf Weber that he go “into the Lord’s vineyard” in Switzerland. Brother Weber was a Swiss citizen who had come to know the truth in the United States and worked part-time as gardener for Brother Russell. Unhesitatingly, Brother Weber accepted this mission. He was well qualified for it, since he spoke the three main Swiss languages. He settled in his birthplace, Les Convers, in the Jura mountains in January 1900.

      Brother Weber earned his livelihood as a gardener and forester, but his prime interest was in sowing seeds of truth. Starting with the people with whom he worked, he enlarged his territory by walking to other villages and towns and by talking to people wherever he met them. During the winter, he used to go on foot into France and as far south as Italy in order to preach, returning to Les Convers in the springtime. Apart from the bare physical necessities of life, he loaded his knapsack with as much literature as he could possibly carry.

      One day when he was crossing a bridge over the Hagneck Canal in the canton of Bern, Brother Weber met a man to whom he was able to witness. But as he lowered his knapsack, a book slipped out and fell into the shallow water at the edge of the canal lock, right before the rakes. Later on, when the lockkeeper came to clean the rakes, he found the book, dried it, and started to read. It was a copy of Brother Russell’s Studies in the Scriptures, Volume I. The lockkeeper and his wife marveled at what they were learning and they became convinced that they had found the truth.

      INTEREST AROUSED BY ADVERTISEMENTS

      Brother Weber left no stone unturned in order to get things started. In addition to his personal witnessing, he advertised Studies in the Scriptures by means of various newspapers, though this sort of publicity was usually rather costly. He arranged for some booksellers to include Studies in the Scriptures in their collections. Soon, people from various parts of the country wrote for the books. Those living in the same area were put in contact with one another, and it was suggested that they meet and study together. In those days there was not much in the way of entertainment, so acquaintances and friends readily attended such meetings when invited. Usually they arranged among themselves as to who should conduct the study, and often they took turns.

      Tracts played an important role in those early beginnings. The few dedicated brothers mustered enough courage to distribute them in front of churches, or they mailed them by the thousands to householders in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Brothers in the United States also helped in getting the work started here by mailing German issues of Zion’s Watch Tower to friends and relatives in Switzerland. Some of these later accepted the truth.​—Eccl. 11:1.

      THE PRESIDENT AT THE DOORSTEP

      Among the first persons to receive the truth through Brother Weber was Mrs. Anna Bachmann in Basel. Although she had regularly attended the Evangelical Reformed Church, her interest in Bible study was aroused when Brother Weber talked to her about God’s purpose for mankind and the fundamental truths of the Bible. She accepted the Divine Plan of the Ages and studied it all by herself, since there was no one around to help her. After a year Brother Weber returned, answered her questions in his calm way, and encouraged her to continue studying God’s Word.

      Then, in May 1903 she was surprised to find two visitors at her doorstep. One was a Bible Student from nearby Mülhausen (then a German city but now belonging to France), and the other was the president of the Watch Tower Society himself, Brother Russell. The conversation translated by the Bible Student was very upbuilding and helped Mrs. Bachmann to progress. In the course of time she became a devoted servant of Jehovah, and both her husband and, at a later time, her son Fritz accepted the truth. Several other persons also manifested interest, so a study group was organized in Basel from 1909 onward. Fritz Bachmann, now advanced in age, is still a member of one of the Basel congregations.

      NEED FOR FRENCH PUBLICATIONS

      Zion’s Watch Tower had been printed in the United States in German since 1897. When it also started to appear in French in 1903, Brother Weber rejoiced, but he felt that the Studies in the Scriptures were also sorely needed in French to promote Bible understanding. So he personally translated these. Other publications followed, and a small office of the Society with a literature depot was established in Yverdon in 1903.

      The number here who were serving Jehovah was not very large. Meetings, even conventions, were held in private homes. But the future looked bright and the brothers were zealous. Adolf Weber was appointed manager of the work in the French field.