Thomann, Victor Edwin (1878–1955)
By Silvia C. Scholtus
Silvia C. Scholtus
First Published: July 27, 2021
Víctor Edwin Thomann was one of the first people to accept the Adventist faith in Chile, along with his brother Eduardo. He was an Adventist pioneer in several fields of the evangelistic work in Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. He developed a broad and blessed ministry. His first wife was Carlota Morales. They married in 1900 and had nine children: Víctor, Gabriel, Pedro, Eduardo, Guillermo, Marina, Elba, Olga, and Iris. After her death, he married Berta Buterkoffer.1
Early Years and Arrival of the Thomanns in Chile
Víctor E. Thomann was born on July 29, 1878, in Grund, Innerkirchen, canton of Bern, Switzerland.2 By 1880, because of the economic hardship, his father, Jean Thomann, and his mother, Bárbara Rohrbach, decided to emigrate to Chile with their five children: Juan Germán, Walterio, Eduardo Werner, Olga Rosa, and Víctor Edwin.3 Víctor was then six years old.4 They departed from Le Havre, France, on February 25, 1885,5 and arrived at Talcahuano, Chile, on April 8, 1885.6 They traveled by land until Salto, halfway between Traigüen and Victoria, in southern Chile, to the lands provided by the government.
About a year after his arrival, an epidemy struck Chile, taking away the lives of both Juan, his older brother, and his mother. His father sent Eduardo and Olga to Concepción, while Walter and Víctor stayed with him. In 1890 Eduardo’s father moved to the city of Victoria to gather the family. He sold the farm, rented a house, and began attending the Lutheran church of Arnold Leutwyler.
When Víctor was 15 years old, the family moved to Santiago, the capital of Chile. From his family Víctor had inherited the woodworking trade. His brother Eduardo took him to the Presbyterian church, where Francisco Diez was the pastor.
Ministry in Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina
In 1895 he met Enrique Balada and his wife, Prudencia Núñez, a couple of Spanish Baptists residing in Santiago.7 Along with his brother Eduardo, Víctor understood new Bible concepts in those gatherings. He accepted the Bible teaching on Sabbath in a peculiar way. One night he dreamed of two men walking through a street of Santiago reading out loud. To his surprise, after the dream he met personally the first canvassers to arrive in Chile, Thomas Davis and Frederick Bishop, who were reading the Bible alternately in English and in Castilian to learn the language of the country. Víctor approached them, asked them questions, and finally began studying the Bible with them in the house of the Baladas.8
Granville H. Baber, the first Adventist minister to arrive in Chile (on October 12, 1895), baptized Mrs. Balada, as well as Eduardo and Víctor Thomann, in 1896.9 Víctor was 18 years old and decided to dedicate himself to selling missionary publications and giving Bible studies. He started by selling the only three books of Ellen G. White available in Castilian: Patriarchs and Prophets, Steps to Christ, and Christ Our Savior.10 Around 1898 Víctor Thomann, José Escobarm, and some others went to Lima, Peru, as self-supporting missionaries. There they faced limitations and opposition.11
In 1901 Eduardo, Víctor’s brother, started the publication of the Adventist periodical Señales de los tiempos [Signs of the Times] in Castilian. Víctor helped him with the sales and distribution of the periodicals. He was also in charge of the press in Valparaíso. He always demonstrated passion to evangelize by selling publications, visiting, and giving Bible studies. Before long, he was already considered one of the canvassers and evangelists of Chile, especially in Santiago.12
In 1902 Víctor Thomann went out to initiate the evangelistic work in Bolivia, accompanied by his brother Eduardo and José Escobar.13 In 1903 the board of the West Coast Mission called him to work as an administrator in the office of Iquique, Chile, and, if the administrative work in the office allowed, as pastor of the area between Iquique and Las Pampas to Pisagua.14 In June 1904 he continued in charge of the press and the office as well as helping the work in Valparaíso, where the press was installed. 15 The periodical Revista Adventista [Adventist Review] was the official communication medium of South American Union Mission to the Spanish-speaking members.16
As secretary of the West Coast Mission he had to write a report in Revista Adventista [Adventist Review].17 He published articles to motivate the evangelistic work,18 and translated content for the magazine.19 He received a missionary license in 1905, when he and his wife were asked to organize a school among the Mapuches, in the area of Bajo Imperial, Chile.20 They named the school Filadelfia.21 By November Frank Westphal informed that they had already baptized three people there.22 By the end of 1905 he had visited Temuco and found great results. He organized together with other leaders the meeting that the mission held in Nueva Imperial, out of the interest aroused by his pastoral work. 23 This same year he received from the South American Union Mission a ministerial license.24 In 1906 he expanded his evangelistic effort to Pitrufquén and Puerta Aserrveda, where many accepted the Adventist beliefs.25
In 1907 many people were already congregating in their territory, and the activities in Carahué and in the area of Cantín had started.26 He euphorically reported that the Lantaro Baptist Church continually invited him to preach and that some had accepted Adventist beliefs, in spite of the intense efforts of the Baptist pastor of Loncoche against it. Even the ones who once persecuted him and threw stones at him in Bajo Imperial were baptized.27
He worked very successfully in the south until 1908.28 On June 16 of that year he went to Argentina. On June 21 he embarked with his family to Corral to take the steamship Thuringia to Montevideo. They arrived on July 4 in Buenos Aires to attend the group gathered in the area of Belgrano. 29 He enthusiastically got the group's attention. In 1908 he received his first ministerial credential.30
From Buenos Aires, Thomann wrote they were working well and seeing the first responses of those who were accepting the Adventist beliefs.31 On October 11, 1908, he was ordained into the ministry in a ceremony conducted by Joseph Westphal and Godofredo Block.32 In November and December Víctor accompanied J. Westphal in the evangelistic series held in Villa Encarnación, Paraguay.33
On February 15, 1909, Thomann and his family suffered the loss of a two-week-old daughter.34 During that year he visited many congregations with Luis Rojas in the province of Santa Fe.35 He was also a member of the executive committee of the River Plate Union Conference.36 With the few he had managed to inspire, he began the work in different places. From Belgrano he expanded to Colegiales, Villa Ballester, Villa Urquiza, Coghlan, Saavedra, Vila Devoto, and surroundings, in the province of Buenos Aires.37 His achievement consisted of visiting and training the new believers to work as missionaries, dividing them to cover different places.38 In 1910 he had managed to duplicate the membership of the church, to the point that no one else could enter in the worship room.39
When his brother Eduardo arrived in Buenos Aires, he helped Víctor to attend the growing demand in different places. Together they carried out evangelistic series in Villa Ballester, organizing there a Sabbath School with 30 members. And he decided to organize another one with 20 members in Florida.40 Over time, he gave Bible studies and started work throughout Bernal, Floresta, and Flores, and in some nearby places as well.41 By 1911 he was one of four pastors with ministerial credentials in the South American Union Conference.42
The Return to Chile and Late Years of His Ministry
The following year, 1912, he returned with his family to Chile. Some felt his departure very much, because as fruit of his work, 43 they got baptized in the subsequent months. He arrived in Chile by February of that year, when the annual meeting of the Chile Conference was being held.44 He preached in San Felipe, Chile, where many interested people accepted the Adventist beliefs. He soon moved with his family to Concepción to organize another evangelistic series. He was appointed as pastor to this territory and its surroundings. Before concluding the year, he already had a Sabbath School with 28 members.45
By the end of 1913 Thomann had health problems.46 But he soon recovered, and could continue his evangelistic work. Around January 1913 he baptized the first people in Chillán, Chile.47 He was asked to have this area as part of the management board of the Adventist School organized in Púa.48 In the second half of the year he returned to Concepción and continued with the evangelistic work.49 From there he moved to address the demand aroused by an Adventist in Los Ángeles, Chile.50
In 1914, after supporting the evangelistic series of the Chile Mission, he went to the area of Chillán. At the village of Molina he performed baptisms and soon went to Osorno to assist many who were interested in the truth. He visited Los Ángeles and also Quitratúe.51 From there he went to Linares to give lectures. 52 At the end of the year he joined F. Westphal in visiting the area of Comuy for some days to receive members in the Pitrufquén Church and organize the company. 53 Then he stayed to hold evangelistic series in Tomé and perform baptisms in Concepción.54 Early in 1915 Thomann worked intensely in Carahué, Lenco, Loncoche, La Paz, and Nueva Imperial. Many people accepted the Adventist beliefs.55 In March he supported the evangelism in the Chile Conference, where he was elected member of its management board, in which he participated until 1917. 56 In the second half of the year he gave lectures in San Felipe. 57
In 1916 he was part of the group who participated in the organization of the South American Division,58 and of the group of ordained pastors.59 At the end of the year he was working in Tomé, Chile.60 He also helped maintain the interest in the Cauquenes.61 In 1917 he worked in his field and in Valparaíso to assist the brethren in the area. He visited different nearby localities.62
During 1918, after the annual congress at the beginning of the year, Thomann was asked to visit the churches of San Fernando, Rengo, Molina, Linares, Pangue, and Cañete to encourage the members. He soon went to the area of Los Andes and San Felipe. His wife accompanied him for one week in the mentioned places, giving Bible studies to those interested who attended the evangelistic series organized by him in that place.63 After being sick for two weeks, he returned to Los Andes to continue his work with his wife and daughter Marina, where later he celebrated many baptisms, staying there up to the end of the year.64 He imprinted in his children the passion for spreading the Adventist literature. In 1918 it is registered that he was found canvassing with his older daughters in the area of Coquimbo.65
In 1919 his wife had organized a group of canvassers in Santiago, 66 while Thomann was making an effort in Cauquenes.67 By the end of the year he was celebrating evangelistic series in San Fernando, where there was a growing demand for listening to the Adventist beliefs,68 and he was also responsible for establishing a company in Los Andes.69
Víctor Thomann is counted among the first pastors of Chile, along with Julián Ocampo, Eduardo Thomann, and Carlos Krieghoff. He retired in 1924 for health reasons,70 though he worked actively until 1928.71 He then continued as an honorary minister till the year of his death.72
Víctor also appreciated reporting his experiences of canvassing with health books and other Adventist publications.73 For many years he presided the Chilean Anti-Alcohol Society, giving many lectures on alcoholism problems throughout the country. Days before his death he was visiting his son Víctor in Talca, Chile. He preached the sermon on Sabbath and gave a lecture on Sunday. He left for Concepción to visit his children Guillermo and Marina. There he died suddenly of a heart attack. He left nine children, 28 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren. He had begun to write the history of the Adventist Church in Chile when his end came. He died on August 11, 1955, at the age of 77 and was buried in Santiago, where he lived. Representatives of all the churches of Santiago were present at that sad ceremony.74
He enjoyed composing hymns and writing poetry.75 Some of his works were published in the first magazines in Castilian. He participated in the edition of the first Spanish hymnal, which came without music, with many hymns of his authorship. 76 Revista Adventista [Adventist Review] included the following about Víctor Thomann’s ministry: “The Adventist Church in Chile has a great debt with Pastor Thomann, for he was one of the first missionaries who dedicated his whole life to the preaching of the gospel and the advancement of the work.” 77
Sources
Baer, Roscoe T. “The Organization of a Church at Los Andes, Chile.” ARH, April 1, 1920.
———. “Un informe de Chile” [A Report From Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 14, 1919.
Balada, Enrique. “El adelanto de la obra en Chile” [The Advancement of the Work in Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1914.
———. “La obra en los Andes y San Felipe, Chile” [The Work in the Andes and San Felipe, Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 18, 1919.
Berchín, Abrahán A. “La obra en Valparaíso” [The Work in Valparaíso]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1917.
Block, G. “Consagración” [Consecration]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1908.
“Chile.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1915.
“Chile.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1912.
“Conferencia Chilena” [Chile Conference]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1908.
“De Chile” [From Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 13, 1919.
“De una carta del pastor Baer” [A Letter From Pastor Baer]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 28, 1919.
Dexter, H. H. “El mensaje entre los campesinos franceses” [The Message Among the French Farmers]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1908.
“Ecos de Chile” [Echoes From Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1914.
Emmenegger, Guillermo. “Congreso Anual en Chile” [Annual Congress in Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1917.
———. “Decimotercer congreso anual de la Asociación Chilena—Informe del secretario” [Thirteenth Annual Congress of the Chile Conference—Secretary’s Report]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 10, 1919.
———. “Informe de la Reunión Anual de la Conferencia Argentina celebrada en la ciudad de Santa Fe, Prov. S. Fe, desde el 12 hasta el 22 de octubre de 1911” [Reports of the Annual Meeting of the Argentine Conference Held in the City of Santa Fe, Prov. S. Fe, From October 12 to 22, 1911]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1911.
———. “Oficiales y Junta Directiva” [Officials and Board of Directors]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 14, 1918.
“Extractos de los acuerdos del comité de la Conferencia Unión, tomados en el Colegio Adventista del Plata, Diamante, E. Ríos, Argentina, octubre 20 a noviembre 14 de 1909” [Excerpts From the Agreements of the Union Conference Committee, Taken at the River Plate Junior College, Diamante, E. Ríos, Argentina, October 20 to November 14, 1909]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1910.
“Extractos de los acuerdos tomados por el comité del Río de la Plata” [Excerpts From the Agreements Taken by the River Plate Committee]. Revista Adventista, January 1910.
“Familia Peschke Schmidt en Chile Colones en Ercilla” [Familia Peschke Schmidt in Chile Colones in Ercilla]. In http://peschkechile.blogspot.com/2005/09/familia-peschke-schmidt-en-chile.html. Accessed on May 19, 2018.
Fulton, Arturo. “Argentina.” ARH, March 11, 1909.
“Grupo de delegados” [Group of Delegates]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March-April 1916.
“Grupo de pastores que han sido ordenados en la Conferencia Unión Sudamericana” [Group of Pastors Who Had Been Ordained in the South American Union Conference]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March-April 1916.
Hartman, George E. “Acuerdos del Comité ejecutivo de la Conferencia Unión Sud-Americana” [Agreements of the Executive Committee of the South American Union Conference]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1912.
Heyde, Otto. “La séptima sesión anual de la Conf. Chilena—Algunos acuerdos” [The Seventh Annual Session of Chile Conference—Some Agreements]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1913.
Himnos y cánticos espirituales [Hymns and Spiritual Songs]. Florida, Buenos Aires: Buenos Aires Publishing House, 1916.
“Informe del trabajo hecho por nuestros obreros durante el mes de febrero” [Report of the Work Made by Our Workers During the Month of February]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1901.
“Informe del trabajo hecho por nuestros obreros durante el mes de junio” [Report of the Work Done by Our Workers During the Month of June]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1901.
Ketring, H. F. “Informe de la reunión del comité de la Misión Sud-Americana” [Report of the Meeting of the South American Union Mission Committee]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1904.
———. “Planes para la obra” [Plans for the Work]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1904.
Knight, C. E. “Argentina.” ARH, September 9, 1909.
Knight, Débora H. de. “Experiencias en la obra de Buenos Aires” [Experiences in the Work in Buenos Aires]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1910.
Krieghoff, Carlos E. “6a. Reunión Anual de la Conferencia Chilena” [Sixth Annual Meeting of the Chile Conference]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1912.
“La ‘Carta Mensual’” [Monthly Letter]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1902.
“La Escuela ‘Filadelfia’” [Filadelfia School]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1905.
“La obra en Buenos Aires” [The Work in Buenos Aires]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1911.
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1908.
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1908.
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1913.
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1909.
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1913.
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1910.
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1912.
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1913.
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1912.
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1913.
“Noticias de la obra” [News From the Work]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1912, 9.
“Noticias de la obra—Chile” [News From the Work—Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1912.
“Obreros” [Workers]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1908.
Olson, A. V. “Conference Sessions in Chile.” ARH, April 15, 1954.
“Planes para la obra” [Plans for the Work]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1903.
Perry, F. L. “De viaje por el Chile central” [Traveling Through Central Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1916.
———. “El adelanto de la obra en Chile” [The Advancement of the Work in Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 19, 1918.
———. “Visitando en Los Andes y Valparaíso” [Visiting in Los Andes and Valparaíso]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 15, 1918.
Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1906.
Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 14, 1918.
Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 28, 1918.
Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1906.
Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1, 1920.
Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 16, 1919.
Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September or October 1902.
Schifferli Coloma, Patricia. Nuestras raíces suizas [Our Swiss Roots]. Temuco, Chile: Imprenta Austral, 2007. Accessed May 19, 2018. http://www.memoriachilena.cl/archivos2/pdfs/MC0052245.pdf.
Schulz, Otto G. “Buenas nuevas de Cauquenes, Chile” [Good News in Cauquenes, Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 17, 1919.
“Thomann.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1955.
Thomann, Donaldo José. “Resumen biográfico personal” [Personal Biographical Summary]. Unpublished document. Available at the archives of the White Research Center, River Plate Adventist University, Libertador San Martín, Entre Ríos, Argentina.
Thomann, Donaldo José, and Elizabeth Thomann. “Eduardo Thomann.” Unpublished document.
Thomann, Eduardo W. “Acuerdos y Recomendaciones” [Agreements and Recommendations]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1905.
———. “Viage Misioner.” [Missionary Trip]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1902.
Thomann, Víctor E. “A la Obra” [To the Work]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1904.
———. “Alumbrad” [Illuminate]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1917.
———. “Buenos Aires.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1910.
———. “Buenos Aires.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1910.
———. “Buenos Aires.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1908.
———. “Décima reunión general de la Asociación Chilena—Informe oficial” [Tenth General Meeting of the Chile Conference—Official Report]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1916.
———. “La historia de los reinos” [The History of the Kingdoms]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 12, 1918.
———. “La Novena Reunión General de la Conferencia Chilena” [Ninth General Meeting of the Chile Conference]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1915.
———. “La obra en la prov. Cantín, (Chile)” [The Work in the Cantín Province, Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1907.
———. “La reunión en N. Imperial” [The Meeting at N. Imperial]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1906.
———. “La semana de oración” [Week of Prayer]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1909.
———. “Las ostras y la ‘Guía’” [Oysters and the Guide]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 14, 1918.
———. “Los Andes, Chile.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 29, 1918.
———. “Mi anhelo” [My Desire]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1909.
———. “Noticias de Chile” [News From Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1, 1918.
———. “Nuestro viaje a la Argentina.” [Our Trip to Argentina]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1908.
———. “Nueva Imperial” [New Imperial]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1906.
———. “Nueva Imperial, Chile.” [New Imperial, Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1907.
———. “Principio del Sábado” [Sabbath Principle]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 29, 1918.
———.“Recomendaciones de la Reunión Anual” [Recommendations to the Annual Meeting]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1905.
———. “Todos a la obra” [All to the Work]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 26, 1918.
———. “¡Ven, Señor!” [Come, O Lord]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March-April 1916.
———. “Viene Jesús” [Come, O Jesus]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1908.
Town, Nelson Z. “Los obreros de la Conferencia Unión Sudamericana” [The Workers of the South American Union Conference]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1906.
Tulín, Ernesto, and Débora de Knight. “La obra en Buenos Aires” [The Work in Buenos Aires]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1912.
“Valparaíso.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1904.
“Varias noticias” [Various News]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1904.
Westphal, Frank H. “Chile.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1914.
———. “Chile.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1915.
———. “Chile.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1906.
———. “Chile y Bolivia” [Chile and Bolivia]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1906.
———. “Conferencia Chilena” [Chile Conference]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1908.
———. “Galvarino.” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1905.
———. “La obra en Chile” [The Work in Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1914.
———. “La obra en Chile” [The Work in Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1915.
———. “La obra en Chile.” [The Work in Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1915.
———. “La obra en Chile.” [The Work in Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1915.
———. “La obra en Chile—Conclusión” [The Work in Chile—Conclusion]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1912.
———. “Noticias de Chile” [News From Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1915.
———. “Noticias de la obra” [News From the Work]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1905.
———. “Noticias de la obra—Chile” [News From the Work—Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1912.
———. “Nueva Imperial y Puerta Aserrveda” [New Imperial and Aserrveda Gate]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1906.
———. “Progreso en Chile” [Progress in Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1914.
———. “The Opening of Our Work in Western South America.” Review and Herald, May 16, 1907.
———. “Una visita a N. Imperial, Carahue y P. Saavedra, Chile” [A Visit to N. Imperial, Carahue, and P. Saavedra, Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 13, 1919.
———. “The South American Union Conference.” ARH, May 16, 1907.
———. “Una visita a Chile” [A Visit to Chile]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 30, 1919.
Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1929, 1956.
Zambra Ríos, Leopoldo. No con ejército, no con fuerza, sino con su Espíritu [Not With Army, Not With Force, but With His Spirit]. Santiago, Chile: Adventist Book Center, 1994.
Zevallos, Juan. “Necrología” [Obituary]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1955.
Notes
-
Juan Zevallos, “Necrología” [Obituary], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1955, 16; Leopoldo Zambra Ríos, No con ejército, no con fuerza, sino con su Espíritu [Not With an Army, Not With Force, but With His Spirit] (Santiago, Chile: Home Health Education Services, 1994), 41-43.↩
-
Zevallos.↩
-
Juan Germán died in Chile in 1886. Walterio studied nursing at the River Plate Sanitarium and Hospital and was an Adventist pastor in Chile. Olga Rosa married a pastor, Fernández, with whom she had a son, but soon she became a widow (“Varias noticias” [Various News], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1904, 8). She then married Claudio Dessignet. Both were dedicated to teaching and to the pastoral activities. Víctor Edwin was also an Adventist pastor, and many of his descendants were Adventist workers (Donaldo José Thomann, “Resumen biográfico personal” [Personal Biographical Summary], archive copy at the White Research Center, River Plate Adventist University, Libertador San Martín, Entre Ríos, Argentina). See also the immigration records of Patricia Schifferli Coloma, Nuestras raíces suizas [Our Swiss Roots], sponsored by the Swiss Embassy (Temuco, Chile: Imprenta Austral, 2007), 6, http://www.memoriachilena.cl/archivos2/pdfs/MC0052245.pdf, accessed May 19, 2018. In this book Víctor’s surname is incorrectly written as Hedwig.↩
-
See the obituary of Eduardo W. Thomann in “Thomann.”↩
-
“Thomann, Eduardo Werner,” Don F. Neufeld, ed., Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia (Hagerstown, Maryland: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1996); Schifferli Coloma, 70, 71.↩
-
They traveled 13,050 miles (21,000 kilometers) on the Aconcagua steamship. See the recordings of the steamship departures to South America in Schifferli Coloma, 71. A picture of the 4,000-ton Aconcagua steamship can be found in “Familia Peschke Schmidt en Chile Colones en Ercilla,” http://peschkechile.blogspot.com/2005/09/familia-peschke-schmidt-en-chile.html, accessed May 19, 2018.↩
-
Enrique Balada was a Spanish Catholic who traveled to South America at the age of 20. He lived 11 years in Argentina, became a Baptist, and eventually a teacher and pastor. He then moved to Chile, married Prudencia Núñez, and was converted to Adventism in 1896. He was ordained as an Adventist pastor in 1909. His daughter Amera Balada married Walter Schubert (Zambra Ríos, 41–43, 132–134).↩
-
A. V. Olson, “Conference Sessions in Chile,” ARH, April 15, 1954, 16; Zambra Ríos, 41–46.↩
-
Granville Henderson Baber (1852–1936), born in West Virginia, studied at Battle Creek College and was sent to Chile in 1895 as its first pastor. He returned to the United States in 1902 (Zambra Ríos, 51–53, 69, 70). See: Frank H. Westphal, “The Opening of Our Work in Western South America,” Review and Herald, May 16, 1907, 13.↩
-
See reference to these books in “La ‘Carta Mensual’ ” [Monthly Letter], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1902, 8.↩
-
Elizabeth and Donaldo Thomann, “Eduardo Thomann” (unpublished document); Donaldo José Thomann “Resumen biográfico personal” [Personal Biographical Summary].↩
-
“Informe del trabajo hecho por nuestros obreros durante el mes de febrero” [Report of the Work Made by Our Workers During the Month of February], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1901, 4; “Informe del trabajo hecho por nuestros obreros durante el mes de junio” [Report of the Work Made by Our Workers During the Month of June], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1901, 6. These report how many sermons, visits, and sales he made.↩
-
Endnote in Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September or October 1902, 8; Eduardo W. Thomann, “Viage misionero” [Missionary Trip], and the subsequent endnote in Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1902, 7, 8.↩
-
“Planes para la obra” [Plans for the Work], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1903, 6, 7.↩
-
Note “Valparaíso,” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1904, 8.↩
-
H. F. Ketring, “Informe de la reunión del comité de la Misión Sud-Americana” [Report of the Meeting of the South American Union Mission Committee], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1904, 2, 3; H. F. Ketring, “Planes para la obra” [Plans for the Work], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1904, 3, 4.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “La Conferencia de Iquique” [West Coast Mission], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1904, 7, 8; Víctor E. Thomann, “Recomendaciones de la Reunión Anual” [Recommendations to the Annual Meeting], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1905): 5, 6.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “A la Obra” [To the Work], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1904, 7; Víctor E. Thomann, “Décima reunión general de la Asociación Chilena—Informe oficial” [Tenth General Meeting of the Chile Conference—Official Report], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1916, 4–6.↩
-
H. H. Dexter, “El mensaje entre los campesinos franceses” [The Message Among the French Farmers], trans. Víctor E. Thomann, Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1908, 87, 88.↩
-
Eduardo W. Thomann, “Acuerdos y Recomendaciones” [Agreements and Recommendations], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1905, 3; F. H. Westphal, “Galvarino,” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1905, 5, 6, and note of Frank H. Westphal on p. 7. The mention to “indios auracanos” [indigenous araucanos] in the first article is an error. See also Frank H. Westphal, “Una visita a N. Imperial, Carahue, y P. Saavedra, Chile” [A visit to N. Imperial, Carahue, and P. Saavedra, Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 13, 1919, 8, 9.↩
-
“La Escuela ‘Filadelfia’ ” [Filadelfia School], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1905, 7.↩
-
Frank H. Westphal, “Noticias de la obra” [News From the Work], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1905, 8.↩
-
Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1906, 8; Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1906, 6; Víctor E. Thomann, “La reunión en N. Imperial” [The Meeting at N. Imperial], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1906, 6, 7.↩
-
Nelson Z. Town, “Los obreros de la Conferencia Unión Sudamericana” [The Workers of the South American Union Conference], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1906.↩
-
Frank H. Westphal, “Chile y Bolivia” [Chile and Bolivia], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1906, 3, 4; Víctor E. Thomann, “Nueva Imperial” [New Imperial], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1906, 4, 5; Frank H. Westphal, “Nueva Imperial y Puerta Aserrveda” [New Imperial and Aserrveda], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1906, 5; Frank H. Westphal, “Chile,” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1906, 4.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “La obra en la prov. Cantín, (Chile)” [The Work in the Cantín Province,Chile ], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1907, 6.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “Nueva Imperial, Chile” [New Imperial, Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1907, 6.↩
-
Frank H. Westphal, “Conferencia Chilena” [Chile Conference], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1908, 3.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “Nuestro viaje a la Argentina” [Our Trip to Argentina], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1908, 78; “Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1908, 80; Víctor E. Thomann, “Buenos Aires,” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1910, 12.↩
-
“Conferencia Chilena” [Chile Conference], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1908, 36.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “Buenos Aires,” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1908, 102.↩
-
G. Block, “Consagración” [Consecration], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1908, 115; “Obreros” [Workers], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1908, 116.↩
-
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1908, 128.↩
-
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1909, 16.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “La semana de oración” [Week of Prayer], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1909.↩
-
“Extractos de los acuerdos del comité de la Conferencia Unión, tomados en el Colegio Adventista del Plata, Diamante, E. Ríos, Argentina, octubre 20 a noviembre 14 de 1909” [Excerpts From the Agreements of the Union Conference Committee, Taken at the River Plate Junior College, Diamante, E. Rios, Argentina, October 20 to November 14, 1909]; “Extractos de los acuerdos tomados por el comité del Río de la Plata” [Excerpts From the Agreements Taken by the River Plate Committee], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1910, 15.↩
-
Ernesto Tulín and Débora de Knight, “La obra en Buenos Aires” [The Work in Buenos Aires], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1912, 15; Arturo Fulton, “Argentina,” ARH, March 11, 1909, 16; C. E. Knight, “Argentina,” Review and Herald September 9, 1909, 13.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “Buenos Aires,” Revista Adventista, March 1910, 12. In April 1910 he baptized three people (“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1910, 16).↩
-
See the reports of Débora H. de Knight, “Experiencias en la obra de Buenos Aires” [Experiences in the Work in Buenos Aires], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1910, 14; Víctor E. Thomann, “Buenos Aires,” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1910, 14.↩
-
“La obra en Buenos Aires” [The Work in Buenos Aires], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1911, 13.↩
-
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1912, 16.↩
-
Guillermo Emmenegger,“Informe de la Reunión Anual de la Conferencia Argentina celebrada en la ciudad de Santa Fe, Prov. S. Fe, desde el 12 hasta el 22 de octubre de 1911” [Reports of the Annual Meeting of the Argentine Conference Held in the City of Santa Fe, Prov. S. Fe, From October 12 to 22, 1911], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1911, 15.↩
-
George E. Hartman, “Acuerdos del Comité ejecutivo de la Conferencia Unión Sud-Americana” [Agreements of the Executive Committee of the South American Union Conference], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1912, 13; “Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1912, 16; Joseph W. Westphal, “The South American Union Conference,” Review and Herald, May 13, 1912, 14.↩
-
Carlos E. Krieghoff, “6a. Reunión Anual de la Conferencia Chilena” [Sixth Annual Meeting of the Chile Conference], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1912, 7.↩
-
“Chile,” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1912, 15; “Noticias de la obra” [News From the Work], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1912, 9; “Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1912, 16; Frank H. Westphal, “La obra en Chile—Conclusión” [The Work in Chile—Conclusion], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1912, 10; “Noticias de la obra—Chile” [News From the Work—Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1912, 14.↩
-
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1913, 16.↩
-
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1913, 16.↩
-
Otto Heyde, “La séptima sesión anual de la Conf. Chilena—Algunos acuerdos” [Seventh Annual Session of Chile Conference—Some agreements], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1913, 10.↩
-
“Notas editoriales” [Editorial notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1913, 16; “Notas editoriales” [Editorial Notes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1913, 16.↩
-
Frank H. Westphal, “Progreso en Chile” [Progress in Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1914, 13.↩
-
“Ecos de Chile” [Echoes From Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1914, 11; Frank H. Westphal, “Chile,” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1914, 12; Frank H. Westphal, “La obra en Chile” [The Work in Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1914, 13.↩
-
Enrique Balada, “El adelanto de la obra en Chile” [The Advancement of the Work in Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1914, 10, 11.↩
-
Frank H. Westphal, “La obra en Chile” [The Work in Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1915, 11; Frank H, Westphal, “Noticias de Chile” [News From Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1915, 12.↩
-
“Chile,” La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1915, 13.↩
-
Frank H. Westphal, “La obra en Chile” [The Work in Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1915, 12.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “La Novena Reunión General de la Conferencia Chilena” [The Ninth General Meeting of the Chile Conference], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1915, 11, 12; Guillermo Emmenegger, “Congreso Anual en Chile” [Annual Congress in Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 1917, 8, 9.↩
-
Frank H. Westphal, “La obra en Chile” [The Work in Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1915, 11; Frank H. Westphal, “Chile,” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1915, 11.↩
-
See the picture where it appears in the second line, “Grupo de delegados” [Group of Delegates], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March-April 1916, 9.↩
-
See the picture “Grupo de pastores que han sido ordenados en la Conferencia Unión Sudamericana” [Group of Pastors Who Have Been Ordained in the South American Union Conference], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March-April 1916, 18.↩
-
F. L. Perry, “De viaje por el Chile central” [Traveling Through Central Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1916, 14.↩
-
Otto G. Schulz, “Buenas nuevas de Cauquenes, Chile” [Good News in Cauquenes, Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 17, 1919, 9.↩
-
Abrahán A. Berchín, “La obra en Valparaíso” [The Work in Valparaíso], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1917, 13, 14.↩
-
Letter of Víctor Thomann, “Noticias de Chile” [News From Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1, 1918, 9; F. L. Perry, “Visitando en Los Andes y Valparaíso” [Visiting in Los Andes and Valparaíso], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 15, 1918, 8, 9; see the notes in Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 16, 1919, 16.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “Los Andes, Chile,” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 29, 1918, 10; F. L. Perry, “El adelanto de la obra en Chile” [The Advancement of the Work in Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 19, 1918, 10; Joseph W. Westphal, “Una visita a Chile” [A Visit to Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 30, 1919, 6, 7; “De Chile” [From Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1919, 9; Abrahán A. Berchín, “La obra en los Andes y San Felipe, Chile” [The Work in the Andes and San Felipe, Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 18, 1919, 10.↩
-
See the note of the Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 14, 1918, 12. On another occasion that year he himself recorded how he involved his children with great enthusiasm in this task. See the note he wrote in Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 28, 1918, 14.↩
-
Roscoe T. Baer, “Un informe de Chile” [A Report From Chile], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 14, 1919, 6.↩
-
“De una carta del pastor Baer” [A Letter From Pastor Baer], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 28, 1919, 16.↩
-
See an excerpt of the letter of Roscoe T. Baer in Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1, 1920, 16.↩
-
Roscoe T. Baer, “The Organization of a Church at Los Andes, Chile,” Review and Herald April 1, 1920, 16.↩
-
Zevallos.↩
-
Guillermo Emmenegger, “Oficiales y Junta Directiva” [Officials and Board of Directors], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 14, 1918, 10; Guillermo Emmenegger, “Decimotercer congreso anual de la Asociación Chilena—Informe del secretario” [Thirteenth Annual Congress of the Chile Conference—Secretary’s Report], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 10, 1919, 15; Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1929), 200.↩
-
Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1956), 139. It appears in this yearbook, although it had already passed away, because it contains the active people of the previous year.↩
-
Víctor E. Thomann, “Las ostras y la ‘Guía’” [The Oysters and the Guide], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 14, 1918, 15.↩
-
Zevallos.↩
-
See, for example, Víctor E. Thomann, “Viene Jesús” [Come, O Jesus], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1908, 118; Víctor E. Thomann, “Mi anhelo” [My Desire], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1909, 5. It was first published as poetry: Víctor E. Thomann,“¡Ven, Señor!” [Come, O Lord], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March-April 1916, 15; Víctor E. Thomann, “Alumbrad” [Illuminate], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1917, 3; Víctor E. Thomann, “Principio del Sábado” [Sabbath Principle], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 29, 1918, 2; Víctor E. Thomann, “La historia de los reinos” [The History of the Kingdoms], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 12, 1918, 4; Víctor E. Thomann, “Todos a la obra” [All to the Work], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 26, 1918, 12.↩
-
Zevallos. ↩
-
Himnos y cánticos espirituales [Hymns and Spiritual Songs] (Florida, Buenos Aires: Buenos Aires Publishing House, 1916). Víctor E. Thomann wrote hymns 2, 68, 95, 96, 97, 111, 114, 115, 146, 152, 170, 173.↩