God Is Good by James White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jul 25, 1878

God Is Good.

By James White

THE Psalmist has said, "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised." Again he calls upon all to praise the Lord for his goodness to the children of men. His goodness and his loving kindness to man through Jesus Christ is boundless. "Behold," says the beloved John, "what love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." This is language of Scripture generally, not only in respect to the Son, but of the Father also, "God is love."

But no one has greater reasons for extolling the boundless goodness of God than the writer. At the age of thirteen we were brought to a saving knowledge of the Redeemer. At twenty, entered the ministry, and have had the high privilege of suffering some light afflictions while in the proclamation of unpopular truth for the period of thirty-seven years. We have suffered reproaches for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, some losses, and sicknesses which have several times brought us to the brink of the grave. But through all these light afflictions the Lord has brought us, and we are enjoying a good hope of better days here, and in the world to come, life eternal.

In consequence of the unusually cold and rainy winter in California we became much afflicted with rheumatism, followed by inflammation in our hands and feet, which made it almost impossible for us to walk, stand and preach, or to write. But while in this condition we learned that a little girl of eleven years, who had lived in our family some four years, had given her young heart to the Lord, had been accepted by the Battle Creek church as a candidate for baptism, but declined, saying, "I will wait until uncle White comes home and have him baptize me." From that hour we prayed many times daily that we might receive strength to take the long journey, see old friends, and our beloved institutions at headquarters, and baptize the child. God heard our prayers, and we reached Battle Creek, Mich., with improved health. There we received especial attention from the physicians at our Sanitarium, and continued to improve.

But the season of hot weather had come, and as we had received great benefit physically from sojourns in the Rocky mountains, we decided by the advice of friends to spend July, August and September in that region.

Accompanied by Elder D. M. Canright and our daughter, Mrs. M. K. White, we left Battle Creek July 4, and reached Denver, Colorado, the 7th. The 5th and 6th the heat and dust was almost suffocating; but relief came as we reached this city of the plains, where the snow-capped mountains were in full view. We reached Denver at two o'clock P. M., and with a hired team rode about this clean, beautiful city until eight in the evening, when we took the train for Golden city. Here we enjoyed sweet rest in sleep in the well ventilated hotel. After refreshment from our ample lunch baskets, and a season of morning prayer, we took the narrow-guage railway up the mountains. This road winds around with the rapid stream that rushes down by the base of the mountains to meet you as the train slowly ascends. This is the crookedest road we have seen, and is one of the curiosities of Colorado. At Black Hawk we met our old friend, W. B. Walling, who entertained us hospitably on two former visits to Colorado, and at his own expense took charge of two expeditions across the Snowy Range into Middle Park. We find him the same generous, cheerful friend. God grant that he too, with his little daughter, may give his heart to the Saviour and take the baptismal vow.

In a few moments Mr. W. drove up with teams to take us and our baggage to Rollinsville. On our way we stopped at Walling's Mills, where we spent about six months five years since, and enjoyed a meal from our lunch basket, now replenished with pears and peaches. Then we ascended up the mountain side, where we had with Mrs. W. gone a hundred times, and had a season of prayer. While the mountains echoed with the voice of prayer a man came where we were, and we recognized in him our old friend Smithheart, who in years past had been a preacher of considerable note. When we were here five years since he was attracted to us by the voice of prayer, and by the reading of our publications embraced the Sabbath. We were glad to hear from his lips that he still adhered to the Sabbath. He at once called for more publications, stating that he was hungry for more reading. We were surprised and gratified that this commandment-keeper recognized our voice, and came half a mile to see us. Here is an illustration of the influence of prayer and our publications. We then journeyed on to Rollinsville, where we have taken rooms in Mr. J. Q. A. Rollins' Hotel. This gentleman is an old mountaineer, and came to Colorado about the time Mr. Walling did. He has within a few years made a good toll-road over the Snowy Range into Central Park. For the present our postoffice address is Rollinsville, Colorado, where we shall be glad to hear from our friends. Our son, W. C. White, will join our company in about two weeks, when Mr. Walling designs to take us on excursions in different directions. We have purchased a first class campers' stove and have tents at hand. Fishing and hunting is said to be good this season.

As our first object in coming to this State was rest and recreation, this will be our first business. We have books to finish which have been delayed several years in consequence of a press of other matters and ill health. We hope to finish a volume of 400 pp., entitled, White Robes, or the Reasons of our Faith and Hope, Life Sketches, a pamphlet entitled, The Signs of the Times, and a volume of 400 pp. containing our views of Bible Hygiene, the rise and progress of the health reformation, sketches of the lives of leading health reformers, and testimonials from those who have been benefited by adopting hygienic principles. Here, too, we hope to be able to furnish articles for the Review and the Signs.

Elder Canright has labored excessively for several years, and has reached the breaking point. Under a sense of duty we urged this efficient laborer to spend three months with us in the Rocky mountains, lest he should break as we have done several times. We felt in this matter as the rich man of the parable who prayed father Abraham to send poor Lazarus to warn his five brethren lest they come to this place of torment.

We both see much to do, and shall labor all we can without interfering with the first object we have in view. One important business we have on hand is prayer to God for improved health, for our beloved institutions and our dear fellow laborers in this and in other countries. Many times each day we go up the mountain sides and enjoy precious seasons of prayer.

In these very mountains five years since in a solemn covenant we gave ourselves, our children, and our property to the Lord, and we prayed earnestly that he would use us, and them, and it, in his cause. This was the burden of every prayer. God heard and is answering. He has given us our children. Both of our sons have their whole interest in the work with which their parents have been connected for nearly two score years, and their companions are fully with them.

We have some of the Lord's property in our hands, and have made our will to the Lord and have appointed the writer executor. The will runs thus:—

Know all men by these presents that I, James White, being of sound mind and judgment, make this my last will and testament. I give to the Lord, to be used in the cause of the last message, all my real and personal property. And I request that my executor shall watch carefully the wants of the cause, and consider any call for means to forward any branch of the cause, if the call be made by the General Conference Committee—a sufficient reason to appropriate a portion to that branch of the work. I wish, however, that he shall particularly watch the wants of those very dear fellow laborers, Elders Andrews, Matteson and Bourdeau, who have taken their lives in their hands, and have gone to old, dark Europe to preach to hearts as hard as steel, and battle for truth against error, superstition, formality, wine, beer, tobacco, and sin of all forms. In the presence of God, of Christ and the good angels, I subscribe to the foregoing. JAMES WHITE.

Under solemn convictions of duty I have made this will, and my executor has sold his real estate at Oakland, Cal., a portion to Mrs. W., whom he leaves to bear her part of our stewardship, and a part to the Pacific Press, with this agreement, that we are to receive payment as fast as we may need to meet current expenses, and two thousand dollars yearly to use in the cause of present truth.

We do not object to our brethren making wills, if they will first be careful to have them legal. One thoroughly acquainted with the law should first be consulted, then those who make them should attend to the business and enjoy the satisfaction of making the appropriations to their own mind.

But there are many who will that their property shall be used in the cause after their decease, and in forty-nine cases out of fifty these persons will probably outlive the cause. And should they die, the very executor they might appoint they would not now trust to lay out five dollars for them. Again we urge that those who have the Lord's property in their hands hold themselves ready to respond according to their ability to any call that is made, and feel the satisfaction of knowing that they have taken more or less stock in every branch of this growing work.

But to return to Colorado. We rejoice in God that we are here. Sleep is sweet here. We arose at seven this morning, took a walk, then after breakfast and prayers, ground a scythe, with Elder Canright at the crank to turn, then mowed grass for our horses sufficient for the day. There is something rather sacred about this mowing when it is remembered that in 1848 we mowed six weeks in the State of Connecticut to obtain means to bear our expenses to the second General Conference ever held by our people. This Conference was held in Western New York.

We are able to walk three miles each day, a part at different hours. We commenced with one mile, with the design of increasing one mile each day until we shall be able to go up these mountain sides with the ease of former days. We drove out into Boulder Park to-day, and saw the very spot where Mrs. W. was thrown from her frantic pony six years since, and was taken up nearly breathless. The scene came vividly to our mind as one where God heard prayer. Mr. Walling proposed going for a doctor, but this was objected to on the ground that the Lord had been a very present help in time of need, and we would trust in him ever. Our party were all requested to draw near, a part of whom, though they respected the religion of the Bible, made no profession. Then we all bowed on the green turf and called on the great Physician for help. He heard our prayers. Mrs. W., after riding a few miles in the wagon, was placed upon her horse to climb the mountain steep, and rode to our place of noon refreshment, where a tent was pitched in which she took a hot bath, and after our second meal journeyed with us to Central Park.

After taking our second meal to-day the distant thunder in all its grandeur, like the voice of the Almighty from the tops of the mountains, and the flashing lightning warned us to move homeward before the storm, drawing the curtains of the carriage, and wrapping overcoats, shawls and blankets about us as best we could until we should reach Rollins' Hotel, where the good horses find a shelter in the stable and we in the room, where our pencil is tracing these lines.

From our window where we write, the snow upon the mountains is in full sight, cooling the atmosphere, and almost daily showers of rain lay the dust and refresh all nature. The storm has subsided and in a few moments we take our carriage to enjoy a ride in the evening air and to forward these rambling thoughts to Black Hawk, to leave on the early train. We close for the present with repeating our caption, God is good, and by asking the prayers of all who have power with God in prayer.

A servant of the church, J. W. Rollinsville, Colorado, July 11, 1878.