God's Providences by James White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · Aug 22, 1878

God's Providences.

By James White

IN the advancement of the cause of the third angel's message, God's providential care has been manifested all the way. We would here mention one marked case with which we were connected.

When the Seventh-day Adventist publishing association was incorporated at Battle Creek, Mich., some of the most ardent friends of the cause who designed to take stock had advanced money to the amount of two thousand dollars. This sum we placed in the hands of brokers, at ten per cent interest. While on a western tour in the autumn of 1860, we stopped at the house of Brother H. Pratt, of Markesan, Wisconsin, and while at family prayer we had a presentiment that our babe then six weeks old was sick. He appeared lying in his mother's lap, with head and face terribly swollen and inflamed. We immediately wrote to Mrs. W. that all was not well with the child, and when she received the letter, three days later, and as she read it with the apparently healthy child on her lap, she stated to those around her, that if husband was there he would not have faith in his presentiment. But that night the bed was dressed with damp sheets, the next morning the child was sick, indeed it was a marked case of erysipelas, affecting first the head and face.

Now we will go back in this narrative to the house of Brother Pratt of Wisconsin. That night we dreamed that the brokers, with whom we had deposited the money for the Office, were selling shop worn shoes in an inferior store, and as we saw them we exclaimed They have come down! These words awoke us, and for a moment we felt a little concerned for the Lord's money which was in their hands. But soon both the dream and the presentiment passed from our mind. We had an appointment at Monroe, Wis., and at Clyde, Ill. We filled the appointment at Monroe the next week and then passed on to Clyde. We put up at the house of Brother E. Wicks. As we entered the house Brother R. F. Andrews, who has since entered the ministry, handed us a telegram from Mrs. W., stating that the child was at the point of death and requesting us to return home immediately. We then stated to those present that we were prepared to receive the news for God had shown us the sickness of the child while at the house of Brother Pratt. We were so confident in this matter that we told Sister Wicks that she would hear from us that the child's disease was in its head and face. When we returned home we found the child lying in his mother's arms, precisely in the same posture and condition in which it passed before our mind while bowed before the Lord at the house of Brother P. The child lived four weeks. The funeral was in the forenoon, in the afternoon we went to the Review Office, and as we stepped over the threshold the presentiment and the dream flashed before our mind. We then stated to the foreman in the Office that God had shown us in a figure that the money was not safe, and that we should immediately take it out of their hands, which we did to purchase stone, brick and lumber for the new building.

The first of July we made a tour east, stopping at Rosevelt and Bucksbridge, N. Y. The day before we left we drew what remained of the principal and interest. When we reached the place of our second appointment we put up at the house of Elder Byington and while there we received a note from his son, a printer in the Review Office, that the day after we left Battle Creek, these brokers made an assignment. At that time not less than fifty thousand dollars from the citizens of Battle Creek and vicinity was in their hands on deposit, and there has never been any dividend whatever paid them. Many in Battle Creek knew that we had deposited with these men and they supposed that we had lost as others had done. And on our return from the east the question was frequently asked us, How much did you lose, Elder White, by these men? We had the pleasure of responding, Not one dollar. Well you were lucky, was the frequent remark. The providence of God has cared for this means that has been solemnly dedicated to the cause for which we have given the best of our life; we would then relate the facts in the foregoing narrative, and felt justified in making the strong statement, that God sent his angel to warn us as verily as he sent his angel to warn Joseph in a dream to take Mary and the infant Saviour and flee into Egypt from the wrath of Herod. J. W.