Endowed by Nature with Rich Gifts — Unfortunate Accident and Early Struggles — The Earnest Purpose That Achieved Success — Extensive Labors in Many Parts of the World — Prominent in This Great Movement
By MILTON C. WILCOX
MRS. E. G. WHITE
ELDER JAMES WHITE
As mentioned in the accompanying article by Elder Wilcox, Mrs. White and her late husband were the prime movers in establishing this paper, some forty-one years ago. An article from her pen has appeared in our columns almost every week from the time the paper was founded. The writings of no one have been prized more highly by a large class of our readers.
In view of her important work, it is only fitting that we should devote an unusual amount of space to giving a sketch of her long and busy life.
One of the richest legacies left by her is numerous manuscripts that are as yet unpublished. One of these, "Life Sketches of Ellen G. White," is now in press, and will soon be ready for distribution. This is largely in the nature of an autobiography.
*Another manuscript, perhaps the most valuable of those left by her, and which she had been working upon for a number of years, and was very anxious to complete before her death, is "The Captivity and Restoration of Israel." This posthumous volume completes the list of her writings known as the "Controversy Series," and covers the period in her works between "Patriarchs and Prophets" and her life of Christ sent out under the title "The Desire of Ages."
One of her volumes just from the press is entitled "Gospel Workers." Many persons engaged in gospel work have anticipated finding this book specially helpful.
Numerous abridgments of her manuscripts have been prepared during recent years, with a view to having them translated into foreign languages.
From her great wealth of miscellaneous manuscripts, we have secured many selections of value for the "Signs of the Times," and we are glad to say to our readers that they will still have the benefit of the writings of this gifted author. She "being dead, yet speaketh" through the work that she performed while in the prime of her useful life.
GOD makes much of individuals. All the great movements, awakenings, and crises of the centuries have centered around individuals, so that the story of the lives of these persons must include the history of God's work in the world, or the history of the crises or movements.
We cannot think of the Deluge without thinking of the one man Noah. Noah's biography includes the history of the Flood.
It would be utterly impossible to write an adequate history of the Hebrews and omit Abraham and Moses and Joshua and Samuel and David and Solomon and Elijah and Isaiah and Daniel and Josiah and Ezra — the giants in God's work all along the history of that people.
We could not properly talk of the Reformation and not mention John Wycliffe, the morning star of that movement, and Martin Luther. John and Charles Wesley, with their mighty mother, Susanna, meant Methodism.
OF SPECIAL PROMINENCE IN THE ADVENT MOVEMENT
And in the advent movement, the giving to the world of the last message of reform, there are two persons whose biographies must include the beginning and the establishment of the movement and its world-wide growth. Nay, more, God's hand through them will affect it to the end. I refer to Elder James White and his beloved wife, Mrs. Ellen G. White.
It would take a large volume to give a brief and comprehensive history of this work. It would take a volume to give an adequate story of the life of the noble woman Mrs. Ellen Gould Harmon White. This sketch must therefore be inadequately brief and consequently very imperfect.
OF GOOD OLD NEW ENGLAND STOCK
Her parents' names were Robert and Eunice Harmon. They came of good old New England stock, for many years resident of the state of Maine. They were earnest, devoted members of the Methodist Church, prominent in Christian labor for the conversion of sinners, and having the joy of seeing all their eight children converted and early gathered into the fold of Christ.
A FATEFUL ACCIDENT
Ellen, the subject of our sketch, was a strong, healthy child, of sunny and hopeful disposition, ready and eager to learn, of quick perception and retentive memory. She rapidly and vigorously developed both physically and mentally. She was fond of society, persevering, resolute, courageous, giving promise of a useful, active womanhood. But at the age of nine, she met with an accident that affected her whole life. A schoolmate threw a stone, which struck Ellen full in the face, breaking the bridge of her nose, and resulting in almost fatal illness.
She was forced to relinquish all study. After a rest of three years, she attempted again to attend school, but rapidly failing health demanded the relinquishment of all her high ambitions and hopes to secure an education. She never attended school after the age of twelve.
HEARD WILLIAM MILLER PREACH
In March, 1840, at the age of thirteen, she listened to some of the thrilling discourses of William Miller, on the Lord's coming. Thousands were stirred by his preaching. There was a general seeking of the Lord in all churches, many were converted, and Miss Harmon, after deep soul searching, found great peace in believing. Her mother and her brother Robert were great helps to the young disciple. She was received by the Methodist Church into full fellowship, after immersion in the ocean, — a fitting type of her death to sin and her new life of consecration to the service of Christ for the world. As in baptism, so in other things, nothing but the word of God could satisfy her conscience. That Word demanded sacrifice, self-denial, simplicity in life and dress. She followed the chosen path throughout her long and useful life.
THE FIRST S. D. A. MEETINGHOUSE, WASHINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE
COULD NOT HARMONIZE GOD'S LOVE AND ETERNAL TORMENT
A little later, the nearness of Christ's coming was again brought before her, and she studied with clearer view the prophecies of the Word. She sought God for greater holiness of life. Her sensitive heart was greatly troubled over the doctrine of eternal misery. She could not reconcile it with the revelation of God's love. As she contemplated it, she was again shrouded in darkness.
About this time, too, came a decided conviction that she ought to pray in the public prayer meetings. From this she shrank till her secret prayers seemed mockery. Out of this condition she was helped by her mother, and by a minister named Stockman, who felt that the Lord must be fitting her for some special work. Promising God that she would do and suffer anything He might require of her if His smile could again cheer her heart, she gave herself anew to her Saviour, lifted the cross, took part in prayer meeting, and God greatly blessed her. In her own words:
"Faith now took possession of my heart. I felt an inexpressible love for God, and had the witness of His Spirit that my sins were pardoned. My views of the Father were changed. I now looked upon Him as a kind and tender parent, rather than a stern tyrant compelling men to blind obedience. My heart went out toward Him in a deep and fervent love. Obedience to His will seemed a joy. It was a pleasure to be in His service. No shadow clouded the light that revealed to me the perfect will of God. . . .
"I could even praise God for the misfortune that had been the trial of my life, for it had been the means of fixing my thoughts upon eternity. . . .
"My heart was so filled with love to God and the peace that passeth understanding, that I loved to meditate and pray."
BEGINS HER PUBLIC LABORS
From that time began her public labors, at the age of sixteen, in 1843; for then she began to tell of her experiences with God, and to labor for her associates. To some of these she seemed beside herself, but she labored and prayed till each one whom she had sought out was converted to God. Sometimes she was slighted, sometimes repressed; but she kept joyfully on her way. If not able to move about, she sat propped up in bed, and did some kind of work by which she earned small sums of money to purchase literature for missionary work.467
A VISION OF CHRIST'S COMING
In December, 1844, God gave her a vision of the second coming of Christ and the reward of the righteous. The exceeding weight of glory that awaits the faithful was placed in contrast, in her mind, to the fading pleasures and riches of this life. God had told her that it was her duty to tell it to others; that she would meet with great opposition, but His grace would be sufficient. She was then but seventeen years old, frail in health, small, timid, and retiring; but after severe struggle, she went forth.
Other visions were given, other duties presented, other crosses lifted. God blessed the frail child as continually larger fields opened before her. Greater and clearer vision revealed new duties, new duties brought heavier burdens, and the heavier burdens brought greater blessings for others' spiritual good and the enlargement of her own life.
MARRIED TO JAMES WHITE
August 30, 1846, Miss Harmon was married to Elder James White, a native of Palmyra, Somerset County, Maine. James White was born August 4, 1821, and was a lineal descendant, on his father's side, of Peragrine White, who was born on the Mayflower in the harbor of Cape Cod before the Pilgrims had made a home in the wilderness, and to whom the court gave two hundred acres in consideration of his birth.
Henceforth her labors were linked with her husband's till his death, August 6, 1881.
Neither of them knew the luxury of wealth or ease. Strenuous, arduous, burden-bearing, afflicted often with sore sickness, sums up the life of both to the end. They were brought together by kindred belief in prophetic fulfillment and the near coming of Christ. As they studied the Scriptures, they saw that the prophetic Word demanded the restoration of primitive Christianity in purity of doctrine and a higher and more devoted standard of living. To them the gospel was not contrary to the law, but was designed to bring fallen man back into harmony with the government of God and obedience to all His commandments as epitomized in the Decalogue.
They therefore saw it duty to observe the seventh-day Sabbath, as they believed it was given in the beginning and observed by Jesus Christ. They saw, from the prophecies and other scriptures, that the Judgment of God was impending, and that the rule or standard of character at that tribunal was the law of God. They therefore began the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, and taught it in their public labors.
GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT IN MANY PROMISES
Among the important things seen in the restoration of truth was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the distribution of the gifts of the Spirit in the church as manifest in early Christianity. Most of the Protestant denominations recognized the gifts of pastors, evangelists, and teachers. Why should there not also be seen apostles, prophets, healings, discerning of spirits, miracles, nay, all the gifts mentioned in the twelfth chapter of 1 Corinthians, the fourth chapter of Ephesians, and the twelfth chapter of Romans? They were given, they read, "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Eph. 4:12. Were not all these things needed now? So they believed and taught. More than this, they believed that the gift of prophecy was bestowed upon Mrs. White. Through this gift, as of old, there were given to the church revelations and visions from God. These were subjected to every test that could be demanded.
HER WORK CLOSELY TESTED
The characteristic manifestations recorded in the Scriptures were present in the visions of Mrs. White, — the open eyes, unaffected by anything around, even by touch upon the eyeball, gazing with exceeding intentness at something beyond; the absence of breathing; the manner of speech — similar in every respect to those characteristics of the ancient prophets.
While in vision, she has been repeatedly examined by skeptics, unsympathetic physicians, and by one physician conversant with spiritistic manifestations, who had boasted that he could immediately bring her out of vision, but who in alarm was compelled to leave the house.
MRS. E. G. WHITE IN HER PRIME
Invariably the influence of these visions has been to impress upon the unprejudiced the presence and power of God, and, unlike spiritistic manifestations through mediums, has left the one through whom given, stronger physically.
EXTENSIVE LABORS AND TRAVELS
Mrs. White began her public labors among the Adventist people by visiting companies in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts. Her travels with her husband marked the progress of the work. In 1848 Connecticut and New York were visited. In 1849 they began the publication of a paper called Present Truth, afterward changed to the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, the denominational organ to the present time. In the next three years, this paper was issued at irregular intervals from Middletown, Connecticut; Oswego, New York; Paris, Maine; Saratoga Springs, New York; and Rochester, New York.
In 1853 the travels of Mr. and Mrs. White had extended to Michigan, where were several new companies of believers. In 1854 Wisconsin had been visited. In 1855 the publishing work, which was now growing, had been moved to Battle Creek, where for several years Mr. and Mrs. White made their home, making frequent visits to the various churches east and west.
In 1860 they visited Iowa, the western limit at that time. The radius of their work greatly extended as the message was carried to other states.
ATTENDS OUR FIRST CAMP MEETING
In 1868 the first camp meeting was held in Wright, Michigan; and in 1870 Elder and Mrs. White attended twelve such meetings. This was their experience from year to year.
In 1880 they had visited and held meetings in twenty-four states and territories and in Canada. The audiences at these gatherings reached at times several thousand persons.
We have not time to speak of Mrs. White's influence in the organization of this work, especially as regards its simplicity and freedom; of the development of our sanitariums, our publishing work, and our schools.
PIONEERING IN CALIFORNIA
The work in California had been inaugurated by Elders J. N. Loughborough and D. T. Bourdeau in the summer of 1868. In the autumn of 1872 Elder and Mrs. White visited San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Woodland, Healdsburg, and Petaluma. Here her testimony was received and their labors were greatly appreciated.
In February, 1873, they went to Michigan, returning to California in December of that year to take up new and greater burdens and start new enterprises. In 1874 two tent meetings were held in Oakland, Brother and Sister White assisting. Here Mrs. White spoke with telling effect on the great temperance question, in a local option campaign.
The publishing work was begun in Oakland, the first issue of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES being dated June 4, 1874. In 1875 the Pacific Press Publishing Company was organized, with capital stock first at $28,000. It is now continued in the Pacific Press Publishing Association, with a present worth of nearly $250,000, and a yearly output of half a million dollars in religious and educational literature.
God revealed to Mrs. White that a great work would be done upon the Pacific coast and in the cities around the bay. This began to materialize very early; for church buildings were erected in Oakland and San Francisco in 1875 and 1876. In helping to build these churches, Mr. and Mrs. White sold all they had in the East.
Mrs. White was intimately connected with the starting of the college at Healdsburg, from which laborers have gone forth to all parts of the world. That school is now continued in Pacific Union College, near St. Helena, which has also received her hearty support.
A SUFFERER AND SYMPATHIZER WITH THE SUFFERING
Having borne a great burden in the building up of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, Elder and Mrs. White took special pleasure in encouraging a like work in California, which resulted in the development of the St. Helena Sanitarium — started as the Rural Health Retreat. A life-long physical sufferer, Mrs. White's sympathies have ever been drawn out to the afflicted. In connection with three other medical missionary enterprises in California, — at Paradise Valley, near San Diego; at Glendale, near Los Angeles; and at Loma Linda, — Mrs. White has4borne heroic burdens and rendered great assistance. This is especially true of the College of Medical Evangelists at Loma Linda.
In 1878 she visited Oregon. Here she attended Oregon's first camp meeting, at Salem.
HER FOUR SONS
Mrs. White bore her husband four sons, two of whom are dead. The eldest, Henry Nichols White, born August 26, 1847, died at the age of sixteen. Herbert, who lived but two months and twenty-four days, died December 14, 1860. Of the two living, the older is James Edson, born July 28, 1849, now residing in Marshall, Michigan, the author of numerous books that have had an unusually wide circulation; the younger, William Clarence, born August 29, 1854, who has been the business agent and manager of his mother's affairs, and who has accompanied her in her extensive travels, since the father's death in 1881.
LABORS IN EUROPE
Mrs. White traveled extensively, speaking in the great camp meetings of our people and in public halls. In 1885 she visited Europe, remaining there for nearly two years, winning and establishing souls in the faith, and helping our institutions in the various countries. She found great pleasure in meeting with the descendants of the ancient Waldenses and Albigenses, and speaking to them on the everlasting gospel.
HER WORK IN AUSTRALIA
In 1891 she, with her son W. C. White and other helpers, sailed to Australia. She remained in the Australasian field nearly nine years. Here her labors helped greatly in establishing the young work. In educational, health, medical, and publishing work, she left the field much stronger than when she found it, and this was also true in spiritual lines.
In foreign fields, she has traveled a distance equal to twice around the globe.
In 1900 she returned to California, where she lived at her modest home near St. Helena to the time of her death, visiting, till within the last two years, various parts of the United States. Since then she has been engaged, with her helpers, in preparing manuscripts for publication. The feeble, frail frame, however, could not go on forever. It has already doubled the usual number of years in labor and toil for others.
Mrs. White did not approve the colonization of believers. Again and again, when it was advocated, she bore her testimony against it. God did not wish His people to gather into great communities to wither and die, but to scatter out into other communities, where they could be a blessing.
HER MANY BOOKS CIRCULATED BY THE MILLION
More than a score of different books have come from her indefatigable pen, containing many thousands of pages. The aggregate circulation of these books is estimated to be not less than three million copies. Besides these, there have been numerous articles in periodicals, and many tracts and pamphlets. Her writings have been translated into thirty-four different languages.
AS TESTED BY HER WORKS
What is the influence of this gift of the Spirit placed on Mrs. White, and of these manifestations, on herself and on others?
First, her teaching has invariably presented the highest standard of holy living in common, practical, everyday life, — the sanctification that does justice, loves mercy, and walks humbly with God.
Second, therefore the teachings of Mrs. White have reproved sin — oftentimes sin hidden among her own people, which, though not open, was eating like a canker at the vitals of spiritual life. With the reproof against sin, there has come the exaltation of righteousness, and the everlasting hope in Jesus Christ.
Third, the Bible has ever been exalted as the rule of doctrine and life. Mrs. White has ever emphasized the need of daily Bible study; has taught that the Scriptures should be preeminent in everything, and that her teaching or testimonies are not to take the place of the Bible. In her own words, to her own people, she has said:
"You are not familiar with the Scriptures. If you had made God's word your study, with the desire to reach the Bible standard and attain to Christian perfection, you would not have needed the testimonies. It is because you have neglected to acquaint yourself with God's inspired book, that He has sought to reach you by simple, direct testimonies, calling your attention to the words of inspiration which you have neglected to obey, and urging you to fashion your lives in accordance with its pure and elevated teaching. . . .
"The written testimonies are not to give new light, but to impress vividly upon the heart the truths of inspiration already revealed." — "Testimonies for the Church," volume 5, page 665.
Fourth, Christ is the one forever exalted in her teaching, — Christ the crucified Redeemer, Christ the divine Teacher, Christ our great High Priest, Christ the everyday Friend and Helper, Christ the coming King. This is the very core of her teachings.
Fifth, she has never condemned the past reformers and devoted servants of God, like Wycliffe, Luther, Zwingle, Calvin, Knox, Hooper, Wesley, and others. She has not declared that God's truth was hidden or lost till it was revealed by her. All these noble men bore the message, each for his age. Now we have reached the last days, when fuller light is demanded, and fuller light has come. All the good of the past is conserved and blended with the clearer light. There were errors in the past. The divided state of Christendom is sufficient demonstration of that. God would have His people, she has taught, cast off the errors, and carry forward the torch of truth, with its ever increasing light from the divine fountain of the Bible.
Sixth, she has given decided support to health reform principles, and simplicity, healthfulness, and neatness, which ever mean true economy. She has assisted in every possible way in the building up of great sanitariums, — a score or more in different parts of the world; and her instruction has ever been that these are not to be for the purpose of profit, but to educate the people in wholesome living, to help the sick and afflicted, and to give spiritual relief to the discouraged, the indifferent, and the broken-hearted.
Mrs. White on her last visit through the Southern States — Her son W. C. White and wife seated at the left, and her son James Edson White and wife seated at the right.
Seventh, her work for education has been equally strong. Deprived of school privileges in early years, she has assisted in building and conducting denominational schools and independent schools, providing these schools aimed at the manifold purpose of educating the student physically, mentally, morally, and spiritually. The true education, she has always taught, should make a well rounded, intelligent Christian, of use to the world, a blessing to humanity. Culture, but not surface culture; science, but not mere theory; morality, but not a mere system of ethics; instruction to do all useful things in the spirit of Christ, — this should be the aim of education. Manual labor is not a curse. Bible principles manifest in the lives of the great prophet Moses, the mighty apostle Paul, and Jesus Christ our Lord, are the ideals set before her hearers and readers.
Eighth, her life was a life of sacrifice. In poverty, in ill health, in sickness herself and with family ill, laboring with her hands in connection with her husband, economizing to barest necessities of existence, ministering to others hope and cheer under greatest discouragement herself, she more than measured the span of her days in arduous self-denial and self-forgetfulness for others' sake. She has given away many times over what would have kept her in ease. Her appeals to others have been to do, do, do, for God and humanity; but in this she has been greatly blessed of God. Coming down to death's door many times, life despaired of by friends, given up to die again and again by physicians, she has been repeatedly and miraculously restored to health.
Mrs. White ceased her work here as she began — poor in this world's goods. Her income from her books — no inconsiderable sum — has been used freely in the support of needy enterprises and needy people. Her heart has always been sympathetic with the suffering and needy, and her own hands, as well as those of her secretaries and helpers, have often ministered to the sick and suffering. She has left no princely fortune. Her estate, "Elmshaven," near St. Helena, and her interest in her books, will be administered by a board of five trustees provided for in her will. The greater part of the profits that may accrue will be used to carry forward the work to which her life was devoted.
She fell asleep at 3:40 P. M., Friday, July 16, 1915, assured that the Master whom she loved and served would soon welcome her to immortal glory at His coming. The life of Mrs. White lives after her. Enemies she has made by her straightforward teaching and reproof. She has been maligned and slandered. Those who know her best, can best judge her life. She was human, subject to all the infirmities and weaknesses of the race; but she found in Christ a precious Saviour and Helper. He called her to do a most unpopular work, and she responded. He has used her mightily. She has truly been a mother in Israel.
Our blessed Lord voiced the calmest judgment of the human heart when He said that a tree is known by its fruits. In the light of this, the life of our sister, and its blessed influence upon all whose lives it has touched, are a witness of her character and work. She "being dead, yet speaketh."
