The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1

Lt 8, 1857

July 19, [1857],¹ Battle Creek, Michigan 1EGWLM 523.1

Letter to
Samuel W. Rhodes.² 1EGWLM 523.2

Previously unpublished.

S. W. Rhodes temperamentally unsuited to oversee meetings dealing with church discipline. 1EGWLM 523.3

Dear Brother Rhodes: 1EGWLM 523.4

I have written to Brother Edson [Hiram Edson]³ the general part of a vision for the church in New York, given me at Ulysses, Pennsylvania.⁴ I was shown that the church took advantage of a vision that was given to reprove you, and did wrong, felt hard to you. Then the vision that was given to reprove the church you took advantage of, and have listened to the church trials altogether too much.⁵ You have encouraged them by listening to this one and that one's report. You have not had tender pity, have been too severe.⁶ I saw that your temperament was a hurried one, and the Lord would not lay it on you generally to settle church trials (thank God). You have too strong feelings, are not patient enough. God has a kind care for you but you have erred in having so many church trials.⁷ I saw that the Lord had given Brother Edson good judgment in regard to matters in the church.⁸ He has not filled his place. 1EGWLM 523.5

I saw that you move too strongly, make up your mind that things are so, and then move hurriedly, not studying the effect of these things afterward. Upon those things you must reform. You can comfort and strengthen the church with the gift God has given you, but you must move more patiently, throw off so much perplexity that you have. Your anxiety to see the church where they ought to be, has led you to try too hard to get them there. It has had the wrong effect in many cases. You have failed often. 1EGWLM 524.1

You have manifested selfish feelings in connection with Brother Treadwell [William Treadwell]⁹ against another. That brother is not right, but more had been laid to his charge than belongs there, and this is the way with many of the church trials. It gives the jealous, the selfish, opportunity to carry out these evil propensities.¹⁰ All these evils must be corrected. 1EGWLM 524.2

Nearly every one I saw in Roosevelt [New York] has been wrong. Brother T. Finch [Truman P. Finch]¹¹ was not right. When he left he had the same faultfinding spirit. Brother Chapel [Levi R. Chapel]¹² has not been free from it. I saw that there needed to be a thorough reformation all through that section. The professed people of God have disgraced themselves in the eyes of the world by these trials¹³ that they never would have had if their hearts had been right in the sight of God. Hatred has caused many of these trials, but the poor souls knew it not. 1EGWLM 525.1

In love. 1EGWLM 525.2