The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1

ANDREWS, John Nevins (1829-1883) and Angeline Spaulding (1824-1872)

The first Seventh-day Adventist missionary sent to countries outside North America, J. N. Andrews was a careful biblical scholar and author of the classic History of the Sabbath. He was born in Poland, Maine, and died at Basel, Switzerland, at the age of 54. In 1856 he married Angeline S. Stevens. He began to observe the Sabbath in his teens, started his work as a minister at 21 in 1850, and was ordained in 1853. In 1867 he became the third president of the General Conference, a position he held for two years. 1EGWLM 781.4

In 1874, in company with his children, Charles and Mary (his wife had died in 1872), Andrews sailed from Boston for Liverpool, England, en route to Switzerland. His main achievement in Europe was in starting publishing work in several languages and editing the French monthly paper Les Signes des Temps. 1EGWLM 781.5

In the quality of his biblical and historical research and writing Andrews was unmatched among Adventist writers of his time. He made original contributions in several areas of doctrine, such as the time to begin the Sabbath and in the application of the two-horned beast of Revelation 13 to the United States of America. His groundbreaking classic, History of the Sabbath, went through four editions. 1EGWLM 781.6

For some years both John and Angeline Andrews seem to have had a somewhat ambivalent attitude toward the visions of Ellen White. One likely contributing factor was the influence of their parents on both sides, who for many years were skeptical of the visions, in particular those that involved personal reproof. John tended to express his sympathies to those who were reprimanded, thereby undoing the intended effect. He is said to have insinuated doubts about the genuineness of the visions in the mind of a Michigan minister, J. B. Frisbie, and also to have “unsettled the mind of Henry Nichols in regard to the visions [from which he] … never recovered.” 1EGWLM 781.7

Angeline Andrews expressed a change of heart in regard to the visions in letters from 1862. “My heart is pained in view of my past course and the position which I have occupied relative to the visions.” As for John, Ellen White later traced his turning point to his presence at the remarkable meetings held during the Whites’ visit to Waukon, Iowa, in 1856. “God wrought there in great power. John was convinced that God was in the work.” Andrews subsequently became a strong supporter of the ministry of Ellen White, even though at times he failed to heed her testimonies to him. Thus, for example, Andrews ultimately failed to respond to recurring admonitions that he should adopt a more balanced lifestyle. 1EGWLM 782.1

“Health has been sacrificed by night labor,” Ellen White pointed out to him in 1872. “He has robbed himself of rest and sleep.” Yet five years later Andrews confessed, “I commence my [editorial] work with the light of the morning and continue it quite late into the night.” Also in 1877 Andrews described his unbalanced diet of “baker's bread, graham pudding, potatoes and occasionally a cabbage” and the pronouncement of a physician on examining him during an illness: “This man is almost starved to death.” 1EGWLM 782.2

Although J. N. Andrews’ response to Ellen White's testimonies was at times inadequate, yet on a personal level the Whites had the highest regard and respect for the remarkable talents of Andrews and his contributions to the church. He was, in Ellen White's estimation, the “ablest man in all our ranks.” 1EGWLM 782.3

See: SDAE, s.v. “John Nevins Andrews”; obituary: “The Death of Eld. Andrews,” Review, Oct. 30, 1883, p. 680; obituary: “Death of Sister Andrews,” Review, Apr. 2, 1872, p. 124; Ellen G. White, Lt 11, 1862 (Nov. 9); Lt 11, 1860 (Oct. 22); Lt 8, 1860 (June 11); Testimony to the Church at Battle Creek (PH123) (Battle Creek, Mich.: Steam Press, 1872), p. 84; J. N. Andrews to “Brother White,” June 22, 1877; J. N. Andrews to “Brother White,” Feb. 6, 1877; Ellen G. White, Lt 2a, 1878 (Aug. 29); A. S. Andrews to Brother and Sister White, Jan. 30, 1862; Feb. 2, 1862. For detailed studies, see essays in Harry Leonard, ed., J. N. Andrews: The Man and the Mission. 1EGWLM 782.4