The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1

BANGS, Elizabeth N. (1827-1891) and Reuben M. (1820-1893)

Elizabeth (“Lizzie”) Bangs was Ellen White's twin sister, born in Gorham, Maine. In 1849 she married Reuben Bangs and settled in Gorham, where they operated a farm for the rest of their lives. 1EGWLM 786.6

Neither Elizabeth nor Reuben Bangs became Seventh-day Adventists. As teenagers, however, Elizabeth and Ellen had shared their ardor for the Second Advent message of William Miller: “We talked the matter over among ourselves, and decided to earn what money we could, and spend it in buying books and tracts to be distributed gratuitously.” In 1845 Elizabeth sometimes accompanied Ellen on her journeys when she related her early visions. For reasons that are not altogether clear, Elizabeth seems to have lost much of her Christian faith in the years that followed, although she strongly denied being an “infidel.” Commenting on revival meetings taking place in Gorham in 1885, Elizabeth regretted her religious situation. “I try as hard as any one but as to get the feeling … it is impossible. It is a great trial to me but I can't help it. … I can't make pretensions that I don't feel.” It may be that her problems were due in part to the influence of Reuben. Although of Quaker background, he is said to have been “all against religion … always picking flaws in religious people.” 1EGWLM 786.7

On a personal level, although Elizabeth and Ellen had relatively little contact during their earlier married years, they corresponded and met fairly often during the last 15 years of Elizabeth's life. This was a difficult period when Elizabeth suffered from illness and “lameness,” eventually becoming bedridden for several years before her death. Ellen tried to encourage her sister by visits whenever she came to Maine, by sympathetic letters, presents of money, fruit, books, and subscriptions to the Review and Signs. In late 1879 or early 1880 Elizabeth came to Battle Creek as a guest of Ellen and James's. For several weeks she took treatments at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. Although Elizabeth did not improve from the treatments, it was a visit that she greatly enjoyed and often reminisced about in later letters. 1EGWLM 787.1

See: Artemas C. Harmon, ed., The Harmon Genealogy, p. 80; Mary Foss to Ellen White, Feb. 26, 1892; Hugh D. McLellan, History of Gorham, Me. (Portland: Smith and Sale, 1903), p. 395; Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 38; Ellen G. White, Lt 2, 1874 (Aug. 24); Elizabeth Bangs to Ellen White, Oct. 14, 1883, Dec. 30, 1885, Mar. 7, 1880, June 1880; Mary P. Foss to Ellen White, June 19, 1892. 1EGWLM 787.2