Miracles in My Life
8 “WHAT DOEST THOU HERE, ELIJAH?”
One day about Christmas time as Brother Mead and I were working on a store building in Waukon, a man looked up at me and inquired, “Do you know a carpenter around here by the name of Hosea Mead?” MML 47.1
“Yes, sir,” I replied. “He’s up here working with me.” MML 47.2
Brother Mead said, “That’s Elon Evert’s voice!” Then he came and looked down. MML 47.3
“Come down!” Everts shouted. “Brother and Sister White and Brother Hart are here in the sleigh!” MML 47.4
If these persons had dropped upon us from the skies, they would hardly have astonished us more. The ground was covered with three feet of snow plus several crusts which were not strong enough to bear up a horse. For more than a week all roads for 40 miles south of Waukon had been abandoned as impassable. The people had been waiting for the weather to moderate before attempting to open the roads. It looked as though one sleigh load, breaking their way through 40 miles of such snow, undertook a Herculean task. MML 47.5
As I reached the sleigh, Sister White greeted me with the question, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” MML 47.6
Shocked at such a question I replied, “I’m working with Brother Mead at carpenter work.” MML 47.7
Again she asked, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” MML 47.8
Now I was so embarrassed at her connecting my case with Elijah I did not know what to say. It was evident there was something back of this I should hear about. MML 47.9
Then she repeated the question a third time, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” MML 47.10
I was brought by these bare questions to very seriously consider Elijah hid in a cave away from the work of the Lord. Later on during the meetings here, I learned that she was instructed in a vision at Round Grove to greet me in this very manner. I assure you that the salutation thoroughly convinced me there would come a change and “go back” from the labor in which I was then engaged. MML 47.11
Meetings began in the home of Elder Andrews Dec. 26, and continued until Jan. 1, 1857. The Whites presented to us in a faithful manner the Laodicean message of Revelation 3:14-22. As the church began to receive the testimony, and to make confession of coldness and backslidings, light came in. We were encouraged to this heart-work by entreaties to return to the Lord and He would heal all our backslidings. MML 48.1
During the Waukon meetings, Sister White had three visions. Two were given the same evening under peculiar circumstances. There was a sister present who was in much sadness and almost on the brink of despair, feeling so keenly over the wrongs of her past life. In the first vision of the evening, Mrs. White was impressed to tell this sister that if she would take her stand, confessing her past wrongs to God, she would obtain forgiveness and, if faithful, need not look back of that night again. The sister did as she was bidden and light and glory came in. Immediately sister White was again in vision and saw that the Lord had accepted the sister’s confession, and that the past was forgiven. The sister then arose and gave glory to God. MML 48.2
Our facilities for entertaining company at that time were somewhat meager. It was 13 miles to a grist-mill. The winter’s snow had closed in upon us suddenly, much sooner than expected. There was no flour in the neighborhood when our friends came. We were just about consuming our last loaves of genuine “bran bread.” So for two days, all we had to offer them was meat, potatoes, and hulled corn. When the weather moderated, all the neighborhood turned out and broke the road to the mill, after which we had something a little better to serve our friends. MML 48.3
On the first day of January, 1867, I laid up my carpenter tools for good, said goodbye to our people in Waukon, and started with the Whites for Illinois. When we reached the Mississippi, the ice was again thoroughly frozen so that we passed over safely. When we arrived at Galena, Illinois, Elder and Mrs. White took the train for Battle Creek while I went on with the brethren to Round Grove, and soon began a series of meetings in the Hickory Grove schoolhouse, three miles from the home of Josiah Hart. As a result of these meetings, a number of persons took their stand, among them the Andrews family, and some of the Colcord family. Robert Andrews and G. W. Colcord afterwards became ministers in the message. MML 48.4
That the ministerial work was not a source of great financial gain will be apparent to all when I state that for the first three months of labor in Illinois, I received my board and lodging, a buffalo robe overcoat, and ten dollars in money to pay my share of home expenses in Waukon where my wife was staying. On my return trip, I walked 26 miles with a heavy satchel on my back so as to have a little money left on reaching home. MML 49.1
In early June, I joined Brethren Hart and Everts with the Wisconsin tent at Mackford. A number of our people were living there who had come from Oswego, N.Y., and were anxious for their neighbors to hear the evidences of their faith. Many of the neighbors did accept the truth, and among them Rufus Baker. P. S. Thurston had been one of our ministers in Canada, but his wife was a member of another denomination. After two days of listening and careful study, she took a firm stand with her husband. MML 49.2
Philander Cady of Poy Sippi was then constructing a barn in the vicinity. He listened for a whole Sunday to the messages of the law and the Sabbath. Rejoicing in the light, he did not wish to keep it to himself. Near him lived John Matteson, a Scandinavian minister. They entered into an earnest study of the matter together, which resulted in Matteson’s accepting, and at once presenting it to the people of his nationality. MML 49.3
From Mackford we went to Dodgeville for a three-week effort. Though a strong infidel town, somehow these infidels took a great interest in our meetings. One of them stated that this was the first religious meeting he had attended in 14 years. In those days we took no collections, but unknown to us, the infidels raised $50 for our expenses. MML 49.4
On leaving Dodgeville, we went with our tent to Green Vale, Ill. Here we met Moses Hull of Plum River. He had been a First-day Adventist minister and had accepted the message through reading. Wishing to know his ability as a public speaker, I invited him to speak on “The Christian’s Hope.” This he did with acceptance by our people, and for some time he joined us in our labors. MML 49.5
After the harvest we put two tents into the field, one with Brother Ingraham, Hutchins, and Philips, while Brother Sperry and I took the other to White Rock. One very interested brother paid our bills for board and room at the tavern. MML 50.1
However, some young antagonists seemed intent on causing us trouble, but every move they made to create disturbance only enlisted the people in our favor. After the second evening these ruffians, talking loudly about the law of Moses, went out and got a lamb and, after cutting off his ear, threw him into the tent intending him (we suppose) as a sacrifice. During the last of our meetings we were in a schoolhouse close to the tent. These rude fellows pulled up over half of the small stakes, then attached large guys to the axle of a lumber wagon, thinking that the starting of the wagon would pull the tent over. But they were discovered in time. MML 50.2
Our efforts were continued until the fall rains and cool weather. I then returned to Waukon, and was glad to learn that George I. Butler, formerly a skeptic, had been soundly converted and had joined with the Sabbathkeepers in Waukon. MML 50.3
Soon after reaching home, I sold my horse and wagon and most of my household goods and moved to Battle Creek, reaching there the first of November. Our people had just completed their second meeting-house, 42 x 28 in size. The first one, 24 x 18 had been too small to accommodate the growing work. At a general gathering of our people on November 6, the house of worship was dedicated, and I was asked to give the first sermon. In west Battle Creek, Elder White obtained a cottage for me for $400. MML 50.4
After settling in Battle Creek in 1857, a little daughter was added to the family. The winter of 1857 was hard economically. Wheat was only sixty-five cents a bushel, and oats thirty-five. For the whole six months of that winter I received three ten-pound cakes of maple sugar, ten bushels of wheat, five bushels of apples, one-half of a small hog, one peck of beans, and four dollars in cash. Light had not come on health reform, nor was any system yet established for the support of the ministry. MML 50.5
In March, 1858, Sister White said to her husband, “The Lord has shown me that if you call the ministers together and have J. N. Andrews come from Waukon and hold a Bible class, you will find in the Scriptures a complete plan for supporting the ministry.” Some may ask, “Why did not the Lord show her at once what the plan was?” My reply is, “Because He wanted our people to search it out in the Scriptures for themselves.” During April of that year the Bible class was held in Battle Creek, after which our brethren said, “The tithing system is just as binding as it ever was.” In introducing it, however, they called it “systematic benevolence on the tithing principle.” MML 50.6
I spent the summer of 1858 in tent meetings in the state of Ohio,-Green Springs, Gilboa, Lovett’s Grove, Republic. Continuing the eastern journey with Elder and Mrs. White, we went to Rochester and Buck’s Bridge, N.Y. Our three-day meeting was very profitable for that company. There is a story in connection with that meeting which illustrates the zeal of some of our people. One sister came to Mrs. White much burdened and said, “I like Elder Loughborough’s preaching, but I am sorry to see him following the fashions of the day.” MML 51.1
“In what respect?” Mrs. White inquired. MML 51.2
“Why,” said the woman, “in the manner of shaving his beard. He leaves a mustache upon his upper lip, and a goatee upon his chin.” MML 51.3
Mrs. White replied, “If that is all your trouble about him, I can relieve your mind at once. He does not shave at all. He lets all the beard grow that God has given him, and I suppose when the Lord gives him any more, he will let that grow, too.” MML 51.4
While on the Eastern trip with Elder and Mrs. White, she said to me one day, “There is a wonderful vision that was once presented to me, but it does not come distinctly before me so I can relate it. It is just wonderful!” MML 51.5
After our return to Michigan in October, there was a general three-day meeting of our people in the church on Van Buren Street. The climax came on Sunday, the last day of the meeting. It was expected that J. N. Andrews would speak at 10:30 a.m. and J. H. Waggoner at 2 p.m. MML 51.6
In a social meeting at 9 a.m., Sister White arose to speak. Her countenance was lighted up with power of God, and she began to tell us things we had never heard from her lips before. It was the vision of the great controversy, beginning with Satan’s revolt in heaven. As it opened then and there before her, she related it to us. As she spoke, the mighty power of God filled all the room where we were sitting. Some expressed afterwards the sensation we felt, “It seemed as though heaven and earth were running together.” MML 51.7
Those present could never forget the evident presence of the power of God accompanying her relating of the great controversy with the final triumph of right, and the defeat of Satan. MML 52.1
As the subject opened up before her, Sister White talked until noon. No hint was made that anyone else had an appointment. It was evident to all that it was the Lord’s meeting, and almost spellbound we listened to the instruction the Lord had for us. While she was earnestly relating the facts, a Presbyterian deacon, a next-door neighbor of mine, was passing the church on his way to his own meeting in the city. He had never been known to attend our meetings, but attracted by the sound of Sister White’s voice, he stepped inside and sat down. There he sat, listening with almost breathless attention the whole forenoon. MML 52.2
When Sister White was at last told, “It is noon,” she responded, “Well, I have only gotten started in relating what opens before me.” Elder White inquired, “Will you go on with your talk at one o’clock?” She replied that she would. Promptly at one o’clock all were present to hear the remainder of the vision; and among the rest, the deacon sat in a seat near the front of the congregation. The afternoon talk continued for four hours. Our people remarked that never before in their lives had they known such a day. This was the first time that Sister White related her vision of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. MML 52.3