Manuscript Releases, vol. 7 [Nos. 419-525]

MR No. 475—Revival Meetings Conducted by Ellen White

I expected to remain through the meeting [in New Bedford] but urgent telegrams came from the Ohio campmeeting for us to come. If we would return answer that we would come Elder Farnsworth would start for New Bedford meeting. We looked the whole thing over and, considering Elders Canright and Oviatt's apostasy, we decided to go. 7MR 244.1

We left the ground Friday morning and arrived at Cleveland Sabbath morning and spoke that day. Made decided efforts for the people, called them forward and fully two hundred came forward. The congregation of outsiders was very large. This made a decided impression upon them. They said they never had seen anything like this before. Special labor was given in the different tents for all who came forward. After a season of prayer I was in the tent from half past two until half past five o'clock. 7MR 244.2

Sunday we had the crowd again. The large tent was crowded full. It rained some. Many visited me who had been in the ‘43 and ‘44 Movement. Some claimed to be in advance of us in the faith of the restitution of all things, while some others claimed that Christ had come, while still others seemed to be seeking for the truth. It was hard labor in Cleveland because of the want of unity among the ministers. There was need of the converting power of God to come upon the ministers. 7MR 244.3

Monday we entered the tent at eight o'clock and did not leave it until three. I spoke three hours giving most solemn warnings to ministers and people, called the people forward and the ministers and gave them time to confess their faults and errors. When they commenced to confess there was a break, but still I did not see that clear and thorough work I desired. I told them I would not leave the tent until there was a decided movement made. Well, we had a most solemn, confessing, weeping meeting. 7MR 244.4

Tuesday morning I went to the eight o'clock meeting and I bowed before God and continued my supplication long for the Lord to come in and melt the hearts of the people. Then I felt the assurance that the darkness was clearing away. I told them so, bid them farewell, took the hack for the depot to go to Springfield, Ill.—Letter 50, 1887, pp. 3, 4. (To Brother Haskell, September 1, 1887.) 7MR 245.1

We feel deeply grateful for the blessing of God that has come into the meeting here [Chicago, Ill.]. We have all been blessed indeed. There began to be a break on Thursday, and on Friday the meetings were excellent, but oh, how hard it was to educate the people to look away from themselves to Jesus and to His righteousness. A continuous effort has had to be put forth. I am sure that those who are present begin to see now what they have lost in the past by their unbelief, and by the Christless sermons that have been presented. If this message that has been preached here is not present truth for this time, I know not how we can determine what is truth. 7MR 245.2

Did I tell you [W. C. White] that Mrs. Miles Grant was one of my hearers last Thursday? I had an introduction to her in my room, and we had a pleasant visit. She said that she did not know that I would care to meet the wife of Miles Grant, as he and I were sharp antagonists, but I said to her that I had made no raid upon her husband, it was he that had followed me and made a raid upon me. She talked very pleasantly, and commended the manner in which we are doing our work in such cities as Chicago. She said that she had told her husband that as a people we were showing a commendable zeal in live missionary work, while they, as a people, were doing very little, and were really dying out for want of just such methods of labor as Seventh-day Adventists were employing. 7MR 245.3

Friday morning the work of the Lord was manifested in our meeting. Hearts were moved upon by the Spirit of God, and good confessions were made. My heart rejoiced as I heard the people acknowledge that they were obtaining an education in faith which they had never had before, and that Jesus was precious to their souls. They said that they had never before known by an experimental knowledge what the love of God was, but now they had heard, they had believed, and they would go forth to preach as they had never before preached the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. They felt that indeed they had had a new conversion. Their souls were free, their sins forgiven, the love of Jesus was in their hearts. [They felt] the tenderness of heart, the contrition of spirit that makes evident the work of the Holy Spirit and grace of Christ in the soul. The Sabbath came to us as a joy, a blessing. We hailed the Sabbath with grateful hearts as the best Sabbath we had ever enjoyed. The half-past five meeting commenced where the evening meeting closed. Every heart seemed to respond to the love of God, and souls were burdened to express the precious love they had found. 7MR 246.1

The universal testimony now is that they regret most deeply that they had not seen and known before what they now understand. They now have the assurance of the favor of God, and have the indwelling peace of Christ. One soul after another has testified to a new conversion. Our meetings have been truly melting seasons. We know that Jesus has been in our meetings. Joy and tears have been mingled. I rejoice in the Lord to see the good work progressing. 7MR 246.2

On Sabbath forenoon Brother A. T. Jones gave a discourse full of the meat and fatness of good things. In the afternoon I spoke of the precious plan of salvation with much freedom to a large audience. I remained through a blessed social meeting, and how different were the testimonies from those we heard at the beginning of the meetings. They were full of joy and praise to God for the precious light that souls had received. The brethren expressed themselves as so much better acquainted with God because of the light that they had received. They comprehended to so much greater a degree His character, His goodness, His mercy, His love. They knew more of what it meant to have living faith. They said that they had a more intelligent idea of what it meant to abide in Christ, and to have Him abide in them. Many testimonies were borne by the ministering brethren to the effect that they could now see how little of the righteousness of Christ they had brought into their discourses, how ignorant they had been of the Scriptures and of the power of God! They felt that they could now go forth to their labors with new courage and hope, that they could now present Jesus and His love to the people. 7MR 247.1

From the commencement of the Sabbath to its close it was a day of especial blessing, and it forms one of the most precious pictures that I have to hang in memory's hall to look upon with delight and rejoicing. Good is the Lord and greatly to be praised. Brothers Kilgore and Starr sent telegrams to some of the brethren in adjoining churches who were absenting themselves from the meeting because of their temporal affairs. They arrived on Friday, and rejoiced as they drank in the spirit of the meeting. 7MR 247.2

Sunday, April 7, is in the past. The chapel was filled, and the halls and rooms adjoining were also well occupied. The meetings began at half-past five in the morning, and continued through the day with scarcely any intermission. Some time was devoted of course to obtaining refreshments. Elder Jones and myself occupied the preaching hours, and the Lord imparted to the speakers His grace in rich measure. The congregation were deeply interested, and many who were undecided have balanced in the right direction, and we believe that many more will decide for the truth as a result of this meeting. The sweet peace and quietness of God seem to be in all. There have been no outbursts of fanaticism, but rather the peace and joy that is born of heaven has been manifested. With tearful eyes and trembling lips, testimonies have been borne, full of faith and hope, courage and joy. 7MR 248.1

We have reason to praise God with heart and soul and voice. After the evening meeting baptism was administered to eleven candidates in the baptistry. Now that the enlightenment of the Spirit of God has come, all seem to be learning fast; but at first the lessons presented seemed strange and new, and their hearts and minds could not take them in. More real good could now be accomplished in one day than in one full week before, because they have now opened their hearts to Jesus, and He is abiding with them. All regret that they have been so long ignorant of what constituted true religion. They are sorry that they have not known that it was true religion to depend entirely upon Christ's righteousness, and not upon works of merit. 7MR 248.2

April 8, half-past ten a.m. We had a most precious meeting at half-past five this morning, and it would have done your soul good to have heard the heartfelt testimonies that were borne. Brother John Sisley bore a good, free, heartfelt testimony. Brother Ballenger proclaimed himself a converted man, and there is a right ring to his testimony. He says he can take hold of the work now as he never could take hold of it before, because he simply did not know how to exercise faith and cling to the righteousness of Christ. I wish you could see and hear Elder Kilgore. He talks things right out. He weeps and rejoices. He says he has had a new conversion, that his eyes are opened, that he no longer sees men as trees walking in his religious experience, but that he sees clearly that it is Christ's righteousness that he must rely upon or he is a lost man. Brother Tait is also out into the clear light, and his testimony rings out in decided tones. He has found Jesus and is so happy. He says that there are young men at this meeting who have been brought into the truth through his labors, and we can judge how glad he feels to hear them express their joy and gratitude for the light that has shown upon us, and to see deep movings of the Spirit of God on their hearts. 7MR 249.1

Oh, if they had only known when they first embraced the truth that which they now understand, how much further advanced they might have been in the divine life! Oh, how much time, how many opportunities have been left unimproved, because the people of God have not brought faith and love of Jesus into their religious experience! Brother Tait says, “Oh that I had preached the gospel of Christ to the souls for whom I have labored, how much better it would have been for them! But I will preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified in all my ministerial labors henceforth.” Brother Kilgore is just as happy in the Lord. He now sees the mistakes he made at Minneapolis, and is so glad of the privilege of these meetings. This morning's meeting was, as some expressed it, the best of the wine at the last of the feast. Such happy faces! Such thankfulness and joy was expressed by the people of God that we are all glad in the Lord.—Letter 1, 1889, pp. 1-5. (To W. C. White, April 7, 1889.) 7MR 249.2

Released February 2, 1976.