Messenger of the Lord

Courage When Standing Alone

In 1881 James White was in rapid decline. More than four strokes had left him physically and emotionally weak, and overwork depleted what strength he had left. Mrs. White wrote on January 6 that she was perplexed as to how to help her husband: “Father has been in such a state of mind I feared he would lose his reason. But he is concluding to lay off the burdens of office matters and go to writing. I hope he will do so.... I am at times in such perplexity and distress of mind I covet retirement or death, but then I gather courage again.” ⁴⁶ MOL 88.5

But her real test of strength came from a surprising development. By May, she was so criticized in Battle Creek that even her closest friends grew cool toward her. The criticism? Her word could not be trusted because she was manipulated by others! How could this be? Soon she became aware of the tension between her husband and Dr. Kellogg. MOL 88.6

In his dark moments of depression and paranoia, James was using her writings to undermine the president and secretary of the General Conference (G. I. Butler and S. N. Haskell, respectively). From another direction, J. H. Kellogg was attacking James White and James was retaliating. How were all these unpleasant assaults carried out? By each quoting the words of Ellen White to substantiate their allegations against one another—and by charging that the “quotes” used by their opponents were not valid words “from the Lord”! Each man was trying to destroy the influence of the others, but the real damage was being done to Ellen White. MOL 88.7

On June 14 she wrote to Willie and Mary at the Pacific Press in Oakland, California: “This lack of harmony is killing me. I have to keep my own counsel and have confidence in no one [in Battle Creek] .... Now, Willie, I have written freely and confidentially. I hope the Lord will preserve you well balanced. I hope you will not go to extremes in anything ... and be molded by no one’s influence except it be the Spirit of God.” ⁴⁷ MOL 88.8

By Sabbath, July 16, Ellen White, with courage and candor, was ready to clear the air. She asked for her husband and Dr. Kellogg to meet with her privately. She read to them “a large number of pages.” The following Tuesday evening she called together the denominational leaders in Battle Creek and read to them the same pages she had read to James and Dr. Kellogg. MOL 88.9

The results were most positive. Her next letter to Willie and Mary was cheerful, illuminating, and helpful to others who have experienced similar circumstances: “Why do men always carry things to extremes? They cannot stop when they have gone far enough, but they will, if the course of one is questioned, not feel content till they crush him.... MOL 88.10

“The very men who would condemn him [James White] for sharpness in words and for dictating and being overbearing are tenfold more so when they dare to be, than he has ever been.... I have felt crushed and heartbroken for months, but I have laid my burden on my Saviour and I shall no longer be like a bruised reed. In the strength of Jesus I assert my freedom ....” MOL 89.1

The letter continued, noting that her deepest concern was that the in-fighting among key leaders would cast a shadow over the validity of her prophetic ministry: “I had been in continual fear that my husband’s mistakes and errors would be classed with the testimonies of the Spirit of God and my influence greatly injured. If I bore a plain testimony against existing wrongs they would say, ‘She is molded by her husband’s views and feelings.’ If I reproved my husband he would feel I was severe and others had prejudiced me against him.” MOL 89.2

Then she summed up her appraisal of these two meetings: “I was crippled [in spirit], but I should be so no longer. I should act perfectly free. They might think of me as they pleased. I would give them reproof, warning, or encouragement as the Lord should give me. The burden of their questioning and doubts should no longer grieve me and close my lips. I should do my duty in the fear of God and if they would be tempted [by doubts about “influence”] I should not be responsible for this. I would cut my way through in the fear of God.” ⁴⁸ MOL 89.3

Uriah Smith, a co-worker of James White for thirty years, summed up the remarkable occasion with an upbeat report: “Oh, that all might be enabled to heed the good words of counsel and admonition! Then would the spirit of religion revive in all our hearts, and the cause of Christ would flourish in our midst.” ⁴⁹ MOL 89.4

Only those who are confident of their life mission and transparent enough for all contemporaries to trust their motives could face dilemmas as courageously as Ellen White did in Battle Creek, July 1881. MOL 89.5