Ellen White: Woman of Vision

Organization Of The California Conference

The California state meeting was held February 14-18, in Bloomfield, and of course the Whites were there. In his report for the Review, Loughborough stated: WV 168.8

Everything moved off with perfect harmony and good feeling, and it was the source of deepest gratitude to us all that we were favored in our deliberations and meetings with the presence of Brother and Sister White (Ibid., March 4, 1873). WV 168.9

During this formal meeting, with delegates present from the six churches in California, the California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was formed, with a membership of 238. J. N. Loughborough was elected president; S. B. Bresee, also of Santa Rosa, secretary; and T. M. Chapman, of Petaluma, treasurer (Ibid., March 11, 1873). WV 169.1

Word had just been received that the General Conference session would be held in Battle Creek, opening on March 11. James, of course, would attend, but Ellen wanted to get on with her writing. She was working on the book The Spirit of Prophecy, volume 2, on the life of Christ. ^* WV 169.2

But when the next issue of the Review came it carried this note: WV 169.3

A Special Request: We deem it of the utmost importance that Brother and Sister White attend this meeting; and we therefore invite and urge, in the strongest terms, their attendance at this session of the General Conference, if their health will permit them to do so (The Review and Herald, February 11, 1873). WV 169.4

Ellen White would go East with her husband. It would be a full 21 months before the Whites would be able to return to California. WV 169.5