Ellen White: Woman of Vision

At The McDearmon Home

Of their arrival in Texas, James White reported to the readers of the Review: WV 187.7

Wednesday [November 6] we reached Dallas, dusty and weary, but glad that our journey of about one thousand miles [1600 kilometers) from Battle Creek, Michigan, to Dallas, Texas, was at an end. We tarried the night at the home of Brother Cole and family, and Thursday came to the good and comfortable home of Brother McDearmon [at Grand Prairie, west of Dallas]. Here our daughter [in-law] met her parents, brother, and sister, who have all been brought near the door of death by the fever which has prevailed in this state during the past season. Our coming was timely. They have a large house and warm hearts, but as they move about they look more like walking corpses than living men and women (Ibid., November 21, 1878). WV 187.8

White declared that it would “take two of them to make a shadow.” The Whites found the McDearmons destitute and ill. We tried to help them,” wrote Ellen White. WV 188.1

I gave Sister McDearmon $40 from my own purse to use for the necessities of life. Father bought bags of flour, a barrel of apples, nuts, sugar, et cetera. He bought one cotton mattress and one husk [mattress] overlaid with cotton. It is seldom I have seen such destitution. I have bought several things for their comfort. Father left McDearmon his fur coat to use, for his blood is so low he cannot bear the least chilliness of the air. We have done what we could for them (Letter 54, 1878). WV 188.2