Ellen White: Woman of Vision

Chapter 32—The Round-Trip To Washington

From the day that the decision was made to purchase property in Washington, D.C., for the publishing house and the General Conference, it was Elder Daniells’ hope and expectation that Ellen White would make a visit to the East so she could give counsel concerning the establishment of the work there. There was even some discussion of the possibility that she would make Washington her permanent place of residence. But this she felt she could not do. At Elmshaven she was in favorable circumstances for bringing out her books, and she felt she should not be called upon to move from place to place. WV 445.1

From time to time definite instruction was given to her in vision concerning the work in Washington. In fact, before the property was secured in Takoma Park, she had been shown that wherever the Review and Herald and the headquarters of the work were established, there should be a sanitarium and a training school. The church leaders had not planned on this. With the decision to make Washington the center in the East, then, the first steps were to get these institutions under way. The leaders felt they must now have Ellen White's help. WV 445.2

The plans being formed would keep her in the East for about a year, making Washington her headquarters. As it turned out, the trip to Washington and back took more than seven months and included side trips to a number of vital areas such as Berrien Springs, Nashville, New England, Chicago, Battle Creek, Omaha, and points west. WV 445.3

April 18, 1904, was the day set to leave for the East. Though on former trips she had traveled in the Pullman compartment to afford her as easy a journey as possible, this trip, for the sake of economy, would be made in a tourist sleeping car. Their car would go directly from northern California to Washington, D.C. WV 445.4

That evening in nearby San Jose they boarded the tourist sleeper and started their six-day trip east. In the party were Ellen White's traveling companion and nurse, Sara McEnterfer, and one of her secretaries, Maggie Hare. W. C. White had gone on in advance to attend to some business matters in southern California and would meet them there. Clarence Crisler, her leading secretary, would also join the party in Los Angeles. WV 445.5

The routing across the Southern states was to ensure comfort and to avoid the high altitudes that sometimes bothered Ellen White in travel. She remained in her berth for the entire trip, resting, watching the scenery, and doing a little reading and writing. WV 445.6

Nearing New Orleans they passed through great swamps, where many varieties of palms were heavily festooned with moss. Just west of New Orleans S. B. Horton, president of the Louisiana Conference, and E. V. Orrell, secretary of the Southern Union, met the train, bringing a basket of fruit. This supplemented the provisions they had taken from home and from southern California for their meals—malted nuts for soup, zwieback, cream sticks, oranges, bananas, apples, applesauce, olives, nuts, jelly, turnovers, boiled eggs, and bread. WV 446.1

In New Orleans some of the party went sightseeing with the Adventists who hosted them. Ellen White remained in the sleeping car. Then, under a full moon, the train started north, running for many miles along the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. WV 446.2

The train stopped for a time in Atlanta, and the traveling party was surprised to see about 20 or 30 believers at the station awaiting them. They came on board for a few minutes. Fathers, mothers, and children gathered around to shake hands. WV 446.3