Ellen White: Woman of Vision

Arrival In Washington

When they arrived in Washington, Ellen White was delighted to have Elder Daniells come into the car, greet them, and conduct them out through the station into the city. The station was the same one in which President Garfield had been shot more than 20 years before, in 1881. WV 446.4

It was nearly noon, and the party looked forward to a little change in the monotonous six-day dietary program. WV 446.5

Elder Daniells escorted Ellen White and the party to a carriage, a two-seated surrey with a canopy top, drawn by a large noble-looking horse named Charlie, very gentle and safe. Ellen White referred to the promise that she would have the use of this horse and carriage while she was in Washington. She felt this was a great favor. WV 446.6

Elder Daniells drove the visitors past the nearby temporary General Conference headquarters at 222 North Capitol Street, and then over to the Memorial church at 12th and M streets to see the building for which Ellen White had helped raise funds. Then he drove the seven miles out to Takoma Park to the Carroll Manor House, which had been rented for Ellen White's use. When they arrived, it was still full of people cleaning, repairing, painting, and furnishing, but a good dinner of tomato soup, hot boiled potatoes, and greens was ready. WV 446.7

Mrs. White, of course, was eager to see the property that had been purchased. WV 446.8

She had heard it described and had written about the work that needed to be done there. As soon as dinner was finished, Elder Daniells, leaving Clarence Crisler and Willie White to tend to the baggage, hitched up Charlie again and took Ellen White, Sara McEnterfer, and Maggie Hare the half mile (one kilometer) to see the site proposed for the college and the sanitarium. WV 447.1

Seeing the land, Mrs. White declared that the location “could not be bettered.” She added, “That which is most valuable of all is the clear, beautiful stream which flows right through the land” (Letter 141, 1904). WV 447.2

There were two important benefits to Ellen White's being in Washington at this time. First, her willingness to come, stay, and send out her letters and manuscripts with a Washington dateline added authority and prestige to the new Washington headquarters. This brought stability to the cause, as Adventists everywhere would turn their eyes eastward from Battle Creek. Second, construction was about to begin on the college buildings—the boys’ dormitory was to be the first. She was intensely interested, and counseled that “every part of the buildings is to bear witness that we realize that there is before us a great, unworked missionary field, and that the truth is to be established in many places” (Letter 83, 1904). There was to be no show or needless display. WV 447.3