Ellen G. White: The Later Elmshaven Years: 1905-1915 (vol. 6)

Her Eighty-Seventh Birthday

On Thanksgiving Day, November 26, Ellen White reached her eighty-seventh birthday. She was not very strong, and Crisler could go over only three pages with her. She was the recipient of one birthday present, which some days before had come from Mrs. F. H. DeVinney, who was working with her husband in Japan. It was a warm knitted vest to be worn on cold days, known as a “hug-me-tight.” When Ellen White tried it on, she showed that she had not lost her sense of humor. She told Dores Robinson to thank Sister DeVinney for the gift, but to tell her “that there is a great deal more to Sister White than some people thought”—D. E. Robinson to WCW, November 3, 1914. 6BIO 412.1

The week following her birthday, Ellen White's mind seemed quite clear, and she and Crisler worked together on Old Testament history chapters from day to day. On Wednesday she became reminiscent, something now quite unusual. Crisler reported: 6BIO 412.2

She tried to recall the name of some brother of long ago who expressed discouragement over the prospect of a very large work that would need to be done before the world had been warned; and she says another brother, one of large faith, turned to him, and his face went white, and with strong emotion, he said, “My brother, would you permit such a prospect to bring discouragement? Do you not know that God would have us press the battle to the gate? Do you know He would have us labor on, and on, and on, knowing that victory lies ahead?”—CCC to WCW, December 2, 1914. 6BIO 412.3

And then Ellen White commented on her continual sense of the uplifting presence of the Spirit of God. 6BIO 412.4

She says she would not speak discouragingly, and yet she would not wish to convey the impression that no disappointments come to her. We are to expect the enemy to bring us disappointments, but these need never bring discouragement. When disappointed, we are to labor on until triumph comes; and this is working by faith.— Ibid. 6BIO 413.1

It was a good week for book preparation, with Ellen White spending some time each day working with Crisler. She made frequent comments and some helpful suggestions (CCC to WCW, November 30 and December 2, 1914). 6BIO 413.2