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

Ellen White to Participate

With renewed strength and fired with evangelistic zeal, Ellen White determined to participate in the action. When she could, she would go down weekends to encourage and assist. It would mean a serious break in her literary work, for each weekend trip would consume three full days, and sometimes four, but soul winning was her lifework. Earlier, in wrestling with Battle Creek problems, she wrote, “I do not think that my labors should be mainly for our own people, but for those who have not yet had the light of truth.”—Letter 195, 1904. 6BIO 110.3

After two weeks at home, a time when the weather was very warm, she made her first weekend trip to Oakland, going down with Sara McEnterfer on Thursday, August 16. They stayed in the family tent she had occupied during the camp meeting. She spoke in the big tent Sabbath morning. Attendance was good as church members came in from Berkeley, Alameda, and San Francisco. She also spoke Sunday afternoon in the evangelistic meeting in the tent. She observed with satisfaction the work of the Haskells but could see that the time was ripe for Elder Simpson to come. She wrote to him, urging, “Now is the time ... to visit San Francisco and Oakland.... Nothing of an ordinary character,” she insisted, “will be effective in awakening this community. A powerful message must be borne.”—Letter 272, 1906. 6BIO 110.4

She made nine weekend trips to the Bay Area in August, September, October, and November. She spoke in Oakland on seven weekends, first in the big tent and then in the Congregational church rented for Sabbath meetings, and twice in San Francisco. Usually she spoke in the afternoons so as not to disturb the Sabbath-morning services in the local churches. The Oakland church had been sold, and plans were under way to build again; hence their use of the rented building. 6BIO 110.5