Ellen G. White in Europe 1885-1887

A Letter From Torre Pellice

Just at this time a letter arrived from A. C. Bourdeau back again in Torre Pellice. Interest was good in two places where he was holding regular meetings, and he urged Ellen White to come. In a few weeks the people would begin to leave the valleys to spend the summer in the mountains, so it was all the more essential that she go at once if her visit was to be helpful. EGWE 174.2

She had been writing him regularly since her last visit to the Piedmont valleys, and while his brother Daniel's problem had been that he did most of the work himself, A. C.’s shortcoming was that he didn't seem to be getting much work done at all. Ellen White described his efforts at one point as “an array of Quaker guns” (Letter 31, 1886). Evidently her prodding had taken effect, and now when he called for help she responded immediately. EGWE 174.3

W. C. White relayed the plans: “Since receiving your last letter, Mother has been thinking much about coming to Italy, and Brother Whitney [mission president] has thought that it would be well for us to go soon, and so we have decided to come at once.”—W. C. White letter April 12, 1886. Ellen White, along with Willie and Mary, left Basel on Thursday, April 15, 1886, for a second visit to Italy. The train left Basel in the morning and arrived in Milan, Italy, that night. EGWE 174.4