Ellen G. White: The Australian Years: 1891-1900 (vol. 4)

Ellen White Took Fannie to Australia

Learning in 1891 that Ellen White was to go to Australia, Fannie Bolton contacted her former employer, who reported: 4BIO 240.1

In Battle Creek, Fannie pleaded hard with tears to come with me to engage with me in the work of preparing articles for the papers. She declared she had met with a great change, and was not at all the person she was when she told me she desired to write herself.—Ibid. 4BIO 240.2

As Sara McEnterfer was ill when the White party was to leave, and could not go, Ellen White rather reluctantly accepted Fannie Bolton to accompany her, to report her sermons and assist in preparing her articles. Writing of this later, she recounted: 4BIO 240.3

Just before coming to this country, in order to help Fannie, I consented to make another trial after she had given me the assurance ... that her feelings in regard to the work had wholly changed. I followed my best judgment, hoping she had gained wisdom from God and would really love the work. 4BIO 240.4

I knew that she was naturally unbalanced in mind, but thought that through the light given of God, the appeal constantly made presenting definite reproofs to some and general reproofs to others, she would learn the lessons that it was her privilege to learn, and become strengthened in character. Thus she would obtain wisdom to prepare the precious matter placed in her hands, so that it might work for the saving of her soul as well as the souls of others.—Letter 7, 1894. 4BIO 240.5

Unfortunately, after working for a while in Australia, the old feelings that she was not receiving proper public acknowledgment of her contributions in Ellen White's work returned, and relationships between the two became strained. 4BIO 240.6