Ellen G. White: The Lonely Years: 1876-1891 (vol. 3)

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The California Camp Meeting

With the California camp meeting to be held in Sacramento in the offing, she with her helpers, left Boulder for Oakland on October 2. Physically she was steadily gaining ground, and when the camp meeting opened on Thursday evening, October 13, at East Park Grove, she was there. In light of her severe illness, it was anticipated that she would not be able to speak much, but she spoke almost every afternoon. J. H. Waggoner reported that her address Sabbath afternoon, October 15, “was equal to the best effort we ever knew her to put forth.” (The Signs of the Times, October 27, 1881). 3BIO 185.2

Waggoner added, “Besides this, her counsel was of great value throughout the meeting.” Perhaps the most important business item introduced at the meeting was in taking steps “to establish a school by Seventh-day Adventists in California.” Ellen White, with her sense of the importance of Christian education, was most certain to have spoken to this. 3BIO 185.3

A committee was appointed to carry this intention into effect as soon as possible, to meet the present want, also to examine and report in regard to a permanent location. A vote was taken to invite Professor Brownsberger to come and take charge of it. This is a matter over which the minds of the brethren have been much exercised for some time, and we cannot express our gratification that our desires in regard to it are likely to be speedily fulfilled.—Ibid. 3BIO 185.4

A school board was elected, with W. C. White as chairman. In addition to J. H. Waggoner, editor of the Signs, five prominent businessmen and farmers served on the board. 3BIO 186.1

Through the remaining months of 1881 and into the early part of 1882, Ellen White, residing first in Oakland and then in Healdsburg, spent much of her time visiting the churches. At first she went to those nearby, in Oakland and San Francisco, and then included Petaluma, Healdsburg, St. Helena, Napa, Williams, Arbuckle, and Santa Rosa. She was not ready to apply herself to a heavy program of writing. On occasion she was invited to speak in other than Seventh-day Adventist churches. Then, taking the subject matter of her addresses made here and there, she prepared a series of weekly articles for the Signs that ran under the general heading “Among the Churches.” Much of the travel was by carriage, Ellen White doing the driving. One report concerning the thirty-five-mile trip from Healdsburg to St. Helena is highly descriptive: 3BIO 186.2

Brother and Sister Harmon [in whose comfortable home she had spent a few days] thought it unsafe for Sister Rogers and myself to make the journey alone at this season of the year. Hence they accompanied us, their team leading the way, while ours followed. When we left Healdsburg, the fog was so dense that we could see but a short distance before us, but in a few hours the mists dispersed, and we enjoyed beautiful sunshine. 3BIO 186.3

The road though Knight's Canyon, always perilous to the inexperienced traveler, is often impassable in the rainy season. We were very thankful for a pilot in this part of our journey. I dared not look either to the right or left to view the scenery, but, holding the lines firmly, and guiding my horse in the narrow passage, I followed our leader. Carelessness here would have been fatal. Had our horse turned out of the right path, we should have plunged down a steep precipice, into the ravine below. 3BIO 186.4

As we rode along in almost breathless silence, I could but think how forcibly this dangerous ride illustrates the Christian's experience. We are making life's journey amid the perils of the last days. We need to watch carefully every step, and to be sure that we are following our great Leader.—Ibid., January 26, 1882 3BIO 186.5