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

The Walla Walla Meeting

The site selected for the camp meeting in the Washington Territory was a grove of balsams on the bank of Mill Creek, in the city of Walla Walla. Mill Creek is described as a beautiful, swift-running stream. The worker group from California consisted of J. H. Waggoner, editor of the Signs of the Times; J. N. Loughborough; W. C. White; Mrs. Ellen G. White; Professor Brownsberger, president of Healdsburg College; and William Ings and his wife. The latter served as a traveling companion of Ellen White. On the campground they were associated with G. W. Colcord, conference president; W. L. Raymond, worker in the field; J. O. Corliss, the newly come evangelist; and C. L. Boyd, president of the neighboring conference. 3BIO 251.1

Waggoner wrote commendably of the physical situation and then introduced matters of deeper concern. It is these that form the basis of this chapter: 3BIO 251.2

The condition of the people at the commencement was not the most fortunate for a profitable time. Points of doctrine subversive of the message had been introduced, and to some extent been received, which had weakened the faith and courage of many. Reports had also been circulated against most of those who are bearing responsibilities in the work, which caused many to distrust the work itself; and by these means a spirit of complaining had been fostered. All this was sufficient to bring darkness into the conference, and to make it somewhat difficult to reach the hearts of the people.—Ibid., July 3, 1884 3BIO 251.3