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

Early-Morning Devotionals Drew Large Attendance

These devotional meetings, held during the last month of the school by Olsen and Ellen White, drew in an ever-increasing attendance. Dan Jones reported: 3BIO 454.4

As the news of the good meetings went out, many came in from the Battle Creek church, the office, the college, and the Sanitarium, till the east vestry of the Tabernacle, which will seat about three hundred, was filled to overflowing each morning. The interest was such that the meetings were often permitted to continue for two hours. 3BIO 454.5

All were greatly benefited, and many who had been cold and formal in their work in the past received such an experience in the things of God as to give them new courage and hope for the future.—Ibid. 3BIO 454.6

The letters Ellen White wrote during this month testify that the spirit of Minneapolis was from time to time exhibited in Battle Creek. She applied herself to meeting the situation among the ministers in the Bible school and some of those who came in for the devotional meetings. Sabbath morning, March 1, she spoke at the worship hour in the Tabernacle, her subject being “Christ's Riding Into Jerusalem.” “It made a solemn impression,” she reported in a letter to Willie. “In the afternoon I spoke about one hour, and I said just as straight things as God ever gave me to speak.”—Letter 80, 1890. There was a heartening response. “From this time I went into the morning meetings,” and thus began an intense effort, carried on from day to day (Ibid.). In her letter begun on Friday, March 7, she described some of the situations rather vividly: 3BIO 454.7