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

Off for a Vacation in Colorado

With plans for building and financing the Dime Tabernacle, and with a move well under way to lead the members of the church to understand their responsibility in the matter of the tithe, James White was ready to leave for Colorado for the long-anticipated few weeks’ period of rest and relaxation in the Rocky Mountains. But first there was one more task in Battle Creek, a pleasurable one. It was the baptism of Addie Walling, one of the girls James and Ellen White were caring for and educating. In touching words he presented the situation and its involvements in the Review of July 4, 1878, under the heading “Baptism.” 3BIO 92.3

Sabbath afternoon, June 29, 1878, we had the pleasure of burying four precious souls by baptism in the Kalamazoo River, at Battle Creek. A large audience gathered at the riverside, where we have probably, during the last thirty years, baptized more than one thousand persons. Not that the Battle Creek church numbers that, but as our General Conference in times past has almost always been held here, and as at such annual meetings there are more or less to be baptized, and as the brethren have usually given us the pleasure of being administrator, we think we have not stated the number too high. 3BIO 92.4

The next Thursday evening, July 4, at eleven o'clock, James White, accompanied by Canright and Mary White, left for Colorado. William White, who delayed going on account of the promotion of the Dime Tabernacle, expected to join them soon. Ellen hoped that she might also spend some time there on her anticipated journey east (Ibid., July 11, 1878). On reaching Colorado, the traveling party took up residence in their mountain retreat, a cabin at Walling's Mills. This was near Rollinsville, some thirty miles west of Denver and about fifteen miles southwest of Boulder. Mr. Walling operated several sawmills in that general area. 3BIO 93.1

Reports and letters through July and August indicate that James White benefited much from the stay in the mountains. But the time was not altogether spent in rest. While there he and his companions were able to lend support to an evangelistic series of meetings conducted in Boulder by M. E. Cornell. 3BIO 93.2

Ellen White, accompanied by Emma, Edson's wife, and Edith Donaldson, reached Boulder, Colorado, on August 3. Even before getting to the vacationing family she was pressed into service in a temperance meeting Sunday afternoon in the evangelistic tent. Her address awakened a new interest in the subject, and she was asked to speak again the next Sunday evening on the same topic. The tent was filled that evening with “a very fine congregation.” She reported on the results: 3BIO 93.3

My speaking in Boulder City gave a spring to the work and silenced the opposition in a great degree. I speak again next Sunday.—Letter 43, 1878. 3BIO 93.4

As to James White's health, she observed in a letter to Lucinda Hall: 3BIO 93.5

I find Father every way improved. It is cool here all the time.... Father is himself again in almost all things. He is always cheerful.—Ibid. 3BIO 93.6