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

Encouraging View Involving James White

The account of the vision as it appears in Life Sketches of Ellen G. White brings to view James White, his fidelity and experience: 3BIO 123.5

Upon one page of the ledger, under the head of “Fidelity,” was the name of my husband. His life, character, and all the incidents of our experience, seemed to be brought vividly before my mind. A very few items which impressed me, I will mention. 3BIO 123.6

I was shown that God had qualified my husband for a specific work.... Through the testimonies of His Spirit, He had imparted to him great light. He had cautioned, warned, reproved, and encouraged; and it was due to the power of His grace that we had been enabled to bear a part in the work from its very commencement. God had miraculously preserved his mental faculties, notwithstanding his physical powers had given out again and again.—Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 242, 243. 3BIO 123.7

Then Ellen White enters into some phases of his experience and leadership that may have vexed some of his associates: 3BIO 124.1

God should have the glory for the unbending integrity and noble courage to vindicate the right and condemn the wrong which my husband has had. Just such firmness and decision were necessary at the commencement of the work, and they have been needed all along, as it progressed step by step. 3BIO 124.2

He has stood in defense of the truth without yielding a single principle to please the best friend. He has had an ardent temperament, bold and fearless in acting and speaking. This has often led him into difficulties which he might frequently have avoided. He has been obliged to stand more firmly, to be more decided, to speak more earnestly and boldly, because of the very different temperament of the men connected with him in his labor. 3BIO 124.3

God has given him the power to form and execute plans with the needed firmness, because he did not refuse to exercise these qualities of the mind, and to venture in order to advance the work of God. 3BIO 124.4

Self has at times been mingled with the work; but when the Holy Spirit has controlled his mind, he has been a most successful instrument in the hands of God for the upbuilding of His cause. 3BIO 124.5

He has had elevated views of the Lord's claims upon all who profess His name—of their duty to stand in defense of the widow and the fatherless, to be kind to the poor, to help the needy. He would jealously guard the interests of his brethren, that no unjust advantage be taken of them. 3BIO 124.6

The earnest efforts of my husband to build up the institutions in our midst I also saw registered in the Ledger of Heaven.—Ibid., 243, 244. No doubt the words of encouragement that came to James White as the result of this vision strengthened him as he stepped into the harness and pushed ahead in the great cause with which he was connected. 3BIO 124.7