Ellen G. White: The Progressive Years: 1862-1876 (vol. 2)

Disappointing Reception in Battle Creek

With the spring thaws, the roads were getting bad, making weekly visits to the churches difficult. James was eager to see the church members in Battle Creek and to “rejoice with them in the work which God was doing for him” (Testimonies for the Church, 1:577), so they planned the trip south in such a way that they could spend a few days visiting believers en route. One night Ellen White was given a disquieting dream. It warned of a cold reception in Battle Creek (Ibid., 1:578). They had reason to expect that after an absence of three months, during which James White had definitely improved in health, they would be heartily welcomed. 2BIO 168.6

But not so. False reports and criticism had done their work. Although James took services Sabbath morning and afternoon, March 16, speaking with clearness, and again Sunday morning, and Ellen White bore her testimony with freedom, they seemed to be held at a distance. Almost crushed, Ellen White opened her heart: 2BIO 169.1

I came home to Battle Creek like a weary child who needed comforting words and encouragement. It is painful for me here to state that we were received with great coldness by our brethren, from whom, three months before, I had parted in perfect union, excepting on the point of our leaving home.—Ibid., 1:579. 2BIO 169.2

As to James, she wrote; 2BIO 169.3

My husband was terribly disappointed at the cold reception which he met.... We decided that we could not bear our testimony to this church till they gave better evidence that they wished our services.—Ibid.

They decided that until the roads leading north were open they would spend the Sabbaths at nearby smaller churches. The first night in Battle Creek Ellen White had another significant dream: 2BIO 169.4

I dreamed that I had been laboring very hard and had been traveling for the purpose of attending a large meeting, and that I was very weary. Sisters were arranging my hair and adjusting my dress, and I fell asleep. When I awoke I was astonished and indignant to find that my garments had been removed, and there had been placed upon me old rags, pieces of bedquilts knotted and sewed together. 2BIO 169.5

Said I: “What have you done to me? Who has done this shameful work of removing my garments and replacing them with beggars’ rags?” I tore off the rags and threw them from me. I was grieved, and with anguish cried out: “Bring me back my garments which I have worn for twenty-three years and have not disgraced in a single instance. Unless you give me back my garments I shall appeal to the people, who will contribute and return me my own garments which I have worn these twenty-three years.”—Ibid., 1:579, 580. 2BIO 169.6

Little by little they discovered the reason for the cool reception was the evil reports that for some time had been bandied about Battle Creek and written to those at a distance. Part of the problem rested in Ellen White's refusal to take the counsel of friends and church leaders in Battle Creek that would have dissuaded her from taking her husband to Wright in December. Also, people had misunderstood the attempt of James and Ellen White to be financially independent of church members’ support. This desire had led them to sell some of their furniture, and pull up their rag carpets and sell them, to gain means to go on. For a year their brethren had urged money upon them to meet their needs, but each time the Whites had replied that it was not needed, that if they were in need, they would let them know. That time finally came; when their only cow died, James suggested that if it could be replaced, it would be a great help to them. No help had been forthcoming, but the incident supported the wild story that James White had a craze for money. 2BIO 170.1

Added to this was another report: Just before his stroke, in the protracted money-raising meeting at Memphis, Michigan, at a late hour when the going was hard, James offered $10 and said Ellen would join him with another $10. Now much in want, he suggested that the church in Memphis was in a position to return this amount. This fed the rumor mill. 2BIO 170.2

While painful, such reports were now no great surprise to Ellen. While at Wright she had had a dream in which she seemed to be taken to a number of homes of church members in Battle Creek the Whites knew well. In her dream she had stood outside the homes and heard the conversation within—conversation in which James's and Ellen's names were often mentioned in a light and accusatory manner. At the time she could hardly believe it. Topping this off was the word that in certain of the churches in Michigan it was being reported “that the Battle Creek church had not the slightest confidence in Sister White's testimony, that is, her oral testimonies, because her life contradicted them.” 2BIO 170.3

Finally she called together a number of experienced church members in an attempt to meet the reports circulating about her and her husband. Of this she wrote: 2BIO 170.4

I met the charges against me.... The spirit manifested in this meeting distressed me greatly.... Those present made no effort to relieve me by acknowledging that they were convinced that they had misjudged me and that their suspicions and accusations against me were unjust. They could not condemn me, neither did they make any effort to relieve me.—Ibid., 1:581, 582. 2BIO 171.1

She called a second meeting a week or two later, which ended in much the same way. The coldness with which the Whites were received in Battle Creek is reflected in the fact that no word of welcome, not even a note that they had come, appeared in the columns of the Review. The only acknowledgment of their presence was written by James White himself as a back page note in the issue of March 26. 2BIO 171.2

According to appointment, Brother White met with us Sabbath, the sixteenth, evidently much improved in health and strength since he left us. He spoke both forenoon and afternoon, and on Sunday morning. Sister White also gave a profitable and cheering testimony Sabbath afternoon. We ask our brethren still to remember us, as we trust they do, that the Lord will continue to work for us, and still prosper the important enterprises located here.—The Review and Herald, March 26, 1867. 2BIO 171.3

In his report of their journey to Battle Creek from Greenville, which appeared in the preceding issue of the Review, his closing words were: 2BIO 171.4

We acknowledge with gratitude the good hand of the Lord with us, and the care of His people [at Greenville] to us in their kind acts of sympathy and benevolence. And we look forward with no small degree of pleasure to the time when we shall be permanently settled in their midst.—Ibid., March 19, 1867 2BIO 171.5

An unsigned editorial note on the back page stated: 2BIO 171.6

We have received a request signed by sixty-eight brethren and sisters living in the counties of Montcalm and Ionia, in this State, for Brother and Sister White to locate in their midst. Brother White desires, as will be seen in his two last reports, to fix his residence near Greenville, Montcalm County. To this end he tenders his resignation of connection with the publishing department. The matter is deferred till conference.—Ibid.