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

The Unforgettable Meeting the Next Sabbath

Accordingly, all the Sabbathkeepers were on the grounds Sabbath morning. After James White had spoken, Ellen, Bible in hand, began to speak from a text of Scripture and then paused. Laying her Bible aside, she began to address those who had accepted the Sabbath in that place. She was not acquainted with them and did not know their names, but she addressed a number of persons. James White described it: 2BIO 190.1

She designated each brother and sister by his or her position as the one by that tree, or the one sitting by that brother or sister of the Greenville or Orleans church, with whom she was personally acquainted, and whom she called by name. 2BIO 190.2

She described each peculiar case, stating that the Lord had shown her their cases two years previous [most likely in the vision at Rochester], and that, while she was just then speaking from the Bible, that view had flashed over her mind, like sudden lightning in a dark night distinctly revealing every object around.—The Signs of the Times, August 29, 1878. 2BIO 190.3

She spoke for about an hour, addressing different ones. When she had concluded, Brother Strong, who knew each member of the Bushnell company personally, arose and asked those addressed by Ellen White if the things she had spoken about to them were true. “Either these things were true or they were not; if they were not true he, and all present, wished to know it; and if they were true they also wished to know it, and from that day have a settled faith in the testimonies.”—Ibid. The report is that “the persons thus addressed accordingly arose one by one, and testified that their cases had been described better than they could have done it themselves.”—Ibid. Commented James White: 2BIO 190.4

It was not enough for that intelligent company to know that the testimony given that day was correct in the majority of cases present, but it was necessary that it be proven correct in every particular of the case of each person, in order that their faith should be fully established. Had the testimony failed in a single instance, it would have destroyed the faith of all present. As it was, they had a settled faith from that hour, and all took their position on the third message.—Ibid. 2BIO 190.5

Sunday morning there was a baptism, and the Bushnell church was organized and officers chosen. In the years that followed, several workers in the cause came from that church. 2BIO 191.1

Each weekend James and Ellen White were at one of the churches within easy driving distance of Greenville. During the week they were on their little farm, James working outside, and Ellen engaged in writing. 2BIO 191.2