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

Continued Evidences

Monday, December 23, the meeting was held during the daylight hours in the William Farnsworth home. Farnsworth was the man who in 1844 had risen to his feet in the Washington, New Hampshire, church and declared that he was going to keep God's Sabbath. Others followed him in his decision. Now there was considerable backsliding among the company of believers in the Washington area. Farnsworth had secretly gone back to the use of tobacco. One of his sons, Eugene, in later years told the story of that Monday meeting in their home, which commenced in the morning and continued for five hours. 2BIO 217.1

That morning Ellen White had the meeting, and she addressed personally one after another of those assembled in the room. Newell Mead and his wife were among the first. Both had suffered great affliction, and as Ellen White spoke to them she declared that they “had been passing through dark waters” until “the billows had nearly gone over their heads.” She assured them that God loved them, and that if they would only trust their ways to Him, He would bring them forth from the furnace of affliction purified. 2BIO 217.2

A young woman, “beloved of God, but held in servile bondage,” was counseled that in her married life she must maintain her individuality and not yield her convictions to follow the will of an unconverted husband. 2BIO 217.3

“She did run well for a season; what did hinder her?” was the message of the angel, given through Ellen to another young woman who had backslidden. Her condition was shown to be a result of her association with unconsecrated youth. 2BIO 217.4

Tender words were addressed to a man who had been deemed by the church members as unworthy of fellowship with them. “God who seeth hearts” had been better pleased with his deportment than with the lives of some who had held him outside, she declared. 2BIO 217.5

Sitting in the group was 19-year-old Eugene Farnsworth, one of William's twenty-two children. As he heard Ellen White addressing one and then another with messages indicating that she had insights others did not have, an idea came to him. He said in his heart, I wish she would tackle my dad. He knew what most others did not know—that his father had slipped back to the use of tobacco. Their farm was quite isolated, and William did his chewing of tobacco on the sly, but Eugene had seen him spit tobacco juice into the snow and quickly scuff it out of sight with his boot. As these thoughts were forming in Eugene's head Ellen White turned and addressed William: 2BIO 217.6

I saw that this brother is a slave to tobacco. But the worst of the matter is that he is acting the part of a hypocrite, trying to deceive his brethren into thinking that he has discarded it, as he promised to do when he united with the church. 2BIO 218.1

As Eugene saw these covered sins dealt with faithfully by Ellen White, he knew he was witnessing a manifestation of the prophetic gift. When she had finished with her messages to different ones in the room and there was an opportunity for a response, one after another stood and acknowledged the truthfulness of the message, and with repentance and confession yielded himself or herself anew to God. Then the parents made confessions to their children. This touched the hearts of the young people who had been watching and listening, and whose hearts were being moved by the messages and invitations not only of Ellen but of James White and Andrews. 2BIO 218.2

On Wednesday morning, Christmas Day, a meeting was held, and thirteen children and young people expressed their determination to be Christians. One of those young people, Orville Farnsworth, later recounted the happenings of that day: 2BIO 218.3

I went with some of my sisters to exchange Christmas gifts with our cousins Fred and Rose Mead. Because of the meetings the previous evening, we were delayed one day in giving our humble presents to each other. Fred had been a rather wild boy, but he was present in the morning meeting, and he with his sister had taken their stand for Christ. Now they felt a burden for souls, and we were invited into Fred's room, where, after an earnest appeal, we knelt together by his bed, and I gave my heart to the Lord. 2BIO 218.4

Four young people were not present Christmas morning, but in response to the appeals of their young friends they too gave their hearts to the Lord, making eighteen whose lives were changed during the five eventful days at Washington. Some of them wanted to be baptized without delay; a hole was sawed in the ice on nearby Millan Pond, and with joy they went forward with this rite. Others waited till spring and warmer weather. Nine of the eighteen became church workers in the cause of God, some filling prominent positions. Among them were Eugene, Elmer, and Orville Farnsworth, and their sister Loretta. The latter married A. T. Robinson and led out in developing the Bible instructor ministry. The two Mead children made their contribution, Rose in city mission work and Fred as a literature evangelist leader, and missionary to Africa. 2BIO 218.5