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

Diversified Activities in New England

But James and Ellen White felt they must press on, so after a few days of relaxation in the comfortable Howland house, they left for Massachusetts. Adelia draws a word picture of their departure: 2BIO 63.1

The children accompanied their parents to the depot, and before the family parted, Henry, Edson, and Willie, by request, sang “The Evergreen Shore,” much to the gratification of the crowd waiting for another train. The whistle was heard, the “good-by” and “farewell” were said, and away sped the train, bearing the parents on their mission of love, and leaving the children again without their watchcare.”—An Appeal to the Youth, 22, 23. 2BIO 63.2

For the next three months Adelia and the children were at the Howland home. While James and Ellen White considered this their headquarters while in the East, their time was divided, Ellen with her writing and James working on the charts, with weekends at the churches. The first weekend, September 5 and 6, Ellen was with the little company in Boston, where James had been working on charts. He himself slipped away to be with Loughborough and Hull, who were holding a tent meeting in Manchester, New Hampshire. The next weekend the two of them were in Manchester. There, driven from the tent by a cold rain, meetings were held in a public hall; evening attendance was about one thousand. White reported: 2BIO 63.3

After Brother Hull closed his sermon, we made a few remarks in relation to Seventh-day Adventists and their present operations, and introduced Mrs. W. to the audience, who listened to her for about fifteen minutes with almost breathless silence.—The Review and Herald, September 29, 1863. 2BIO 63.4

The next weekend they were at Topsham with the family for the Sabbath. Ellen planned to remain at Topsham and write. In his report to the Review, published October 6, James stated: 2BIO 63.5

The charts are both in the hands of the artist, and the work on them is progressing as fast as possible. We shall probably have some of them ready by the middle of October. 2BIO 63.6

The prophetic chart will be much improved in arrangement from the one in use. The sanctuary and angels will be larger and bolder, so that all the figures upon the chart can be seen equally plain. From what we have already seen of the work, we judge that it will be a beautifully executed thing.—Ibid., October 6, 1863 2BIO 63.7

He projected a price of $2 on the prophetic chart and $1.50 for the one of the law. He commented that if the chart had been done two years earlier the cost of production would have been less than half: the cotton cloth, “the principal item of expense, that could have been bought two years since for 10 cents, is now 30.”—Ibid. 2BIO 64.1