Ellen G. White: The Early Elmshaven Years: 1900-1905 (vol. 5)

Problems in the South

The work in the Southern States was very close to the heart of Ellen White, first because of the very great need and because the church had neglected the work for so long, and second because her own son was deeply involved in successfully opening up the work of the church among the blacks and in establishing schools and churches and finally the publishing house in Nashville. But there were elements that served as a fuse to what was to become an explosive situation. 5BIO 168.7

Neither Edson White nor W. O. Palmer, who went with him into the South, was known for his financial acumen. With hearts dedicated to God, the Lord greatly blessed their labors in preaching and writing and teaching. A strong, growing work was established. 5BIO 169.1

Edson's brother William was staid, cautious, careful, and carried the confidence of church leaders. In fact, through many years he served as a counselor to church leaders. It was not quite so with Edson. He was impulsive and sometimes unsuccessful in business ventures, launched with borrowed money. This gave rise to questions about the work he represented. Money to carry on was scarce. 5BIO 169.2

The newly organized Southern Union Conference represented only a limited membership. With the newly organized publishing house using secondhand equipment that was badly worn, and in buildings that were heavily mortgaged, it was a tenuous situation. Under these circumstances, the Southern Union sent its president, George I. Butler, and the treasurer of the publishing house, W. O. Palmer, to California to interview Ellen White and gain counsel as to the course that should be pursued. 5BIO 169.3

The two men arrived at Elmshaven on Friday noon, May 16. They were given a hearty welcome. Ellen White had worked very closely with Elder Butler down through the years. Will Palmer was a son of the Palmers who had helped in early days to establish the publishing work in Battle Creek. 5BIO 169.4

When the brethren, early in the new week, spread before Sister White and the staff at the office at Elmshaven their problems and the reasons for their coming, they were delighted to find that during the past few months she had already written much on the work in the South that answered their questions. As they looked over these materials, they found that the Lord had instructed her to appeal to the churches throughout America to assist in establishing the work in the Southern States on a firm basis. The needs, which were great, were to be made known to church members throughout the land, and an opportunity was to be given to them to help. The brethren found in this counsel that which brought courage to their hearts, and after several interviews in which the work was reviewed and counsel given, they felt that their mission had been accomplished. 5BIO 169.5

Will Palmer returned to Nashville. Elder Butler lingered a bit on the West Coast, speaking Sabbath morning in the Sanitarium church. This was followed by a meeting Sunday night in which he made an appeal for the work in the South and $500 was pledged. This gave Butler the courage to go to other churches—Healdsburg, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fresno. Eighteen hundred dollars was raised to assist the Southern Publishing Association. 5BIO 170.1

W. C. White, shortly after the visit, wrote of the surprise and amazement that came to the visitors and to the Elmshaven office staff in that “they found that before their arrival, their questions had been anticipated, and that Mother had already written many things which they can now use to excellent advantage for the advancement of the work in the Southern field.”— Ibid., 371. 5BIO 170.2