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

The Tide is Turned

The next morning church leaders assembled for their Council. After the prayer, Elder Daniells arose and told the brethren he had received two important messages from Sister White. Everyone was eager to hear them. They sat in thoughtful silence while he read. As statement after statement setting forth the falsity of the teachings of The Living Temple was presented to the assembly, many loud amens were heard and tears flowed freely. It was at that moment that the tide was turned. 5BIO 299.1

So overwhelmed was Elder Daniells with these events that he could not refrain from mentioning them again and again in his correspondence in the days that followed. On Tuesday morning, October 20, he wrote to Ellen White: 5BIO 299.2

We are in the midst of our Council, and I am terribly pressed with work, but I must take a minute this morning to tell you what a wonderful blessing your communications have been to our Council. Never were messages from God more needed than at this very time; and never were messages sent from Him to His people more to the point than those you have sent to us. They have been exactly what we have needed, and have come at just the right time from day to day in our Council. You can never know, unless the Lord Himself causes you to know it, what a great blessing your communication regarding The Living Temple has been to us. It came at just the right time exactly. The conflict was severe, and we knew not how things would turn. But your clear, clean-cut, beautiful message came and settled the controversy. I do not say that all parties came into perfect harmony, but it gave those who stood on the right side strength to stand, and hold their ground.—AGD to EGW, October 20, 1903. 5BIO 299.3

In his letter he referred to specific documents received: 5BIO 299.4

But the most wonderful of all was the message we received yesterday morning, written August 4, and copied October 12, addressed to the leaders in our medical work. Dr. Kellogg had been with us two or three days. His attitude had brought more or less confusion in the minds of a number of our ministers—men who do not really know where they stand. Your message came on just the right day—a day earlier would have been too soon. I read it to the council yesterday, and it produced a most profound impression.— Ibid. 5BIO 300.1

Daniells then stated: 5BIO 300.2

At the close of the reading one of the ministers arose and stated that he felt impressed to ask all who proposed to take a firm stand with Sister White in this great struggle, to arise to their feet. Nearly every person in the room arose.— Ibid.

In touching terms Daniells referred to his own experience: 5BIO 300.3

As for myself, when I received this last communication, I could only sit and weep. For a whole year I had been under a terrible mental strain. I had seen the evil thing, but had not dared to say all that I knew ought to be said. I could not surrender an inch of ground. I knew that it would be wrong to do so, and yet many of my brethren misunderstood me, and charged me with a hard, unyielding spirit, and with a desire to make war....

This communication, calling our brethren to take their stand, brought great relief to me, and the terrible load that had at times almost crushed me, has, in a measure, rolled off from me.— Ibid. 5BIO 300.4

A few days later he wrote to W. C. White, opening his letter with these words: 5BIO 300.5

It will be impossible for me to find language to state as clearly and forcibly, and I fear, as accurately as I would like the facts relating to the reception, presentation, and influence of the testimonies received from your mother during our recent Council. Never in my life have I seen such signal evidences of the leadership of an all-wise Being as I have seen in connection with the experiences referred to. Only the divine mind could have foreseen our condition and needs, and have sent us the exact help we needed at precisely the right moment. I believe that this is the feeling of nearly every member of the Council.—AGD to WCW, October 23, 1903. 5BIO 300.6