Chapter 19—(1870) At Last the Tide Turns

On the back page of the Review of January 11, 1870, James White requested, “Will those who know of things in the general course of Mrs. White and myself, during the period of our public labors, worthy of exposure, or unworthy of Christians, and teachers of the people, be so kind as to make them known to the office immediately.” A few weeks earlier, as already noted, a request of similar character had been placed in the Review by the specially appointed committee in Battle Creek, J. N. Andrews, G. H. Bell, and Uriah Smith. Their statement read, in part:2BIO 279.1

Justice to Elder White, and sacred regard for the truth and for right, demand that we speak in his defense against the unjust attacks of his enemies. We do not do this merely as an act of personal justice to Elder White, but mainly because what is said against him is used by our enemies as their best weapon with which to assail the cause of present truth.2BIO 279.2

We fully believe that God has called him to occupy a leading position in the work of the third angel's message. We also believe that God has given to Sister White what the New Testament calls the gift of prophecy. The importance of her position in this work is, therefore, very great. If our work is of God, and if the doctrines which we cherish are the truths of the third angel's message, then, surely, ours is a most important and responsible business. And those who stand in the forefront of the work have responsibilities upon them which cannot be estimated....2BIO 279.3

It becomes necessary at the present time to make a direct appeal to the readers of the Review relative to the course of Elder White in financial matters. It is due to him, and he asks it as an act of justice, that every person who knows any act of dishonesty, or overreaching, or fraud, or covetousness, or grasping of means in any unbecoming manner, should make a statement of the fact in writing, and send it to this office. We design to place before the public a full statement of the financial matters of Elder White, as the most fitting reply to the attacks which are now being made upon him.—Ibid., October 26, 18692BIO 280.1

The appeal continued:2BIO 280.2

We ask ...that those who have been witnesses of, or sharers in, his acts of benevolence shall also give us statements of the facts touching this part of the subject. We request an immediate response from all concerned.—Ibid.