November 12,1 Although this letter was started on November 12 in Waterbury, Vermont, it was not finished till some days later. This is clear from the fact that it relates events after November 12, including the situation when the Whites returned home to Saratoga Springs, New York, on November 18. See: “Our Tour East,” Review, Nov. 25, 1851, p. 52.
Letter to Identity: The fond greetings to “my little Henry” at the end of the letter unmistakably identifies the recipients as Stockbridge and Louisa M. Howland, of Topsham, Maine. The Howlands provided a home for Henry White for five years (1848-1853). See: Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts [vol. 2], p. iii; 1860 U.S. Federal Census, “Stockbridge Howland,” Maine, Sagahadoc County, Topsham, p. 433.
Stockbridge and Louisa M. Howland.2
Portions of this letter are published in Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, pp. 242-245, 401-403; vol. 5, pp. 239, 240; vol. 6, pp. 118, 253; vol. 8, pp. 225-227; Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Early Years, pp. 219-222.
Struggles over time-setting and mistrust of the visions at conferences in New Hampshire and Vermont, autumn 1851. 1EGWLM 308.3
Dear Brother and Sister Howland:
Here we are at Brother Butler's [Ezra Pitt Butler].3 Identity: The only Butler of Waterbury, Vermont, mentioned in the Review during this period is Ezra Pitt Butler. See: Search term “Butler” in Words of the Pioneers. In this letter Ellen White recounts some experiences of a four-week journey to attend conferences in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, October 23-November 18, 1851. For details of the itinerary, see “Our Tour East,” Review, Nov. 25, 1851, p. 52, and Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Early Years, pp. 216-223. The full name, Josiah Hart, is given later in the letter. See: EGWEnc, s.v. “Three Angels’ Messages.” An allusion to the sin of Achan, who, against God's express command, secretly hid booty taken at the conquest of Jericho. Military defeat followed the Israelites until Achan's sin was exposed and dealt with. The “accursed thing” had to be rooted out of the camp of Israel before God's blessing could be restored. See Joshua 6; 7.
Brother Butler was dark. The time had passed and left those who believed in it very low and dark, and the influence of those who believed the time has been very distracting.8 Several persons mentioned in this letter, including E. P. Butler, had been caught up in the minority time-setting movement that expected the Second Advent in October 1851. Sabbatarian Adventists in general had eschewed time-setting and had often made the point that it was the other Adventist bodies that had repeatedly set times for the Advent in the years following 1844. In 1849, however, Hiram Edson had published a pamphlet predicting the Second Advent in 1850. Little is known of the influence of that pamphlet. Of more consequence was a brief flurry of time-setting in 1850-1851 that broke out among some Sabbatarians, mostly in Vermont and New Hampshire. Joseph Bates appears to have been the prime mover, having published a pamphlet sometime during 1850 arguing briefly (and almost incidentally) for the Second Advent in the autumn of 1851. His ideas, however, were never given any support in the Review; indeed, James White wrote against them in the summer of 1851. This, together with the warnings in the visions (both of which were published in the Review), weakened the movement well before the anticipated time. Those who persisted in holding to the 1851 theory tended to be skeptical of the visions that contradicted their ideas, as can be seen in the events of this letter. See: Hiram Edson, The Time of the End; Joseph Bates, An Explanation of the Typical and Anti-Typical Sanctuary, pp. 10, 11; “Our Present Work,” Review, Aug. 19, 1851, p. 13. For an overview of the 1851 time-setting episode, see Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Early Years, pp. 207-210; Alberto R. Timm, The Sanctuary and the Three Angels’ Messages, pp. 68, 69; EGWEnc, s.v. “Time Setting.” Identity: The Review had earlier announced that “Bro. G. W. Holt” would come to the Washington, New Hampshire, conference. Holt was one of the “preaching brethren” who spoke at the various conferences attended by the Whites on this journey. See: “Conferences,” Review, Oct. 21, 1851, p. 48; “Our Tour East,” Review, Nov. 25, 1851, p. 52.
You remember I was not very well when we parted.10 The Howlands had met Ellen and James White three weeks earlier at the West Medford, Massachusetts, conference (Oct. 24-27, 1851). See: James White to “Dear Brethren in Christ,” Review, Nov. 11, 1851.
We all felt it duty to act, and, by a unanimous vote of the brethren, S. Smith was disfellowshipped by the church until he should forever lay down his erroneous views.11 Stephen Smith had a fitful relationship with Sabbatarian Adventists in the 1850s, being disfellowshipped and then taken back at least twice. Toward the end of the 1850s he “finally” left the movement but returned under remarkable circumstances in 1885. See: Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Early Years, pp. 490-492; EGWEnc, s.v. “Stephen Smith.”
Just as the meeting closed, Sister Meade [Sarah Phelps Mead],12 Identity: See note 13 below. Identity: Probably S. Newell Mead, of Washington, New Hampshire, who, according to his obituary, first became a Sabbathkeeper one year earlier, “in the fall of 1850.” He married Sarah Phelps in 1849. Newell's sister, Sarah, married William Farnsworth, among the earliest of the Sabbatarian Adventists in the Washington group. See: Obituary: “S. Newell Mead,” Review, Mar. 13, 1888, p. 175; obituary: “Sarah Phelps Mead,” Review, Apr. 14, 1921, p. 22; History of Washington, New Hampshire, From 1768 to 1886, pp. 397, 398, 535; 1860 U.S. Federal Census, “Newell Mead,” New Hampshire, Sullivan, Washington, p. 1135.
Tuesday, the same eve, the conference commenced.14 The conference took place at Royalton, Vermont, and was announced to begin “Nov. 4th … and hold about two days.” See: “Our Tour East,” Review, Nov. 25, 1851, p. 52; “Conferences,” Review, Oct. 21, 1851, p. 48. See: EGWEnc, s.v. “Adventist Denominations.”
In the morn we all seemed to have an agonizing cry for God to work like Himself, a wonder-working God. Our prayers were answered. The power of God came down; it was a good season; angels were hovering over us. I was taken off in vision and saw just the state of things there, and just the state that Brother Baker16 The likelihood is that “Brother Baker” is Joseph Baker, of Lebanon, New Hampshire, since the only Bakers appearing in the Review up to December 1852 are Joseph Baker and S. E. (Sarah E.) Baker. This inference is confirmed by the information given in the letter that “Brother Baker” was being called to preach, since we know that Joseph Baker preached widely throughout New England and New York State in the early 1850s. See: Search term “Baker” in Words of the Pioneers.
I had some straight messages to bear to different individuals, which had their effect. When we parted, we parted in love, and union prevailed among nearly all. 1EGWLM 311.2
Thursday afternoon we left Royalton and took the cars for Waterbury [Vermont]. We changed cars at Northfield [Vermont], and as we stepped from the cars met Brother Baker; he came with us to Waterbury. Found Brethren Loveland17 The following surnames in this letter, which receive only brief mention, have not been fully identified: Loveland, Lindsay, Benson.
The meeting that eve was deeply interesting. There were about 73 present. Brother Baker spoke, and spoke quite well, about the time and his disappointment; yet he did not view things in their true light. He was much discouraged and sunken. After he sat down, a man by the name of Walker18 Identity: This could well be William Walker, of Morristown, Vermont. Six months later a notice appeared in the Review that “the brethren in [Vermont] … are not in fellowship with William Walker … of Morristown, and that the course pursued by him is a subject of grief to the church.” See: [Notice], Review, May 6, 1852, p. 8.
I got up and told them what God had shown me about some trying to get a substitute after the time passed; some would get Jesus upon the great white cloud,19 A reference to Revelation 14:14: “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” The setting is the end of probation, of Jesus having left the sanctuary and about to execute judgment. Ellen White's warning here against “looking to Old Jerusalem” and “age-to-come” should be seen against the background of the strong emergence of these views among some non-Sabbatarian Adventists in 1850 and 1851, especially as championed in the Advent Harbinger. Basic to these views was the reign of Christ on earth during the 1,000 years, the continuance of probation during the millennium, and the conversion and restoration of Jerusalem to the Jews. Some months earlier Clorinda Minor in her book Meshullam! Or, Tidings From Jerusalem had issued an appeal for Adventists to emigrate to Jerusalem in order to work for the conversion and development of Jews living in the area. Evidently age-to-come teachings held an appeal even to a few Sabbathkeepers, hence the admonishment given here. See: Julia Neuffer, “The Gathering of Israel”; SDAE, s.v. “Messenger Party”; David Tallmadge Arthur, “‘Come Out of Babylon,’” pp. 224-227; George R. Knight, Millennial Fever, pp. 288, 289.
Sabbath day the brethren lectured. James talked twice from the Word, Brother Holt once. It was a very interesting time. Truth never looked so plain and clear. One hundred were present. It was a precious time, praise the Lord. 1EGWLM 313.1
Sunday Brother Holt lectured in the forenoon and James in the afternoon. In the morning meeting before Brother Holt commenced to lecture, Sister Butler [Sarah Butler], who came to the meeting and was obliged to keep [to] her bed nearly all the while, confessed in the meeting that she had been wrong. Then Brother Butler talked very well; there was a confession made all around with weeping. Then I got up and told my vision about Brethren Baker and Hart and others. I never had it in a more clear manner. I told Brother Baker [that] his going to the churches to proclaim the third angel's message was all wrong, that he had to tame down that message or he could not have got into the churches, and that he had been taking the children's bread and giving it to dogs.21 An allusion to Matthew 15:26: “But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.”
After I got through talking it was time for the lecture to commence, so none made any remarks. In the afternoon after James talked, Brother Baker arose; none knew what he was about to say. He told them that every word of the vision related in the forenoon concerning him, was truth, just exactly as it was. (I saw in vision that Brother Baker had not had any bitter feelings towards us like some others.) He referred to this in particular; he knew it to be just so. “Well now,” says he, “you will say, What is Brother Baker going to do with the visions? I will tell you. It is high time for me to decide there is no half way work about this business; the visions are all of God or there are none of them of God. Well, say you, what is Brother Baker going to do? Believe the visions. I see that they are inseparably connected with the third angel's message and if I give up the visions I must give up the third angel's message; and if I give up the third angel's message I give up that we have had the first and second; and if I give up that we have had the first, second, and third angels’ messages, I give up the Word of God, my Christian experience, and am an infidel at once.” 1EGWLM 313.3
I never witnessed such a melting, weeping time before. Bro. Butler had taken his stand the day before and told the brethren and sisters in public where to find him, on the side of the visions. “I believe them to be of God, am a full believer in the visions, so you may know where to find me.” Others expressed their belief, and hearty confessions were made by Brother Hart and others. Never did I witness such a powerful time. 1EGWLM 314.1
Monday morn we had another meeting; the power of God rested upon us. I was taken off in vision and saw many things. I saw that Brother Baker must not sink down, that God had a work for him to do, not to feed the dogs but the starving sheep. “Feed the sheep, feed the sheep,” said my accompanying angel. It was a melting, weeping time when I related the vision. Brother Baker was comforted and made strong. 1EGWLM 314.2
We parted with the brethren and sisters while sweet love and union prevailed among all. Sister Butler, who came to the meeting so sick, went home quite well and much strengthened. Six wagon loads of us left Johnson and came to Sister Benson's 20 miles [32 kilometers], took some refreshment and then went on to Brother Butler's. Brethren Baker and Hart were with us. 1EGWLM 314.3
Brother Baker had not slept any for two or three nights, troubled with disease of the heart. He said he must go home and be sick some days but we got a spirit of prayer for him and the Lord heard us pray. Brother Baker was healed and he glorified God with a loud voice; he had a baptism of the Holy Ghost. We parted with him and Brother Hart rejoicing, triumphant in God. 1EGWLM 314.4
One thing I have not mentioned. Brother Baker has come into the salutation22 The “salutation,” or “holy kiss,” was practiced by early Sabbathkeeping Adventists. Ellen White supported the practice on the basis of Paul's instruction in 1 Thessalonians 5:26, but warned against its misuse. Improperly practiced, the holy kiss had the potential of causing public scandal and charges of fanaticism, as had happened in 1845-1846. The majority of Adventist bodies rejected both foot washing and the holy kiss. See: SDAE, s.v. “Foot Washing”; Ellen G. White, Supplement to the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White, p. 38; Joseph Bates, A Vindication of the Seventh-day Sabbath, p. 71; George R. Knight, Millennial Fever, pp. 251, 252. Identity: Very likely “Brother Evarts” is Elon Everts who lived in New Haven, a few miles from Vergennes. (The variation in spelling is probably not significant.) See: Search term “Everts” in Words of the Pioneers.
Henry Allen lived about one mile [1.6 kilometers] from Brother Evarts.’ He held such a strong mixture of views that if followed out would lead to spiritualism [of] the worst kind, such as spiritual wifery.24 “Spiritualism” in this context seems to refer to the belief in a spiritual rather than a literal Second Coming. A faction of Adventists rejected the central Millerite teaching of the literal Second Advent and instead held that Christ had come spiritually to believers in 1844. This spiritualized interpretation of the Second Advent led, in a few extreme cases, to the practice of “spiritual wifery.” Millerite historian David Arthur suggests the following logic behind the practice: “This practice was based on the scriptural idea that in the kingdom of heaven there would be no marrying or giving in marriage. Since these were persons who believed that they were immortal and had entered the kingdom, it followed that they were now in their spiritual state. They also took Christ's statement concerning hating and forsaking the family in order to follow Him as a literal command. The former idea led to ‘spiritual’ couples or to a ‘spiritual matrimony without sexual connexion.’” See: David Tallmadge Arthur, “‘Come Out of Babylon,’” p. 121. See also George R. Knight, Millennial Fever, pp. 252, 253.
Sabbath eve I had a great burden such as I have borne before. I saw that Brother Evarts must give up his “age to come,” that he had lost the power of the third angel's message, and I saw that the accursed thing must be put out of the camp or Israel would be sickly. That accursed thing was such views as I have mentioned that Henry Allen held. He was not at the meeting at Brother Evarts,’ being sick. 1EGWLM 315.2
After I had the vision and told it, Brother Evarts began to confess and break down before God. He gave up his “age to come” and felt the necessity of keeping the minds of all on the third angel's message. I had as solemn a view at that time as I ever had in my life. 1EGWLM 315.3
The next day we went to Henry Allen's and God gave me a cutting message for him, and I dared not daub [it] with untempered mortar. Never did I have such a cutting message for any one before. He did not break down. We withdrew all fellowship from him until he should give up his spiritual union views and get right.25 Two years later the following notice appeared in the Review: “The brethren in the vicinity of New Haven have suffered severe trials in times past in consequence of the course pursued by Henry Allen. … Allen now teaches the no-Sabbath heresy.” See: “Eastern Tour,” Review, Nov. 15, 1853, p. 149.
Edson [James Edson White] is well and smart.26 This closing paragraph contains news of the family: Edson, age 2. Clarissa Bonfoey, who had helped in the White household since 1849; Ellen's sister Sarah Belden and brother-in-law Stephen Belden. By this time Anna (Annie) R. Smith, sister of future Review editor Uriah Smith, had joined the Review team as editorial assistant, a post she filled for the next three years. The identity of “Aunt Rachel” has not been determined.
In love, 1EGWLM 316.1
E. G. White
I would here say our healths failed a number of times on our journey. It seemed as though we could not go through the meeting. But we would go away alone with a few brethren and sisters and pray together, and God heard and answered and when we returned home we were better than when we left home. 1EGWLM 316.2
E. W.
Eliza Willard27 No positive identifications have been made of Eliza Willard, Deborah Dunham, or Brother Day's daughter.
E. W.
Give our love to all of the church. You see I have written you a long letter. You must do the same to me. After you read this please to copy it off for Mother [Eunice Harmon] in plain hand writing. It will save my writing another letter. Do write it to her as soon as you can, and answer this after you copy it off for her. I want to hear from you very much. Do write. Tell Henry to be very good and love the Lord. 1EGWLM 316.4
In great haste and much love. 1EGWLM 316.5