Lt 3, 1853 1EGWLM 365

June 29, 1853, Rochester, New York 1EGWLM 365.3

Letter to
the Church in Jackson [Michigan]. 1EGWLM 365.4

Portions of this letter are published in Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Early Years, p. 281.

An appeal to members and leaders in Jackson, Michigan, for wholehearted reformation in the face of serious problems and divisions in the band. 1EGWLM 365.5

To the church in Jackson [Michigan]:

Dear Brethren and Sisters:

My mind has been exercised about writing this evening something to Jackson. 1EGWLM 365.6

We arrived here at home safe last Tuesday¹

The Whites had recently come back from their first trip to Michigan, having left their home in Rochester, New York, on May 20 and returned on June 21, 1853.

Dear Brethren and Sisters, I know that you have trials to pass through, and after what has recently occurred you may have a scene of trial to go through. But you must be decided, dear brethren, and God will help you. I tried to write out the vision to the church in a careful manner, and get it before the brethren in its true light.²

Ellen White here begins a discussion of the state of the Sabbatarian Adventists in Jackson, Michigan. Although she had received a vision relating to the Jackson band one year earlier (June 1852) the vision mentioned here is clearly of more recent origin. When the Whites visited Jackson a few weeks earlier, they had found the group deeply divided over accusations that Abigail Palmer had spoken offensively to a nonmember, with Hiram Case and Charles Russell being foremost among the accusers. According to one account, “these two men had succeeded in dividing the church so that they then held no public meetings.” While there, on June 2, Ellen White was instructed in vision not only concerning the Palmer case but also about other problems within the Jackson band and with several of its leading members. The vision mentioned here is no doubt the June 2 vision as recorded in Ms 1, 1853.

God has taken hold of the work in Jackson and designs to let the brethren have a sight of themselves, that they may seek meekness, seek righteousness, that they may be hid when the fierce anger of the Lord shall come. In the fear of God I would say search, brethren, search, dig deep; get all the pestilent matter stirred up, and have it purged away that God may smile upon you in love and compassion again. 1EGWLM 366.1

God has wrought for you in Jackson, and after what God has done to set the church right, any [who] doubt His work, or do not receive the teachings of God, who has “pled with you face to face” through the weak clay, I fear for them. God can do no more for them than He has done, and you must not have communion with them, but separate them from your company.³

Which members of the Jackson company were subsequently disfellowshipped or broke away? It is well known that Hiram Case and Charles Russell, both of whom were reproved in the June 2 vision, were disfellowshipped and subsequently formed the opposition Messenger Party. Russell apparently was excluded from fellowship within a matter of weeks, but for Hiram Case separation was a drawn-out process. For one thing, Ellen White made a special appeal to Case some weeks after the vision in this letter of June 29. “Dear Brother Case, make thorough work. Dig deep and confess from the bottom.” For a while Case responded positively. In August he even made public confession in a letter to the Review editor. “I have done wrong in using the Lord's money as I should not. … I do deeply regret, and humbly ask the forgiveness of all my brethren and sisters.” However, events subsequently took a turn for the worse, and on February 17, 1854, leading Michigan brethren decided that “we no longer consider him [Case] qualified to travel and teach the third angel's message.” (According to J. B. Bezzo, that decision had already been made in Sylvan, Michigan, in January 1854, with fellowship being withdrawn from Case “a short time after.”)

Some have been in an awful state in Jackson and would have remained in that dreadful state had not the Lord taken hold of the work and shown them it was not peace, that they did not understand themselves and must die, die to self, and be Christians (Christlike) in every sense of the word; in malice, children, but in understanding, men. Do not let the enemy take advantage of you in Jackson, as some in other places have let him do. I went into Conn. [Connecticut], found them in a sad state. Their wrongs were shown in vision. Some received it, others rose up in rebellion and said they did not believe the vision. Their children were in a sad state but were much affected by the visions and would have got right but their parents stood in their way. The Lord took His Spirit from these parents and they went their own ways and were filled with their own doings. Weeks and months passed by, judgment after judgment followed them, until they repented, and deeply repented their slighting [of] God's teachings, and confessed heartily their wrongs and errors. 1EGWLM 367.1

We believe that the Lord forgave them, but their children, their poor children, never could be reached afterwards. They cared nothing for God or His truth. Their parents had taught them the lesson of rebellion and how sure and true [they] had followed their example. Most of these children went on in sin and wickedness, and now some of them of more than two families have gone on in the depths of iniquity until some are excluded even from the family circle.⁶

Which Connecticut families and children are referred to here has not been determined.

Now, Brethren, look at these parents who heeded not the admonition of God for themselves and children. God wanted to save them and their children; they rejected the teachings of God, and while they were rejecting light from Heaven their children became hardened and lost, without God and without hope in the world. What kind of an account will those parents have to render to God for children committed to their trust? How will they feel in the time of trouble as they see their children withering beneath the plagues of God unmixed with mercy? 1EGWLM 367.3

Now I beg of you in Jackson to act like Christians; take hold of the work of your children in earnest. What kind of an example has been set [for] the children in the late trials in Jackson? A tattling, faultfinding spirit has been encouraged in the children; also a hard, bitter spirit.⁷

Although not mentioned by name, Savilla Case is no doubt referred to here in particular. She had brought the original report claiming to have heard Mrs. Palmer's insulting language, a claim that brought in its train bitter infighting among Jackson members.

Again, I would say to our brethren, make straight work, be decided, have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. I hope thorough confessions will be made, and the church must not receive anything but thorough, heartfelt confessions.⁸

Besides the confession of Hiram Case mentioned above, Samuel Rhodes also published his confession, in the August 11, 1853, issue of the Review. A traveling preacher, Rhodes had had a harmful influence on the Jackson group that had been indicated in the June 2, 1853, vision. In his Review confession Rhodes regretted his “overbearing, oppressive spirit” and lack of humility, which had caused him to “wound the cause of the dear Lord and Saviour, which cause I most ardently love.”

The Lord showed me in vision He was at work for the last time to settle things in Jackson, and those who rejected the light from Heaven and the means God had taken to set them right, He would leave to themselves; He had called upon them for the last time. They have been crooked, crooked, crooked, and yet exalted in their own eyes, thinking they were almost without fault, when they were wrong, in darkness and unbelief. 1EGWLM 368.3

May God pity you in Jackson, for I fear for some they are so shut up in themselves and in darkness and the deception of the devil, that they will continue until Jesus leaves the sanctuary and they are weighed in the balance and found wanting. Brethren, if ever you moved decidedly in Jackson, move now, for the sake of the cause of God, for the sake of your precious children, move; have a thorough reformation in Jackson. All of you get as low as you possibly can, confess and confess until all the reproach is wiped away and you are a sweet, united band of brethren. I love you. I love you all, but I must clear my garments from the blood of souls. I shall meet in the judgment what I have told you that God has shown me, and then if I have daubed with untempered mortar, if I have clipped the truth, where will be my excuse? 1EGWLM 368.4

Oh, brethren, if you all turn in less than a week to be my enemies, I still will lift up my voice and declare to you faithfully what God has shown me. I cannot, I dare not, hold my peace. The curse of God will rest upon me if I do. 1EGWLM 369.1

Dear Brother Case [Hiram S. Case],⁹

Identity: Several letters and manuscripts from Ellen White written during the summer of 1853 refer to problems in the Jackson company in which “Brother Case” featured prominently. Having established “Brother Case” to be Hiram S. Case in the first of these documents (Ms 1, 1853 [June 2], note 6), we can assume that this is the same Case referred to in the others.

Look at the troubled, confused state you have been in and then acknowledge the teaching of God, which He has given to set you right. I have written this in great haste by lamp light. Excuse all mistakes. 1EGWLM 369.3

In love, from your sister. 1EGWLM 369.4