Sabbath morning, with the Cephalonia still docked in Boston harbor, the White party were to have a last visit with friends, Elder D. A. Robinson and Brother Edward Stillman, who came aboard to say good-by. Mrs. White had already been up writing a few final letters. She delivered these to the two men to be posted, and said farewell. EGWE 27.1
The first day was pleasant, and she began to turn her attention to the task before her: EGWE 27.2
“I feel my heart drawn out in prayer to God for a fitness for the great work before me. I am of good courage and should accident or harm or death come to me here I have made my peace with God. All is well.... I want during this ten days’ passage to be brought more close to Jesus.”—Manuscript 16a, 1885. EGWE 27.3
This prayer wish was the sum of her life's purpose. Later she wrote—and it can be seen that she was writing from experience—“Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good.”—The Desire of Ages, 362. EGWE 27.4
That Sunday evening, after viewing a beautiful sunset with her friends, she went into the dining room to attend an Episcopalian service. She felt that the Scripture passages read were “very appropriate,” and said that “the hymns sung were excellent in sentiment.” EGWE 27.5