Chapter 22—(1896) 1896—A Year of Good News and Bad News

The day has opened beautifully,” wrote Ellen White in her diary on the morning of January 1, 1896. “Eighteen hundred ninety-five has passed into eternity with its burden of record. A new year has opened upon us, and there are no changes we can make in the old year.”—Manuscript 61, 1896.4BIO 260.1

It was midsummer as the year opened in the Southern Hemisphere, and some of the days were oppressively hot. The land breeze seemed as from a furnace.4BIO 260.2

Work on the Sunnyside home was nearing completion, but the hammering, sawing, and painting were not conducive to writing.4BIO 260.3

W. C. White, in writing to O. A. Olsen on January 19, described the Sunnyside residence as constructed so it could eventually serve as an office building for Ellen White's staff:4BIO 260.4

Mother's house, when completed, will contain eleven rooms. The main building is 32 x 32, with a veranda in the front, and a hall running through the center. There are four rooms about 12 x 12, and upstairs there are four more nearly as large. Back of the main building there is a lean-to, 14 x 22, intended for a kitchen. This much of the house is plastered and therefore will be quite cool and comfortable. Mother decides to use the back room for a dining room, and so is having an addition 16 x 22 feet attached to the dining room, which will be divided up into a kitchen, bathroom, and storeroom. We expect the carpenters to complete their work this week, then we shall get settled.—9 WCW, p. 117.4BIO 260.5

Her often repeated resolutions to have a small cottage and to live somewhat in isolation was largely wishful thinking for her literary work demanded that she be surrounded with helpers, and she must provide for their housing and working space.4BIO 260.6