Lt 31, 1850

[December 1850],¹

The date is inferred from Ellen White's account in the letter of a conference held in Paris, Maine, either November 16-17 or 23-24, 1850 (see notes below). Her letter would therefore have been written in late November or early December, but well before Mary Nichols's letter of December 12, 1850.

Paris, Maine1EGWLM 261.4

Letter to
Mary Nichols.1EGWLM 261.5

Previously unpublished.

Powerful revival at Paris, Maine, conference November 1850.1EGWLM 261.6

[From a letter of Mary Nichols to Sister Collins [Nancy Collins],²

Identity: Probably Nancy Collins, of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, wife of Philip Collins. No other Collins family appears in the Review until 1853.

See: Search term “Collins” in Words of the Pioneers.

December 12, 1850.]1EGWLM 261.7

We have received a good letter from Sister Ellen [Ellen G. White]. She is in Paris, Maine.³

The Whites had moved to Paris, Maine, at the end of October 1850.

See: Ellen G. White, Lt 26, 1850 (Nov. 1).

She writes, “The conference there4

Even though the wording here is ambiguous, another account by Ellen White of the same conference places it in Paris. According to the Review the conference took place either November 16-17 or 23-24, 1850.

See: Ellen G. White, Lt 30, 1850 (Dec. 13); A. S. Stevens, “Letter From Sister A. S. Stevens,” Review, December 1850, p. 16; [announcement], Present Truth, November 1850, p. 88.

was one of deep interest. Some who had been in great error confessed their errors, and came out clear in the truth. The Spirit of the Lord fell upon a young sister present. She went to several of the children, wept over them, and asked them if they would go to heaven with her, repeating it several times, ‘Will you go with me? I am going to the Kingdom, will you go with me?’ One of them fell upon his knees on the floor, and cried out, ‘I will, I will.’ And such a scene followed as cannot be described—all fell upon their knees, some were crying for mercy, others for a closer walk with God, and some for salvation, full and free. It seemed as though Jesus Himself entered the room, and I could see Him standing at the hearts of the children, and had been waiting for entrance, until His locks were wet with the dew of night; and their hearts were so filled with pride and unbelief, that there was no room for the lovely Jesus. But at last victory was given unto us, and darkness and unbelief fled away; and some were shouting and praising God.”5

See: Appendix article “Ellen White and Religious Enthusiasm in Early Adventist Experience”; EGWEnc, s.v. “Ecstatic Experiences.”

1EGWLM 261.8