Elsie Below was a close friend of the Whites, living in Mill Grove. “You have been a mother to us,” wrote James White to Mrs. Below some months later. Details are not known except that after the Whites’ third son, William, was born in August 1854, Elsie traveled from Mill Grove to Rochester, New York, to assist Ellen for a time. After Elsie Below's second husband died in 1855, the Whites urged her to move to Battle Creek, Michigan. “We want you near us,” James urged.

See: R. F. Cottrell and others, “Letter From the Church at Mill Grove, N.Y., to Elder J. M. Stephenson,” Review, Dec. 18, 1855, p. 93; obituary, “Elsie P. Below,” Review, Dec. 10, 1889, p. 782; James White to “Dear Sister,” Nov. 4, 1856; Ellen G. White, Ms 23, 1889 (Diary, Nov. 12, 1889).
1EGWLM 467.2

Portions of this letter are published in Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Early Years, pp. 332-334; Ellen G. White, In Heavenly Places, p. 352; idem, Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, p. 225; vol. 7, p. 231.

Letter, to E. P. Below, a close friend, containing news of family events since the Whites moved to Battle Creek some weeks earlier. Also includes a strong testimony to God's goodness.1EGWLM 467.3

1EGWLM 467.4

Dear Sister Below:

We received your kind and welcome letter in due time, containing three dollars, one from Sister Boyers [Mary Boyer],²

A letter to the Review published just two weeks earlier was signed by 13 members of the Mill Grove group. Among them are Mary and Elijah Boyer. No doubt these are the Boyers mentioned in two places in Lt 9.

See: R. F. C. [R. F. Cottrell], “Letter From the Church at Mill Grove, N.Y., to Elder J. M. Stephenson,” Review, Dec. 18, 1855, p. 93.

and two from yourself. Thank you for your donation.1EGWLM 467.5

We have been meaning to write you for some time, but have had many visions to write to individual cases, and have scarcely got through yet.1EGWLM 467.6

My health is quite good except a lame ankle. In coming from Sarah's [Sarah B. Belden]³

Identity: Although there can be no certainty, it is probable that the reference here is to Ellen White's sister Sarah B. Belden, whose husband, Stephen T. Belden, was employed as printer at the office of the Review and Herald. The Beldens had moved with the Whites to Battle Creek in connection with the removal of the Review office and plant from Rochester late in 1855.

to our house, I slipped and fell, wrenching my foot backwards and putting my ankle out of joint. In rising it flew back again, but the bone of my left limb is injured, split, and I am a cripple for the present, cannot bear a pound's weight upon it. It is more than a week since I was hurt. I can hobble around a little with crutches, but I will not murmur or complain. It was a merciful Providence that saved me from breaking my limb in two places. When I think how my limb twisted and then the whole weight of my body fell upon it, I know that the angels of God must have protected me or I should be suffering with distress from a broken limb.1EGWLM 467.7

Jenny [Jane Fraser] and Clarissa [Clarissa Bonfoey]⁴

Identity: This mention of “Jenny and Clarissa,” coming as it does in the section of the letter dealing with family news, can refer only to Jane (“Jenny”) Fraser and Clarissa Bonfoey.

are quite well; Clarissa has not been as well as she is now for eight years. Jenny is much better than she has been since before she had the ague. The children are quite rugged. Edson [James Edson White, age 6], you know, has been generally poorly but he is coming up; is quite tough. James [James Springer White] enjoys better health than he has for some time back. We praise the Lord for this. For weeks past the Lord has been good and gracious to us, and I long to be more devoted to Him. We have lived at too great a distance from God, and that is why we have had so little strength. We must draw nearer to God.1EGWLM 468.1

This world is too dark for me, it is not my home. Jesus said He would go away and prepare mansions for us, that where He is there we may be also. We shall ever dwell with and enjoy the light of His precious countenance. My heart leaps with joy at the cheering prospect. We are almost home. Heaven, sweet heaven, it is our eternal home. I am glad every moment that Jesus lives, and because He lives we shall live also. My soul says, Praise the Lord. There is a fullness in Jesus, a supply for each, for all, and why should we die for bread or starve in foreign lands?1EGWLM 468.2

I hunger, I thirst, for salvation, for entire conformity to the will of God. We have a good hope through Jesus. It is sure and steadfast and entereth into that within the veil. It yields us consolation in affliction, it gives us joy amid anguish, disperses the gloom around us and causes us to look through it all to immortality and eternal life. It is just what we need. We cannot part with it. Earthly treasures are no inducement to us, for while we have this hope it reaches clear above the treasures of earth that are passing away and takes hold of the immortal inheritance, the treasures that are durable, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fade not away. This hope we will cherish. We will cling closer and closer to it. It will live when everything else dies.1EGWLM 468.3

Our mortal bodies may die, and be laid away in the grave. Yet the blessed hope lives on until the resurrection, when the voice of Jesus calls forth the sleeping dust. We shall then enjoy the fullness of the blessed, glorious hope. We know in whom we have believed. We have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. A rich, a glorious reward is before us; it is the prize for which we run, and if we persevere with courage we shall surely obtain it.1EGWLM 469.1

I cannot express my gratitude to God for what He has done and is still doing for us. For weeks our peace has been like a river.⁵

Since the move from Rochester to Battle Creek two months earlier the Whites had experienced several positive changes. James White had been relieved of sole fiscal and editorial responsibility for the publishing work by the establishment of a publishing committee and with the appointment of Uriah Smith as resident editor for the Review. Second, an action had been taken at a general conference in November expressing regret for past neglect of the visions of Ellen White and a determination to restore them to their rightful place. Third, and not least significant, with the move to Battle Creek the Whites no longer had to operate a boarding house for the publishing workers, as they had done in Rochester. It all amounted to significant relief. As Ellen White summed it up in Spiritual Gifts: “From the time we moved to Battle Creek, the Lord began to turn our captivity.”

See: Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts [vol. 2], p. 203. For a survey of events surrounding the move to Battle Creek, see Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Early Years, pp. 316-322.

The heavenly dew has distilled upon us morning, noon, and night, and our souls triumph in God. It is easy believing, easy praying. We love God, and yet our souls pant for living water. There is salvation for us, and why do we stay away from the fountain? Why not come and drink that our souls may be refreshed, invigorated, and may flourish in God? Why do we cling so closely to earth? There is something better than earth for us to talk about and think of. We can be in a heavenly frame of mind. Oh, let us dwell upon Jesus’ lovely, spotless character, and by beholding we shall become changed to the same image. Be of good courage. Have faith in God.1EGWLM 469.2

We should love to hear from you and Sister Cottrell and of the children as often as possible. I designed writing Sister Cottrell a letter with this but James has other writing I must do, so she must excuse me. Much love to Brother and Sister Cottrell⁶

Identity: The difficulty in identifying “Brother and Sister Cottrell,” of Mill Grove, New York, is that there were at least three Cottrell families associated with the church in Mill Grove at the time this letter was written: Roswell Fenner and Catherine (née Harvey) Cottrell; John Harvey and Maryette Cottrell; Solomon Gates and Prudence Cottrell. It is unlikely that Solomon and Prudence are referred to in this warm greeting, since Ellen White writes a few years later (Ms 3, 1861 [c. 1861]) that “Solomon's wife was always bitter against the gifts.”

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

and their children, Willard^{7
This person has not been identified.} and his wife. Tell them to go on. The crown is before us. Put all the armor on; like valiant soldiers, stand. Much love to Mary and Frank.^{8
Most probably Elsie Below's two children, still at home: Frank, about 18, and Mary, about 13.
See: “John C. Below” in the 1850 U.S. Federal Census, New York, Erie County, Newstead, p. 214; “Elsa P. Below,” 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Michigan, Calhoun County, Michigan, p. 224.}1EGWLM 469.3

I hope Frank is attending to his eternal interest, and is preparing for the judgment. Tell him I want to meet him in heaven. Tell Mary to be faithful, to watch and pray. That is the life of the Christian. Love to Brother and Sister Boyers and their children. I want to see you all, Brother Harvey [John Harvey Cottrell]⁹

Identity: Most probably John Harvey Cottrell. The 13 signatories of the “Letter From the Church at Mill Grove, N.Y., to Elder J. M. Stephenson,” published in December 1855, include “John H. Cottrell,” whose full name was John Harvey Cottrell. There is evidence that John Harvey was addressed by his middle name, Harvey. There are examples of this usage in the writings of both Ellen White and John Loughborough. It may well be that “Harvey” was used rather than “John” in order to distinguish him from his father, John Cottrell.

See: R. F. C. [R. F. Cottrell], “Letter From the Church at Mill Grove, N.Y., to Elder J. M. Stephenson,” Review, Dec. 18, 1855, p. 93; Roy F. Cottrell, “A Brief Sketch of Cottrell Family History,” (1965), pp. 6, 13; Ellen G. White, Ms 3, 1861 (c. 1861); J. N. Loughborough, “Recollections of the Past—No. 3,” Review, Feb. 12, 1884, p. 107.

and family and all the saints—I cannot number all. Pray for us.1EGWLM 470.1

We are going to ride about 13 miles [21 kilometers] today in the country. The brethren think we ought to have a little house put up. We pay now $1.50 per week for rent, and have scarcely any conveniences at that. Have to go a great distance for water; have no good shed for our wood. We put a few boards up at our own expense just to cover our wood. We shall make a beginning; cannot tell how we shall succeed.¹⁰

For the first year the Whites rented a cottage on Van Buren Street. The weekly rent of $1.50 can be compared to James White's weekly wages of $4.09 at the Review. By the autumn of 1856, with the help of friends, a small house was built on Wood Street where the Whites lived until 1863.

See: Gerald Wheeler, James White, pp. 87-92.

May the Lord guide us in all our undertakings is my prayer.1EGWLM 470.2

Do write to us. You are very near our hearts. What a nice piece Brother Roswell [Roswell Fenner Cottrell]¹¹

Identity: Clues to the identity of “Brother Roswell” include the fact that he probably lived in or near Mill Grove, and had recently written an item for the Review. Only Roswell Fenner Cottrell seems to fit this description. Two weeks earlier a letter from Cottrell, openly supportive of Ellen White's visions, had been published in the Review, breaking a long trend of silence in the Review on the visions. “If the visions are not of God, they will surely come to nought. … But we have not been able to discover anything in them which conflicts with the commandments of God.”

See: R. F. C. [R. F. Cottrell], “Letter From the Church at Mill Grove, N.Y., to Elder J. M. Stephenson,” Review, Dec. 18, 1855, p. 93.

wrote! It hit the nail on the head; it will do much good.1EGWLM 470.3

In love.1EGWLM 470.4

Ms 1, 1855

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