Lt 21, 1859

[Circa September 24, 1859],¹

This estimated date is based on the close parallels between this letter and Ms 1, 1859, dated September 24, 1859 (see note 2 below). Clearly, in both documents Ellen White is reporting on the same vision. The only difference is that in Ms 1 she recounts the entire scope of the vision, which involved several persons, whereas in Lt 21 she writes to one of those persons, D. T. Evans, on that part of the vision relevant to him. It is reasonable to conclude that the two documents were written about the same time.

n.p.1EGWLM 725.1

Letter to
D. T. Evans.²

Identity: The close parallels between the counsel given here to “Brother E” and that given to “Brother Evans” in Ms 1, 1859, establishes that they refer to the same person. Note this example:

Ms 1, 1859: “Brother Evans can do errands for God, can interest a congregation, but cannot travel extensively or be a thorough laborer.”

Lt 21, 1859: “Brother E, I was shown in vision you could do errands for the Lord, but it would be of no use for you to travel extensively, for you cannot be a thorough laborer.”

Ms 1, 1859, reveals that “Brother Evans” lives in Vermont. The only Vermont preacher with that surname during this period is “D. T. Evans,” according to the Review. His first name appears to have been “Derrick” or “Dimmick,” according to the 1850 and subsequent censuses.

See: Search term “Evans” in Words of the Pioneers; 1850 U.S. Federal Census, “Derrick T. Evans,” Vermont, Orange County, Corinth, p. 152.

1EGWLM 725.2

Previously unpublished.

Weaknesses that unfit D. T. Evans for full-time ministerial work.1EGWLM 725.3

Brother E, I was shown in vision you could do errands for the Lord, but it would be of no use for you to travel extensively, for you cannot be a thorough laborer. You have not judgment and wisdom to fill the place that God's servants—who are chosen to teach the present truth and give themselves up wholly to the work—are required to fill. You are not judicious, not careful that your influence and your words tell on the right side. You are not fitted to direct in church matters or to officiate in church trials. Your influence would tend more to draw matters into perplexity than to get out of difficulty. You are not called to travel all the time, or give yourself wholly to the work.³

Reports in the Review from 1857 onward indicate that D. T. Evans sometimes traveled and preached for weeks at a time in Vermont and Canada East. See, for example, Daniel T. Bourdeau, “Letter from Bro. Bourdeau,” Review, Jan. 27, 1859, p. 77.

You can at times do good in talking the truth where the way opens, but know that the Lord is with you and that He sends you to a place before you go. Every one of us is in duty bound to let his influence tell for the truth and advocate it wherever there is an opportunity.1EGWLM 725.4

You should not, I saw, give up entirely the idea of laboring with your hands, even if you suffer some inconvenience and unpleasant feelings. You are afraid of your strength. You lack ambition to labor, and should seek God for strength to labor if you lack strength.1EGWLM 726.1

There will have to be a great reform with some in Vermont. The idea that many have that the Lord has called them into the vineyard will have to be given up. The enemy is at work in this matter. You have thrown too much burden upon the church.⁴

This theme is enlarged on in a testimony concerning Evans published five years later: “He has not been a thoroughgoing man in temporal matters, and although he has but a small family, he has needed assistance more or less.” He has not been fully “willing to labor with his hands a part of the time to earn means to support his family that they may not be burdensome to the church.” In the censuses of this period, Evans's occupation is listed as “shoe maker.”

See: Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 448, originally published in 1864 in the pamphlet Testimony for the Church, No. 10. The first printing of this pamphlet included the name “Brother Evans,” but subsequent printings omitted the name. See also: 1850 U.S. Federal Census, “Derrick T. Evans,” Vermont, Orange County, Corinth, p. 152; 1870 U.S. Federal Census, “Evens [sic], Derrick,” Vermont, Addison County, Granville, p. 17.

Exercise more,5

“He has not had a suitable amount of exercise to give tone and strength to his muscles, and for the good of his health.”

See: Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 448.

care for your own family, and leave not all that heavy burden for the church while you are eased.6

To what extent D. T. Evans met the challenge of this testimony is not clear. Apparently there was little change up to 1864, when Ellen White wrote of his case again and pointed out the same problems. This time she took the exceptional step of publishing his name (although only in the first printing of the pamphlet—see note 4 above). Some months after his situation was published the Vermont Conference in session voted, in June 1864, “that Bro. Evans be left under the watchcare of the Executive Committee for them to encourage him to preach in his sphere, only as fast as he complies with the requirements of the last testimony given for his benefit.” Not until 1868 was Evans issued a ministerial license again, which he held until 1874. After that there is no further mention in the Review of D. T. Evans as a minister. In the 1880 census he is listed as a “farmer” in Nebraska.

See: Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, pp. 448, 449; Stephen Pierce, D. T. Bourdeau, “Second Annual Meeting of the Vermont State Conference,” Review, June 28, 1864, p. 1; search term “Evans” in Review and Herald online collection, www.adventistarchives.org; 1880 U.S. Federal Census, “Evans, Dirrick [sic] T.,” Nebraska, Valley County, Liberty Precinct, p. 14.

1EGWLM 726.2