Vision At Roosevelt, New York

From Eagle Harbor the Whites made their way to Rochester and then to Roosevelt, New York. A conference was to be held in the house of worship there over the weekend of August 3 and 4. This was a difficult meeting. White reported that on Sabbath afternoon light began to break through, especially in a season of special prayer “for the afflicted and desponding among us, and for the return of the Holy Spirit to us as a people.” He reported:WV 79.6

We had been assembled seven hours without taking food, and the interest of the occasion was such that no one appeared to be faint or weary.WV 79.7

God heard the united prayers of His afflicted people, and His Spirit came down upon them. Mrs. White shared largely in this blessed refreshing, and was soon in vision, in which she had messages of comfort for the desponding and afflicted, and of correction for the wayward and erring (Ibid., August 20, 1861).WV 80.1

In the vision she was shown, among other things, “in regard to church order, and the struggle of our nation, and its effect upon the cause” (Ibid., August 27, 1861). As they moved through the state and saw what was happening, James White was “stung with the thought that the balance of influence is either against, or silent upon, the subject of organization” (Ibid., September 3, 1861). He wrote:WV 80.2

We seem to be wading through the influence of a stupid uncertainty upon the subject of organization. This is as might be expected from the circumstances connected with the introduction of the subject among us. Soon after we merely hinted at it about eighteen months since, an article appeared in the Review from one of the corresponding editors well calculated to arouse the fears of many that Brother White was in favor of something dreadful....WV 80.3

The brethren in Pennsylvania voted down organization, and the cause in Ohio has been dreadfully shaken. It has suffered everywhere. If such ministers of experience as Brethren Ingraham, Andrews, and Wheeler could have spoken on the subject decidedly and in season, much might have been saved that has probably gone to ruin. There is everywhere someone to hold back. They have no valid reasons for so doing; still they hold back (Ibid., August 27, 1861).WV 80.4

White then referred to the conference in Roosevelt. After a two-hour discussion on organization at which objections were removed, he called for a standing vote favoring organization. Pioneer worker Frederick Wheeler kept his seat. James White was devastated. He wrote, “A dreadful feeling of discouragement came over us that we have not been able to shake off,” and he asked, “What can we expect of the people when the ministers stand thus?”WV 80.5

As James White bemoaned the situation, he observed that “instead of our being a united people, growing stronger, we are in many places but little better than broken fragments, still scattering and growing weaker” (Ibid.).WV 80.6

This situation had been most obvious to James and Ellen and other leaders as they traveled widely and visited individual churches. They saw how important it was for individual churches to agree on such matters as qualifications of leaders, accepting new members, and teaching the beliefs.WV 80.7

Since the first steps had been taken in Battle Creek, in providing for the publishing work and having decided on a name, the members in Battle Creek were first to take the next step.WV 80.8