- About the Author
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- Abbreviations
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- Here the Story Begins
- Harbingers of the Advent Awakening
- Carefree Childhood Days
- Early Experiences Recounted
- A “School Days” Experience
- The Family Moves to the City of Portland
- The Portland the Youthful Ellen Harmon Knew
- Hatmaking in the Harmon House
- Attending Brackett Street School
- The Textbooks She Read
- Robert Harmon's Trip to Georgia
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- The Question of the Immortality of the Soul
- The Time of Expectation Passes
- A Test of True Character
- The Second Angel's Message
- October 22, 1844, The Day of Expectation
- The Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844
- The Failing Health of Ellen Harmon
- Ellen Harmon Given a Vision—Her First
- The First Vision as Published in the Day-Star
- The Vision Answered Many Pressing Questions
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- The Otis Nichols Letter of April 20, 1846
- Ellen's Experience in Delivering the Message
- Early Arguments for the Spirit of Prophecy
- Some High Points of her Work in Eastern Maine
- Vision of Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary
- Some Fanatical Positions She Met
- Wrestling With the Views of the Spiritualizers
- Ellen Leaves Suddenly for Home
- The Healing of Frances Howland and William Hyde
- Preserved from Fanaticism
- Visit to New Hampshire
- Contending with Spiritual Magnetism
- Called Back to Portland
- Vision of the New Earth
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- Enabled to Write
- The Large Family Bible
- The Bible Held in Vision
- The Unenviable Position of the Prophet
- A Symbolic Warning
- “Another Angel, Father!”
- Who Could be Saved?
- The First Visit to Massachusetts
- The 1845 Expectancy of the Second Advent
- The Second Visit to Massachusetts
- Otis Nichols’ Eyewitness Account
- Meeting Joseph Bates at New Bedford
- The Publication of Her First Vision—January, 1846
- Publication of the Vision of the Heavenly Sanctuary
- The Place of the Vision in Confirming the Sanctuary Truth
- God's Leadings Clearly Manifest
- The Vision in a Sailboat
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- Writing for the Press
- Ellen White described its reception:
- The Proclamation of the Third Angel's Message
- The Content of the Paper
- Birth of a Second Son, James Edson White
- The Paris, Maine, Conference
- Among the Believers in Maine and New York State
- A Hymnbook for the Sabbathkeeping Adventists
- The Little Paper Almost Died
- Death Invades the Camp
- Fruitage of Public Ministry in Oswego
- Vision of Future Events
- The Visit to Vermont and Maine
- The Gift of a Horse and Carriage
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- Satan's Vicious Attacks
- Special Significance Disclosed by Vision
- The Third Angel's Message to be Made Plain by a Chart
- A Marked and Significant Change in the Tide
- Many Visions Giving Insights and Guidance
- A Summary of Other Important Visions
- A Time for Development of the Doctrinal Structure
- The Crucial Yet Productive Years of the “Scattering Time”
- Taking Up Residence in Maine
- Significant Conferences at Paris and Topsham
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- Concerted Plan to Publish the Visions
- Ellen White's First Book
- Settling in Saratoga Springs, New York
- Moves Toward Order and Organization
- The Conference at Washington, New Hampshire
- The Bethel, Vermont, Conference
- The Conference at Johnson, Vermont
- The Conference at Vergennes, Vermont
- Testimony Concerning Using Tobacco
- The Midwinter Tour in Western New York
- Back Home in Saratoga Springs
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- Ellen G. White Looks Back
- Positive Denial of the False Charge
- Explained Further as a Charge is Answered in 1883
- Developing Perception on Ellen White's Part
- A Term with a Changing Meaning
- Vision of the Open and Shut Door
- Labor for Sinners During the Shut-Door Period of 1845 to 1851
- Experience of Heman Churchill (July, 1850)
- J. H. Waggoner Recalls His Experience
- A Review of 1851 Developments
- Criticism of Deletions from the First Vision
- Why Were the Lines Omitted in 1851?
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- Strict Economy Maintained
- Working in the Opening West
- First Visit of James and Ellen White to Michigan
- With the Believers in Jackson, Michigan
- The Strange Case of a Self-Appointed Woman Evangelist
- Lost on the Way to Vergennes
- The Vergennes Meeting and Mrs. Alcott
- Back Home in Rochester
- The Review and Herald to be Published Weekly
- The 1853 Eastern Tour
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- The Vital Need for Church Organization
- James White Joins in Calling for Gospel Order
- The Tour of Northeastern New York State
- Sins Tolerated in the Camp
- Early Light on Basic Health Principles
- Ellen White's Battle With Disease
- Continuing the Evangelistic Thrust
- The Trip to Wisconsin
- Establishing the First “Adventist Book Center”
- Eyes on the Evangelistic Tent
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- The Vision at Hillsdale, Michigan
- Visiting the Churches in Eastern Michigan
- The Concept of the Investigative Judgment Dawns
- A Power Press for the Review Office
- Plans for a Trip East
- Vision at Buck's Bridge, New York
- The August Vision at Monterey, Michigan
- The October Visit to Monterey and Another Important Vision
- The Battle Creek Conference
- The Vision of the Shaking
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- Meetings in Ohio
- The Great Controversy Vision
- Counsels for New Believers
- A View of the Agelong Controversy in its Broad Sweep
- Ellen White Tells the Story at the General Conference in May
- The Choice of Title for the Forthcoming Book
- A Startling and Thought-Provoking Object Lesson
- M. B. Czechowski, the Converted Catholic Priest
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- The Conference Address on Organizing Churches
- The Eight-Week Eastern Tour
- Vision at Roosevelt, New York
- The Battle Creek Church Sets the Pace in Organizing
- A Creed and the Spirit of Prophecy
- The Formation of the Michigan Conference
- Other States Organize
- Cautions Sounded
- M. E. Cornell to Go to Ohio
- Confessions of Negative Attitudes
- James White Surveys the Battle and Victory
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- Vision at Parkville, Michigan
- Ellen White Examined While in Vision
- At Home and Writing Personal Testimonies
- The Inroads of Prevailing Fashion
- Letters to the Wife of a Minister
- Another Intimate Glimpse of the White Home Life
- A Second Vision of Civil War Involvement
- The New Publishing House
- The Five-Week Western Tour
- The War and the Threatening Draft of Recruits
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- First Annual Session of the Michigan State Conference
- The Business Sessions of the Conference
- Matters for Conference Consideration
- Organization of the General Conference
- The Last Few Weeks of 1862
- A Burden for the Youth of the Church
- Victories at Wright and Orleans
- Triumphant Year-End Meetings at Battle Creek
- The Church Prepared for Development and Expansion
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Chapter 25—(1858-1859) Financial Support for the Cause of God
The back page notice in the Ibid., September 30, 1858, signed by James White and J. N. Loughborough under the heading “Appointments” gave plans for meetings in Ohio and New York State in late September and most of October.1BIO 380.1
Immediately following was a two-paragraph, rather illuminating notice signed by James White, laying out plans for a tour through New England. The notice suggested the very frail financial status of the cause, and the absence of organizational structure to direct the work. Leaders of the emerging church usually depended both on invitations to visit the field and the gifts of those who benefited from their ministry, to cover expenses. Note the wording:1BIO 380.2
Brother and Sister White design spending October 23 and 24 at Buck's Bridge; the evening of the twenty-sixth near Rouse's Point, where Brethren Taylor and Whipple may appoint; the thirtieth and thirty-first, in Vermont, where Brethren Bingham and Churchill may appoint; November 6 and 7, near Washington, New Hampshire, where brethren may appoint; thirteenth and fourteenth, at Worcester, Massachusetts.1BIO 380.3
If brethren in New England desire meetings as above, they will please give appointment of the definite place in the Review immediately, and address us at Hubbard's Corners, Madison County, New York. If they wish the labors of Brother J. N. Loughborough, they will please address him at the same place, and he will probably accompany us to the above-named places.1BIO 380.4
As it turned out, the brethren in the East did want the Whites to come and invited Loughborough to come with them. When the tour was completed in mid-December, James White could report:1BIO 380.5
Our wants were all cared for, our traveling expenses met, and we received the most affectionate and courteous attention.—Ibid., December 23, 18581BIO 381.1
Earlier in the year Loughborough had run a back page note in the Review announcing cancellation of plans because of lack of financial support:1BIO 381.2
Brother White and I had designed holding some four or five conferences in the State of New York this spring. But we would here state that our lack of means prevents our complying at present with the wishes of the brethren in this matter.—Ibid., April 1, 18581BIO 381.3
The three-month-long fall tour taken by the Whites from Battle Creek east to Portland, Maine, and return, was a major part of their travels through the last half of 1858. Loughborough was with them for nearly all the appointments. Few details are given by White, except the names of the places visited. In later years, Loughborough, recounting history he was familiar with, mentioned the vision given to Ellen White in Mannsville, New York, in the public schoolhouse.1BIO 381.4
The meeting was so well attended that to accommodate the crowds, oak planking obtained nearby was brought in and placed from seat to seat across the aisles, providing an audience in a solid block, with no open aisles. Loughborough was the speaker at that meeting. He later reported:1BIO 381.5
The Lord gave freedom in the discourse. Sister White followed with a powerful talk. As she began to speak, their boy, W.C. (then about 4 years old), wanted to go out. The only way to do this was for Brother White to raise a window in the back part of the house. After putting the boy out, he followed him through the window.1BIO 381.6
While he was out with the boy, Sister White spoke with great freedom. As she seated herself in her chair, she gave the three shouts of glory, and was in vision before that great crowd of people. When Brother White returned to the room, she was in the vision. He explained her condition to the people, who looked on with deepest respect. After coming out of the vision, she again spoke for a few minutes to that solemn and heart-touched audience.—Pacific Union Recorder, January 26, 1911.1BIO 381.7
The next morning, October 21, she wrote with pencil a testimony, based on a part of what was revealed in the vision, to Stephen and Mary Haskell in Massachusetts. Then she requested Loughborough to make a good copy with pen and ink to be sent to them. As he copied this, his mind went back two years to the time when he and R. F. Cottrell held a tent meeting in Princeton, Massachusetts. He had met the Haskells there, and he recalled that Haskell was pressing the matter of the nonuse of pork. Because of its prohibition in Leviticus Haskell felt it should be made a test of church fellowship. Now Loughborough was tracing the lines from Ellen White's penciled testimony:1BIO 382.1
I saw that your views concerning swine's flesh would prove no injury if you have them to yourselves; but in your judgment and opinion you have made this question a test, and your actions have plainly shown your faith in this matter. If God requires His people to abstain from swine's flesh, He will convict them on the matter.1BIO 382.2
He is just as willing to show His honest children their duty, as to show their duty to individuals upon whom He has not laid the burden of His work. If it is the duty of the church to abstain from swine's flesh, God will discover it to more than two or three. He will teach His church their duty.1BIO 382.3
God is leading out a people, not a few separate individuals here and there, one believing this thing, another that. Angels of God are doing the work committed to their trust. The third angel is leading out and purifying a people, and they should move with Him unitedly.... I saw that the angels of God would lead His people no faster than they could receive and act upon the important truths that are communicated to them. But some restless spirits do not more than half do up their work. As the angel leads them, they get in haste for something new, and rush on without divine guidance, and thus bring confusion and discord into the ranks. They do not speak or act in harmony with the body.—Testimonies for the Church, 1:206, 207.1BIO 382.4
It was apparent that the time had not yet come to advocate certain positions in the matter of a reform in diet; this would come in its proper time and in its proper setting. In the second printing of this testimony, James White appended a significant note:1BIO 383.1
This remarkable testimony was written October 21, 1858, nearly five years before the great vision in 1863, in which the light upon health reform was given. When the right time came, the subject was given in a manner to move all our people. How wonderful are the wisdom and goodness of God! It might be as wrong to crowd the milk, salt, and sugar question now, as the pork question in 1858.—JW, note to second edition, Ibid., 1:206.1BIO 383.2