Triumphant Year-End Meetings at Battle Creek

With this taste of youth evangelism, it was not difficult for James and Ellen White to plan for year-end meetings in Battle Creek, with special efforts for the children and youth. They recognized that if success were to attend this type of ministry, more than meetings on Sabbath and Sunday were called for; plans were laid for what White termed “protracted meetings.” The first was to commence on Tuesday evening, December 23, and carry over the Sabbath, December 27, and then a second series to begin the next Wednesday and continue to Sabbath, January 3. In advertising the meetings in the Review, James White declared that “the brethren will be happy to see a general attendance of the brethren from surrounding towns.” He urged, “Come with your children, prepared to labor for the revival of the church, and the conversion of the youth and children.”—Ibid., December 23, 1862. A week later he reported that the results of the first few days of meetings were excellent and urged good attendance at the next series that would open Wednesday night and terminate with a baptism Sabbath afternoon.1BIO 484.4

In the midst of the second series Loughborough and Byington came back to Battle Creek from a tour among the churches to the north. They reported a revival among the youth and children in the meetings they had been holding. God's Spirit was at work. James White's triumphant report of this work with the young people of the church at the close of the old year and the commencement of 1863 reads:1BIO 485.1

Several brethren came in from other places to enjoy this meeting with us, and the evening commencing the Sabbath we had a full and deeply interesting meeting. Many of the young spoke, among them the eldest son of Elder J. H. Waggoner, whose confession and stated resolutions to be a Christian caused tears of joy to flow.1BIO 485.2

On the Sabbath [January 3] our place of worship was full. We baptized fifteen, among them our two oldest sons. In the afternoon we had a communion season, in which not far from two hundred participated. We think the Battle Creek church never enjoyed a better Sabbath.—Ibid., January 6, 18631BIO 485.3