The W. F. Caldwell Mission to Australia

Before receiving Ellen White's testimony written March 22, Mr. Stanton commissioned one of his newly acquired disciples, W. F. Caldwell of Pennsylvania, to hasten to Australia to spread the message there and to gain Ellen White's support for the new movement. The two men of kindred minds, Stanton and Caldwell, had met in Battle Creek. They had spent three days together and had agreed on the urgency of Caldwell's Australian trip.4BIO 83.2

So eager and earnest was Caldwell, an Adventist of somewhat fluctuating experience, that when Stanton dispatched him to Australia he did not even return to his Pennsylvania home to bid his wife and two children goodbye. He never saw them again; his wife, not a Seventh-day Adventist, divorced him for deserting her, and refused to allow him to see the children.4BIO 83.3

In San Francisco another of Stanton's disciples gave Caldwell money and a steamship ticket, and he hastened on his way. Reaching Hobart, Tasmania, he was informed by George Starr that Ellen White was in New Zealand; he was further told that she had written a testimony to Stanton pointing out that he was “off the track.” Caldwell was eager, of course, to see a copy of the testimony. Upon learning that a copy could be found at Melbourne with Sister White's papers, he was soon there and read the message.4BIO 83.4

The testimony unsettled him, but he was not convinced. Frustrated by the fact that Ellen White was in New Zealand and that he was without funds to travel there to see her, and feeling that she misunderstood the Stanton message on the loud cry, he wrote a letter to her and settled down to wait for a reply. “Then came the real struggle.” He recounted his experience in the following words:4BIO 83.5

None but God knows how hard Satan and his emissaries worked for me during those few days of idleness; but Christ is able to save all who trust Him.4BIO 83.6

One Sunday I strolled down to the park where the Socialists were holding an open-air meeting. After listening to a part of three speeches, I turned away in disgust. You know how they talk, “Down with the government, down with the judges, away with these oppressive laws,” et cetera, always trying to tear down, but never having any idea of a better way, or in fact, of any substitute.4BIO 84.1

The Spirit of the Lord was by my side, and showed me that I was doing the same kind of work. I could not silence that voice. The similarity of their work and mine opened before me more clearly every time I tried to excuse myself, until finally I gave in and confessed, like David, “I am the man.” I went to my lodgings, and after much prayer, decided to give up the message, although still more than half believing that it was true, in part at least.—DF 463a, “A Confession,” W. F. Caldwell to “Dear Brethren and Sisters,” July 7, 1893 (The Review and Herald, September 19, 1893).4BIO 84.2

Caldwell had about made up his mind to give up his mission and return to the United States—he had sufficient money for a passage by steerage—when he received a response from Ellen White in New Zealand. It was tender, understanding, motherly:4BIO 84.3

Dear Brother Caldwell,

Your letter addressed to me was received at the beginning of the Sabbath.... I should advise you to attend the school, and not to leave this country until you become thoroughly settled in your mind as to what is truth. I sincerely hope that you will attend this term of school and learn all you can in regard to this message of truth that is to go to the world.4BIO 84.4

The Lord has not given you a message to call the Seventh-day Adventists Babylon, and to call the people of God to come out of her. All the reasons you may present cannot have weight with me on this subject, because the Lord has given me decided light that is opposed to such a message.4BIO 84.5

I do not doubt your sincerity or honesty.... You think individuals have prejudiced my mind. If I am in this state, I am not fitted to be entrusted with the work of God.—Letter 16, 1893; Selected Messages 2:63).4BIO 84.6

In a kindly way she reviewed a number of experiences, somewhat similar to Caldwell's, in which individuals felt they had some special message for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. (These may be read in Ibid., 2:64-66.) In this letter a most enlightening statement is made, identifying the “Laodiceans” whom Christ will spew out of His mouth:4BIO 84.7

God is leading out a people. He has a chosen people, a church on the earth, whom He has made the depositaries of His law. He has committed to them sacred trust and eternal truth to be given to the world. He would reprove and correct them.4BIO 85.1

The message to the Laodiceans is applicable to Seventh-day Adventists who have had great light and have not walked in the light. It is those who have made great profession, but have not kept in step with their Leader, that will be spewed out of His mouth unless they repent. The message to pronounce the Seventh-day Adventist Church Babylon, and call the people of God out of her, does not come from any heavenly messenger, or any human agent inspired by the Spirit of God.—Ibid., 2:66.4BIO 85.2

Caldwell accepted Ellen White's advice, abandoned the so-called new light, attended the Australasian Bible School in Melbourne, and then engaged in the literature work. A little later Ellen White employed him to assist with the work about her residence; he even copied on the typewriter some of her manuscripts. Some years later he returned to the United States and worked in the Pacific Northwest in the literature ministry. Thus the messenger of the Lord, while filling her assignments in somewhat pioneering work in local fields overseas, was ever ministering to the church throughout the world.4BIO 85.3