The Tour Through New England

In August, when it was time for James and Ellen White to leave for the New England camp meetings, he had been greatly disappointed to find himself confined to Battle Creek as an invalid, taking treatments in the Health Institute. Now steps were being taken to ease his load. This, with his remarkable recovery in health, caused him to turn his eyes again to New England. He made an appointment to commence work there, meeting with the South Lancaster church November 4, and in Boston November 11 and 12 (Ibid., October 31, 1871). This tour took them into Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont. His first report, written from the Haskell home in South Lancaster, had a buoyant tone:2BIO 330.6

It is not alone the bracing air of New England that has driven away our gloom and made us free and hopeful. The exhilarating influence of change, of meeting friends, old and new, of seeing many new faces, has done us much good. And the hope of better health, freedom from double care, and the prospect of being able to fill calls to different parts of the wide field, where we can now and then stop and find retirement to write for a few weeks, makes us feel that we are almost in a new world.—Ibid., November 21, 18712BIO 331.1

They continued on to eastern Maine, where James's ministry had begun. With renewed enthusiasm he announced that it was their design to spend much of 1872 in Maine:2BIO 331.2

Our proposition to spend much time in Maine the next year, where we can be free from the cares at Battle Creek, that we may write several books, and speak to the brethren in different places on the Sabbath, meets their hearty approval. We design to give appointments for Maine soon.—Ibid., December 12, 18712BIO 331.3

As to Ellen White, he could rejoice in reporting:2BIO 331.4

Mrs. White is in the enjoyment of excellent health, and is in good spirits, and is making considerable progress on her second volume. This will be far the most interesting and important book she has written. We are having a jubilee. Our greatest embarrassment is our inability to comply with the many calls in different parts of New England, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, et cetera.2BIO 331.5

But they had to be on their way back to Battle Creek to attend the tenth annual session of the General Conference in late December, and the dedication of the new Review and Herald building the following week. En route they met with the Bordoville, Vermont, church on Sabbath and Sunday, December 9 and 10.2BIO 331.6