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Called By God
While Eugene proved himself an effective administrator, Helen preached on Sabbaths
and continued to develop as a minister. In the Seventh-day Adventist Yearbooks for 1904
through 1906, both E. R. Williams and Mrs. E. R. Williams are listed, he as an
ordained minister and she as a licensed minister of the Superior Mission and then the
Lake Union Conference. (See Mrs. Williams’ listing for those years in appendix B.)
A woman named Grace, who later became Mrs. Cremens, took care of the children.
The family moved to a log cabin deep in the woods, where they could see deer and hear
wolves and the neighborhood fox. As the parents ministered, the children accumulated
childhood experiences in close contact with nature.
Later the Williamses lived in tents while they built a home on the edge of Sault Sainte
Marie. This was a large house, part of which they rented out. From their home they
could view the rapids on the river as it entered Lake Superior. The boys loved this
home. They could go down to a shallow bay in which they could safely swim. With
Dad’s help the boys built a canoe in which they could all three ride together. During the
summer they went fishing. Miss Arnet, Agnes White, and Miss Campbell, a Bible
worker, took responsibility for the children at various times.
In 1905 Eugene decided that he needed to concentrate his efforts at Menominee (the
other area in his mission at which there was an Adventist center); the family moved
there, on the Wisconsin border. Following the custom of their new location, the boys
looked in the forest until they found a very straight tree; using it for a mast, they made
themselves an iceboat. Having two ministers for parents did not prevent the Williams
boys from having an eventful, learning-filled childhood.
Eugene’s and Helen’s reputations grew, his as a pastor and administrator, hers as an
outstanding speaker and licensed minister. In 1906 they both received calls to pastor
churches in the Chicago area. Quite an adaptation must have been required of the entire
family as they relocated from Northern Michigan to burgeoning Chicago; however, they
seemed equal to the challenge. Helen pastored the Harvey Church while Eugene
nurtured the West Side congregation. The maturing boys learned to get around the city
on the “El,” a system of elevated railways.
Since pastors were few, the conference president made a schedule for each minister to
preach twice every Sabbath in different locations in the conference; consequently, Helen
preached in a number of congregations. However, she concentrated her efforts during
the week on her special assignment, the Harvey Church. Giving Bible studies faithfully
two or three days a week, conducting regular prayer meetings, and providing an overall
ministry, Helen Williams had the pleasure of seeing her congregation grow as she
welcomed new converts.
Life for the woman pastor was not without periodic occurrences to test her equanimity. One day when Mrs. Williams went to the conference office, she was greeted by
a secretary, Pearl Hallock, who said, “I want to talk with you.” When they had found a
place to converse, Pearl informed Helen, “Your name is not in the new Yearbook.”

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