Dios es Amor It seems your publication isn't ready to go worldw | Page 98

Called By God
Ellen continued preaching, usually on trips accompanying her husband. She visited
newly formed churches, giving counsel to the members and the leadership. Sometimes
she experienced visions in which God revealed specific instruction for the growing
church. She preached on the joys open to the Christian in this life and the next.
Little Herbert, a fourth son, was born September 20, 1860, but lived only until
December 14 that year. Being parted from an infant with the promise of life before him
was painful enough. Still more difficult to bear was the death December 8, 1863, of the
oldest son, Henry, aged 16. (From White, Life Sketches, 165-66.) To Ellen and James
this was a cruel loss, and Edson and Willie missed their older brother greatly. Yet the
Whites pressed on in their work for God, cherishing the hope of meeting their children
again in the resurrection and living with them in life free from sickness and death.
Public ministry was a role Ellen White accepted out of conscience in the beginning,
for she was very shy. At the age of 41 she wrote,
Though I took the stand as a speaker timidly at first, yet as the providence of God opened the way before me, I had confidence to stand
before large audiences.Together we [Elder and Mrs. White] attended
our camp meetings and other large gatherings, from Maine to Dakota,
from Michigan to Texas and California.
—Ibid., 195.
The Whites spent time during the spring of 1877 in Battle Creek for James to attend
board meetings for the Review and Herald Publishing Association, Battle Creek College,
and the sanitarium. He preached, wrote, worked until late at night, and was thoroughly
exhausted. The couple planned a trip to Colorado for rest afterward. However, Mrs.
White was strongly impressed that she had work to do at Battle Creek first; therefore,
they remained.
During the stay in Battle Creek, Mrs. White spent a week holding meetings every
evening and on Sabbath and Sunday for the Battle Creek College students because of her
great concern for their salvation. The meetings were well attended. Many students came
forward for prayer when Mrs. White issued the invitation. A number of them
committed to be baptized as a result of the meetings and the Holy Spirit’s work.
Mrs. White then participated in a temperance mass meeting sponsored by the
Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the Battle Creek Reform Club. She was
gratified by the spiritual strength of many of the planners. Barnum’s Circus was in town,
and the temperance workers organized an ambitious food service in order to make it
unnecessary for the circus attendees to frequent the saloons for nourishment. This
temperance restaurant was housed in the Michigan Conference camp meeting tent.
Mrs. White was invited to speak in the large tent on Sunday evening, July 1, 1877. She
addressed 5,000 or more listeners on the topic of Christian temperance. (Ibid., 221.)
The next month Ellen White, accompanied by her daughter-in-law, Mary White,
attended camp meeting at Kokomo, Indiana; James White remained in Battle Creek to

98