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Life Sketches of Ellen G. White

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Earlier text: LVIII

IN THE TABERNACLE

Many friends had come in from the cities and towns near by, to unite with the members of the Battle Creek church and with the citizens there in paying a tribute of respect and love to the memory of the one who had been called to rest. A considerable number, also, had come in from adjoining states, including the presidents and other executive officers of local conferences, of the Lake Union Conference, of the North American Division Conference, and of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
The setting for the funeral was fitting and impressive. The service was held in the great Tabernacle, to the building of which a whole people contributed nearly two score of years before, and in which Mrs. White had many times spoken the words of life. The floral tributes were such as to form a garden-like bower of beauty. The friends at the Battle Creek Sanitarium had sent a wealth of potted palms, ferns, lilies, and marguerites, almost covering the rostrum, and extending to left and right up the gallery stairs. Many floral pieces had been contributed, symbolical of the occasion and of the hope beyond. The church at Battle Creek presented a broken wheel, the Review and Herald Publishing Association a broken column, the General Conference and the North American Division Conference a cross and a crown, and the Pacific Press Publishing Association an open Bible, on the pages of which stood forth the Saviour’s promise, “Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me.”
For two hours preceding the service the body lay in state in front of the rostrum. Guards of honor stood by, while thousands passed to look upon the aged and worn servant of Jesus, sleeping her last sleep. In that long procession of humanity were men and women bowed down with the weight of years, who in their prime had often sat under the ministry of her whose loss from the ranks of workers in the cause of God they now mourned. Tears coursed down the cheeks of many a noble pioneer who for upwards of half a century had kept the faith once for all delivered to the saints, and who is still rejoicing in the hope of the final reward that awaits the faithful.
When the hour appointed for the service came, the Tabernacle, which seats nearly 3,500, was filled, with many standing; and it is estimated that 1,000 or more who could not enter turned away.
Among the members of Mrs. White’s family present were both of her surviving sons — Elder James Edson White, of Marshall, Mich., and Elder W. C. White, of St. Helena, Cal.; Miss Sara McEnterfer, of St. Helena, Cal.; Mrs. Addie Walling MacPherson, a niece living in Suffern, N. Y.; Mrs. L. M. Hall, at one time a member of Mrs. White’s household; and several others who in former years had been associated more or less closely with the deceased. Many hearts went out in deep sympathy for Mrs. Emma White, wife of Elder J. E. White, absent because of a rheumatic affliction which for the past two years has rendered her unable to leave home.
The service was impressive throughout. Singers, pallbearers, and ministers ascended to the rostrum, kneeling for a few moments in silent prayer. Then the choir sang:
“Asleep in Jesus! Blessed sleep, From which none ever wake to weep! A calm and undisturbed repose, Unbroken by the last of foes!”
“Asleep in Jesus! Soon to rise, When the last trump shall rend the skies! Then burst the fetters of the tomb, And wake in full, immortal bloom!”

SCRIPTURE READING

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth,” read Elder F. M. Wilcox, of Washington, D. C. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” The passages read from the visions of John on the isle of Patmos were Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; and with these were linked the precious promises recorded in the thirty-fifth chapter of Isaiah’s prophecy. “The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

THE PRAYER

Elder M. C. Wilcox, of Mountain View, Cal., petitioned the throne of grace:
“Gracious God, our heavenly Father, we are glad that there is no trial of earth so great but that Thou hast comfort and strength for Thy children. We are glad that we can come to Thee this morning and know that Thou art our Father; glad for the great love wherewith Thou dost love us even in our sinful, mortal condition, not because we are lovable, but because Thou art love.
“We thank Thee for the gift of Thine only-begotten Son; that He died in our behalf, and that in Him Thou canst take such unworthy mortals as we are, and fit them for the glorious inheritance of which we have been hearing.
“We thank Thee that Thy power is so great that Thou canst subdue and conquer all in us that is unlovely; that Thou canst take the poor, base alloys of our human nature, and make them the genuine gold of God.”
“We thank Thee for all the precious promises and assurances of Thy word; for all its faithful warnings; for all its holy precepts; for the blessed hope of our Lord’s coming which lies just before us, when He shall take this earth and change it by His own power for an everlasting home for all His children.”
“We thank Thee, our Father, for what Thou hast done for us in this last great gospel movement. We thank Thee for the work Thou hast wrought through Thy handmaid, our sister, who lies before us this morning; for all the counsel and instruction Thou hast given by her; for all the work Thou hast wrought through her; for the institutions she has helped to establish; for the mighty message she has borne.
“And while our hearts are inexpressibly sad this morning, our Father, still we praise Thee for what Thou hast done in taking poor, feeble humanity and making such an instrument for the building up of Thy work.
“Come near to the hearts that are torn this morning. Pour into them the balm of Thy Spirit, of Thy healing goodness. Fill all the vacancies that are made by death, with Thine own precious presence. Help them that mourn, to look beyond this time to the glorious morning which lies just before us, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall heal every wound that sin has made, shall comfort every heart that trusts in Him, and shall make all things eternally new.
“We pray that Thou wouldst help us to learn the lesson of the brevity of human life; of the necessity of giving ourselves to Thee; of the great encouragement Thou dost give us, in this life that has just closed, as to what Thou wilt do for those who lend themselves to Thy service.
“We know that our sister is safe. We can leave her with Thee. Thou wilt speak in a little while, and the dead will come forth to immortality. But we pray for the living. We pray for those who are left to meet the struggles and the trials and the conflicts of these last days. How weak we are—how utterly incapable of meeting any of these things! Our hope this hour is in Thee. And we pray that the great God who has called us will fit us for His service; will nerve us for stronger effort; will give us firmer faith, more diligence, and greater grace to meet the trials and the conflicts; that He will save us from all the deceptions and allurements and snares of the enemy; that He will give us a clearer vision to see what God would have each and all to be and to do; and that He will give us speedy triumph at last at the coming of our Lord.
“And so, Father, on this sad day, we leave these things in Thy hands, and pray that the great God who has guided, who has been with us, will guide every step of the way; guide us out of all the wilderness of doubt and trial; guide us to the land of perfect day, where there will be no more sin, no more sorrow, and where we shall bask in the smiles of our blessed Redeemer, who has conquered sin and therefore is victor over death. And grant, O our Father, that in that great day, those assembled here may be among the number who shall live forever with the good who have gone and those who shall remain until Thy coming. We ask it all in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

ADDRESS BY ELDER DANIELLS

A solo, “Rest for the Toiling Hand,” rendered by Professor Griggs, was followed by an address from the president of the General Conference, Elder A. G. Daniells. The speaker traced briefly yet clearly the early life and Christian experience of Mrs. White, and also her late labors. The first portion of his address served the purpose of a biographical sketch, and also formed a basis for the main line of thought running throughout; namely, that in very truth God has been bestowing upon the remnant church the precious gift of the spirit of prophecy.
Regarding Mrs. White’s call early in life to special ministry for God, and the fruits that have characterized this ministry, Elder Daniells said:
“Taking the Bible as the supreme guide of her life, she became fully convinced, by its teaching, that the second coming of Christ was near at hand. On this point she never wavered, and, believing it with her whole soul, she felt that the one supreme purpose of every individual at this time should be to live a blameless life in Christ, and to devote every resource at command to the salvation of the lost.”
“This view led her to unceasing prayer for the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Her yearning for this divine presence was answered beyond all that she had conceived. . . . Her life of full surrender, obedience, and prayer for divine help was rewarded by the bestowal of the gift of prophecy, one of the choicest of all the gifts of the Spirit.
“In December, 1844, the Holy Spirit gave her a revelation of the second coming of Christ. In this vision of the future there was given a view of the glorious reward that awaits the redeemed and the terrible fate that will come to all who refuse to serve their Lord and Master. This view of the destiny of the human family made a profound impression upon her heart. Here she received her appointment as a messenger of God. She felt that God was commanding her to give this message of light and salvation to others.
“This was a great trial to her. She was but seventeen years old, small, frail, and retiring; but after a long, severe struggle, she surrendered to the call of her Lord, and then courage and strength were given her to enter upon her life work.
“Following this surrender and victory there came to her a series of remarkable spiritual experiences, unmistakably genuine, and regarded by her associate workers of that day as a manifestation of the gift of prophecy promised by Christ to the remnant church. Those who have been associated with her through all the years that have passed since that time have never had occasion to alter their conviction that the revelations which have come to her through the years have come from God.
“The late Uriah Smith, a lifelong associate in this work with both Elder and Mrs. White, left the following testimony to this gift as manifested in her teachings:
“ ‘Every test which can be brought to bear upon such manifestations, proves them genuine. The evidence which supports them, internal and external, is conclusive. They agree with the word of God, and with themselves. They are given, unless those best qualified to judge are invariably deceived, when the Spirit of God is especially present. Calm, dignified, impressive, they commend themselves to every beholder, as the very opposite of that which is false or fanatical.
“Their fruit is such as to show that the source from which they spring is the opposite of evil.
“1. They tend to the purest morality. They discountenance every vice, and exhort to the practice of every virtue. They point out the perils through which we are to pass to the kingdom. They reveal the devices of Satan. They warn us against his snares. They have nipped in the bud scheme after scheme of fanaticism which the enemy has tried to foist into our midst. They have exposed hidden iniquity, brought to light concealed wrongs, and laid bare the evil motives of the false-hearted. They have warded off dangers from the cause of truth upon every hand. They have aroused and re-aroused us to greater consecration to God, more zealous efforts for holiness of heart, and greater diligence in the cause and service of our Master.
“2. They lead us to Christ. Like the Bible, they set Him forth as the only hope and only Saviour of mankind. They portray before us in living characters His holy life and His godly example, and with irresistible appeals they urge us to follow in His steps.
“3. They lead us to the Bible. They set forth that book as the inspired and unalterable word of God. They exhort us to take that Word as the man of our counsel, and the rule of our faith and practice. And with a compelling power, they entreat us to study long and diligently its pages, and become familiar with its teaching, for it is to judge us in the last day.
“4. They have brought comfort and consolation to many hearts. They have strengthened the weak, encouraged the feeble, raised up the despondent. They have brought order out of confusion, made crooked places straight, and thrown light on what was dark and obscure.’
August 30, 1846, Miss Harmon was married to James White, a native of Palmyra, Somerset County, Maine. From the time of their marriage, Mrs. White’s life was closely linked with that of her husband in strenuous gospel work until his death, August 6, 1881. They traveled extensively over the United States, preaching and writing, planting and building, organizing and administering. Time and test have proved how broad and firm were the foundations they laid, and how wisely and well they built.
“The views held and widely promulgated by Mrs. White regarding vital fundamental questions—the sovereignty of God, the divinity of Christ, the efficacy of the gospel, the inspiration of the Scriptures, the majesty of the law, the character of sin and deliverance from its power, the brotherhood of man and the relationships and responsibilities in that brotherhood—her teaching regarding these great questions, and her life of devotion to her Lord and of service to her fellow men, were made impressive through the revelations given her by the divine Spirit. They are the fruits of that Spirit—the fruits by which her life work is to be judged. They must determine the source and the character of the Spirit that has dominated her whole life. ‘By their fruits ye shall know them.’ ‘To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.’”
“This question is not involved in any uncertainty whatever. Her teaching is clear, and the influence of her life has been positive.
“No Christian teacher in this generation, no religious reformer in any preceding age, has placed a higher value upon the Bible. In all her writings it is represented as the book of all books, the supreme and all-sufficient guide for the whole human family. Not a trace of ‘higher criticism,’ ‘new thought,’ nor skeptical, destructive philosophy can be found in any of her writings. Those who still believe that the Bible is the inspired, infallible word of the living God will value most highly the positive, uncompromising support given this view in the writings of Mrs. White.”
“In her teaching, Christ is recognized and exalted as the only Saviour of sinners. Emphasis is placed upon the bold and unqualified announcement of the disciples that ‘there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ The power to redeem from sin and its effect is in Him alone, and to Him all men are directed.
“Her writings hold firmly to the doctrine that the gospel, as revealed in the sacred Scriptures, presents the only means of salvation. No recognition whatever is given to any of the philosophies of India or the ethical codes of Burma and China as compared with the gospel of the Son of God. This alone is the hope of a lost world.
“The Holy Spirit, Christ’s representative on earth, is set forth and exalted as the heavenly teacher and guide sent to this world by our Lord at His ascension, to make real in the hearts and lives of men all that He had made possible by His death on the cross. The gifts of this divine Spirit, as enumerated in the Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament, are acknowledged, prayed for, and received as fully as the Spirit sees fit to impart them.”
“The church instituted by our Lord and built up by His disciples in the first century is set forth as the divine model. Its prerogatives and authority are fully acknowledged, and all its ordinances and memorials are observed. Strong emphasis is placed upon the value of gospel order and organization, as revealed in the Scriptures, for the efficiency of the church in all its world-wide operations.
“Through the light and counsel given her, Mrs. White held and advocated broad, progressive views regarding vital questions that affect the betterment and uplift of the human family, from the moral, intellectual, physical, and social standpoint as well as the spiritual. Her writings are full of instruction, clear and positive, in behalf of a broad, practical, Christian education for every young man and young woman. In response to her earnest counsels, the denomination with which she was associated now maintains a system of education for all its children and young people.
“Her writings present most comprehensive views regarding temperance reform, the laws of life and health, and the use of rational, effective remedies for the treatment of disease. The adoption of these principles has placed the people with whom she worked, in the front ranks with others who are advocating sane temperance reforms and working for the physical improvement of mankind.
“Nor is the social status of the human family lost sight of. Slavery, the caste system, unjust racial prejudices, the oppression of the poor, the neglect of the unfortunate,— these all are set forth as unchristian and a serious menace to the well-being of the human race, and as evils which the church of Christ is appointed by her Lord to overthrow.
“In the writings of Mrs. White prominence is given to the responsibilities of the church in both home and foreign mission service. Every member of the body is admonished to be a light in the world, a blessing to those with whom he may associate. All must live the unselfish life of the Master for others. And the church in Christian lands must put forth their highest endeavors to evangelize those who are groping in the darkness and superstition of heathen lands. Go to all the world, give to all the world, work for all the world, is the exhortation running through all the writings of Mrs. White, as the following quotation will illustrate:
“Let the members of the church have increased faith, gaining zeal from their unseen, heavenly allies, from a knowledge of their exhaustless resources, from the greatness of the enterprise in which they are engaged, and from the power of their Leader. Those who place themselves under God’s control, to be led and guided by Him, will catch the steady tread of the events ordained by Him to take place. Inspired by the Spirit of Him who gave His life for the life of the world, they will no longer stand still in impotency, pointing to what they cannot do. Putting on the armor of heaven, they will go forth to the warfare, willing to do and dare for God, knowing that His omnipotence will supply their need.”
“Thus for fully seventy years she gave her life in active service to the cause of God in behalf of sinful, suffering, sorrowing humanity. After traveling extensively through the United States from 1846 to 1885, she visited Europe, where she devoted two years to the work there, which was then in a formative period. In 1891 she went to Australia, where she remained nine years, traveling about the colonies, and devoting all her energies to the upbuilding of the work.
“On returning to the United States in 1900, at the age of seventy-three, she seemed to feel that her duty to travel was about done, and that she should devote the rest of her life to writing. Thus she toiled on until within a short time of her death, at the ripe age of almost eighty-eight years.
“Perhaps we are not wise enough to say definitely just what part of Mrs. White’s life work has been of the greatest value to the world, but it would seem that the large volume of Biblical literature she has left would prove to be of the greatest service to mankind. Her books number upwards of twenty volumes. Some of these have been translated into many languages in different parts of the world. They have now reached a circulation of more than two million copies, and are still going to the public by thousands.”
“As we survey the whole field of gospel truth—of man’s relation to his Lord and his fellow men—it must be seen that Mrs. White, in all her teaching, has given these great fundamentals positive, constructive support. She has touched humanity at every vital point of need, and lifted it to a higher level.
“Now she is at rest. Her voice is silent; her pen is laid aside. But the mighty influence of that active, forceful, Spirit-filled life will continue. That life was linked with the Eternal; it was wrought in God. The message proclaimed and the work done constitute a monument that will never crumble nor perish. The many volumes she has left, dealing with every phase of human life, urging every reform necessary to the betterment of society as represented by the family, city, state, and nation, will continue to mould public sentiment and individual character. Their messages will be cherished more than they have been in the past. The cause to which her life was devoted, and which that life influenced and advanced to so great a degree, will press forward with increasing force and rapidity as the years go by. We who are connected with it need entertain no fear except the fear of our own failure to do our part as faithfully and loyally as we should.”

DISCOURSE BY ELDER HASKELL

In his discourse following Elder Daniells’s address, Elder S. N. Haskell called attention to the words of the psalmist, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Ps. 116:15. Some may regard this as a strange statement; it is nevertheless true. The servants of God who are now sleeping, are to Him exceeding precious. So long as time shall last, the influence of their godly life will continue to yield rich fruitage. No longer can the enemy of the human race imperil their welfare; they are safe from his power. Jesus claims them as His own, and on the morning of the resurrection He will bestow upon them fullness of joy.
In one of the glorious visions given John the beloved on the isle of Patmos, the prophet’s attention was arrested by “a voice from heaven” bidding him write: “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” Rev. 14:13. Wonderful words these, and especially when considered in the light of their setting at the close of the prophecy concerning a threefold message to be sounded preparatory to the end of the world and the second advent of Christ.
Heaven seemed desirous of helping us to understand that at the time of the end, when these messages are proclaimed in the power of the Holy Spirit, some of those engaged in this work will be permitted to rest from their labors. All such, we are assured, are accounted blessed of God. Nor are their unceasing efforts to bear aloft the banner of truth, without result; “their works do follow them.” To-day, in the light of this assurance direct from heaven to the children of men, we can say of our dear sister who now sleeps, that she “being dead yet speaketh.” Heb. 11:4.
Elder Haskell reviewed the experience of the believers at Thessalonica who were early called upon to suffer cruel persecutions, even unto death. The apostle Paul, in his first epistle to the sorrowing ones there, comforts them with the certainty of the Christian’s hope. “Sorrow not, even as others which have no hope,” he exhorts; “for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [go before] them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess. 4:13-18.
The speaker invited attention to the expression, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so”—even as Christ was raised from the dead—“them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him,” and he illustrated this by the experience of Mary at the rent sepulcher. Bitterly disappointed in not finding her Lord, “Mary stood without at the sepulcher weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him.” Her heart cried out after her Saviour, and at that very moment He was by her side, though she recognized Him not. “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing Him to be the gardener, saith unto Him, Sir, if Thou have borne Him hence, tell me where Thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away.
“Jesus saith unto her, Mary.” That is all He said—“Mary.” Many a time she had heard that familiar voice, and she must have recognized Jesus by His tone or expression, for immediately she acknowledged Him as her Master and Lord. “Touch Me not,” He said to her; “for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.” John 20:11-17. Then it was that Mary hastened to the disciples with the glad tidings of a risen Saviour.
“It was her love for the Master,” the speaker continued, “because of what He had done for her in forgiving her sins and in connecting her soul with heaven, that kept the Saviour on earth after His resurrection until He had made Himself known to her. There is something very touching in this narrative. It shows that the Saviour is willing to reveal Himself to those who are devoted to Him and to His service,—those who desire above all things else to maintain a living connection with heaven. As Mary recognized her Lord after His resurrection by His voice and His general demeanor, so I believe we shall be able to recognize again our sister who now sleeps. While we cannot hear her voice in this world any more, yet her influence lives; and in the resurrection morning, if we remain faithful, and have a part with the people of God in that glad hour, we shall hear her voice once more, and we shall recognize her. My dear friends, there is a living connection between heaven and this earth still, and the promises the Lord has made to His people will be verified. Not one word will fail of fulfillment. May the Lord help us all to be among those who shall meet their Lord in peace, and who shall have the privilege of greeting our sister in the kingdom of heaven. May God grant it for His name’s sake.”
The hymn, “We shall meet beyond the river,” and benediction by Elder W. T. Knox, closed the Tabernacle service. Carriages and cars were in waiting, and these conveyed many hundreds to the burial place in Oak Hill Cemetery.

AT THE GRAVE

Half a century had passed since Mrs. White and her husband buried their youngest child and soon afterward their first-born in the beautiful spot where now she herself was to rest. When in 1881 Elder James White was laid beside the children, little did his bereaved companion think that the Lord would strengthen her to continue in ministry for a full third of a century. Yet such had been the case; and now, her labors ended, she was to rest by the side of her loved ones.
Elder I. H. Evans read the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, as recorded in the eleventh chapter of John. Jesus has declared: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.” Elder Evans also read, from the apostle Paul’s inspired testimony in 1 Corinthians 15, many positive and comforting assurances concerning the resurrection of the righteous. “If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.” “In Christ shall all be made alive.” “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
“We may sleep, but not forever; There will be a glorious dawn; We shall meet to part, no, never, On the resurrection morn. From the deepest caves of ocean, From the desert and the plain, From the valley and the mountain, Countless throngs shall rise again.”

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Life Sketches of Ellen G. WhiteEllen G. White