Printed in the Review and Herald, April 4, 1935
The great advent movement preceding 1844 is a. subject of prophecy. In the tenth chapter of Revelation is the prophetic view of a message that "there should be time no longer," The heavenly messenger, with his "right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth," crying "with a loud voice," foreshadows the power of the message and its dissemination by land and sea. That he was "clothed with a cloud," intimates that there was to be something obscure about the movement, even though the rainbow upon his head gives assurance of God's favor. That message was based upon the "little book" of Daniel, which was to be sealed "even to the time of the end."
The symbolism of eating the book from which the message was being taught, signified the sweetness of its acceptance and the bitterness of the disappointment.
Then follows the divine commission:
"Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings."
There is no break in the continuity of thought between the tenth and eleventh chapters of Revelation. Immediately following the declaration of the divine commission to "prophesy again," there was given to the prophet a "reed like unto a rod" with which to measure the "temple," or sanctuary, with the singular stipulation that the "court" should be left out, and not measured.
In harmony with this symbolism, the minds of the disappointed ones were divinely led to study carefully the sanctuary question and its cleansing as foretold by Daniel at the end of the two thousand and three hundred days. Through the study of the word, they saw that they had been mistaken in regarding the earth as the sanctuary. Rather, as the earth is the place where the "Lamb of God" was slain, it was symbolized by the court of the ancient service. Now they were directed to the sanctuary in heaven, and a flood of light soon illuminated their minds, not only explaining their mistake that had led to the disappointment, but revealing kindred and related truths that formed the basis of their new message for the world.
In former articles we have traced the events that led to the association of Joseph Bates, James and Ellen White, George W. Holt, Hiram Edson, and others, in finding a harmonious system of truth which was to form the basis of the message that was divinely appointed to go to "many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings."
We shall now outline the beginnings of the great work of publishing to the world the truths that had been committed to them.
Use of the Great Light Bestowed by Revelation
To Ellen Harmon, who in 1846 became Ellen White, had been given heavenly visions and revelations confirming faith in the great second advent movement of 1840 to 1844, explaining the matter of the disappointment, pointing to the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, exalting the holiness demanded by the law of God, and picturing the intensity of the controversy being waged between Christ and His angels, and Satan and his angels, over the souls of men.
Relating the Visions
In the winter of 1844-45, when Ellen Harmon was a seventeen-year-old girl, feeble in health and timid, the command had been given her, "Relate to others what I have revealed to you," And this had been followed by the impartation of strength for the performance of the task.
The Command to Write
Shortly afterward, the word came to her, "Write the things that are revealed to you," And with the command had come the power to write. The hand that up to that time had been so weak and trembling that it could write with difficulty only a few words at a time, was suddenly strengthened, and enabled to write page after page as clearly as the average person can write.
This newly acquired ability to write was faithfully used for the edification of the believers. Many letters were written to leading members in the little companies of believers.
Some of the visions, copied over and over by hand, have been preserved, and are to be found in the chapters of "Early Writings," Nearly all the letters accompanying them have passed out of our reach. A few, however, were carefully preserved. These have been gathered up, and now bear witness to the spirit of earnestness and ceaseless energy exercised in the endeavor to pass on to others the light received through the heavenly visions.
An example is found in the letters written to Brother and Sister Hastings, in the early months of 1848. In these letters the handwriting is plain and the formation of the letters clear, showing a steady nerve.
For four years, letter writing was almost the only means of communicating to others the cheer and encouragement found in the precious light from heaven given through the visions. During this time only three or four of the visions had been printed, and these were given only a limited circulation.
Picture, if you can, the burden of mind at this time resting upon James and Ellen White and a few of their close associates.They saw a world in confusion over the great advent movement; a world in apostasy over the keeping of the Sabbath of Jehovah; a world in ignorance of the present position and ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary; and they were in possession of light, clear light, that had been shed on these subjects. How were they to obey the command, "Make known to others what I have revealed to you"?
In addition to what Ellen White could do in the work of writing out copies of her visions, some copies were made by James White, a few of which have been preserved. Here is an abstract of one of his letters written from Topsham, Maine, January 25, 1849, in which he copied several visions:
"My dear Brother and Sister Hastings,
"Again I take up my pen to address you. I have much to say to you, much more than I can write in this sheet I should have written before, but I have been hoping to be able to send you in print a portion of what I shall now pen to you; but as I am disappointed in this respect, I shall delay no longer.
"Ellen has had a number of interesting visions of late, which she has written. It is now my part to copy them for you. First I will copy one on the shaking of the powers of the heavens.
"Rocky Hill, Connecticut, Dec. 18, 1848.
"To the Scattered Remnant"
"Dear Brethren, God gave me a view [vision] the evening of the 16th. I saw that when the Lord said 'heaven,' He meant heaven; and when He said 'earth,' He meant earth, in giving the signs as recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke."
Then follows in substance that which we have in "Early Writings," page 41.
This is followed by the statement:
"Here is a vision of our duty in view of the approaching time of trouble."
This is found in substance in "Early Writings," pages 56-58.
Following this he copied the vision given January 5, 1849, at Topsham, Maine. In this there are 925 words. It is now printed in "Early Writings," pages 36-38. From it we copy one paragraph:
"At the commencement of the holy Sabbath, January 5, 1849, we engaged in prayer with Brother Belden's family at Rocky Hill, Connecticut, and the Holy Ghost fell upon us. I was taken oft in vision to the most holy place, where I saw Jesus still interceding for Israel. On the bottom of His garment was a bell and a pomegranate. Then I saw that Jesus would not leave the most holy place until every ease was decided either for salvation or destruction, and that the wrath of God could not come until Jesus had finished His work in the most holy place, laid off His priestly attire, and clothed Himself with the garments of vengeance. Then Jesus will step out from between the Father and man, and God will keep silence no longer, but pour out His wrath on those who have rejected His truth. I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead, were separate and distinct, one following the others; also that Michael had not stood up, and that the time of trouble, such as never was, had not yet commenced. The nations are now getting angry, but when our High Priest has finished His work in the sanctuary, He will stand up, put on the garments of vengeance, and then the seven last plagues will be poured out."
It is obvious that handwritten letters sent to a very few persons, would require much time and labor. And as other revelations followed, the task of writing them out appeared to be far greater than could be accomplished.
What must they do?
They might wear out their strength writing letters which could reach only a few. But how was the light to go to the world? Why, oh, why, had not the burden fallen upon persons of means, persons of influence, who could print and circulate the message?
Finding a Way
In a meeting held in Topsham, Maine, October 22, 1848, the group of believers had made the printing of the message the subject of earnest prayer.
A month later,at a meeting held in Dorchester, Massachusetts, Ellen White was given a view of the proclamation of the sealing message, "and of the duty of the brethren to publish the light that was shining upon our pathway."
After the vision she said to her husband:
"I have a message for you. You must begin to print a little paper, and send it out to the people. Let it be small at first; but as the people read, they will send you means with which to print, and it will be a success from the first."--"Life Sketches," p. 125.
From this small beginning it was shown her that the message of truth therein given was "to be like streams of light that went clear round the world."
Delayed by Poverty
With this encouragement, James White introduced to his fellow believers the matter of printing a paper for the carrying of the message to the scattered brethren. The plan looked good, but none of the brethren felt that they had money to spare for this publishing enterprise.
Last of all, he presented the matter to Brother Albert Belden, of Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Brother Belden had always been kind and hospitable. He had thrown open his heart and his home to James and Ellen White on several occasions. He owned three farms, and seemed to be prosperous. He could, thought James White, furnish means to start the printing of the much needed paper. But he did not see his way to respond to the appeal.
Then Elder White concluded that if a paper was to be printed, he himself must earn the money to pay for it. The year before, he had earned by work in the hayfield the money that enabled him to attend the general meeting in western New York. Now he resolved that by mowing grass he would again earn money with which to publish. He then thought, as he afterward stated, that the printing of a few numbers of the paper would be all that was required.
So he told the Beldens that if he could go to Middletown and select his scythe, he would mow with them, and cut all the corners. Soon the horse and buggy were ready for him to drive to the city to get the scythe. As he was leaving the house to go, he was called back by the word that his wife had fainted.
Stepping Out in Faith
Quickly he called together those who were near, and they earnestly prayed for the restoration of the afflicted one. She revived, and then was taken off in vision. In the vision she was shown that it was not the will of God that her husband should again enter the hayfield, but that he should write and publish. Moreover, the assurance was given that if he would move forward by faith, the readers of the paper would furnish means for its support.
Shortly after this, James White was in Middletown, not to buy a scythe, but to ascertain if the publisher there would print for him a thousand copies of an eight-page paper, and trust him to pay for the work when the money came in from those to whom he would send it. Mr. Pelton, a bighearted printer who had learned the trade from Horace Greeley, kindly agreed to undertake the job.
Brother Albert Belden generously proposed that the White family should have, free of rent, the use of the large, unfinished chamber over his dining room and kitchen. This was the same room in which the general meeting had been held the year before. Of furniture, James and Ellen White had none; but Sister Clarissa Bonfoey, who had recently fallen heir to some household furniture, freely lent it to them, and it proved to be just what they needed.
This large, unfinished chamber over the Belden kitchen was not only the residence of the James White family, but it was also the editorial room for the proposed paper, The Present Truth. Picture the scene, if you can,--James White with Bible and concordance, sitting by a window, writing articles for the paper; Ellen White, by another window, writing letters; and Clarissa Bonfoey, cooking and keeping the place in order.
When he had written a few articles, James White carried them to the printer. During the next four months, the sixteen mile walk to Middletown and return was made many times. The proof sheets were brought home and carefully read. This experience was an important factor in Ellen White's literary training.
Can a more humble beginning be imagined,--a man and a woman without money, living with borrowed furniture in an unfinished chamber, beginning an enterprise of publishing, a work of which it was predicted that like the rays of light it would go clear around the world?
James White's purpose was set. He had the promise of God that as the people read the paper they would send in money with which to print, and relying upon that promise, he went forward.
When in his writing he came to a passage difficult to comprehend, he would bow before God, and plead for a correct understanding of the scripture, and then with renewed courage proceed with his writing.
When the first number of Present Truth was brought home from the printer, there was rejoicing in the Belden home. The one thousand copies were laid upon the floor. Then earnest prayer was offered by a small group of friends, that the printed pages might prove a blessing to many. Soon the papers were folded, the names of those who might be interested were hunted up, and a copy was addressed to each one of them. The number could not have been large, because when they were wrapped and ready to mail, they were all put into a carpet bag, and James White carried them on foot to the Middletown post office, eight miles away.
During July, August, and September, four numbers of the Present Truth were published and sent forth from the home in Rocky Hill. They were filled mostly with articles showing the sacredness and perpetuity of the Sabbath of Jehovah.
The paper was sent to all by whom, or for whom, it was requested, and the list of names rapidly increased.
Small in size, printed in fine type, and therefore hard to read, the Present Truth was nevertheless hailed with delight. It was read. It was reread. It was lent, and read again and again, and the gratitude of receivers found expression in letters and in gifts for its maintenance.
On September 3, 1849, sufficient money had been received to pay for the first four numbers.
The receipt given by the printer, Mr. Pelton, reads as follows:
"Middletown, Sept. 3, 1849.
"Received of Mr. James White, Sixty-four 50/100 Dollars for Printing 4 Nos. of publication entitled 'Present Truth,' being in payment in full of all demands to this date.
"Chas. H. Pelton."
Thus was fulfilled the prediction, "As the people read, they will send you means with which to print."