Printed in the Review and Herald, May 23, 1935
Thirteen numbers of the Review and Herald were published in Paris, Maine, the first number in November, 1850; the last, June 9, 1851. In this last number, James White wrote:
"It seems duty to suspend the publication of the paper for a few weeks, to attend the conferences at Camden and Milton, New York, and visit other places as the way may open. But we are satisfied that we must have a paper, and would now suggest that it may be duty to have it published weekly. Does not the cause of truth require it? "Our brethren are scattered in a wide field, and can be visited by the traveling brethren but seldom, and we think they need the weekly visits of a paper containing not only the evidences of our position, but the experience of those who are receiving the truth, and cheering accounts of the work in different parts of the field. "Doubtless the brethren would be free to write, and thus contribute to the interest of the paper. Perhaps it should be published at a more central place, where the publications could be obtained with less expense, and where we could go out and spend the Sabbath with the brethren in different places.
"We now ask the brethren to write freely relative to the above suggestions."
An Important Conference
A conference at which the general interests of the cause were to be discussed, convened June 25, 1851, and continued six days. The meetings were held in a large barn on the farm of Jesse Thompson, two miles from the Ballston railway station, which is nine miles southwest of Saratoga Springs. The attendance was very encouraging. The barn floor was well filled by men and women eager to know and to do for the advancement of the cause of truth.
The interests of the publishing work were freely discussed, and it was agreed that Saratoga Springs would be a favorable place from which to issue the paper if a house for residence could be secured there, and favorable arrangements made for printing.
A propitious circumstance was the invitation by Brother and Sister Thompson for Elder and Mrs. White to be their guests till the way should open for them to settle in Saratoga Springs. They accepted the invitation, and lived with the Thompson family about six weeks.
Ellen White's First Book
Many requests had come from the believers, that Mrs. White publish in book form those visions that had appeared in print, with others that had been written out by hand and sent to leading brethren and sisters. As she was for a time freed from arduous public labor and from helping to get out the paper, she turned her energies to the task of gathering copy for the book. While her husband was searching for a house, negotiating with the printers, and writing articles for future numbers of the paper, she was compiling for publication a brief selection of the views already written, and writing a few new chapters.
Late in the summer of 1851, the little paper-bound volume of 64 pages came from the press. It bore the title of "A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White." In later years, responding to urgent requests for its republication, Mrs. White placed it with two other early publications in a volume which was entitled, "Early Writings." This first work, "A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White," comprises the first section of this well-known book, occupying pages 11 to 78 of the present edition. Little did Ellen White realize the magnitude of the work of publishing her writings that was to develop from this humble beginning.
In a letter written the last of July to Abram and Caroline Dodge, of Jackson, Michigan, we catch a glimpse of their experiences during the summer:
"I now sit down to address you a few lines. The reason I have not written before is, my time has been improved. I have been writing out the visions for publication, and expected them to be out sooner and then you could have them in print. ... But I will wait no longer.
"After you left us, we began to inquire of the Lord what He would have us to do, or where we should publish, and it was shown me in vision that James must lay his hand to the work and strive to open the way, and if the way should bend before him, he must remain; but if it was shut up and did not open, we must go elsewhere.
"James has been doing as God showed me he must do, and the way has opened before him. ... He does his publishing at Saratoga, nine miles from here. We have not yet got a house. We shall get one as soon as possible near the Springs, where it will be only a few miles from the printing office. ...
"After we parted with you and came to Brother Thompson's, we felt a great interest for this family, especially the children, and Tuesday morning we felt agony of soul for them. We felt that God must work for them, and our earnest, united prayers ascended within the second veil; we claimed the promises for them, and for the first time their voices were heard in prayer. They had a good time that morning, and now they generally pray morning and evening. God is at work for them."--Letter 4, 1851.
During a portion of the summer, the city of Saratoga Springs was crowded with visitors seeking benefit from its mineral waters, which had a reputation of possessing great medicinal value. After these summer tourists began to leave, houses could be readily secured at moderate rates.
Settling in Saratoga Springs
Early in August Elder White found a suitable house for rent, and into it they moved. Again they found accommodating friends from whom they might borrow furniture for their immediate needs.
Among the extant letters is one written by Ellen White while they were settling in their new home. She gives a little picture of wrapping and folding papers under difficulties, and tells of a vision given to her during the Sabbath worship hour. Writing by candlelight on the evening of August 11, she says:
"We are all quite well today. We have just been moving, and are not settled yet. Last Tuesday we moved to Saratoga Springs, and the same day that we moved, Number 1, Volume II, of the paper came off, and we folded and wrapped them. And not having a table to wrap and fold on, we took a fire-board and put it on an old sink, and made that answer. By sitting up very late we got the papers into the mail the next morning.
"Yesterday, which was Sabbath, we had a sweet, glorious time. The Lord met with us, and the glory of God was shed upon us, and we were made to rejoice and glorify God for His exceeding goodness unto us. I had a deep plunge in the ocean of God's love. It seemed that the angels of God were hovering all around. The love of God was shed abroad in my heart; my whole being was ravished with glory of God, and I was taken off in vision. ...
"I saw we knew not what it was yet to ride upon the high places of the earth and to be fed with the heritage of Jacob. But when the refreshing and latter rain shall come from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power, we shall know what it is to be fed with the heritage of Jacob and ride upon the high places of the earth.
"Then shall we see the Sabbath more in its importance and glory, but shall not see it in all its glory and importance until the covenant of peace is made with us at the voice of God, and the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem are thrown open and swing back on their glittering hinges, and the glad and joyful voice of the lovely Jesus is heard, richer than any music that ever fell on mortal ear, bidding us enter, and saying that we had a perfect right in the city for we had kept the commandments of God, and heaven, sweet heaven, is our home. ...
"Dear sister, after I came out of vision, this world looked desolate to me. The views that God has given me have spoiled this world for me. Nothing here looks lovely. I rejoice with you that you have turned your back upon the world, and are laying up for yourself a treasure in heaven, an enduring substance. Praise the Lord."--Letter 3, 1851.
At the conference recently held, the encouraging features of the work in all its aspects had been presented and joyfully considered. During the preceding year, the number of Sabbath-keeping Adventists had steadily increased, the number of traveling ministers had grown, and the love for the Review was testified to by letters and donations.
The necessity for broader plans and more adequate support for the paper had been recognized and promised. This gave Elder and Mrs. White courage to endeavor to establish a home in Saratoga Springs, where they could have with them little Edson, then about two years old, and his faithful nurse, Clarissa Bonfoey, and also Sarah Harmon and Stephen Belden, to join them in work on the paper. Their little Henry, now nearly four years old, was still to remain with the Stockbridge Howland family in Topsham, Maine.
Stephen A. Belden was the second son of Albert Belden, of Rocky Hill, Connecticut. He was a man of deep religious experience, having taken part in the advent movement of 1844. Possessed of versatile mechanical ability, he was able to render excellent help in the publishing work, and it was anticipated that he could keep the publishing work moving when James and Ellen White were called to devote their time to the work in the field. He had been acquainted with the struggles in behalf of the little paper from its beginning, and was prepared to make large sacrifice in behalf of the weak and suffering publishing enterprise.
On the same day that the first number of the Review, Volume II, went out from Saratoga Springs, August 5, 1851, Sarah Harmon and Stephen Belden were married. For years they devoted their united energies to the up-building of the cause they loved.
Another valued helper who joined them a little later was Annie Smith, a talented young woman, who became a great help in the proofreading, and in the editing and mailing of papers. Her efficient work as assistant to the editor, and the faithful labors of Stephen Belden in the care of business matters, made it possible for the paper to be issued with considerable regularity, even when James and Ellen White were absent from the office.
From August 5, 1851, to March 23, 1852, fourteen numbers of the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, constituting Volume II, were printed in Saratoga Springs.
In Number 12, issued February 17, 1852, Elder White began to agitate the matter of having a press owned by Sabbath-keepers. And in the next number, issued March 2, he said:
"We stated in our last that we had made arrangements to publish only two more numbers of the Review and Herald, but we have no idea that you should be without a paper for much length of time. If ever such a medium of instruction and comfort was needed, it is certainly needed now.
"You are a scattered people, many of you not being able to meet with those of like precious faith for months, and even years. There are but few real laborers in the wide harvest,and new fields of labor still opening before them, and you cannot reasonably expect them to visit you but very seldom. And while you are thus scattered, and surrounded by unbelief and opposition, you certainly need the weekly visits of a paper devoted to the present truth. ...
"We are satisfied that all who feel interested, and can realize the wants of the cause, will say that we need such a paper."
As reasons why their methods of conducting the paper were objectionable, Elder White listed: (1) Difficulties relating to work being done on the paper on Sabbath in an outside printing office; (2) the excessive cost of the printing, where a profit must be allowed to a commercial publisher; (3) the disinterested attitude of the workers who handled the precious truths in a worldly house; and (4) the necessary confinement of James White when the work must be constantly supervised by him.
On the other hand, he urged, if an office were owned by the brethren, the editor might be absent a portion of the time, and the work would not suffer.
Plans for Future Management and Support
In concluding his appeal for church ownership of the press, he continued:
"We do not ask you brethren to give us an office; we only ask you to have one of your own, managed by a faithful committee. We do not ask to conduct your paper; we hope to be freed from the care of it. But we are unwilling to leave it until we see you establish it on right ground.
"The paper has been mostly sustained by large donations from brethren that have had the cause in their hearts, and have felt that it was a part of themselves. But we think the time has come when all who profess to love the truth, should bear a part of the expense, according to their ability. ...
"We now ask you, brethren, to take hold of the work unitedly, and have a weekly paper that shall go out free from charge, and free from embarrassments, to feed the scattered flock. We do not expect that those who reject the position of the Review and Herald, will help sustain it, but its friends certainly will. ...
"The subject of the paper will be introduced at the conference to be held at Brother Thompson's the 12th, and we hope to hear from many of the friends of the cause before that time. Let each state what he can do toward establishing an office. We are not able now to state the necessary sum. It will probably require about five hundred dollars.
"Let the friends that write express their views freely on this subject. Where shall the paper be published? How shall it be con- ducted? And how often issued? A decision will doubtless be made on these points at the conference.
Response of David Arnold
To this David Arnold, of Fulton, New York, responded, expressing his conviction that they should have a press of their own. The scattering far and wide of the present truth he fully believed to be "the great work that engages the attention of the heavenly host, and for the accomplishment of which the mighty arm of the Lord is especially stretched out." He reminded the readers that only those would be gathered finally who had "made a covenant by sacrifice." He recognized that three questions were involved: "First, shall we have a press, workmen, and office of our own, or at our control? Second, where shall it be located? Third, how often shall the paper be issued."Regarding these three questions he thus expressed his convictions:
"1. It appears to me that it would be pleasing to Him who 'owns the cattle upon a thousand hills,' to have His truth published from a press, by hands, and through an office that could be brought to bow in strict obedience to the fourth commandment.
"2. In reference to the location, a few considerations present themselves. It should be central, so that each extremity of the field of labor can be reached with as little delay and expense as possible. It should also be ready of access to steam conveyances.
"3. To me it appears that the requirement to 'exhort one another and so much the more as we see the day approaching,' and the extended and extending demand for the present truth calls for a weekly issue of the paper."--Review, March 33, 1853.
The brethren generally felt in harmony with the proposed forward move, and as the means were provided, preparation for moving to Rochester went forward.