XLVII

IN CONFIRMATION OF CONFIDENCE

During the summer of 1890, Mrs. White devoted much of her time to writing. In October she was urged to attend general meetings in Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, and Maryland. After a few days spent in Adams Center, N. Y., she attended a general meeting at South Lancaster, Mass. On the journey from South Lancaster to Salamanca, N. Y., she caught a severe cold, and found herself at the beginning of the Salamanca meeting much wearied as the result of ten days of arduous labor at South Lancaster, and heavily burdened with hoarseness and a sore throat.

About two hundred had assembled from all parts of Pennsylvania and southwestern New York. The meetings were held mostly in the opera house, but Sabbath afternoon and evening they were held in the Congregational church. Mrs. White spoke Sabbath afternoon on the necessity of a greater effort on the part of our churches to cherish faith and love. Sunday morning she spoke in the opera house. There was a large audience, filling all the seats and aisles, and crowding about the platform close to the speaker. Her subject was temperance, and she dwelt largely upon the duty of parents so to train their children to habits of fidelity and self-denial, that they need not be overcome when tempted to drink intoxicating liquors.

After this meeting, Mrs. White was so thoroughly exhausted that her secretary, Miss Sara Me Enterfer, urged her to return to her home in Battle Creek, and take treatment at the Sanitarium. Elder A. T.

Robinson, and others interested in the remaining meetings which she had promised to attend, pleaded that she should not abandon hope for health and strength to continue her labors.

With great difficulty she filled an appointment Monday afternoon, and then felt that she must decide what course she should take about attending the Virginia meeting, which immediately followed.

At the home of Brother Hicks, where she was entertained, she was visited by an old lady who was violently opposed in her Christian life by her husband. This interview lasted an hour. After this, weary, weak, and perplexed, she thought to retire to her room and pray. Climbing the stairs, she knelt by the bed, and before the first word of petition had been offered she felt that the room was filled with the fragrance of roses. Looking up to see whence the fragrance came, she saw the room flooded with a soft, silvery light. Instantly her pain and weariness disappeared. The perplexity and discouragement of mind vanished, and hope and comfort and peace filled her heart.

Then, losing all consciousness regarding her surroundings, she was shown in vision many things relating to the progress of the cause in different parts of the world, and the conditions which were helping or hindering the work.

Among the many views presented to her, were several showing the conditions existing in Battle Creek. In a very full and striking manner, these were laid out before her.

Tuesday forenoon, November 4, was the time set for the departure from Salamanca. In the morning Elders A. T. Robinson and W. C. White called to see what Mrs. White had decided to do. Then she told

them of her experience of the evening before, and of her peace and joy through the night. She said. that during the night she had had no inclination to sleep; for her heart was so filled with joy and gladness. Many times she had repeated the words of Jacob: "Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. "This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Gen. 28:16, 17.

She was fully decided to attend the meetings according to appointment. Then she proposed to tell the brethren what had been shown her regarding the work in Battle Creek; but her mind immediately turned to other matters, and she did not relate the vision. Not until the General Conference held in Battle Creek the following March, did she relate it.

The remainder of November and the month of December were spent in the Eastern States, at meetings in Washington and Baltimore, and in Norwich, Lynn, and Danvers, Mass. January and February were spent in labors at Battle Creek, and in preparation for the General Conference.

PROPOSALS REGARDING CENTRALIZATION

During the year 1890, much thought had been given by leading men connected with the management of the Review and Herald Publishing Association, to a proposal for the consolidation of the work of the publishing houses under one board of control. The proposed union of the publishing interests was advocated as a means of securing unity, economy, and efficiency. At the same time the hope was expressed that at no distant day all the sanitariums might be brought under one ownership and control. By the same ones who advocated consolidation of the publishing houses and the medical institutions, the theory was advanced that

the surest way to establish confidence in the work that Seventh-day Adventists were doing was to strengthen the institutions at headquarters, by providing them with large and substantial buildings and with ample facilities.

But those who were personally acquainted with the conditions existing in the home and foreign mission fields, felt that there was greater need for broadening the field work and establishing many centers of influence. They felt that already a disproportionate amount of means had been expended at headquarters. Moreover, the men bearing responsibility at the publishing house in California did not approve of any plan of consolidation which might result in the crippling of the work on the Pacific coast.

SUGGESTED CHANGES IN POLICY

Among those working in the cause of religious liberty there had arisen serious differences of opinion regarding the best way to conduct that rapidly developing work. For several years the American Sentinel, and the ministers of the denomination, had treated the question of religious liberty as a vital part of the third angel's message. But during the year 1890 the leading speakers of the National Religious Liberty Association had found an open door to present the principles that they were advocating, and their protest against religious legislation, before large audiences of secular and non-Christian people, and it appeared to them that it would be a wise plan to improve these opportunities, and also that it would be consistent to let these principles stand out very clearly, unassociated with the teachings of the Scriptures regarding the sacredness of the Sabbath and the nearness of the second advent of Christ. They urged that the policy.

of the Sentinel be changed, and declared that if this could not be effected, they would propose that another paper be published in Battle Creek, the editorial policy of which should be more in harmony with their manner of presenting truth.

FORMAL CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED CHANGES

The General Conference for 1891 was held in Battle Creek March 5-25. Sunday forenoon, March 15, the committee of twenty-one appointed at the preceding General Conference to consider the consolidation of the publishing interests, presented its report. The committee spoke favorably of the objects to be gained by consolidation, but advised that the Conference move cautiously. They then proposed that the General Conference Association be reorganized, with a view to its eventually securing control of all the publishing work of the denomination.

In harmony with the advice of this committee, the General Conference Association, intended at first as an agency for the holding of church property, was reorganized with a board of twenty-one members, and was given control of many lines of work, of which publishing interests stood first.

A SPECIAL COMMITTEE COUNCIL

Early in the meeting an effort had been made by the officers of the National Religious Liberty Association and the representatives of the American Sentinel, to come to an agreement regarding policies and plans. To this end a joint council was arranged to be held Saturday night, March 7, after the regular meeting in the Tabernacle.

At this council meeting men with strong convictions and fixed determination expressed their views and