Lt 32, 1859

July [9, 1859],¹

The original is dated only “July,” without day or year. However, this letter is closely related to Ms 4, 1859, as shown by several parallel, almost identical, passages, indicating that it was written about the same time as Ms 4, i.e., about July 1859 (see Ms 4, 1859 [c. July], note 1). There is additional evidence that this letter was, in fact, written on July 9, 1859. Ellen White referred to a conversation she had with Cyrenius and Louisa Smith “last Thursday” about a vision that the Smiths had been reluctant to accept. Ellen White's diary from Thursday, July 7, 1859, confirms that on that day she “went down to Brother and Sister Smith's. Had some conversation with them upon a vision I had. Feel bad that they do not realize their state as it is.” This is followed two days later, on July 9, with the brief diary notation, “Wrote to Brother and Sister Smith.”

See: Ellen G. White, Ms 7, 1859 (entries for July 7 and 9).

Battle Creek, Michigan1EGWLM 683.1

Letter to
Cyrenius Smith and Louisa Smith.²

Identity: In this letter Ellen White writes that “Brother and Sister Smith” “live near” Mary Cranson who lived in Battle Creek at this time. As far as is known there were two Smith families in the Battle Creek church in 1859, the family of Uriah and Harriet Smith and that of Cyrenius and Louisa Smith. That Ellen White is not writing to Uriah and Harriet is evident since she writes of children, and they had no children at this juncture.

See: 1860 U.S. Federal Census, “Mary J. Cranson,” Michigan, Calhoun County, Battle Creek, p. 23. For lists of members of the Battle Creek congregation in the 1850s, see EGWEnc, s.v. “Battle Creek Congregation.”

1EGWLM 683.2

Previously unpublished.

On the lack of care by Cyrenius and Louisa Smith for the plight of the Michael B. Czechowski and Mary J. Cranson families.1EGWLM 683.3

Dear Brother and Sister Smith:

Since having the conversation with you last Thursday I have been burdened. A heavy weight is upon my spirits, and I have felt strongly convicted that I was wrong in trying to explain the vision I sent you. That is not the work God lays upon me. It is to give to others what He has given to me, and then, if they cannot see everything in the vision, let them humble themselves before God, search their own hearts, try their motives, plead and agonize with Him until they can see. This I have seen in times past was the right way. I have departed from it and am sorry.³

“The Lord has said to me: ‘Bear the testimonies. Your work is not to settle difficulties; your work is to reprove, and to present the righteousness of Christ.’”

See: Ellen G. White, The Writing and Sending out of the Testimonies to the Church (PH116), p. 8.

1EGWLM 683.4

In this last vision I was shown that if you had fully believed and acted upon the vision given before, there would have been no necessity for this last one. But the first vision has not been heeded.⁴

The “first vision” mentioned here is not found in the White Estate files. As to the failure of the Smiths to heed the earlier vision, there is some evidence that they continued for some time in their disregard of Ellen White's testimonies. By the following year, 1860, a full crisis of confidence in the visions had developed among several leaders associated with the Review and Herald publishing office, among them, Cyrenius Smith, who served on the publishing committee of the Review. A council set up to investigate the matter found that Smith had “occupied an extremely faithless position in regard to the visions.” Apparently he had a change of heart, for it was reported that “at this Council very humble acknowledgements were made by Brn. J. H. Waggoner and Uriah Smith, and also by Bro. Cyrenius Smith.”

See: S. T. Belden, G. W. Amadon, and Wm. Hall, To Brother J. N. Andrews and Sister H. N. Smith (PH016), 1860, p. 2.

It had not that effect upon you that God designed it should. I am strongly convicted that I have explained much of the force of the vision away, and it has not accomplished what God designed it should. It is the last time I shall undertake such business. It is a serious matter to lesson the effect of the vision in the least. We are doing up work for eternity, and I must meet what God has committed to me. If I have not discharged my duty faithfully, mine will be a sad fate.1EGWLM 684.1

I know from the conversation we had that you do not understand yourselves in the light in which you were shown me. Things which were plainly presented before me you could not understand. It is my duty to put the matter in as clear a light as possible before you, and the work of making you believe it belongs to another. It is not my work, and I shall never again be drawn into it.1EGWLM 684.2

I know you do not see this matter as it is. I saw that there was selfishness in many things in you both, that must be corrected.⁵

As can be seen in what follows, the “selfishness” of Louisa and Cyrenius Smith was evident in their uncaring attitude toward the needs of the Czechowski and Cranson families. Paradoxically, the Cyrenius Smith family is mainly remembered by Adventist historians for their earlier generosity toward the fledgling church. In 1852, according to J. N. Loughborough, the Smiths sold their farm in order to free up cash to use for church projects. In 1855 when funds were needed to erect a building to house the Review and Herald press in Battle Creek, Michigan, Smith joined with others to lend $300 toward the project.

See: J. N. Loughborough, “Uncle Elkins and His Nephews,” Review, Jan. 12, 1897, p. 18.

Since I saw you I have dwelt considerably upon what I have seen, and the clearer the vision comes to my mind the more convinced I am that you are certainly blinded about yourselves. In regard to Brother Czechowski [Michael Belina Czechowski],6

Identity: There is only one Adventist Czechowski family from this period, viz., that of Michael Belina Czechowski, a former Franciscan monk, priest, and militant Polish nationalist, who converted to Sabbatarian Adventism in 1857.

See: Search term “Czechowski” in Words of the Pioneers.

selfishness was in both your hearts.7

Czechowski's conversion in 1857, fluency in French, and keen desire to preach, soon led to plans for him to evangelize full-time among the French-speaking populations of northern New York and Canada East. Beginning in 1858 James White appealed to Review readers to make the new venture possible by providing financial support to Czechowski's poverty-stricken wife and children. It seems that Louisa and Cyrenius Smith were less than enthusiastic about helping the Czechowski family.

I am not mistaken in this matter. Perhaps you do not see it so, but God regards it so. Dig deep, I beseech of you. I have not the least personal feeling in this matter. I dare not say peace, peace, when there is no peace.1EGWLM 684.3

I have seen that Sister Cranson [Mary Jane Cranson]⁸

Identity: For the identity of “Sister Cranson” and background to her situation, see Ms 4, 1859 (c. July), note 2.

has not received from you that heartfelt sympathy that her case required.9

For notes on the remainder of this letter, see the last section of Ms 4, 1859 (c. July).

You have not made her case your own. You have seen and felt deeply the wrongs in her children but have not half felt the wrongs in your own. Her heart has been desolate and lonely, her loss is a living loss. But few have had any just sense of her loneliness and discouragement. I saw that a difference should be made between her, a widow, and others who are differently situated. Her husband wore out his life and died at his post. He had perfect confidence that if his wife and his children could live near you, your influence would be saving, and your sympathy and care would partly make up the loss they would sustain. You have failed in some things. A heavy responsibility rested upon you in this matter. It has not been borne as it ought to have been.1EGWLM 685.1

I saw that God has His eye upon the widow and fatherless. Sister Cranson has often distrusted God, her faith has been weak, she has had too much pride, but if many who now see her lack were placed in her condition, they would not do half so well as she has done. I saw that widows whose husbands have devoted their strength to God and have fallen in their work should be regarded in a different light than even other widows. A duty rests upon the church in this matter, and great care should be taken to help strengthen the widow in her affliction.1EGWLM 685.2