Hands Wrung With Regret

Four boys were born to James and Ellen White: Henry, Edson, Willie, and John Herbert. Two of them died young. In fact, nearly 50 years after the death of Ellen’s firstborn son, Henry, who had died at the age of 16, she said to her daughter-in-law, “May, if we had only known then what we know now, we could have saved Henry.” And while she was speaking, the still-grieving mother was wringing her hands. ^{10Story told by Grace White-Jacques to James Nix.} GOP 360.2

With boys to raise, a husband to support, and others to take care of, it is no surprise that Ellen had her hands full. On one occasion the exhausted mother tied her infant son Edson to her lap in order to prevent him from falling off in case she fell asleep as her husband drove them in their buggy to an appointment. ^{11James White and Ellen White, Life Sketches of James White and Ellen G. White (Battle Creek, Mich.: Review and Herald®, 1888), 292.} Believe it or not, James didn’t always drive them; sometimes Ellen did. ^{12Ellen G. White to J. H. Kellogg, letter 7 (formerly letter 97a) (Apr. 26), 1886; quoted in A. L. White, 3:342.} You might find her riding a horse, firmly grasping its reins, in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado or elsewhere.GOP 360.3

When the Whites arrived with their first two boys in Rochester, New York, in 1852, their living conditions were quite pinched. James brought home two old bedsteads for which he had paid 25 cents, plus six chairs, no two of which were alike, for which he had given $1.00. Later he brought home four other chairs, none of which had seats, which cost him 62 cents for the lot. The frames were good, so Ellen’s hands soon made seating for them. ^{13A. L. White, 1:230.} GOP 360.4

Several months after the family moved to Battle Creek in 1855, Ellen’s hands were frantically rolling Willie, her third son, on the grass. The toddler had fallen into a tub of mop water and nearly drowned while playing “boat” with a floating stick. Others thought Willie was dead, but Ellen’s hands kept rolling him on the ground to expel more water from his lungs. After several minutes her efforts were successful. ^{14Ibid., 337.}GOP 360.5

A few years later, after hosting a dinner for 35 at her house, the next day Ellen’s exhausted hand recorded in her diary, “We are all much worn out.” ^{15Ibid., 409.}GOP 360.6