Chapter Fifteen—God Gives His Beloved Sleep

Many long years, oh, many, many, had Sister White worked and watched with the cause of God, telling of Jesus’ love and salvation, and of His soon coming. In 1915 she was eighty-seven years old. She had labored in the gospel vineyard for seventy-five years, and the Lord was calling her to rest.SWhite 122.1

When Ellen Harmon was nine years old she was a happy, healthy little girl, brimful of life and joy, the pet of her older brother and sisters, and the precious treasure of her father and mother. Even though so young, she had set her heart on becoming a teacher and she went to school each day with the hope of learning a little more to help her to help others. And she did not forget to help others as she learned. The twins, Ellen and Elizabeth, were noted among their schoolmates as girls who would give up their own pleasure any time, to do a favor for others, in study help, in play hours, in friendly cheer and gladness.SWhite 122.2

The Lord looked down on little Ellen Harmon, and He said: “She shall be my servant, to lift the fallen, to cheer the sad, to teach the ignorant, to tell the glad tidings of the glorious coming of Jesus. But to fit her to do all that, I must first take her through deep waters and dark places and hard paths. But I will go with her, and be her helper in all her troubles. She shall learn to trust Me fully, and to call on Me in time of trouble, and I will hear and deliver her. Then she shall know what it is to walk with God and to talk with her Saviour, and to bear the burden of His cross with joy. She shall be My servant.”SWhite 122.3

Oh, little Ellen Harmon, happily skipping over the pleasant paths of childhood, you do not know what sorrows are to come upon you. You do not know how deep the waters you must pass through. You do not know how hard the climbing paths you must follow. And you do not know how God will hold you up, and bless you through all that, nor how great will be the joy you will have in helping others through those same hard ways, nor how blessed will be your companionship with Jesus.SWhite 123.1

Thus, when Ellen was nine years old, almost ten, God put His hand upon her. She was stricken down by a cruelly flung stone, and she fell unconscious. Then followed dark days and lonely, terrible nights. But in the darkness she heard God’s voice calling her: “Ellen! Ellen!”SWhite 123.2

And she answered, “Jesus, here I am.”SWhite 123.3

“Come up a little higher, Ellen. Here, take My hand, and I will help you. Now I will show you some of My glory, and you shall tell of it to others. I will give you messages to the erring, that they may be turned to the right. And I will give you messages of cheer to the faithful, that they may be encouraged to go on. And I will tell you of the things that must come upon the people of God before the end, and of the glory that shall follow, when I come to claim My own.”SWhite 123.4

When Ellen Harmon was twelve years old she was deeply converted, and she gave her all to Jesus. With her father and mother, her brother and sisters, and all the church in Portland, and thousands of others throughout the land, she looked and longed for the coming of Jesus in 1844. She told everyone how Jesus had entered her heart, and how glad she was that He was coming soon. How great was her joy when others turned to Him as she talked and prayed with them!SWhite 124.1

Then when she was sixteen years old, almost seventeen, the great day came—and passed. Jesus did not come! Oh, how terrible was the disappointment! But Ellen and her family and some others still held the hand of God, and waited for Him to show them what He meant. They had not long to wait.SWhite 124.2

About six weeks later, after Ellen had passed her seventeenth birthday, God gave her a vision that told how He was leading His people, even though they were disappointed, and she was shown the reward the Lord is preparing for those who are faithful. A few months later she was given another vision, this time of the work of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary and the beginning of His work in the most holy place at just the time when they expected Him to come to this earth. She was instructed to tell others what God had shown her, and she went out to do God’s bidding.SWhite 124.3

Soon God gave her a man to stand by her side through the hardest years, her husband, James White. And together, and with Joseph Bates, they went forth to carry the message of the Sabbath and the sanctuary and the coming of the Lord.SWhite 125.1

Just three people to begin the great Second Advent and Sabbath movement. But others joined them, and they had a little company. Then was given Ellen G. White the vision in which she saw a light, as of the sun, rising in the east, growing stronger and brighter and more glorious, until it threw its beams around the earth and filled it with the knowledge of the coming of the Lord.SWhite 125.2

For nearly seventy years afterward Sister White went with the light, and saw others go forth with it, through America, to Europe, to Africa and India and South America, to Australia and the islands of the sea, and finally to all the countries on the face of the earth. She traveled and she taught; she wrote books and messages in the papers. She loved and, by the grace of God, saved hundreds of thousands of men and women, young people and children.SWhite 125.3

And now her work was done. She waited for the next command of her Lord. On February 13, 1915, as she was going into her writing room, she fell and broke her hip. Old people cannot get well from broken bones so easily as children and young people do. She knew that the bone would never heal. She could never walk again. She must wait long weeks until the end.SWhite 125.4

But the Lord was very merciful to His servant. She did not suffer much pain as she lay in her bed or sat in an easy chair in her study. And she was happy. She filled the room with her patience and cheer. Through the sunny bay window she could look out upon the pleasant land, as in the early spring it began to take on the fresh green of the leaves and the grass, and the flowers began to bloom.SWhite 126.1

Her Bible was ever by her side, and the books she had written. Sometimes one of her family would read to her, as she wished. Sometimes, when she was alone for a little while, they would hear her voice in song:SWhite 126.2

“We have heard from the bright, the holy land,SWhite 126.3

We have heard, and our hearts are glad.”SWhite 126.4

She said, “Jesus is my precious Redeemer, and I love Him with my whole heart. My work is nearly ended. Looking over the past, I am not discouraged. I am glad that I can still hold up the banner. My courage is given by my Saviour, whom I love, and in whom my soul trusts.”SWhite 126.5

The days and the weeks and the months passed slowly by. The spring went on into the summer. The harvesttime came, and the reapers went forth to gather in the wheat. So came her life to its close, as a sheaf of ripe wheat is reaped. On July 16, 1915, she passed to her rest, saying, “I know in whom I have believed.” Sister White, in death as well as in life, was held dear by those she had blessed and helped. The oldest workers, who had labored with her and who were still living, came to give their tributes as she was laid to rest. There were Elder Loughborough, Elder Haskell, Elder Daniells, Elder Starr, and others. They thanked God that He had given Sister White to us for so long.SWhite 126.6

In the midst of those who are waiting in death for Jesus to come, she was laid in Oak Hill Cemetery, at Battle Creek, by the side of her husband, James White, and by the side of her two sons, Henry and Herbert, who had died long before. There she awaits the Life-giver. And when Jesus comes she will rise with all the saints, to be with Him forever in glory.SWhite 127.1

There is no sorrow for the saints of God. Many the trials, many the hardships, many the battles they endure while they live for the sake of Jesus and for the cause of God. But God gives them rest at last, waiting for the glad morning when He shall call them from their graves into everlasting glory.SWhite 127.2

So Sister White, who had labored in the heat of the day and endured the vigils of the night for all these long years, bearing the burdens of others, praying and praising God, teaching and preaching, writing and giving counsel, was now at rest, waiting for the soon coming of Jesus in the clouds of heaven. This is the loving way God deals with His servants, for the Bible says, “He giveth his beloved sleep.”SWhite 127.3

Her life is not lost. Like a grain of corn fallen into the ground, it has brought forth the living plant, which grows and flowers and fruits, until it multiplies the Word of God, and brings life to men. So her books and the memory of her life still live, to teach the truth. And so God still blesses the work of Sister White.SWhite 127.4