Mrs. White's final month in Europe was spent in Great Britain and began with a long weekend in Kettering. This little city, about fifteen miles east of Birmingham, is in the industrial Midlands and is today a center for the manufacture of shoes. “We walked out and did some purchasing in the city in the great market place,” she wrote soon after her arrival. Then added, “Purchased shoes” (Manuscript 36, 1887).EGWE 307.1

Her spiritual feet were shod also “with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Before daybreak Sabbath morning, July 2, she was up and writing. Here is how she expressed her burden of soul for England:EGWE 307.2

“I felt deeply the need of special help from God in seeking to win souls to Jesus Christ. ‘Without me,’ says Christ, ‘ye can do nothing.’ How weak we are in our own finite strength. We want to work for the Master. I want to please Jesus, who has loved me, who has died for me. There is an unutterable longing of soul for the sweet, constant peace of Christ. I want Jesus in my thoughts continually.”—Ibid.EGWE 307.3

She later continued her diary entry thus:EGWE 307.4

“At ten o'clock (Sabbath morning) the carriage came to take us to the place of meeting. It is a good-sized hall. Its walls are iron and the hot sun resting upon it made it seem like an oven. We had about fifty assembled. I spoke to them from Hebrews 12:1-4. Although the heat was very great the Lord gave me much freedom in speaking. At twelve the carriage was at the door and we returned to our home with deep and earnest yearning of heart for the dear people whom we had addressed. We knew that many must have a true conversion to God or they would not be able to keep the truth or to withstand temptation.EGWE 307.5

“At three P.M. we again spoke to the church in Kettering from Matthew 22:11-14. This was a most solemn subject and the Lord impressed my heart with the terrible fate of the ones who, when Jesus shall come to examine His guests, He shall find without the wedding garment on. I think many were impressed. After the discourse there was a social meeting and many testimonies borne, but I felt that souls were in peril. Souls were undecided and I urged that those who were not fully on the Lord's side should make decisions that day—should break the chains of the powers of Satan and be wholly the Lord's.”—Ibid.EGWE 308.1

The results were gratifying, and a man and his wife, still quite young, came forward. He was a building foreman, but an intemperate man and often drunk for days at a time.EGWE 308.2

“Both bore testimony, and with much simplicity and deep feeling told their determination, and we must leave them in the hands of God for Him to lead, for Him to guide. He will do this if they will only submit themselves to Him as to a faithful Creator. Oh what a terrible curse is intemperance!”—Ibid.EGWE 308.3

Mrs. White had arrived in Kettering on Wednesday evening, June 29, and stayed at the J. H. Durland home on Hawthorne Road. The next day she was joined by her son, W. C. White. Besides the two Sabbath talks, she spoke to the church once on Sunday in a hall the pastor had rented for church gatherings.EGWE 308.4

On Monday, July 4, Ellen White and her traveling companions journeyed to London and lodged during a four-day visit at the Tranter's Temperance Hotel on Bridgewater Square, Barbican Street.EGWE 308.5

Here at last she found a few quiet days going over with Willie the newly written chapters in The Great Controversy.EGWE 308.6

Always interested in the activities of the church that she helped to found, she made a trip out to Holloway to visit the International Book Depository at 451 Holloway Road. And she had time also to call “at the house occupied by our sisters who were giving Bible readings and trying to get access to the higher classes. We found them well situated,” she observed (Ibid.).EGWE 309.1

Time to Say Good-by

Ellen White and Prison Work