Civil War Involvement and Speculations

Pages 46, 47 of Prophetess of Health make references to the attitudes of Seventh-day Adventists toward the Civil War and James and Ellen White’s relation to it. The Whites are depicted as comfortably situated in Battle Creek during the Civil War with a salary as president of the Publishing Association of $7 to $10 per week and selling Bibles, concordances and Bible dictionaries to double this. While the Civil War in the early sixties seldom touched the White household, James as editor of the Review and Herald is said to have given progress reports on the War, limited his involvement to raising bounties for volunteers and securing conscientious objector status for Adventist draftees and speculating on writing paper and envelopes to turn him a quick 100 percent profit. One might be tempted to conclude that James White was more interested in making money for himself than with his country’s agony. Yet, evidence drawn from the columns of the local Battle Creek newspapers and the Review and Herald demonstrates that Elder White’s bounty-raising efforts involved him deeply in community affairs. He was a member of the Battle Creek committee which raised funds for the purpose of compensating young men who volunteered for military service. According to the Battle Creek Journal of October 24, 1862, a large war meeting was held in that city on October 20 to take the preliminary steps necessary to fill up the quota of men due from the city under the call of the government for 600,000 men. The audience voted down the proposal of a committee to recommend a bounty of $100 for each volunteer, and substituted an offer of $200 in its place. A committee of nine was chosen to raise funds, among whom were at least two Sabbathkeepers, J. P. Kellogg and Elder James White, representing the second and third Battle Creek wards.CBPH 45.5

When in 1863 the Congress of the United States enacted a draft law, provision was made for a drafted man to purchase his exemption by payment into the U.S. Treasury of $300—the equivalent of a year’s wages. James White, without lessening his own “systematic benevolence” payments to the church for its work, set aside an equal amount to help drafted ministers. A year later he claimed as “one privilege,” the payment of “ten dollars to each efficient minister who shall be drafted from among us, to help him pay the $300” (The Review and Herald, September 27, 1864).CBPH 45.6

Just what this finally meant to the White finances is not a matter of record, but it does demonstrate that the Whites were not callous to the dire Civil War situation.CBPH 45.7

As editor of the Review and Herald during the war years, Elder White frequently published articles against slavery and the “Southern Rebellion,” and he constantly kept the columns of the Review open to those who wished to discuss war issues, particularly the draft and how Seventh-day Adventists as non-combatants and Sabbathkeepers should relate to it.CBPH 45.8

Early in 1865 he recommended “that prayer and giving of thanks for those in authority constitute a proper portion of their Sabbath and other seasons of public worship, and also, of family and private devotions,” also that “the second Sabbath in each month be especially set apart to fasting and prayer in view of the present terrible war” (The Review and Herald, January 31, 1865, 25:77).CBPH 46.1

A few weeks later Elder White appealed to the church members to set aside four days as a period of “earnest and importunate prayer” for the early termination of hostilities (The Review and Herald, February 21, 1865, 25:100). In March he printed that portion of Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural address which began, “Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away” (RH 25:128, Maranatha, 21, 1865). When the conflict finally ended, James White wrote, with obvious relief and gratitude:CBPH 46.2

The air rang with shouts, Richmond is taken! And Lee has surrendered! Cities and villages were illuminated. Bonfires and rockets streamed up to the heavens, while cheers for Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan rang again. But God’s loyal people were on their knees, blessing Heaven for the answer of their prayers, and weeping with joy over the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His Word.—The Review and Herald, April 24, 1865, 25:164.CBPH 46.3

As to family finances, Mrs. White worked full time without salary. She constantly entertained visiting brethren in her home, and she had to employ two hired girls in order to keep up with all of her extra responsibilities. The Whites also as leaders took the lead in pledging for every worthy church enterprise. This is why James White found it necessary to augment his salary (Defense of Elder James White and Wife, p. 9). When these facts are taken into consideration, there is little danger that one will conclude that James White was a self-serving speculator.CBPH 46.4

The Whites Treat Diphtheria.—On page 47, Chapter Two closes as does Chapter Three, on a note reiterated several times in Prophetess of Health. The Whites read an article on treating diphtheria in a country newspaper nearly six months before the health reform vision was received on June 6, 1863, and putting its counsel into practice brought their children through an attack of the disease. “At last,” it is said, “she had stumbled onto a system of medicine that really worked.” We bypass the point here, but will deal with it later in its fuller setting.CBPH 46.5