A Pilgrimage of Faith
Ellen White as a missionary in Europe (1885-1887)
August 5, 2024 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Edwin Sully Payet
On May 31, 1884, Ellen G. White, along with her son, William C. White, received a compelling call from the European Missionary Council. It read: “a hearty and urgent invitation to visit the different fields in Europe as soon as practicable.”1
James and Ellen White had both recognized the need to help the cause overseas.2 Ellen White, however, was already 56 years old and now a widow since the loss of her husband three years earlier. She was too sick and weak to do much. While she was used to extensive travels across the United States by train, the thought of crossing the Atlantic Ocean to Europe and dealing with the challenges of a completely different world felt “like a terrible task.”3
Regardless, in June of 1885 Ellen White decided “to prepare for the trip,” trusting in “the judgment of the brethren.”4 She left Healdsburg, California, on July 7 and left Boston on August 8. “I am of good courage,” she wrote, “and should accident or harm or death come to me here, I have made my peace with God.”5
Traversing the Continent
Ellen White’s journey to Europe in 1885 marked the beginning of an extensive period of travel across the continent. From Liverpool, England, White traveled extensively throughout Europe, making her home at the Adventist headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.6 Her travels took her to various countries, including Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, and England.7 Among other things, she helped with an evangelistic campaign in the south of France (October 14-November 1, 1886), spoke for the first European Adventist church dedication in Tramelan, Switzerland (December 25, 1886), and for the first Adventist camp meeting in Copenhagen in 1887.
We do not know when Ellen White made the decision to go back to the United States.8 But on May 20, 1887, she spoke to the church in Basel for the last time, saying goodbye “with the prospect of never seeing them again in this world.”9
In all, Ellen White traveled about 20,000 kilometers (12,427 miles) by boat, train, horse-drawn car, and even sleigh. Somehow, she moved “speedily” through Europe. Since no travel was made for pleasure but to preach, to encourage church members and preachers, we must recognize that at almost 60 years old, her fatigue as much as her courage must have been great. Robert Olson wrote of her stay in Europe, “Initially, Ellen White thought that her stay in Europe would be only a few months, possibly until May, 1886. However duty dictated that she remained in Europe nearly two full years.”10
A Worthwhile Trip
Ellen White preached, conducted evangelistic and revival meetings, gave temperance lectures, promoted the literature ministry, and did prison ministry (at least in England). She encountered opposition almost everywhere, as did all our pioneers in Europe. Acknowledging the difficulty of conversion, she wrote: “Twenty could be more easily reached in America than one here.”11
While in Europe she worked on her books, particularly The Life of Christ, published in different European languages,and The Great Controversy. As with the apostle Paul, we recognize her “deep concern” for God’s vineyard (2 Cor. 11:28). In her last sermon in Europe, preached at Moss, Norway, on June 19, 1887, she said, “We must take our journey through the world as pilgrims and strangers, clinging by living faith to the cross of Calvary.”12
On August 3 Ellen White sailed back to the United States on the City of Rome. On her mission stay in Europe, she reported, “After a two years’ stay in Europe we see no more reason for discouragement in the state of the cause there than at its rise in the different fields in America. . . . We see the cause being established in Europe.”13
Her visit was certainly not in vain. L. H. Christian, president of the Northern European Division (1928-1936), records:
“The Advent movement in Europe would never have been the same if it had not been for her visit. For many, many years our members and their children . . . never tired of telling about Mrs. White. And when now and then in later years a few disloyal ones ridiculed and belittled the gift of prophecy and the servant of God, our people said: ‘We know better. We heard her speak. We have seen her humble, godly, inspiring life. We have her books, and they agree with the Bible and deepen our love for Jesus.’ ”14
One may ask, Is it still the case in Europe today?
1 G. I. Butler and A. B. Oyen, “European Council of Seventh-day
Adventists—Second Session,” Review and Herald, June 24, 1884, p. 414.
2 James White, “Preaching by Steam,” Review and Herald, Mar. 30, 1876, p. 100; Ellen G. White, “Christmas Is Coming,” Review and Herald, Dec. 9, 1884, p. 770.
3 Ellen G. White manuscript 16, 1885.
4 William White to B. L. Whitney, June 6, 1885.
5 Ellen G. White manuscript 16a, 1885.
6 She stayed in the same building that housed the Adventist printing press, Imprimerie Polyglotte (literally, Polyglot Printing House), built in 1884.
7 The summary of her travels can be found in D. A. Delafield, Ellen G. White in Europe (Grantham, England: Stanborough Press, 1975), pp. 13-15.
8 On April 18, 1887, Ellen White would write to Edson, “We are straining every power to close up our work here in Basel.” At the end of that letter Ellen G. White would already announce her visit to “Prussia the twentieth of May for conference meeting.” Her plan was to then go to Norway, “to attend the first camp meeting held in Europe,” then to other parts of northern Europe, and then to England. She ended, “We cannot determine how long we shall stay there” (Ellen G. White letter 82, 1887).
9 Delafield, p. 274.
10 Robert W. Olson, “Ellen White Goes to Europe,” Centennial Symposium: Ellen G. White and Europe, 1885/1887–1987, ed. Pierre Winandy (Bracknell, England: Ellen G. White Research Center, Europe-Newbold College, 1987), p. 5.
11 Ellen White letter 7, 1886.
12 Ellen G. White, “Whatsoever a Man Soweth, That Shall He Also Reap,” Review and Herald, May 5, 1891, p. 274.
13 Ellen G. White, “Our Missions in Europe,” Review and Herald, Dec. 6, 1887, p. 574.
14 Lewis H. Christian, The Fruitage of Spiritual Gifts (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1947), pp. 161, 162.