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[The Fundamentalist]

Ellen G. White: Volume 5—The Early Elmshaven Years: 1900-1905, By Arthur L. White, Page 16 - Ellen G. White: Volume 5?The Early Elmshaven Years: 1900-1905, By Arthur L. White, Page 16 -- Ellen G. White Writings

“... [Page 16] The First Leg of the Voyage

Of course, friends and fellow workers were at the wharf to see them off. Frederick Sharp, treasurer and business manager of the developing Sydney Sanitarium, came on board to present a final farewell gift to Ellen White. It was a handsome journal book bound in soft black leather. She wrote in it, “Presented on board the steamer by F. W. Sharp, August 29, 1900.” Later that day she was to make the first entry, opening with the words, “We feel very much affected as we leave Sydney.” [Page 16-17] The journey would be broken by three stops—New Zealand, Samoa, and the Hawaiian Islands. All augured well. Ellen White was reported to be a good sailor, and she suffered only a touch of seasickness the first night out. Willie reported that they were soon on good terms with the stewards and stewardesses: “We feel as much at home as if we had lived with them for six months.”—15 WCW, p. 861. The first 1,280-mile leg of the journey was almost due east to Auckland, New Zealand.

Thursday and Friday were sunny days, and as the sun was setting behind them on Friday evening, they hunted up all the songbooks they could find and gathered for a little sing. They were pleased that about a dozen fellow passengers joined them.

Sabbath morning dawned dark and cloudy, and Ellen White chose to stay in her room most of the day. It was the first Sabbath of the trip, and the noise on the deck above, with the passengers pitching quoits, made it hard for her to realize that it was the Sabbath. Part of the day she spent writing some important instruction given to her in reference to the responsibility resting on medical missionary workers. The newly established medical institutions in Australia were much on her mind, and this was not the only communication she would write that would review important guiding principles.

They found the food on the ship well prepared and appetizing, but to be certain of having a dietary to their liking, they had brought some of their own food on board, particularly oranges and tangerines, zwieback, canned fruit, and canned grape juice. This greatly broadened their selection of menu choices. One favorite dish turned out to be fruit toast, made by pouring fresh hot water and then grape juice over zwieback. For their evening meal, popular items were fresh fruit and crackers.

As the ship sailed eastward at its steady pace of about 340 miles a day, Ellen White thought much of Australia and the nine years she had labored there. “I love the work in Australia,” she wrote. “The cause of God there is a part of me.”—Letter 149, 1900. “For so many years my interest has been bound up with this work that to separate from it seems like tearing me in pieces. I have confidence in those left in charge of the work at Avondale.”—Manuscript 82, 1900. But as the days passed, she began to cast off the burden of the work in [Page 17-18] Australia, and her thoughts turned to challenges that lay ahead in America.

On Sunday morning, their fourth day out, the Moana was steaming down the east coast of New Zealand, past Great Barrier Island and into Auckland harbor. At ten-thirtythe ship dropped anchor opposite the quarantine station. Some of the sailors rowed over in a small boat, leaving the passengers in suspense about the possibility of going ashore. Willie was disappointed because he had hoped to see some of his friends from Auckland. “Here we lie,” he wrote. “We cannot go ashore, and thus far no one has come to speak to us. It is a big lot of humbug, this quarantine business.”—15 WCW, p. 861.

Finally, George Teasdale, with Brethren Mountain and Nash and a few others, came out in a rowboat, but could not go aboard. The White party found that by leaning over the rail they could converse with the folks in the rowboat. Willie Floding, a young man bound for Battle Creek to take the medical course, came on board at Auckland. The travelers were shocked to learn of the death of Mrs. F. L. Sharp, following major surgery. Willie and Ellen White sent messages of consolation back with the workers.
The passengers pleasantly anticipated spending Sunday night on the boat while it was not in motion. But they soon changed their minds, for with the ship filling its coal bunkers it was impossible to sleep. There was a constant, thunderous roar. Monday morningthe ship headed north and east, passing between the Tongan Islands en route to Samoa. This would be a long week, for they would cross the dateline just before reaching Samoa, which would give them two Thursdays. Ellen White spent as much time as possible in a steamer chair on deck, writing letters, mostly to friends left behind in Australia. She was fascinated and refreshed by the sea and the fresh salt air. From girlhood days she had loved the ocean. One day she wrote, “We now have a full view of the ever-changing, restless, beautiful sea.”—Letter 164, 1900. And at another time, “I am up on deck writing, and enjoying the fresh air.... This morning my soul is filled with praise and thanksgiving to God.”—Manuscript 96, 1900.

She spent many pleasant hours paging through the autograph album given her during the farewell service at Cooranbong. So did the Willie White family on the deck below, as day by day they read a [Page 18-19] few pages. These albums, gold embossed and bound in bright, royal-blue velvet with gold-edged leaves, still convey nostalgia and warmth; one cannot read them without feeling drawn to those for whom they were so lovingly and carefully prepared. There was a section for every day of the voyage, and each section was introduced by an exquisite little watercolor painting, the Moana itself often appearing in the picture.

The brown-toned photographs help to tell the story of the work in Australia. There is the electro-hydropathic institute in Adelaide. There are pictures of neat little churches Ellen White had visited and in which she had made investments to help the companies of believers who needed meetinghouses. There are portraits of friends, and scenes from her Sunnyside home. One page was reserved for pictures of their watchdog, Tiglath-Pileser, at Sunnyside. It will be remembered that parts of Australia had been settled by convicts, and as some of their descendants seemed to inherit the proclivities of their forebears, a good watchdog served a very useful purpose at Sunnyside.

The messages are beautiful examples of nineteenth-century script. They reflect the very high regard in which Ellen White was held: “Mrs. E. G. White’s presence in our little village will be sadly missed. The widow and the orphan found in her a helper,” one woman wrote.

A student at Avondale said, “I shall ever remember with gratitude the many kindnesses shown me by you while living in your home.”

G. B. Starr and his wife, Nellie, listed all the times they were with Ellen White from the time she landed in Australia aboard the Alemeda in 1891 until she left. They had journeyed from Honolulu to Sydney with her when she went out nine years earlier.

One wrote how she had been converted while reading the chapter on repentance in Steps to Christ. Another had had the same experience with The Great Controversy. Another thanked her for saving him from spiritual disaster when he had become deeply involved in spiritualism.

There was even a cartoon showing Ellen and Willie busy reading their autograph albums on the deck of the Moana, although the height of the waves pictured by the artist surely would have [Page 19-20] prohibited such gentle pastime pursuits!

On shipboard she was to write a letter about the album, addressing it “Dear Friends All, in Cooranbong”:

I thank you with much pleasure as I look into my memorial. It is a beautiful reminder of my friends, and it came so unexpectedly to us. I appreciate it more than anything my friends could give me. It is so beautifully gotten up, and it has so great a variety and expresses so much skill and taste and beauty.... I thank you all who have so freely bound up your heart with my heart.—Letter 190, 1900.

She also spent time making friends with some of the passengers. One woman, Mrs. Goward, noticing The Desire of Ages, expressed admiration for it. Ellen White, hoping for just such an opportunity, gave it to her, along with Christian Education.

The Stop in Samoa

The autograph album paged for Sabbath, September 8, shows the Moana lying placidly in the harbor at Apia, largest of the Samoan islands. The artist’s prediction came close to the fact. The ship arrived at 7:00 A.M. on Friday morning. It would have been Sabbath morning if they had not just crossed the dateline, thus adding an extra day.

... to be continued...
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[The Fundamentalist]

...continued...

As the anchor was dropped, the White party soon spotted its welcoming committee—a large green boat manned with singing Samoans (15 WCW, p. 868). They were directed by Prof. D. D. Lake, who supervised the Samoan Mission. One by one, members of the White party were helped down the rope ladder into the boat, and even 72-year-old Ellen White climbed down. One giant Samoan took Baby Grace in his arms and stood straight on the point of the bow, much to the discomfiture of her mother, May, who was afraid of water anyway. She could easily imagine those big, bare feet slipping off the slick wood.

Even the smaller boat could not go all the way in to shore, so two of the men crossed arms to make a chair for Ellen White and carried her to the beach. May White was told to put her arms around the neck of the one who carried Grace, and Ellen had a good laugh over the strange sight of this grown woman in her full skirts clinging to [Page 20-21] the bronzed, naked back of a Samoan as he carried her and her baby ashore.

Two carriages were waiting to convey members of the party who were not up to walking a mile to the mission headquarters. The rest of the group enjoyed the little jaunt. Oh, how good the home-cooked breakfast tasted! While most of the party went sightseeing, Ellen and Willie White stayed behind with Professor Lake to discuss the possibilities of reopening the sanitarium that had been forced to close when Dr. F. E. Braucht left for New Zealand (Ibid).

The sightseers returned just as the interview was completed. After having prayer together they collected the many baskets of fruit that had been gathered for them. There were bananas in abundance, mangoes, papayas, and oranges. Everybody then headed for the boat, except Mabel. One of the women had wanted to return early, so Mabel had volunteered to drive her to the dock with the horse and buggy. On the drive back to the mission she became lost. She could not ask her way, for the only words in Samoan she knew were “How do you do?” It was nearly time for the boat to leave. Just as the situation seemed almost hopeless, along came Willie Floding. He had worked on the island and knew his way around. Together they quickly found the ship.

Calm seas continued as they plowed their way north and east on the next leg of the journey—2,260 miles to Honolulu. Midway they would cross the equator and be again in the Northern Hemisphere. It was a pleasant week of travel. Ella, unable to restrain the desire to teach, had organized a little school for the twins, and soon other children joined. She even recruited Leonard Paap, one of the party, to teach the older children. The sunrise on Monday morning was outstanding. Ellen White wrote, “The sunrise was glorious. The whole sea was a river of yellow gold. We have on this journey a placid sea.”—Manuscript 96, 1900. Then she reported:

I am now lying or half sitting in my steamboat chair on deck. I have eaten my simple breakfast and read my Bible and now am prepared to write. The Lord is merciful to us and is favoring us with excellent weather.— Ibid.

She particularly appreciated the clouds that at times veiled the [Page 21-22] bright rays of the sun. This made the journey more pleasant.

On Sunday night, September 9, God gave Ellen White a vision. It was not the only one given to her during the voyage, but this one she reported immediately. It dealt with the management of the Sydney Sanitarium. She was instructed that Dr. D. H. Kress, who had just gone to Australia, should be the man to manage the medical interests of the new institution. There were some others in Australia who thought perhaps they would be called to the position, so Ellen White cautioned Fred Sharp, to whom the letter was addressed, to treat the matter judiciously. “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves,” she advised.—Letter 203, 1900.

Perhaps it was this vision of Sunday night in which she received the instruction she spoke of in Battle Creek some months later. Various and sundry rumors were floating around as to what she was at times supposed to have said. Warning came to her to be on guard against private interviews. There were people who would catch something from her lips that they could interpret in such away as to vindicate themselves. Her Instructor counseled that silence was eloquence, even when she was with her supposed friends. She was counseled to keep her words for public occasions.

“‘Enter into no controversy,’” she was advised in vision. “‘Take no part in any strife or in anything that would divert the mind from God.’” And she was assured, “‘I have a message for you to bear, and as this message is given to the people, it is not for you to try to make them believe it. That is not your work. You are to go straight forward in the work I have given you. I will strengthen you to do this work.’”—Manuscript 29, 1901.

Friday morning, September 14, at eight o’clock, after a very hot night, the Moana reached Honolulu. Elder Baxter Howe, in charge of the work of the church there, welcomed the travelers and took them to Sister Kerr’s, where the whole party enjoyed an early lunch. The Kerrs were an affluent family. Mr. Kerr, a businessman, was not a member of the church, but Mrs. Kerr was generous-hearted and outgoing. Ellen White had been entertained royally at their home on her trip to Australia nine years before.
The hours in Honolulu would be limited, so the party made a brief visit to the church, where both Ellen White and Willie addressed the people. Then they visited the Chinese school [Page 22-23] operated by W. E. Howell. By six o’clock that eveningthey were back on the boat, which soon was on its way eastward to San Francisco.

The Third Week on Shipboard

This third week of the voyage was more trying to Ellen White. Tobacco smoke bothered her a great deal. She wrote of it in her letters to Dr. Kellogg. Quoit playing on the deck above her stateroom continued to irritate her. Then at night, when everyone should be sleeping, there was dancing on deck over her head till the wee hours of the morning. Several times while she was on deck she asked the men who were near her steamer chair to refrain from smoking, explaining how it affected her. But they simply said she could go “somewhere else” (Manuscript 29, 1901). When she appealed to one of the ship’s officers, he confessed that he was helpless. A doctor on the second-class deck consoled her by pointing out that the voyage would soon be over, and he asked, “‘Did you ever know a tobacco user who could be reasoned with?’”—Letter 133, 1900.

On the liquor side of the temperance question, one case particularly attracted Ellen White’s attention, and she wrote of it to Dr. Kellogg:

One man, with Reverend attached to his name, who during the voyage, Bible in hand, had given expositions of the Word in the social hall, was on several occasions so drunk that he had to be carried to his stateroom.— Ibid.

The preacher’s wife, full of anxiety and sorrow on his account, confided in Ellen White that before they left Australia her husband had come into a considerable amount of money and now he was drinking so freely he did not know or care where the money went.

As they neared the California arrival time, late Thursday night, Ellen White felt she could hardly endure the expected partying that traditionally marks the final day of a voyage. Willie came to her and said, “‘We are nearing the last night of the trip, when we shall have more noise than ever before; but I am praying for a storm.’”—Manuscript 29, 1901. “‘So am I,’” Ellen White replied.

That Wednesday evening, still dreading the next day’s carousal, she found a little anteroom and lay down. She fell asleep, but soon [Page 23-24] was awakened by a voice speaking to her. As she gained her senses, she knew what it meant. “The room was filled with a sweet fragrance, as of beautiful flowers.” Then she fell asleep once more and was awakened in the same way. Of it she wrote:

Words were spoken to me, assuring me that the Lord would protect me, that He had a work for me to do. Comfort, encouragement, and direction were given to me, and I was greatly blessed.— Ibid.

Part of the message that came to her at that time was an assurance that put her mind at rest on one particular point. This was the question of where she should make her home in America. In earlier years they had lived in Battle Creek, Michigan, as her husband led the church and managed the Review and Herald Publishing House. Then they lived in Oakland, California, as James White started the Signs of the Times After her husband’s death, Ellen had lived in a home in Healdsburg, California, only a few blocks from the college. This home she still owned. Just before leaving for Australia, she had lived in Battle Creek again. And now where should she settle? The question had concerned them from the time they planned to leave Australia.

Writing of this two weeks before their departure, she noted:

WCW has felt very strongly that under no circumstances should we locate in Battle Creek or east of the Rocky Mountains. Our position must be near the Pacific Press. We have planned to go into the country, in or near Fruitvale, so that we might have no connection with any duties or offices that would demand our attention. Here we hope to complete the book-making we now contemplate.

We had gotten a good hold upon it here, but have not completed the work in hand because of our plan to leave this country the last of August. Willie was very loath to leave so soon, but it was my decided judgment that we must reach America before winter, since the change of climate at that time would be most trying to me at my age.

So you can see that our plans were made not to get anywhere near a school or under the shadow of an office where our time [Page 24-25] and strength might be consumed as they have been in this new portion of the Lord’s vineyard. We must be within ten or fifteen miles of the Pacific Press.—Letter 121, 1900.

... to be continued ...
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[The Fundamentalist]

... continued ...

The Pacific Press was then in Oakland. The vision given to her that Wednesday evening during the last week of the journey set her mind at rest. She wrote of this, “The Lord revealed Himself to me ... and comforted me, assuring me that He had a refuge prepared for me, where I would have quiet and rest.”—Letter 163, 1900.

What a comfort it was to know that God already had something in mind for her! How she wished she might know just what or where it was.

Now they came to Thursday, the last full day of the trip. They would enter San Francisco Bay that night. The day was sunny and bright, but the sea was so rough the sailors could hardly keep their balance on deck. Most of the passengers remained in their berths. There was no final party. Ellen White lay in bed all day, not even daring to turn over. And then just before the Moana slipped through the Golden Gate, the sea suddenly quieted. It was ten o’clock. The ship could not dock until daylight, so the anchor was cast. Some weeks later she reported:

I felt very grateful for that storm. It lasted long enough to prevent any carousal. And just before we entered the harbor, it cleared away, and the sea became as smooth as it had been all the way over.—Manuscript 29, 1901.

Through the long night hours the ship swung lazily at anchor in San Francisco Bay. The White party no doubt expected that with the coming of daylight the Moana would move into one of the Union Steamship Company piers, and that soon they would see friends on the wharf, including many workers who had come to welcome them back to the United States. But such was not the case. Immigration officials, very conscious of germs, required the Sydney passengers, even though they had been on the ship for nearly a month, to proceed by tugboat to a quarantine station on Angel Island, where their belongings and trunks could be fumigated. That whole weary Fridaywas spent going through these formalities.

One of Ellen White’s last impressive glimpses of fellow [Page 25-26] passengers was of the preacher who couldn’t stay away from the bottle. She saw him being carried by two men from the quarantine station to a restaurant, where he lay sprawled on a settee, while his beleaguered wife bathed his head.

Finally, by early evening, the contents of trunks and suitcases having been properly fumigated and repacked, the party was taken by tugboat to San Francisco. They arrived at eight o’clock and were met by G. A. Irwin, president of the General Conference; C.H. Jones, manager of the Pacific Press; and J. O. Corliss, pastor of the San Francisco church. The traveling party soon dispersed. C. H. Jones, a longtime friend and acquaintance, took Ellen White and some of her helpers to his home in Oakland. Others stayed with friends in San Francisco. W. C. and May White, with the twins and Baby Grace, were entertained by the Corlisses at their home in Fruitvale, an Oakland suburb. That nightElder Irwin sent a telegram to Battle Creek, which carried the good news of the arrival of the party. It was published on the back page of the next issue of the Review It read, “San Francisco, Cal., September 21, 1900.—Sister White and party arrived this morningin good condition.” The editor commented that this would be “good news to thousands.” And it was. [Page 26-27]

Chapter 2—Elmshaven

On arriving in California, Ellen White was eager to get to her work. In just nine weeks she would celebrate her seventy-third birthday, and there was a great deal she felt she must do, especially in getting her books out. She hoped that she could quickly find a home, move in, establish herself, and get on with the many tasks awaiting her attention. Not wanting to have to undertake the building of a house, she hoped to find a place she could rent.

At her age it seemed to her that the climate of California would be preferable to that of Michigan, with its long, cold winters. Then, too, she did not wish to place herself so close to the headquarters of the work that she would become deeply involved in helping to solve the everyday problems.

The Pacific Press was located in Oakland; considering the many books she would want published, some place within the vicinity of that city would seem to be ideal.

On the Sabbath after their Friday-evening arrival, W. C. White spoke in San Franciscoto a good-sized congregation comprised of several nationalities. On Sabbath afternoon Ellen White addressed the believers in the Oakland church. General Conference president G. A. Irwin was the morning speaker. Sunday was spent in resting, in interviews with some leading workers, and visiting with friends. But on Monday morning, September 24, house hunting began. She and Willie discovered that Oakland had grown considerably in the nine years they had been away. Census for the city in 1890 was 66,619 persons. Now, just a decade later, it was a bustling 150,000, [Page 27-28] and property values had kept pace with the city’s growth.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were exhausting days, spent driving from place to place as they searched for suitable housing. They soon decided that they would have to purchase, for rents were just too high. Rent on a house large enough to accommodate Ellen White and her assistants would come to $25 or $30 a month. At that time the monthly salary of her most trusted and faithful helpers was $30, and she herself received $50 a month. To pay from one half to two thirds of her total salary income for the rental of a home was out of the question.

They did find a house in Fruitvale, now a part of Oakland, that could be bought for $6,000. It was located on a two-and-one-half-acre tract of land. But Oakland seemed cold and foggy, and Ellen White declared that she would just stop looking. She said, “The Lord knows what our work is and where we should be located; and we shall wait the Lord’s time.”—Letter 132, 1900.

At this point Willie suggested that she and some of her helpers go up to the health retreat at St. Helena, some sixty miles to the north. This institution had just changed its name to St. Helena Sanitarium, or simply the San. There she could rest a bit and also attend some of the meetings to be held in connection with the nearby Napa camp meeting. He agreed that he would continue to look for a house—or houses, for, of course, he had his own family of seven to care for.

He found he could rent a little house owned by Dr. E. J. Waggoner, who for a number of years had been an associate editor of the Signs of the Times but who was now working in England. In rather amusing terms W. C. White wrote to his close friend Arthur Daniells:

For several days we have been trying to fit a number seven family into a number five house, with a number three purse to purchase furnishings.—15 WCW, p. 871.

He would have to pay $15 a month rent out of the “number three purse.”

On Thursday morning, September 27, following her son’s counsel, Ellen White, with Sara McEnterfer and some of her other helpers, started for St. Helena. They would cross the Bay by ferry, ...” [Pages 16-28]

end of that source.
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[The Fundamentalist]

Bible Echo and Signs of the Times - Bible Echo and Signs of the Times -- Ellen G. White Writings

“January 1, 1892

From America to Australia

Visit to Honolulu

Mrs. E. G. White
November 12, we went on board the steamship Alameda, at San Francisco, California, for our long voyage across the Pacific Ocean. The last parting words were spoken, and at 4 o’clock our good ship left the dock, and steamed out of Golden Gate against a strong headwind. The restless sea rocked and tossed us about, quite to the discomfort of the passengers; but after the first day we had very pleasant, smooth sailing; the captain said that he could hardly remember having had so pleasant a voyage.

Our vessel, though comparatively small, and not so elegant as many of the Atlantic boats, was thoroughly comfortable, convenient, and safe. The officers were kind and gentlemanly. We had about eighty cabin passengers, and forty in the steerage. Among the former were eight ministers, several of whom were returning home from the great Methodist Conference in Washington. Religious services were held twice each Sunday, in the social hall, and occasionally on deck for the steerage passengers.

One week from California we reached the Sandwich Islands. The scene presented from the steamer as we approached Honoluluwas very beautiful. The mountains rising at a little distance from the water’s edge, and clothed with the rich green of the tropics, and the city in its setting of palms and other tropical trees, appeared especially attractive after gazing for seven days on the boundless expanse of waters. We were met at the wharf by friends living in the city. Men, women, and children greeted us so heartily that we could not but feel at home among them. We were glad to welcome these dear friends, and to meet again Bro. Starr and his wife, who had been about five weeks on the island, laboring among the people, and speaking in the churches, by invitation, with good effect.

The business part of the town is very indifferent, but the residences are fine. They have broad verandas, and are surrounded with green lawns, which are beautified with all kinds of tropical trees and flowers. We saw beautiful avenues of royal palms; trees and vines, shrubs and hedges, brilliant with flowers; cocoa palms laden with the brown, heavy-looking fruit; bread-fruit and mango trees, fields of pineapples, and patches of taro, the staple food of the natives; with many other trees and plants that I cannot name.

For six miles back of the city the road gradually ascends a mountain valley, to the “Pali,” or precipice, a point of interest, both for its historical association, and for the fine landscape view which is obtained from it. Standing on the rocky edge of the precipice, we look down 1,200 feet, while on either side the bare, rocky summits tower to a height of 3,000 feet. Below is a rich green plain, dotted with rice and sugar plantations, and hills around which the brown road winds in and out; beyond all is the broad blue sea, the white surf breaking along the shore.

It was near the head of this valley, about the close of the eighteenth century, that the last native chief of the island made a stand with his forces against Kamehameha I., who was trying to bring all the islands under one government. The chief’s forces were defeated, and, fleeing up the valley, many were driven over the precipice, and dashed in pieces on the rocks at its base. It is said that the bones of these unfortunate warriors are still to be found scattered on the plain.

Our steamer was not to leave Honolulu till past midnight; and at the earnest desire of our friends I consented to speak in the evening. The hall of the Young Men’s Christian Association was secured for the purpose. I spoke from 1 John 3:1-4, dwelling upon the great love of God to man, as expressed in the gift of Jesus that we might become children of God. The Spirit of the Lord was present. At the close of the meeting we were gratified to make the acquaintance of some of the leading members of the Young Men’s Christian Association.

Samoa and Auckland

On Friday, November 27, we reached the Samoan Islands, after a pleasant voyage of seven days from Honolulu. We had expected extremely hot weather in passing through the tropics, but in this we were happily disappointed. Only a few days were uncomfortably warm. On Tuesday, November 24, when we crossed the equator, the air was so cool that we found our wraps needful on deck.

Our steamer cast anchor off Apia, which is situated on the island of Upolo, and is the principal town of the Samoan Group. The harbor or bay of Apia is a beautiful expanse of water, shut in by coral reefs, over which the surf is constantly breaking. The island is clothed in the richest and most luxuriant verdure. The mountains rise almost from the water’s edge; cocoa palms grow all along the shore and far up the mountain sides, which are clothed in green to the very summits. The town of Apia consists of two rows of small white buildings on either side of a narrow street that winds along the shore.

Through an opening in the reef that encloses the harbor, vessels pass in and out; another reef lying nearer the shore prevents them from reaching the dock; but passengers are taken on shore in boats. Before us is a reminder of the terrible storms that sometimes visit this lovely spot. On the reef between us and the shore lies the hull of a German vessel that was wrecked in the hurricane of March, 1889, when seven men-of-war and fifteen merchant vessels were either stranded or wholly destroyed.
Before our steamer comes to anchor, we see boats and the canoes of the natives coming out to meet us; and soon we are surrounded with them. The natives are physically well developed, and are said to have the finest physique of any of the South Sea peoples. They are of a light brown color. Most of them are destitute of clothing except a cloth or mat about the loins; many are elaborately tattooed. Some wear broad-brimmed straw hats, some turbans, while many have the hair dressed with lime, giving them the appearance of wearing a white cap. The canoes were laden with pineapples, bananas, oranges of a bright green color but of excellent flavor, mangoes, limes, cocoa-nuts, and other tropical fruits, shells and coral, mats and cloth, together with baskets and fans, very neatly woven from the native grasses.

Most of our party went ashore, and had an opportunity of seeing the natives in their homes. The huts are made by spreading over a wooden framework a covering of palm leaves and native grasses. For the floor, the ground is covered with gravel or pounded coral, on which is spread a coarse matting. Mats form the beds at night, and the table and seats by day; large leaves and cocoa-nut shells serve as dishes. Our party were greeted cordially by the natives, who brought them flowers, and seemed anxious to show their feelings of kindness. At one o’clock P.M. the anchor was lifted, and soon our boat was again on its way over the broad Pacific.

November 26, the day before we reached Samoa, was my birthday. As I contemplate the past year, I am filled with gratitude to God for his preserving care and loving-kindness. At times I have been afflicted in body and depressed in spirits; but the Lord has been my Redeemer, my Restorer. Many have been the rich blessings imparted to me. In the time of my greatest need, I have been enabled to hold fast my confidence in my Heavenly Father. The powers of darkness are restrained; for Jesus, our Advocate, lives to make intercession for us. He is able to save us, soul, body, and spirit, and to make us vessels unto honor, meet for the Master’s use. We are living in a perilous time, when all our powers must be consecrated to God. We are to follow Christ in his humiliation, his self-denial, his suffering. We owe everything to Jesus, and renewedly I consecrate myself to his service, to lift him up before the people, to proclaim his matchless love.

Between Samoa and Auckland we crossed the day-line, and for the first time in our lives we had a week of six days. Tuesday, December 1, was dropped from our reckoning, and we passed from Monday to Wednesday.

At daylight of December 3, the coast of new Zealand was in sight, and about noon our boat reached the dock at Auckland. This is a beautiful harbor, and the town on the hills above presents a fine appearance. We had hoped to meet Elder Gates of the Pitcairn here; but in this we were disappointed; and my son, W. C. White, remained a few days to see him, rejoining us at Sydney. As our boat touched the wharf, a number of brethren stepped on board, and introduced themselves to us, and we had a glad meeting. On landing, we rode to the house of Bro. Edward Hare. Here we found a pleasant home, and were refreshed with delicious strawberries, oranges, bananas, and more substantial viands. Then we had a very enjoyable ride into the country. The fresh, sweet air filled with the fragrance of wild roses, sweet-brier, and new-mown hay, reminded us of our northern summer, the green hedges separating the fields are like England, while there is much in the landscape that resembles California. The vegetation and the general appearance of the country is that of the temperate zone rather than the tropics.

In the evening we met with the church at their house of worship, and I spoke to them in regard to the necessity of receiving Christ as their personal Saviour.

... to be continued ...
​

 

[The Fundamentalist]

... continued ...

In Australia

We entered Sydney harbor at seven o’clock on the morning of December 8. The sea rolled heavily during the night, and it was difficult to keep safely in our berths; but all our party were able to be on deck as we entered the harbor, which is one of the most beautiful in the world. Before we reached the landing, we could see our friends on shore, and could distinguish Bro. and Sister Daniells, the only ones present whom we knew, and soon a hearty and tender welcome was accorded us. After a wholesome and well-prepared breakfast at Bro. Daniells’, our party, with the canvassers, Bible-workers, and a few friends, united in a precious season of worship. We remained in Sydney one week, and had an opportunity to see something of this large and beautiful city. I spoke to the people twice, at the commencement of the Sabbath and on Sabbath morning. The Lord gave me special freedom, and the people rejoiced in the message of truth, which, as they testified, filled their hearts with joy, peace, and the love of God. Bro. Starr spoke on Sunday evening with good acceptance.

On reaching Melbourne, December 16, we found our friends at the station, waiting for us, some whom we knew and some whom we did not know, and we were heartily welcomed by all. Horses and carriages were waiting, and conveyed us two or three miles to the Echo Office. In Federal Hall, in the office building, we found a large company assembled to welcome us to Australia, and to unite with us in thanksgiving to God for his preserving and tender care during the long passage across the water. Elder Starr, W. C. White, and myself each addressed a few words to those whom we were meeting for the first time in a new country; and as we united in a season of prayer the Lord blessed us together. After the benediction, we were introduced to many of the brethren and sisters.

On Sabbath, December 19, I spoke in Federal Hall. I had freedom, and my soul was blessed as I spoke the words of life to an attentive congregation. There was a social meeting in the afternoon, when many precious testimonies were borne. My heart was made glad in the Lord, and I could not but exclaim, “What hath God wrought?” as I looked upon this large company who have accepted the Bible just as it reads, thus placing their feet on the solid platform of truth, and heard them speak of their faith, believing as a child believes and trusts its parents. Humility in obedience to God is a hard lesson for fallen humanity to learn. There is something in the human, unsanctified heart that rises up in opposition to inspired truth, when it requires separation from former associations and customs in taking a position on the Sabbath which the Lord has blessed and sanctified as his memorial of creation. May the light of these who have had courage, and sincerity, and simplicity of faith, shine forth in good works, that many more may be added to the church, of such as shall be saved. Elder Starr also has spoken several times, giving the flock meat in due season.

On Christmas day our hall was full. Many had come in from Sydney, Adelaide, Ballarat, and the smaller churches. The Lord gave me much of his Spirit in speaking of the first advent of Christ, when angels heralded his birth to the waiting shepherds and sang their glad songs over the plains of Bethlehem.

We see in the people here the intelligence, heartiness, and simplicity that characterize the lovers of the Truth in America. Many express gratitude to God that he has sent his servants here.”

End of that source.
​

 

[The Fundamentalist]

(From Signs of the Times, Warburton, Victoria, Nov 26, 1906. High-lighting added by editor.)

IN the year 1844 a movement denominated the “third angel’s message,” took its rise. Commencing in a small way, it has at the present time assumed world-wide dimensions. It has for its object the proclamation of solemn and important truths to the last generation of mankind. It foretells the speedy advent of Christ, and the end of the world. It also brings to view a reform relating to the commandments of God. It is based upon clear and unmistakable prophecies found in Dan. 7:25, Rev. 14:9,12, etc., and it constitutes the last heaven-sent message of mercy to the world. It is not surprising, therefore, if from time to time the enemy should endeavour to confuse and mislead those who embrace this message by originating some false movement, some schismatic teaching, which, while having a semblance of truth, will be solely intended to obscure the real issue, and seduce the unwary. An examination of the history of the advent movement reveals that this is the case. Men have arisen claiming to have some special light, which, upon careful investigation, has proved to be false light. See 2 Cor. 11:13-15. Their minds were illuminated by nothing more than sparks of their own kindling.

One of the latest theories, which has for its ultimate object, although not for its ostensible object, the subverting of the distinct truths of the “message,” is that which has been termed the Eden Day-line.”The advocates of this theory have appeared at different places preaching and circulating literature upon the subject amongst Seventh-day Adventists, for whose special consideration the whole question is intended. This being the case, it will be interesting and advisable to give the matter that rigid scrutiny that in times of crisis is demanded in order to determine whether it is a friend or foe, to determine whether, in spite of its plausible exterior, this new dogma does not conceal at its heart a deadly error, calculated to neutralise the entire force of the harmonious system of truth which Adventists hold so dear. The question has been presented to the denomination before, and has been ably dealt with in pamphlet form, and every position taken by the Eden day-line adherents has been fully met and refuted. But they are persistent, and because the question is somewhat technical and intricate, it can thus be readily manipulated to disturb the minds of those who do not trouble to reason deeply upon the subject. We understand another attempt is about to be made to unsettle the minds of our people upon this matter. It is therefore advisable that every one should fortify himself by obtaining a clear view of what is involved in this question, and also with a satisfactory argument with which to refute the error. We cannot conceive that God will leave His people to be confronted with an error for which there is not a simple solution, suitable for the defence and protection of every believing soul.

Before attempting to refute this erroneous theory it may be advisable first to give a brief outline of the position taken by those who defend the Eden day-line hypothesis. There is a place upon the globe, recognised by scientists, at which the day begins, and from which it travels around the earth from east to west, and in twenty-four hours finishes at the same place. That circuit constitutes a day consisting of darkness and light. “And the evening and the morning was the first day.” Gen. 1 : 6. The point at which the day commences and ends is marked by an imaginary line drawn from pole to pole at the one hundred and eightieth meridian, running almost through the centre of the Pacific Ocean. To the left of this line, on the eastern shores of Asia and Australia, the people are a day aheadof the people on the right side of the line, on the western shores of the Americas. That is, the Sabbath comes to the people in Melbourne and on the east coast of Australia about eighteen hours beforeit reaches the people in San Francisco, on the west coast of America. The people inhabiting these two cities live, roughly speaking, about 2,500 miles from the line, east and west. They really face each other across the line at a distance of about 5,000 miles. It will be seen, then, that when any one crosses this line on shipboard from America to Asia, west to east, he will find himself a day behind the people in Asia. That is, his Saturday will be their Sunday. On the other hand, if an individual crosses the line from east to west, from Asia to America he will find himself a day ahead. His Sunday will be their Saturday. This brings confusion, which is obviated by the simple method of observing a natural law, by changing the day at the crossing of the one hundred and eightieth meridian, or day-line.

It will be seen that if the day-line was to be moved from its position in the Pacific, where it divides two great continents, and was to be placed to the west of Asia and Australia, that would bring the count of days in those lands almost the same as in America. The Australians and the Asiatics would need to call their Sunday Saturday. This is exactly what the Eden day-line advocates are agitating for. They claim to be able to locate approximately the spot where the garden of Eden was situated on the earth. This spot, they say, is in Armenia, about 8,000 miles to the east of the present day-line. Here they locate the initial day-line, because they claim the first day started out from that particular spot on its circuit around the earth, consequently the first Sabbath originated here, and from this locality all succeeding Sabbaths must be dated, thus throwing the count of days one day back in Australia, making Sunday the seventh-day Sabbath.

Upon a candid examination from a. scripture standpoint, it will be found that the whole question is a subtle device of the enemy to impede the progress of the great message for these times, namely, the Sabbath reform. In this enquiry, when the most is made of the question, it will be seen that, under an apparent stickling for a conscientious exactness as to the true day, the enemy cleverly changes the issue of the question involved in the last message, from being one of worship and loyalty to God, or obedience to and worship of the church of Rome, under the symbol of the beast and his image, to that of a merely technical question of exactness, involving no principle of choice between two rival powers, and totally eliminating the Romish element, and of conflict with the beast and his image, which is the very essence of the prophetic warning. It completely changes the purport, scope, and nature of the last movement of the closing reform from a grand principle, and narrows it down to a technical quibble under the guise of a conscientious scruple for the honour of God.

That this latter-day delusion is absolutely without foundation, and has no claim upon the serious attention of God’s people is shown as follows: In Amos 3:7 this important statement is made, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets,” Taking this as the basis of our investigations into this theory, what do we find ?—We find that its advocates point to it as a later development of the message intended to sift the wheat from the chaff. If this is so, then we have a right to ask for its scriptural credentials. The message itself is based upon the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation. But for these prophecies no such movement would or could exist. This is quite in accordance with Amos 3:7. This movement has been revealed to His servants the prophets, Daniel and John. We now ask any advocate of the Eden day-line to point to one prophet who has had a revelation upon the subject, or to show one passage of scripture that even remotely alludes to this latest phase which they advocate. We have a right to ask for definite, plain prophecies in accordance with Amos 3:7. Not one can be found from Genesis to Revelation. Thus the whole theory stands unmasked as a latter-day delusion devised for the purpose of leading away from the great issue, “If any man worship the beast or his image,” etc. The Romish element is indispensable to the last message, it is the crux of the movement. The Eden day-line, technical, intricate, and obscure, knows nothing of this element, and need not occasion any conscientious concern to a single soul. In this last great closing’ movement the issue is clear-cut—the beast and his image or the commandments of God. All that needs to be decided in any locality is, Which day does Rome honour as a sabbath? The answer is invariably, “Sunday.” Then, in order to embrace the third angel’s message, loyalty to God calls upon us to keep the day which precedes the Roman festival, that is, Saturday. The question of exactness as to the place of the beginning and ending of the first day is a totally distinct question which has never been raised by divine authority nor introduced by Scripture. The present condition of things concerning the days of the week is accepted and recognised by all properly constituted authorities, and under this condition of affairs the issue can be clearly ascertained and decided, which is, God or Rome?” “first day or seventh day?” Keep the day immediately preceding that one which Rome honours, and you are safe in this matter.
​

By T. Whittle - A False Issue - The Day-line - Seventh-day Sabbath Issues

 

[The Fundamentalist]

(Source The Bible Echo, January 28, 1901. High-lighting added by Sabbath Issues editor.)

WE are living in times when not only many old errors are being revived and strenuously advocated, but when many new and strange theoriesare being advanced and seeking recognition. One of the latter is that Eden, or the place where Eden is supposed to have been located, marks the place at which the true day-line should be drawn, instead of the point in the Pacific where the streams of emigration have come together.

In the first place it may be noticed that the whole theory is based upon an assumption. Its advocates assume that the day-line must be where man was placed in the beginning, and where Christ lived when on the earth; but the Bible does not say so. They have to assume the very point that they try to establish and prove.

In the second place, the theory, if correct, and had it been carried out by a sinless race, would have caused confusion from the very beginning. It cannot therefore be of God, for God is not the author of confusion. The theory is that where Eden was, that marks the place of the true day-line. Every new day should begin there; westward from this point the reckoning should be twenty-four hours in advance of that immediately eastward. In other words, if one of Adam’s sons had taken up his home one mile west of Eden, and another taken his up one mile east, they would needed to have reckoned themselves as living in different days, though living only about two miles apart. While standing under the same shining sun, the one to the west would have called a certain day the first day of the week, while the one to the east would have called the self-same day the seventh! To be more specific, they could not have met together for worship and kept the same Sabbath, though living only two miles apart. One would have needed to have kept his Sabbath twenty-four hours before the other kept his!

As all can readily see, this would have created confusion, and made a most unhappy and unseemly division in the Adamic family. The place which above all others on earth should have been marked as a place for family reunions and harmony in seasons of worship, would have been the place of confusion and division.

Adam was to be the father and king of the whole human family. Eden was given to him as his permanent home. His descendants would naturally scatter and make homes for themselves in all directions from Eden. Adam being father and king, and Eden being his home, his descendants, had the race not fallen, would naturally have come to him, and thus to Eden, for Sabbath services, family reunions, etc. In order that there might be harmony and a united service, they would all, from which ever quarter they might have come, needed to bring the same day with them, and all reckoned days the same when they arrived there. But this would have been impossible had they considered Eden as the place of the day-line, and went out reckoning different days on different sides of Eden.

It would be the most natural thing in the world, for men, as they migrated from Eden, to take the Eden day with them, no matter which way they travelled. When, in the course of their emigrations, they met on the other side of the earth, they would, of course, find themselves twenty-four hours apart. But this would not matter, as that would not be the place for general meetings or Sabbath services. But of all places upon the earth, Eden, the birthplace of the race, should be the place of harmony of days and unity of reckoning. But the Eden day-line theory would make it the place of utmost confusion. On the very opposite side of the earth from Eden, therefore, at the point where the streams of emigration would meet, we would naturally conclude would be the natural and proper place for the day-line. And that is where Providence, nature, emigration, and common-sense have fixed it, in the broad waters of the Pacific.

Another argument greatly confirmatory of this position is the fact that this will be the very condition and arrangement of things in the new earth, when Eden is restored. The Edenic site will be a place of general meetings and harmony in reckoning of days. This is shown from the Bible. When Christ descends at the close of the millennium, His feet will touch the Mount of Olives, which will spread out and become a great plain, preparatory to the descent and final resting- place of the New Jerusalem. Zech. 14:4,8-9; Rev. 21:2. Zechariah 14:16 shows that this is the place where the people will assemble from time to time to worship God; and Isaiah 66:22-23 says that in the new earth all flesh shall come from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, to worship before the Lord. Those who come from the east will bring the same day with them as those who come from the west. All will keep the same Sabbath at Jerusalem, not two different days, as they would necessarily if that was the place to locate the true day-line. The day-line will be on the very opposite side of the earth from Eden and Jerusalem.

The Eden day-line theory, therefore, is as wide of the mark as it possibly can be. It has neither Bible, common-sense, nor historic facts to support it. It is only one more of the many other like modern delusions and winds of doctrines brought in to evade the cross of keeping the true seventh day Sabbath, to confuse the minds of the simple, and to nullify God’s message for this time. It bears no stamp of truth or divinity about it. It teaches that in all the countries east of Palestine over to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the people are wrong in their reckoning of the days of the week; that they are one day ahead of time; that what they call Sunday is in reality the seventh day Sabbath, and that therefore the people in India, China, Siberia, the East Indies, Japan, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and many of the islands of the Pacific should keep Sunday as the true seventh day! The people of all these countries constitute about one half the population of the globe. The Sabbath of the Lord, according to the Bible, is the seal of God; the false Sabbath is the mark of apostasy. If, however, what is called Sunday in these countries is the true Sabbath and seal of God, what, pray tell, is the mark of apostasy? Any doctrine which nullifies to half of the world the very pith and point of the last message God has for the entire world, cannot be of God. It deserves to be consigned to the silent shades of oblivion, as unworthy the serious consideration of any sane, thinking man.
​

by W. A. COLCORD. - A False Issue - The Day-line - Seventh-day Sabbath Issues

 

[The Fundamentalist]

Advindicate also has an article - Agenda for GC '15: Leadership on the Date Line Sabbath ? ADvindicate

Our Evangelists, Pastors, etc and Missionary workers/teams all numerously cross the day-line [by plane, boat, swim? , etc], and sometimes multiple times a month or even week depending upon the work required of them. Those in the Field Work fully understand this. None of them have issue with aligning to the time in the new locale or either gaining the day or dropping the day, since it all works out.

Those in Australia are on the right time, as those on the other side of the day-line are on their right time. Moving the day-line does not affect time, but only the position of people relative to time of sunrise/sunset.

For instance, those in Australia would be in a differing day than those on the other side of the line, since the earth is spherical, but once a person moves over the line [or the line over them], they should recalculate to be in harmony with the new position [ie, if a person crosses the day-line to get to Australia, they do not stubbornly refuse to keep Australian time, but change to it, and so it should be vice-versa, etc]. If that person moves back across the line [or the line moves across them] they should recalculate to the new position [let's say they came to California from Australia, and so they would need to recalculate to California time]. This time adjust happens all of the time, even from simply crossing basic time zones, say Pacific to Eastern, etc.

Satan is simply messing with peoples mental construct of time [he knows that grasping it in the mind is hard for many], in getting them to think something has been 'stolen' from them, when it has not.

For a physical example, get three person in a room setting and place a long piece of white tape between two people, and have the third person take one side or the other to begin with. Now the original two people will be on differing time, and the third person will start out with either one of those two times. Now have the third person cross the "line" of tape and ask the question, do they keep to their original position or to the new position in regards what time it is? It is obvious. Now move them back over, what happens? Do they remain with the crossed-over time, or to their original location time? It is obvious. Now move the Tape itself to one side or the other of all three. What happened in effect is the same as moving the persons. Simple.

 

[The Fundamentalist]

God is very clear in His Word that the weekly Sabbath is to be the seventh day, our modern day saturday.

We know this to be the right day be a couple of accounts... first, the jews have been keeping it perpetually since Sinai. The second evidence is that in many languages around the world the word for Saturday is Sabbath...

Arabic: Sabet
Armenian: Shabat
Bosnian: Subota
Bulgarian: Sabota
Corsican: Sàbatu
Croatian: Subota
Czech: Sobota
Georgian: Sabati
Greek: Savvato
Indonesian: Sabtu
Italian: Sabato
Latin: Sabbatum
Polish: Sobota
Portuguese: S ábado
Spanish: Sabado

It's always amazing how God preserves what is important to Him.

And just to think, since He has preserved what is important to Him in regards the name of the 7th Day, how much more will He preserve those who believe in Him and His promises and Covenant in the Blood of Jesus Christ the Son. The Holy 7th Day Sababth of the LORD thy God being the sign of completion and finishing of the very work of God in us...

 

[Smoky]

QUOTE: The [Def. art.] Sabbath, being the [Def. art.] 7th Day, is "made" [Creation] for "the [Def. art.] man", which "man" is anthropos, and in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, etc is "Adam" and thus all mankind in him:
Mark 2:27 KJV - And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for ["the"] man, and not ["the"] man for the sabbath: [* the definite article "the" is in the Greek manuscripts]

I don’t understand the point in all that. Jesus justified his desciples breaking the law by plucking heads of grain on the sabbath. They had a need that overode the letter of the law


‘QUOTE: Acts 15:21 KJV - For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

This was stated at the very council in Jerusalem where it was decided that Gentiles were not required to keep the law of Moses and circumcision.
Acts 15:5 (NKJV)
5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."
Acts 15:7-10 (RSV)
7 And after there had been much debate, Peter rose and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 And God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us;
9 and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore why do you make trial of God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
But to be respectful and non-offensive to Jews it says: Acts 15:20 (NKJV)
20 "but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.
Nothing is said in the Council of Jerusalem that Gentiles are required to keep the Sabbath. The same problem existed when Judiazers insisted that Gentiles be obligated to keep the Sabbath according to old testament law just like circumcision. Food and drink laws, no longer required under the new covenant, are mentioned alongside the Sabbath.
Colossians 2:16-17.



QUOTE: No it cannot be, since crossing the day-line means either gaining or losing time

It’s impossible to gain or lose time. Time goes on regardless of the zone you are in. The only thing that changes is the hourly time or the day of the week. You don’t gain or lose a day of your life by changing time zones. You can’t gain or lose a Sabbath either. You can end up observing it on a different day of the week, which would actually be a seventh part of time for you personally.


QUOTE: "... Between Samoa and Auckland we crossed the day-line, and for the first time in our lives we had a week of six days. Tuesday, December 1, was dropped from our reckoning, and we passed from Monday to Wednesday.
"[Page 18] Monday morning the ship headed north and east, passing between the Tongan Islands en route to Samoa. This would be a long week, for they would cross the dateline just before reaching Samoa, which would give them two Thursdays.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A WEEK OF SIX DAYS OR An EXTRA LONG WEEK. Week means “seven” just like sabbath meens seventh. If you are on board a ship, the only way you can take a sabbath is to observe one day out of seven whether or not you think you’ve lost one or gained one.


QUOTE: God made his Sabbath for a round world; and when the seventh day comes to us in that round world, controlled by the sun that rules the day, it is the time in all countries and lands to observe the Sabbath. ..."

Technically, under this line of reasoning, you wouldn’t need to observe a Sabbath at all as long as you stay out of the Sabbath zone going around the world. Say an astronout circling the globe. I disagree. I believe the 24 hour days pass for us individually even if we stay in Thursday or Friday perpetually or any other day. When seven 24 hour periods pass for us we need to rest no matter what day we are in. You could stay in Saturday all the time if you circled the globe on that day. Then according to Sister White, you would never have to do your weekly work.

QUOTE: There is a place upon the globe, recognised by scientists, at which the day begins, and from which it travels around the earth from east to west, and in twenty-four hours finishes at the same place. That circuit constitutes a day consisting of darkness and light. “And the evening and the morning was the first day.” Gen. 1 : 6. The point at which the day commences and ends is marked by an imaginary line drawn from pole to pole at the one hundred and eightieth meridian, running almost through the centre of the Pacific Ocean.

But like I say, we don’t know where that line is unless it is revealed in the Bible some place. Do you trust scientists, or human beings to determine where IDL is?