Chapter 30—Ellen White’s Assistants
To W. F. C., September 6, 1895 [
Both Brother W. F. C. and
Fannie Y were employees of Ellen White, first at Melbourne, and
later at Cooranbong, New South Wales. In 1895 Mrs. White and her
staff were living and working in tents while Sunnyside, the permanent
residence, was being built.
]—This morning as I came from the school
ground I saw your horse fastened to a tree before the tent occupied by
Fannie Y. After a while I went to the tent. A lady from Newcastle and
Jessie Israel were visiting Fannie. You were sitting down, writing on
the typewriter. Why did you not take the typewriter at once into the
dining tent? What impression can such a course make upon the mind
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of the young girl visiting at the school? It made an impression that
was anything but favorable.
Your freedom with young women is improper, but it is so natural
and common to you that you think nothing of it. The Word of God has
told you that you are to abstain from the very appearance of evil; but do
you? You are a married man, with a wife and two boys, whom you have
left in America, and this fact should be sufficient, without any further
prompting, to lead you to cultivate sobriety and carefulness in your
association with others.... I write these things to you because you are
deceiving Fannie, and she is apparently totally blind and infatuated....
Placing yourself in the society of Fannie as much as you did while
at Melbourne had not only the appearance of evil, but was evil. You
enjoyed it, but you should have had discernment to understand that by
your course of action you were encouraging others in the same path.
I am now going to Tasmania, and you and Fannie will remain
at Avondale. After my absence, you will feel inclined to associate
together more freely, because I am not present to hold the fort. I fear
you will dishonor the truth by your familiarity. I decidedly protest
against this. Keep yourself out of Fannie’s tent, or else a scandal will
be created.—
Letter 17, 1895
.
To W. F. C., c. September 1895—I have had very little help from
Fannie for many months, not because she cannot work, but her associ-
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