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The Retirement Years
“Now, Ellen, calls will be made as they have been, desiring you
to attend important meetings, as has been the case in the past. But
lay this matter before God and make no response to the most earnest
invitations. Your life hangs as it were upon a thread. You must have
quiet rest, freedom from all excitement and from all disagreeable
cares. We might have done a great deal for years with our pens, on
subjects the people need that we have had light upon and can present
before them, which others do not have. Thus you can work when your
strength returns, as it will, and you can do far more with your pen than
with your voice.”
He looked at me appealingly and said, “You will not neglect these
cautions, will you, Ellen? Our people will never know under what
infirmities we have labored to serve them because our lives were
interwoven with the progress of the work, but God knows it all. I regret
that I have felt so deeply and labored unreasonably in emergencies,
regardless of the laws of life and health. The Lord did not require
us to carry so heavy burdens and many of our brethren so few. We
ought to have gone to the Pacific Coast before, and devoted our time
and energies to writing. Will you do this now? Will you, as your
strength returns, take your pen and write out these things we have so
long anticipated, and make haste slowly? There is important matter
which the people need. Make this your first business. You will have
to speak some to the people, but shun the responsibilities which have
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borne us down.”
“Well,” said I, “James, you are always to stay with me now and we
will work together.” Said he, “I stayed in Battle Creek too long. I ought
to have gone to California more than one year ago. But I wanted to
help the work and institutions at Battle Creek. I have made a mistake.
Your heart is tender. You will be inclined to make the same mistakes
I have made. Your life can be of use to the cause of God. Oh, those
precious subjects the Lord would have had me bring before the people,
precious jewels of light!”
I awoke. But this dream seemed so real. Now you can see and
understand why I feel no duty to go to Battle Creek for the purpose
of shouldering the responsibilities in General Conference. I have no
duty to stand in General Conference. The Lord forbids me. That is
enough.—
Letter 17, 1881
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