James Springer White (August 4, 1821 – August 6, 1881), also known as Elder White, was a co-founder of the

Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...

and husband of

Ellen G. White Ellen Gould White (née Harmon; November 26, 1827 – July 16, 1915) was an American woman author and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Along with other Adventist leaders such as Joseph Bates and her husband James White, she wa ...

. In 1849 he started the first Sabbatarian Adventist periodical entitled '' The Present Truth'', in 1855 he relocated the fledgling center of the movement to

Battle Creek, Michigan Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which enc ...

, and in 1863 played a pivotal role in the formal organization of the denomination. He later played a major role in the development of the Adventist educational structure beginning in 1874 with the formation of

Battle Creek College Andrews University is a private Seventh-day Adventist university in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Founded in 1874 as Battle Creek College, it was the first higher education facility started by Seventh-day Adventists and is the flagship univer ...

Early life

James White was born on August 4, 1821, in the town of

Palmyra, Maine Palmyra is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,924 at the 2020 census. History Palmyra was incorporated in 1807. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which ...

. The fifth of nine children, James was a sickly child who suffered fits and seizures. Poor eyesight prevented him from obtaining much education and he was required to work on the family farm. At age 19 his eyesight improved and he enrolled at a local academy. He earned a teaching certificate in the common branches and briefly taught at an elementary school. He was baptized into the Christian Connexion at age 15. He learned of the Millerite message from his parents and after hearing powerful preaching at an advent camp meeting in

Exeter, Maine Exeter is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 963 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and is water. History In ...

, White decided to leave teaching and become a preacher. Consequently, he has ordained a minister of the Christian Connexion in 1843. White was a powerful preacher, and it is recorded that during the winter of 1843, 1,000 people accepted the Millerite message owing to his preaching. At times, however, White was met with angry mobs who hurled

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s at him. During these early travels he met Ellen G. Harmon whom he married on August 30, 1846. James White and

had four boys, Henry Nichols (1847–1863), James Edson (1849–1928), William Clarence (1854–1937) and John Herbert (1860–1860).

Adventist service

The paper which James White initially started, "The Present Truth", was combined with another periodical called the "Advent Review" in 1850 to become the "Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald", still published as the "

Adventist Review The General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists is the governing organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its headquarters is located in Silver Spring, Maryland and oversees the church in directing its various divisions an ...

" today. This periodical became the main source of communication for the Sabbatarian Adventist movement regarding points of doctrine and organization. It also became a venue for James and Ellen White to quickly and efficiently share their views to like-minded believers. James White served as editor of the periodical until 1851 when he invited

Uriah Smith Uriah Smith (May 3, 1832 – March 6, 1903) was a Seventh-day Adventist author, minister, educator, and theologian who is best known as the longest serving editor of the ''Review and Herald'' (now the ''Adventist Review'') for over 50 years. Ur ...

to become editor. He played a senior role in the management of church publications as president of the Review and Herald Publishing Association. He also served on several occasions as president of the

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists The General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists is the governing organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its headquarters is located in Silver Spring, Maryland and oversees the church in directing its various divisions and ...

.(1865–1867; 1869–1871; 1874–1880). In 1865 White suffered from a paralytic stroke. White eventually determined that he should retire from the ministry and live out his days gracefully. In 1880, G. I. Butler replaced him as General Conference president. During the summer of 1881, White came down with a fever and was taken to the

Battle Creek Sanitarium The Battle Creek Sanitarium was a world-renowned health resort in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. It started in 1866 on health principles advocated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and from 1876 to 1943 was managed by Dr. John H ...

. Despite the efforts of Dr. Kellogg, White died on August 6, 1881.

Publications

White was a prolific writer and publisher for the Adventists. Some of his most popular publications include: *''Life Incidents'' (1868). Republished by

Andrews University Press Andrews University Press (AUP) is an academic publishing authority operated under the auspices of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Established with minimal funding in 1969, a permanent director was appointed in 1979. AUP now has ov ...

with an introduction by Jerry Moon
publisher's page
*''Word to the Little Flock'', 1847 Pamphlet *''Signs of the Times'', 1853 *''Life Incidents'', 1868 Steam Press *''Selections from Life Incidents'', 1868 Steam Press *''A Solemn Appeal Relative to Solitary Vice, and the Abuses and Excesses in Marriage Relation'', 1870 Steam Press *''Sermons on The Coming and Kingdom of Our Lord Jesus Christ'', 1870 Steam Press *''Sketches of the Christian Life and Public Labors of William Miller'', 1875 Steam Press *''The Sounding of the Seven Trumpets of Revelation 8 & 9'', 1875 Steam Press *''The Second Coming of Christ, Matthew 24'', 1876 *''Early Life & Experiences of Joseph Bates'', 1877 Steam Press *''Biblical Institute'', 1878 Steam Press *''Life Sketches'', 1880 Steam Press

References

Resources

* Gerald Wheeler. ''James White: Innovator and Overcomer''. Review and Herald, 2003