Understanding Ellen White

Expanding mission of the White Estate

Shortly after the transfer, in 1960, of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary from Takoma Park, Maryland, to Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, the White Estate trustees decided to open a branch office in the basement of the new seminary building. ⁴⁵ Complete copies of the unpublished letters and manuscripts along with many other original documents were located there. In more recent years, the White Estate Branch Office has become part of the Center for Adventist Research located in the James White Library. In 1986, the Ellen White Research Center located in the Del E. Webb Memorial Library at Loma Linda University was granted full branch office status. Then in 1999, a third branch office was established in the Eva B. Dykes Library at Oak- wood University. In 2014, the Oakwood branch office became a research center when Oakwood University became a part of the North American Division. Two additional branch offices were approved in 2013: Adventist University of Africa (AUA), located in Kenya, and Adventist International Institute for Adventist Studies (AIIAS) in the Philippines (opened in 2014). UEGW 219.4

In 1974, the Ellen G. White Estate, in cooperation with the General Conference, opened the first Ellen G. White Research Center at Newbold College in England. Between then and 2002, an Ellen White Research Center⁴⁶ was established in each of the church’s world divisions, ⁴⁷ with the exception of the North American Division. In 2015, the Oakwood branch office was reclassified as a research center, thus becoming the only division-operated research center in North America. The change occurred when corporate ownership of Oakwood University transferred from the General Conference to the North American Division. ⁴⁸ UEGW 220.1

In essence, research centers contain exactly the same types of White Estate resource materials as are found in the branch offices. The primary difference is in the funding of their operation. The General Conference provides most of the funding for the operation of branch offices. For the first research center in a division, the total cost of the primary resource materials, plus half of the cost of the director’s salary with benefits, is paid by the General Conference. The remaining costs of operation, including the office space occupied by the center plus all other office staffing, are provided locally. Some divisions have opted to operate additional research centers within their territories. In such instances, the division involved is responsible financially for the entire setup and operational costs for additional research centers. In a few instances, research centers are owned and operated by union conference institutions that are responsible for them financially. Whatever the source of funding, all Ellen White research centers operate under the policies established by the Ellen G. White Estate Board of Trustees, as outlined in the General Conference Working Policy.⁴⁹ UEGW 220.2

At the time of Ellen White’s death, the membership of the church was approximately 130,000, ⁵⁰ with the majority of those living in North America. By June 2013, world membership was 17,994,120, of which approximately 94 percent lived outside North America. ⁵¹ During the nearly one hundred years of its existence, the White Estate has always attempted to tailor its ministry to meet the changing needs and demographics of a rapidly growing church. This has been especially true with the translation and publication of Ellen White’s books in languages other than English. To date, Steps to Christ has been printed in more than 165 languages. At present, 115 Ellen White books and major pamphlets have been translated into at least one non-English language. Of that number, 37 have been translated into at least 10 non-English languages; 16 have been translated into at least 25 languages; 5 have been translated into at least 50 languages, and 2 have been translated into 75 or more languages. ⁵² Various programs promote the translation, publication, and distribution of Ellen White books into languages that church members around the world can read, and at an economical price. Many millions of Ellen White books have been published worldwide. These have been extensively promoted and generously subsidized by the denomination. The wide distribution in recent decades is unprecedented. UEGW 220.3

White Estate branch offices and research centers provide not only Ellen White resources, but also access to a wealth of other research materials for use by people living in their respective regions. The various offices and centers also conduct conferences, develop publications, and otherwise promote Adventist heritage and identity. UEGW 221.1

In 1996, the General Conference asked the White Estate to be responsible for promoting the Adventist heritage for the church. The following year the White Estate Board of Trustees became the constituency for Adventist Heritage Ministry. It operates Adventist historical sites including: the Joseph Bates boyhood home in Fairhaven, Massachusetts; the Hiram Edson farm in Port Gibson, New York; the William Miller home and farm near Whitehall, New York; and Historic Adventist Village in Battle Creek, Michigan. The organization seeks through heritage evangelism to keep alive, for the thousands of visitors who tour its sites each year, the story of God’s leading in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 2015, an associate director of the White Estate was designated to be the executive director of Adventist Heritage Ministry. UEGW 221.2

Following the instructions of Ellen White in her will, the White Estate has produced a number of helpful compilations on various topics utilizing her published and unpublished writings and more than twenty daily devotionals from Ellen White’s writings. It has also facilitated the publication, in facsimile format, of several early Ellen White publications. In addition, the White Estate sponsored the production of a six-volume biography of Ellen White, and college textbooks on Ellen White and the gift of prophecy. ⁵³ UEGW 221.3

In 1990, the White Estate introduced its then cutting-edge, state-of-the-art Ellen White CD-ROM. ⁵⁴ Since that initial offering, other CD-ROM products, phone and tablet apps, Web sites, and other electronic media have been developed in various languages. This expanding and essential process brings Ellen White materials to any person with access to the Internet. UEGW 222.1

For today’s English readers, the White Estate has developed modern English versions of several Ellen White books, ⁵⁵ gender-neutral daily devotionals, as well as paraphrases. In addition, the White Estate has produced for several years Ellen White Visionary for Kids,⁵⁶ a quarterly online magazine for children ages eight to fourteen, and other resources. UEGW 222.2

As the church has grown, the number of White Estate trustees has been in-creased from the five named by Ellen White in her will to fifteen trustees now, five of whom are Life Trustees. The other ten serve as Term Trustees, elected to five-year terms. Throughout the years, various individuals have chaired the White Estate Board and served as secretary/director. ⁵⁷ All of those associated with the White Estate are committed to keeping before church members and others the inspired counsels God gave to the Seventh-day Adventist Church through Ellen G. White. In short, the White Estate is dedicated to helping fulfill Ellen White’s prediction that, “though I should not live, these words that have been given to me by the Lord will still have life and will speak to the people.” ⁵⁸ UEGW 222.3