Ellen White: Woman of Vision

Preview Of The Conference

Two days before the General Conference session opened, church leaders held some unofficial precouncil meetings. Such a group gathered on Sunday evening, March 31. As they moved into their discussions, they decided to adjourn until a meeting could be held that would be more widely attended, and at which Ellen White could be present. WV 384.5

Quite a representative group met in the college library on Monday afternoon. It included the General Conference Committee, the Foreign Mission Board, conference presidents, and institutional leaders. The room was packed. Elder Daniells took along a secretary, Clarence C. Crisler; and Dr. Kellogg took his private secretary to report the meeting. The records of the meeting include the reports as transcribed by both men, with some understandable slight variations in wording. WV 384.6

Mrs. White had consented to be present and to lay before the brethren some matters that had been opened up to her mind. WV 385.1

Although Elder Irwin was president of the General Conference, Elder Daniells, who had recently come from Australia, was in the chair. In Australia he, with W. C. White, had developed a union conference, binding the local conferences in Australia together in an effective organization. WV 385.2

After making an introductory statement and telling of a meeting with Ellen White in the morning, at which time she had been invited to attend the afternoon meeting, Daniells expressed his pleasure that she was present, and invited her to speak. She replied: “I did not expect to lead out in this meeting. I thought I would let you lead out, and then if I had anything to say, I would say it” (Manuscript 43a, 1901). To this Daniells replied, “Well, it seemed to me (and I think to all of us who counseled with you this morning) that we had said about as much as we wished to until we heard from you.” WV 385.3

Ellen White came directly to the point: WV 385.4

I would prefer not to speak today, though not because I have nothing to say. I have something to say. WV 385.5

Some of the points she brought out were: WV 385.6

Never should the mind of one man or the minds of a few men be regarded as sufficient in wisdom and power to control the work and say what plans shall be followed. The burden of the work in this broad field should not rest upon two or three men. We are not reaching the high standard which, with the great and important truth we are handling, God expects us to reach.... WV 385.7

There must be a committee, not composed of half a dozen men, but of representatives from all lines of our work, from our publishing houses, from our educational institutions, and from our sanitariums, which have life in them, which are constantly working, constantly broadening (Manuscript 43, 1901). WV 385.8

She asked why more had not been done to open up new fields even in America. WV 385.9

From one point to another she moved. She branded as “contemptible in the sight of God, contemptible” (Manuscript 43a, 1901) the selfish, grasping financial policies of some, particularly in the publishing houses, who demanded high wages. She called for men to “stand as true to principle as the needle to the pole” (Manuscript 43, 1901). WV 385.10

She pointed out that God did not want the medical work separated from the gospel work, that the medical missionary work should be considered the pioneer work, “the breaking-up plow.” She said that “God wants every soul to stand shoulder to shoulder with Dr. Kellogg.” She referred to his work in Chicago as she had seen it a few days before. Then she went on to point out that Kellogg should work to reach the higher classes and the wealthy classes. Her closing words were in exaltation of the Word of God. WV 385.11

It was a solemn meeting. Mrs. White had not failed to deal with the matters that were heavy on her heart, matters that concerned the welfare of the General Conference session about to open and the welfare of the work of the church at large. Her talk pointed in the direction the General Conference should take in its work. The session, scheduled for a full three weeks, opened the next morning. WV 386.1