Ellen White: Woman of Vision

Steps Toward Reorganization

According to the General Conference Bulletin the first Sabbath of the General Conference session, April 6, was a great day. “Sister White spoke in the Tabernacle at 11:00 a.m. to an overflowing house. Not only was every available seating space occupied, but every foot of standing room was covered.” The estimate was that approximately 5,000 people worshiped that Sabbath morning in Battle Creek, “making [it] the largest Sabbath meeting ever held” in that city (Ibid., 1901, 89). WV 388.4

If Ellen White's voice had not been heard in a General Conference session for 10 years, it was heard in this conference of 1901. This was the most largely attended session thus far held by Seventh-day Adventists. In addition to the delegates, there were 1,500 visitors from all parts of the United States, and the comment was made, “All of these seem of one heart and mind to make this the greatest and best occasion of their lives” (Ibid., 65). WV 388.5

At 5:30 Tuesday morning, April 9, Mrs. White again gave the morning devotional study. Her topic was the need of missionary effort. She thanked the Lord that He was working in their midst, and said that this could be so only when His people draw together. “There seems to be in this meeting an endeavor to press together. This is the word which for the last fifty years I have heard from the angelic host—press together, press together. Let us try to do this” (Ibid., 182). WV 388.6

Elder Daniells, with his implicit trust in the messages of the Spirit of Prophecy and his recent experience in leading in the organization of the work in Australia, was the man of the hour. Standing at the head of the Committee on Counsel, he was the man to step forward and fearlessly initiate steps toward reorganization. After reviewing the general needs and the directions in which the work should move, the first task was to set up subcommittees. First to be appointed was a committee on organization, with W. C. White as chairman. Then followed the naming of other committees, on education, on colporteur work, on publishing, on missionary work, et cetera. But it was the committee on organization especially that often brought its reports to the conference as a whole. And it was these reports that gained first attention. WV 389.1