Ellen G. White: The Later Elmshaven Years: 1905-1915 (vol. 6)

Meeting the Appeal for Guiding Counsel

Elder G. A. Irwin, vice-president of the General Conference, was to be present, and the president of the Central Union Conference, Elder E. T. Russell, was also to be there. These two church leaders requested Ellen White to send them any instruction she had relating to the questions that would come to the front at those meetings. She began to respond to this request before leaving for southern California on August 10. Search was made in the various sources of her existing writings in the Elmshaven office that would provide materials. A key item found was an address she had given at a council at Basel, Switzerland, on September 24, 1885. 6BIO 45.1

From a long chapter in Testimonies, volume 7, published in 1902, “God's Purpose in Our Publishing Houses,” selection of material was made that would be of particular value in helping the workers in the College View plant see the very exalted nature of the work in which they were engaged. They were also reminded that the church's publishing houses were to be training schools for workers. The materials selected came from pages 140, 142-144, and 146-149. Another article appearing in volume 7 on pages 191-193 was selected for use. A third article was made up of materials selected from the Testimonies relating to the publishing work at home and abroad and containing excerpts from volumes 7 and 8. From her manuscripts a little item was chosen presenting her observation in Switzerland of men working together in a well-organized way. Thus Ellen White's staff worked getting ready for the September 5 deadline for the College View meetings. 6BIO 45.2

Soon after leaving Los Angeles and its camp meeting on August 20, Ellen White went to Loma Linda and wrote three testimonies to aid in dealing specifically with situations that would be met at College View. The first of these carried the dateline Loma Linda, August 24, 1905, and was addressed to “Our Brethren Connected With the Publishing Work at College View.” She opened with a reference to her attending the council held the year before at College View in connection with the first annual meetings of the International Publishing Association. At that meeting her mind was deeply exercised, she said, “regarding the unity which should attend our work.” This set the tone for her letter. [The several Ellen G. White statements regarding the publishing work in college view and separate conferences were drawn together as parts of Manuscript 94, 1905, and later published as Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 4 (see especially pp. 22-32, where quotations in this chapter can be found). See also Testimonies for the Church 9:186-198.] 6BIO 45.3

She asked: 6BIO 46.1

Why are many of us so weak and inefficient? It is because we look to self, studying our own temperament and wondering how we can make a place for ourselves, our individuality, and our peculiarities, in the place of studying Christ and His character.

She declared: 6BIO 46.2

Brethren who could work together in harmony if they would learn of Christ, forgetting that they are Americans or Europeans, Germans or Frenchmen, Swedes, Danes, or Norwegians, seem to feel that if they should blend with those of other nationalities, something of that which is peculiar to their own country and nation would be lost, and something else would take its place.

She urged: 6BIO 46.3

My brethren, let us put all of that aside. We have no right to keep our minds stayed on ourselves, our preferences, and our fancies. We are not to seek to maintain a peculiar identity of our own, a personality, an individuality, which will separate us from our fellow laborers. We have a character to maintain, but it is the character of Christ.

The second communication written from Loma Linda on the same day, August 24, titled “The Publishing Work at College View, “was in more general terms. It opened with the words: 6BIO 46.4

I approve of the efforts that have been made to establish our German and Scandinavian publishing work at College View. I hope that plans will be devised for the encouragement and strengthening of this work. 6BIO 46.5

She came right to the subject in stating: 6BIO 47.1

Our German and Danish and Swedish brethren have no good reason for not being able to act in harmony in the publishing work. Those who believe the truth should remember that they are God's little children, under His training. Let them be thankful to God for His manifold mercies and be kind to one another. They have one God and one Saviour; and one Spirit—the Spirit of Christ—is to bring unity into their ranks.

It is in this testimony that we find Ellen White's classic statement that has been used in several E. G. White compilations: 6BIO 47.2

Christ recognized no distinction of nationality or rank or creed. The scribes and Pharisees desired to make a local and a national benefit of all the gifts of heaven, and to exclude the rest of God's family in the world. But Christ came to break down every wall of partition. He came to show that His gift of mercy and love is as unconfined as the air, the light, or the showers of rain that refresh the earth. 6BIO 47.3