The History and Use of the Tithe

8. A Partial Salary for Some Literature Evangelists

According to W. C. White, some colporteurs were provided a partial salary in Australia while Sister White was there. On June 11, 1902, he wrote the publishing director of the Lake Union Conference: HUT 20.1

“I see no light whatever in any wholesale move for placing canvassers on the payroll, and taking their commissions. I have studied the proposition many times, and I see nothing in it but financial ruin to the conference, and demoralization to the canvassers.

“There are many places, however, where our canvassers ought to be, but which are too difficult to work; and I believe it would be greatly to the advantage of our work if faithful men and women were selected to go into our cities and other fields that are especially difficult, with the promise of two to three dollars per week to assist them in their living expenses during those times in their work when their commissions do not give them ample support. I have seen this plan followed with excellent results, and I believe in it most heartily.

“In the Australian Colonies we could not afford to support Bible workers on the old-fashioned plan; but we secured as many colporteurs as we could get to sell the Bible Echo, the Health Journal, and our smaller books, in the large cities, and we paid these workers from two to two and a half dollars a week each from the conference tithe to assist them in their expenses. I believe that it will be necessary to follow a plan similar to this in many difficult fields.”—W. C. White to J. B. Blosser, June 11, 1902.

While we do not have a statement from Ellen White endorsing this use of tithe funds, it seems reasonable to conclude that she was in agreement with the plan, for it was in effect in Australia while she was there. The fact that W. C. White defended the plan would also seem to indicate that Ellen White approved of it. HUT 20.2