Our Roots, Pt. 24

There were some who thought the 1893 General Conference Session would be an occasion where the organizational issues plaguing the Church would finally be addressed. Ellen White, who was then living with her son W. C. White in Australia, wrote a long letter about organization to be read at the Session. So far as we can tell the full letter has never been released to the public by the White Estate, but the portion of it which is available is included below. (Some will notice that a few of the paragraphs are familiar. Ellen White was in the habit of borrowing statements she had previously written where applicable to address whatever subject was at hand, and it appears that some of this letter was later incorporated into the article from 1905 which we featured in Our Roots, Pt. 2.)

“I learn that it is proposed by some of our brethren to do away with the organization of some, at least, of the branches of our work. No doubt what has led them to propose this step is that in some of our organizations the machinery has been made so complicated as really to hinder the work. This, however, is not an argument against organization, but against the perversion of it.

“It is nearly forty years since organization was introduced among us as a people. I was one of the number who had an experience in establishing it from the first. I know the difficulties that had to be met, the evils which it was designed to correct, and I have watched its influence in connection with the growth of the cause. At an early stage in the work, God gave us special light upon this point, and this light, together with the lessons that experience has taught us, should be carefully considered. . . .

“We had a hard struggle in establishing organization. Notwithstanding that the Lord gave testimony after testimony upon this point, the opposition was strong, and it had to be met again and again. But we knew that the Lord God of Israel was leading us, and guiding by His providence. We engaged in the work of organization, and marked prosperity attended this advance movement. As the development of the work called upon us to engage in new enterprises, we were prepared to enter upon them. The Lord directed our minds to the importance of educational work. We saw the need of schools that our children might receive instruction, free from the errors of false philosophy, that their training might be in harmony with the principles of the word of God. The need of health institutions had been urged upon us, both for the help and instruction of our own people and as a means of blessing and enlightenment of others. This enterprise also was carried forward. All this was missionary work of the highest order. Our work was not sustained by large gifts and legacies: for we have few wealthy men among us. What is the secret of our prosperity? We have moved under the order of the Captain of our salvation. God has blessed our united efforts. The truth has spread and flourished. Institutions have multiplied. The mustard seed has grown to a great tree. The system of organization has proved a grand success. Systematic benevolence was entered into according to the Bible plan. The body ‘has been complicated by that which every joint supplieth.’ As we have advanced, our system of organization has still proved effectual.

“In some parts of the work, it is true, the machinery has been made too complicated; especially has this been the case in the tract and missionary work; the multiplication of rules and regulations made is needlessly burdensome. An effort should be made to simplify the work, so as to avoid all needless labor and perplexity.

“The business of our Conference sessions has sometimes been burdened down with propositions and resolutions that were not at all essential, and that would never have been presented if the sons and daughters of God had been walking carefully and prayerfully before Him. The fewer rules and regulations that we can have, the better will be the effect in the end. When they are made, let them be carefully considered, and, if wise, let it be seen that they mean something, and are not to become a dead letter. Do not, however, encumber any branch of the work with unnecessary, burdensome restrictions and inventions of men. In this period of the world's history, with the vast work that is before us, we need to observe the greatest simplicity, and the work will be the stronger for its simplicity.

“Let none entertain the thought, however, that we can dispense with organization. It has cost us much study and many prayers for wisdom that we know God has answered, to erect this structure. It has been built up by His direction, through much sacrifice and conflict. Let none of our brethren be so deceived as to attempt to tear it down, for you will thus bring in a condition of things that you do not dream of. In the name of the Lord I declare to you that it is to stand, strengthened, established, and settled. At God's command, ‘Go forward,’ we advanced when the difficulties to be surmounted made the advance seem impossible. We know how much it has cost to work out God's plans in the past, which has made us as a people what we are. Then let every one be exceedingly careful not to unsettle minds in regard to those things that God has ordained for our prosperity and success in advancing his cause.

“The work is soon to close. The members of the church militant who have proved faithful will become the church triumphant. In reviewing our past history, having travelled over every step of advance to our present standing, I can say, Praise God! As I see what God has wrought, I am filled with astonishment and with confidence in Christ as Leader. We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and his teaching in our past history. We are now a strong people, if we will put our trust in the Lord; for we are handling the mighty truths of the word of God. We have everything to be thankful for. If we walk in the light as it shines upon us from the living oracles of God, we shall have large responsibilities, corresponding to the great light given us of God. We have many duties to perform, because we have been made the depositories of sacred truth to be given to the world in all its beauty and glory. We are debtors to God to use every advantage he has entrusted to us to beautify the truth of holiness of character, and to send the message of warning, and of comfort, of hope and love, to those who are in the darkness of error and sin.

"Thank God for what has already been done in providing for our youth facilities for religious and intellectual training. Many have been educated to act a part in the various branches of the work, not only in America but in foreign fields. The press has furnished literature that has spread far and wide the knowledge of the truth. Let all the gifts that like rivulets have swelled the stream of benevolence be recognized as a cause of thanksgiving to God.

"We have an army of youth today who can do much if they are properly directed and encouraged. We want our children to believe the truth. We want them to be blessed of God. We want them to act a part in well organized plans for helping other youth. Let all be so trained that they may rightly represent the truth, giving the reason of the hope that is within them, and honoring God in any branch of the work where they are qualified to labor.

“We are still free to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience. As the disciples of Christ it is our duty to diffuse light which we know that the world has not. Let the people of God be ‘rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.’” (Letter 32, 1892, To the Brethren of the General Conference, December 19, 1892)

A careful reading of this letter suggests that there were those who were advocating the complete elimination of certain auxiliaries as a way of simplifying the organization, and that Ellen White’s purpose in this letter was to convince them not to do this. Instead, she advised overall simplification of their processes without the loss of any specialty. This nuanced intention was lost on the Session delegates. They interpreted the letter as instruction to not in any way change the situation of the auxiliaries.

The delegate’s interpretation of Ellen White’s letter effectively squashed the broader and more adventuresome proposals for organizational improvement, but there was one minor organizational refinement that was approved at the 1893 Session. The district system of administrative oversight was expanded. Since 1889 North America had been divided into six administrative districts and the rest of the world had been considered district seven. At the 1893 General Conference Session the territory known as Australasia (which was comprised of Australia and the nearby Asian countries) became district seven and Europe became district eight.

Olsen, who was still General Conference President, was content with this small change in the organization. He believed that the district system would eventually lead to the district superintendents assuming a large portion of the administrative duties which were currently the responsibility of the General Conference President, thereby accomplishing decentralization. Others were less thrilled with this paltry improvement in the organizational system.

Next: Australasia