Ellen White’s Special Work

The entire picture is laid out fully by Arthur L. White, Ellen White’s grandson, in his biography of the prophet. ^{35Ibid., pp. 389-397} The basic facts are these: Part of Mrs. White’s divine commission dealt with meeting the needs of elderly ministers no longer able to work and draw a salary. She states: “I was charged not to neglect or pass by those who were being wronged.… If I see those in positions of trust neglecting aged ministers, I am to present the matter to those whose duty it is to care for them. Ministers who have faithfully done their work are not to be forgotten or neglected when they have become feeble in health.” ^{36Selected Messages 1:33}EGWCPT 12.6

Those words were written in 1906, five years before the church instituted a pension plan for denominational retirees, and long before the United States government made provision for a pension for retired Americans with the Social Security Act of 1935.EGWCPT 12.7

Today, church workers, not only in the United States but in many other countries as well, can live in retirement with at least a measure of comfort from the combined income of their church and government pensions. But before 1911, when a minister retired, his income ceased. Some then became destitute. And there were some who were destitute even before they retired.EGWCPT 12.8

When acute cases of impoverished workers were brought to Mrs. White’s attention, she first contacted conference officials. Often this was sufficient, and aid was forthcoming. But occasionally there were problems, particularly in the southern States, where operating funds were always in short supply, and sometimes almost non-existent. In such instances Mrs. White stepped in, using a portion of her own tithe and, on occasion, tithe funds placed with her by other church members as well.EGWCPT 12.9

For many years Ellen White carried an extraordinary burden for the work in the South. Her son, J. Edson White, shared this burden. With the blessing of the General Conference administration, Edson founded the Southern Missionary Society in 1895. This Society fostered work largely among African-Americans in the southern States. Mrs. White at times made private appeals for church members to aid this struggling, needy, and worthy work.EGWCPT 12.10