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Church Founder
Ellen White allowed proceeds from the sale of her book Christ’s Object Lessons to be
applied toward reduction of the college indebtedness of $23,000. More than $20,000 of
the debt was liquidated in this way.
For a time Ellen White “served, in a sense, as local pastor of the Kellyville, Prospect,
and Parramatta, N.S.W., churches.” Bert Haloviak, “Route to the Ordination of
Women,” p. 18. At the same time she was completing her book The Desire of Ages and
sending out personal testimonies. In her pastoral role Mrs. White waged energetic
warfare against economic hardships suffered by individuals and families during a severe
depression in Australia.
During this period a non-Adventist who heard Mrs. White speak exclaimed, “I never
heard such preaching as that woman gave us since I was born into the world. These
people make Christ the complete center and system of truth.” (Ellen White, letter to J. H.
Kellogg, October 25, 1894; Ellen White, letter to O. A. Olsen, October 26, 1894.)
Having preached, guided, and contributed financially, Ellen White left a solid basis for
the educational work in Australia when she returned to the United States in 1900.
While returning to the 1901 General Conference in Battle Creek, Mrs. White traveled through the South of the United States. She urged that schools and medical work
be established in that area and pointed out the need for suitable literature to be prepared
for the new Southern Publishing Association.
The cover of this book shows Mrs. White speaking at the 1901 General Conference in
the Battle Creek Tabernacle. At that time she advocated establishing training centers in
Great Britain and other European countries as well as in the South in the United States.
At the 1903 General Conference Ellen White spoke persuasively in favor of moving
the headquarters of the denomination from Battle Creek, following destruction by fire of
the General Conference and Review and Herald buildings there. Later she encouraged
careful consideration of the Washington, D.C., area for the church headquarters and
publishing house.
The 1909 General Conference was the last at which Ellen White addressed the
church leaders and members in person. Her sermons were packed with admonition for
the church, Biblical teaching, and the essence of the gospel. Although she was 81 years
of age and in poor health, she spoke 72 times in 27 places on the 8,000-mile trip from
her home near St. Helena, California, to the meetings in Washington, D.C., and in
return. (White, Life Sketches, 416.)
Back at her St. Helena home, “Elmshaven,” in the Napa Valley of northern California,
Mrs. White busily pursued completion of writing the Conflict of the Ages series, which
portrays God’s providence acting throughout earth’s history. She finished The Acts of
the Apostles in 1911 and Counsels to Teachers, Parents, and Students Regarding Christian
Education in 1913.
During her last years Ellen White continued to be cheerful. She loved to meditate on
a passage of Scripture or to be taken for a ride through the changing attractions of

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