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Urged to Preach
attend an Adventist college to be near her. While attending the General Conference
Session in Milwaukee, Helen received and accepted a call to work in the Upper
Columbia Conference, made up of eastern Washington and Oregon and part of Idaho.
After only a year, Eugene cheerfully agreed to attend school at Walla Walla College in
Washington State. (Ibid.)
While attending Walla Walla College, Eugene accepted Christ. He went on from
college to Loma Linda University in California to study medicine. Before long Dr. Eugene
Williams was throwing his energies into the medical work of the Seventh-day Adventist
denomination. All four sons brought satisfaction to their mother’s heart: Eugene, the
doctor; Hugh, the minister; Lewis, the artist; and Irwin, the musician and farmer.
In the Northwest, Helen Williams functioned in the lines of work in which she
excelled, evangelistic and pastoral. She enjoyed her years in the Upper Columbia
Conference, preparing converts for baptism, pastoring, and preaching on Sabbath mornings as she had done in years past. Her title may have been that of Bible worker, but her
employment was that of a minister.
Working in the Viola district in Washington, Helen Williams taught prospective
members the beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists. Sometimes ministers specifically directed
interested people to Mrs. Williams’ church for nurturing.
The Harvest Ingathering solicitation in her area was effectively organized by Mrs.
Williams. She took laypersons out to work with her, teaching them how to approach
people and what to say. This work lasted for several months, almost until Christmas each
year. Now in her sixties, Mrs. William continued with energy and enthusiasm unabated.
In addition to the earlier painful experience that Helen Williams had suffered
concerning her ministerial license while in Chicago, another frustrating event occurred
near the end of her ministry. A woman whom she had trained to do Bible work came to
Mrs. Williams and said, “Sister _____ has a ministerial license; have you one?”
“No,” Helen Williams replied simply.
“Why not? You do the same kind of work,” the woman reasoned.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Helen answered. “I had one for many years.”
Several months later the same woman approached Mrs. Williams and asked, “Did you
not tell me that you had been issued a ministerial license for several years?”
“Yes,” Helen replied, “I told you that. Why? What difference does it make?”
“Well, I told Elder _____, and he said, `We have looked up Sister Williams’ record,
and she never had a ministerial license in her life. And if she says she has had, she lies
about it.’ ”
Mrs. Williams was surprised and hurt.
Despite the confusion and misunderstanding caused by intermittent licensing, Helen
Williams’ experiences were mostly positive and rewarding during her 35 years of official
ministry. After retirement she remained active because she loved her work, and also to
supplement her income so that she could help Eugene pay for his medical education.
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