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Daughters of God
told her that my mind was unprepared for any such matter as women
voting. She had been thinking and dwelling upon these things and her
mind was ripe upon them, while my work was of another character.
We were doing upon the point of temperance what no other class of
people in the world were. We were as much in favor of a pledge against
tobacco as liquor.”—
Manuscript Releases 10:69
.
8. It is likely that Ellen White did not suggest at any time that
the Seventh-day Adventist Church should commence the practice
of ordaining women to the gospel ministry. Her secretary, C. C.
Crisler, says that she was very cautious on this point. Here is the
correspondence relating to this question:
“March 12, 1916
“Mr. Clarence Crisler, Sanitarium [California
]
“Dear brother,
“Will you please inform me in regard to the setting apart of women
who can give some time to missionary work, by laying on hands in
prayer, found in Review and Herald, back in the early part of the
nineties, probably back in about 1892 or 1893, from the pen of Sister
White
.
“The reason I ask for this, I was in a recent meeting where Elder
Andross set aside women by the laying on of hands, and when I asked
him for the authority for so doing, he referred me to you, and as I have
been a Bible worker for a number of years and have recently been
granted a ministerial license, I want this information
.
[254]
“Please answer at once, as I want to hear from you before I go to
the Southwestern Union Conference, which convenes April 7. Please
send me two or three copies of her statement, as the president of our
conference wants one.”—Mrs. L. E. Cox, 134 Agarita Avenue, San
Antonio, Texas
.
“March 22, 1916
“Mrs. L. E. Cox, San Antonio, Texas
“Dear sister,
“I have your letter of the twelfth, making inquiry regarding the ordi-
nation of women who give some time to missionary work—particularly
to some statement which you believe to be found in a Review early in
the nineties, from the pen of Mrs. Ellen G. White
.
“As this query will require some study on my part, and searching,
and as I must go to Mountain View in the morning for a few days, I am