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424
Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers
delegates. In her writings, published and unpublished, there are
many references to the president of the General Conference, to his
responsibilities, and to the attitudes which he should manifest
.
In the year 1902, the General Conference Committee, which
at the session of 1901 had been empowered to organize itself and
choose its own officers, created the office of vice-president of the
General Conference, and selected a man to fill that office. From that
time onward the burdens of leadership were shouldered by more
than one man. The General Conference constitution provides for
several general vice-presidents, and for a vice-president of each
world division, of which there are thirteen
.
Page 349.
The present order of things must change
: See Histori-
[531]
cal Foreword relating to the situations in Battle Creek that are here
referred to
.
Page 359.
The General Conference is becoming corrupted
: See
Historical Foreword for the setting of this and other strong statements
appearing in this chapter penned in 1895
.
Page 366.
Species of slavery
: See Historical Foreword concern-
ing the situation at Battle Creek in the middle 1890’s
.
Page 373.
The Lord about to turn and overturn in institutions
:
As explained in the Historical Foreword, certain of the institutions
in Battle Creek were being managed by men who had lost their
consecration of heart. Warning upon warning was sent, calling for a
change in the policies which were being followed. Some attempts
were made by some members of the boards to bring about changes,
but these proved futile. Nor was there a favorable response to Mrs.
White’s appeal made at the time of the General Conference session
of 1901. Near the close of the year, most solemn warnings appeared
in a communication addressed to the managers of the
Review and
Herald
, which were read to the Board in November, 1901. Ellen
White wrote:
“I feel a terror of soul as I see to what a pass our publishing
house has come.”—
Testimonies for the Church 8:91
.
On the same page she states: “I have been almost afraid to open
the
Review
, fearing to see that God has cleansed the publishing house
by fire.”
Thirteen months later, December 30, 1902, the publishing house
was destroyed by fire. The cause was never determined, but eyewit-