Early Pioneers, 1888, Britain & Australia | Lineage | Broadcast 7 | Season 2

Summary

This video recounts the early struggles and sacrifices of Seventh-day Adventist pioneers, focusing on the hardships faced by leaders like J.N. Andrews and James White, who worked tirelessly despite personal loss and illness. It highlights key historical events, including the 1888 General Conference session, theological debates, and the expansion of the Adventist Church in Britain and Australia. The narrative emphasizes the dedication of young missionaries, the challenges of leadership, and how seeking God's will can be a journey of perseverance, even in the absence of clear direction.

Takeaways

• 📜 The early days of the Adventist Church saw frequent deaths due to overwork, poor diets, and inadequate vaccinations, with many young people buried at Mount Hope Cemetery.
• 💔 J.N. Andrews lost his wife Angeline at age 48, and later his daughter Mary to tuberculosis, contracting the disease himself after staying by her side until her death.
• ⚰️ J.N. Andrews passed away at the young age of 54, leaving an impact on the Adventist Church and its future direction, especially the 1888 General Conference session.
• 👨‍⚕️ James White worked tirelessly for the church, holding multiple roles, and died 34 years before his wife, Ellen White, in 1881.
• 🙏 Young Adventist pioneers, often in their teens and twenties, dedicated their lives to spreading the gospel, many of whom died early yet contributed significantly to the church’s growth.
• ⚔️ The 1888 General Conference session in Minneapolis was a controversial event, remembered for theological debates on righteousness by faith between younger and older leaders.
• 😔 The aftermath of the 1888 session led to ongoing tension, but also revivals and a deeper understanding of righteousness by faith, with Ellen White advocating for Christian unity in conflict.
• 🌍 S.N. Haskell was instrumental in spreading Adventism globally, especially in Australia and New Zealand, helping establish key institutions and training centers.
• 🛠 J.N. Loughborough faced challenges starting the Adventist work in Britain, but his persistence led to the establishment of the first Adventist church in the UK by 1883.
• 🤔 Ellen White’s call to Australia was not clear-cut, but she moved forward in faith, illustrating that God’s guidance is not always explicit and sometimes requires action despite uncertainty.

Q & A

Who was J.N. Andrews, and what significant events impacted his life?

J.N. Andrews was an early Seventh-day Adventist missionary and leader. His life was marked by tragedy, including the death of his wife Angeline and later his daughter Mary, who both passed away from illness. Andrews himself contracted tuberculosis from his daughter and died at 54.

What challenges did early Seventh-day Adventist pioneers face, according to the script?

Early Seventh-day Adventist pioneers faced significant challenges, including poor nutrition, inadequate vaccinations, and the frequent deaths of young people from diseases like tuberculosis. They also worked tirelessly, often leading to exhaustion and early death.

What was the significance of the 1888 General Conference session?

The 1888 General Conference session, held in Minneapolis, was a pivotal event in Adventist history. It was marked by theological tension, particularly around the topic of righteousness by faith, which led to a spirit of opposition and debate within the church.

What were the contributions of James White to the Seventh-day Adventist Church?

James White was a key figure in the Adventist Church, serving as the editor of the Review and Herald, General Conference president, and playing multiple roles that advanced the church's mission. He worked tirelessly, and his contributions left a lasting impact.

What impact did the 1888 debate over the law in Galatians have on the church?

The debate over whether the law in Galatians 3 referred to the ceremonial or moral law created significant division. Some feared it would undermine the Sabbath teaching, but over time, the church realized the issue wasn't as critical as originally thought.

How did the lives of pioneers like Nathaniel and Anna White end, and what role did tuberculosis play?

Nathaniel and Anna White, siblings of James White, both died young in their early 20s due to tuberculosis. The disease claimed many young lives during the early days of the church.

How did Stephen Haskell contribute to the growth of the Adventist Church?

Stephen Haskell played a significant role in organizing the New England Conference, founding the South Lancaster Academy, and promoting missionary efforts. He also pioneered the Vigilant Missionary Society, which evolved into the Adventist Book Center.

How did Ellen White respond to her call to go to Australia, and what does this teach about decision-making in faith?

Ellen White initially hesitated but eventually went to Australia despite not receiving clear divine direction. This teaches that sometimes God leaves decisions to individuals, and action is better than delay when there is no clear guidance.

What were some of the hardships Ellen White faced in Australia, and how did they impact her work?

Ellen White faced illness, including rheumatic fever, while in Australia. Despite this, she continued writing and produced the book 'The Desire of Ages.' Her personal struggles deepened her relationship with God and contributed to her spiritual growth.

What lessons can be drawn from the conflicts and debates within the Adventist Church, as highlighted by the 1888 session?

The 1888 session teaches the importance of maintaining Christ-like love and grace during theological conflicts. The script emphasizes the need to focus on the core message of Christ's love and righteousness rather than getting sidetracked by divisive issues.

Outlines

00:00

🕊️ Sacrifices of Early Adventist Pioneers

The early Adventist pioneers faced numerous hardships, including death from overwork and disease. John Nevins Andrews, an influential figure in the Adventist church, experienced personal tragedies as his wife, Angeline, passed away at 48, and his daughter, Mary, succumbed to tuberculosis despite medical intervention. Andrews’ deep commitment to his family, particularly his daughter, led to his contraction of tuberculosis, resulting in his early death at 54. His life raises questions about how his continued involvement might have shaped key church events, such as the 1888 General Conference session. The graves of these pioneers reflect the sacrifices of young people who dedicated their lives to spreading the Adventist message.

05:01

💬 Theological Debates at the 1888 General Conference

The 1888 General Conference session, held in Minneapolis, is remembered for its theological conflicts rather than its accomplishments. At the heart of the controversy were debates between A.T. Jones and E.J. Waggoner, who emphasized righteousness by faith, and older leaders like Uriah Smith and G.I. Butler, who opposed their teachings. The debates centered around the interpretation of the law in Galatians 3, which some feared threatened core Adventist beliefs like the Sabbath. Ellen White later described the event as one of the saddest in the church's history. Despite the tension, many were deeply impacted by the message, and revivals occurred throughout the U.S. in the following year.

10:01

🌍 Learning from 1888: Keeping Christ Central

Reflecting on the 1888 debates, the church eventually recognized that the issue over Galatians 3 was not as critical as once thought. Ellen White repeatedly stated that the law in Galatians should not have been the focal point of division. Instead, both sides lost sight of the central message of Christ’s righteousness. Jones and Waggoner, despite their brilliance, ultimately left the church, teaching the importance of following God’s word rather than individuals. The message they presented will need to be shared again, but with a greater emphasis on humility and the spirit of Christ.

15:02

🚀 Stephen Haskell’s Impact and Initiatives

Stephen Haskell, a pivotal figure in Adventist history, made a significant impact through his leadership and organizational abilities. Converted at 15, Haskell embraced the Sabbath after initially opposing it. He was ordained at 37 and served as the first president of the New England Conference. Haskell pioneered several initiatives, including the Vigilant Missionary Society, which eventually evolved into the Adventist Book Center. His work extended internationally, contributing to the establishment of the Adventist movement in Australia and New Zealand, and he played a role in founding the South Lancaster Academy, which later became Atlantic Union College.

20:04

🌍 Expanding Adventism in Britain and the Challenges Faced

The Adventist Church in Britain had a slow but steady growth, starting with J.N. Loughborough’s challenging mission in Southampton. Although initial efforts did not yield many converts, by 1883, the first Adventist church was formed in Britain. The British Union was officially established in 1902, and despite the challenges posed by World War I, including conscription, the church grew. Many British Adventists went on to serve as missionaries in Africa and India. The church's expansion highlighted the importance of persistence in evangelism, even when results seemed slow, emphasizing that God rewards faithfulness over apparent success.

25:06

✈️ Ellen White’s Call to Australia: Faith Without Clear Answers

Ellen White’s decision to go to Australia in 1891 was not based on a clear vision from God but on her submission to the General Conference's request. Despite her prayers, she received no direct guidance but chose to move forward in faith. Her time in Australia proved crucial to the development of Adventist institutions, including a sanitarium, publishing house, and a college. Her decision illustrates that sometimes God’s guidance is not explicit, and action based on faith is necessary. Her stay in Australia brought significant advancements to the church in the South Pacific region.

🤕 Ellen White’s Health Struggles and Spiritual Growth

During her time in Australia, Ellen White suffered from rheumatic fever, enduring months of severe pain. Despite her illness, she continued writing and remained spiritually active. She found solace in her deepened relationship with Jesus during this time, leading to the writing of 'The Desire of Ages.' This experience exemplified how personal suffering can lead to spiritual growth. Ellen White’s journey teaches that while God may not always provide immediate relief, He uses such times to draw His followers closer to Him.

Keywords

💡Overwork

Overwork refers to the excessive amount of labor or effort that leads to physical or mental exhaustion, which, historically, could even result in death. In the early days of the church, overwork was common, and it significantly affected the lives of those who worked tirelessly for religious causes, as mentioned in the case of several individuals in the video.

💡Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a contagious and often fatal disease that affects the lungs, which claimed the lives of many during the time described in the video. The script mentions how Mary, the daughter of J.N. Andrews, contracted tuberculosis, and despite medical advice, her father stayed by her side, eventually contracting the disease himself.

💡J.N. Andrews

J.N. Andrews was a key figure in the early Seventh-day Adventist Church and its mission work. He faced personal tragedies, including the death of his wife and daughter, and ultimately contracted tuberculosis while caring for his daughter. His story is used to illustrate the sacrifices made by early church leaders for their faith.

💡1888 General Conference

The 1888 General Conference session was a significant event in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, marked by theological debates, particularly on righteousness by faith. The script highlights how this session, held in Minneapolis, became a turning point for the church but also a source of conflict and division.

💡Righteousness by Faith

Righteousness by Faith is a theological concept central to Christianity, emphasizing that salvation comes through faith in Christ rather than through human effort or works. The video discusses how this was a key topic at the 1888 General Conference, where it was presented by A.T. Jones and E.J. Waggoner, sparking significant debate.

💡Ellen White

Ellen White was a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and is considered a prophetess by its members. In the script, she is mentioned in the context of her leadership during revivals following the 1888 General Conference and her influence on the development of the church, including her move to Australia.

💡Minneapolis Conference

The Minneapolis Conference refers to the 1888 General Conference session held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the Adventist Church debated the role of Christ’s righteousness and the law. This session is remembered for its contentious atmosphere and the theological shifts that it represented within the church.

💡SN Haskell

SN Haskell was an influential leader and missionary in the Adventist Church. The video describes his efforts in spreading the Adventist message, particularly in New England and overseas, as well as his administrative roles, including his work in establishing the South Lancaster Academy.

💡Missionary Work

Missionary work refers to the efforts of individuals to spread their religious beliefs, often in foreign lands. In the video, figures like J.N. Andrews and SN Haskell are highlighted for their missionary efforts, which played a critical role in expanding the reach of the Seventh-day Adventist Church globally.

💡Conscientious Objectors

Conscientious objectors are individuals who refuse to serve in the military due to their moral or religious beliefs. The video mentions Adventists in Britain who faced imprisonment and torture during World War I for refusing to compromise their faith, highlighting the challenges the church faced during times of conflict.

Highlights

Overwork and lack of knowledge about nutrition and vaccinations led to early deaths in the early days of the church.

The Andrews family's story is particularly sad, with Angeline Andrews dying at 48 and her daughter Mary contracting tuberculosis shortly after.

J.N. Andrews contracted tuberculosis from his daughter Mary and died at 54, raising questions about what his further impact on the church could have been.

James White held multiple roles in the church and worked tirelessly, doing the work of two or three men before dying in 1881.

Many young Adventist pioneers sacrificed their lives for their faith, pushing forward the church's mission in difficult conditions.

The 1888 General Conference session was a turning point, remembered for its theological debates and opposition, particularly around righteousness by faith.

A key lesson from the 1888 conference was the difficulty of maintaining Christian love and grace during conflict.

Ellen White often emphasized that the debate over the law in Galatians was not as important as some believed.

Jones and Waggoner's message on Christ’s righteousness was powerful, but their eventual departure from the church shows the importance of heart transformation.

Stephen Haskell had a significant impact on the church, starting in New England and expanding internationally.

Haskell’s wife Mary was a devout Christian who endured physical suffering, while his second wife, Hetty, was also a dedicated missionary.

J.N. Loughborough faced challenges in establishing the Adventist Church in Britain, but persistence led to the church's growth there.

During World War I, British Adventists faced persecution for their conscientious objection to military service, with some being imprisoned and tortured.

Ellen White’s call to Australia was a difficult decision, as she received no clear direction from God, but she moved forward in faith.

While bedridden in Australia, Ellen White wrote 'The Desire of Ages' and deepened her relationship with Christ.

Transcripts

[Music]

to died from overwork is not something

that happens very often nowadays but in

the early days of our church it seemed

to happen on a frequent basis

coupled with little information on what

a good nutritious diet consisted of as

well as poor vaccinations the graves of

Mount Hope Cemetery here have too many

young people who died early yet whose

impact last far beyond their short years

on earth

the story of the Andrews family is

particularly sad his wife Angeline died

at the age of 48 two years before he

left the u.s. to be a missionary in

Europe they had a close and loving

relationship and the separation that his

travel caused was not easy separation in

death though was even harder and he

moved from Rochester New York to

Lancaster Massachusetts and continued

his work there

[Music]

unfortunately his daughter Mary who had

been his backbone of support contracted

tuberculosis and the prognosis didn't

look good he took her back to the United

States to Battle Creek where he had dr.

Kellogg look at her unfortunately

nothing could be done to heal her and

despite the advice from dr. Kellogg J

and Andrews insisted on spending almost

every day with his daughter she had been

his support while he was in Europe after

his wife Angeline had died and he

refused to leave her side in her dying

days dr. Kellogg warned that by

proximity to his daughter he might

contract tuberculosis but he was loyal

right up until the end

[Music]

Jane Andrews did contract tuberculosis

from his daughter and died way too young

at just 54 years old and is buried here

in Basel Switzerland one can only wonder

what impact he would have had on the

church if he lived for 30 years longer

or how the outcome of the 1888 General

Conference session might have been

different if he was there

during the course of his life James

white held the position of the editor of

review and Herald as well as General

Conference president amongst other

things he did the work not of one man

but at least two if not three from his

younger years working on the railroad

and cutting grass by hand to working

tirelessly for the church he died 34

years before his wife in 1881 and is

buried here in the Oak Hill Cemetery in

Battle Creek

[Music]

Nathaniel and Anna white siblings of

James white worked here in Rochester for

a few years but both died young in their

early 20s from tuberculosis J and

Andrews other child Carrie is also

buried here along with the autant family

it was the Orton's who prayed for James

White's recovery in 1865 and it was in

the home of their daughter where Ellen

White had her Christmas Day vision that

led to the establishment of the first

seventh-day Adventist sanitarium

here like the graves predominantly of

young people young people in their teens

and 20s who dedicated their lives to a

message to a belief that the world

needed to hear the truth of a crucified

risen and soon-to-come Savior young

people who took their faith seriously

young people who sacrificed and

dedicated their lives more than any

others had to pioneer a new work takes a

lot more effort and sacrifice than to

just keep it running and these young

people sacrificed in the early years and

pushed God's work forward may we examine

our lives and see where we can commit

and dedicate more to finish this work

[Music]

the movement had focused on Christ from

the beginning the early Advent believers

asked the question when is Jesus coming

however after the great disappointment

of 1844 they then moved on to ask the

question what is he doing by the early

1880s of the church have lost sight of

Christ and it failed to make in the

center of its doctrines a spirit of

debating had settled in and they were

winning people over to the church more

three debating and a theoretical ascent

of knowledge rather than by emphasizing

heart change

the 1888 general conference session is

the most famous GC session in our

history but unfortunately is remembered

for negative reasons with the questions

often being framed what if it was held

here in Minneapolis Minnesota from

October the 17th to November the 4th and

it was a 27th session held it was held

in the newly constructed Adventist

Church that was located on the northwest

corner of the intersection behind me at

the time world membership was 27,000 and

there were 90 delegates present small by

today's standards mission work in the

South Pacific City evangelism amongst

other ordinary matters were discussed

but no one remembers these Ellen White

later commented I have been instructed

by God that the terrible experience at

the Minneapolis conference is one of the

saddest chapters in the history of the

believers of present truth

prior to the GC session that theological

tension had been building with articles

being published by both sides

something that Ella white spoke very

strongly against also at the various

camp meetings different presentations

were given and a spirit of opposition

debate and bitterness was aroused

however this would come to a head here

in Minneapolis the principal characters

at this GC session were 80 Jones and EJ

Wagner both in their 30s and Uriah Smith

and GI Butler both in their 50s

as the two younger men presented their

messages of righteousness by faith they

were met with opposition they were

presenting on the importance of the

centrality of the cross and of Christ's

righteousness and the importance of

seeing the law in its correct context

however one of the arguments that they

used to show this was that the law in

Galatians 3 was the ceremonial law and

not the moral law this was met with

stiff opposition as some thought that

the teaching of the Sabbath was under

threat and would lead to

misinterpretation and misunderstanding

from other denominations

they were invited to debate and although

this practice was common at the time

they refused to they hadn't come to do

that a rebuttal presentation was made

but the only response at the next

session was to read Bible passages in

turn on the love of God no explanation

given just the Bible read the impact was

profound

[Music]

many were impacted by the messages with

SN Haskell and Jo Corliss being two of

them the following year revivals would

take place all over the United States of

America with Ellen White Jones and

Waggoner leading out one of which took

place in South Lancaster Massachusetts

commenting later on Ellen White said I

have never seen a revival go forward

which such thoroughness and yet remains

so free of unjú excitement a few years

later Uriah Smith would apologize to

Ellen White for how he had responded and

would also make a public apology in the

dime Tabernacle in Battle Creek not an

easy thing to do one of the sad outcomes

of 1888 is that the principal presenters

of Jones and Waggoner would eventually

end up apostasy and leaving the church

the reasons for this are many and cannot

be adequately explained in a few minutes

some of the responsibility rests with

them for not letting the message

completely change their own heart yet

some blame must be a portion to the

Brethren who so strongly and bitterly

opposed them this opposition would

become a difficult and overmastering

temptation to the young messengers and

whilst this does not excuse their

departure it does give us some

understanding

a key lesson that we didn't learn in

1888 and that we still struggle with

today is how to be a Christian whilst in

conflict with someone else how do you

show christ-like love when the person

that you're discussing or debating with

has a vastly different viewpoint to you

and or maybe treating you wrongly maybe

we learn to be graceful with those we

disagree with in the conflicts that we

have today

[Music]

the church would move on over time and

realize the issue that was debated

wasn't of the magnitude that people

thought it was at the time so often we

major in - Ellen White would say many

times that the law in Galatians wasn't a

major issue and that the church

shouldn't make it so today is easy to

get sidetracked on other issues and miss

the bigger picture Jones and Waggoner

were some great preachers some of the

brightest minds that our church has seen

and yet ultimately they lost sight of

Jesus today we need to be careful that

we don't follow men but that we follow

God's Word and the message that is

contained there

it wasn't the message that was a fault

but it was the attitude and spirit of

those involved on both sides the message

that they gave will need to be given

again and God will raise up other people

who will overcome where they failed

may we be part of sharing the beautiful

message of the love of God and the

righteousness of Christ to the world

Stephen Haskell was born in the year

1833 in oakum Massachusetts and would go

on to have a huge impact on the world

church he was converted at the age of

fifteen and a few years later he would

marry his first wife Mary at the age of

19 he heard the message of Jesus soon

returned and started to tell everyone

about this one day while he was talking

to a friend he was encouraged that he

should start preaching himself at the

time he was a professional shop maker

but he started to preach and was known

as being able to comprise sound logical

and powerful sermons

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

in 1853 he attended a camp meeting in

Winsted Connecticut after which he

decided to travel through Canada on his

way he stopped in Springfield

Massachusetts where he met William Saxby

a tinsmith who introduced him to the

Sabbath

despite being initially opposed to it he

listened to him and after studying it

out he realized that it was biblical and

committed to keeping it a visit later on

with Joseph Bates would further solidify

this decision that he had made

why now he was living here in South

Lancaster and was active in ministering

to the believers in the area keeping

accurate records of the Sabbath schools

churches and members in 1868 he handed a

copy of this report to James White

he showed JH Wagner and JN Andrews and

so impressed were they by his abilities

that they ordained him as a minister

formed a New England Conference and

appointed him as the first president he

was 37 years old at the time

another initiative that he started

during his time here in South Lancaster

was the Vigilant Missionary Society they

started by writing letters of

encouragement lending books and papers

and praying for people over time this

small society would grow and flourish

until it became the ABC or Adventist

book center as we know it today

SN Haskell was a decisive and organized

leader and served as the president here

in New England whilst also being

president in California and president of

the Maine Conference for a time as well

while he was president here in New

England

he saw the forming of the South

lancaster academy which would go on to

become the atlantic union college

standing behind me is found as Hall

built in 1884 the oldest original

Adventist school building

[Music]

Stephen Haskell would be instrumental in

the start of the work in Australia and

New Zealand spending 13 months there

whilst he was away travelling his wife

Mary would stay at home she was a

committed Christian and bore her

physical pain with patients later on she

and Stephen would move here to

California where she is buried writing

it Ellen White Stephen said I loved her

and she loved me in capital letters as

if to emphasize the point

[Music]

the Lord would provide another wife for

Stephen Hetty heard she was a pioneering

type of woman whom he had met several

times and was an active missionary

having spent time in England Africa and

California they would get married in

Australia in 1897 and would go on to

start a training school in New York City

before later moving to California where

they were instrumental in the start of

their health work here later on they

would move to Nashville Tennessee and it

was whilst there that they heard the sad

news that Ellen White had passed away

SN Haskell had previously been asked to

share the message at her funeral and

delivered a message of hope and triumph

[Music]

[Applause]

as he reached his final years he once

commented to his wife that he was

frustrated that he couldn't do more in

life she told him that whereas he used

to travel and preach now his printed

sermons went to places that he never

could

he lies buried here in California next

to his first wife Mary because he told

the Brethren that when he died to bury

him next to whichever wife was closest

years earlier at his ordination James

White had told him always look to God

rather than man for direction in your

work may we do the same to look to God

rather than our fellow man for our

directions in God's work

[Music]

[Music]

when J and Andrews arrived in England in

1874 on his way to Switzerland he didn't

find any Adventist converse there was

one Adventist English family but they

had emigrated before he arrived in 1878

English born William ynx who himself had

emigrated to America arrived here in

Southampton

for a two-week stay to visit his

relatives and also to evangelize he

passed out some literature while he was

here and was able to convince two people

to keep the Sabbath his next visit in

1878 would prove more fruitful and in

May of that year they sent a request to

the General Conference to send a

minister over in June of that year the

General Conference voted to send the

experienced pioneer and administrator JN

Loughborough

[Music]

Southampton was one of the cities at the

Mayflower left from on his way to

America and it would prove the

birthplace of the Adventist Church here

in Britain JN luff profound the work

here both different and more difficult

than in America he held a series of

meetings in an area near where the

present seventh-day Adventist Church is

and his opening crowd of a hundred and

fifty dwindled quickly after two hundred

and fifty five meetings in December of

1879 he did not have a single baptism

though he did have a Sabbath school with

17 members the work was hard and the

challenges were multiple but they

pressed on

in January of 1880 the newly-formed

tract and Missionary Society began

sending signs of the time to libraries

and interested people by February of

that year thirteen people were baptized

in Southampton and by 1883 the first

Adventist Church was formed in Britain

with 19 founding members by the end of

1883 there were 65 members in Britain

and by 1887 there were 120 - the

headquarters of the church in Britain

with the staff and the printing press

would move to Grimsby a house there on

the North Sea coast and by 1884 two

churches would be formed in Grimsby and

also be this building behind me is the

first seventh-day Adventist built and

old church in the British Isles and was

dedicated in 1889

Essen Haskell would come over and take

over the leadership of the church in

Britain and move the headquarters from

the relative obscurity of Grimsby down

to London in London using a house as

their base they began to train local

people and continued with aggressive

literature evangelism in June of that

year they baptized nearly 20 people

Judson Washburn would further develop

the evangelistic work in England with an

emphasis on literature evangelism Christ

centered preaching and musical singing

groups

he held audiences of up to 1000 people

and in the town of Bath baptized nearly

80 people

in 1902 the British Union was formed

with three missions and two conferences

a newly formed college and a health food

factory in 1907 the three institutions

along with the British Union

headquarters were relocated to the 25

hectare Stanberry park which still

serves as a headquarters of the British

Union to this day

even though church membership increased

by 20% through the war World War one

would prove a huge test to the young

church as the challenge of conscription

was faced some were able to serve as

conscientious objectors but others were

less fortunate and were imprisoned and

tortured for refusing to compromise

their faith this memorial stands here as

a testament to their faith under fire

and in recognition of the sacrifice that

they and their families made

even though the work progressed

relatively slowly here in Britain with

quite a few challenges early on workers

from the British Union and graduates

from noob or college here would prove

quite influential in World Missions

serving as missionaries in Africa and

India amongst other places through

dedication and commitment the work moved

on as in other parts of the world there

has never been a glory era of evangelism

but the Commission is to go into all the

world no matter how easy or hard the

work may be if you are living and

working for Christ today in an area and

you're not getting the success that you

hoped or dreamed of then I want to

encourage you to stay faithful at your

duty for God rewards us not according to

our seeming success but according to the

spirit in which the work is done

[Music]

how do you know when you are called to

do something or go somewhere how do you

decide if something is the right thing

to do do you always know in black and

white which path to take or which way to

go in life or is it sometimes less clear

does God leave some of the

decision-making to us

Ellen White's call and subsequent trip

to Australia illustrates in many ways

the challenges that we face in seeking

God's will as she faced these two

[Music]

in 1891 the General Conference officers

sent an urgent request to Ella white to

spend some time in the new field of

Australia they felt it would be a great

blessing and if she had light in this

direction she was invited to set sail

that same autumn she prayed for weeks

for guidance and direction but nothing

was forthcoming

[Music]

she was willing to go even though it was

a great sacrifice as long as she knew

that it was the will of God but despite

her prayers she only heard silence she

said I have not special light to leave

America for this far-off country

nevertheless if I knew it was the voice

of God

I would go she had no light either way

[Music]

in the absence of any clear light either

way rather than delay she decided to go

some have viewed her call to Australia

as the result of politically

orchestrated circumstances but Ella

white never got entangled in such

debates she later said to her son Edson

that she came in submission to the

office of the general conference which I

had ever maintained to be Authority this

decision would prove a huge blessing to

the work here in Australia New Zealand

and the South Pacific a blessing they

are still reaping the rewards of today

[Music]

not every decision we make does God have

to spell out clearly an action is better

than delay Ellen White move forward and

during her time here in Australia they

would establish a sanitarium and later a

hospital a publishing house a health

food company a college all of which

would grow rapidly over time

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when Ellen White arrived in Australia

she was soon sick with rheumatic fever

for about eight months she was in pain

and was in bed for a long time despite

her pain she would continue to write in

bed but it got worse and worse and it

got to a point where they had to move

her every two hours so as to lessen the

pain eventually she asked to be anointed

and afterwards she said that she was

relieved but not restored but content to

wait for the Lord to work on her behalf

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during this time while lying on her back

in bed she spent a lot of time in prayer

and later on said that she wouldn't

exchange this experience for anything in

the world

it was during this time that Jesus

became a friend more dear than before

and one of the results of this

experience was the writing of the book

the desire of Ages later on during her

time here

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sometimes God was very explicit with how

he led Ellen White and at other times he

was less direct sometimes he was quiet

and she would have to figure it out if

this was how God led a prophet then we

cannot expect him to be more

prescriptive in our lives today not

every decision we make does he spell out

exactly for us and oftentimes he expects

us to use our minds to reason as we come

to a decision

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God leads us in many ways primarily

through his word through the wise

counsel of friends and through

providential circumstances knowing God's

will is a constant struggle and

challenge that we face at the many

stages in life that we go through I pray

that as you seek God's will in your life

in the decisions that you have to make

whether to go into ministry or not what

occupation to have where to live whom to

marry and as you seek his will you may

move forward decisively

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