ELLEN G. WHITE was an international figure in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and back of that reputation was the fact that in her thinking she belonged to the world church and not just America. She was truly an international person.
As the Seventh-day Adventist Church began to emerge after the disappointment of 1844, its message assumed a respectable shape, an enviable church organization was formed, and finally the vision of a world witness prior to the return of Jesus was conceived and developed.
Constantly Mrs. White sought to keep that vision alive. She urged: "Talk it, pray it, sing it, fill the world with the message of His truth, and keep pressing on into the regions beyond." Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 30.
Ellen White lived and labored personally on three continents: Europe from 1885 to 1887, Australia from 1891 to 1900, and in North America the rest of her life.
The messenger of the Lord wanted to make sure that the thrust of her work would not stop with her death, so while she was still alive she provided for a board of trustees to have the custody of her book publishing and to arrange for use of the unpublished material found in the many manuscripts and letters she left in her large office files.
The trustees carry on all their work in close harmony with the General Conference, though technically the organization is separate from, the General Conference and fills its own vacancies in the trustee group. As can be seen from the list of trustees (see captions under photographs) the connection with the church is very close.
With D. A. Delafield, a lifetime trustee and associate secretary of the board, coming to Europe to serve for a full year, the focus will be on the work and activities of Ellen White in the Church and particularly as a resident and laborer in Europe.
This emphasis will introduce and parallel the recognition throughout the European divisions of the period between September, 1971, and September, 1972, as Spirit of Prophecy emphasis year. It will be a happy and beneficial experience to recall during this time the great blessings that have come to Seventh-day Adventists through the Lord's messenger, and especially to review her counsel and comments relating to the role of Europe in behalf of the world church. What she said and wrote while she was in Europe (1885-1887) would indicate a great future growth of the work of God on that continent.
Today the Ellen G. White Trustees endeavor to promote the circulation of Ellen White's writings in all the countries of the world where the message has taken root, and especially, the office serves as a channel for assistance and guidance in the preparation of her works in new languages. Also from time to time new compilations appear to serve the growing needs of the denomination.
