Ellen G. White's Views on Church Order: The Early Years 1849–1854

Abstract

The role Ellen G. White played during the development of church order among early Adventists has not been fully studied. For some James White was the key character in the issue of the organization of the church while Ellen White was mainly supportive of his aims. This study intends to describe her views and ascertain her role on this subject. It shows that Ellen White manifested organizational concerns from the beginning of her prophetic ministry. In her dealing with particular situations of some Sabbatarian congregations in her time she laid down fundamental principles about ecclesiastical order that, some years later, would be essential to the Advent movement as a whole.

Key Words: Ellen G. White, church order, worship, church discipline, church government, leadership, ordination