What was EGW's position in the church?

[Woody]

Found this quote today. It made me wonder ...

Quote:

"I am not to appear before the people as holding any other position than that of a messenger with a message." {8T 237.4}

Would this include the position of a Prophet? Or are we not suppose to take her literally? Was this a 'political' decision of her's knowing that some would object to her being a prophet?

[melvin mccarty]

I have wondered too how we can expect that a person who lived and wrote over a period of some eight decades would not see things differently from one period of her life to another.

mel

[John317]

The three preceding paragraphs show us what she meant. She is making it plain that she she is not "claiming the leadership of this people."

A prophet is not a church officer or a church administrator. Elders and pastors, etc., are officers and administrators in the church and are elected by the church. James White was a leader. Ellen White did not claim these positions.

She says in the same paragraph that she was given messages by God to give to the church. Therefore, she is not denying that she was a prophet. She said several times that her work "included the work of a prophet," but was much more than that.

"This is my work-- to give to the people the light that the Lord gives me. I am commissioned to receive and communicate His messages. I am not to appear before the people as holding any other position than that of a messenger with a message."

She is saying, then, that the only position in which she was to appear before the people was as one who was commissioned by God to receive and communicate messages from God.

She writes about the same subject in 1 SM 17-40.

[Woody]

I have wondered too how we can expect that a person who lived and wrote over a period of some eight decades would not see things differently from one period of her life to another.

mel

This is a very unique and interesting thought Mel. We all do that. It's called growth. Is a prophet allowed to have growth?