Ellen White story

[Kevin H]

In October 1870, during a tour of churches in the Midwest, James and Ellen White stopped at a gathering in Tipton, Indiana. In letters to her sons, Willie and Edson, she recounted her meeting with two Methodist women who came to hear her.

Tuesday afternoon [October 11] we left the encampment at Tipton. At the depot we were accosted by two ladies, members of the Methodist church, who had come for the purpose of speaking with me. One had been brought up a Friend, and still ret...ained her "thee" and "thou." Both seemed to have had an experience in the things of religion. They were much pleased with my discourse Sunday afternoon.

They, with other Christian women in the place, believed that woman can exert a powerful influence by public labor in the cause of God; but a large class, including the ministers of the several denominations, held that she was entirely out of her place in the desk. [THE PLACE OF WOMEN IN THE DESK]

On learning that I was to speak at the campground, both parties determined to go and hear me, agreeing that if I proved myself able to expound the Scriptures to the edification of my hearers, the ministers should cease their opposition to woman's speaking, and, on the other hand, if my remarks failed to be edifying, the ladies would accept the ministers' views upon the point.

These two ladies came to the meeting feeling that much was at stake. Said they, "We prayed earnestly that God would give you freedom and the power of His grace; and our expectations were more than realized. God helped you to speak. Such an impression was made on this community as was never known before. You have told us truths of which many were ignorant. All will have matter for serious thought. Prejudice against woman's speaking is gone. [PREJUDICE AGAINST WOMAN'S SPEAKING] If the people had known that you would speak to the public, any of the churches in the place would gladly have opened their doors to you."

These Christian women then urged us to stay and speak again, but we told them it was impossible. They also invited us to come to the Methodist camp meeting next year, promising us a good hearing. They then bade me Godspeed, and we parted. [iNTERFAITH RELATIONSHIPS]

Ellen G. White to Edson and Emma White, October 17 (Letter 16a), 1870; Ellen G. White to W. C. White, October 17 (Letter 16), 1870.

(This material is not available directly from the White Estate. It seems that it has not yet been released to the public generally. Denis Fortin quotes the passage in his work for the ordination committee.)

Source:

Denis Fortin. Ellen White, Women in Ministry and the Ordination of Women.

https://www.adventistarchives.org/ellen-white,-women-in-ministry-and-the-ordination-of-women.pdf

Edited April 19, 2015 by Tom Wetmore
Correction of link...

[Joel Melashenko]

Happy Sabbath @Kevin H. Appreciate you posting this, and I'm intrigued to read Dr. Fortin's paper, but the link seems to be bad. Could you repost it?

[Kevin H]

I'll try, this was a copy that I had found and brought over here to share.

[Tom Wetmore]

The line is fixed now...  Kevin, make sure that was the article in question.