Ellen Chat Conversation

Ellen White generally maintained that the tithe should be brought into the storehouse and used strictly for the support of the ministry. She frequently encouraged church members to be faithful in returning their tithe to the treasury, even suggesting that those who had neglected this duty in the past should make arrangements to pay their back tithe as soon as possible (CS 97.1). However, she did acknowledge and practice a specific exception regarding the redirection of tithe under special circumstances. She stated that for years she had used tithe funds to assist in cases of extreme need, acting under the instruction of God (2MR 100.1). This was particularly true for work that was being neglected by the organized church, such as the mission to the Southern field (SpM 215.5).

In certain instances, she accepted tithe from individuals who requested that she place the money where it was most urgently required. She specifically directed such funds toward the salaries of colored ministers in the Southern United States, a field she described as the most needy and discouraging in the world (2MR 100.4). She believed that providing for these workers was a duty that could not be ignored, even if it meant bypassing the standard treasury channels (SpM 215). While she engaged in this practice, she was very cautious about its publicity. She advised that these special appropriations should not be made common knowledge, as she did not want to encourage a general movement of tithe redirection that might disrupt the organized work (2MR 100.1).

She cautioned church leaders to be careful in how they spoke about these matters, emphasizing that her actions were based on specific divine direction for neglected fields (SpM 215).

You might also want to explore:What did Ellen White teach about the proper use of the tithe?How did she view the responsibility of the church toward the Southern field?What counsel did she give to those who were dissatisfied with how the tithe was being used by leadership?

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