Ellen Chat Conversation

Ellen White herself was never ordained by the laying on of hands, though she held ministerial credentials for many years from both the Michigan Conference and later the General Conference (DG 249.1). Despite her prominent role as a preacher and messenger, she never performed weddings, organized churches, or conducted baptisms (DG 249.1). However, Ellen White did actively participate in and support the ordination of women to serve as deaconesses. During her ministry in Australia, she was present when women were set apart for this role. The historical record shows that on August 10, 1895, at the Ashfield church in Sydney, "pastors Corliss and McCullagh set apart the elder, deacons, [and] deaconesses by prayer and the laying on of hands" (DG 249.3). Several years later, in 1900, her son W. C. White similarly ordained and laid hands on the elders, deacon, and deaconessesat the same church (DG 249.4). Regarding the broader question of women's ordination to gospel ministry, the documents indicate that Ellen White was cautious on this point. Her secretary, C. C. Crisler, noted her careful approach to this question (DG 253.2). The White Estate staff concluded that "it is likely that Ellen White did not suggest at any time that the Seventh-day Adventist Church should commence the practice of ordaining women to the gospel ministry" (DG 253.2). It's worth noting that Ellen White was indeed a powerful preacher who "proclaimed the advent message every Sabbath and Sunday, especially in Oakland and San Francisco" (7MR 279.1), demonstrating that her lack of ordination did not limit her ministry effectiveness or divine calling. --- 💡 **You might also want to explore:** • What did Ellen White say about the role of women in ministry and church work? • How did Ellen White describe the work and qualifications of deaconesses? • What counsel did Ellen White give about church organization and the setting apart of church officers? --- 📚 **thousands of passages found** containing these search terms — [Explore in Full-Text Search](/advanced-search?q=Ellen+White+ordained)