If a prophet is
the mouthpiece for God,
00:00:18.55\00:00:20.95
does that mean
that everything they say
00:00:20.98\00:00:22.78
comes directly from Him?
00:00:22.82\00:00:24.55
Did prophets act
as a scribe for God
00:00:24.59\00:00:27.16
writing out every word
00:00:27.19\00:00:28.72
exactly as it
was relayed to them?
00:00:28.76\00:00:31.36
Does God inspire
the thought or the word?
00:00:31.39\00:00:34.33
And how exactly does a thought,
00:00:34.36\00:00:36.33
an idea and
instruction or counsel
00:00:36.36\00:00:39.03
get from the mind
of God to the prophet
00:00:39.07\00:00:41.60
and then to the printed page
00:00:41.64\00:00:43.41
that you and I hold
in our hands and read.
00:00:43.44\00:00:46.17
Ellen White had a
public ministry of 70 years,
00:00:50.28\00:00:53.25
during which she had
over 2,000 visions and dreams.
00:00:53.28\00:00:56.85
During the first 40 years,
00:00:56.89\00:00:58.75
most of these
happened in a public forum
00:00:58.79\00:01:00.96
where she manifested signs
00:01:00.99\00:01:02.92
such as the lack of breathing
and superhuman strength.
00:01:02.96\00:01:06.26
During the last 30 years,
00:01:06.29\00:01:07.80
most of these happen as
dreams during the night.
00:01:07.83\00:01:11.20
But how did they
get to the printed page?
00:01:11.23\00:01:13.80
The first stage
was to write down
00:01:18.91\00:01:20.91
what she had seen.
00:01:20.94\00:01:22.38
Oftentimes she was
given a broad sweep of history
00:01:22.41\00:01:25.81
or a current situation,
00:01:25.85\00:01:27.55
and then it was left up to her
00:01:27.58\00:01:29.28
to use her own
words and expressions
00:01:29.32\00:01:31.79
to relay the
message that she had seen.
00:01:31.82\00:01:34.66
She said,
00:01:34.69\00:01:36.02
"Although I am as dependent
upon the Spirit of the Lord
00:01:36.06\00:01:39.39
in writing my views as
I am in receiving them,
00:01:39.43\00:01:42.73
yet the words I employ in
describing what I have seen
00:01:42.76\00:01:46.63
on my own,
00:01:46.67\00:01:48.00
unless they'd be
spoken to me by an angel,
00:01:48.04\00:01:50.77
which I always endorse
in marks of quotation."
00:01:50.81\00:01:54.08
After Ellen had
written things out,
00:02:00.12\00:02:02.55
it was then
passed to her assistants,
00:02:02.58\00:02:04.75
who would type multiple
copies of the manuscript
00:02:04.79\00:02:07.76
on carbon paper.
00:02:07.79\00:02:09.29
As they were doing this,
00:02:09.32\00:02:10.66
if they needed to
adjust the grammar,
00:02:10.69\00:02:12.93
spelling, or punctuation
00:02:12.96\00:02:14.83
to improve the
quality of the language
00:02:14.86\00:02:17.13
without changing the meaning
of the text, then they would.
00:02:17.17\00:02:21.00
Ellen White
commenting on this said,
00:02:21.04\00:02:23.24
"The reports that are circulated
00:02:23.27\00:02:25.47
that any of my helpers
are permitted to add matter
00:02:25.51\00:02:29.01
or change the meaning
of the messages I write out
00:02:29.04\00:02:32.31
are not true."
00:02:32.35\00:02:33.68
A copy of this
00:02:37.89\00:02:39.22
would then be
given to Ellen White,
00:02:39.25\00:02:41.12
and she would review it
00:02:41.16\00:02:42.49
to make sure that it conform
to what she had intended.
00:02:42.52\00:02:46.59
She then had the opportunity
to make additional edits
00:02:46.63\00:02:49.66
called interlineations,
00:02:49.70\00:02:51.37
as these would be
written between the lines.
00:02:51.40\00:02:54.34
A copy of the manuscript
00:02:54.37\00:02:55.77
would then be revised
and read again and again
00:02:55.80\00:02:58.91
with additional
changes made if need be.
00:02:58.94\00:03:01.88
The third stage in
the process would be
00:03:06.75\00:03:08.88
whether the Ellen
White or church leaders
00:03:08.92\00:03:11.32
felt the need
for a book, article,
00:03:11.35\00:03:13.49
or publication on a given topic.
00:03:13.52\00:03:16.36
Ellen White and her assistants
00:03:16.39\00:03:18.09
would then begin the process
of compiling the publication
00:03:18.13\00:03:21.36
either by Ellen
White writing again
00:03:21.40\00:03:23.87
or by compiling
the existing letters
00:03:23.90\00:03:26.23
and manuscript on a given topic.
00:03:26.27\00:03:28.90
A galley proof
would then be made.
00:03:28.94\00:03:31.27
This was a preliminary
printing of the book,
00:03:31.31\00:03:33.84
with especially wide margins
00:03:33.88\00:03:36.14
to allow for any
edits or changes to be made.
00:03:36.18\00:03:39.91
The manuscript was then reviewed
00:03:39.95\00:03:41.85
by the book committee
of the publishing house.
00:03:41.88\00:03:44.25
Following the
approval of the galley proof,
00:03:50.63\00:03:52.89
the final step in the process
was the printing of the book.
00:03:52.93\00:03:56.87
The printing
plates were prepared
00:03:56.90\00:03:58.90
and then the
printing would commence.
00:03:58.93\00:04:01.20
Nothing appeared in print
00:04:01.24\00:04:02.97
without careful and
meticulous preparation.
00:04:03.00\00:04:06.21
The manuscript was
thoroughly reviewed
00:04:06.24\00:04:08.51
to ensure that
the intended message
00:04:08.54\00:04:10.71
was the message
that was relayed.
00:04:10.75\00:04:12.55
The prophetic gift was given
to lead and guide God's church.
00:04:17.89\00:04:21.72
It was not
intended to be a stick
00:04:21.76\00:04:24.06
to beat people with,
00:04:24.09\00:04:25.43
though at times the council
can be pointed and sharp.
00:04:25.46\00:04:29.30
Two constant themes
00:04:29.33\00:04:30.67
throughout Ellen White's writing
00:04:30.70\00:04:32.10
are the Bible and Jesus.
00:04:32.13\00:04:34.14
She always sought to uplift
both of these and she wrote,
00:04:34.17\00:04:37.61
"I want you to read your Bible
00:04:37.64\00:04:39.54
and see the
matchless charms of Christ.
00:04:39.57\00:04:41.98
I want you to fall in
love with the man of Calvary."
00:04:42.01\00:04:45.45
We have a more
sure word of prophecy
00:04:45.48\00:04:48.15
may be a light to us
shining in a dark place,
00:04:48.18\00:04:51.55
guiding us back to God's Word
00:04:51.59\00:04:53.59
and showing the
love of Jesus to us.
00:04:53.62\00:04:55.99
Having a mother
who was a prophet
00:05:13.38\00:05:15.58
and a father who
amongst many other things
00:05:15.61\00:05:18.08
was a General
Conference president
00:05:18.11\00:05:20.02
would not have been easy.
00:05:20.05\00:05:21.68
Losing one of your brothers
suddenly at the age of 16
00:05:21.72\00:05:25.19
and having your own
father suffer disease
00:05:25.22\00:05:27.46
and an early death
00:05:27.49\00:05:28.82
would have been very hard.
00:05:28.86\00:05:30.26
Having parents who
traveled extensively
00:05:30.29\00:05:32.83
during your early years
00:05:32.86\00:05:34.20
and constantly
being in the public eye
00:05:34.23\00:05:36.53
made the childhood of
Edson White more challenging
00:05:36.56\00:05:39.87
than what most of
us would experience.
00:05:39.90\00:05:42.00
As he was growing up, he
was for one of a better term,
00:05:46.24\00:05:49.28
the black sheep of the family,
00:05:49.31\00:05:51.05
the one that Ellen
White worried about
00:05:51.08\00:05:53.01
more than the others.
00:05:53.05\00:05:54.55
He had a problem with
lying, being deceitful,
00:05:54.58\00:05:57.22
just a problem
child through and through.
00:05:57.25\00:06:00.09
He would cause a fear,
rifts between his parents,
00:06:00.12\00:06:03.02
as James and Ellen
had different views
00:06:03.06\00:06:05.56
on how he should be dealt with.
00:06:05.59\00:06:07.66
Sometimes he would go to a town
and trade in the White's name,
00:06:07.70\00:06:11.60
but when the business fell flat,
00:06:11.63\00:06:13.20
he would leave town
00:06:13.23\00:06:14.57
leaving his parents
to pick up the bill.
00:06:14.60\00:06:17.31
His father would
happily have let him go
00:06:17.34\00:06:19.17
through the court system
00:06:19.21\00:06:20.61
and bear the
consequences that way,
00:06:20.64\00:06:22.44
but his mother
would bail him out
00:06:22.48\00:06:24.25
taking a softer approach.
00:06:24.28\00:06:26.01
After his father's
death, things get worse.
00:06:31.22\00:06:33.92
He has a fight with the Review
and Herald over royalties,
00:06:33.96\00:06:36.99
and he also writes to his mother
00:06:37.03\00:06:38.89
and tells her that
he is not religious.
00:06:38.93\00:06:41.63
Ellen White though
continues to plead with him.
00:06:41.66\00:06:44.10
She tells him that
she has seen heaven
00:06:44.13\00:06:46.33
that it is for real.
00:06:46.37\00:06:48.00
Ellen had a better relationship
with Emma, Edson's wife
00:06:48.04\00:06:51.57
and she writes to her
00:06:51.61\00:06:52.94
and asked her to ensure
that Edson reads the letter
00:06:52.97\00:06:55.74
and does not burn it.
00:06:55.78\00:06:57.31
One time she had a dream
00:06:57.35\00:06:58.68
where she saw him
caught in a riptide drowning
00:06:58.71\00:07:01.82
and she wakes up
and writes him a letter.
00:07:01.85\00:07:04.62
This continues for years
with seemingly little effect,
00:07:04.65\00:07:08.92
but God was working
silently on his heart.
00:07:08.96\00:07:11.89
Eventually at the age of 44,
00:07:19.63\00:07:21.90
Edson White accepts
Jesus as his personal Savior.
00:07:21.94\00:07:25.37
He writes to his mother
and he says he now realizes
00:07:25.41\00:07:28.54
that Jesus loves him
00:07:28.58\00:07:30.01
and decides to throw
himself into full-time ministry.
00:07:30.05\00:07:34.65
He read his mother's book,
which stressed the necessity
00:07:34.68\00:07:37.55
and importance of
working in the South
00:07:37.59\00:07:40.69
and decides to raise
the funds to buy a boat
00:07:40.72\00:07:43.76
to sail down to the south wind.
00:07:43.79\00:07:46.06
The South wasn't a sought
00:07:46.09\00:07:47.43
after mission field at the time.
00:07:47.46\00:07:49.50
Slavery had just been abolished,
00:07:49.53\00:07:51.40
tensions were high,
00:07:51.43\00:07:52.77
and there were
many people down there
00:07:52.80\00:07:54.60
who did not want
the newly freed slaves
00:07:54.64\00:07:57.07
to have access to education.
00:07:57.11\00:07:59.61
Edson White set
about to change this
00:07:59.64\00:08:01.91
through the Morning Star boats.
00:08:01.94\00:08:03.61
Edson White would go
00:08:09.32\00:08:10.65
and do a great
work in the South,
00:08:10.69\00:08:12.55
providing huge momentum
00:08:12.59\00:08:14.62
to the work that
had just started.
00:08:14.66\00:08:16.96
His boat idea
was genius at a time
00:08:16.99\00:08:20.30
when schools and churches
would regularly get torched.
00:08:20.33\00:08:24.53
His work in this
new field would result
00:08:24.57\00:08:26.77
in approximately 15
schools, a sanitarium,
00:08:26.80\00:08:30.31
and a publishing
house being opened.
00:08:30.34\00:08:32.47
There is no foolproof
method of raising children,
00:08:36.64\00:08:39.75
each child must
choose for themselves.
00:08:39.78\00:08:42.35
Ellen White
wrote lots of counsel
00:08:42.38\00:08:43.99
on rearing children
00:08:44.02\00:08:45.35
and yet she had
troublesome children
00:08:45.39\00:08:47.02
of her own.
00:08:47.06\00:08:48.39
The story of Edson
strongly reminds us
00:08:48.42\00:08:50.63
that we should
not give up on people
00:08:50.66\00:08:52.63
even when hope seems lost.
00:08:52.66\00:08:54.53
There may still be great
plans for that person's future.
00:08:54.56\00:08:58.23
Pray for them, work
with them, plead with them,
00:08:58.27\00:09:01.57
and let God have His way.
00:09:01.60\00:09:02.97
The Southern States of America
00:10:12.67\00:10:14.38
were a volatile
mission field in the 1870s.
00:10:14.41\00:10:18.25
The Emancipation Proclamation
00:10:18.28\00:10:20.18
had just been
signed by Abraham Lincoln.
00:10:20.22\00:10:22.58
Slavery had ended.
00:10:22.62\00:10:24.09
And yet for African-Americans,
00:10:24.12\00:10:25.69
there was still a
long way to go for equality
00:10:25.72\00:10:28.52
in the basic essentials of life.
00:10:28.56\00:10:30.99
The Ku Klux Klan was
strong in many areas,
00:10:31.03\00:10:34.20
and whenever a
school for blacks opened,
00:10:34.23\00:10:36.30
there was a strong chance
that it would get torched.
00:10:36.33\00:10:39.40
Whippings, shootings,
00:10:39.43\00:10:41.07
and lynchings
were still commonplace.
00:10:41.10\00:10:44.14
Educational
opportunities were limited
00:10:44.17\00:10:46.74
and schools were poorly equipped
00:10:46.78\00:10:48.38
or nonexistent at the time,
00:10:48.41\00:10:50.55
and there were no
Adventist churches
00:10:50.58\00:10:52.51
south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
00:10:52.55\00:10:54.65
In 1865, just two years
00:10:59.05\00:11:01.56
after the
Emancipation Proclamation
00:11:01.59\00:11:03.66
and also two years
00:11:03.69\00:11:05.03
after the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:11:05.06\00:11:07.00
was officially formed,
00:11:07.03\00:11:08.53
Ellen White said that the
church ought to begin work
00:11:08.56\00:11:10.97
in the South.
00:11:11.00\00:11:12.33
The first
minister who came down here
00:11:12.37\00:11:14.00
was named Elbert Lane,
00:11:14.04\00:11:15.67
and he did some revival meetings
00:11:15.70\00:11:17.34
in Edgefield Junction, Tennessee
00:11:17.37\00:11:19.37
that led to a church
being formed in 1873.
00:11:19.41\00:11:23.18
Churches would later
start in Louisville, Nashville,
00:11:23.21\00:11:26.31
Memphis, and New Orleans.
00:11:26.35\00:11:28.62
In 1889, Charles M. Kenny
00:11:28.65\00:11:31.45
became the first black ordained
Seventh-day Adventist minister,
00:11:31.49\00:11:35.09
and he organized a church
in Bowling Green, Kentucky
00:11:35.12\00:11:38.06
that Ellen White
would later visit.
00:11:38.09\00:11:39.89
Edson White would
now become involved.
00:11:44.60\00:11:46.87
After finally
given his life to Jesus
00:11:46.90\00:11:49.44
at the age of 44,
00:11:49.47\00:11:51.01
he now found purpose
00:11:51.04\00:11:52.41
in this newly
opened mission field.
00:11:52.44\00:11:54.94
Writing to his mother, he said,
00:11:54.98\00:11:56.78
"I have been
thinking of going to Tennessee
00:11:56.81\00:11:59.05
to work among
the colored people."
00:11:59.08\00:12:01.08
Edson White had
a steamboat built
00:12:01.12\00:12:03.15
that he called the Morning Star
00:12:03.18\00:12:05.05
and sailed from
here in Allegan, Michigan
00:12:05.09\00:12:07.52
across the Chicago,
00:12:07.56\00:12:08.89
then down to Illinois
and Mississippi Rivers
00:12:08.92\00:12:11.46
to the state of Mississippi.
00:12:11.49\00:12:12.89
The first place that they docked
00:12:17.60\00:12:18.97
and begin working was
in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
00:12:19.00\00:12:21.60
And as they set
about working in the town,
00:12:21.64\00:12:23.77
they were met
with stiff opposition.
00:12:23.81\00:12:26.04
After finding a suitable place
00:12:26.07\00:12:27.74
where the newly
formed group could worship,
00:12:27.78\00:12:29.61
the owner of the
property refused to sell
00:12:29.64\00:12:32.15
to have a colored
church in the area.
00:12:32.18\00:12:34.55
He did though leave an exception
00:12:34.58\00:12:36.45
that if enough of
the local residents
00:12:36.48\00:12:38.35
agreed to have them there,
00:12:38.39\00:12:39.72
then he would sell.
00:12:39.75\00:12:41.09
After getting agreement
from enough of the locals,
00:12:41.12\00:12:43.73
the church was officially opened
00:12:43.76\00:12:45.29
as the Morning Star
Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
00:12:45.33\00:12:48.10
The original building
was burned down in 1955,
00:12:48.13\00:12:52.00
but the present one
was built on the same spot.
00:12:52.03\00:12:54.97
A school would also
be opened in Vicksburg,
00:13:00.74\00:13:03.61
and then further
churches, and schools
00:13:03.65\00:13:05.38
would open in Yazoo
City, Lintonia, Palo Alto.
00:13:05.41\00:13:09.48
The work was moving forward,
but it was not without trial.
00:13:09.52\00:13:13.42
In Redwood, Mississippi,
00:13:13.46\00:13:15.16
Franklin Warrick
had to leap from a train
00:13:15.19\00:13:17.76
to escape a lynch mob
00:13:17.79\00:13:19.13
that had been
called to kill him.
00:13:19.16\00:13:21.00
In Calvert, Mississippi,
MV Olan was whipped,
00:13:21.03\00:13:24.73
and his wife shot at
00:13:24.77\00:13:26.30
because of their
commitment to educate
00:13:26.33\00:13:28.30
and evangelize the
blacks in the South.
00:13:28.34\00:13:30.71
Edson White established
the Southern Missionary Society
00:13:35.51\00:13:39.18
with the purpose of
carrying the principles
00:13:39.21\00:13:41.35
of Christian education
00:13:41.38\00:13:42.82
to the people in the South.
00:13:42.85\00:13:44.89
In 1898,
00:13:44.92\00:13:46.35
the Gospel Herald
Magazine was launched,
00:13:46.39\00:13:48.89
and the first eight episodes
00:13:48.92\00:13:50.93
were printed on
the Morning Star.
00:13:50.96\00:13:53.29
Later on a health
food company, a sanitarium,
00:13:53.33\00:13:56.67
and a clinic would open
00:13:56.70\00:13:58.20
along with 28 mission schools
by 1906 with 1,000 pupils.
00:13:58.23\00:14:03.14
The idea of a missionary
boat that could act as a school,
00:14:07.48\00:14:11.48
meeting house,
printing press, library,
00:14:11.51\00:14:14.02
and training center
was absolute genius.
00:14:14.05\00:14:17.25
He could move around
when tensions got too high
00:14:17.29\00:14:20.06
as it was a mobile
missionary station.
00:14:20.09\00:14:22.66
The work that
the Morning Star did
00:14:22.69\00:14:24.86
provide a great impetus
00:14:24.89\00:14:26.49
and pushed the work
forward here in the South.
00:14:26.53\00:14:29.46
From a wayward son who
had no spiritual direction,
00:14:29.50\00:14:32.93
Edson White would
help lay a framework
00:14:32.97\00:14:35.24
for comprehensive work to
take place here in the South
00:14:35.27\00:14:38.64
that continues to this day.
00:14:38.67\00:14:41.01
No people group is excluded
from the Great Commission
00:14:41.04\00:14:44.48
to take the
gospel to all the world.
00:14:44.51\00:14:46.61
May God grant us the
creativity and the wisdom
00:14:46.65\00:14:50.35
as we share this message,
00:14:50.39\00:14:52.02
especially to those
00:14:52.05\00:14:53.42
who have been
ostracized and marginalized
00:14:53.46\00:14:55.96
by whatever
society we may live in.
00:14:55.99\00:14:59.26
When I was growing up, if
you wanted to study history
00:14:59.29\00:15:01.83
or do research on
a particular topic,
00:15:01.86\00:15:03.93
there was really only
one option that we had
00:15:03.97\00:15:06.47
and that was to read a book.
00:15:06.50\00:15:08.30
And I never really used
to like reading that much.
00:15:08.34\00:15:10.61
So we decided to
create a resource
00:15:10.64\00:15:12.51
that will translate
this written information
00:15:12.54\00:15:14.58
into the language of today.
00:15:14.61\00:15:16.14
My name is Adam Ramdin.
00:15:18.55\00:15:19.88
And my name is Clive Coutet.
00:15:19.91\00:15:21.25
And we are the
cofounders of Lineage Journey.
00:15:21.28\00:15:24.02
Back in 2016, I was
reading "The Great Controversy"
00:15:24.05\00:15:26.59
and I was really
struggling to find
00:15:26.62\00:15:28.06
any relevant video resources
00:15:28.09\00:15:29.72
that I could use
to aid me in my study.
00:15:29.76\00:15:31.73
So I decided to approach
Adam about the possibility
00:15:31.76\00:15:33.96
of making some
videos on the Reformation.
00:15:34.00\00:15:36.53
So we started
filming in the end of 2016,
00:15:36.56\00:15:39.50
and in 2017, we
released 48 videos
00:15:39.53\00:15:43.04
that covered the
period of the early church
00:15:43.07\00:15:45.44
all the way through to
the end of the Reformation.
00:15:45.47\00:15:48.64
Then in 2018 and 2019,
00:15:48.68\00:15:50.61
we released another 52
episodes on church history.
00:15:50.65\00:15:54.35
These have now been
viewed all over the world
00:15:54.38\00:15:56.95
in over 100 countries
00:15:56.99\00:15:58.52
covering about 50
different languages
00:15:58.55\00:16:00.86
and we have over 3
million views online.
00:16:00.89\00:16:04.19
These videos have
been used as a resource
00:16:04.23\00:16:06.29
in both secular
and Christian schools
00:16:06.33\00:16:08.80
as well as several
church denominations
00:16:08.83\00:16:11.03
across the globe
00:16:11.07\00:16:12.40
using Bible
studies, study groups,
00:16:12.43\00:16:14.60
as well as play to
the general congregation.
00:16:14.64\00:16:16.77
They also make a great
online evangelistic tool
00:16:16.81\00:16:19.54
where people are
able to share them,
00:16:19.57\00:16:21.04
and we've seen
them go into countries
00:16:21.08\00:16:22.44
that we ourselves can't go,
00:16:22.48\00:16:23.95
countries that
are Muslim countries
00:16:23.98\00:16:25.48
where the
Christian message cannot go.
00:16:25.51\00:16:28.08
One of the
challenges we have, though,
00:16:28.12\00:16:29.92
is that amongst our
team of almost 10 people,
00:16:29.95\00:16:32.02
we are all
volunteers on this project,
00:16:32.05\00:16:34.09
sacrificing our time,
our effort, and energy
00:16:34.12\00:16:36.46
in order to make
these resources together.
00:16:36.49\00:16:39.13
Just to put
things into perspective,
00:16:39.16\00:16:40.96
each Lineage episode
as well as the filming
00:16:41.00\00:16:43.57
takes an
additional two to three days
00:16:43.60\00:16:45.43
in post-production.
00:16:45.47\00:16:46.80
That is a lot of
time and sacrifice
00:16:46.84\00:16:48.87
that this team has made
00:16:48.90\00:16:50.24
in putting 100
episodes together.
00:16:50.27\00:16:51.97
So we need to raise the funds
00:16:52.01\00:16:53.38
to cover the cost of the filming
00:16:53.41\00:16:55.18
as well as the
continued production
00:16:55.21\00:16:57.35
costs that come after that.
00:16:57.38\00:16:59.41
So for as little as $1 a month,
00:16:59.45\00:17:01.28
you can help us to
expand this ministry
00:17:01.32\00:17:03.45
to create new resources
00:17:03.49\00:17:05.12
to reach more
people across the world.
00:17:05.15\00:17:07.52
Thank you for visiting this page
00:17:07.56\00:17:09.09
and taking the time
to watch this video.
00:17:09.12\00:17:11.23
We really appreciate that.
00:17:11.26\00:17:12.83
Thank you for your
support of the ministry so far.
00:17:12.86\00:17:15.33
And we ask that you
would prayerfully consider
00:17:15.36\00:17:17.63
being a partner with
us on this Patreon page.
00:17:17.67\00:17:21.14
May God bless you.
00:17:21.17\00:17:22.50
And we ask that you
continue to keep this ministry
00:17:22.54\00:17:24.81
and our future plans in prayer.
00:17:24.84\00:17:26.57
In 1939,
Ripley's Believe It or Not
00:17:45.39\00:17:48.56
wrote about the
school in Madison, Tennessee,
00:17:48.60\00:17:51.37
and included its amazing story
00:17:51.40\00:17:53.67
in their long list
of unbelievable things.
00:17:53.70\00:17:56.71
They reported that it was
the only college in America
00:17:56.74\00:17:59.61
that was self-supporting,
00:17:59.64\00:18:01.08
meaning it operated
without external funds,
00:18:01.11\00:18:04.41
income or endowments.
00:18:04.45\00:18:06.38
The remarkable
story goes back to 1904
00:18:06.41\00:18:09.78
when Percy T.Magan
and E.A. Sutherland
00:18:09.82\00:18:13.02
started a school
that was originally called
00:18:13.05\00:18:15.76
the Nashville Agricultural
and Normal Institute.
00:18:15.79\00:18:19.06
Here in Madison, Tennessee,
00:18:23.90\00:18:26.13
just 10 miles
north of Nashville,
00:18:26.17\00:18:28.70
one of America's most remarkable
00:18:28.74\00:18:30.51
and innovative schools started.
00:18:30.54\00:18:33.07
E.A Sutherland and Percy
Magan resigned their jobs
00:18:33.11\00:18:36.68
from Emmanuel Missionary College
00:18:36.71\00:18:38.41
and moved down to
work in the South.
00:18:38.45\00:18:40.82
In 1904,
00:18:40.85\00:18:42.32
they were here on
the Cumberland River
00:18:42.35\00:18:44.29
with Ellen White on
the Morning Star boat
00:18:44.32\00:18:46.49
when it suddenly broke down.
00:18:46.52\00:18:48.49
Ellen White and
Mr. Palmer went ashore
00:18:48.52\00:18:50.99
and saw 412 acre
farm that was for sale.
00:18:51.03\00:18:54.70
It was overgrown,
full of stones and rundown,
00:18:54.73\00:18:57.87
but Ellen White commented
00:18:57.90\00:18:59.23
that she has seen
the place in a vision
00:18:59.27\00:19:00.94
and thought they
should purchase it.
00:19:00.97\00:19:02.87
The two teachers E.A.
Sutherland and Percy Magan
00:19:02.90\00:19:06.07
were dismayed,
00:19:06.11\00:19:07.44
for they did not
think the place look
00:19:07.48\00:19:08.81
promising at all,
00:19:08.84\00:19:10.18
but they decided to
trust the wisdom of Ellen White
00:19:10.21\00:19:12.65
and moved ahead and
purchased the property.
00:19:12.68\00:19:15.62
It began its first
term with 11 students
00:19:15.65\00:19:18.85
but quickly grew.
00:19:18.89\00:19:20.22
And under Ellen
White's guidance,
00:19:20.26\00:19:21.99
the educational philosophy
of this school was established.
00:19:22.02\00:19:25.73
Madison sought to
educate the whole person,
00:19:30.43\00:19:33.30
body, mind and soul,
00:19:33.34\00:19:34.94
instilling in students a spirit
of self-sacrifice, service,
00:19:34.97\00:19:39.37
and a love of the
simple frugal life.
00:19:39.41\00:19:41.91
Using the large
property that it had,
00:19:41.94\00:19:44.48
students worked on the land
00:19:44.51\00:19:46.15
ensuring that they
could pay their way through,
00:19:46.18\00:19:48.68
making it a
self-supporting institution.
00:19:48.72\00:19:51.59
If students did
not have enough money,
00:19:51.62\00:19:53.46
they were not turned away
00:19:53.49\00:19:54.82
but encouraged to work
their way through school.
00:19:54.86\00:19:57.19
The teachers did not
have high paying salaries.
00:19:57.23\00:20:00.20
And staff and students
would work together every day
00:20:00.23\00:20:03.83
for five hours.
00:20:03.87\00:20:05.20
The focus of
Madison was to be different.
00:20:10.21\00:20:13.14
Athletics and sports
programs were not included,
00:20:13.17\00:20:16.54
but instead there
was a strong emphasis
00:20:16.58\00:20:19.15
on mission work.
00:20:19.18\00:20:20.98
The purpose was to
train self-supporting
00:20:21.02\00:20:23.79
domestic and
foreign missionary workers
00:20:23.82\00:20:26.79
and teachers.
00:20:26.82\00:20:28.16
"The education given
at the Madison School
00:20:28.19\00:20:30.83
is such as will be accounted
a treasure of great value
00:20:30.86\00:20:34.13
by those who take
up missionary work
00:20:34.16\00:20:36.20
in foreign fields.
00:20:36.23\00:20:37.57
If many more in other schools
00:20:37.60\00:20:39.60
were receiving a
similar training,
00:20:39.63\00:20:41.67
we as a people
00:20:41.70\00:20:43.04
would be a
spectacle to the world,
00:20:43.07\00:20:44.87
to angels and to men."
00:20:44.91\00:20:46.54
As Madison expanded,
00:20:52.65\00:20:54.18
it began to plan
satellite schools
00:20:54.22\00:20:56.55
and institutions
all across the country.
00:20:56.58\00:20:59.35
By 1914, there were 40
schools with 1,000 students.
00:20:59.39\00:21:04.03
In 1947,
00:21:04.06\00:21:05.83
the self-supporting
entities form the Association
00:21:05.86\00:21:09.36
of Seventh-day Adventist
self-supporting institutions
00:21:09.40\00:21:12.73
or ASI.
00:21:12.77\00:21:14.14
Once a year, they
would meet here at Madison
00:21:14.17\00:21:16.71
for a self-supporting
workers convention,
00:21:16.74\00:21:19.07
laying the foundation
for the annual ASI Convention
00:21:19.11\00:21:22.48
that continues to this day.
00:21:22.51\00:21:24.55
In 1979,
00:21:24.58\00:21:26.25
the name was changed to reflect
a more diverse membership
00:21:26.28\00:21:29.78
to Adventist Laymen's
Services and Industries.
00:21:29.82\00:21:32.92
And it is a powerful
mission driven organization
00:21:32.95\00:21:36.46
that has been responsible
for some great projects
00:21:36.49\00:21:39.09
over the years.
00:21:39.13\00:21:40.46
Unfortunately, the school
would sadly close in 1964,
00:21:46.77\00:21:51.37
and the reasons
are complex and many.
00:21:51.41\00:21:54.61
Madison pioneered
the self-supporting work
00:21:54.64\00:21:57.35
not to be confused
with independent ministries.
00:21:57.38\00:22:00.35
Ellen White
spoke strongly in favor
00:22:00.38\00:22:02.62
of the self-supporting work,
00:22:02.65\00:22:04.19
saying in the book
"Welfare Ministry" page 64,
00:22:04.22\00:22:07.26
"There is a large field open
00:22:07.29\00:22:09.32
before the
self-supporting gospel worker."
00:22:09.36\00:22:12.33
Self-supporting work was
and is to work harmoniously
00:22:12.36\00:22:16.40
with the organized
work and the collaboration
00:22:16.43\00:22:18.90
between these two entities
00:22:18.93\00:22:20.74
will make the gospel
work doubly effective.
00:22:20.77\00:22:23.61
Born into a poor Mississippi
black family in 1874,
00:22:42.16\00:22:46.70
into a family of freed slaves,
00:22:46.73\00:22:49.10
Anna Knight would rise
above her humble beginning
00:22:49.13\00:22:52.27
to make a massive
impact in the Adventist Church,
00:22:52.30\00:22:55.47
both in America
and further afield.
00:22:55.50\00:22:58.07
At that time, where she lived
00:22:58.11\00:23:00.28
there were no
schools for blacks,
00:23:00.31\00:23:02.11
and she wasn't allowed
to attend the white schools,
00:23:02.14\00:23:05.01
but she would volunteer
00:23:05.05\00:23:06.41
to do chores for
her white neighbors
00:23:06.45\00:23:08.42
if they would let
her look at their books.
00:23:08.45\00:23:10.75
She had a massive
appetite for knowledge
00:23:10.79\00:23:13.15
and despite the
serious disadvantage
00:23:13.19\00:23:15.92
she set out to learn.
00:23:15.96\00:23:17.36
One day she saw an
advert in a magazine
00:23:23.77\00:23:26.17
that if the
reader sent in 10 cents,
00:23:26.20\00:23:28.24
they will be added to a
list to receive free books.
00:23:28.27\00:23:31.37
She saved up her
10 cents over time
00:23:31.41\00:23:33.58
and sent in to
receive the free samples.
00:23:33.61\00:23:36.14
Of the 40 or so
people who responded,
00:23:36.18\00:23:38.58
one of them was a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:23:38.61\00:23:40.32
and sent her a big
stack of magazines and books.
00:23:40.35\00:23:43.82
Edith Embree sent her
00:23:43.85\00:23:45.19
a "Signs of the
Times" every week,
00:23:45.22\00:23:47.19
and over time
built a relationship up
00:23:47.22\00:23:49.36
with her.
00:23:49.39\00:23:50.73
She decided to keep the Sabbath
which wasn't easy in a home
00:23:50.76\00:23:53.60
where everyone needed to work,
00:23:53.63\00:23:55.56
but she did not waver
00:23:55.60\00:23:57.07
even though she came
under pressure for it.
00:23:57.10\00:23:59.13
Soon after Edith sent
her a copy of the book
00:24:03.94\00:24:06.51
"Steps to Christ,"
00:24:06.54\00:24:07.88
and Anna
determined to be baptized.
00:24:07.91\00:24:09.78
And so, Edith Embree
00:24:09.81\00:24:11.31
wrote to the Southern
Missionary Tract Society
00:24:11.35\00:24:14.15
and told them about Anna.
00:24:14.18\00:24:16.25
There were not many
churches in the South,
00:24:16.28\00:24:18.42
let alone organize conferences,
00:24:18.45\00:24:20.66
and the nearest church
was in Graysville, Tennessee,
00:24:20.69\00:24:23.89
382 miles away.
00:24:23.93\00:24:26.56
This did not deter
Anna and she got baptized.
00:24:26.59\00:24:30.13
After this, she will be mentored
00:24:30.17\00:24:31.60
by Elder and Mrs. Chambers.
00:24:31.63\00:24:33.50
And then she would
go on to study first
00:24:33.54\00:24:35.50
at Mount Vernon Academy in Ohio,
00:24:35.54\00:24:37.67
and then at Battle Creek College
00:24:37.71\00:24:39.47
in Michigan and
train to be a nurse.
00:24:39.51\00:24:42.21
After graduation she returned
back down to Mississippi
00:24:42.24\00:24:45.68
and started a
school in the same town
00:24:45.71\00:24:48.15
that had given a trouble
00:24:48.18\00:24:49.52
when she started
to keep the Sabbath.
00:24:49.55\00:24:51.42
By now they saw the
benefit of education
00:24:51.45\00:24:53.86
for the younger children
00:24:53.89\00:24:55.22
and the ill
feelings disappeared.
00:24:55.26\00:24:57.26
At the 1901 GC session,
00:25:01.86\00:25:04.50
she felt a call
to the mission field.
00:25:04.53\00:25:06.80
She made
arrangements for the work
00:25:06.84\00:25:08.54
back home in Mississippi.
00:25:08.57\00:25:10.14
And then she
headed on what was perhaps
00:25:10.17\00:25:12.11
her most unique work,
00:25:12.14\00:25:13.68
the first female
missionary to India.
00:25:13.71\00:25:17.15
She led many people
to accept Jesus Christ
00:25:17.18\00:25:20.05
as their Savior
00:25:20.08\00:25:21.42
during her six years
ministering in India.
00:25:21.45\00:25:24.22
She returned home
00:25:24.25\00:25:25.59
on what was
supposed to be a furlough,
00:25:25.62\00:25:27.26
but ended up establishing
another school in Mississippi.
00:25:27.29\00:25:30.63
And then in 1909,
00:25:30.66\00:25:32.49
she would be asked
to open a sanitarium
00:25:32.53\00:25:34.96
in Atlanta, Georgia,
00:25:35.00\00:25:36.46
to establish the
medical missionary work
00:25:36.50\00:25:39.27
amongst the
African-Americans in the South.
00:25:39.30\00:25:41.77
She went on to
pioneer education work
00:25:46.04\00:25:48.51
for blacks in the South,
00:25:48.54\00:25:50.01
working for six years
00:25:50.05\00:25:51.38
at the
Southeastern Union Conference.
00:25:51.41\00:25:53.82
She would later work
for the Southern Union
00:25:53.85\00:25:55.85
whilst living here
00:25:55.88\00:25:57.22
at what is now
Oakwood University,
00:25:57.25\00:25:59.09
but it seems she
spent nearly all her time
00:25:59.12\00:26:00.99
traveling by train,
00:26:01.02\00:26:02.42
visiting the various schools
and pushing the work forward.
00:26:02.46\00:26:06.09
By 1932, she served as
the associate secretary
00:26:06.13\00:26:10.10
for the
Education, Home Missionary,
00:26:10.13\00:26:12.63
Missionary Volunteer and
Sabbath School Departments
00:26:12.67\00:26:15.67
at the Southern Union Conference
00:26:15.70\00:26:17.61
Colored Department.
00:26:17.64\00:26:19.07
In the last year of
her life, at the age of 98,
00:26:19.11\00:26:22.51
she served as the president
00:26:22.54\00:26:24.11
of the National
Colored Teachers Association.
00:26:24.15\00:26:26.85
And in that same year,
00:26:26.88\00:26:28.22
the General
Conference awarded her
00:26:28.25\00:26:29.88
the Medallion of Merit Award
from the education department.
00:26:29.92\00:26:33.36
She lived a life of
principle, working tirelessly,
00:26:37.96\00:26:41.63
both at home and abroad
to share the message of Jesus
00:26:41.66\00:26:45.23
that she had
learned at such a young age.
00:26:45.27\00:26:47.77
She lived a life for others,
00:26:47.80\00:26:49.64
rising above the disadvantages
and prejudices that she faced.
00:26:49.67\00:26:54.54
The legacy of her life
will be a long and rich one
00:26:54.58\00:26:57.91
that last to this day,
00:26:57.95\00:26:59.65
and she is a pioneer
worthy of remembrance.
00:26:59.68\00:27:02.85
The church today needs
men and women like Anna Knight
00:27:02.88\00:27:06.69
who will go into
un-entered areas,
00:27:06.72\00:27:09.02
who will start schools,
who will be a missionary
00:27:09.06\00:27:11.86
and share the message of Jesus,
00:27:11.89\00:27:13.83
whether that's at home
00:27:13.86\00:27:15.20
or whether that's
in an un-entered area.
00:27:15.23\00:27:17.43
If God is calling
you to such a work,
00:27:17.47\00:27:20.20
then harden not your
heart and go where He calls.
00:27:20.24\00:27:23.67