The Money From Colorado

Elder William C. White, son of Ellen White and younger brother of the founder of the Southern Missionary Society, later recalled concerning the tithe funds sent to the Society from Colorado: “The money was placed in the treasury of the Southern Missionary Society and was paid out in a regular and economical way to approved laborers who were engaged in regular denominational work.” ^{42Quoted by Arthur L. White in Ellen G. White: The Early Elmshaven Years, 1900-1905, p. 394}EGWCPT 14.6

When the tithe issue in Colorado continued to be vigorously agitated by Elder Watson, General Conference President Arthur G. Daniells wrote to Edson to ask for his side of the story. In an eight-page reply, Edson mentioned several interesting facts concerning the operation of the Southern Missionary Society, which was by now an integral part of the church: “The white laborers for the white people in the South are paid from the tithe, but for several years the Southern Missionary Society has supported from two to five ordained ministers among the colored people, and this support has come from donations received, but the conferences have not allowed the tithe to go to their support.EGWCPT 14.7

“Some people have placed their tithe in mother’s hands and she has forwarded [it] to our Society, promptly, to help meet the payroll of the ministers. Recently three sisters in Colorado have sent their tithe to pay the colored ministers in the South. Considerable disturbance was created in regard to this by the President of the Colorado Conference. Bro. Palmer never asked an individual to pay tithe, and he certainly did not ask the church to pay its tithe.EGWCPT 15.1

“We keep a separate account of the small sums of tithes that come to us in this way and apply them entirely to pay the ministers working for the colored people.” ^{43J. Edson White letter to Arthur G. Daniells, March 26, 1905}EGWCPT 15.2

Edson expressed concern on his part as to whether tithes ought to be coming to his organization, but since the sisterhood of conferences in the Southern Union refused to help—whether from their own financial distress or from various prejudices—he decided to accept it when offered. He continued: “I had many times refused tithes that had been offered to me, and I felt I needed to know my ground. I knew that the money would be used to pay ministers where their pay was refused us from the tithe from all other places, but whether we had a right to take it was a question.” ^44Ibid.EGWCPT 15.3