Sabbath, April 20, was the date of the 2013 Michigan Adventist History Tour. The day was cold and there was a dusting of snow when we got off the bus at our first stop, where we looked at the grave of Irving Guilford, nephew of William Miller.

Stan Hickerson tells the story of Irving Guilford.

Our route took us by the White home in Greenville, Michigan. James, Ellen, and Willie White moved into this home so that James could recover more fully from his stroke. They farmed the land and started construction of their new home.

We also drove by Prudence and Joseph Bates home in Monterey, Michigan. We stopped at their grave in the Poplar Hill Cemetery.

Grave of Prudence and Joseph Bates in the Poplar Hill Cemetery.

We went to the site where the Morning Star was launched in Allegan Michigan. And finally to the Allegan Seventh-day Adventist Church. David Williams led out in several pioneer Adventist hymns and told stories associated with them.

David Williams led out in early Adventist Hymns.

Singing early Adventist hymns in the Allegan Seventh-day Adventist church.

The purpose of this symposium is to break new ground in understanding Ellen White and issues relating to her life, ministry, and prophetic gift that have current importance. The structure of the symposium had some elements of academic formality. Papers were presented with a prepared response followed by a brief responses from the presenters. The papers presented will later be published in a journal that will be available at a reasonable cost. At the symposium were available the published presentations from the previous symposiums. Forms were provided to attendees to give them an opportunity to submit questions. These questions were later discussed as part of the Current Issues Discussion at end of the afternoon.

The first speaker of the morning was Benjamin Schoun, general vice-president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; he gave the devotional talk. James R. Nix, director of the Ellen G. White Estate, was unable to participate due to travel inconveniences, and Nicholas Miller, Professor of Church History, read Nix’s paper, “‘Sickly, Slobbering, Idiots’ and the Story of Albert E. Horsley,” in his place. This inspiring story received a good response despite the author not being present. Theodore Levterov, director of the Ellen G. White Estate Branch Office at Loma Linda University and Assistant Professor of Religion and Theological Studies, his paper was entitled “The Development of the Seventh-day Adventist Understanding of Ellen G. White’s Prophetic Gift, 1844-1889.” Alberto Timm, Associate Director of the Ellen G. White Estate, is a specialist in the development of Seventh-day Adventist doctrines and theology. He presented a paper entitled “Development of Contemporary Issues Related to Ellen G. White.” The final paper presented that afternoon was from Jiří Moskala, and his paper was entitled “Can a Prophet Err?” The last event of the afternoon was the Current Issues Discussion facilitated by Dr. Merlin D. Burt, professor of Church History.

Current Issues Discussion facilitated by Dr. Merlin D. Burt.

We look forward to seeing you at the next Ellen White Issues Symposium. Though this will be an academic symposium it is our intention that it also provide spiritual encouragement and inspiration for those who attend.