The Sabbath opened on July 11, 2025 at the 62nd General Conference Session in St. Louis with a presentation by the Ellen G. White Estate that highlighted the life and works of Adventist pioneer Ellen White.

Merlin D. Burt, director of the White Estate, shared that one of the most important traits of White’s writings was her emphasis on loving Jesus. 

In a writing from the 1888 General Conference Session, she wrote:

“Oh, I love Him. I love Him, for He is my love. I see in Him matchless charms, and oh, how I want that we shall enter through the gates into the city [the New Jerusalem].”

Her favorite hymn was “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” and she often quoted it in sermons and talks. 

Burt shared first-hand accounts in his presentation of people describing Ellen White as a woman deeply in love with Jesus. 

A famous moment in her life was a vision lasting 30 minutes while she held up a Bible weighing approximately 18 pounds (8 kg). 

Burt asked the strongest man from the White Estate, Dwain Esmond, to hold up the Bible in the same way she had. The contrast between a grown man holding the Bible for less than two minutes and a frail 17-year-old girl holding it effortlessly for 30 minutes served as powerful evidence of God’s involvement, he says.

He also highlighted that God often caused White to hold up a Bible during her visions to demonstrate that her work was to lead others to God's word.

Burt shared stories of White's early life, including a traumatic injury at the age of nine that nearly resulted in her death. He also shared many quotes from throughout her life showcasing her devotion to the written word of God.

In between sections of Burt’s speech, various favored hymns of Ellen White were sung by a choir, including: “I Must Tell Jesus,” “I Surrender,” and “By and By.” 

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