The Ellen White Study Center, on the campus of Weimar Institute, is hosting an open house on Saturday, October 22 from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. According to Maryann Gilley Krueger, librarian manager, the open house is a way to showcase some of the works of the prolific author and American Christian pioneer, along with other historical collectables.
Smithsonian magazine named Ellen G. White among the 100 Most Significant Americans in acknowledgement of her influence on religion.
“We are developing a research museum to depict the values that shaped the Adventist faith more than a century and a half ago”, stated MaryAnn Hadley, Ellen White Study Center Director.
Hadley shared that the study center is more than books. It features a collection of museum-quality historical replicas and authentic pieces of science for the study of paleontology.
As example, the study center has a replica of the Cyrus Cylinder which contained the records of Babylon conquest in 539 B.C. by Persian King Cyrus the Great. The Cylinder provided documentation of Cyrus taking control of Babylon to restore religious traditions.
Significance of this is mentioned in the Biblical book of Isaiah which predicted God’s people being allowed to go back to Jerusalem, marking the beginning of a 2300-day prophesy, according to Hadley. “The Book of Ezra documents the fulfillment of this prophesy.”
“This has special meaning for the captives of all nations who had been seized by Babylon. They were all allowed to go back to their homes and celebrate their religious freedoms. Hence the beginning of Religious Liberty.”
The study center also displays material on Napoleon who sent his generals to take Pope Pius VI as captive as part of the French and Italian declaration of war.
Still another highlight of the study center is a replica of the Dead Sea Scrolls with a certificate of authenticity issued by the Israel Antiquity Authority.
Hadley identified this historical time as a prophetic marker for the development of the Adventist faith.
“We have some rocks that are evidences of the volcanic eruption at Mount St. Helens”, Hadley said. “And information that shows the changes in the surrounding area did not take millions of years but simply, a few days.”
“There are fossils on display from the interiors of the United States that indicate that salt water became present in a fresh water environment.”
“One of my favorite displays is the Ice Age exhibit which features teeth from the Woolly Mammoth and Mastodon”, continued Hadley.
Science indicates the Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) and the American Mastodon (Mammut americanum) both roamed the North American wilderness during the Ice Age.
Both Krueger and Hadley mentioned that the Ellen White Study Center has significant material of interest for Biblical scholars, novices, and history enthusiasts.
The Ellen White Study Center Open House is part of a Weimar Institute’s annual alumni and friends homecoming. Also during the open house, there will be a special dedication of the Herbert Douglass Memorial Library named after a long-time supporter of Weimar Institute. The dedication is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
The open house is free and open to the public. Private tours and class trips are available by contacting MaryAnn Hadley at [email protected] or 817-487-3196.