General Conference Bulletin, April 25, 1901 - on Personal Christian Individuality.
In this sermon she is speaking on the topic of personal individuality, to individuals departing for mission service in foreign lands who will need to come into unity with other missionaries already serving in those locations. After assuring them of God's presence and blessings, she warns that some of the people will question whether they can really serve together because they don't see eye to eye on everything. Categorically stating such an idea is "wrong," she affirms the individuality of each person, and how they can come into godly harmony with other missionaries without losing their own individuality. She also states there will be no quarreling, strife, seeking for supremacy or disparaging of each other, for as branches of the true Vine, in the diversity of the branches there is unity! This is a wonderful key reading on the topic of individuality in the writings of Ellen G. White.
"While the individuality of each is to be maintained, unity and harmony is to be preserved. When this spirit of oneness pervades the work, our institutions throughout the world will be united in their interest, while the individuality of any one will not be merged into that of any other one."
To The Directors Of The Nashville Sanitarium And The Southern Conference
Lt112, 1907 - On Institutional Christian Individuality
In this letter written in 1907, Mrs. White is responding to the question of acquiring necessary means for the work that was developing in Huntsville, AL. Concerned that too much money was spent in other places, she was calling for strict economy to be practiced in all fields to make sure that ongoing calls for funds could be met. Affirming the responsibility that each branch of the field has for every other branch, she called for the work to be prosecuted without a single thread of selfishness. Because they were under God's control they were to learn how to harmonize. Pointing to the parable of the vine and the branches, that though each branch had its own individuality, they were all connected to the same source and therefore in union in their attachment. Therefore, "while the individuality of each is to be maintained, unity and harmony is to be preserved. When this spirit of oneness pervades the work, our institutions throughout the world will be united in their interest, while the individuality of any one will not be merged into that of any other one." (Lt112, 1907, par. 14). She also positively forbids merging the publishing houses in bringing them under one management: "The Lord positively instructed us should not be." (Lt112, 1907, par. 15.) This is an important document on the individuality of institutions.