In 1985 she was troubled; how could her appreciation of the special message "the Lord sent" to the church in 1888 be shared with other hungry souls? She counseled with a few, and arranged with the Ohio Conference to hold a meeting of possibly interested people at their Mohaven Youth Camp. By phone, letter, and word of mouth, about 125 persons met to study the basic essentials that make the 1888 message unique, along with Ellen White’s endorsements. This was the first "1888 Message Conference," held April 9 through 14, 1985. These people's motivating concern was based upon the positive statement of Ellen White:— "The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones" (Testimonies to Ministers, page 91).

The conference was sponsored by what came to be known as a "Committee of Five": Helen Cate (the leader), H. R. Coats (a retired minister and Missouri Conference official who learned about the 1888 message late in life), Alexander Snyman (a pastor in Southern California), Donald K. Short (a retired minister and missionary), and Robert J. Wieland (who was recently returned from 24 years of mission service in Africa).

The people who attended asked that a "newsletter" be started and another meeting be planned for the next year. Thus "the 1888 Message Study Committee" came into existence from grassroots beginnings. The Ohio Conference refused to let the second meeting be held at Mt. Vernon Academy. Helen prayed earnestly.  Soon Andrews University offered to welcome the group, and for years "national 1888 message conferences" have been held there. The "Committee" has assumed a growing influence in the church around the world, but remains today only what its title indicates—a study committee existing for the purpose of encouraging people to study the message which Ellen White identified as "the beginning" of the "loud cry" and of "the latter rain."

The Committee today is composed of a significant number of pastors and laity in many lands around the world who cherish the firm belief that what the Lord wanted to accomplish over a century ago will yet be done—that the earth will be lightened with the glory of "the message that God commanded to be given to the world."

The roots of this "Study Committee" go back to 1950. Two missionaries to Africa (delegates to the 1950 Session at San Francisco, California) presented to the General Conference a legal size 204-page mimeographed manuscript entitled: "1888 Re-Examined." The content was recognized by the General Conference as of such a serious nature that it could not be passed off as of no consequence.

As time went on, various church members aside from the authors spread the manuscript around the world even though it had no title page, no date, and no authors’ names listed. Official condemnation of the manuscript stirred readers to study more deeply. Many were convinced that its basic thesis was true, supported by Ellen White and contemporary witnesses. Questions and concerns from church members increased over the years.

An attempt was made by the General Conference to discredit the authors’ integrity, stating that an alleged unethical use of Ellen G. White statements led to their conclusions. The General Conference published to the world field that "1888 Re-Examined" was "a serious reflection upon the literary ethics of its authors, . . . guilty of distortion of facts; . . . a manuscript that is detrimental to the church, derogatory to the leaders of the church, and to uninformed individuals who may happen to read it."

The year 1959 found the two authors back in Africa at their appointed places. But there was further correspondence over the years, especially with the General Conference President. Books were published to counteract the influence of "1888 Re-Examined," such as By Faith Alone (Norval F. Pease 1962), and Through Crisis to Victory (A. V. Olson, 1966), and a 700-page work, Movement of Destiny (L. E. Froom, 1971, endorsed by two General Conference presidents). The last book demanded that the two authors make "an explicit confession" of retraction to the world church of their faulty position. After a full year of deeper study, the two authors wrote a document entitled "An Explicit Confession . . . Due the Church" which set forth what they understood is the call of Christ for corporate and denominational repentance (Rev. 3:19). 

None of the officially endorsed books published to condemn "1888 Re-Examined" addressed the basic thesis of the manuscript, with the result that interest in learning about the 1888 message and its history has increased world-wide. To assist people in finding and studying the message and its history is the purpose for the existence of the 1888 Message Study Committee.