"Truth about Ellen White Writings"

Summary…

Ellen White said: “I write all that the Lord gives me to write” (8 MR, p. 33, 1990; Letter 52, p. 9, 1906). And she goes on to state that “The Holy Ghost is the author of the Scriptures and of the Spirit of prophecy” (3SM, p. 30, 1900). I was thoroughly shocked to find these claims to be utterly false. I wondered why Ellen White had to feign visions and dreams and make frequent visits to heaven, even to the throne of God, to flood us with information that was already available in the printed form decades, and if not, centuries before her time. We need not ascend to heaven nor descend to the depths of the sea to find God’s will for us, it can be found in His Word (Read Deuteronomy 29: 29; 30: 11-14). The church has never told the truth to its members about Ellen White. So they carry on with wrong information that had been passed to them, which is always a highly exaggerated and elevated view of her writings. This is a kind of suppression of truth, which even in Ellen White’s view a violation of the ninth commandment (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 309). Regardless, she had never acknowledged her copying from others. Although the church now has admitted to her copying, they have invented all sorts of theories to explain away and justify her practice. Is it not a lie to steal someone else’s literary work and call it your own? Is it not a violation of the third commandment to swear that God had given her all that she had written? Despite her claims of inspiration, she had not been able to come up with anything unique or original in any given field of study. This only proves Solomon right when he said, “and there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). According to my research I found her to have copied from what was already there, “line upon line, line upon line; and here a little, and there a little”, the result was, the Spirit of Prophecy!  The secret of the source and the process of how she had acquired the so called “inspired material” is expressed in her own words: “Gems of thought are to be gathered up and redeemed from their companionship with error; for by their misplacement in the association of error, the Author of truth has been dishonored. The precious gems of the righteousness of Christ, and truths of divine origin, are to be carefully searched out and placed in their proper setting,… be carefully rescued from the rubbish of error, where they have been claimed by those who have been transgressors of the law, and have served the purposes of the great deceiver on account of their connection with error…Precious jewels of light are to be collected, and by the aid of the Holy Spirit they are to be fitted into the gospel system” (Adventist Review And Sabbath Herald, October 23, 1894).

Even this explanation of the process of gathering jewels was influenced by William Miller’s Dream, 1847, The Casket of Jewels: A brief History of William Miller, pp. 322-327, 1915, 4th edition; and the thoughts on inspiration by Cunningham Geikie and many others (See No. 646 of this paper).

Ellen White’s younger son, W. C. White, bears this added testimony to his mother’s copying from other authors: “She was told that in the reading of religious books and journals, she would find precious gems of truth expressed in acceptable language, and that she would be given help from heaven to recognize these and to separate them from the rubbish of error with which she would sometimes find them associated” (W.C. White, Letter Dated 1933, written from Elmshaven, California; Adventist Review, June 4, 1981; 101 Questions On The Sanctuary And On Ellen White, p. 72). Regrettably, she had gathered loads of rubbish into her own writings. Now it is the responsibility of every member to identify, separate and cast it in to the bin! But it requires years of diligent study. In my own case, after many years of research on this project, I have only scratched the surface of the issue at study!

The most beautiful thoughts, expressions, words, the unique statements, and grand truths and insights from the spirit of prophecy the Adventists cherish, are but reflections and reproductions of the humble, and Godly Christians writers who pre-date her.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) said in 1858, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” We have been kept in the dark long enough, and we cannot afford to go no this way forever; instead, we ought to wake up and find the truth for ourselves.  It is an individual responsibility. Mark Twain (1835-1910) best described how one’s beliefs may be formed: “In religion and politics beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second hand from other non-examiners, whose opinion about them were not worth a brass.”

Is this not true of the Adventists at large? Interestingly, Ellen white has a similar advise for us when she said: “Our brethren should be willing to investigate in a candid way every point of controversy…we should all know what is being taught among us; for if it is the truth, we need it… if the pillars of our faith will not stand the test of investigation, it is time that we knew it…We must study the truth for ourselves. No living man [including Ellen White?] should be relied upon to think for us…” (Counsels to Writers and Editors, pp. 43-45, 1946).  Have you at any time as an Adventist, verified her writings in the light of the Scriptures?

The problem with the Adventists has been that they have allowed Ellen White to think for them and interpret the bible for them, and have a final say in all their affairs. And a majority still regards her inspiration and authority as equal with the Bile. This false belief is further reinforced by the church’s creed, belief No. 18: “As the Lord’s messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested”— Fundamental Beliefs, No. 18, 2010. Lamentably, Adventists today are same as their pioneers had been – they Live, Move, and have their very Existence in Ellen White! But to the world outside, they present a very different picture.

Instead of standing on “Thus saith the Lord”, they rely on “thus saith Sr. White”, or “Thus saith the Spirit of Prophecy”. Listen to this wise admonition by J. C. Ryle (1816-1900): “It matters nothing who says a thing in religion, whether an ancient father, or a modern Bishop, or a learned divine. Is it in the Bible? Can it be proved by the Bible? If not, it is not to be believed. It matters nothing how beautiful and clever sermons or religious books may appear. Are they in the smallest degree contrary to Scripture? If they are, they are rubbish and poison, and guides of no value. What says the Scripture? This is the only rule, and measure, and gauge of religious truth. “To the law and to the testimony,” says Isaiah, “if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them (Isaiah 8:20)” – J. C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke 10:25-28, 1856-1869; See also Practical Religion, J. C. Ryle, pp. 63, 64, 1878.  How much of Ellen White’s writings can be proved from the Bible? And how much of her bible interpretations are in harmony with the Bible? Think about it.

Take a second look at our teachings (especially the extra-biblical stuff,) which bears Ellen White’s signature on all its features, and test them by the Scriptures, “the only infallible rule of faith and practice” (Fundamental Principles, No. 3, 1874).  Then you will know the truth, for “… a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” — 2 Timothy 2:15.  “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” – John 8:32.

The tragic end of the story is that “The Borrowed Gems” have neither been returned, nor acknowledged publicly, but are kept more secure in Ellen white Estate, perpetuating the lie. Thus, a vast majority of denomination’s employees as well as the laity still live in ignorance. But “no lie can live forever”, said Thomas Carlyle (1795-1891), 1837. God has warned us long before: “…and be sure your sin will find you out”. – Numbers 32:23. Ellen White, believing herself to be a true prophet, confidently made this presumptuous statement: “If the Testimonies speak not according to the word of God, reject them. Christ and Belial cannot be” (3SM, p. 32, 1980). How do you respond to this open challenge of Ellen white? Well, that’s up to you to decide. As for me, I am convinced beyond the shadow of doubt that she was not inspired by the Holy Spirit, and her work was not honest. Elder James White too expressed a similar view. This was revealed by Ellen White in her correspondence with her intimate friend Lucinda: “…his [James White] viewing me in the light he does, and has felt free to tell me his ideas of my being led by a wrong spirit” (Daughters of God, p. 267, 1876, published in 1998). James White goes on with his charges: “Don’t be anxious about my dwelling on disagreeables any more. I have them in my heart. But while on the stage of action I shall use the good old head God gave me until He reveals that I am wrong. Your head won’t fit my shoulders. Keep it where it belongs, and I will try to honor God in using my own. I shall be glad to hear from you, but don’t waste your precious time and strength lecturing me on matters of mere opinionsThere is considerable more of the same kind” (Ibid., p. 270, May 16, 1876). (Emphasis added).

The word of God given to us through the prophets chosen by God comprises a full revelation of God for our salvation. We need no addition to God’s word. Let us cling unto it and we are safe.

The Lord, speaking through Prophet Ezekiel says, “…thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophecy out of their own heart; and prophecy against them.” – Ezekiel 13:17.

And through Prophet Jeremiah the Lord says: Jeremiah 23:21, 28, 30, 32. – “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied…The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord…Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbor….Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith…Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.” Finally, in Deuteronomy 18: 22 The Lord declares: When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid him [or her]. All emphasis added.