Ellen White.
For example, Loma Linda University, with its internationally recognized
Chapter 45—Does Ellen White
Measure Up?
“The golden rule for understanding spiritually is not intellect, but obedience. If a
man wants scientific knowledge, intellectual curiosity is his guide; but if he
wants insight into what Jesus Christ teaches, he can only get it by obedience. . .
. Intellectual darkness comes through ignorance; spiritual darkness comes
because of something I do not intend to obey. No man ever receives a word
from God without instantly being put to the test over it. . . . Watch the things you
shrug your shoulders over, and you will know why you do not go on spiritually.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Does Ellen White measure up as a messenger bearing God‘s message in modern
times? Does her seventy-year ministry warrant recognizing her as a divinely called
messenger? How did her contemporaries come to the conclusion that she was a
prophet? Their experience becomes highly persuasive as we evaluate her credentials
today. Why men and women since her death have come to this same conclusion is
equally persuasive.
Applying Biblical Norms
The norms by which we measure Biblical prophets can easily be applied to Ellen
White. Her teachings are in harmony with the Bible. From the beginning to the end of
her ministry, her counsel rings clear. The Lord desires you to study your Bibles. He
has not given any additional light to take the place of His Word. This light [her own
ministry] is to bring confused minds to His Word, which, if eaten and digested, is as
the lifeblood of the soul. Critics charge that Ellen White contradicts the Bible. It may be
that a few statements regarding a person or a date seem inconsistent with a Biblical
text. But such discrepancies are insignificant.
They merely are examples of the human element in the revelation/inspiration process,
even as we observe discrepancies in the writings of certain Biblical prophets. The
main issue is how well did she cut through the confusion and impasses of two
thousand years and present to the modern world a full-orbed picture of the everlasting
gospel? A fair review of her writings indicates that she united the basic concern of
traditional conservatives with the heartfelt convictions of traditional liberals. In doing
so, her theological message transcended the age-old stalemates that have caused
divisions between churches and those within churches. Her main theological message
transcends the limitations of the messenger. Her message is the basis for her claim to
be God‘s messenger.
The fruitage of Ellen White‘s ministry becomes more compelling with the passing of
time. The test of time is a crucial test of a person‘s message. History books are full of
leaders with great ideas in every field of knowledge; few of these people are even
remembered today except for a possible footnote in a history book. Scarcely one
hundred believers in 1850, the Adventist movement has become worldwide, growing
beyond ten million adherents. Non-Adventist observers, as well as Adventists,
emphatically declare that Ellen White is a prime reason for this worldwide influence.
Not just a preaching ministry, the Adventist Church sponsors the largest Protestant
school system in the world.
In addition, its medical program is internationally known, largely the product of Ellen
White‘s nurturing. These worldwide programs, including ADRA, would never have
reached their present achievements without the foresight and principles set forth by
School of Medicine, would not even exist had it not been for the vision and tenacity of
Ellen White.
Unique Objectives
The distinctiveness of these programs lies not in the fact of their worldwide influence
but in their unique objectives. Adventist schools and medical facilities are distinctive
because of the carefully chiseled principles outlined by Ellen White, not because
religious people imitate secular programs. Further, Seventh-day Adventists today,
because of principles set forth by God‘s messenger, are known as a giving people, a
longer-living, healthier people, and a mission-oriented people.
Ellen White‘s consistent focus on Jesus as the center of both her spiritual life and her
theological principles emphasizes how convincingly she cooperated with the ―Spirit‖
of prophecy. In hundreds of instances she emphasized the center of her own
devotions and ministry.
The object of all ministry is to keep self out of sight, and to let Christ appear. The
exaltation of Christ is the great truth that all who labor in word and doctrine are to
reveal. Her sermons uplifted Jesus as humanity‘s Source of peace and power.
Surprising as it may be for students of nineteenth-century religious movements, Ellen
White left no monument to herself, no demand for adulation and the amenities that
she surely deserved—characteristic of all Biblical prophets. Her life was driven by a
sense of destiny wrapped up in her call to be God‘s messenger. She focused on
making God better understood as she relayed to others His messages.
Presenting Biblical truths as they are ―in Jesus was a favorite task. One of the more
practical tests of a prophet is found in the quality changes that the prophet‘s
messages make in the lives of adherents. In reviewing the chief findings of the 1980
research done by the Institute of Church Ministry at Andrews University, we note that
Seventh-day Adventists ―who regularly study the writings of Ellen White are also
more likely to be stronger Christians in their personal spiritual life and in their witness
to their communities than those church members who don‘t.
Ellen White Readers Read Bible More Than Others
Perhaps more significant than all the other characteristics of those who read the
writings of Ellen White was the finding that percent of the readers usually or always
have daily personal Bible study, while only percent of the nonreaders do. The
difference of thirty-five percent was the largest relating to any question in the survey.
Adventists who read Ellen White place a higher value on Bible study than those who
do not read her. Further, those who follow her counsel are the church‘s frontline
sharers of the Good News that they continually receive from studying the Bible and
her writings. In other words, those who read Ellen White are those who best
understand the mission and message of the Seventh-day Adventist Church..
Witness of Ellen White’s Contemporaries
Ellen White‘s personal life was lived in full view of young and old. The acid test of
people‘s integrity is whether they practice what they preach. Young James White, an
enthusiastic Millerite Adventist in his early twenties, was much impressed with Ellen
Harmon, a Portland teenager. In speaking of his first meeting with her, he recalled.She
was then a Christian of the most devoted type. And although but sixteen, she was a
laborer in the cause of Christ in public and from house to house. She was a decided
Adventist, and yet her experience was so rich and her testimony so powerful that
ministers and leading men of different churches sought her labors as an exhorter in
their several congregations. But at that time she was very timid, and little thought that
she was to be brought before the public to speak to thousands. The consistency and
integrity of Ellen White‘s personal relationships were subject to close scrutiny by her
own family, her colleagues, and non-Adventists. Her frugality and dedication of time
and funds to missionary outreach are well known. Her generosity and commitment to
duty are legendary. Her perseverance and courage, especially courage when standing
alone, have prompted many to follow her example. Her humor and common sense
relaxed many stressful situations.
Convincing Integrity
Her associates would never have been convinced that her visions and counsel were of
divine origin if she had been accused of immoral living. Ellen White‘s contemporaries
on several continents came to the place in their institutional planning and various
crises that they sought her counsel before making their decisions. Proven men and
women, experienced in their several fields, learned to trust her judgment as she led
her colleagues to principles that would help them solve their problems and enlarge
their worldview.
This confidence was not a creedal belief imposed by church leaders. The leaders
themselves were led to this confidence not by argument but by experience. At an 1857
Battle Creek conference of about two hundred and fifty Sabbath keepers, the
―subject of the unity and gifts of the church . . . [was] presented which seemed to
have a place in the hearts of the people. Many expressed themselves happy to see
this subject taking its proper place in the church During this meeting, Ellen White read
―a testimony for the church which was received as the voice of the Lord to His
people. Someone proposed that the testimony be published and there was no
opposition. Mrs. White earned the confidence of her contemporaries by the integrity of
her personal relationships as well as through the relevance of her messages.
The Witness of Uriah Smith
This kind of response happened from the earliest days of her ministry. Undaunted
men like Joseph Bates became convinced through personal experience. Strong-willed
men who had their own Biblical viewpoints could have divided the early group of
Sabbatarian Adventists before they even organized as a church. Uriah Smith, in a
sermon delivered at the 1891 General Conference, recalled his own personal
experience of forty years.
Our relation to it [ministry of Ellen White] is our relation to something which arose with
this work, which has gone right forward with it, side by side, which has interwoven
itself into and through it, and all about it, from the day this message began until this
present hour.‖ Smith described the potential chaos of those early days when men and
women ―came with almost as many different views on some points as there were
individuals . . . each one pressing his own individual ideas.
Then the value of the Spirit of prophecy in connection with this work, again appeared.
It pointed out the right course to pursue. And what was it? It was that the brethren
should sink all their minor differences and their peculiarities of lesser importance, and
unite in the one great movement of the third angel‘s
message. These examples are merely an index of what it has done all the way
along—guarding against giving up the truths of the past, and pointing the way to light
and truth in the future.
The Witness of Mrs. S. M. I. Henry
A well-known female leader, Mrs. S. M. I. Henry, was wary of the Testimonies and
Ellen White, even after she became a Seventh-day Adventist. Why? Because of the
―manner in which her [Mrs. White‘s] work was first brought to my notice. But Mrs.
Henry‘s own experience in grasping the purpose of Ellen White‘s ministry became
self-authenticating. In her remarkable testimony called, ―My Telescope, she said that
she would ―be willing to go back into my wheel chair if by doing so I could get
another glimpse of the hitherto unseen, such as this has been to me. . . . This
experience has given me confidence in this small body of people—new confidence in
this organization. I do not believe that God would ever have given me to see the things
that I have seen, and to feel what I have felt, and to see Him as I have seen Him in
these circumstances, if there were not life and power in this organization to lift it up out
of all shadows and doubts into the glory of His presence, and to carry it safely through.
Unabated Confidence
Men and women who worked and interacted with Ellen White, receiving her private
and public testimonies and trusting her advice on institutional development, voted an
action at each session of the General Conference similar to this 1882 resolution:
―That we express our unabated confidence in the Testimonies which have been so
graciously given to this people, which have guided our ways and corrected our errors,
from the rise of the third angel‘s message to the present time; and that we especially
express our gratitude for Testimony No. 31, which we accept as a token of the care of
God over us—an evidence that He has not forsaken us, notwithstanding our many
backslidings. A. G. Daniells, president of the General Conference (1901-1922),
perhaps knew Ellen White better than anyone else outside of her immediate family.
In the 1919 Bible Conference he outlined in an impromptu setting how he would teach
the youth in the church and the general public about the veracity of Ellen White‘s claim
to be a messenger for God. He said he would begin ―with the beginning of this
movement, showing that Mrs. White and the Seventh-day Adventist movement
―came right together in the same year, that her contribution ―was exercised steadily
and powerfully in the development of this movement, and that she and the movement
―were inseparably connected.
Daniells then looked at the various phases of Adventist thought, including the
Adventist attitude toward the Bible, toward world evangelism, toward rendering service
to non-Adventists in community welfare work, toward health and medical service, and
toward educational counsel. He emphasized that these worldwide programs, taken
together, were ―convincing evidence of the origin of this gift, and the genuineness of
it.
Fidelity to Bible
Probably the greatest evidence underlying everything else Daniells said was Ellen
White‘s fidelity to the Bible: ―In all the other reformations that came up, the leaders
were unable to rightly distinguish between all error and truth—the Sabbath day,
baptism, the nature of man, etc.—and so they openly taught errors from this Book.
But now, when we come to this movement, we find the wonderful power of
discrimination on the part of the Spirit of prophecy, and I do not know of a single truth
in this Book that is set aside by the Spirit of prophecy, nor a single Biblical or
theological error that came down through the dark ages that has been fostered by the
Spirit of prophecy and pressed upon the people that we have to discredit when we
come to this Book.
Ellen White‘s writings become compelling evidence of her divine credentials. Long
before a reader knows anything about the author, her periodical articles and books
have driven home the conviction that God was speaking through those pages. Her
Christ-centered writings become the vehicle for divine conviction. The experience of
Francis D. Nichol, editor of the church paper for twenty-one years (1945-1966), was
not uncommon. In the late 1890s, his young parents living ―in a sparsely settled part
of Australia, found a stray copy of the Review and Herald. Reading matter of any kind
was scarce. One of the E. G. White articles ―quickened their hearts and they
concluded: ―The person who wrote this article seems to be inspired. While reading
on, they wrote for more information about this singular writer. Soon they were
members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a decision that opened up the future
to their young son and to his own distinctive contribution to making others aware of
this woman who ―seems to be inspired. Ellen White‘s theological framework, known
as the Great Controversy Theme, provided a distinctive coherence and insight to the
plan of salvation. It transcends the various impasses that have separated Christians
for centuries.
The Message Is Greater Than the Messenger
We have emphasized throughout these pages that the message is greater than the
messenger, the content more important than the container. Why? Because Ellen
White‘s highest contribution to the church and thus to the world is a reclarification of
the Bible‘s teaching on salvation. She has shown that all Biblical doctrines are
interrelated, that to permit error on any doctrine is to invite confusion and incoherence
to the entire theological system. For example, if one is confused on the nature of man,
one is further confused on the nature of sin, the importance of health principles, and
thoughts relating to the afterlife.
Without a knowledge of when and where sin originated, men and women have no clue
as to how sin will ever be irrevocably dealt with. Without an understanding of the
cosmic issues in the plan of salvation, human beings too often focus on themselves,
working from self-oriented motives. The history of the Christian church is littered with
the casualties of theological warfare. Good people are not immune from theological
error. For instance, the perils of objectivism, with the emphasis on God‘s sovereignty
and man‘s relative passivity in the salvation process, have been defiantly met by the
hazards of subjectivism, with the emphasis on human freedom exercised in feeling or
reason.
Each Christian group, whether among the different branches of Catholicism or the
various Protestant denominations, represents either the objectivistic or subjectivistic
emphasis. Or they are hopelessly confused with a mixture of both elements in their
desire to be ―balanced. But Ellen White helped Seventh-day Adventist thinkers steer
through the white-water theological rapids that have afflicted all other churches—not
by introducing strange speculations and theological novelties but by introducing the
big picture of God and His salvation plan that has been called the Great Controversy
Theme.
When people look for the strongest reason, the most satisfying evidence, for
developing confidence in Ellen White as God‘s messenger, many focus on her Great
Controversy Theme as the bedrock on which all other evidence rests.
Erroneous Concepts Lead to Confusion
Visual examinations of a prophet in vision are compelling. Great philosophical systems
undergirding educational or medical principles can be memorable and respected by
both believers and others. An exemplary life of super energy in promoting an unselfish
system of philanthropy and concern for the needy can be most convincing. But when
critics point to human weaknesses and discrepancies in these various lines of
evidence, confidence often turns to panic.
If a believer recognizes a possible error in a prophet‘s memory, or in some factual
detail, the thought arises that perhaps everything else one believes is in jeopardy. A
compounding of the problem occurs when the believer has unconsciously believed
that a prophet does not commit errors—that is, his or her words should stand as
written. Perplexed believers, driven by an erroneous concept of revelation/inspiration,
then begin to reexamine those lines of evidence that they once thought comforting and
secure. The arguments of the physical phenomena accompanying Ellen White‘s
visions now become suspect because someone suggests that Satan could
impersonate any physical manifestation. The undeniable record of educational and
medical achievements throughout the world are then compared to Catholics,
Lutherans, Mormons, and the thought arises that perhaps this ―fruit‖ of Ellen White‘s
ministry may not be especially distinctive.
Distinctive Theological System
In other words, if puzzled believers have not understood that one of the primary
contributions of Ellen White lies in her distinctive theological system, they enter the
slippery road that leads to a sense of betrayal and spiritual confusion. It is as if the
well-ordered universe has suddenly lost its center with all its stars no longer in their
traditional places in the night sky. But with a calm and reasoned understanding of how
the Great Controversy Theme transcends all the divisions and errors within
Christianity, the believer is not disturbed by occasional factual errors and a prophet‘s
literary indebtedness.
Whenever Adventists allow other theological paradigms, or organizing themes, to
determine the direction of any doctrine, division within the church is inevitable.
Whenever Adventists prefer other theological systems to the Biblical framework found
in Ellen White‘s writings, division within the church is predictable. Whenever
Adventists downgrade Ellen White from being a theological authority to merely a
nurturing mother, they reveal their own myopia, and mislead others. Not to
acknowledge what Mrs. White‘s contemporaries acknowledged through personal
experience denies the facts of history.
Further, such denials cut off the roots of coherency and distinctiveness in the
Adventist message and its reason for existence. It leaves the Seventh-day Adventist
Church without a chart or compass regarding its significance and purpose. When Ellen
White is kept in proper focus as God‘s messenger who has provided the world with the
clearest understanding of the cosmic dimensions of the plan of salvation, the Adventist
Church will be preserved from internal schism organizationally, and from confusion
and disillusionment individually. Keeping Mrs. White in focus will help church members
navigate troubled theological waters so that a coherent, consistent Biblical picture of
salvation can be offered to the world—a simple, clear, coherent Biblical message that
will usher in the final test of these last days.
John the Revelator referred to this last-day message as the ―everlasting gospel
(14:6). Understanding Ellen White‘s greatest contribution to the Adventist Church, as
well as to the world, will give believers their strongest, safest, reasons for continuing to
trust her as God‘s messenger.
The Weight of Evidence
All divine revelation, by virtue of the process, comes in a fallible package. Because the
message comes in an imperfect container, God Himself invites us to weigh the
evidence: ―Come now, and let us reason together (Isa. 1:18). When God invites us to
reason with Him, He is not playing word-games: He truly appeals to our reasoning
skills. Often Ellen White challenges the reader to recognize that sanctified reasoning
powers are intended to make us ―intelligent Christians. That means that Christians
―are not requested to believe without evidence.
In making this search for belief, ―we must put away all skepticism, all exaltation of
our own ideas. We must humble our hearts by repentance . . . praying for true
enlightenment. God, true to His nature, does not coerce, compel, or force anyone to
believe—He waits for men and women to respond to sufficient evidence. He will never
―force faith. Ellen White summarized it well when she said that although ―God has
given ample evidence for faith, He will never remove all excuse for unbelief. This
respect for human responsibility flows out of God‘s arrangement for making human
beings ―in His own image (Gen. 1:27). Love, respect, confidence, and any other
human emotion involving trust cannot be forced or else it ceases to be what we seek
for most. A trust or love that is forced is an oxymoron. Because God wants happy,
convinced people, He does not play hide-and-seek; He makes sure that we have
sufficient evidence amidst the possibilities of human error.
One of the surest signs of evil occurs when people ―seek to compel the conscience
or when there is ―the disposition to hurt and destroy those who do not appreciate our
work, or who act contrary to our ideas. No matter what the motivation may be, force of
any kind is the work of the evil one, not of Christ. However, in earlier chapters we have
noted that presuppositions determine the way one weighs evidence. Presuppositions
drive historians, scientists, and theologians to predetermined conclusions, often
unconsciously. For this reason, paradigm shifts occur occasionally when researchers
suddenly begin to see the same world through different lenses (Copernicus, Einstein,
Pasteur, etc.).
Those lenses are presuppositions that determine the way we look at evidence. Self-
evident ―truths are usually human constructs or paradigms that determine how a
person weighs evidence. For example, if one looks at the Bible as an anthology of
Jewish history, and to references of God‘s interventions as myths by which believers
interpret their religious experience, the message of the Bible as God‘s self-
communication with men and women will never be understood. If miracles are ruled
out because one does not believe in supernaturalism, one will never understand the
stories in the four Gospels. Such events as the resurrection of Jesus will have to be
explained in some contrived manner.
If God does not personally intervene in the affairs of humanity, then surely Ellen
White‘s claim to be His messenger cannot be taken seriously. And on it goes. The
epistemological principle set forth by Jesus runs through any research that requires
moral response: ―If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the
doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority‖ (John 7:17).
Built within men and women is the quest for autonomy, for believing what one wants to
believe. Thus ―all who look for hooks to hang their doubts upon, will find them. And
those who refuse to accept and obey God‘s word until every objection has been
removed, and there is no longer an opportunity for doubt, will never come to the light.
Perfect Assurance Not Compatible With Faith
One of the most illuminating examples of presuppositions (bias, prejudice, etc.) that
drive a person contrary to the light of truth is the reaction of the religious leaders in
Jerusalem to Jesus. After the resurrection of Lazarus, an undeniable fact with many
witnesses, these leaders were even more determined to kill Jesus (John 11:47-57;
Matt. 26:59, 60). Though these leaders were intelligent, they also were prejudiced.
Jesus did not fit their presuppositions. He was a threat to their academic
pronouncements.
They were driven not by calm reason and an enlightened conscience, but by what
they wanted to believe. Men and women in every age have had to face the same
questions that the Jews in Christ‘s day had to resolve. In the face of light, even in the
presence of the God-man Jesus, the question of belief is more than a matter of
reading undeniable scientific evidence, such as how much anything weighs or how
fast an object is moving. For some questions, the answers can be beyond dispute and
provide complete assurance. But when Jesus gave His best answers and provided the
best demonstration of truth, people still rejected Him. Why? For the same reason that
people have rejected His prophets. The answer lies in a person‘s will to believe, in that
secret, hidden mystery the Bible calls ―faith. At its deepest point, faith is the response
of love and appreciation, and neither can be intimidated or coerced—even in the face
of ―overwhelming evidence. Think of Lucifer in heaven! Thus Ellen White could say
that ―perfect assurance . . . is not compatible with faith. Faith rests not on certainty,
but upon evidence. Demonstration is not faith. That is, perfect assurance in spiritual
matters does not happen as perfect assurance is reached in areas such as
mathematics or laser measurements.
Laboratory results are demonstrations, and no faith is required. But trusting God
depends on factors other than observable, precise demonstrations. Probably it has
never been better said than when Mrs. White commented on an exchange Jesus had
with religious leaders after He stated that any person who wills to know, shall know the
truth (John 7:7).
The perception and appreciation of truth, He said, depends less upon the mind than
upon the heart. Truth must be received into the soul; it claims the homage of the will. If
truth could be submitted to the reason alone, pride would be no hindrance in the way
of its reception. But it is to be received through the work of grace in the heart; and its
reception depends upon the renunciation of every sin that the Spirit of God reveals.
Three Basic Presuppositions That Hinder Acceptance
As we saw in chapters 41 to 43, the critical charges and allegations made against
Ellen White generally rest on certain presuppositions by which critics judge the validity
of her ministry:
1. Those who believe in some form of verbal inspiration often base their criticism or
rejection on the change of a word or a questionable date.
2. Those who are committed, consciously or unconsciously, to certain inadequate
theological doctrines set forth by some Protestant reformers, reject key aspects of
Ellen White‘s teachings on the plan of salvation.
Those who do not believe that Christ has two specific phases as High Priest after His
ascension will forthrightly dismiss her contribution to the Adventist doctrine of the
sanctuary and probably her teaching ministry in general. about
3. Those who are uncomfortable with reproof of sin. When a person falls into any one
of these three categories, the usual response is the same as that given by those who
do not accept the Bible as divine revelation—―It does not make sense to me.
For those who are motivated by self- will and pride of opinion, to hear God‘s call to
trust the message when the messenger makes human mistakes does not make
sense. For those who are so motivated, to hear that God asks men and women to give
up their pride of opinion, their security in always being ―in command of their lives,
and their trust in status symbols by which they have established their ―worth and for
which they are lauded, does not make sense. For proud, independent sinners, the
Beatitudes (Matt. 5) do not make sense.
Nor does the invitation to ―deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me (Mark
8:34) make sense. To exchange for a new Master one‘s own desire to be the final
judge as to what is best in life makes sense only after a person has capitulated to
Christ. To see oneself for what he/she really is, is a fundamental, life-changing
experience that leads a sinner to become a grateful, compliant son or daughter of
God.
Only after this profound surrender to God‟s plans for one‟s life will God‟s plans make
sense. In other words, it is contrary to an unbeliever‘s common sense to give up what
seems to be human security to become a disciple of Jesus. That is why God gives us
―supercommon sense‖ through His Holy Spirit as He puts us into that place where
we ―see‖ life correctly. After the truth about ourselves and God‘s plan for us sinks in,
everything else that God is trying to say to us makes sense. Then the weight of
evidence makes sense. Only then does the weight of evidence seem equivalent to
common sense.
Truth “as it is in Jesus”
One of the simple tests that every person must use is Ellen White‘s focus: the truth
must be presented ―as it is in Jesus. Did she live up to her challenge to others? She
used this phrase in three ways:
1. If Christians are to ―stand firm‖ in the crises of life, ―they must receive the truth
as it is in Jesus. . . . Let the sinner behold Jesus as
the way, the truth, and the life, and his soul will be open to receive the truth as it is in
Jesus. Ellen White dispelled all theological fog when she talked about this central
truth: ―The salvation of the soul, through faith in Christ, is the ground and pillar of the
truth. Those who exercise true faith in Christ make it manifest by holiness of character,
by obedience to the law of God. They realize that the truth as it is in Jesus reaches
heaven, and compasses eternity.
2. Christians who teach others must ―believe and teach the truth as it is in Jesus.
Holiness of heart will never lead to impure actions. Jesus set the example by reflecting
His teachings in His life habits. Sound doctrine without the spirit of Jesus is not
teaching truth ―as it is in Jesus.
3. Christians must present the gospel in all of its coherency and completeness. The
problems that divide Christians in all churches are caused by each division seeing
only parts of the gospel. Not seeing the completeness of the gospel leads to
widespread resistance to obeying God‘s law as a basic component in the plan of
salvation.
Ellen White emphasizes that those who are ―unacquainted with the laws of God‘s
government . . . are unacquainted with the truth as it is in Jesus. . . . He that knows the
truth as it is in the law, knows the truth as it is in Jesus; and if through faith in Christ he
renders obedience to the commandments of God, his life is hid with Christ in God.
Adventists have been known as ―the people of the Book.
Probably this description was more apt during the church‘s first one hundred years.
Nevertheless, as the Institute of Church Ministry reported, Adventists today who
habitually read Ellen White are also the Bible students of the church compared with
those who do not read her regularly. There is something Ellen White‘s messages that
promotes faithful Bible study.
From another viewpoint, hundreds of thousands witness to the fact that Ellen White
has made the difference in making theology accessible to the average church
member. How else can it be explained that a large percentage of Adventists through
the years have been actively involved in daily Bible study and conversant about
theological subjects normally reserved for professional theologians?
Prediction of the End Times Never Contradicted
Contrary to all modern ―prophets who give their ―ten best predictions every
January, or the perennial Nostra-damuses who state their predictions so vaguely that
they can be reinterpreted and ―made to fit‖ as time passes, Ellen White‘s preview of
closing events has never been contradicted by events.
Today‘s economic insecurity, political strife, social unrest, decline in moral values,
New Age revival of spiritualism, and the worldwide interest in religious unity—all are
an astonishing fulfillment of her predictions. For many years, some faulted Ellen White
for overlooking Communism. They declared her eschatology outmoded. But now it is
apparent that in following the Biblical outline, she was true to fact. The weight of
evidence that leads millions to trust the Bible in spite of its apparent discrepancies,
less than perfect writers, etc., is the same kind of evidence that has led millions to
trust Ellen White. If one is driven by presuppositions that supernaturalism is
unreasonable or that literary borrowing is inappropriate for a prophet, then the Bible is
rejected as a Word from the Lord.
These same presuppositions hinder some from accepting Ellen White as God‘s
messenger. Nevertheless, in spite of these objections, the Bible has survived—as has
Mrs. White‘s ministry. Those who have been blessed by the Bible and the writings of
Ellen White recognize the voice of God speaking to them. Human discrepancies are
nonessential concerns when the purpose of Spirit of prophecy writings in any age are
understood and realized in the life of believers.
Young People Still Respond
Although Ellen White died in 1915, young people still respond to her writings with
remarkable enthusiasm. She is still the catalyst and innovator for elementary school
students as well as thoughtful collegians. Not only do youth sense her spontaneity,
freshness, and call for courage in mastering tough personal circumstances, they
sense her dynamic principles relating to career possibilities and personal achievement
that would not even be considered without her prompting.
Further, youth join their mentors in sensing that not everything in institutional
programs has been done well enough yet, that flexibility is necessary to meet
changing circumstances—and they are emboldened by the same Ellen White that
prompted skeptical men and women to build sanitariums and educational centers.
Even today young people discover that Mrs. White is more than a reasonable,
commonsense, spiritual leader.
They discover that in some special way she still builds dreams, and ignites passions
for the oppressed, no matter what may be the economic or social circumstances.
Adventist youth have discovered what her contemporaries discovered—no one can
box up Ellen White. Just when people settle down with her, she surprises the
conservatives with new responsibilities and new challenges.
Liberals thrill with her call for action and flexibility and then are sobered by her appeal
for commitment to the authority of revealed truths. Many feel that the real Ellen White
has been covered with conventional conservatism or liberal ridicule until she has
become an unknown quantity—that is, somebody who won‘t go away but still
somebody most people don‘t really know.
The youth who seek out the real Ellen White are changed by what they find. They are
the risk-takers of the present generation and the backbone of Adventism‘s future. The
weight of evidence has opened the eyes of modern Adventist youth to a brighter, more
exciting future; without Ellen White, where else would they find meaning to the future
and an insight as to how to make sense out of the present? Where else could youth
go for a proven record of trustworthiness and a living sense of connecting with a
messenger of God?
“Only an Instrument”
Ellen White had a deep awareness of her mission. Yet she kept a perspective that
John the Baptist understood even in his bleakest moments. John‘s message to his
contemporaries was often reflected in the experience of Ellen White: ―He must
increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30). In December 1886, Mrs. White was in
Torre Pellice, Italy, holding evangelistic meetings. Miles Grant, an influential Advent
Christian minister, followed her from America, determined to ―expose her
―pretensions. On Friday evening, December 4, Grant held his meetings one floor
above where Mrs. White was conducting hers—not a very good advertisement to the
general public regarding Adventists from America! Grant had done his best to gather
up all the slander and animosity from those who had been reproved by Mrs. White. In
addition, he had assembled a list of garbled statements that misrepresented Seventh-
day Adventists.
Knowing that in the time limits of only a few short hours at Torre Pellice she would not
be able to ―undeceive the people, Mrs. White decided to ignore Grant; she
determined to ―keep right on seeking to speak the truth. . . . I long to have the people
see the truth as it is in Jesus. In her diary for that day, she wrote: ―I am to do my
duty. I am only an instrument in the hands of God, to do my part of the work in His
love and fear.
This truth will triumph, but when, where, and how is for the Lord to decide. These
thoughts bring peace and trust and confidence to my soul. Self-vindication and public
argument with her opposers was not in her character. Some non-Adventists have
conjectured that without Ellen White Seventh-day Adventists would not have survived
as they are known today. Kenneth L. Woodward, Newsweek‟s religion editor,
observed: ―If it [the Seventh-day Adventist denomination] loses its founding mother,
the church may find that it has also lost its distinctive visionary soul.
The Weight of Evidence
The weight of evidence points decisively to the trustworthiness of Ellen White‘s twin
witness—her life and ministry. The integrity of her character was recognized by
contemporaries, whether Adventists or not. The intense focus of her ministry in
revealing the charm, reality, and power of Jesus was recognized by those within
and without her church.
Any attempt to accept either her life without her ministry, or her ministry without her
life, seems irrational. As Edward Heppenstall put it: ―It is impossible to place a high
value upon her life and character and a low value upon her writings. The attempt by
some to praise Ellen White for her devotional contributions but to deny her role as a
theological messenger separates her life from her ministry.
Her theological contribution is precisely the reason why Adventists have had an
integrated world program of evangelism, education, and health ministries. It was her
visionary insights into the everlasting gospel and God‘s plan for a world movement
that inspirited a few hundred people to become the vanguard of a world movement.

Group 2 : Bacsarpa, Eunice

Chan, Savun

Tan, Danielle

Turing ,Junden