There is growing concern in the Seventh-day Adventist church about the authority of the writings of Ellen Gould White.  Some, for the plainness of the writings of Ellen G White, have unfortunately sought to find faults with her writings.  Some are genuinely confused, as they listen to many voices for and against the writings of Ellen G White.  Some are willingly ignorant about whatever difference it makes, whether the writings of Ellen G White are of any significance to their salvation.

Ellen G White was more than a prolific author. While the world is only now coming to appreciate her deep spiritual and practical insights, the Seventh-day Adventists church, throughout our history, have recognised her as a recipient of the true gift of prophecy. We refer to her writings as the Spirit of Prophecy or the Testimonies.

Many liberal scholars within the Seventh-day Adventist church are questioning Ellen G White writings, even as they do with the Bible.  Historically, offshoot groups have misused and misrepresented her writings. These influences create uncertainty or confusion in the minds of church members.  Prophetic Gift in Ellen White seeks to address some of the key issues regarding her works and offer some principles on how to understand them.

 

Brief description of Ellen G White

Ellen Gould was born to Robert Harmon and his wife Eunice in the small farming community of Gorham, Maine, USA, on November 26, 1827. A few years later, the hard-working family of ten left their farm and moved to the bustling city of Portland, Maine, USA, where Robert took up hat making to support the family.

In 1836, while nine-year-old Ellen was walking with a group of schoolmates, an older girl followed them with childish threats. Just as Ellen turned, the older girl threw a rock that smashed Ellen’s face, knocking her unconscious and causing her to bleed profusely.  For the next three weeks after the attack, young Ellen lay in a virtual coma. The significant blood loss had also adversely affected her respiratory system, an ailment that would burden her for life.

Unable to continue with school because of the injury’s ongoing medical complications, this bright student’s formal education had been ended abruptly. Her mother became her teacher and the fields around Portland her laboratory. Amazingly, Ellen refused to resent this trauma that would present her with so many hardships. She wrote nearly 50 years later: “The cruel blow which blighted the joys of earth was the means of turning my eyes to heaven. I might never have known Jesus, had not the sorrow that clouded my early years led me to seek comfort in Him” (Review and Herald, 25 November, 1884.).

In December 1844, Ellen visited four friends in Portland, Maine, for prayer, fellowship, and Bible study. During the deeply spiritual gathering, Ellen was overcome with an astonishing vision: “I seemed to be rising higher and higher,” she said, “far above the dark world” (Early Writings, p. 13).  Her mind’s eye opened to see a glorious vision of Jesus leading His people along a straight and narrow path until the sky ignited with myriad of angels and a rainbow-encircled throne.

As Ellen related the vision to a group of likeminded believers in Portland, Maine, she felt, “an unspeakable awe” that she “should be chosen as the instrument by which God would give light to His people” (Testimonies to the Church, Vol. 1, p. 62).  Thus began her 70-year ministry that became more significant as the years went by.

On 30 August 1846, Ellen Gould got married to James White, born in Palmyra (4 August 1821), the son of John White.  The young couple were penniless, and neither was in good health.  After doing various activities, in 1849 James White began to publish a little paper, which soon became the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, the organ of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.  For years James White was in charge of the publishing work of the Seventh-day Adventist church.

The couple, in particular James White, laboured hard for the union of the church, and in 1863 the General Conference was organised.  His health broke down about 1864 and his wife nursed him back to health.  This experience turned their thoughts to health reform.  In response to a vision that came to Ellen G White, the Western Health Reform Institute was founded in 1866 at Battle Creek.  Under the promotion of the Whites, Battle Creek College, the first Seventh-day Adventist school, was founded in 1874.  This same year they journeyed to California, where, at Oakland, James White established the Signs of the Times, the printing establishment of which developed into the Pacific Press Publishing Association.

In all accounts of the life of Ellen G White, her character enhanced her productive career.  Generous, kind, and honest, she exemplified the Christian virtues she wrote about.  For instance, despite the potential of living extravagantly off the royalties of her written work, she passed much of it on to the spread of the gospel, financially supporting church projects, and helping worthy students going to Christian schools.

By all accounts, she was a friendly neighbour, a loving wife and mother, a diligent housekeeper, and a visitor of the sick and downtrodden.  She was well acquainted with the woes of humanity too: losing two of her children to disease – a very common occurrence in the 19th century. Pastor James White died at Battle Creek on 6 August 1881, and Ellen G White died on 16 July 1915.

Ellen G White’s life was both conventional – she played the role of wife, mother, housekeeper and friend – and unconventional, as she responded to God’s call to be His messenger.  These two aspects of her person were balanced with uncommon finesse.

But none of this, her personal qualities nor her achievements, prove that she possessed a prophetic gift.  Although she did not choose to call herself a prophet, she did claim to convey messages from heaven.  Why should we believe them?  Her message and prophetic gift must be tested against the Bible, and that is what this is about.  But first, we turn to her relationship with the Remnant Church – the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

 

Remnant church and Ellen G White

The Bible clearly teaches that God’s end-time remnant church keeps “the commandments of God” and has “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).  In a later chapter of that book, John is told that, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (19:10), of “thy brethren the prophets” (Rev 22:9).

The apostle Paul also employs such language, using the phrases “testimony of Christ,” “testimony of God,” and “testimony of our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:6; 2:1; 2 Timothy 1:8). Similarly, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah uses the expression “the law and the testimony” (Isaiah 8:19-20) to refer to the messages given by God’s true prophets in earlier times.

Thus, for Seventh-day Adventists, the reference to the “commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 12:17; see also Revelation 14:12) confirm that God’s end-time people will be characterised by keeping the commandments of God (all ten of them, including the seventh-day Sabbath) and by the testimony of Jesus, that is, the everlasting gospel given through God’s true prophets, including Ellen G White.  We fundamentally believe that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. That this gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G White.

But some argue that we should not equate “the testimony of Jesus” or “the spirit of prophecy” with the writings of Ellen G White.  While indeed we should not think that these terms refer only to Ellen G White and her work, the term “testimony of Jesus” (or “spirit of prophecy”) can be used legitimately for all the messages of instruction, encouragement, and correction proclaimed by God’s chosen messengers – His prophets (see relevant verses in Revelation 1:2, 9; 6:9; 12:17; 19:10; and 22:9, 16).

Because the gift of prophecy is an identifying mark of God’s end-time remnant church (Revelation 12:17) and because we believe that this gift was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G White, the Seventh-day Adventist church is justified in referring to her writings as the Spirit of Prophecy or the Testimonies, even as we would to all inspired messages from God.   We therefore believe that, as the Lord’s messenger, the writings of Ellen G White are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction.

Believing that “the Holy Ghost is the author of the Scriptures and of the Spirit of Prophecy” (Selected Messages, Vol. 3, p. 30), Ellen G White made this forthright statement about her works: “God is either teaching His church . . . or He is not. This work is of God, or it is not. . . . There is no halfway work in the matter. The Testimonies are of the Spirit of God, or of the devil” (Testimonies, Vol. 4, p. 230).

One may ask: Should all members of the remnant church – Seventh-day Adventist church, believe in the Spirit of Prophecy?  The answer is: Yes!  Those who despise White’s writings do so at their own peril.

The Bible says we should accept the Spirit of Prophecy.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 21 we are told, “Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”  In 1 Corinthians 12 it also says there are many gifts in the church, including the gift of prophecy. All these gifts will be present in the church until Jesus comes (Ephesians 4:7-13). If we accept the other gifts of the Spirit, we must accept the gift of prophecy as well. In fact, as we have noted, the Bible singles out this gift as one identifying characteristic of the end-time church (Rev 12:17; 19:10; 22:9). Whenever God gives a gift to His people, they must respectfully accept it.

All messages said to be from God must be tested against prior word of God for conformity and harmony.  Even the messages of the New Testament writers were tested against the Old Testament writings.  We see that in Acts 17:10, 11 when the Bareans would study the scripture to test the message of Paul.  The fact that the Bareans tested Paul’s message did not downgrade his message, but rather proved that his message was from God.  A careful study reveals that the writings of Ellen G White are in harmony with the Bible, and therefore authoritative on a given point of doctrine.

 

The Bible and Ellen G White

The Bible speaks very plainly regarding supernatural phenomenon, citing two sources from which they may emerge. Either they are from God, who speaks through “holy men … as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21), or they are from the devil, who comes with “all power, signs and lying wonders” 
(2 Thessalonians 2:9).

Whilst there will be both true and false prophets, we are not left to wonder whether a messenger is from God or the devil.  A careful study of the Bible gives us 10 clear guidelines to help us determine the origin of a prophet’s supernatural ability.  If the one claiming divine gifting fails even one of these tests, they cannot be considered a prophet of God.  We turn to the Bible to look at 10 key indicators that determine whether a person is truly receiving visions from God, and we apply these 10 tests to the ministry of Ellen G White.

One, a true prophet’s predictions will come to pass.  It says: “The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.” (Jeremiah 28:9).

The fulfilments of this test in the ministry of Ellen G White are many, but one of the most startling may be the 1906 San Francisco/Oakland earthquake. Having received warnings of impending judgment upon the city for many years prior, she had her final and most detailed vision regarding its destruction on 16 April 1906. She saw houses “shaken like a reed in the wind” and buildings falling to the ground. “Pleasure resorts, theaters, hotels, and homes of the wealthy were shaken and shattered. Many lives were blotted out of existence, and the air was filled with the shrieks of the injured and the terrified. … It seemed that the forbearance of God was exhausted, and the judgment day had come” (Evangelism, p. 28)

Historical accounts reveal that two days later there was no sign of impending doom until 5:12 a.m., when the San Andreas fault slipped over nearly 270 miles, crumbling the very foundations of the city. In its wake, the quake left 490 city blocks in a state of total devastation and more than 225,000 homeless people, along with over 800 dead and 1,500 injured. Several insurance companies went bankrupt trying to meet the claims.

If this was the only example of a prediction fulfilled, we could chalk it up to a lucky guess. But consistently, Ellen G White’s predictions concerning political, religious, and personal affairs were fulfilled. The exception to this are conditional prophecies, which we will discuss a little later. We’ll also share many more of her incredible visions later too.

Two, a true prophet will glorify God rather than self.  It says: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13).  And so do those led by the Spirit of truth.

The central theme of Ellen G White’s writings was The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan. Her efforts were always aimed at bringing people to the matchless grace of Christ. Her famous Conflict of the Ages books begin and end with the phrase “God is love.” She said, “We must gather about the cross. Christ and Him crucified should be the theme of contemplation, of conversation, and of our most joyful emotion” (Steps to Christ, p. 103).  She added, “Whatever our department of labor, be it housework or field work or intellectual pursuits, we may perform it to the glory of God so long as we make Christ first and last and best in everything (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 459).

Few communicators of her calibre refrained from taking credit and glory for themselves. In spite of her great accomplishments, Ellen G White felt a perpetual sense of dependency upon God. Of public speaking, she said, “When I am about to speak to the people … I have such a sense of weakness that it seems like an impossibility to stand before the congregation.” She would then pray, “Jesus, I hang my helpless soul upon Thee; Thou will not suffer me to be brought into confusion” (Historical Sketches, pp. 130-133).

Three, a true prophet does not give own private interpretation.  It says: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:20, 21).

Ever a servant of God and man, a true prophet relates information received through revelation, and then submits that information to the scrutiny of the body of believers. These believers are to take the prophet’s word and compare it with the prior Scriptures, as did the Bereans of Acts 17:10-11.  These students both “received the word with all readiness of mind,” and “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Proving the message of Paul by comparing it with prior Scriptures was part of the process of incorporating his teaching into the church.

Similarly, Ellen G White called believers to a decision concerning her writings: “My work … bears the stamp of God or the stamp of the enemy. There is no halfway work in the matter. The Testimonies [“the testimonies” was the term she often used for her writings, especially counsels to the church] are of the Spirit of God, or of the devil” (Evangelism, p. 260).  She went on to admonish believers to apply the same test to her messages as they would apply to any: “If the Testimonies speak not according to this word of God, reject them. Christ and Belial cannot be united” (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 691).  Truly Ellen G White’s ministry bears the evidence of accountability toward both God and man.

Four, a true prophet points out sin.  It says: “Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him. Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God. But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin” (Micah 3:5-8).

In a warning to Judah, Isaiah pointed out one of their sins. “That this is a rebellious people ... which say … to the prophets, Prophecy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits” (Isaiah 30:9-10). It is our natural bent to want to hear soothing assurances from the lips of religious leaders. Paul told Timothy that: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3,4).

From the outset of her ministry, Ellen G White knew that she would be asked to deliver messages of reproof to many. Not only did her shyness make this an excruciating task, but she was often estranged from those who preferred denial. It was such times she said of her God-given task:

“God has been pleased to open to me the secrets of the inner life and the hidden sins of His people. The unpleasant duty has been laid upon me to reprove wrongs and to reveal hidden sins. When I have been compelled by the Spirit of God to reprove sins that others did not know existed, it has stirred up the natural feelings in the hearts of the unsanctified. While some have humbled their hearts before God, and with repentance and confession have forsaken their sins, others have felt a spirit of hatred rise in their hearts. Their pride has been hurt when their course has been reproved. They entertain the thought that it is Sister White who is hurting them, instead of feeling grateful to God that He has in mercy spoken to them through His humble instrument, to show them their dangers and their sins, that they may put them away before it shall be too late for wrongs to be righted” (Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 314).

Five, a true prophet warns of coming judgment.  It says: “The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth” (Isaiah 24:20, 21).

Not only did Ellen G White warn of the destruction of San Francisco and Oakland, but warned her own church of losing focus on Jesus.  In these last days, where the standards that once led the church are now much lowered, judgment that befell on God’s old city in 70 AD may be repeated.  She wrote:

“Jerusalem is a representation of what the church will be if it refuses to walk in the light that God has given. Jerusalem was favored of God as the depositary of sacred trusts. But her people perverted the truth, and despised all entreaties and warnings. They would not respect His counsels. The temple courts were polluted with merchandise and robbery. Selfishness and love of mammon, envy and strife, were cherished. Everyone sought for gain from his quarter. Christ turned from them, saying: ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,’ how can I give thee up? ‘How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!’ Matthew 23:37” (Testimonies, Vol. 8, p. 67).

Closely related to the destruction of Jerusalem is the passing of Sunday law.  Whereas this is not a message we hear often in our church nowadays, it is a warning that Ellen G White gave us so that we may be ready by living holy lives now.  The first attempt of passing Sunday law by the great nation was in 1888.  We only have to read in the book Great Controversy to know for ourselves the extensive coverage of this warning.  On first attempt to pass Sunday law and its application to passing of Sunday law, she warned:

“We see that efforts are being made to restrict our religious liberties. The Sunday question is now assuming large proportions. An amendment to our Constitution is being urged in Congress, and when it is obtained, oppression must follow. I want to ask, Are you awake to this matter? and do you realize that the night cometh, when no man can work? Have you had that intensity of zeal, and that piety and devotion, which will enable you to stand when oppression is brought upon you? It does not seem possible to us now that any should have to stand alone; but if God has ever spoken by me, the time will come when we shall be brought before councils and before thousands for his name's sake, and each one will have to give the reason of his faith. Then will come the severest criticism upon every position that has been taken for the truth. We need, then, to study the word of God, that we may know why we believe the doctrines we advocate. We must critically search the living oracles of Jehovah” (Review and Herald, 18 December 1888, par. 12).

Six, a true prophet edifies the church.  It says: “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church” (1 Corinthians 14:3, 4).

A perusal of her writings reveal that the bulk of them were counsels for the church.  For example, her 5,274 page, nine-volume series called Testimonies for the Church consist of advice, visions and counsel dealing with institutional development, church organisation, home and foreign mission endeavours, social and health reforms, and much more.

Teaming her gifts with the administrative knowledge of her husband, she helped nurture a denomination that grew in her lifetime from a handful of scattered followers to a total of 136,879 members attending 3,876 churches.

Seven, a true prophet’s message harmonises with the Bible.  It says: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

Each of her books has literally hundreds of Biblical references. The Biblical Scripture Index to 77 of her principal books, not counting periodical articles, contains approximately 30,000 references. Her writings are to the Bible what a county map is to a country map. They agree with the Word without merely reiterating it. In some areas, her writings provide additional detail for present-day application. This is done in such a way as to reinforce, rather than detract from, the Biblical message.

Another helpful analogy of her writings flows from her own pen. She called her writings “a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light” (Colporteur Ministry, p. 125).  Countless seekers who are led to understand and revere the Bible through her writings have experienced this analogy.

Eight, a true prophet teaches that Jesus came in the flesh.  It says: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 4:1-3).

Of John 3:16, where God gave us Jesus, Ellen G White explains about God, that “He gave Him not only to bear our sins, and to die as our sacrifice; He gave Him to the fallen race. To assure us of His immutable counsel of peace, God gave His only-begotten Son to become one of the human family, forever to retain His human nature” (Desire of Ages, p. 25).  O what awe of thought, that my creator Jesus will forever retain my human nature, all but to save a wretched like me from sin; O that sin must forever become exceedingly sinful!

Nine, a true prophet has a Christian character.  It says: “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:16-20).

The New York “Independent” published the following at the time of Ellen White’s death in 1915: “She was absolutely honest in her belief in her revelations. Her life was worthy of them. She showed no spiritual pride and she sought no filthy lucre. She lived the life and did the work of a worthy prophetess.”

A co-worker of 23 years, Pastor A G Daniells, General Conference president from 1901-1922, described her thus: “Mrs. White’s life far transcends the life of anyone I have ever known or with whom I have been associated. She was uniformly pleasant, cheerful and courageous. She was never careless, flippant, or in any way cheap in conversation or manner of life. She was the personification of serious earnestness regarding the things of the kingdom. I never once heard her boast of the gracious gift God had bestowed upon her, or of the marvelous results of her endeavors” (Abiding Gift of Prophecy, p. 368).

Ten, a true prophet is obedient to the will of God.  It says: “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him” (Deuteronomy 18:18).

Before Ellen G White received her first vision, Hazen Foss was called to the prophetic ministry. Foss hesitated to obey, dreading the ridicule and rejection such a life would entail. His disobedience persisted through a second vision from God. Fearing that he had grieved away the Spirit, he called a meeting to relate the first vision, but his mind was blank. Finally he said, “It is gone from me; I can say nothing, the Spirit of the Lord has left me” (E G White, Letter 37, 1890).

Some time later, Mr Foss was witness to Ellen G White’s ministry and recognised that the gift had been passed on to her. He pled, “The Lord gave me a message to bear to His people. And I refused after being told the consequences; I was proud; I was unreconciled to the disappointment” (Letter 37, 1890).  He went on to say that he believed he was a lost man.

Ellen G White’s willing obedience to the call of God was not without a struggle. When first called to travel, she said, “It seemed impossible for me to perform this work … the trials attending it seemed more than I could endure … I coveted death as a release from the responsibilities that were crowding upon me … despair again pressed upon my soul” (Selected Messages, Vol. 3, p. 82).  Finally, through prayer and counsel, she surrendered to the will of her heavenly Father, and began her lifework as God’s messenger.

As you have read above, Ellen G White met all the 10 tests of a true prophet.  She was a true prophet, just as other prophets whose writings are recorded in the Bible.

 

Science and Ellen G White

For those who still doubt whether Ellen G White possessed the gift of prophecy, they should observe the long-term validation of her gift by science. Time and time again her counsels regarding health, spirituality, world events, and scores of other issues proved true.

Let us look at some of her counsel on health that has proven to be utterly remarkable and well ahead of her time.

Jesus said, “And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe” (John 14:29). Jesus does not expect His followers to exercise blind faith. Our confidence in His promise is based upon evidences we have already seen of His goodness and power. As we exercise faith, it grows from a tiny seed to a strong tree that can bear the winds of falsehood and unbelief.

In His promise to the disciples, Jesus acknowledged faith’s cumulative quality. He capitalised on it by telling them not just what would build their faith, but how it would be built. They would see the fulfilment of His words, and they would believe. This would enable them to believe His words before they were fulfilled.

Seeing the fulfilment of the words of Ellen G White works similarly. She is a mere vessel through which Christ’s Spirit has worked. Yet her words have been consistently proven true by science and experience. Let us consider her teachings in the light of modern-day research.

We now turn on her prophecy on Tobacco.  The fact that in 1864 Ellen G White spoke of tobacco as a “slow, insidious, but most malignant poison” (Ministry of Healing, p. 327) does not impress us today given the fact that medical science has so completely unveiled the deadly effects of smoking. But we must remember that it was not until 1957 that the American Cancer Society concluded that smoking was a factor in lung cancer.

When she gave her counsel, her words were not easily discernable. After smoking increased during World War I, it took about 20 years before its menacing harvest was reaped in the form of lung cancer and other diseases. Subsequently, medical science has proved the link between smoking and coronary heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, osteoporosis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and miscarriage – as well as lung and a host of other cancers.  Amazing, given the fact that at the time Ellen G White gave her counsel, cigar smoke was used as a cure for lung disease!

What can we conclude on Ellen G White’s prophetic gift?  A Jewish physician named Robert Cohen was so impressed with Ellen G White’s dietary advice that he published a book of her teachings, titled God’s Nutritionist: Pearls of Wisdom from Ellen G White (Square One Publishers, 2004).  In the book’s forward, he says, “She was a nutritionist with facts as up-to-date as those found in this morning’s nutrition journals.”

The weight of evidence in favour of plant foods instead of animal foods in the diet has recently been revealed by scientists in the most comprehensive research published in the book, The China Study – The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health, by T Colin Campbell and Thomas M Campbell, Benbella Books Inc, 2006, ISBN 9781932100662.

Science is substantiating what Ellen G White said more than a century and a half ago – that the healthiest diet is comprised primarily of fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables. 

That same inspired source spoke on other topics such as ethics, morality, psychology, parenting, and education. The confirmation of her gift in the areas already cited should give everyone confidence to believe her in areas that cannot be as easily proven by science.

 

Closing remarks

Ellen Gould White is to the people of God as Philip was to the Ethiopian eunuch.  In Acts 8:26-39 we find this analogy.  If you say, you will only read your Bible without White’s writings, Philip asks: “Understandest thou what thou readest?” (verse 30).  If you humble yourself, you will say: “How can I, except some man should guide me?” (verse 31).

From Moses, to all the prophets, the apostles, and through Ellen G White, the testimony of Jesus continues to the end of earth’s history.  “God has spoken to us through His Word. He has spoken to us through the Testimonies to the church, and through the books that have helped to make plain our present duty and the position that we should now occupy” (Evangelism, p. 260).

As Sunday Law storm approaches, a large class, mostly now despising White’s writings and present truth, will “abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition” (The Great Controversy, p. 608).

“Those Seventh-day Adventists who take their stand under Satan's banner will first give up their faith in the warnings and reproofs contained in the Testimonies of God’s Spirit” (Selected Messages, Vol. 3, p. 84). “The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony” (Selected Messages, Vol. 1, p. 48).

“The enemy has made his masterly efforts to unsettle the faith of our own people in the Testimonies … This is just as Satan designed it should be, and those who have been preparing the way for the people to pay no heed to the warnings and reproofs of the Testimonies of the Spirit of God will see that a tide of errors of all kinds will spring into life” (Selected Messages, Vol. 3, p. 83).

     “It is Satan’s plan to weaken the faith of God's people in the Testimonies. Next follows skepticism in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition. When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction” (Testimonies, Vol. 4, p. 211).

Finally, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).