ELLEN G. WHITE
PROPHETESS OF THE
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS


Recently a general mailing was done by the Seventh-day Adventists to pastors of various Christian Churches in our area. They received free of charge a book called "Seventh-day Adventists Believe"...A Biblical Exposition of 27 Fundamental Doctrines (published March 1989). Upon reading the book, it did sound very "fundamental" in most places except where they carefully led up to the subject of Ellen G. White on page 224.

Here they began listing several points continuing through page 228 as to why they believe the "...gift of prophecy was active in the ministry of Ellen G. White, one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church."

They pose the question on page 224, "How does Ellen White's ministry measure against the Biblical tests of a prophet?" A good question, indeed, and we will add our observations based on our years of research to their carefully selected comments. We hope people will not be offended if we speak plainly. We may be revealing things SDA's did not realize, but all quotes are documented and are true. We, also, merely want to put Ellen G. White to the Biblical tests of a prophet to see if she measures up.

1. Agreement with the Bible. (p.224).

SDA STATEMENT "...her writings are consistent, accurate, and in full agreement with the Scriptures".

OUR COMMENTS We must take issue with all three descriptions. First off, her writings are not consistent. We will give only one example, due to limited space. We will briefly outline her "visions" on the "Shut Door" doctrine. This was the teaching that the door to salvation was closed by the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ) based on the parable of Matthew 25:1-13 on October 22, 1844. Early Adventists including Ellen G. White believed they were inside and all others were shut out and cut off. They saw themselves as the "wise virgins" (safely inside with Christ) and all the others as "foolish virgins" (left outside the shut door.)

When Christ did not come for his "wise virgins" on the prophesied date of 1844, Ellen G. White attempted to cover over her support of this false prophecy by the following statement in Selected Messages, Volume 1, page 63,

"For a time after the disappointment in 1844, I did hold, in common with the advent body that the door of mercy was then forever closed to the world. This position was taken before my first vision was given me. It was the light given me of God that corrected our error, and enabled us to see the true position."

"Modern- day Adventists might be interested in a portion of her first vision, claimed for December of 1844 which is now deleted and does support the "shut door" theory.

"...It was just as impossible for them to get on the path again and go to the City, as all the wicked world which God had rejected."

This is a judgment by vision on the "apostates", the early Adventists who doubted Ellen G. White's visions.

In her second vision, Ellen spoke of her suffering as, "Many of them did not believe in a shut door....unbelief seemed to be on every hand...There was one sister there...She had great sympathy, and could not believe the door was shut...I felt very, very, sad...Most of them received the vision (from EGW) and were settled upon the shut door..." (Letter B-3-1847, Letter to Joseph Bates, July 13, 1847, White Estate.)

We could continue on, but the facts are that Ellen G. White taught the "Shut Door" theory for at least six years after she claimed she did not. To cover up this inconsistency in her writings the SDA church redefined the meaning of "Shut Door" and carefully deleted all her references to it. Is this consistent? Is this honest?

Are her visions and writings accurate as claimed? No, we do not believe so. Especially in the area of health reform she strayed far from accuracy, all the while claiming her insight came from God. In Selected Messages, Volume 3, page 75 she said..."the gospel includes health reform in all its phases".

She then went on to state that if we ate meat from animals we would take on their nature!

"...if we subsist largely upon the flesh of dead animals, we shall partake of their nature". (Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 390).

The Bible does not teach such nonsense. Jesus Himself ate fish and lamb. Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 10:25, "Eat anything that is sold in the meat market, without asking questions for conscience' sake.

The further claim is made that her writings are in "full agreement with the Scriptures." To this sweeping statement we must ask the following questions.
Just where in Scripture do we find that,

"...He (Adam) was more than twice as tall as men now living upon the earth...". (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 3, p34).

Where in the Scriptures do we find this "truth" as revealed by Ellen White in Early Writings, first edition, pp. 30 and 32,

"...All the angels that are commissioned to visit the earth hold a golden card, which they present to the angel at the gates of the city as they pass in and out..."

The list could go on but we believe the point is adequately made. We have accepted the SDA challenge to put Ellen G. White to the test on point one and we have found that she is not in agreement with the Bible on many important points. She fails this test.

2. The accuracy of predictions
(2 instances cited).

a. The rise of modern spiritualism.
b. A close cooperation between Protestants and Roman Catholics.

The two instances chosen above for "accuracy of predictions" are vague and set no dates, but are nonetheless true. However, there are other more specific predictions that were false. For example, referring to 1844,

"I saw the state of the different churches since the second angel proclaimed their fall. They have been growing more and more corrupt...Satan has taken full possession of the churches as a body...Their professions, their prayers and their exhortations are an abomination in the sight of God." (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 1, p. 189)

If this prediction is true, and since 1844, all churches are possessed of the devil, why are the Seventh-day Adventists trying so hard to appear as evangelical Christians and join in ministerial associations?

Here is another false prediction contained in Testimony For the Church, page 255,"The system of slavery, which ruined our nation, is left to live and stir up another rebellion."
Is the U.S.A. "ruined" as a nation? Is slavery still left for another "rebellion"? We agree that her predictions were not many, but if even one fails, they are by Biblical definition false. If she had prophesied falsely in the name of the Lord in the days of the nation of Israel, she would have been stoned to death.

The Adventist publication would have us believe that "fruits" are the proof of a true or false prophet, but that is not so. Proof of fulfillment is proof of a prophet, true or false. Since they liken her to Jeremiah, they should judge her by scriptures pertaining to prophets, for example Jeremiah 23:16-40, which every Adventist believing Ellen G. White is a true prophet should read so they may judge her visions out of the word of the Lord.

3. The Acknowledgement
Of Christ's Incarnation.

We must agree with the brief statement contained on Christ, that He is fully God and fully man. We cannot agree, however, that she is the author of Desire of Ages. The extent of her plagiarism is now well known, and we recommend every Adventist should read The White Lie by former pastor, Walter Rea. The Church has yet to reply to his challenge to prove that even 20% of her writings are her own! The fact that copyright laws were not strict in her day does not excuse her "borrowing".

What this section does not tell you is that Adventists also believe that Jesus Christ is Michael. According to Daniel 10:13, Michael is "one of the chief princes", and an archangel according to Jude 9. Again, they have tried to explain away this embarrassing doctrine of Ellen G. White's, since Christ cannot be an archangel and fully God and fully man at the same time! Jesus is not Michael.

4. The Spirit of Prophecy
and the Bible.

Under this heading the statement is made that "The writings of Ellen White are not a substitute for Scripture. They cannot be placed on the same level".

This, of course, is what they want Evangelical churches to think, but their other publications paint a far different view of her writings.

Ministry Magazine of October, 1981 contained many startling statements, not the least of which was this one on page 8,

"We believe the revelation and inspiration of both the Bible and Ellen White's writings to be of equal quality. The superintendence of the Holy Spirit was just as careful and thorough in one case as in the other."

The above quotation pretty well sums up their view under the remaining points on pages 227 and 228. A careful reading of this section shows how extreme is their devotion and belief in their prophetess, believing even that she had "the spirit of prophecy" referred to in Revelation.

In closing they invite the reader to "test everything". We have done our best to do just that. We believe the SDA church could perhaps one day be Evangelical, but only when they rid themselves of the influence of Ellen G. White, and correct their view on Jesus Christ.

Seventh-day Adventists, we invite you to write to us, but you must sign your name and give your address to have your letter read. Anonymous letters are disposed of unread. Give us a chance to provide you with facts and documentation you can check out for yourself and please don't be afraid to seek out the truth. Confidentiality is assured.



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