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20. E.G.White role in Adventism

  1. Authority concerns.
  1. Letter to Ellen G. White by Dr.David Paulson, 1906. “I conclude and most firmly believe that every word that you ever spoke in public or private, that every letter you wrote under any and all circumstances was as inspired as the ten commandments.”
  2. June 16, 1906. Selected Messages, Vol.1 p.26 “My brother, you have studied my writings diligently, and you have never found that I have made any such claims, neither will you find that the pioneers in our cause ever made such claims.”
  3. 1909, Manuscript 107, Selected Messages, Vol.1 p.39 “….The message came to me, Dedicate yourself to the highest work ever committed to mortals. I will give you high aspirations and powers and a true sense of the work of Christ. … I gave myself, my whole being, to God, to obey His call in everything, and since that time my life has been spent in giving the message, with my pen and in speaking before large congregations. It is not I who controls my words and actions at such times. But there are times when common things must be stated, common thoughts must occupy the mind, common letters must be written and information given that has passed from one to another of the workers. Such words, such information, are not given under the special inspiration of the Spirit of God. Questions are asked at times that are not upon religious subjects at all, and these questions must be answered. We converse about houses and lands, trades to be made, and locations for our institutions, their advantages and disadvantages.”
  4. Just like Paul (1st Corinthians 7:12,40)
  5. March 7, 1915 W. C. White to J. W. Watt: "Mother never made the claim, as some have said, that everything she ever wrote at any time was inspired. Mother, like every other prophet of God, had her own private life, and she spoke and wrote about matters of finance, about her household, her farm, her chickens, her horses, and her dairy, and that there was no claim that she was speaking regarding these matters with the voice of inspiration."
  6. Early visions were often attended by striking physical phenomena: Unconscious of earthly surroundings, temporary cessation of breathing, unblinking eyelids, supernatural strength evidence that something supernatural takes place.
  7. After her death two extremes emerging  fundamentalist attitude to canonise her as person and her work as guide (Bible Conference of 1919), eventually leading to disillusionment, abandonment and discarding her influence.

a)Ronald L. Numbers (born 1942) 

b)Walter T. Rea (). Minister since 1944. Ended service in 1980. Published in 1982. accused Ellen White of a literary borrowing (plagiarism)

c)Following endorsements were issued for the book:

  • New York Times -- "Walter Rea has inflamed the issues confronting the cultwith incontrovertible evidence (p. 1, 1982)
  • Time Magazine -- "The White Lie is a bomb shell which has shocked the church." (Aug. 2, 1982)
  • Walter Martin (editor, author, and leading authority on cults)-- "A thorough and factual analysis. Devastating."
  • Fred Veltman, Ph.D. -- "He [has] evidence which appears quite convincing for his major points. This evidence...will 'blow the mind' of many an Adventist." ("Report on the E.G. White Research Project," pp. 23,24)

d)In the 1980s, Dr. Fred Veltman, retired professor of New Testament Literature from Pacific Union College, was commissioned by the Ellen G. White Estate to study the literary dependency of Ellen White’s Desire of Ages book on the life of Christ. We knew that her library contained a number of books on the life of Jesus and we wondered to what extent the Desire of Ages was dependent upon other literary sources.

  • Fifteen chapters were selected at random and were compared to other books using a scale of seven levels of dependency applied to each sentence.
  • The criteria differentiating between these levels of dependency are the amount of verbatim words and the order of word elements in the parallel sentences.
  • Level 7 – Strict verbatim (all words identical)
  • Level 6 – Verbatim (1 or 2 words changed)
  • Level 5 – Strict paraphrase
  • Level 4 – Simple paraphrase
  • Level 3 – Loose paraphrase
  • Level 2 – Source Bible
  • Level 1 – Partial independence
  • Level 0 – Independent
  • Results of 2,647 sentence units of text studied
  • No level 7 – strict verbatim
  • 29 (1.1%) level 6 – verbatim
  • 183 (6.9%) level 5 – strict paraphrase
  • 823 (31.1%) levels 4,3,2,1
  • 1,612 (60.9%) level 0 – independent sentences
  • Average level of dependency is level 3.3 (looseparaphrase).
  • “The research clearly shows that the sources were her slaves, never her master. She readily recognized what expressions in her sources would enhance her writing and serve her purposes. Ellen White with the aid of her literary assistants, built out of the common quarry of stones not a replica of another’s work but rather a customized literary composition which reflects the particular faith and Christian hope she felt called to share with her fellow Adventists and the Christian community at large.”

e)"The Great Controversy" by Ellen G. White, 1888 was compared with "History of Protestantism” by J. A. Wylie, LL.D. 1876. The charge that Ellen White plagiarized affects not only the credibility of her claim to a prophetic gift, but also the very integrity and genuineness of her personal life. She has been accused of being a thief, a liar, and an exploiter of church members who constituted a captive market for her books.

f)Accusations in the 1970 were not new. First major public accusation came as early as 1889 from Dudley M. Canright “Seventh-day Adventism renounced”. Other major critics were:

  • H. S. Case and C. P. Russell –1850s
  • Snook and Brinkerhoff—1860s
  • E. S. Ballenger –1920s and 30s

g)Another accusation came from Dale Ratzlaff “Cultic Doctrine of Seventh-day Adventists.

h)Voluminous accusation of plagiarism comes against “Sketches from the Life of Paul” published in 1883 to be used with the Sabbath school lessons. Later republished (in 1911) as “The Acts of the Apostles,” have large sections copied from a work by W.J. Conybeare & J.S.Howson “The Life and epistles of St.Paul,” published in 1855 and found in her library.

i)She did not hide the source and endorsed the book publicly (it’s O.K. to read wide!)

  • An advertisement for Conybeare and Howson's book appeared in the Signs of the Times of February 22, 1883, with an endorsement from Ellen White: "The Life of St. Paul by Conybeare and Howson, I regard as a book of great merit, and one of rare usefulness to the earnest student of the New Testament history."
  • The fact that Ellen White borrowed from other authors was openly acknowledged by herself (Great Controversy p.xi-xii):

“In some cases where a historian has so grouped together events as to afford, in brief, a comprehensive view of the subject, or has summarized details in a convenient manner, his words have been quoted; but in some instances no specific credit has been given, since the quotations are not given for the purpose of citing that writer as authority, but because his statement affords a ready and forcible presentation of the subject. In narrating the experience and views of those carrying forward the work of reform in our own time, similar use has been made of their published works"

  • and by people close to her (3SM 451-465).

W.C.White explanation: “The great events occurring in the life of our Lord were presented to her in panoramic scenes as also were the other portions of The Great Controversy. In a few of these scenes chronology and geography were clearly presented, but in the greater part of the revelation the flashlight scenes, which were exceedingly vivid, and the conversations and the controversies, which she heard and was able to narrate, were not marked geographically or chronologically, and she was left to study the Bible and history, and the writings of men who had presented the life of our Lord to get the chronological and geographical connection. Another purpose served by the reading of history and the Life of Our Lord and the Life of St. Paul, was that in so doing there was brought vividly to her mind scenes presented clearly in vision, but which were through the lapse of years and her strenuous ministry, dimmed in her memory. Many times in the reading of Hanna, Farrar, or Fleetwood, she would run on to a description of a scene which had been vividly presented to her, but forgotten, and which she was able to describe more in detail than that which she had read” (3SM 459, 460).

“In some of the historical matters such as are brought out in Patriarchs and Prophets, and in Acts of the Apostles and in Great Controversy, the main outlines were made very clear and plain to her, and when she came to write up these topics, she was left to study the Bible and history to get dates and geographical relations and to perfect her description of details” (3SM 462).

  • The real issue, is not whether she borrowed without giving proper credit, but whether she borrowed in such a way as to deceive the reader.

j)In The Great Controversy (in all three editions of 1884, 1888, 1911) materials borrowed from:

"The Sanctuary and the Twenty Three Hundred Days of Daniel 8: 14” by Uriah Smith;

"The Life of Christ" by William Hanna;

"Paul" by F. W. Farrar;

"The Great Teacher" by John Harris;

"The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah" by A. Edersheim;

"Old Testament" by A. Edersheim;

"Elijah the Prophet" by A. Edersheim;

"Night Scenes of the Bible" by Daniel March;

"Sketches From the Life of Paul" by Conybeare and Howson;

"History of the Sabbath" by J. N. Andrews;

"Elijah the Tishbite" by Krummacher;

"Life Incidents" by James White;

"Life of William Miller" by James White;

"History of Waldenses" by Wylie;

"Origin and History of the Books of the Bible" by Calvin Stowe;

"History of the Reformation" by D'Aubigne;

"Philosophy of Health" by Coles;

"Paradise Lost" of Milton Clark's Commentary;

"The Life and Epistles of the Apostle Paul" by Conybeare and Howson;

"The Life of Paul" by McDuff;

"The Apocrypha" by Stowe;

"The Life of Christ" by Farrar.

  • A study done by the Ellen G. White Estate to document passages in her writings known to be verbally dependent upon prior external material indicates that about 15% of The Great Controversy (1911 edition) is taken from other sources for which she gave the proper references and about 5% is from uncredited sources.

k)The Ramik Report, August 14, 1981, after spending more than 300 hours researching about 1,000 relevant cases in American legal history, he concluded that "Ellen White was not a plagiarist, and her works did not constitute copyright infringement/piracy."

  1. Congress passed the first Copyright Act of May 31, 1790, ch. 15 (1 Stat. 124) which provided that an author "shall have the sole right and liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing and vending such. . . book or books for the term of fourteen years."
  2. Act of July 8, 1870, ch. 230 (16 Stat. 212), the subject broadened, for the term of twenty-eight years. Providing that "if any person--without the consent of the proprietor of the copyright--sell or expose to sell any copy of such book, such offender is liable to 'damages as may be recovered in a civil action.' "
  3. Act of March 3, 1891, ch. 565 (26 Stat. 1106), the privileges of United States copyright law was for the first time extended to foreign authors or proprietors of books
  4. Act of March 4, 1909, ch. 320 (35 Stat. 1075) essentially codified existing law which specifically "protect(s) all of the copyrightable component parts of the work copyrighted," while specifically defining "no copyright shall subsist in the original text of any work which is in the public domain."

"she invariably introduced considerable new matter to that which she borrowed, going far beyond mere ‘colorable deviations,' and, in effect, created an altogether new literary work."

l)John Wesley practice: "It was a doubt with me for some time," he wrote in the preface, "whether I should not subjoin to every note I received from them the name of the author from whom it was taken; especially considering I had transcribed some, and abridged many more, almost in the words of the author. But upon further consideration, I resolved to name none, that nothing might divert the mind of the reader from keeping close to the point of view, and receiving what was spoken only according to its own intrinsic value." (quoted in F. D. Nichol, Ellen G. White and Her Critics, 406)

m)Both John Wesley’s and Ellen White’s admission to borrowing from other authors without giving full credit indicates that for both the truths they were borrowing transcended these authors.For Wesley and White truth ultimately belongs to God and not to humans.

n)Biblical authors using other writers and quoting widely:

  • Luke. The plagiarist?
  • Titus 1:12; Acts 17:28 (poem Cretica written by Epimenides (ca. 600 BCE)
  • Revelation, & Jude quoting Enoch (pseudepigrapha from 50 B.C.)

o)Internet web has increased and propagated criticism

p)Helpful books on the issue:

  • F.D.Nichol Ellen G. White and Her Critics
  • Herbert E. Douglass Messenger of the Lord
  • Leonard Brand and Don S. McMahon The Prophet and Her Critics
  • Graeme S.Bradford Prophets are human
  • Graeme S.Bradford More than a Prophet

q)Helpful websites:

  1. Alleged inconsistencies:
  2. Tower of Babel
  3. 1864 “This system was corrupted before the flood by those who separated themselves from the faithful followers of God, and engaged in the building of the tower of Babel.” (Spiritual Gifts, Vol.3 p.301)
  4. The typo was caught by the editors long before any critic brought it up. In 1866 [July 31 issue] the editor of Review and Herald magazine explained the typo and the needed correction to his subscribers, thus clearing up the whole issue.
  5. 1870 “The Lord first established the system of sacrificial offerings with Adam after his fall, which he taught to his descendants. This system was corrupted before the flood, and by those who separated themselves from the faithful followers of God and engaged in the building of the tower of Babel. They sacrificed to gods of their own [making] instead of the God of Heaven” (The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol.1, p.266)
  6. Christ’s return in her days.
  7. I was shown the company present at the Conference. Said the angel: "Some food for worms, some subjects of the seven last plagues, some will be alive and remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of Jesus."--1T 131, 132 (1856). {LDE 36.3}
  8. Because time is short, we should work with diligence and double energy. Our children may never enter college.--3T 159 (1872). {LDE 36.4}
  9. It is really not wise to have children now. Time is short, the perils of the last days are upon us, and the little children will be largely swept off before this.--Letter 48, 1876. {LDE 36.5}
  10. In this age of the world, as the scenes of earth's history are soon to close and we are about to enter upon the time of trouble such as never was, the fewer the marriages contracted the better for all, both men and women.--5T 366 (1885). {LDE 37.1}
  11. The hour will come; it is not far distant, and some of us who now believe will be alive upon the earth, and shall see the prediction verified, and hear the voice of the archangel and the trump of God echo from mountain and plain and sea to the uttermost parts of the earth.--RH July 31, 1888. {LDE 37.2}
  12. The time of test is just upon us, for the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin-pardoning Redeemer.--1SM 363 (1892).
  13. Cause for delay (1851) “Had Adventists, after the great disappointment in 1844, held fast their faith, and followed on unitedly in the opening providence of God, receiving the message of the third angel and in the power of the Holy Spirit proclaiming it to the world, they would have seen the salvation of God, the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts, the work would have been completed, and Christ would have come ere this to receive His people to their reward.” {1SM 68.1}
  1. Do Adventists depend on EGWhite for doctrine? Is she the last word?
  1. For many people “But E.G.W. said…” ends any discussion on the meaning of the Bible.
  2. Ellen White's Major Themes
  3. Love of God
  4. Great Controversy
  5. Jesus, the Cross, and Salvation through Him
  6. Centrality of the Bible
  7. Second Coming
  8. Third Angel’s message and Adventist Mission
  9. Practical Christianity and development of Christian Character
  1. EGW on this question: “When they came to the point in their study where they said, "We can do nothing more," the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me, with instruction as to how we are to labor and teach effectively. Thus light was given that helped us to understand the scriptures…(Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 206-207.)
  1. Second Coming of Christ  William Miller and others.
  1. Sabbath Doctrine development:
  2. Washington, N.H., churchFrederick Wheeler, Methodist preacher
  3. Communion service: obey commandments
  4. Afterward, Rachel Oakes: “Obey them yourself!” She presented the Sabbath to him. Shocked, he studied, concluded it was right. He began to keep and teach Sabbath
  5. T. M. Preble wrote tract about same time published as article in “Hope of Israel” (Millerite Adventist periodical), 1845
  6. Joseph Bates read Preble; accepted, taught, approached the Whites (not married yet)They were not convinced. EGW: “he made too much of one commandment”
  7. 1846, Bates wrote pamphlet: “The Seventh-day Sabbath a Perpetual Sign”Whites read it about time of their marriage & began to keep Sabbath on the basis of the Bible evidence Bates assembled, fall 1846
  8. Seven months later, EGW had her first vision about the Sabbath, April 3, 1847
  9. Bates, sea captain: 6 p.m.—sunset at the equator;
  10. Some others said sunrise: Matt. 28:1
  11. EGW had vision: “even unto even” Lev.23:32 just as Seventh Day Baptist converts kept sunset while most Adventists: 6 p.m. Some midnight or sunset
  12. James White asked D. P. Hall to research, when he didn’t, JW asked J. N. Andrews. Nov. 17, 1855, JNA read paper to a conference of believers in Battle Creek, showed that it can’t be 6 p.m.—no clocks! & then demonstrated sundown from Scripture.
  13. Almost everyone at conference accepted. Two holdouts: Joseph Bates and EGW with an argument: “Kept 6 to 6 for ten years; God has blessed us.”James W. accepted sunset on JNA’s evidence. Conference ended Monday, two days later. During prayer, EGW in vision: Bible defines “even.” She and Bates accepted sunset; unity came
  1. Sanctuary Doctrine:
  • Oct. 23, 1844, God began revealing truth
  • Hiram Edson: “I saw distinctly and clearly . . .”
  • F. B. Hahn, O. R. L. Crosier studied with Edson Services of earthly sanctuary a type of heavenly & Published in Day Dawn, 1845 (Canandaigua, N. Y., and Day Star Extra, Feb. 7, 1846 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
  • In Exeter, Maine, mid-Feb. 1845, vision of Jesus’ leaving His ministry, going to receive kingdom. She wrote of it one year later, letter to Day Star, dated Feb. 15, 1846, too early to have seen Crosier’s article. Her 1847 letter, said she was shown that “Brother Crosier had the true light on the cleansing of the sanctuary.” Confirmation
  1. Development of Ellen G. White writings:
  1. Ellen White's writings expanded through the years: i.e:
  2. Spiritual Gifts, volume 1 (1858)
  3. The Spirit of Prophecy, volume 3 (1878)
  4. Redemption series, number 8 (1878)
  5. Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883)
  6. Acts of the Apostles (1911)

Same goes to the whole Great Controversy series, originating from 1858 Lovett’s Grove, Ohio, vision.