A No Nonsense Guide to Ellen G. White
Ellen G. White is the modern day prophet of the Seventh Day Adventist church. This is the sermon I wrote for my local congregation in December of 2021. You can watch the sermon by clicking here.
In the beginning
I wasn’t raised in the Adventist church, but in the Lutheran church. We had Martin Luther as our pillar of faith, but we didn’t have a prophet to guide our beliefs. My husband introduced me to the Adventist Church in 2007 when we started dating. I was fascinated by a woman whose name kept popping up. A woman whose name could bring responses that ranged from esteemed reverence, to a rolling of the eyes, flat out derision or complete silence. It baffled me how one person could elicit such responses from a church that claimed her as a prophet. That person of course is Ellen G. White.
I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes here, but
I would like to share what I’ve learned about this illustrious woman and some tips on how to best interpret her works. The resources I will be referring to and highly recommend reading if you want more information are: What We Believe; Getting to know Ellen White for Teens by Seth J. Pierce, Reading Ellen White by George R. Knight, Meeting Ellen White by George R. Knight. I highly recommend watching the Tell The World movie and the Lineage Journey series as well. They are both available free on YouTube.
We have been studying Ellen G. White in the Junior class and as part of our home school devotional. It was while we were working through the What We Believe book that I felt the need to share all the new things I was learning about Ellen G. White. I will start with a brief introduction to Ellen the woman and then move onto her writings.
An introduction to Ellen G. White
What strikes me the most about Ellen G. White, is what a humble, moderate and loving woman she was. This may come as a shock to some of you when you consider the strong statements that she made. My hope is that you will understand where I am coming from.
Ellen Gould Harmon was born on Nov 26, 1827 in Gotham, Maine along with her twin sister Elizabeth. Her childhood as a daughter of a farmer and hat maker, was fairly common place. It was an unfortunate childhood event, that changed her life forever. When she was 9, an upset classmate threw a rock at Ellen and her twin sister on their way home.
Ellen looked back at the wrong moment and the rock hit her in the face. The impact pushed her nose back into her skull. I will spare you the nasty details, but the injury so altered her appearance greatly. When her father returned home after a business trip he couldn’t even recognize her.
Not a good prognosis
Ellen’s prognosis was not good. It didn’t help overhearing friends and family advising her mother to have a discussion with her about facing death bravely. Family friends told her mother Eunice to press charges against the girl who threw the rock. Eunice declined however, only asking for peace so Ellen could heal and everyone could move on from the unfortunate event.
A true survivor
Ellen G. White did survive, but her health was never the same nor was her ability to learn. This made the prolific number of books she wrote all the more impressive. The result of her actions devastated the young lady who threw the rock. She offered to tutor Ellen privately when it became obvious that she would not be returning to school. Fainting fits, trembling hands, coughing spells, blurred vision, and difficulty breathing made her too much of a distraction. Although she became good friends with her tutor, Ellen would never enter a formal school room again. Ellen struggled to understand why at the age of 12, she would never become the scholar she hoped to be.
William Miller
When Ellen was 12, William Miller came to town to present several lectures on Jesus’ soon return.
The new revelation of Jesus’s soon return, perplexed Ellen and her brother Robert. Wracked with thoughts of being unworthy of being a child of God, Ellen was sure she would never make it into the Kingdom of Heaven. That summer the Harmon family went to a Methodist camp meeting, which would change Ellen forever.
Ellen G. White connected with a sermon on the book of Esther. She felt hope when Esther stated:
“I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:16
Comforted by his words
“Ellen you are only a child,” he began. “Yours is a most singular experience for one of your gender age. Jesus must be preparing you for some special work.” “Go Free, Ellen,” he said, smiling: “return to your home trusting in Jesus, for He will not withhold His love from any true seeker.” pg 65
Her visions begin
After this experience her nightmares turned to visions of her labouring for lost souls. When she would awake she would pray for them. In most cases, those souls came to the Lord under her guidance.
Her first public vision did not happen until after the Great Disappointment of 1944. At a prayer meeting with friends, she felt “the power of God” fill her like never before. The vision showed her the path the Millerite movement had started. It continued to show her what would happen to those that did not continue in faith upon that path. The glorious vision made her disappointed to return to everyday life. Ellen G. White reluctantly shared the message at the very next meeting she attended. To her surprise it was very well received.
Ellen G. White – second vision
Her second vision warned her of all the adversity she would face in sharing the messages God gave her. As long as she was faithful in doing so, God would remain by her side. It is important to mention at this point that she was still feeling the effects of tuberculosis. She and her brother Robert were both recovering from it. Tuberculosis, and the long lasting effects of her injury, did not make her the poster child for a teen prophet!
Thankfully we all know from the Bible, that God chooses who He wants to represent Him. Just like Moses, Ellen G. White would pray for God to use someone else. Surprisingly, God sent Hazen Foss to give Ellen the confidence and advice she desperately needed. Ellen wasn’t the first to receive divine communications from God. Hazen Foss had received divine communications from God as well. The difference was, Hazen Foss had declined God’s offer and he didn’t want Ellen G. White to share His fate.
Hazen Foss’s advice
“The Spirit of God had spoken to Hazen again, he said, telling him that if he refused to share the message, it would be taken from him and given to someone else – someone who was “the weakest of the weak.” Foss just couldn’t bring himself to accept the task; he told God that he didn’t have the stomach for vision sharing. Upon speaking these words a “very strange feeling” overtook him.”
“A Voice spoke, “You have grieved away the Spirit of the Lord.” Horror gripped Hazen as he pleaded with God to give Him back the vision and the Spirit…but the vision was not returned. “I was proud,”he told her with tear in his eyes, “so the visions have bee taken from me and given to you. Don’t refuse to Obey God, Ellen. It will cost you your soul! I am a a lost man. The crown I might have had now belongs to you.” pg 80
Ellen G. White embraces her mission
This had a major effect on Ellen and she embraced her new mission with new determination. It helped her deal with all the criticism and craziness unleashed on her as she boldly spoke for God.
When I read Ellen G. White’s works, I am always struck by how strong her tone was. That is completely understandable when you read about what life was like after the great disappointment. Ellen had to speak very plainly and to the point, to counteract all the misinformation and crazy behaviour that was happening around her.
Crazy theories
There were would-be prophets and wild theories popping up everywhere. Like the individuals that believed that heaven had come down to earth and they were now living in the new earth where everything was acceptable, that it was a sin to work. Or the one that believed the phrase “love your neighbour” had a very literal meaning. Yes, let your minds wander on what that would mean and you may actually come close to what people where doing.
Not impressed
Ellen G. White didn’t pull any punches as to the disgust she felt for what was going on. They were mistaken to think that by acting like little children, they would be fit for the Kingdom of God. She also let those who would crawl around town (like a baby) doing their errands, know that such behaviour was not what Jesus was referring to in Mark 10:15 which says:
Assuredly, I say to you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, will by no means enter it. NKJV
She also had to deal with people like Joseph Turner who followed her around incessantly so he could refute the messages that she shared. He even wanted to be her mode of transportation so he could exercise authority over her. God let Ellen know in clear vision what Joseph Turner was up to. God even let her know who would be more appropriate to accompany her for her speaking engagements.
James White
One of those that were on the approved list was a young man who shared Ellen’s passion for the Millerite message and the truths God was sharing through her: it was none other than James White. Although marriage wasn’t on their minds when he started driving her to engagements, they soon decided to do just that. Their joint enthusiasm in sharing God’s message, and the possibility of over night stays, made a union between them a logical choice. Don’t get me wrong; a deep love did exist between them, but it developed over time and through many great trials.
You might think that being a Prophet of God would come with blessings galore. Although Ellen would never stop praising God for the blessings they received, those blessings were not in great riches. They started out as poor as church mice, and they lived with friends as the circumstances allowed. They even had friends take care of their first two children as they traveled about to the many speaking engagements they had. Ellen G. White was greatly relieved when the young family was reunited under one roof several years later.
Wife and mother
Ellen G. White was a very loving mother, wife and friend. Her burden to help others and be of service was evident in their daily lives. Once the White’s had their own home, they were often in the company of fellow Adventists that happened to be traveling through town and needed a place to stay. Their hospitality continued through the many strokes that James had, and even Ellen herself experienced. The correspondence she had with her sons when they had to be separated, are very telling of the wonderful relationship they had. Her children and grandchildren tell stories of how loving and happy her home was.
Their home continued to be a welcoming place despite many tragedies in their life. The loss of two of their sons, satan’s attempts to end her mission through a stroke, a train derailment, and other accidents that kept their guardian angels busy. Even a separation of living arrangements couldn’t keep them apart forever. They were able to find their way back to each other and never lost their focus on getting God’s message to the people.
James’ death
When James did pass away, the effect on Ellen G. White was monumental. She wrote:
The shock of my husband’s death, – so sudden, so unexpected- fell upon me with crushing weight. In my feeble condition I had summoned strength to remain at his bedside to the last; but when I saw his eyes closed in death, exhausted nature gave way, and I completely prostrated. for some time I seemed balancing between life and death. The vital pulse burned so low that a breath might extinguish it. At night my pulse would grow feeble, and my breathing fainter and fainter till it seemed about to cease. pg 153
Ellen G. White was true to her husband’s memory and everything he had built in the service of the Lord. With her sons, she continued to move that work forward. She also continued to put the visions that God gave her to paper. Diligently she answered the unceasing questions that people from all over the world put before her. Working tirelessly she tried to clarify any misinterpretations that had arisen from her writings. There were times when she would hardly be able to speak when she entered a room. Yet when it became time for her to speak, her voice would gain a strength and clarity. Miraculously, her voice could be heard no matter how large the space may be.
Ellen G. White finally rests
After all the attacks Ellen G. White faced in her life, it would be a simple fall in her home that led to her death. When she did fall asleep for the last time on July 16, 1915, she would end up having three funerals. The first was a semi-private memorial at her home in California. The second was at the request of the California conference. They were having their camp meeting at the time and wanted to be able to honour her there. The Third was back in Battle Creek where she was buried with James and their two sons. Ellen’s last words were “I know in whom I have believed.”
The Battle Creek funeral
Seth J Pierce wrote about the Battle Creek funeral:
Making the occasion even grander were thirty-five hundred mourners that the Tabernacle could barely contain. That little child, once devastated by injury, plagued by poor health, crushed so many times by people’s harsh words, rejection, and her own lack of self-worth, had grown into a woman whose words brought the love of Jesus to countless numbers who now showered her with loving words of their own.
Ellen G. White’s Works
So now that you have a bit of a feel for Ellen the woman, now I’d like to focus on her works and some tips on interpreting them. George R. Knight lists a multitude of helpful tips to consider in his book Reading Ellen G. White. I will be focusing on the importance of context: both historical & literary, moderation vs fanaticism, the ideal vs reality, viewing the central issues not the periphery issues and applying her writings to ourselves not others.
Most hated phrase
Did you know that Ellen G. Whites most hated phrase was “Sister Ellen White Says”?
Before you get upset with this statement, let me explain why. There were several issues at work here. First of all, she didn’t like being put on a pedestal. Her only desire was to promote the Bible and Jesus’ love for us. The misuse of her words to serve personal agenda’s, and the misunderstanding of her words that led to fanaticism, were constantly plaguing her ministry. It makes sense that since her words were most definitely inspired and spoke the truth, that they mean so much to so many. While this is a good thing, some people treasured them in inappropriate ways as well.
The simple fact was Ellen was a humble, moderate woman who didn’t want people quoting her words at all. Yes, I will be quoting her today, but only because this presentation is about her. She considered her mission in life was to communicate God’s message to the people and bring them back to the Bible and Jesus’ gospel message. As she held up her bible at the last General Conference Session she would speak at in 1909, she said, “Brethren and Sisters, I commend unto you this Book.” It was the Bible that she was promoting to the people, not her own works. One of the reasons God sent Ellen visions was to make the words of the Bible more accessible for the people.
Here are just a couple of her statements on this.
“Our position and faith is in the Bible, and never do we want any soul to bring in the Testimonies ahead of the Bible” (Evangelism pg. 256)
“In public labor, do not make prominent, and quote that which Sister White has written, as authority to sustain your positions. To do this will not increase faith in the testimonies. Bring your evidences, clear and plain from the Work of God. A “Thus saith the Lord’ is the strongest testimony you can possibly present to people Let none be educated to look to Sister White, but to the might God, who gives instruction to Sister White.” (Selected Messages book 3 pg 29-30)
Over and over she stated that the Bible was the only thing we needed to understand God’s will for us. We only need ask for the Holy Spirit to help us interpret it. Unfortunately in Ellen’s day and still in ours, society has come to believe that the common man is not able to understand the Bible. We are taught that we need a special person to interpret it for us. This does not need to be the case if we would spend time in the Bible every day, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand what He has to say to us.
Life in Ellen G. White’s house
The White household started and ended their day in worship and devotions. This is a great example for what we all need to do in order to strengthen our connection with our Lord and Saviour. She wanted her words to show us God’s great love and mercy for us. How He cares and wants a personal relationship with us. He wants to use us to help others; but to do that we need to be in His word and connected to Him.
Her writings help us to see, through the unfolding stories of the Bible, the big picture of God’s plans for us. They show us what we need to do to serve Him well, have the best life on earth, and eternal life when Jesus comes again. Although she experienced what most would consider a very tough life, she remained happy in knowing her Lord and savior. She was overjoyed to see first hand the world that was to come. Her children and grandchildren all speak of a loving, happy woman in whose company they enjoyed being. Meal times were a happy time with a variety of food and happy conversations. Going to Grandma Ellen’s house was a treat that they looked forward to.
The misuse of her writing
The misuse of her writing was a constant thorn in her side. Many people would write to Ellen G. White asking her to endorse their theories based on something she had written. In every case she would decline. Even some of the leaders of the Adventist church wanted her works to be raised to a higher position equal to the Bible. A. T. Jones for instance called her works an “infallible” interpreter for the Bible, and wanted the Bible to be studied through her writings.
This is something she would have no part of, and wrote very clearly that this should not happen. She never claimed to be infallible, only God was, and she didn’t want her works being used in this way. Her works were to awaken peoples love for God and in turn an interest in the reading of the Bible for themselves. According to George T. Knight, there were four goals that Ellen G. White tried to accomplish with her writings:
1) To exalt the Bible and lead men and women to it.
2) Clarify the great principles of the Bible for daily living so that people will have no excuse for not following its dictates.
3) To rebuke sin and to urge obedience to the Bible.
4) Apply principles in a modern setting. ie: Testimonies for the Church – although many of these letters were to specific individuals and situations, she hoped that people going through similar issues would gain counsel from them.
On fanatics
Then there were the fanatics that made her life and writings very challenging. Ellen’s writings were often in the strongest terms in order to motivate those that didn’t want to change. This caused many heartaches for Ellen, as those that were more sensitive and eager to follow God’s words would take them to the extreme.
Her husband James White, wrote on more than one occasion about how frustrating this was for her. She would write strongly on a specific topic only to have it taken to the extreme. She would then have to write a correction to try and bring people back to a reasonable position. This new writing would then give the ones she was trying to reach an excuse not to follow the advice. Her critics would then accuse her of contradicting herself in an attempt to discredit her.
The unfortunate thing about human nature, is that we all have our own agenda’s to some degree. Those around Ellen tried to use her words and connection to God to promote their own agenda’s. They felt if they could get Ellen’s endorsement for their ideas, they could gain notoriety through her. We also need to remember that the Adventist Church was just in its early stages and the leaders around her would often try to impose new ideas into the church doctrine that Ellen’s writings didn’t actually say.
Health Reform
One of the most challenging of her visions led to the health reform movement, which is a major tenant of the Adventist church. This movement was something else she had issue with. She wanted the health reform messages to be a preparatory stage in making ourselves fit to serve God to our fullest potential, not overshadow the importance of the word of God.
Now, at this point I want to make it clear that I am in no way wanting to diminish the importance of heath reform. I believe it is absolutely necessary in how we reach others for Jesus. That being said, it is important to understand that her book Counsels on Diet and Foods, was meant as a college classroom textbook for medical students. In this capacity, it was meant to be read and discussed by medical students under the watchful eye of a professor. The professor would help them balance what they read with their medical training. This would rein them in if their theories wandered too far from what was intended.
On moderation
One of the central themes that is sometimes missed when reading any of Ellen G. White’s works is that of moderation. Ellen herself was moderate in everything she did. Her children and grandchildren have mentioned this in writing about meal times at her home. They mention having breads with jams and even juice, but that everything was done in moderation. So the jam would not be an inch thick and the glass of juice would be small, but it would still be offered.
Ellen would set a table with a variety of foods on them, but would never enforce what she wanted to eat on anyone else. She would also eat meat from time to time when it was offered at someone else’s table or they ran out of provisions on long trips. Again, she would never comment on what was being offered to her, but be thankful for God’s grace and whatever was provided.
Here are a couple of examples of those that were not as moderate as Ellen would have liked.
DISCLAIMER
Before I get anyone upset with the stories and quotes that I am about to mention, I need to make something perfectly clear. Veganism and vegetarianism work really for some and Ellen G. White did promote those choices as the ideal. The point of my bringing up the following quotes is to show what can happen when we take our dietary choices to the extreme. We should never judge others for what works better for them. These quotes are also an example of fanaticism, lack of moderation, lack of considering the context, and ideal vs reality.
M.L. Andreason’s dietary fanaticism
M.L. Andreason was a prominent Adventist Theologian in the 1930’s and 40’s that did a lot of canvassing of Adventist books and fully embraced the health reform movement. Here is what he wrote about his experience.
“I lived practically on granola and water only, I used neither milk,
butter, nor eggs for a period of years. My older daughter was ten
years old she when she first tasted butter. We used no meat, of
course, nor milk, butter, or eggs, and almost no salt and sugar.
We did not have much left but granola. I canvassed on granola.”
Not only that, but then he read advice about eating only 2 meals a day, so he decided to follow that. He canvassed on only two bags of granola a day! He did this for 10 years until his health was so impaired that he realized something had to give. He realized that he was overdoing what Ellen had proposed and changed his diet. He finally understood the moderation that Ellen practiced in her own life and “went on to warn people against applying her writings to “conditions other than those under which they were given.” (What We Believe pg 168)
Dr. D.H. Kress’s Health reform extremes
Another case was Dr. D.H. Kress, a Doctor working in Australia. He also banned eggs, dairy and many other foods from his diet. These actions seriously threatened his health. In his case, God actually sent Ellen a vision to let him know that he needed to change his habits.
In May 1901 she wrote him to:
“Not go to extremes in regard to the health reform….get eggs of
healthy fowls, Use these eggs cooked or raw. Dip them uncooked
into the best unfermented wine you can find. This will supply that
which is necessary to your system. Do not for a moment suppose
that it will not be right to do this… I say that milk and eggs should be
included in your diet…You are in danger of taking too radical a view
of health reform, and of prescribing for yourself a diet that will not
sustain you…Eggs contain properties which are remedial agencies in counteracting poisons. And while warnings have been given against
the use of these articles…Yet we should not consider it a denial of
principle to use eggs of hens which are well cared for. “(letter 37, 1901
or CD 202-206)
Following the advice of Ellen G. White
Dr Kress followed this advice and his health returned. Again this quote doesn’t mean she had changed her mind about veganism, or vegetarianism, but that we consume what is necessary for our own personal health requirements. We should always advocate for moderation. Being vegan or vegetarian may be the ideal, but due to allergies, food sensitivities, or other health conditions there are certain things that some people just can’t eat. These examples show the importance of making allowances for the reality of a situation.
Giving dietary advice
When Ellen G. White wrote dietary advice to people, she kept these things in mind. We need to take that into consideration when we see quotes from her writing taken out of their original context. There are many letters that Ellen wrote to those that were falling ill from being too extreme in their interpretation of the health message. For example, If you are already eating a balanced diet in moderate proportions, there is no need to restrict yourself to two meals a day. The advice to limit your meals was aimed toward those that were eating to excess, not those that were eating responsibly.
So moderation is one of the most important things to keep in mind when we are reading any of her works. It is also interesting to note that in her day, eating fruits and vegetables was not the norm. It was actually seen as a bad thing. So bringing fruit and vegetables back into the forefront of their diets was completely new and different. I hope through these examples from the health reforms you can see what can happen when you take her messages to the extreme.
Ellen G. White never called herself a prophet
Did you know that she never called herself a prophet? She would refer to herself as a Messenger from God but not a prophet. Here is the dictionary definition of a prophet: a prophet is someone who speaks by divine inspiration; someone who is an interpreter of the will of God. So why wouldn’t she use the title of prophet? It could be that her writings went beyond just being a prophet, as she gave advice and clarifications that were not direct visions from God, but it probably had a lot to do with how humble she was and the amount of false prophets around during her day.
Was Ellen G. White a prophet?
Was she really a prophet? Yes, there is no doubt about that.
Joseph Bates, one of the original members of the Adventist movement, was not one of her fans in the beginning. He was a sea captain by trade before he retired to civilian life. It was during a prayer meeting he was attending with the White’s that he first experienced one of Ellen’s visions. In this vision she recounted a description of the solar charts that only a sea captain could know. It was evident to him that the information she had could only be given by God. His story was only one of many that were convicted of her abilities only after being a first hand witness to her visions.
Should we still listen to Ellen G. White today?
So is she still relevant and should we listen to her today? Yes, she is still relevant to us today for a number of reasons.
Firstly is that Her life is a wonderful example of how to stay strong through adversity and keep our focus on Jesus. We can also learn how best to help those around us from her writings. Her faith journey alone is remarkable. How a woman who dealt with such hardships in her life from a very young age could still remain steadfast in her lover for Jesus is simply amazing. She also dealt with:
- The death of two of her four sons.
- Helping her husband recover from several debilitating strokes for which the doctors did not give much hope
- The constant criticism for her writings
Perhaps it was how she maintained that connection with God that gave her strength.
Ellen G. White’s daily schedule
This is how her son Willie described what a day in the White house looked like:
– 4am Ellen awake writing
– 6am wake up for the rest of the house
– 6:30am breakfast on the table
– 7am family worship – James led out in worship, song and prayer. his parents’ passion in song and in prayer would deeply impress people not used to it. He would pray for the family and the cause of God. The worship hour was as regularly observed as the hours for breakfast and dinner.
– James went to work, Ellen and the boys would work in her garden then she would do more writing, shopping and errands
– 7:30pm family would reconvene for evening worship. Read from the bible or religious papers and books. Prayer and recommitting everyone to God’s care for the night.
It is no wonder that Ellen had such a firm connection with God, since every day began and ended with the worship of God. How much stronger would our connection be with Him and what he wants for our life if we tried to fit in more worship and alone time with Him.
Practical advice on how to run our lives
Secondly, Ellen G. White’s writings give us practical advice on how to run our lives. She is always bringing us back to the Bible and the gospel message of Jesus as our loving saviour. The testimonies are some of the strongest material that she wrote, often leading to misinterpretation and extremism.
The importance of context
Context is another important thing to keep in mind when you read Ellen G. White’s writings. You need to look at both the literary and historical context for which a letter was written. Most of the testimonies were written to specific people for specific reasons. The only reason Ellen agreed to have them published was the frequency in which she saw similar issues reappearing. She hoped by publishing them that people may see themselves in those situations and make the appropriate adjustments.
Literary context
Literary context is important in regards to how she is writing. Is she using poetic license in some areas, is she being literal and where exactly in the work are the quotes coming from? You need to look at all the writing she did on a topic to make sure you’re getting the full picture.
Historical context
Historical context is very important in topics that may not necessarily be applicable today. One example is the her advice to never eat cheese. What we need to understand is that in her day they did not have pasteurization or reliable refrigeration. This meant that when you went to the store for cheese, you received a hunk of very moldy cheese. You would then go home and cut off the visibly moldy parts. Even today, they don’t know exactly how deep into the cheese you would need to completely remove the mold spores, so you can see why cheese would not be a safe thing to eat.
Another good example would be her prohibition on bicycles. Bicycles in her day were just becoming a fad and would cost from $150-250 dollars. According to an inflation calculator, that would be roughly $4,289 dollars today. It was a sign of affluence, as only the wealthy could afford them. Those that could afford them spent a lot of their time racing up and down the street instead of in more productive pursuits. They were providing a lot of dissension among church members and even non secular accounts tell of how out of hand it was getting. So the issue really wasn’t about the bicycle itself being evil, but about how it was being used. Bicycles were becoming an idol, causing unnecessary conflict and financial difficulties.
The main focus of Ellen G. White’s writing
This brings us to another important topic in reading her works: What is the main focus she is trying to get at? We need to keep this in mind when reading the Bible as well. We need to focus on what the central idea is, not on the periphery issues. Ellen G. White said herself that there are no new truths to be found. We need to stick to the central overarching topic, which usually pertained to God and our service to Him. When we start looking at the periphery of any subject being discussed, we can be led on wild goose chases. These chases can quickly distort what the author is trying to say.
Here are a couple of controversial issues she had to deal with during her life time and her son Willie had to address after her death. The first was the proper length of foot washing towels! Another topic was whether it was ok for men to be clean shaven. It was a common belief that since God numbered every hair on our heads, it would be sacrilegious to remove anything God held in such esteem. In both cases Willie would write that to his knowledge his mother had no stance on the topic and it was of little significance to their eternal salvation.
The order to read Ellen G. White’s works
So, what did she write and where should you start?
Here is a list in the order that Seth J. Pierce recommends.
Steps to Christ
The Desire of Ages
Christ’s Object Lessons
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing
Conflict of Ages
Prophets and Kings
The Acts of the Apostles
The Great Controversy
Gospel Workers
The Ministry of Healing
Education
Spiritual Gifts, vol 2
Life Sketches of Ellen G. White
Early Writings
Testimonies for the Church (a.k.a Letters to Crazy People)
After you have read this, feel free to read any of the other compilations that have been written since her death. Be careful with these however, as you may need to go back to the original letters they came from to get their full context.
In Summary
I hope you now have a better understanding of Ellen G. White the person and the Messenger of God.
Ellen G. White’s life was very similar to a lot of the prophets mentioned in the bible. They did not lead lavish lives, but lived humbly and served God above all else. She was just as criticized in life as she has been since her death. She never claimed to be infallible, but tried to the best of her abilities to share God’s message in the language she had available to her. Her relationship with Jesus brought her great joy and happiness, which was what she wanted for all of God’s children.
Things to remember
When we read her work it’s important to remember to: focus on the main topics, consider the context, to be moderate in our interpretations, and use it to better yourself not criticize others. If you have any questions about her work, you can always contact the Ellen G. White Estate directly. They will be happy to clarify things for you and direct you where to find the answers you seek. Also make sure that Ellen G. White actually wrote the statement you have questions about. If you hear a statement that sounds strange and doesn’t come with a reference text, she probably didn’t write it.
Take aways
If you take anything away from this, I hope it would be about her love for God and the importance of our relationship with Jesus. Everything she wrote had this as it’s end goal. Above all she wanted us to experience the same loving relationship she had with Him, so we can all be reunited when He comes again. For one thing is certain: He is coming soon and there is no excuse for us not to be ready.
According to her son Willie White, the families favourite song to sing during their worship time was “Lord, In the morning”, so that will be our closing song. The background of the slides was Ellen G. White’s California home called Elmshaven.
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